Download The Olympian Gods - Greek Mythology

The Olympian Gods
- Greek Mythology (For Vocabulary Section)
Realm:
King of the Gods
Queen of the Gods
Goddess of Wisdom
God of War
Goddess of Love
Goddess of the Hunt
Goddess of Agriculture
God of the Sea
God of the Dead
God of the Forge
God of the Arts
Goddess of the Hearth
God of Wine & Theatre
God of Shepherds
Messenger God
Greek Name:
Zeus
Hera
Athena
Ares
Aphrodite
Artemis
Demeter
Poseidon
Hades
Hephaestus
Apollo
Hestia
Dionysus
Pan
Hermes
Roman Name:
Jupiter
Juno
Minerva
Mars
Venus
Diana
Ceres
Neptune
Pluto
Vulcan
Apollo
Vesta
Bacchus
Faunus
Mercury
Aphrodite
Aff - ro - DIE - tee
(Venus)
* Goddess of Love and Beauty *
Aphrodite is the goddess of beauty and love. Aphrodite is said to have been
born from the foam of the sea, and her name means "the foam- risen." Aphros is
foam in Greek. She is the most beautiful among the goddesses. She lives on
Olympus, and she plants love in the hearts of people and gods alike. Gods and
humans are powerless when she decides to give them the gift of love. Her son is
Eros, who is also known as Cupid. She is usually shown as treacherous and mean,
exercising a deadly and destructive power over men.In most stories she is
Hephaestus’ (Vul- can), wife The myrtle was her tree; the dove her bird sometimes, too, the sparrow and the swan.
Hamilton, Edith. Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes. New York:
Warner Books. 1969. Book
Apollo
(Apollo)
* God of the Arts and Prophecy *
Apollo was the son of Zeus and Leto. He was born on the island of Delos.
He was the god of music, which he plays on his golden lyre, the silver bow,
healing, and of light. He was also the god of divination (prediction). When his
mother was pregnant, goddess Hera became jealous. Hera made the dragon Python
chase Leto all around the world. Apollo grew up and wanted revenge for his
mother’s suffering. After searching, he found Python and killed him. Apollo was a
direct link between gods and men, guiding men to know the divine of the gods. He
could even cleanse even those stained with the blood of their kindred. Everybody
in Olympus loves Apollo’s lyre and singing. But the god is not always so calm. If
somebody does something bad it is sure that he’ll be punished or die from Apollo’s
golden arrows. The laurel was his tree. Many creatures were sacred to him, chief
among them the dolphin and the crow.
Hamilton, Edith. Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes. New York:
Warner Books. 1969. Book
Ares
AIR - ease
(Mars)
* God of War *
Ares is the god of war. He’s the son of Zeus and Hera who both hated his
guts. Ares always has with him his sons, Phoebus (fear) and Demos (terror), to
spread fear and panic to the opponents. Also with him is Erida (dispute) the
goddess of conflict. He is murderous, bloodstained, the curse of mortals, and,
strangely, a coward, who cries with pain and runs away when he is wounded. Ares
likes war. Ares’ lover was the goddess of beauty, Aphrodite, even though she was
married to Hephaestus. Appropriately, his bird was the vulture. The dog was his
animal.
Hamilton, Edith. Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes. New York:
Warner Books. 1969. Book
Artemis
(Diana)
* Goddess of the Hunt and Protector of Children *
Artemis is Apollo’s twin sister, daughter of Zeus and Leto. Artemis is the
goddess of hunting and the flocks. She protects every animal on earth, wild or
tame. Later she also is the protector of women in labor. Artemis loves her brother
Apollo. Artemis is forever young and beautiful, and she’s always carrying her
golden bow, arrows, and spear. She’s always ready to do the thing that she loves
the most: hunting. She’s fast as the wind, and she almost never misses her target.
The nymphs always accompany Artemis. The cypress was sacred to her; and all
wild animals, but especially the deer.
Hamilton, Edith. Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes. New York:
Warner Books. 1969. Book
Athena
(Minerva)
* Goddess of Wisdom and Just Warfare *
As the days were passing by, Zeus had a headache that was growing
stronger. He called Hephaestus (the smith). He opened his father’s head, and
Athena came out! Athena is a warrior goddess. She is the goddess of wisdom,
science, protector of cities and of Greek heroes. She is beautiful, strong, and
unbeatable. She is always holding her spear ready to fight. Athena gives advice to
the heroes. She helps the people acquire knowledge. She is also the inventor of the
bridle, who first tamed horses for men to use. She was Zeus's favorite child. She
carried his devastating weapon, the thunderbolt. Athens was her special city; the
olive created by her was her tree; the owl her bird.
Hamilton, Edith. Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes. New York:
Warner Books. 1969. Book
Demeter
(Ceres)
* Goddess of Agriculture *
Demeter is the goddess of agriculture (farming). She makes the plants grow
and produce their goods. Without her powers nothing can grow. The farmers pray
to her to have a good harvest. The Greeks began to worship Demeter the most
when they started to concentrate on agriculture. Her daughter was Persephone (in
Latin Pro- serpine), the maiden of the spring. Persephone was stolen by Hades,
which is the reason why Demeter does not help the world grow in the winter, for
that is the time Persephone spends in the underworld with Hades
Hamilton, Edith. Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes. New York:
Warner Books. 1969. Book
Dionysus
Die - on - ICEs
(Bacchus)
* God of Wine and the Theatre *
Dionysus is the god of wine. He was born in the city of Thebes. Everywhere
he taught men the culture of the vine and the mysteries of his worship and
everywhere they accepted him as a god until he drew near to his own country. He’s
always wearing a crown made of grape leaves. The MAENADS followed him and
were women driven mad with wine. They rushed through woods and over
mountains uttering sharp cries, waving pine-cone-tipped wands, swept away in a
fierce ecstasy. Nothing could stop them. They would tear to animals to pieces in
their drunkenness. Wherever he goes, there is a celebration. Dionysus is also the
god of actors and the theatre.
