2. The Gods
• Gods did not create the universe
• Heaven & Earth were formed (first parents)
– Gaea & Uranus
• Their children were the Titans
• Titans were parents of the gods
3. The Titans
• Cronus (Saturn)
– Father of Zeus
• Rhea (mother of Zeus)
• Ocean
• Hyperion
• Atlas
• Prometheus
• They were all very large
& very strong
4. Mt. Olympus
• Place of perfect peace
• Not the same as Heaven
• Where the 12 Olympians live
• Eat ambrosia
• Drink nectar
5. Zeus (Jupiter)
• Pronounced: zoos
• Lord of the Sky
• Rain-God & Cloud-gatherer
• Wields the Thunderbolt
• Bird-eagle
• Tree-oak
• Married to Hera, but had
Many affairs
6. Zeus (Jupiter)
• His shield is the aegis
• He is neither
omnipotent (all-
powerful) or omniscient
(all-knowing)
• He is often tricked
• Father of many children
7. Hera (Juno)
• Wife & Sister of Zeus
• Goddess of Marriage
• Often punishing Zeus’s
mistresses
• Bird-peacock
• Animal-cow
8. Poseidon
• Brother of Zeus
• Lord of the Sea
• “Earth-Shaker”
• Violent temper
• Trident: 3-pronged
spear
• Created horses
9. Hades (Pluto)
• King of the Dead, but
Death himself
• Ruled the Underworld
• God of Wealth
• Helmet of Invisibility
10. Athena (Minerva)
• Goddess of Justified War & Wisdom
• Daughter of Zeus alone
• Sprang from his head wearing armor
• Protector of city life
• Goddess of handicrafts (weaving)
• “gray-eyed”
• Carries the aegis for Zeus
• Bird-owl
• Tree-olive
• City-Athens
11. Apollo
• Son of Zeus
• “Most Greek” of the gods
• God of music, poetry, light,
truth, medicine
• Plays the lyre
• Oracle at Delphi
• Sun god
12. Artemis (Diana)
• Twin sister of Apollo
• Virgin goddess
• Goddess of the hunt
• “protectress of dewy youth”
• Goddess of the moon
• Silver arrows
• Animal-deer
13. Aphrodite (Venus)
• Goddess of Love & Beauty
• Born from sea foam
• Laughter-loving goddess
• Married to Hephaestus (ugly
& lame god)
• Bird-dove
14. Hermes (Mercury)
• Messenger of the gods
• Winged sandals & hat
• Caduceus: magic wand
• Shrewd & cunning (trickster)
• Master Thief
• Created the lyre & gave it to
Apollo
• Guide of the dead
15. Ares (Mars)
• God of War
• Son of Zeus & Hera (both
hate him)
• Adulteress relationship
with Aphrodite
• Bird-vulture
• Animal-dog
16. Hephaestus (Vulcan)
• God of Fire
• Ugly & lame god
• Hera or Zeus threw him
down Mt. Olympus
• Makes armor for the gods
• His forge is under a
volcano
17. Hestia (Vesta)
• Virgin goddess, along with
Artemis & Athena
• Goddess of the Hearth &
Home
• Every city had a hearth
sacred to Hestia, where the
fire was never allowed to
go out
• Meals began & ended with
an offering to her