1. Gaea & Uranus Gaea is the Earth goddess.
She mated with her son Uranus (whom she created without help) to produce the remaining Titans.
Gaea seems to have started as a neolithic earth-mother
Uranus is the sky god and first ruler.
His rule ended when when Cronus, encouraged by Gaea, castrated him. He either died from the wound or withdrew from earth

2. Titans
Known as the elder gods, ruled the earth before the Olympians overthew them.
Cronus was the ruler of the Titans who was de-throned by his son Zeus.
Most of the Titans fought with Cronus against Zeus and were punished by being banished to Tartarus.
During their rule the Titans were associated with the various planets.

3. The Titans Cronus Rhea Oceanus Tethys Hyperion Mnemosyne
Themis Lapetus Coeus
Crius Phoebe Thea
Prometheus Epimetheus Atlas
Metis

4. The Olympians Zeus Ares Athena Apollo Aphrodite Hermes
A group of 12 gods who ruled after the overthrow of the Titans.
All the Olympians are related in some way.
They are named after their dwelling place Mount Olympus.
Zeus Ares Athena
Apollo Aphrodite Hermes
Artemis Hephaestus Poseidon
Hades Hestia Hera

5. Aphrodite The Goddess of Love and Beauty
Daughter of Zeus and Dione or sprung from the foam of the sea near Cythera
Without her there is no joy or loveliness anywhere
Can be treacherous and malicious: exerts a deadly and destructive power over men
Wife of Hephaestrus (VULCAN)

7. Athena (MINERVA)
Daughter of Zeus (his favorite)—sprung from Zeus’s head full-grown and in full armor
Tends to be warlike only to defend the state and home from outside enemies
Goddess of the City: protector of civilized life, handicrafts, and agriculture
Carries Zeus’ aegis, buckler, and thunderbolt
Goddess of Wisdom, Purity, and Reason

8. Calypso Nymph daughter of Atlas Ruler of her own island
Loved Odysseus and planned to never allow him to leave the island
Overwhelmed Odysseus with kindness
Immortal

9. Cyclopes Race of giants with one eye in the middle of the forehead
Cyclopes lack a cultural history and sense of community
Live solitary lives in mountain caves
Deal out rough justice to wife and child

10. Eris Goddess of Discord & Strife
Shows up uninvited to the wedding of Peleus and Thetis with an apple

11. The Fates
The Fates (notice the personification here?) provide mortals the good and evil that they will possess in their lifetime
Clotho= Spinner: she spun the thread of life
Lachesis= Disposer of Lots: assigned each mortal his/her destiny (measures the thread)
Atropos= carried the “abhorréd shears” and cut the thread of death

12. Hades God of the underworld Zeus’ brother Greedy god
Always trying to increase his subjects

13. Helen The wife of Menelaus, King of Sparta.
She is the cause of the Trojan War, for the war started because the Achaeans were trying to get her back from Troy.
She is sympathetic to the problems of others.

14. Helios
Sun-God
Child of the Titan Hyperion

15. Hephaestrus (VULCAN) The God of Fire Son of Hera (and possibly Zeus)
The only ugly god in Olympus--also lame
Workman of immortals: their armorer and smith; he makes their dwellings, furnishings, and weapons
A kindly, peace-loving god: married to Aphrodite

16. Hera (JUNO) Zeus’s wife and sister Protector of marriage
Punishes the women Zeus falls in love with
Her daughter is Ilithyia: the goddess of childbirth

17. Hermes (MERCURY) Son of Zeus and Maia (daughter of Atlas)
Noted for a famous statue: Graceful and swift of motion: Zeus’s messenger
Wings on his low-crowned hat, on his magic wand, and winged sandals on his feet
Shrewdest and most cunning of the gods (God of Commerce and the Market: Master Thief)
Appears in mythology more than any other god

19. Menelaus The King of Sparta Husband of Helen Brother of Agamemnon.
He is visited by Telemachus and shows anger at the acts of the suitors but doesn't help Telemachus.

20. Muses Nine Muses total Daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne (memory)
Their hearts are set upon song, and their spirits are free from care
Companions to Apollo (The God of Truth)
Inspirations for people

21. Odysseus The main character and King of Ithaca.
After the Trojan War he is prevented from returning home by Poseidon for many years.
He encounters numerous supernatural beings and hardships.
He is proud, strong, and smart - a man skilled in all ways of contending.

22. Oracle Place where mortals go to get a glimpse of their destiny
One can not defy the oracle (change the outcome of the prophecy)
Dodona and Delphi are places of the oracle
Delphi: A question is asked, and the priest or priestess enters the cave and absorbs the vapors to gain insight and knowledge regarding the prophecy

23. Oracle (Continued)
Dodona: the god’s will was revealed by the rustling of the oak leaves which the priest or priestess interpreted.

24. Penelope The wife of Odysseus.
She remains faithful to Odysseus despite the harrying of the suitors.
She postpones marriage to one of the suitors by saying she will choose a spouse after she weaves a funeral shroud for Laertes, but each night she unravels it, thus preventing its completion (This is a ruse).

25. Poseidon (NEPTUNE) Ruler of the Sea (Aegean) Zeus’s brother
Second most powerful god
Has a splendid palace beneath the sea but spends most of his time on Olympus
Nicknamed “Earth-shaker”
Always seen carrying his trident: a three pronged spear

27. The Suitors
Young men who want to court and marry Penelope—they assume Odysseus is dead
They are unruly

28. Telemachus The son of Odysseus
He enters manhood and embarks upon a search for his father.
He is courageous, steady, and fights the suitors with his father.

29. Zeus (JUPITER) God of the Sky
Supreme ruler: Zeus’s power is greater than the power of all the other gods combined
Rain-god
Cloud-gatherer
Thunderbolt
Not omniscient or omnipotent
Sometimes Fate appears to be more powerful

30. Zeus (Continued) Constantly falls in love and is unfaithful to Hera
Demands sacrifices from mortals and expects right and moral action
Breastplate is aegis