Download The Olympians

The Olympians
Greek gods and goddesses
Zeus
 King of the Gods
 Controlled the Heavens
 Sacred items: eagle, thunderbolt, shield, oak
tree
 Roman name: Jupiter
Zeus
Zeus killed his father, Cronus, and became
king of the gods.
Zeus married his sister, Hera, and is the father
of Aphrodite, Ares, Hephaestus, Athena,
Artemis, Apollo, and Hermes
Hera
 Queen of the Gods
 Controlled women and marriage
 Things sacred to her:
Peacock, cow
 Roman name: Juno
Hera
Hera is the daughter of Cronus and Rhea, two
of the Titans.
Hera, although the goddess of marriage, has
to deal with her husband, Zeus, having
many affairs with mortal women.
Aphrodite
 Goddess of Love and Beauty
 Sacred items: dove, goose, sparrow, myrtle
 Roman Name: Venus
Aphrodite
Aphrodite is married to Hephaestus, the god
of the forge. She is considered the most
beautiful goddess; he is considered the
ugliest god.
Aphrodite tends to get jealous of mortal
women who are very beautiful.
Poseidon
 God of the Sea
 Sacred items: trident, horse, bull
 Roman name: Neptune
Poseidon
Poseidon is the son of Cronus and Rhea, two
of the Titans.
He is the brother of Zeus and Hades, and
earned the rule of the seas through his role
in conquering his father.
Ares
 God of War
 Sacred items: vulture, dog
 Roman name: Mars
Ares
Even though Ares is the god of war, he is
NOT evil.
Ares has an affair with Aphrodite, the wife of
the god Hephaestus. Hephaestus is – to
say the least – very upset about this.
Hades
 God of the Underworld
 Sacred items: helmet, metal jewels
 Often shown with Cerberus, the threeheaded dog
 Roman name: Pluto
Hades
Hades is the son of Cronus and Rhea, two of
the Titans.
Hades is the brother of Zeus and Poseidon,
and earned his rule of the underworld
through his role in defeating his father.
In love with Persephone, the daughter of
Demeter.
Hephaestus
 God of the Forge
 Sacred items: fire, blacksmith’s hammer
 Roman name: Vulcan
Hephaestus
Hephaestus is the son of Zeus and Hera.
He is married to Aphrodite, the goddess of
love and beauty.
He is the god who chained Prometheus to a
rock for all eternity (because Prometheus
gave fire to mankind).
Athena
 Goddess of Wisdom, of the City, of War, of
Arts and Crafts
 Sacred items: owl, shield, olive tree
 Patron goddess of Athens
 Roman name: Minerva
Athena
Athena is the daughter of Zeus. She has no
mother, because she sprang, fully grown,
from Zeus’ head.
Athena is often known for the fact that she
turned the mortal woman Arachne into a
spider for being too proud of her weaving
ability. (why spiders are called arachnids!)
Artemis
 Goddess of the Moon, of the Hunt, of
Children
 Sacred items: stag, crescent moon, cypress
tree
 Roman name: Diana
Artemis
Artemis is the daughter of Zeus and Hera, and
is the twin of the sun god Apollo.
Artemis kills Orion for his attempt to rape her
in the forest. He becomes a constellation
after his death.
Apollo
 God of Light and Truth, of Healing, of
Archery, of Music
 Sacred items: crow, dolphin, laurel, lyre
 Roman name: Apollo
Apollo
Apollo is the son of Zeus and Hera, and the
twin of the moon goddess Artemis.
Apollo’s shining chariot is considered to be the
sun, driven across the sky each day.
Demeter
 Goddess of the Harvest, of Agriculture
 Sacred items: wheat
 Roman name: Ceres
Demeter
Demeter is the daughter of Cronus and Rhea,
two of the Titans.
Demeter’s daughter, Persephone, becomes
the queen of the underworld.
The change in seasons is attributed to
Demeter’s feelings about her daughter’s
absence.
Hermes
 God of Motion, of Sleep and Dreams, of
Travelers, of Thieves
 Messenger to the gods
 Sacred items: wand, winged sandals,
winged helmet
 Roman name: Mercury
Hermes
Hermes was considered a somewhat sneaky
god.
When Hermes was still a child, he stole the
cows belonging to Apollo. He hid his deed
by making the cows walk backwards into a
cave wearing pine branches on their
hooves.
Dionysus
• God of Celebration & Wine
• Sacred items: vineyards
• Roman name: Bacchus
Hestia
• Goddess of the Hearth,
Home and Fertility
• Sacred items: hearth
• Roman name: Vesta