ZEUS

• Ruler of Mount Olympus• god of heaven and earth• Roman name Jupiter• Symbol – lightening bolt• Married to Hera

ZEUS’ parents = Cronus & Rhea

• MYTH:• Defeated and

overthrew his father Cronus to become omnipotent ruler

HERA

• goddess of marriage. • Jealous wife of Zeus • Queen of the Mount Olympus• Roman name Juno• Symbol - peacock

Hera’s parents = Cronus & Rhea

• Hera took the eyes from Argus, her dead faithful servant, and put his eyes on the peacocks’ feathers

HADES

• god of the dead and wealth• ruler of the Underworld• Roman name Pluto• Kidnaps Persephone & makes

her his queen• Symbol – helmet of invisibility

Hades’ parents = Cronus & Rhea

• Hades is part of the creation story as he helped his brother Zeus defeat their father Cronus

POSEIDON

• god of the sea, earthquakes and horses

• Spends his time in the oceans and seas

• Roman name Neptune• Symbol – trident and

horses

Poseidon’s parents = Cronus & Rhea

• Wife – Amphitrite

• Poseidon is also part of the creation story as he aided his brother Zeus in overthrowing their father Cronus

DEMETER

• goddess of the harvest and agriculture

• sister of Zeus and the mother of Persephone.

• Roman name Cerus• Cereal• Symbol – wheat stalk

Demeter’s parents = Cronus & Rhea

• Demeter withholds her bounty when her daughter Persephone is in the underworld, creating fall and winter. When her daughter returns to Demeter, it is spring and summer on earth, and everything grows.

HESTIA

• goddess of hearth and home

• sister of Zeus • Roman name Vesta• Symbol – fireplace

(hearth)

Hestia’s parents: Cronus & Rheano spouse

• MYTH-• Gentlest of all

Olympians• Humbly, Hestia gave

up her throne to Dionysus

• She said her place was at the hearth & she needed no throne

APHRODITE

• goddess of love and beauty • Roman name Venus• Symbol – doves, hearts and

flowers• Born from sea foam• Wife of Hephaestus

Aphrodite’s parents: NONE – she rose from the sea foam

• Myth –• Her son is Eros/Cupid• Her husband Hephaestus

made her a magical girdle• She prefers Ares to her

own husband• Annually she returns to

the sea where she sprang from to be rejuvenated

PERSEPHONE

• Goddess of the underworld• Roman name Proserpina• Symbol – pomegranate• Kidnapped by Hades• Daughter of Demeter• MYTH - change of seasons

PERSEPHONE’s parents: Demeter & Zeus

• MYTH- • In the Underworld, she ate the

seeds of the pomegranate, the food of the dead

• So she must return to Hades, one month for every seed she ate

• Thus the barren, fruitless seasons are created by her mother Demeter when her daughter Persephone is in the Underworld (fall & winter on Earth)

ATHENA

• goddess of crafts and strategic war and wisdom

• goddess of Athens• symbol - owl• Roman name Minerva

Athena’s parents: Metis (goddess of prudence) & Zeus

• Myth:• Athena sprang from

Zeus’s head fully grown after he swallowed Metis in fly form

• To punish Arachne’s disrespect, Athena changed her into a spider

• Athena won Athens by giving the city the olive tree in a contest with Poseidon, her uncle

HEPHAESTUS

• god of fire and metal crafts

• Symbols – fire and forge• Patron god of smiths,

blacksmiths , goldsmiths, and silversmiths

• Roman name Vulcan• Volcano

HEPHAESTUS’ parents: Hera & ZeusWife: Aphrodite

• Myth-• Tried to defend his

mother Hera from his father Zeus

• Zeus threw his son from Mt. Olympus, permanently crippling Hephaestus

ARTEMIS

• goddess of the hunt. • Never marries• Twin sister of Apollo• Roman name Diana• Symbol – bow and a

stag (deer)

Artemis’ Parents: Leto & ZeusNo husband (her father did not make

her marry) • Myth-• To punish the young

hunter Acteon for watching her bathe, Artemis turned him into a stag & he was attacked by his own hounds

• Her twin Apollo jealously turned her favorite hunting partner Orion into a constellation

APOLLO

• god of music, healing and prophesy• Roman name is Apollo• Twin brother of Artemis• Symbol - lyre and laurel crown• Oracle at Delphi (where he defeated

the dragon Python)

Apollo’s Parents: Leto & Zeus

• Myth:• He won the Oracle at

Delphi• He killed Orion because

he was jealous of his twin’s favorite hunting partner

• He helped Artemis hang Orion’s constellation in the sky

HERMES

• messenger of the gods• guides dead souls to the Underworld• Roman name Mercury• Symbol – winged sandals and Caduceus

ARES

• god of violent and vicious war

• Roman name Mars• Symbol – Vulture• Loves Aphrodite

Dionysus

• God of wine• Symbol – grapes• Son of a mortal

woman, Semele, and Zeus

• Created dolphins from pirates