Goddesses

Greek Goddesses

A Complete List of Greek Goddesses, Their Names & Their Realms of Influence

Throughout the course of the history of Greek mythology their have been many Greek goddesses. From the Olympian goddesses right down to the many minor goddesses.

Greek goddesses are good archetypal figures because of their exaggerated personalities. Despite their immortality and similarities to modern day superheroes, they are still plagued with personal flaws and negative emotions which caused destruction in their lives and the lives of other gods and mortals.

This page is a list of the Greek goddesses of ancient mythology and will be continually updated with additions, corrections and more information on each of the goddesses.

Achelois

A minor moon goddess whose name means “she who washes away pain”.

Alcyone

One of the seven, Pleiades and daughter of Atlas and Pleione. She bore several children with the god Poseidon.

Alectrona

An early Greek goddess of the sun, daughter of Helios and Rhode, and possibly goddess of the morning.

Amphitrite

Greek goddess of the sea, wife of Poseidon and a Nereid.

Antheia

Goddess of gardens, flowers, swamps, and marshes.

Aphaea

A Greek goddess who was worshipped almost exclusively at a single sanctuary on the island of Aegina in the Saronic Gulf.

Gods

Greek Gods

A Complete List of Greek Gods, Their Names & Their Realms of Influence

There have been many Greek gods mentioned across thousands of stories in Greek mythology – from the Olympian gods all the way down to the many minor gods.

The gods, much like the Greek goddesses of history, have very exaggerated personalities and they are plagued with personal flaws and negative emotions despite they immortality and superhero-like powers.

This page is a list of the names of Greek gods in ancient mythology and their roles. It will be continually updated with additions, corrections and more information on each of the gods.

Achelous

The patron god of the “silver-swirling” Achelous River.

Aeolus

Greek god of the winds and air

Aether

Primordial god of the upper air, light, the atmosphere, space and heaven.

Alastor

God of family feuds and avenger of evil deeds.

Aristaeus

Minor patron god of animal husbandry, bee-keeping, and fruit trees. Son of Apollo.

Asclepius

God of medicine, health, healing, rejuvenation and physicians.

Atlas

The Primordial Titan of Astronomy. Condemned by Zeus to carry the world on his back after the Titans lost the war.

Attis

A minor god of vegetation, fruits of the earth and rebirth.

Boreas

A wind god (Anemoi) and Greek god of the cold north wind and the bringer of winter. Referred to as “The North Wind”.

Caerus

Minor god of opportunity, luck and favorable moments.

Castor

One of the twins, Castor and Pollux, known as Dioskouri. Zeus transformed them into the constellation Gemini

Cerus

The large and powerful wild bull tamed by Persephone and turned into the Taurus constellation.

Chaos

The nothingness that all else sprung from. A god who filled the gap between Heaven and Earth and created the first beings Gaia, Tartarus, Uranus, Nyx and Erebos.

Charon

The Ferryman of Hades. Took the newly dead people across the rivers Styx and Acheron to the Greek underworld if they paid him three obolus (a Greek silver coin).

Cronos

The god of time. Not to be confused with Cronus, the Titan father of Zeus.

Crios

The Titan god of the heavenly constellations and the measure of the year..

Cronus

God of agriculture, leader and the youngest of the first generation of Titans and father of the Titans. Not to be confused with Cronos, god of time.

Dinlas

Guardian god of the ancient city Lamark, where wounded heroes could find comfort and heal after battle. He was the son of Aphrodite.

Erebus

Primordial god of darkness.

Eros

God of sexual desire, attraction, love and procreation.

Eurus

One of the wind god known as Anemoi and god of the unlucky east wind. Referred to as “The East Wind”.

Glaucus

A fisherman who became immortal upon eating a magical herb, an Argonaut who may have built and piloted the Argo, and became a god of the sea.

Helios

God of the Sun and also known as Sol.

Heracles

The greatest of the Greek heroes, he became god of heroes, sports, athletes, health, agriculture, fertility, trade, oracles and divine protector of mankind. Known as the strongest man on Earth.

Hesperus

The Evening Star – the planet Venus in the evening.

Hymenaios

God of marriage ceremonies, inspiring feasts and song.

Hypnos

The Greek god of sleep.

Kratos

God of strength and power.

Momus

God of satire, mockery, censure, writers and poets and a spirit of evil-spirited blame and unfair criticism.

Morpheus

God of dreams and sleep – has the ability to take any human form and appear in dreams.

