Greek Gods

Zeus

        Zeus was the king of the gods.  He was the youngest son of the titans Cronus and Rhea.  When he was born, Cronus intended to swallow him and his siblings: Poseidon, Hades, Hestia, Demeter and Hera. Then Rhea hid Zeus in a cave on the island of Crete.  When Zeus grew up, ho forced his father to barf out his brothers and sisters.  He then led his siblings to a war against Cronus and the titans.  They overthrew them and Zeus then ruled Olympus.

Hera

        Hera was the queen of the gods.  She was also the goddess of marriage.  Hera hated Hercules because he was the son of Zeus.  When Hercules was still an infant, Hera sent snakes to attack him.  Hera was the goddess female and Zeus’ wife.  This goddess could take many forms mostly a bird. 

Aphrodite

        Aphrodite was the goddess of love, beauty and fertility.  She was also the protector of sailors.  A poet named Hesoid said Aphrodite was born from sea foam but Homer said she was the son of Zeus.  The Trojan prince
Paris was asked to judge a beauty contest of Aphrodite, Athena, and Hera.  Aphrodite would offer him the love of the most beautiful woman in the world.  So Paris chose Aphrodite out of the other two. 

 Apollo

Apollo was the god of prophecy, music and healing.  Apollo helped Paris’ brother slay Achilles with a single arrow.  When some one died suddenly it was said that they have been stuck by Apollo’s arrow.  As the god of music, he liked to play the lyre.  Apollo had won several music competitions by playing his stringed instrument. 

Ares

 Ares was the god of war.  Ares was almost killed when two giants stuffed him in a jar.  The way Ares looked was handsome and cruel.  He often carried a bloodstained spear.  Ares’ throne on mount Olympus was often said to be covered by human skin.  Zeus and Hera did not like Ares much because he caused so many deaths.  Hades, god of the underworld liked him because of the extra souls Ares sent to the underworld. 

Artemis

        Artemis was the virgin goddess of the hunt.  She help women give birth and caused sudden death by shooting one of her arrows.  The myth says that Artemis was born first and helped her mother deliver Apollo.  Apollo noticed that Artemis was spending a huge amount of time with the giant Orion so he challenged her to an archery contest to hit a floating object out at sea.   Artemis’ shot was perfect and it hit the target directly.  The “target” turned out to be Orion’s head. 

 Athena

 Athena was the goddess of crafts and the domestic arts and also those of war.  She was the favorite daughter of Zeus. 

Demeter

Demeter was the goddess of agriculture. Demeter is the sister of Zeus and the mother of Persephone.  One day Persephone was picking flowers when a huge crack in the ground opened up.  Hades came out and took her to the underworld and made her be his queen.  Demeter went to look for her daughter but during the time, winter began.  Then Hades agreed to send Persephone back to Olympus for half a year. This is when spring began.  When Persephone went back to the underworld, winter began. 

Dionysus

        Dionysus was the god of wine. Dionysus was the son of Zeus and the mortal heroine Semele.  Dionysus was the one who gave Midas the power to turn everything he touches into gold. 

Hephaestus

        Hephaestus was the lame god of fire and crafts or the two together, hence of blacksmiths. Hephaestus was the son of Zeus and Hera and sometimes, of Hera alone. He limped because he was born lame, which caused Hera to throw him off Mount Olympus. Hephaestus created the first women, Pandora.  He put her under Zeus’s command. 

Hermes

 Hermes was the messenger of the gods and guide of dead souls to the Underworld.  Hermes was a son of Zeus.  On his very first day of life, he found an empty shell of a tortoise and used it as a sounding chamber.  Hermes stringed sinews around it and created the fist lyre.  It was Hermes’ job to take souls to the underworld. 

Poseidon

        Poseidon was the god of the sea, earthquakes and horses. Even he was one of the supreme god of Olympus, he spent most his time underwater.  Poseidon is one of the brothers of Zeus.  Poseidon was known to drive his chariot through the waves of the sea. 

Hades

Hades was the god of the dead and the brother of Zeus.  Hades is not considered one of the gods of Olympus because the underworld was not Olympus.