Greek Mythology Flashcards
Match the Titles, Powers, & Story to the Greek god/goddess and his/her Roman Equivalent
Title: King of the Gods
Powers: Control over the sky and weather, particularly thunder and lightning.
Led the Olympian gods in a ten-year war against the Titans, ultimately overthrowing them and establishing a new order. He is often depicted wielding a thunderbolt.
Zeus
Roman Equivalent: Jupiter
Title: Queen of the Gods, Goddess of Marriage and Family
Powers: Protector of marriage, women, childbirth, and family.
Despite her marriage to Zeus, she was frequently jealous and vengeful towards his lovers and offspring. One famous story is her persecution of Hercules, Zeus’ son by a mortal woman.
Hera
Roman Equivalent: Juno
Title: God of the Sea, Earthquakes, and Horses
Powers: Control over all bodies of water, causing earthquakes, creating horses.
Competed with Athena for the patronage of Athens. He offered the city a saltwater spring by striking the ground with his trident, while Athena offered an olive tree. The people chose Athena’s gift, and she became the city’s patron.
Poseidon
Roman Equivalent: Neptune
Title: Goddess of Agriculture and Harvest
Powers: Control over crops and the fertility of the earth.
Her grief over the abduction of her daughter, Persephone, by Hades caused the earth to become barren. This myth explains the seasons: when Persephone is with Hades, it is winter; when she returns, spring begins.
Demeter
Roman Equivalent: Ceres
Title: Goddess of Wisdom, War, and Crafts
Powers: Wisdom, strategic warfare, crafts, and weaving.
She was born fully armed from the forehead of Zeus after he swallowed her pregnant mother, Metis. She is known for her role in assisting heroes like Odysseus and Perseus.
Athena
Roman Equivalent: Minerva
Title: God of the Sun, Music, and Prophecy
Powers: Healing, prophecy, music, and archery.
He fell in love with the nymph Daphne, who fled from him. To escape his advances, she prayed to her father, a river god, who turned her into a laurel tree. He then made the laurel his sacred tree.
Apollo
Roman Equivalent: Apollo
Title: Goddess of the Hunt, Wilderness, and the Moon
Powers: Archery, hunting, protecting animals, and childbirth.
She was fiercely protective of her chastity. When the hunter Actaeon accidentally saw her bathing, she turned him into a stag, and he was torn apart by his own hunting dogs.
Artemis
Roman Equivalent: Diana
Title: God of War
Powers: Physical strength and prowess in battle.
He was not well-liked by the other gods due to his violent nature. He had a notorious affair with Aphrodite, the wife of Hephaestus, which was exposed when Hephaestus caught them in a net and displayed them to the other gods.
Ares
Roman Equivalent: Mars
Title: Goddess of Love and Beauty
Powers: Inducing love and desire, beauty.
She was born from the sea foam and emerged near the island of Cyprus. She had many lovers, both mortal and divine, and was married to Hephaestus. Her affair with Ares is one of the most famous tales.
Aphrodite
Roman Equivalent: Venus
Title: Goddess of Spring and Queen of the Underworld
Powers: Growth and fertility in spring, queen of the dead.
She was abducted by Hades, which caused her mother, Demeter, to mourn and refuse to let anything grow. The compromise reached was that she would spend part of the year in the underworld and part on earth, explaining the seasonal cycle.
Persephone
Roman Equivalent: Proserpina
Title: God of Fire and Blacksmiths
Powers: Metalworking, craftsmanship, and fire.
He was thrown from Olympus by his mother, Hera, for being lame. Despite this, he became the gods’ master blacksmith, creating magnificent weapons and armor, including Achilles’ shield.
Hephaestus
Roman Equivalent: Vulcan
Title: God of Travel, Commerce, and Thieves
Powers: Speed, communication, commerce, and cunning.
He was the messenger of the gods and the guide to the underworld. As a newborn, he stole Apollo’s cattle but cleverly returned them, earning his place among the Olympians.
Hermes
Roman Equivalent: Mercury
Title: Goddess of the Hearth and Home
Powers: Presiding over the hearth, home, and family.
She is known for her vow of eternal virginity and her role in maintaining the hearth of Olympus. She was honored with the first and last offerings at every sacrifice to the gods.
Hestia
Roman Equivalent: Vesta
Title: God of Wine, Pleasure, and Festivity
Powers: Wine-making, pleasure, and revelry.
He was the only god born of a mortal woman, Semele, and Zeus. He wandered the earth, spreading the art of wine-making and leading ecstatic rituals.
Dionysus
Roman Equivalent: Bacchus
Title: God of the Underworld
Powers: Ruler of the dead and the riches under the earth.
He abducted Persephone to be his wife, leading to the myth of the changing seasons. He ruled the underworld with stern justice and was rarely worshipped by mortals.
Hades
Roman Equivalent: Pluto
