Greek Gods & Goddessesof Mt. Olympus

Zeus (Jove or Jupiter)

• Ruler of all gods and men• Sky god• Lord of the thunderbolt• Most powerful of all gods, but not

omniscient, for he could be tricked or deceived

• Most notable for his numerous affairs with other maidens, he always tried to hide his antics from Hera, his wife (and sister).

Poseidon (Neptune)

• God of the sea• Zeus’ brother who first gave man

the horse• Always shown carrying the trident• God of the underworld• God of Wealth because he also ruled

over all the minerals and gems under the earth

• Wore helmet of darkness that would allow him to see at night

Hera (Juno)

• Goddess of marriage (sometimes called “protector of marriage”)

• Married to Zeus and insanely jealous of his many lovers

Pallas Athena (Minerva)

• Goddess of civilized life, handicrafts, wisdom; often called “war goddess”

• Athens was her “pet” city• Supposedly sprang from Zeus’ head• Zeus’ favorite child• First to give man the bridle (1st to tame

the horse for man)• Her bird was the owl.

Phoebus Apollo (Apollo)

• God of light and truth; master musician; archer-god

• Oracle dwelled on Delphi (Apollo was one of the most important gods because people always sought his oracle’s advice.)

• Apollo’s twin sister was Artemis• He also first taught men the healing

arts.

Aphrodite (Venus)

• Goddess of Love and Beauty• Son’s name was Eros (Cupid)• Supposedly most beautiful goddess• Aphrodite was the irresistible

goddess who beguiled all: gods and men alike. She stole away the wits of even the most wise.

• The dove and the swan were her birds.

Artemis (Diana)

• Goddess of the hunt; lady of wild things• Virgin goddess, only one not susceptible to

Aphrodite’s or Eros’ arrows• Artemis, as all good hunters, fiercely

protected the young; therefore she was often called “the protectress of dewy youth.”

• She was twin sister to Apollo.

Hermes (Mercury)• Messenger to the gods, Zeus’ son• Appears most often of any god in myths• Shrewdest and most cunning god• Most familiar to us• In the Iliad, he is often called “giant-

killer” because he slew Argus, the monster with 100 eyes.

Hephaestus (Vulcan)• Blacksmith of the gods• Only ugly god, supposedly lame, and

married to Aphrodite• Kindly and peace-loving, he was as

popular on earth as he was in heaven.

Hestia (Vesta)

• Goddess of the hearth, symbol of the home

• Zeus’ sister, one of three virgin goddesses• Although little is mentioned of Hestia in

the myths, she was enormously important in the everyday life of the Greeks and Romans. Every meal began and ended with an offering to her. Each city had a public hearth sacred to Hestia, where the fire was never allowed to go out.

Ares (Mars)

• God of War• Son of Zeus and Hera, both of whom hated him• No cities worshipped him because he was the

curse of men: hateful, murderous, and cowardly• His bird was the vulture.• Although Aphrodite was supposedly married to

Hephaestus, many myths say that Ares was one of her lovers.