Greek Gods Flashcards
Zeus
King of gods, control weather, concerned with hospitality Hercules is son of Alkmene Kronos and Rhea are parents Hid in Mount Ida, Crete Sacred animals- eagle and bull Roman counterpart- Jupiter
Hera
Queen of the gods- took revenge on Zeus gfs and children
Goddess of marriage, women, childbirth, heirs, kings and empires
Wife and sister of Zeus
Animals- heifer, peacock, cuckoo
Roman- Juno
Athena
Goddess of war, cunning wisdom, pot-making, wool-working
Olive tree sacred to her
Zeus and Metis- Zeus swallowed her, he had headaches, Hephaistos cut his head open, Athena came out
Roman- Minerva
Apollo
God of the sun, truth, music, poetry, dance, healing
Apollo joked about Eros, Eros shot him with a golden arrow, Apollo now loved a nymph Daphne, Eros shot Daphne with a lead arrow so she rejected him, Daphnes dad the river god turned her into a laurel tree
Son of Zeus and Leto, twin of Artemis
Demeter
Goddess of fertility, agriculture, associated with underworld
Persphone was daughter, hades captured her, Demeter caused crops and plants to die for a year, Hades tricked her into eating pomegranate seeds so she’d have to return each year, this is when crops don’t grow
Roman- Ceres
Poseidon
God of the sea, horses
Brother of Zeus, bad temper
Never forgave Odysseus for blinding Polyphemos the cyclops, tried to kill O but Athena saved him
Rapes Medusa- turning her into a Gorgon, children- Pegasus, Chrysaor
Roman- Neptune
Aphrodite
Goddess of love, beauty Wife of Hephaistos but loved Ares Eris created a golden apple for the fairest, Aphrodite, Hera and Athena asked Zeus who got Paris to answer, Aphrodite offered Helen the wife of King Menelaus of Sparta, war lasted for 10 years Animals- doves, sparrows Roman- Venus
Hermes
God of travel, business, weights, measures, sports
Messenger of the gods, guided souls tot the underworld
Son of Maia
Staff caused men to fall asleep instantly
On day of his birth, he stole and hid Apollos cattle, then pretended to sleep, Zeus found it funny
Artemis
Goddess of hunting, archery, childbirth, wild animals
Twin of Apollo
Actaeon was a hunter, he saw Artemis and her nymphs naked, so she turned him into a stag and his dogs killed him
Roman- Diana
Ares
God of war, not cunning in battle
Not popular, in the Iliad Zeus complained that he was most hated of all his children, son of Hera
Ares and Aphrodite were lovers, Hephaistos found out and made a metal net over Aphrodites bed, then got all the gods to laugh at them trapped
Roman- Mars
Hephaistos
God of fire, volcanoes, blacksmiths, craftworkers
He was lame and so thrown out of Mount Olympus
Father of Erechtheus- legendary king of athens
After Hera threw him out, Thetis looked after him and he could make beautiful useful things so he went back
Roman- Vulcan
Dionysos
Fun loving god of high spirits, strong emotions, wine
He was drunk on wine and captured by pirates, he flooded the boat with wine and turned them into dolphins except one who believed him
Who are the 12 Greek Gods
Zeus Hera Athena Apollo Demeter Poseidon Aphrodite Hermes Artemis Ares Hephaistos Dionysos
Who are the 2 debatable Greek Gods
Hades and Hestia
Hades
King of the Underworld, dead Three headed dog- Cerberus Sacred animals- screech owl Chthonic god Roman- Pluto
Hestia
Virgin goddess of the hearth, home, chastity
Sister of Zeus
Gave up her seat of the 12 Olympians to Dionysus
Roman- Vesta