Nereus

The Titan god of the sea before Poseidon and father of the Nereids (nymphs of the sea).

Notus

Another Anemoi (wind god) and Greek god of the south wind. Known as “The South Wind”.

Oceanus

Titan god of the ocean. Believed to be the personification of the World Ocean, an enormous river encircling the world.

Pallas

The Titan god of warcraft and of the springtime campaign season.

Pan

God of nature, the wild, shepherds, flocks, goats, mountain wilds, and is often associated with sexuality. Also a satyr (half man, half-goat).

Phosphorus

The Morning Star – the planet Venus as it appears in the morning.

Plutus

The Greek god of wealth.

Pollux

Twin brother of Castor, together known as the Dioskouri, that were transformed into the constellation Gemini.

Pontus

ancient, pre-Olympian sea-god of the deep sea, one of the Greek primordial deities and son of Gaia.

Priapus

Minor rustic fertility god, protector of flocks, fruit plants, bees and gardens and known for having an enormous penis.

Pricus

The immortal father of sea-goats, made into the Capricorn constellation.

Proteus

Early sea-god or god of rivers and oceanic bodies of water referred to by Homer as the “Old Man of the Sea”.

Tartarus

The god of the deep abyss, a great pit in the depths of the underworld, and father of Typhon.

Thanatos

A minor god and the god of death.

Triton

Messenger of the sea and the son of Poseidon and Amphitrite.

Typhon

The deadliest monster in Greek mythology and “Father of All Monsters”. Last son of Gaia, fathered by Tartarus and god of monsters, storms, and volcanoes. He challenged Zeus for control of Mount Olympus.

Uranus

Primordial god of the sky and heavens, and father of the Titans.

Zelus

The god of dedication, emulation, eager rivalry, envy, jealousy, and zeal.

Zephyrus

A wind god (Anemoi). God of the west wind and known as “The West Wind”.

Hestia

Greek Goddess of the Hearth and Domestic Life

Hestia was the goddess of the hearth, home, architecture, domesticity, family, and the state. She was one of only three virgin goddesses, next to Athena and Artemis. Although both Poseidon and Apollo wanted to marry her, Hestia made an oath to Zeus that she would remain forever pure and undefiled, never entering into a union with a man.

She is a goddess of the Olympian generation, daughter of Cronus and Rhea and sister to Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Demeter andHera. When Cronus swallowed his children for fear one would dethrone him, Hestia was the eldest and thus swallowed first.

After Zeus forced his father to disgorge his children, Hestia was the last to be yielded up, making her both the oldest and the youngest daughter.

As the goddess of the hearth she personified the fire burning in the hearth of every home in Greece. Hestia receiving the first offering at every sacrifice in the household with families pouring sweet wine in her name and dedicating the richest portion of food to her.

The hearth fire in the household was not allowed to go out by any family unless it was ritually distinguished. Though Hestia did not have a public cult, she was worshipped at any temple, regardless of the god the temple was dedicated to. Hestia is described as a kind, forgiving and discreet goddess with a passive, non-confrontational nature.

Hestia was the eldest daughter of Cronos and Rhea.
As with the rest of his children, Cronos ate her but eventually regurgitated her.
She was a sibling to Demeter, Hades, Poseidon, Hera, and Zeus.
She was primarily known the Goddess of the Hearth.
Of all the gods and goddesses, she was considered the gentlest and mildest. Others, critically, have called her colorless because there is little information provided in regard to her character.
Although Hestia appeared in a few stories, she was not overly significant in Greek mythology.
Hestia is completely omitted from the works of Homer, author of the Iliad and the Odyssey.
Poets such as Apollodorous, Hesiod, and Ovid allude to her in their works.

Each city had a public hearth that was sacred to Hestia; the fire kindled there was never allowed to go out.
New colonies took fire from the hearth in the prytaneion (also known as the town hall) and kept the fires going in those new locations.
Every meal began and ended with an offering to Hestia.
Like Athena and Artemis, Hestia was referred to as a virgin goddess.
Although Apollo and Poseidon proposed marriage to Hestia, she requested of Zeus to remain a maiden forever.
Domestic life was her dominion in spite of her desire to remain a virgin.
She was one of only twelve Olympian deities.
Her name literally means “hearth”; appropriately, her priorities were family and community.
Children were accepted into the family by being presented at Hestia’s hearth. This observed first step ensured the goddess’s blessing on the new addition.
Vesta was the Roman equivalent to Hestia.
Public and private worship of Hestia was widespread.
She represented communal security and personal happiness.
Because Hestia remained a virgin, it follows that she had no children.

