Greek Gods, Greek Gods, Goddesses, Goddesses, and Figuresand Figures

Greek gods - Family TreeGreek gods - Family Tree

ZEUSZEUS: : King of the gods and the skyKing of the gods and the sky Roman name: JupiterRoman name: Jupiter

Symbol:Symbol: ThunderboltsThunderbolts

He married Hera, his He married Hera, his sister, which became a sister, which became a family habitfamily habit

Youngest of the Youngest of the OlympiansOlympians

PoseidonPoseidon:: god of the sea, god of the sea, earthquakes, and horsesearthquakes, and horsesRoman Name: NeptuneRoman Name: Neptune Symbol:Symbol: Trident and dolphin Trident and dolphin

Created the horse for his sister Created the horse for his sister Demeter, who he lovedDemeter, who he loved

Often very difficult and Often very difficult and quarrelsomequarrelsome

Chose the beautiful water nymph Chose the beautiful water nymph Thetis as his wife, but was Thetis as his wife, but was ““wanderingwandering”” like his brother, Zeus like his brother, Zeus

HADESHADES: god of the : god of the underworldunderworld

Roman Name: PlutoRoman Name: Pluto Symbol:Symbol: Helmet and Helmet and

jewelsjewels

Very jealous of his Very jealous of his brothersbrothers

Violent and possessive Violent and possessive of new souls, so he of new souls, so he rarely left his throne in rarely left his throne in the Underworldthe Underworld

HERAHERA:: Queen of the gods, Queen of the gods, goddess of marriagegoddess of marriage

Roman Name: JunoRoman Name: Juno Symbol:Symbol: Peacock, Peacock,

pomegranatepomegranate

Associated with the peacock Associated with the peacock because of her great beautybecause of her great beauty

She was called the queen of She was called the queen of intriguers, a vindictive and intriguers, a vindictive and jealous wife, who frequently jealous wife, who frequently outwitted her husband, Zeus.outwitted her husband, Zeus.

HESTIA:HESTIA: goddess of home and goddess of home and hearthhearth

ZeusZeus’’ virgin sister virgin sister Roman Name: Vesta Roman Name: Vesta Symbol:Symbol: Sacred Fire, Sacred Fire,

circlecircle Thought of as the Thought of as the

kindest and mildest of kindest and mildest of the godsthe gods

Represents personal Represents personal security and happinesssecurity and happiness

DEMETERDEMETER:: goddess of grain and goddess of grain and harvestharvest

Responsible for the Responsible for the creation of seasonscreation of seasons

Also known for fertilityAlso known for fertility

Roman Name: CeresRoman Name: Ceres

Symbol:Symbol: Rake, bundle of Rake, bundle of graingrain

Mother of PersephoneMother of Persephone

ATHENAATHENA:: goddess of wisdom, war goddess of wisdom, war and justiceand justice

Daughter of Zeus - born full Daughter of Zeus - born full grown out of his headgrown out of his head

Roman Name: MinervaRoman Name: Minerva Symbol:Symbol: Owl and Olive Branch Owl and Olive Branch Taught man to use tools and Taught man to use tools and

women how to spin and weavewomen how to spin and weave Most-loved godMost-loved god Enemies with AresEnemies with Ares The Greek city of Athens is The Greek city of Athens is

named for hernamed for her

APOLLOAPOLLO:: god of the sun, god of the sun, music, and healingmusic, and healing Son of Zeus, twin brother of Son of Zeus, twin brother of

ArtemisArtemis Roman Name: ApolloRoman Name: Apollo Symbol:Symbol: Golden Chariot and Golden Chariot and

HarpHarp

The most handsome of the The most handsome of the godsgods

Drove his chariot across the Drove his chariot across the sky each morning to pull the sky each morning to pull the sunsun

ARTEMISARTEMIS:: goddess of the hunt and goddess of the hunt and moonmoon

Daughter of Zeus and Daughter of Zeus and twin sister of Apollotwin sister of Apollo

Roman Name: DianaRoman Name: Diana

Symbol:Symbol: Silver bow and Silver bow and arrowarrow

Chaste goddess who Chaste goddess who aided women in aided women in childbirthchildbirth

APHRODITEAPHRODITE:: goddess of Beauty and goddess of Beauty and LoveLove

Daughter of ZeusDaughter of Zeus Roman Name: VenusRoman Name: Venus Symbol:Symbol: Roses, Doves, Roses, Doves,

GirdlesGirdles Known for her striking Known for her striking

beautybeauty

Paris, the Trojan prince was asked to vote on the beauty of the goddesses (Athena, Aphrodite, and Hera). Aphrodite bribed him with offering the love of the most beautiful woman, Helen of Troy

