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Hera
The queen of heaven in Greek mythology, Hera was the sister and wife of Zeus, the king of the
gods. The Greeks worshiped her as a mother goddess and considered her a protector of marriage
and childbirth and a supporter of women. Her animal was the cow and the peacock. Many of the
myths and legends about Hera concern her terrible jealousy of and revenge against Zeus's many
lovers and children.
When Zeus and his brothers defeated the Titans and divided the universe among them, they gave
nothing to their sisters. Hera was furious at being left out, and this anger persisted throughout her
relationship with Zeus. According to some myths, Zeus seduced Hera while disguised as a bird.
Other tales say that he found her on an island and carried her away to a cave. Festivals
commemorating the marriage took place throughout Greece.
As the wife of Zeus, Hera had four children: Hephaestus, the god of fire and crafts; Ares, the god
of war; Ilithyia, the goddess of childbirth; and Hebe, the cupbearer of the gods. Zeus and Hera
often argued, and their arguments sometimes became fierce enough to shake the halls of
Olympus, the home of the gods.
Titan one of a family of giants who ruled the earth until overthrown by the Greek gods of
Olympus
Poseidon
Poseidon was the god of the sea, earthquakes and horses. Although he was officially one of the
supreme gods of Mount Olympus, he spent most of his time in his watery domain. Poseidon was
brother to Zeus, Hades, Hera, and Hestia. Poseidon, Hades, and Zeus divided up creation. Zeus
was ruler of the sky, Hades had dominion of the Underworld and Poseidon was given all water,
both fresh and salt.
An awesome, unruly, and powerful god, Poseidon was associated with storms, earthquakes, and
some other violent forces of nature. When angry, he could make the seas stormy but he could
also calm the raging waters with just a glance. One of his titles, Enosichthon (Earth-shaker),
reflected his ability to cause earthquakes by striking the earth and mountains with
his trident. The trident was also his symbol. Another name for Poseidon was Hippios (lord of
horses), and the god presented horses as gifts to various individuals.
Poseidon rode the waves in a swift chariot drawn by golden sea horses. He used his mighty
trident not only to provoke earthquakes and stir ocean waves but also to raise new land from
beneath the sea or cause existing land to sink below the waters. Although often helpful to
humans—protecting sailors at sea, guiding ships to safety, and filling nets with fish—
Poseidon could be a terrifying figure as well. Quick to anger, he directed his fury at anyone who
acted against him or failed to show proper respect.
trident three-pronged spear, similar to a pitchfork
Apollo
The most widely worshiped of the Greek gods, Apollo was the son of Zeus* and the Titan Leto
and the twin brother of Artemis the goddess of the hunt. Apollo had many roles in Greek
mythology, including god of the sun, god of the arts (especially music), god of medicine and
death, protector of herdsmen and their flocks, and god of prophecy.
According to legend, Apollo was born on the Greek island of Delos and grew to adulthood in just
four days. To escape the island, he changed himself into a dolphin and caused a great storm on
the sea. Apollo then threw himself on the deck of a ship in distress and led it safely to shore.
Having reached the mainland, Apollo set off for Pytho, the site of an important oracle of Gaia,
the earth goddess. A monstrous serpent named Python not only guarded the place but also spoke
the oracle's prophecies. Apollo killed Python and took the oracle for himself. The name of the
site was changed to Delphi because Apollo had become a dolphin ( delphis in Greek) in order to
reach it.
When someone died suddenly it was said he had been struck by one of Apollo's arrows. Apollo
was considered the ideal of male beauty, and he had many love affairs. Apollo is typically
portrayed holding a bow and arrow, symbols of his role as the god of death and disease, or a
harp, representing his role as god of music and the arts or of shepherds.
Titan one of a family of giants who ruled the earth until overthrown by the Greek gods of
Olympus
prophecy foretelling of what is to come; also something that is predicted
oracle priest or priestess or other creature through whom a god is believed to speak; also the
location (such as a shrine) where such words are spoken
Artemis
Artemis was the goddess of the hunt. She helped women in childbirth but also brought sudden
death with her arrows. She was the protector of small children. Artemis and her twin brother
Apollo were the children of Zeus and Leto. In some versions of their myth, Artemis was born
first and helped her mother Leto to deliver Apollo.