Hera

Greek Goddess of Marriage and Queen of Olympus

Hera is the Queen of the Gods and is the wife and sister of Zeus in the Olympian pantheon. She is known for being the Goddess of Marriage & Birth. Despite being the Goddess of Marriage, she was known to be jealous and vengeful towards the many lovers and offspring of her husband Zeus.

She was also known to turn her anger towards mortals who crossed her as well – for example, Paris, who choseAphrodite over Hera as the most beautiful goddess at the marriage of the sea-nymph Thetis to a mortal called Peleus.

In images and statues, Hera is portrayed as being majestic and solemn, crowned with the polos – a high cylindrical crown worn by many of the Great Goddesses.

Even before her marriage with Zeus, she ruled over the heavens and the Earth. This is one reason why she is referred to as ‘The Queen of Heaven’ – ruling over Mount Olympus where all the gods and goddesses live.

Even the great Zeus feared his wife Hera. Her never-ending hatred of Heracles, the illegitimate son of Zeus and the mortal Alcmene stemmed from his continuous adultery and, amongst other things, Hera raised a storm at sea in order to drive Heracles out of his course to kill him.

Zeus became so angry that he hung her in the clouds by a golden chain, and attached heavy anvils to her feet. Her son Hephaestus tried to release his mother from her humiliating position, for which Zeus threw him out of heaven, and his leg was broken by the fall.

Facts about Hera

• Hera was Queen of the Olympian gods.
• She was the wife and sister of Zeus.
• Hera was a jealous wife, and she fought with Zeus frequently over his extramarital affairs and illegitimate children. For this reason, Hera was known for punishing offending husbands.
• She was the protector of women, presiding over marriages and births.
• While Hera was worshipped in all parts of Greece, temples were erected in her honor at Argos and Salmos.
• The peacock was sacred to her.
• Hera had few, if any, redeeming qualities. She never forgot an injury.
• The Titans Ocean and Tethys brought her up.
• Hera is often described as “cow-faced,” although she was also called the chief among the immortals in beauty.
• Though she may have been physically attractive, her vindictive personality makes her less so.
• The Trojan War would have ended in peace, but Hera had a vested interest in its outcome and influenced Zeus to either switch sides or remain neutral.
• Hera had no concept of justice when angry or jealous; she could not forgive the women with whom Zeus had sexual relations—even if they were innocent of wrongdoing.
• Ilithyia, a daughter of Hera’s, assisted women in childbirth.
• In the story of the Quest of the Golden Fleece, Hera was a gracious protector of the heroes.
• Paris awarded Aphrodite the Golden Apple over Athena and Hera.
• Hera punished one of Zeus’s love interests, Io, by putting her in the charge of Argus. Argus had a hundred eyes and kept vigilant watch over her so that Zeus could not come to her aid.
• Hera turned Callisto into a bear because Zeus fell in love with her.
• Hera arranged the death of Semele, another of Zeus’s mortal conquests, although she did not directly cause it.
• Hera never forgave Hercules for being Zeus’s son, but when Hercules died and was taken to heaven, he and Hera reconciled. While in heaven, Hercules married Hera’s daughter Hebe.
• In some stories, it was at Hera’s orders that Dionysus was torn to pieces. He was brought back to life, and it is this resurrection that was celebrated in theatres.

Zeus

Greek God of the Sky and King of the Gods

Zeus was the first of the gods and a very imposing figure. Often referred to as the “Father of Gods and men”, he is a sky god who controls lightning (often using it as a weapon) and thunder. Zeus is king of Mount Olympus, the home of Greek gods, where he rules the world and imposes his will onto gods and mortals alike.

Zeus was the last child of the titans Cronus and Rhea, and avoided being swallowed by his father (who had been told one of his children would overthrow him) when Rhea sought help from Uranus and Ge. Cronus had previously swallowedDemeter, Hestia, Hera, Hadesand Poseidon.

Along with Hades and Poseidon, Zeus shared the rule of the world and became king of Olympus as the children of Cronus were filled with admiration for their noble brother and sided with him against their unjust father – even following Zeus into The Battle of the Titans.

