Download the olympians: appearance and attributes

OLYMPIAN OVERVIEW
THE OLYMPIANS: APPEARANCE AND ATTRIBUTES
1. ZEUS:
A.
B.
C.
D.
king of the gods, brother and husband of Hera
God of the sky and weather, ruler of gods and men
Appearance: mature, bearded, clothed
Attributes: eagle, oak tree, scepter, thunderbolt
Important representation: “Olympian Zeus” by Phidias
2. HERA:
A.
B.
C.
queen of the gods, sister and wife of Zeus
Goddess of women, marriage, childbirth
Appearance: ladylike, mature, fully clothed, often veiled
Attributes: crown, scepter, cuckoo, peacock, fleur-de-lis
3. POSEIDON: brother of Zeus
A. God of the sea, horses, earthquakes
B. Appearance: resembles Zeus
C. Attributes: trident, horse, bull, dolphin, entourage of sea nymphs,
sea monsters, and other creatures of the sea.
4. HADES: brother of Zeus, husband of Persephone
A. God of death and the underworld
B. Appearance: seldom depicted, but resembles Zeus
C. Attributes: two-pronged scepter, Cerberus
5. DEMETER: sister of Zeus, mother of Persephone
A. Goddess of the crops
B. Appearance: resembles Hera
C. Attributes: torches, stalk or sheaf of grain
D. Object of a mystery cult at Eleusis near Athens
since the yearly cycle of the crops is an intimation of immortality
6. HESTIA: sister of Zeus
A. Goddess of the hearth
B. Appearance: resembles Hera,
always depicted in an attitude of immobility
C. Attributes: hearth, fire, home
D. Displaced from her throne by Dionysus prior to 432 BCE
7. HEPHAESTUS: son of Zeus and Hera, husband of Aphrodite
A. Lame god of fire and the forge, divine handyman or artisan
B. Appearance: bearded, serious, usually at his forge,
often wears a skull cap
C. Attributes: hammer, anvil, bellows, fire, forge
5
Copyright 2007 American Classical League
May be reproduced for classroom use
OLYMPIAN OVERVIEW
THE OLYMPIANS: APPEARANCE AND ATTRIBUTES (continued)
8. ARES: son of Zeus and Hera
A. God of violence and ugly passions of war, divine swashbuckler
B. Appearance: unpopular so seldom depicted,
but appears as a handsome young man in armor
C. Attributes: armor, vulture, dog, war-chariot, Eris
9. APOLLO: son of Zeus and Leto, twin brother of Artemis
A. God of light, prophecy, archery, music, fine arts, medicine, law
B. Appearance: young handsome male with long hair
C. Attributes: lyre, bow and arrows, laurel wreath, oracle at Delphi
D. Apollo became the embodiment of the Hellenic spirit
10. ARTEMIS: daughter of Zeus and Leto, twin sister of Apollo
A. Virgin goddess of the woods and hunt, cares for wild beasts
B. Appearance: young attractive female dressed for the hunt
C. Attributes: bow and arrows, small animals nearby, stags, palm tree
11. ATHENA: daughter of Zeus and Metis
A. Virgin goddess of wisdom, arts and crafts,
the honorable aspects of warfare, protector of Athens
B. Appearance: young, beautiful, serious, clothed in armor
C. Attributes: shield, aegis, snake, owl, lamp, helmet, Nike, olive
D. Important representation: cult figure in the Parthenon by Phidias
12. APHRODITE: rose from sea foam, wife of Hephaestus, mother of Eros (her son by Ares)
A. Goddess of love and beauty
B. Appearance: originally draped and stiff, later more sensual
C. Attributes: doves, mirror, flowers, blossoms, The Graces, Eros
D. Important representations: Aphrodite of Cnidus by Praxiteles, Venus de Milo
13. HERMES: son of Zeus and Maia
A. Divine messenger, god of travelers, merchants and thieves, leads the dead to Hades
B. Appearance: young man, sometimes bearded
C. Attributes: broad brimmed traveler’s hat, snake-wound
herald’s staff called the caduceus, winged hat and sandals
D. Important representation: Hermes by Praxiteles
14. DIONYSUS: son of Zeus and Semele
A. God of the energy of nature and of wine, patron of poetry, drama, and song
B. Appearance: young, sensual, sometimes bearded, often drunk
C. Attributes: a rout of Maenads, satyrs, vines, grapes
D. Worshipped as an object of a mystery cult
6
Copyright 2007 American Classical League
May be reproduced for classroom use