| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Zeus | Jupiter; god of the sky, rain-god, cloud-gatherer; thunderbolt & aegis (shield), affairs with many women, wife = Hera, sign = eagle |
| Poseidon | Neptune; god of the sea, gave first horse to humans, "earth shaker", trident (3-pronged spear), brother = Zeus, symbol = horses |
| Hades | Pluto; god of the underworld and dead, god of wealth, King of the Dead, "unpitying but just", helmet - whoever wore it became invisible, wife = Persephone (carried her away from earth and made her Queen of the Lower World" |
| Hestia | Vesta; virgin goddess; goddess of the hearth, symbol of the home; in Rome, 6 virgins tended the fire = vestals |
| Ares | Mars; god of war, "ruthless god", symbols = vulture & dog |
| Hera | Juno; wife & sister of Zeus; protector of marriage & married women; cause of Trojan War; punished women Zeus had affairs with; held grudges - never forgot them (Trojan War); symbol = peacock |
| Athena | Minerva; goddess of the city, protector of civilized life, handicrafts, and agriculture; warlike, battle goddess; "gray-eyed"; chief of 3 virgin goddesses; sprang fully armed from Zeus' head (no mother); Zeus's favorite child; Athens = named for her; symbolizes wisdom & reason; symbols = owl (wise, wisdom), olive tree (peace) |
| Apollo | Most Greek of all the gods; musician of Olympus (golden lyre); lord of the silver-bow, archer-god; healer: 1st taught men healing; god of light and truth; oracle at Delphi - Delphi was where people went to find the truth, Apollo = god of truth; symbols = laurel, dolphin, crow; Artemis' twin |
| Aphrodite | Venus; goddess of love and beauty; laughter loving; sprung from sea foam (painting - the Birth of Venus, artist Botticelli); wife of Hephaestus; symbol = dove |
| Hermes | Mercury; Zeus's messenger; master thief - cunning & trickery; stole Apollo's herds (Zeus made him return sheep- won Apollo's forgiveness by giving him his newly invented lyre made out of tortoise's shell); god of commerce and the market, protector of traders; leads souls to the underworld (divine herald); winged sandals; helmet, Caduceus =- staff, symbol w/ snake around it |
| Artemis | Diana; lady of wild things - goddess of the hunt; chief huntsman to gods; protector of youth; apollo's twin; symbols = moon, deer |
| Hephaestus | Vulcan; god of fire; workman of gods - armorer and smith, iron; protector of smiths; kind and peace-loving; wife = Aphrodite; ugly and lame |
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