Zeus mated with many goddesses and mortals (including Aegina, Alcmena, Calliope, Cassiopea, Demeter, Dione, Europa, Io, Leda, Leto, Mnemosyne, Niobe, Persephone and Semele) but was married to his sister Hera – goddess of marriage and monogamy.

Roles and responsibilities of Zeus

As the king of the gods and sitting atop the golden throne on Olympus, Zeus was revered by all. Mortal kings would boast that they were descendants of Zeus. With this supreme power came a number of roles and responsibilities. Hesiod described Zeus as a god who “brought peace in place of violence” and referred to him as the “lord of justice“.

Though he is most well known as god of the sky and thunder, Zeus was the supreme cultural embodiment of Greek religious beliefs. He had many epithets (titles) that emphasized different aspects of complete and wide ranging authority.

• Zeus Olympios emphasized Zeus’s kingship over the gods.
• Zeus Xenios, Philoxenon or Hospites: Zeus was the patron of hospitality (xenia) and guests, ready to avenge any wrong done to a stranger.
• Zeus Horkios: Zeus he was the keeper of oaths. Exposed liars were made to dedicate a statue to Zeus, often at the sanctuary of Olympia.
• Zeus Agoraeus: Zeus watched over business at the agora and punished dishonest traders.
• Zeus Aegiduchos or Aegiochos: Zeus was the bearer of the Aegis with which he strikes terror into the impious and his enemies.
• Zeus Tallaios (“solar Zeus”): the Zeus that was worshiped in Crete.
• Zeus Geōrgos (“earth worker”, “farmer”), the god of crops and harvest, in Athens.
• Astrapios (“lightninger”)
• Brontios (“thunderer”)

Appearance and personality of Zeus

According to “Work and Days” by Hesiod (line 59), Zeus was a carefree god who loved to laugh out loud. He was regarded as wise, fair, just, merciful, and prudent. He was also unpredictable – nobody was able to guess the decisions he would make.

He was also easily angered which could be very destructive. He has previously hurled lightning bolts and caused violent storms that wreaked havoc on earth.

Zeus fell in love easily and had many affairs with various women, however he would severely punish anybody who attempted to escort/fall in love with his wife Hera – like the giant Porphyrion who took a lightning bolt from the engraged god for lusting after his wife (albeit with a little help from the love god Eros).

He is often described as a strong, imposing man with a regal body and long, often curly, hair. He usually had a short beard or scruff and carried his trusty thunderbolt at all times.

Facts about Zeus

• Zeus became the ruler of heaven and earth after a revolt against his father, Kronos. In his position as king of the gods, Zeus had to play mediator when other the immortals were mad at each other.
• He is the father of Athena, who is said to have sprung from his head. She was his favorite child, with whom he shared the thunderbolt and aegis.
• Hades and Poseidon were his brothers.
• His wife Hera was also his sister.
• Zeus was not a faithful husband; he was known for having many affairs with mortal women.
• Zeus fathered Hercules, the famous Greek hero, by deception. He disguised himself as Amphitryon, Alcmene’s husband, in order to have sexual relations with her.
• Zeus fathered Perseus by impregnating Danaë. When he did so, he appeared to her in the form of a golden shower.
• The name Zeus means “bright” or “sky.”
• His weapon of choice was the thunderbolt, made for him by the Cyclops.
• Zeus, more recently known for causing thunder and lightning, was once a rain-god. He was always associated with the weather in some form.
• The Zeus described in Homer was not an extension of nature; instead, he had a standard of right and wrong that made him more relatable to mankind.
• Before monarchies were rendered obsolete, Zeus protected the king and his family.
• Hesiod calls Zeus the “the lord of justice.” Perhaps because of this, he was reluctant to join a side in the Trojan War. He preferred the Trojans, but he wanted to stay neutral because Hera preferred the Greeks. She was insufferable when he opposed her openly.
• Metis, the goddess of prudence, was Zeus’s first love.
• Ares, Hephaestus, Hebe and Eileithyia are the children of Zeus and Hera.
• His union with Leto brought forth the twins Apollo and Artemis.
• When he seduced the Spartan queen Leda, Zeus transformed himself into a beautiful swan, and two sets of twins were born.
• When Zeus had an affair with Mnemosyne, he coupled with her for nine nights. This scenario produced nine daughters, who became known as the Muses.
• Zeus punished men by giving them women.
• Zeus’s servants were named Force and Violence.

