Greek and Roman Gods and Goddesses

Creation  Chaos –Whirling mass from which the universe is created  First Rulers –Giants, Cyclops, Titans

Cronus  Titan God  Married sister Rhea  Warned – one child destined to usurp power  Prevention – swallowed each child after birth –5 children : Demeter, Hades, Hera, Poseidon, Hestia  Sixth child – Rhea tricked Cronus –Zeus raised by divine goat

Zeus  King of the Gods  Titanomochy: –Battle against Cronus –Zeus and siblings  Defeated Cronus with a thunderbolt  Home on Mount Olympus  Father of the Gods  Promiscuous (100 kids)

Hera  Goddess of Marriage and Family  Jealous wife of Zeus  Preoccupied with Zeus’ infidelity

Hestia  Goddess of the Hearth –Protectress of the home  Eldest of the children of Cronus and Rhea  Least significant of the Olympians  First “stay at home” woman  Symbol of Rome –6 vestal virgins protected temple in Rome

Hades  God of the Underworld  Not one of the 12 Olympian Gods  Ruled world with Zeus and Poseidon  Name means “invisible” or “unseen”  Referred to as Pluton “the rich one”  Not evil or hellish – kingdom that administers justice

Demeter  Goddess of Fertility  Taught humans agriculture  Central Greek myth –Persephone –Details the changing of the seasons I/

Poseidon  God of the Sea  “Shaker of Earth”  Depicted with a Trident and driving a chariot  Most widely worshipped Greek God

Second Generation Deities  Dionysus –God of wine and passion –Male life-force (God of fertility)  Artemis –Goddess of the hunt –Virgin Goddess  Ares –God of war (destructive sense) –Thrived on bloodshed –Not popular with Greeks, but thrived under Romans (militaristic)

Second Generation Deities  Hermes –Messenger of the Gods –Patron of travelers –Escorts the dead in the journey to Hades  Apollo –God of light and music, poetry, art –Leader of the 9 muses (provide inspiration for writers, artists, musicians)  Muses (9) –Bring inspiration to artists, writers, musicians, etc.

Second Generation Deities  Hephaestus –God of smith and fire –Dwarfish and disfigured –Husband of Aphrodite  Aphrodite –Goddess of beauty and love –Wife of Hephaestus  Eros –Son of Hephaestus and Aphrodite –God of Carnal Desire

Second Generation Deities  Athena –Goddess of war and wisdom –Patron of Athens –Patron of arts and crafts –Born from Zeus’s head –Represents everything Greek culture idealizes (wisdom, intelligence, reason – over unbridled love/passion) –Parthenon “Temple to the Virgin”

Parthenon

Monsters/Creatures  Cyclops –Giant one-eyed monsters –Born to Gaea and Uranus –Three (Represent) –thunder – Brontes lightning – Steropes lightning bolt - Arges  Giants –Came from Uranus’ blood –Imprisoned after defeat by Gods  Pegasus –Winged horse

Monsters/Creatures  Cerberus –3 headed dog –Snake tail & heads coming from back –Guards the gate of the Underworld  Sirens (sisters) –Lure sailors to their deaths –Song is irresistible

Creatures  Gorgons –Female monsters with snakes as hair –Ugly  If man looks at one he turns face to stone –immortal  Medusa –Mortal –Seduced by Poseidon –Turned into a gorgon after offending Athena

Heroes  Hercules –Father Zeus; Mother Alcmene (mortal) –Strong child –12 Labors of Herakles  Punishment for wrongdoings by Apollo  Jason –Defeated uncle to regain kingdom of Thessaly after 20 year misrule –Golden Fleece