ARES:ARES: god of War god of War Son of Zeus and HeraSon of Zeus and Hera Roman Name: MarsRoman Name: Mars Symbol:Symbol: Spear and Spear and

vulturevulture

Often shown carrying Often shown carrying bloodstained spearbloodstained spear

Throne on Mt. Throne on Mt. Olympus was said to Olympus was said to be covered in human be covered in human skinskin

HEPHAESTUSHEPHAESTUS:: god of fire and god of fire and forge (the blacksmith god)forge (the blacksmith god)

Son of Hera; married AphroditeSon of Hera; married Aphrodite Roman Name: VulcanRoman Name: Vulcan SymbolSymbol: Anvil and Hammer: Anvil and Hammer

Ugliest of the gods; was Ugliest of the gods; was rejected by his mother, who rejected by his mother, who threw him off a cliff and threw him off a cliff and crippled himcrippled him

He fashioned the armor and He fashioned the armor and tools of the gods, and also tools of the gods, and also beautiful jewelrybeautiful jewelry

HERMESHERMES:: Messenger of the godsMessenger of the gods

Son of ZeusSon of Zeus Responsible for guiding Responsible for guiding

souls to the underworldsouls to the underworld Roman Name: MercuryRoman Name: Mercury Symbol:Symbol: Winged Winged

SandalsSandals He carried ApolloHe carried Apollo’’s staff s staff

and traveled the and traveled the heavens and earth with heavens and earth with winged sandalswinged sandals

DIONYSUSDIONYSUS:: god of wine and god of wine and festivityfestivity

Son of ZeusSon of Zeus

Only Olympian with a mortal Only Olympian with a mortal parent, Semeleparent, Semele

Saved his mother from the Saved his mother from the Underworld after she was Underworld after she was consumed by Zeusconsumed by Zeus’’ lightning lightning

Roman Name: BacchusRoman Name: Bacchus Symbol: Symbol: winewine Ancient poetry written in his Ancient poetry written in his

honorhonor

PERSEPHONEPERSEPHONE:: goddess of goddess of the Underworldthe Underworld

Roman Name: PorsepinaRoman Name: Porsepina Symbol: Symbol: Torch, Wheat, and Torch, Wheat, and

PomegranatePomegranate Daughter of DemeterDaughter of Demeter Was kidnapped by Hades when picking a Was kidnapped by Hades when picking a

flower, and was taken to the Underworld to be flower, and was taken to the Underworld to be his Queen. Demeter was so sad she caused a his Queen. Demeter was so sad she caused a drought and death on earth (winter/ fall). drought and death on earth (winter/ fall).

Zeus ruled ½ the year she can be with her Zeus ruled ½ the year she can be with her mothermother

PANPAN:: god of flocks and god of flocks and naturenature

Roman Name: FaunusRoman Name: Faunus Symbol: Symbol: Pan FlutePan Flute Half goat, half humanHalf goat, half human Protected shepherds, Protected shepherds,

woods, and pastureswoods, and pastures Was wild and unpredictable, Was wild and unpredictable,

could fill human and animals could fill human and animals with inexplicable terrorwith inexplicable terror

EROSEROS:: god of love and god of love and passionpassion

Roman Name: CupidRoman Name: Cupid Symbol: Symbol: Bow and ArrowBow and Arrow Son of Aphrodite and AresSon of Aphrodite and Ares Possibly two: the elder who Possibly two: the elder who

created light and day and created light and day and immortal gods, and the immortal gods, and the younger, child-like with wingsyounger, child-like with wings

Word: Word: ““eroticerotic””

THE FATESTHE FATES:: Three white Three white robed representations of robed representations of destinydestiny

Greek: Moirae, Roman: ParcaeGreek: Moirae, Roman: Parcae Symbols: Symbols: Spindle, Thread, Spindle, Thread,

Scissors (forbidding)Scissors (forbidding) Clotho – spins thread onto Clotho – spins thread onto

spindle (appears at ninth month spindle (appears at ninth month of pregnancy)of pregnancy)

Lachesis – measures thread Lachesis – measures thread (allotting life to the person)(allotting life to the person)

Atropos- cutter of thread; Atropos- cutter of thread; chooses the manner/time of chooses the manner/time of deathdeath

* More power than Zeus; feared by the gods

THE MUSESTHE MUSES:: Nine Nine goddesses who inspire the goddesses who inspire the artsarts

Often invoked at the Often invoked at the beginning of poetry beginning of poetry and prose, to aid in and prose, to aid in the retelling of eventsthe retelling of events

Symbols: Symbols: Various Various instruments and instruments and scrollsscrolls

Represent knowledgeRepresent knowledge ““music,music,”” ““museummuseum””