Poseidon

Greek God of the Sea

Poseidon was god of the sea, earthquakes, storms, and horses and is considered one of the most bad-tempered, moody and greedy Olympian gods. He was known to be vengeful when insulted – for example when he brutally blinded the Cyclops Polyphemus because his father, Odysseus, had insulted him.

He is the son of Cronus and Rhea and was swallowed by his father along with Hades, Demeter,Hestia and Hera. However, in some folklore stories it is believed that Poseidon, likeZeus, was not swallowed by Cronus because his mother Rhea who concealed him among a flock of lambs and pretended to have given birth to a colt, which was devoured by Cronos instead.

After the gods defeated the Titans, the world was divided into three and Zeus, Hades and Poseidon drew straws to decide which they would rule. Zeus drew the skies, Hades the underworld, and Poseidon the seas. There is only one reference to this divide, by Home in theIliad.

Facts about Poseidon

• Poseidon was most notably the God of the sea and the protector of all waters; sailors relied upon him for safe passage.
• Poseidon was allotted his dominion after the fall of the Titans.
• Zeus and Hades were his brothers.
• It stands to reason that, because of his influence on the waters, he was worshipped in connection with navigation.
• Poseidon was worshipped as a fertility god.
• His name is Greek for “husband.”
• He wielded the trident or three-pronged spear, and this image of him is reflected in art.
• Poseidon could strike the ground with his trident to produce an earthquake. This earned him the nickname “Earth-shaker.”
• Poseidon possessed a palace, made of gems and coral, located on the ocean floor. He was at Mount Olympus more often than his palace.
• Poseidon was moody by nature: his temperament was unstable at best, and his emotional fluctuations often resulted in violence.
• He was similar to Zeus in that he liked to exert power over women and flaunt his rugged masculinity. At times, however, his efforts were appreciated. Poseidon saved Amymone from a satyr.
• His primary means of transportation was a chariot pulled by horses.
• Poseidon assisted the Greeks in the Trojan war. However, Zeus commanded him to withdraw from the battlefield, and he reluctantly obeyed.
• His grudge against Odysseus is one theme in the Odyssey.
• Poseidon was the husband of Amphitrite, a Nereid. Their union produced Triton, who was half-human, half-fish.
• He and Medusa conceived the flying horse, Pegasus.
• He was also the biological father of Orion, Polyphemus, Pelias, and many others.
• One of his most notable dalliances involved his sister Demeter. She refused his advances by turning herself into a mare. He then transformed into a stallion and pursued her. Their relations produced a horse, Arion.
• He and Athena competed for possession of the city of Athens. To sway the people in his favor, Poseidon made it spring at the Acropolis. Athena, on the other hand, gave them the olive tree. With it, she won the contest.
• Despite Poseidon’s connection to chariots and ships, Athena was the first to make one of each.

Demeter

Greek Goddess of Agriculture, Fertility, Sacred Law and the Harvest

Demeter is the goddess of the harvest and presides over grains and the fertility of the earth. Although she was most often referred to as the goddess of the harvest, she was also goddess of sacred law and the cycle of life and death.

Her virgin daughter Persephone was abducted by the god of the underworld, Hades, and Demeter endlessly searched for her, preoccupied with loss and grief. The seasons halted and living things stopped growing and died. At this point, Zeus had to intervene and send his messenger Hermes to the underworld to bring Persephone back and prevent the extinction of all life on Earth.

Hades agreed to Persephone’s relief but gave her a pomegranate as she left. When she ate the pomegranate seeds, she was bound to him for one third of the year, either the dry Mediterranean summer, when plant life is threatened by drought, or the autumn and winter.

Demeter and Persephone were also the central figures to the Eleusinian Mysteries – a series of large and secretive concerts held every five years. These mysteries represented the abduction of Persephone by Hades in three phases. The “descent” (loss), the “search” and the “ascent”. The main theme is the “ascent” of Persephone and the reunion with her mother.

