HERMES

Son of Zeus and Maia

Father of Pan and rumored Father of Silenus

LINAGE

SYMBOLSCaduceus Winged Sandals

POWERS AND WEAKNESSESAs a god Hermes possesses both immortality and strength. He is also gifted with great speed. Because of his many assets he is also known as a master thief is unable to resist stealing.

IDENTIFICATION AND DESCRIPTIONS

Hermes is known by many names including:• God of Travelers• Messenger of Gods • God of Thieves• Protector of Traders • Divine Herald

IMPORTANT EVENTS • Hermes once stole Apollo’s herd of cows• He appears in the Adventures of Odysseus,

delivering a message from Zeus to set Odysseus free from Calypso’s island

• He aids Perseus on his way to slay the Gorgons bestowing upon him many gifts to help him on his quest

THE FATES

SYMBOLS The Fates are commonly remembered by the Thread spun by Clotho and the Shears wielded by Atropos.

POWERSThey give to men at birth evil and good to have along with a fate that person will inevitably follow throughout their lifetime.

IDENTIFICATION AND DESCRIPTION

There are three Fates:• Clotho, the spinner, who spins the

thread of life• Lachesis, the Disposer of Lots, who

assigned men their destiny.• Atropos, she who could not be turned,

who wields the “abhorred shears” and cuts the thread Clotho has spun at death

IMPORTANT EVENTS • The Fates first appear in the book of Mythology in

the story of Hercules where they had fully spun the thread of life of Admetus, a king in Thessaly, and where on the verge of cutting it.

• Their second appearance was in Atlanta’s story granting a newborn child life until a log they had bestowed upon his mother was burned to ash.

• Their third and final appearance in the book of Mythology was in The Adventures of Aeneas who predicted that Carthage, Juno’s pet city, would be taken over by Aenea’s descendants.

ALLUSIONS

Allusions to the Fates are found often inmovies and literature. For example, in the childrens book The Tale Despereaux as a string is tied around Despereaux’s neck then cut as he is thrown into the dungeon as if foreshadow that his death is near

THE GRAIAE

LINEAGE, DESCRIPTION AND IDENTIFICATION AND SYMBOLS

They were sisters of the Gorgons and described as three gray women.

Their symbol is an eye for the three of them share a single one between them.

PERSEUS

LINEAGEPerseus is the son of Zeus and Danaë.And the father of Electryon and Alcaeus, born after he wed his wife Andromeda.

SYMBOLS

Perseus symbols is of a sword as Hermes's sword was given to him to weild before he quested to slay Medusa. He also displays many traits of a hero.

POWERS AND WEAKNESSESPerseus was gifted both physically and mentally giving him the strength overcome many of his obstacles. However even with his cunning he is still gullible to the trick King Polydectes set up for him.

IMPORTANT EVENTS He slayed Medusa, a gorgon, and brings her head to King Polydectes and his men turning them to stone an event predicted many years before he was born.

ALLUSIONSRick Riordan’s fantasy series Percy Jackson and the Olympians is and allusion to Perseus. The protagonist Percy Jackson shares his name and also slays Medusa, using her head to turn evil adversaries to stone. The story differs however as Percy is son of Poseidon.

THE GORGONS

Earth-dwellers like their sisters these women posse the power to turn men to stone with a single glance. Though other weaknesses are unclear Perseus slices the head off Medusa a prominent Gorgon to slay her.Phorcys is their father.

LINEAGE, POWERS AND WEAKNESSES

SYMBOLSA symbol of the Gorgons would be a snake as many live atop of their heads like hair.

IMPORTANT EVENTS• In the Gorgons appear only in story of

Perseus as the young hero must slay Medusa to please the King.