The word muse, today to describe an inspirational woman to help create, is a

tribute to them

PANDORAPANDORA:: the first woman the first woman who releases the evils into who releases the evils into the worldthe world

After After ““manman”” received the stolen gift of received the stolen gift of fire, Zeus deemed they needed fire, Zeus deemed they needed punishment, so he gave them a punishment, so he gave them a ““giftgift””

Each god helped to create her by Each god helped to create her by giving her unique giftsgiving her unique gifts

She was then molded by Hephaestus, She was then molded by Hephaestus, as a beautiful woman to torment the as a beautiful woman to torment the race of man foreverrace of man forever

She was given to Epimetheus, and her She was given to Epimetheus, and her curiosity then opened the box of evilcuriosity then opened the box of evil

CirceCirce:: minor goddess of minor goddess of magic, considered a witchmagic, considered a witch

Lived on her own island of Lived on her own island of Aeaea in a huge mansion, Aeaea in a huge mansion, surrounded with docile surrounded with docile lions and wolveslions and wolves

Transformed her enemies Transformed her enemies into animals through into animals through magicmagic

Also an enchantressAlso an enchantress

MEDUSAMEDUSA:: A monster who A monster who turned people to stoneturned people to stone

A once beautiful woman A once beautiful woman who was a priestess in who was a priestess in AthenaAthena’’s temples temple

She laid with Poseidon, She laid with Poseidon, angering Athenaangering Athena

Her beautiful hair was Her beautiful hair was turned into serpents, and turned into serpents, and her face was made so her face was made so terrifying it would turn terrifying it would turn people to stonepeople to stone

Later, was beheaded by

Perseus

PROMETHEUSPROMETHEUS:: Creator of Creator of ManMan

Considered to be wittyConsidered to be witty Means Means ““forethoughtforethought”” Made man out of clayMade man out of clay Stole fire from the gods and gave it to Stole fire from the gods and gave it to

manman Punished by Zeus for the crime: Punished by Zeus for the crime:

chained to a rock where an eagle chained to a rock where an eagle would eat his liver. Each day it would would eat his liver. Each day it would grow backgrow back

Saved years later by HerculesSaved years later by Hercules

Brother of Prometheus, Brother of Prometheus, considered to be considered to be foolishfoolish

Gave out positive traits Gave out positive traits to all the animals, so to all the animals, so when it came to give when it came to give one to humans there one to humans there were none left.were none left.

He was the reason He was the reason Prometheus stole firePrometheus stole fire

EPIMETHEUSEPIMETHEUS:: Creator of Creator of AnimalsAnimals

ATLASATLAS:: Supported the Supported the heavensheavens

Brother of Prometheus an Brother of Prometheus an EpimetheusEpimetheus

Since he fought against the Since he fought against the Olympians, he was punished- by Olympians, he was punished- by having to hold Uranus (the sky) having to hold Uranus (the sky) on his shoulderson his shoulders

Hercules helped to liberate his Hercules helped to liberate his pains by creating two large pillars pains by creating two large pillars to hold the sky from the earthto hold the sky from the earth

HECATEHECATE:: goddess of magic, goddess of magic, witchcraft, and the witchcraft, and the crossroadscrossroads

Roman name: TriviaRoman name: Trivia Symbols: Symbols: torch, dogs, keytorch, dogs, key Often depicted having three heads Often depicted having three heads

or three bodiesor three bodies Assisted Demeter with finding Assisted Demeter with finding

Persephone, who she became Persephone, who she became close friends with and visited in close friends with and visited in HadesHades

Only Titan who remained in power Only Titan who remained in power after Olympians took controlafter Olympians took control

Mother of Circe, Medea, and ScyllaMother of Circe, Medea, and Scylla

CRONUSCRONUS:: god of agriculture god of agriculture

Roman name: SaturnRoman name: Saturn Symbols: Symbols: Sickle and scytheSickle and scythe The youngest of the Titans, The youngest of the Titans,

overthrew his father by overthrew his father by castrating himcastrating him

After he was overthrown by After he was overthrown by his children, he was his children, he was imprisoned in Tartarusimprisoned in Tartarus

RHEARHEA:: the mother of gods, the mother of gods, goddess of motherhood and goddess of motherhood and fertilityfertility

No exact Roman No exact Roman counterpart, but she is counterpart, but she is accepted as Cybeleaccepted as Cybele

Symbols: Symbols: Lion and moonLion and moon Wife of Cronus, Mother Wife of Cronus, Mother

of Zeus (who she hid)of Zeus (who she hid) Represented the Represented the ““flowflow”” of of

time: milk, waters, bloodtime: milk, waters, blood