Facts about Demeter

• Demeter was the daughter of Cronos and Rhea.
• She was the goddess of harvest and fertility.
• She had one daughter, Persephone; Zeus was Persephone’s father.
• After Hades abducted Persephone, Demeter grieved. The earth became barren through her neglect; thus, the winter season and its manifestations were a reflection of Demeter’s emotional state during Persephone’s absence.
• She revealed to man the art of growing and using corn.
• Only women attended the Thesmophoria, a fertility festival held in honor of Demeter.
• The fields of grain and the threshing-floor were under her protection. They were temples at which she could occupy at any moment.
• Her chief festival came at the harvest time. It began as a humble feast and over time morphed into a mysterious worship. This great festival occurred only every five years.
• Demeter and Dionysus were worshipped at Eleusis, a little town near Athens. Their worship was referred to as the Eleusinian Mysteries.
• Demeter was older than Dionysus. They were the two great gods of Earth.
• Metaneira, a mother herself, comforted Demeter in Persephone’s absence. In fact, Demeter nursed one of Metaneira’s children. She doted on the child and anointed him with ambrosia on a daily basis. Demeter’s attachment to the child alarmed Metaneira, and the two ultimately went their separate ways.
• Still angry over the abduction of Persephone, Demeter subjected the world to famine. Zeus sent the gods to Demeter one by one to try and bring her out of her despondency. Demeter and Persephone were ultimately reunited at Zeus’s decree.
• Demeter was granted four months per year with Persephone; her daughter would remain with Hades for the remaining months.
• Men called Demeter the “Good Goddess” despite the desolation she had brought about as a result of her grief.
• She named Triptolemus her ambassador to men.
• She taught Triptolemus and Celeus her sacred rites.
• In ancient art, Demeter was pictured wearing a wreath made of ears of corn.
• The snake and the pig were sacred to her.
• The torch is often depicted in connection with Demeter because of her persistent search for Persephone.
• Demeter came to Eleusis during the reign of King Erechtheus of Athens.

Athena

Greek Goddess of Wisdom and War

Athena, also referred to as Athene, is a very important goddess of many things. She is goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, law and justice, strategic warfare, mathematics, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, and skill.

She is known most specifically for her strategic skill in warfare and is often portrayed as companion of heroes and is the patron goddess of heroic endeavour.

Athena was born from Zeusafter he experienced an enormous headache and she sprang fully grown and in armour from his forehead. She has no mother but one of the most commonly cited stories is that Zeus lay with Metis, the goddess of crafty thought and wisdom, and then swallowed her whole as he feared she will give birth to a child more powerful than him because of a prophecy – but she had already conceived.

Facts about Athena

• Athena was the Goddess of War, the female counterpart of Ares.
• She was the daughter of Zeus; no mother bore her. She sprang from Zeus’s head, full-grown and clothed in armor.
• She was Zeus’s favorite child.
• According to Homer’s account in the Iliad, Athena was a fierce and ruthless warrior. In the Odyssey, she was angry and unforgiving. In the course of the Trojan War, she struck Ajax with madness.
• Known for protecting civilized life, she was the Goddess of the City.
• According to some sources, Athena was praised for her compassion and generosity.
• Athena was a patron of the arts and crafts, especially when it came to spinning and weaving.
• In later poetry, Athena embodied wisdom and rational thought.
• Athena served as a guardian of Athens, where the Parthenon served as her temple.
• Zeus trusted her to wield the aegis and his thunderbolt.
• Her most important festival was the Panathenaea, which was celebrated annually at Athens.
• She is referred to in poetry as “gray-eyed.”
• The owl was her bird, and the olive tree was hers.
• Athena reared Ericthonius, son of Hephaestus. He was half man, half serpent. Athena put the infant in a chest and gave it to others to watch over, forbidding them to open it. When they did, she drove them mad as punishment.
• She is one of three virgin goddesses; the other two were Hestia and Artemis.
• Athena invented the flute, but she never played it.
• Hermes and Athena went to the aid of Perseus in his quest to kill Medusa. Looking directly at Medusa would turn any man to stone, so Athena provided Perseus with her polished shield. Using it, he was able to see Medusa as if looking in a mirror. Again, Athena guided his hand as he cut off Medusa’s head with his sword.
• Hera and Athena fought against Paris in the Trojan War since he had awarded the Golden Apple to Aphrodite.
• The sacred image of Athena, a wood statue called the Palladium, protected the Trojans as long as they had it.
• Odysseus and Diomedes executed a plan to steal the image, greatly encouraging the Greeks in their hopes to end the long-suffering war.
• Athena helped Hercules when, as a part of his penance, he was required to drive away the Stymphalian birds. She got them moving, and Hercules shot them.

Artemis

Greek Goddess of the Hunt, Forests and Hills, the Moon, Archery

Artemis is known as the goddess of the hunt and is one of the most respected of all the ancient Greek deities. It is thought that her name, and even the goddess herself, may even be pre-Greek. She was the daughter of Zeus, king of the gods, and the Titaness Leto and she has a twin brother, the god Apollo.

