The Olympians

Cronus and Rhea

Cronus/Saturn ruled the Titans, the second generation of gods.

He had overthrown his father Ouranos/Uranus

He and his sister/wife, Rhea, were the parents of the Olympians.

Cronus’s Plot & FallWon’t be overthrownOm nom nom!Zeus’s secret birthOmphalosTitanomachy

Mt. OlympusHome of the gods after the

Titanomachy

Zeus / Jupiter King of the Gods Mightier than all

others put together

Ruler of the sky, rain and clouds

“bright shining light of heaven”

Zeus cont’dSymbols:Lightning,

stormsEagleBullOak tree

Sacred site: Olympia

Women:HeraMetisLetoSemeleDozens of others

Hera / Juno Sister and wife of Zeus; Queen of the Gods Goddess of marriage and married women Jealous and vengeful Had 4 Children with Zeus

Hephaestus, Ares, Hebe, EileithyiaSymbols: peacock, cowSacred city: ArgosMessenger was Iris

Poseidon / NeptuneGod of the sea, horses, and

earthquakesDrew lots at a Council of the GodsSymbols: trident, horse, dolphinWife was Amphitrite, son Triton

Hades / PlutoGod of the underworld & wealthDrew the short stick

Not a bad guyThe Underworld

5 Rivers & 3 JudgesCerberus & CharonElysian FieldsTartarusFields of Mourning

Symbol: bident

Demeter / CeresGoddess of corn, fruit, agriculture in

general and a goddess of fertility. Usually on a chariot drawn by dragons.

Daughter with Zeus was Persephone, queen of the underworldKidnapping & searchOrigin of the seasons

Apollo & ArtemisTwin children of Zeus and LetoArtemis: Goddess of the moon, forest,

hunt, childbirth, children, woodland critters

Apollo: God of the sun, music/poetry, medicine, knowledge – all things Greeky

Artemis born on Ortygia, helps deliver Apollo on Delos

Artemis / DianaOne of 3 virgin goddessesActaeon the hunter – wrong place, wrong

timeOrion the hunter

Apollo’s plot to keep her a virginSymbols: bow and arrows, moon, woodland critters dead or alive

Apollo / ApolloOracle at Delphi

PythonPythia

Symbol: Lyre, bowNiobe’s Pride

Athena / MinervaGoddess of wisdom, skill,

defensive/strategic warfareDaughter of Zeus and

MetisPopped out of Zeus’s head

fully clothed and armoredSymbols: war helmet, the

Aegis, owls, olive trees, snakes, and spears

Athena vs. PoseidonKing Cecrops needed a patron god

for his new cityPoseidon struck the ground to make

a spring – salt waterAthena struck the ground and

planted the first olive treeThe city chose her and named itself

Athens

Hermes / MercuryMessenger and herald of the godsGod of thieves, travelers, crossing

boundaries in generalHermes PsychopomposSon of Zeus and MaiaFirst-day mischief

Stole Apollo’s cattleInvented lyre

Symbols: winged sandals, cap, caduceus

Aphrodite / VenusGoddess of love, beauty, and

naughtiness Born from sea-foam near CyprusSymbols: doves, swans, seashellsWife of HephaestusJudgment of ParisMother of Aeneas

Ares / MarsGod of War – physical aspect of itSon of Zeus and HeraVery violent and had a horrible

temperOther gods and goddesses couldn’t

stand himNot too important to Greeks – very

important to RomansSymbols: vultures, weapons and

shields

Hephaestus / Vulcan Son of Zeus and HeraGod of fire and the gods’ chief

workmanHe was lame and deformed so his

parents were ashamed of him; cast from Olympus and landed on Lemnos

Forge under Mt. AetnaCaught Aphrodite and Ares in a net

Dionysus / BacchusSon of Zeus and Semele, a mortal

Hera makes her doubt the paternityZeus reveals himself; bacon sizzleDionysus saved

God of wine, partying, theaterMaenads/BacchantsSymbols: grapes, thyrsus, vines,

drinks

Recap13 gods and 12 Olympians –

sometimes Hades or Dionysus is excluded as an OlympianHades has his own placeDionysus a late entry