Hamilton, Edith. Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes. New York:
Warner Books. 1969. Book
Hades
HAY - dees
(Pluto)
* God of the Dead and the Underworld *
Hades is the god of the underworld. He controls the souls and the gods that
live with him in the underworld. The underworld is also known by the name
Hades. He is also known as the God of Wealth, and of the precious metals hidden
in the earth. He had a helmet which made whoever wore it invisible. He was not
evil, but just. He was King of the Dead - not Death himself. Cerberus, a dog with
three heads, guards the entrance of the underworld. As you go deeper into the
underworld, you’ll see an old man, Charon. He carries souls across the river of the
dead in his boat. Hades is the brother of Zeus and Poseidon.
Hamilton, Edith. Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes. New York:
Warner Books. 1969. Book
Hephaestus
Heff - EYE - stuss
(Vulcan)
* God of Smiths and Metal-workers *
Hephaestus is the son of Zeus and Hera. He is the god of fire and the
craftsman of the gods. No one is a better iron worker than he is. He fixed Zeus’
thunderbolts. When he was born, his mother, Hera, threw him down to earth
because he was ugly and crippled. He is highly honored on Olympus where he
makes not only the armor of the gods, but also their houses, furnishings, and
weapons. He was a kindly, peace-loving god, popular on earth as in heaven.
Hamilton, Edith. Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes. New York:
Warner Books. 1969. Book
Hestia
(Vesta)
* Goddess of the Home *
Hestia is Zeus’ sister, and like Athena and Artemis a virgin goddess. As the
protector of the family hearth, Hestia, protects families and the home. She was
worshiped by every family in ancient Greece. Hestia grew tired of the arguments
and disagreements of the Olympian gods and left Olympus. That does not mean
that she was not important for the ancient Greeks. Hestia almost never got
involved, like the other gods, in human wars and affairs. In Rome, six virgin
priestesses, called Vestals, cared for her fire.
Hamilton, Edith. Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes. New York:
Warner Books. 1969. Book
Hera
(Juno)
* Queen of the Gods *
She was Zeus's wife and sister. And is protector of marriage. This is ironic
since Zeus is always having affairs with other women. Hera is very beautiful and
powerful. However, she mainly punishes many women Zeus fell in love with,
even when they sleep with him because he or tricked them. The humans respect
her. They do not want to get her angry. She will punish them if they go against
her will. Hera is also jealous of her husband’s infidelity, and she will think of
many tricks just to have her way. Nevertheless she was important in every home.
She was the goddess married women turned to for help. The cow and the peacock
were sacred to her. Argos was her favorite city.
Hamilton, Edith. Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes. New York:
Warner Books. 1969. Book
Hermes
HER - mees
(Mercury)
* God of Merchants and the Messenger of Zeus *
Zeus was his father and Maia, daughter of Atlas, his mother. Hermes was the
messenger of the gods. On his feet were winged sandals; wings were on his lowcrowned hat, too, and on his magic wand. He was Zeus's Messenger. He was the
Master Thief. He was God of Commerce and the Market, and the protector of
traders. He also guided the dead to HadesHe had, though, another talent. He liked
to play jokes on the gods and was quite a talented thief. He stole the bow and the
arrows of Apollo, Poseidon’s trident, and Ares’ sword. Hermes was often the
messenger for the other gods because he was able to travel so quickly. Every Greek
in ancient Greece loved Hermes. Statues were built on every crossroad and in the
entrances of the houses.
Hamilton, Edith. Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes. New York:
Warner Books. 1969. Book
Pan
(Faunus)
* Goddess of Shepherds *
Pan was the god of shepherds and of flocks. Pan was the son of Hermes and
a nymph. He was born with the legs and horns of a goat, which caused his own
mother to cast him away. All wild places were his home, thickets and forests and
mountains. He was a wonderful musician. Sounds heard in a wilderness at night by
the trembling traveler were supposed to be made by him, so that it is easy to see
how the expression "panic" fear arose.
Hamilton, Edith. Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes. New York:
Warner Books. 1969. Book
Poseidon
(Neptune)
* God of the Sea *
He was the ruler of the sea, Zeus's brother and second only to him in
importance .He is handsome like his brother, and he controls not only the sea but
the waves and all creatures in the ocean. Poseidon had a splendid palace beneath
the sea, but he was oftener to be found in Olympus. Poseidon He was commonly
called "Earth-shaker" and was always shown carrying his trident, a three-pronged
spear, with which he would shake and shatter whatever he pleased.. Dolphins and
fish accompany him. No human wants to make Poseidon upset. He will hit the
waters with his trident, and huge waves will destroy everything.
Hamilton, Edith. Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes. New York:
Warner Books. 1969. Book
Zeus
(Jupiter)
* King of the Gods *
Zeus was the supreme ruler. He was Lord of the Sky, the Rain-god and the
Cloud-gatherer, who wielded the awful thunderbolt. His power was greater than
that of all the other divinities together. Zeus is the king of the gods and humans.
His symbol and his weapon was the thunderbolt. He threw his thunderbolts
without mercy at anyone who went against his will. Everyone respected Zeus. He
was also famous for his affairs with other women. His breastplate was the aegis,
awful to behold; his bird was the eagle, his tree the oak. His oracle was Dodona in
the land of oak trees. The god's will was revealed by the rustling of the oak leaves
which the priests interpreted.
Hamilton, Edith. Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes. New York:
Warner Books. 1969. Book