Not only was Artemis the goddess of the hunt, she was also known as the goddess of wild animals, wilderness, childbirth and virginity. Also, she was protector of young children and was know to bring and relieve disease in women. In literature and art she was depicted as a huntress carrying a bow and arrow.

Artemis was a virgin and drew the attention and interest of many gods and men. However, it was only her hunting companion, Orion, that won her heart. It is believed that Orion was accidentally killed either by Artemis herself or by Gaia, the primordial goddess of the earth.

In one version of the stories of Adonis – who was a late addition to Greek mythology during the Hellenistic period – Artemis sent a wild boar to kill Adonis after he continued to boast that he was a far greater hunter than her.

Facts about Artemis

• Artemis was daughter of Zeus and Leto and twin sister of Apollo.
• According to one source, Artemis was born a day before Apollo. She then served as a guardian to him, which provided a context for her desire to protect and nurture.
• She was primarily a virgin huntress, goddess of wildlife and patroness of hunters.
• The bear was sacred to her.
• She guarded her virginity carefully. Actaeon and Orion tried to dishonor or rape her, but anyone who threatened her purity met with a violent end.
• She was an important goddess in the lives of women, especially when it came to marriage and young creatures.
• When one of her nymphs was seduced by Zeus, Artemis transformed her into a bear and then killed her.
• She was sometimes associated with the goddess of the moon.
• Artemis acted out in anger whenever her wishes were disobeyed, especially if anyone transgressed against the animals that were sacred to her.
• She punished Agamemnon, for example, when he killed a stag in her sacred grove.
• Artemis appealed to Zeus to grant her eternal virginity.
• Apollo and Artemis teamed up to kill the children of Niobe. Niobe bragged that she had birthed more children than Leto (the mother of Apollo and Artemis). The twins then hunted her children and killed them with their bows and arrows.
• Artemis was worshipped widely in Greece but only as a secondary deity.
• A temple built in her honor became one of the “Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.”
• At least two festivals were celebrated in her honor of Artemis: Brauronia and the festival of Artemis Orthia.
• Homer referred to her as a mistress of wild animals.
• Artemis spent most of her time roaming the forests with her nymphs. She was described as both hunting animals and protecting them.
• She armed herself with a bow and arrows made by Hephaestus and Cyclops.
• In art, Artemis is often accompanied by a stag or hunting dog.
• She is the protector of chastity and a nurturer of the young.

Aphrodite

Greek Goddess of Love, Beauty & Eternal Youth

Aphrodite is the Goddess of Love and Beauty and according to Hesiod’s Theogony, she was born from the foam in the waters of Paphos, on the island of Cyprus. She supposedly arose from the foam when the Titan Cronus slew his father Uranus and threw his genitals into the sea.

However, according to Homer, in Iliad, Aphrodite may instead be the daughter of Zeus and Dione. As with so many Greek deities, there are many stories about the origins of the gods.

Many gods believed that her beauty was such that their rivalry over her would spark a war of the gods. Because of this, Zeus married Aphrodite to Hephaestus – he wasn’t seen as a threat because of his ugliness and deformity.

Despite this marriage to Hephaestus, Aphrodite had many lovers. Her lovers include both gods and men – including the god Ares and the mortal Anchises. She also played a role in the story of Eros and Psyche in which admirers of Psyche neglected to worship Venus (Aphrodite) and instead worshipped her. For this, Aphrodite enlisted Eros (Cupid) to exact her revenge but the god of love instead falls in love with the girl.

Later, Aphrodite was both Adonis’s lover and his surrogate mother. This led to a feud with Persephone in which Zeus decreed Adonis should spend half of the year with Aphrodite and half of the year with Persephone.

