Twelve Great Olympian Gods

Poseidon (Neptune)

CHARACTERISTICS: VINDICTIVE, DANGEROUSSYMBOLS: TRIDENT AND HORSEHe is the one who creates the horses from sea foam and is also the creator of earthquakes. His symbols are sea foam, trident and dolphins.

Hades (Pluto)

CHARACTERISTICS: TERRIBLE, DANGEROUSSYMBOL: PRONGED FORK

Represented by the Helm of Darkness and a three headed dog (cerberus).Husband to Persephone.

Zeus (Jupiter) as an infant

THE HEAVENLY KING OF THE GODS AND RULER OF MANKIND

CHARACTERISTICS: STRONG, STUPID, NOISYSYMBOLS: THUNDERBOLT, EAGLE

Son of Cronus and RheaFathered 15 children

Hera and Zeus

Hestia (Vesta)

CHARACTERISTICS: QUIET, UNASSUMINGSYMBOL: NONE

The calm goddess of the Hearth

She is the center point of all the homes of Greek civilization.

Hera (Juno)CHARACTERISTICS: JEALOUS, MAJESTICSYMBOLS: THE PEACOCK AND COW

Goddess of child birth & marriage

Often said to be the goddess of women

“Of golden-throned Hera I sing, born of Rhea, queen of the gods, unexcelled in

beauty, sister and glorious wife of loud-thundering Zeus.”

Athena (Minerva)

CHARACTERISTICS: WARLIKE, WISESYMBOL: OWL

Daughter of Zeus and sister to Ares. The wisest of all gods.Goddess of wisdom, warfare and reason

CHARACTERISTICS: BENEVOLENT, PURIFIES

SYMBOL: WHITE MOUSE

God of music, medicine, health, fitness, light and truth. God of archery and bows.He is associated with the sun and its light. He is a son to Zeus and is the twin of Artemis. He is represented by bows, the lyre and laurel.

Apollo

Artemis (Diana)

CHARACTERISTICS: LONER, UNAPPROACHABLESYMBOLS: DEER AND SHE-BEAR

She is the twin of Apollo and unlike her brother is associated with the moon.

She is also the goddess of hunting, virginity, wild life and dew.

She is often represented by the bow, dogs and deer.

Aphrodite (Venus)Characteristics: Irresponsible, lovingSymbol: Dove Goddess of love, beauty and lust.

She is the wife of Hephaestus, and a mother of two, Eros (famously known as the Cupid) and Harmonia. Aphrodite is also represented by the scepter and myrtle

Hephaestus (Vulcan or Mulciber)

CHARACTERISTICS: KINDLY, PEACE-LOVINGSYMBOL: QUAIL

God of the forge, and all blacksmiths & metal workers.

He is the god of technology with so renowned skills that he made the arms and armor of Greek heroes like Achilles.

He is also represented by the axe, flame, and hammer.

Hermes (Mercury)CHARACTERISTICS: TEMPERAMENTAL, SHREWDSYMBOL: CADUCEUS

God of hives, mischief and travelers. He is a messenger of the Greek Gods and has a humorous knack of playing tricks on people.

He is represented by a pair of winged boots.

Ares (Mars)

CHARACTERISTICS: MURDEROUS, COWARDLYSYMBOLS: BOAR AND SPEAR

He is the most violent of all Greek deities.

God of war, bloodshed, and murder. He is the son of Zeus and lover of Aphrodite

Demeter (Ceres)

Goddess of corn, grain, and the harvest; credited with teaching humans how to grow, to preserve, and to prepare grain.

Responsible for winter

Dionysus (Bacchus) Greek god of fertility, wine ,and intoxication

DEITY OF THEATER; THERE IS A DIONYSIAN FESTIVAL IN HIS HONOR

Erinnyes (The Furies)

Three goddesses of vengeance: Tisiphone (avenger of murder), Megaera (the jealous) and Alecto (constant anger). They were also called the Daughters of the Night, but were actally the daughters of Uranus and Gaea. Another name for them is the Erinyes. Without mercy, the Furies would punish all crime including the breaking of rules considering all aspects of society. They would strike the offenders with madness and never stopped following criminals. The worst of all crimes were patricide or matricide, and first and foremost, the Furies would punish this kind of crime.

They would also be the guardians of the law when the state had not yet intervened or did not exist, or when the crime was a crime of ethics and not actual law . For example, they would protect beggars and strangers, punish those who stole the birds' young and even look out for the dogs.

From them, we have words such as furious and infuriated.

HORRIBLE TO LOOK AT, THE FURIES HAD SNAKES FOR HAIR AND BLOOD DRIPPING FROM THEIR EYES. THEY CHANGED INTO THE EUMENIDES, PROTECTORS OF THE SUPPLIANT, AFTER ATHENA HAD MADE THEM MERCIFUL SPARING ORESTES, WHOM THEY HAD STALKED FOR A LONG TIME AFTER THE MURDER OF HIS MOTHER AND HER LOVER.

The Graces (Charities)

According to a myth, the Charites were daughters of King Zeus and the Oceanid, Eurynome.

There were three Charities (Graces):Algaia, Grace of BeautyEuphrosyne, Grace of DelightThalia, Grace of Blossom

The Charities were created to fill the world with pleasant moments and goodwill.

The Fates (Moirae or Moerae)

The Fates have the subtle but, awesome power of deciding a mans destiny. They assign a man to good or evil. There most obvious choice is chosing how long a man lives.

There are three Fate: Clotho, the spinner, who spins the thread of life. Lachesis, the measurer, who choses the lot in life one will have and measures off how long it is to be. Atropos, she who can not be turn, who at death with her shears cuts the tread of life.

Graeae

The Gray Sisters are:Deino or Dread (or Terrible)Enyo or Horror (or War-like)Pemphredo or Alarm (or Wasp)

They were often described as "fair-faced and swan-like." However, they had gray hair from the day they were born, and they shared one eye and one tooth.They lost their eye when Perseus stole it and later threw it in a lake.

Despite being so easily taken advantage of, they were very wise.

The Horae

Goddesses of orderly things like seasons, and because of their orderly aspect eventually became goddesses of justice. Controlled orderly life in Greek mythology. They measured out the weather as it seemed appropriate and guarded Olympus from any overambitious mortals.

Eunomia, Goddess of Law and LegislationDike, Moral JusticeEirene, Personification of Peace or Wealth

They were happy goddesses who enjoyed cavorting, similar to the Muses and Charities (Graces)

The Muses

The nine Muses are the daughters of the Zeus and of Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory. The Muses preside over the arts and sciences, inspire all artists, especially poets, philosophers, and musicians.

Calliope: Epic Poetry Clip: History Euterpe: Lyric Poetry Melpomene: Tragedy Erato: Love Poetry Thalia: Comedy Urania: Astronomy Polyhymnia: Sacred Poetry Terosichore: Choral Songs and the Dance