2. Greek Gods And Goddesses

3. Zeus Zeus, was the greatest of the gods. While Poseidon ruled the seas and Hades ruled the underworld, Zeus was the master of the earth and the skies. His home was on the top of Mount Olympus or in the sky. The high soaring eagle was sacred to him. To the Romans he was known as Jupiter.

4. Poseidon Poseidon, the god of the seas, was also associated with water in other forms such as clouds which were essential to agriculture. He could create springs but he could also cause floods and tidal waves when angered. The Romans called him Neptune.

5. Hades Hades, a third son of Rhea and Kronos, shared control of the world with Zeus and Poseidon. His domain was the underworld. This was the place of the dead. He was also known as Pluto.

6. Hera Hera was the goddess of storms because of the turbulent relationship she had with her husband, Zeus. She had female qualities of fertility combined with fickleness. She was honored as Queen of the gods and she punished immoral behavior by mortals - especially Zeus' lovers. For this reason, she was the goddess of marriage.

7. Athena And Aphrodite Aphrodite, the goddess of love, combined qualities of beauty and nobility with coarseness, decadence and corruption. Athena was born, wearing armor, from the head of Zeus, her father. She led the way through victory in battle to peace and prosperity.

8. Artemis And Demeter Demeter was the goddess of the earth who watched over the growth of grain and cereals. While searching for her daughter who had been taken by Hades she taught her hosts the art of agriculture. Artemis was a virgin goddess of fertility. She was also the protector of flocks of sheep and goddess of the hunt and the forest. She was identified with the moon and Apollo was her twin brother.

9. Dionysos And Hephaestus Dionysos, or Bacchus, was the god of wine and of the theatre. He is associated with joyous celebrations. His father was Zeus. Hephaestus was the blacksmith of the gods. He personifies the fire in the earth that emerges from volcanoes. He is portrayed as being deformed. The son of Zeus and Hera.

10. Apollo Apollo is the sun god and also the god of music and song which are heard during times when light triumphs over darkness. He is associated with youth and strength. The physical aspect of Apollo is also known as Helios or Hyperion.

11. Ares And Hermes Ares, the god of war, was thought of as enjoying slaughter and massacre. A son of Zeus and Hera, he was a god of storms, especially hurricanes. Hermes is the patron god of traders and commerce but also of thieves and rogues. His job was to be the messenger of the gods, particularly Zeus.

12. Persephone Persephone, was the daughter of Demeter and Zeus. She was the personification of young, blooming life taken prisoner by Hades. Demeter's neglect of the world while she was searching for her daughter brought famine to the world. Demeter persuaded Hades to release Persephone but before she left, Demeter's daughter ate the food of the underworld which meant that she could not leave. Eventually she was forced to spend only part of the year in the underworld and that time is what we know as winter, the season of death.

13. The End By Shaleen Fullmer