Facts about Aphrodite

• Aphrodite was the goddess of fertility, love, and beauty.
• Two different stories explain the birth of Aphrodite. The first is simple: She was the child of Zeus and Dione.
• According to the second story, however, Aphrodite rose from the foam of the sea.
• Aphrodite was married to Hephaestus, but Aphrodite did not enter into this union of her own volition.
• She and Ares conceived Harmonia, who eventually married Herodotus.
• She was the mother of Hermaphroditus by Hermes.
• Aphrodite and her son Eros (Cupid) teamed up to cause Zeus to fall in love with a human named Europa.
• Aphrodite loved Adonis. She saw him when he was born and determined then that he should be hers. She assigned Persephone to his care, but Persephone fell in love with Adonis also and would not give him back. Finally, Zeus had to mediate. He judged that Adonis should spend half the year with each.
• Aphrodite used a swan-drawn car to glide easily through the air.
• Although Aphrodite and Hera were not friends, Hera went to the Goddess of Love for help as she endeavored to assist the heroes in their Quest of the Golden Fleece.
• Aphrodite, Hera, and Athena were the top three contenders for a gold apple marked “For the Fairest.” They asked Zeus to judge the contest, but he refused. Paris, son of the King of Troy, judged the contest instead. Each of the three goddesses promised him something in return; he chose Aphrodite as the winner of the apple. This story of the Judgment of Paris was considered to be the real reason behind the Trojan War.
• During the Trojan War, Aphrodite fought on the side of Paris.
• Aphrodite rescued Paris from Menelaus by enveloping him in a cloud and taking him back to Troy.
• Aphrodite owned a girdle that contained her enchantments; Hera borrowed it once to seduce Zeus in order to distract him from the Trojan War.
• Aphrodite gave Harmonia a necklace that brought disaster to a later generation.
• Prostitutes considered the Goddess of Love their patron.
• Aphrodite had a few mortal lovers. One of the most notable was the Trojan shepherd Anchises. The two of them conceived Aeneas.
• Corinth was the center of Aphrodite’s worship.
• Early Greek art depicted the goddess as nude.
• She was the model for the famous sculpture Venus de Milo.
• Aphrodite and Cupid initiated the love between Jason (hero of the Quest of the Golden Fleece) and the daughter of the Colchian King.

Hermes

Greek God of Trade, Eloquence and Messenger of the Gods

Hermes was one of the 12 Olympian Gods and was god of trade, thieves, travelers, sports, athletes, and border crossings, guide to the Underworld. He was the second youngest Olympian god and was the son of Zeus and Maia, one of the seven Pleiades and daughter of the Titan Atlas.

As the god of boundaries and transitions, Hermes was known to be quick and cunning and had the ability to freely move between the mortal and divine worlds. It is this skill that made him a luck-bringing messenger to the gods and intercessor between mortals and the divine.

He is also the patron and protector of travelers, herdsmen, thieves, orators and wit, literature and poets, athletics and sports, invention and trade. In some myths Hermes is also depicted as a trickster where he would outwit the gods either for the good of humankind or for his own personal amusement and satisfaction.

Both Homer and Hesiod portrayed Hermes as the author of skilled or deceptive acts, and also as a benefactor of mortals.

Facts about Hermes

• Hermes was the son of Zeus and Maia, one of the Pleiades.
• He primarily served as the herald or messenger of the gods.
• Hermes was the god of shepherds, land travel, and literature. More specifically, he was known as a patron of poetry.
• His interests were varied and widespread.
• In his role as herald, it also fell to him to conduct souls to Hades.
• As was the case with other gods, Hermes was known for abundant love affairs with mortals, goddesses, and nymphs.
• According to some sources, Hermes was associated with fertility and good fortune.
• Hermes is most often presented as a graceful youth, wearing a winged hat and winged sandals. This is how he appeared to Perseus when he and Athena arrived to help the hero kill Medusa.
• Hermes was considered a “trickster” due to his cunning and clever personality.
• Hermoea was the name given to the riotous festivals thrown in his honor.
• Hermes was born in a cave on a mountain in Arcadia; he was conceived and born within the course of one day.
• His son Pan was half man, half goat. Pan’s mother was named Dryope, and she was terrified of her son’s strange appearance.
• Abderus, another of Hermes’ sons, was a friend to Hercules. He met his fate when he was devoured by the Mares of Diomedes.
• Hermaphroditus (also known as Aphroditus) was an androgynous deity and the offspring of Hermes and Aphrodite.
• The tortoise is a symbol of Hermes.
• Hermes freed Io, one of Zeus’ lovers, from the giant Argus.
• Hermes talked the nymph Calypso into releasing Odysseus.
• Hermes played a part in the infamous love story of Orpheus and Eurydice. After Eurydice is granted one day on earth with her husband, it is Hermes who escorts her back to the underworld.
• He was a patron of thieves. On the day of his birth, Hermes stole Apollo’s cattle.
• He was the only one other than Hades and Persephone who was allowed to leave the underworld without consequence.
• He was the god of boundaries, both literal and figurative.