Lesser Gods of Olympus

Minor Deities

Eros/Cupid

• Later accounts of Eros say that he is the son of Aphrodite

• He is the God of Love

Hebe

• Goddess of eternal youth

The Muses

• 9 in total; daughters of Zeus• Clio – history; Urania – astronomy; Melpomene –

tragedy; Thalia – comedy; Terpsichore – dance; Calliope – epic poetry; Erato – love poetry; Polyhymnia – songs to the gods; Euterpe – lyric poetry

Iris

• Goddess of the rainbow

The 3 Graces

• Algaia – Splendor; Euphrosyne – mirth; Thalia – good cheer

• Daughters of Zeus • Bestow happiness upon the gods and man

Poseidon/Neptune

• God of the sea and underground rivers

Ocean

• He was a Titan and lord of the River Ocean – a river that encircled the earth

Tethys

• Ocean’s wife; a Titan

Pontus

• Deep Sea god

Oceanids

• Sea nymphs of the river Ocean • Nymphs are any of the minor divinities of

nature represented as beautiful maidens dwelling in the mountains, forests, trees, and waters.

Nereids

• Sea nymphs

Amphitrite

• Poseidon’s wife

Triton

• The trumpeter of the sea

Proteus

• Poseidon’s son• Power to foretell the future and to change his

shape

Naiads

• Water nymphs – fresh water (springs, lakes, fountains)

Hades/Pluto

• God of the Underworld and wealth

Persephone

• Wife of Hades• Abducted by Hades• Daughter of Demeter/Ceres

The Underworld

Charon

• The ferryman of the Underworld• Dead souls paid him with coins to ferry them

across the Styx River

Cerberus

The Erinyes/The Furies

Pan – god of nature

• Son of Hermes

Silenus

• Pan’s son or brother • Jolly and fun

Castor and Pollux

• Brothers who protected sailors; were great in battle

• Castor – tamed horses• Pollux – skilled boxer

Satyrs

• Goat-men of the forests – looked like Pan

Nymphs on Land

• Oreads – mountain nymphs• Dryads (Hamadryads) – tree nymphs

The Winds

• Aeolus – King of the Winds• Boreas – North Wind• Zephyr – West Wind• Notus – South Wind • Eurus – East Wind

Centaurs

• Aggressive and savage• Half-man and half-horse

The 3 Gorgons

• Female creatures – turn men to stone with a glance

• The most fearsome was Medusa

The Sirens

• Female sea creatures – lured sailors to their death with their enchanting songs

The Graiae

• Sisters to the Gorgons • Shared one eye

The 3 Fates

• Very powerful – controlled all human life• Clotho – spinner; Lachesis – Destiny; Atropos –

thread-cutter