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The Three Principal Gods of Greek Mythology JK’s Year 2 classes Sample Essay In Greek mythology there were many gods, or deities, often associated with nature. There were essentially twelve gods and goddesses who resided on Mount Olympus. Of those principle twelve, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades were the most powerful. The most mysterious and seclusive of the three was Hades, god of the underworld. One particular story illustrates his dominance over other gods. Supposedly Hades fell in love with Persephone, daughter of Demeter (goddess of the Earth and harvests). Hades kidnapped Persephone and took her to his kingdom in the underworld. This obviously upset Demeter, who could now never see her daughter again. Zeus managed to arrange a deal whereby Persephone was allowed to visit her mother only once a year, which coincides with spring. This mythological tale attempts to explain the change of the seasons, as Demeter, goddess of the earth, is joyful and blooming during the spring, but cold and alone in winter. Poseidon is one of the more popular of the gods, but also quite feared and respected. As god of the oceans, his statues and temples can still be found in many seaports; the Poseidon of Milos and Cape Sounion are famous archeological sites—to name only two. As a nation of islands, Greece relied heavily on ships for trade, transportation, and livelihood. The god of the ocean was believed to carry a trident that allowed him to summon the waves or create calming winds. It is no wonder they gave so much fear and respect to the one who could destroy an entire fleet or send a ship speedily home with the wave of his hand. Clearly the most powerful of the three, and essentially the most important of all the Olympian gods, was Zeus. The story of how he came to power is probably the best example. Zeus’ father was a Titan named Cronos. As leader of the Titans, he ate Zeus’ siblings, fearing they would overthrow him. Zeus put something in his father’s drink to cause him to get sick, which rescued his siblings. Indebted to Zeus, his siblings (including Hades and Poseidon) elected him do be their leader in the war against the Titans. The gods were only able to win the war after Zeus rescued the Cyclopes and hundred-­‐headed Giants from the underworld. Supposedly the Cyclopes gave Zeus power over thunder and lightning, thereby giving Zeus the position of god of the skies, and essentially, god of the gods. The three dominant forms of “nature” in the ancient world were the heavens, the oceans and rivers, and the underworld. Therefore, the three gods associated with those elements—Jupiter, god of thunder and sky; Poseidon, god of the seas; and Hades, lord of the souls in the afterlife—were by far the most significant.