Artemis is generally depicted as a young woman clad in animal skins, carrying a bow and a
quiver of arrows. The bow is also her symbol. She is often accompanied by wild creatures such
as a stag or bear. Many myths about Artemis relate to her vengeful nature. She was known
for punishing humans who offended or angered her. In one story a
young hunter named Actaeon came upon Artemis while she was bathing in a stream. Although
he knew better than to spy on a goddess, he was captivated by her beauty. Artemis caught sight
of Actaeon and, not wanting him to boast of having seen her naked body, changed him into a
stag. His own hounds then attacked and killed him.
Ares
Ares was the god of war, or more precisely of warlike frenzy. He often represents the physical
or violent aspect of war, in contrast to the armored Athena, whose functions as a goddess of
intelligence. Generally described as bloodthirsty, cruel, and a troublemaker, Ares was not a
popular god.
Though an immortal god, he was bested by Heracles in battle and was almost killed when stuffed
into a jar by two giants. When another hero wounded him during the Trojan War, he received
little sympathy from his father Zeus.
In appearance, Ares was handsome and cruel. He is often depicted carrying a bloodstained spear.
His throne on Mount Olympus was said to be covered in human skin. Vultures, who feed on the
flesh of the dead on battlefields, were regarded as Ares' sacred birds.
Athena
In Greek mythology, Athena was the goddess of wisdom, of warfare, and of crafts. Her symbol
was the owl. She ranked as Zeus's favorite child and one of the most powerful of the gods. Many
rulers sought her wisdom in both government and military matters.
Athena was the daughter of Zeus and of the Titan Metis, known for her knowledge and wisdom.
The oracle also predicted that if Metis and Zeus had a male child, the boy would overthrow his
father when he grew up, just as Zeus had overthrown his father. To protect himself from this
possibility, Zeus swallowed Metis after she changed herself into a fly.
Time passed and one day Zeus developed a terrible headache. He cried out in pain, saying that he
felt as if a warrior were stabbing him from inside with a spear. Hephaestus, the god of
metalworking, finally understood what was wrong and split Zeus's head open with an ax. Athena
sprang out, fully grown and dressed in armor. By all accounts she was a devoted daughter. For
his part, Zeus tended to indulge Athena, which at times made the other gods jealous and angry.
As goddess of handicrafts, Athena created many useful items, such as the potter's wheel, vase,
horse bridle, chariot, and ship. She was the patron of architects and sculptors and the inventor of
numbers and mathematics, which of course influenced many aspects of civilization.
Nonetheless, in her wisdom, Athena was generally a kindly goddess. She promoted good
government, looking after the welfare of kings who asked for her guidance and advising
government officials. Athena was a goddess of justice tempered by mercy. Her work led Athens
to adopt trial by jury.
Titan one of a family of giants who ruled the earth until overthrown by the Greek gods of
Olympus
oracle priest or priestess or other creature through whom a god is believed to speak; also the
location (such as a shrine) where such words are spoken
Hades
In Greek mythology, Hades was the god of the underworld, the kingdom of the dead. His
symbol was the cerberus. Even though today death and evil are sometimes compared Hades was
often portrayed as passive rather than evil; his role was often maintaining balance.
Hades was the son of Cronus and Rhea, two of the Titans who once ruled the universe. The
Titans had other children, the gods Zeus and Poseidon and the goddesses Demeter, Hera, and
Hestia. When Hades was born, Cronus swallowed him as he had swallowed his other children at
birth. However, Zeus escaped this fate, and he tricked Cronus into taking a potion that made him
vomit up Hades and his siblings.
Together these gods and goddesses rebelled against the Titans and seized power from them.
After gaining control of the universe, Hades, Poseidon, and Zeus drew lots to divide it among
themselves. Zeus gained control of the sky, Poseidon took the sea, and Hades received the
underworld.
Cerberus- multi-headed dog
Titan- one of a family of giants who ruled the earth until overthrown by the Greek gods of
Olympus