Important Greek Gods and Events
Gaea/Gaia: This is the ancient Greek Great Mother Goddess, incarnate as the Earth, “the deep breasted," source of all life, the one who nourishes all that is, and who blesses all creatures with healthy children and nourishing fruits and foods, the supreme goddess acknowledged not only by humans but by the gods as well. It was Gaia who the gods themselves invoked, and to whom they pledged, as in the Iliad, when Hera proclaims “I swear by Gaea and the vast sky above her,” when answering to accusations from Zeus. In the creation of the Greek Pantheon, She is credited to have given birth to Typhon, Enceladus, and Ouranus (the starlit sky), and with her son, Ouranus, given birth to the great race of gods, the Titans. From Homer: “I shall sing of Gaea, Universal Mother, firmly founded, the oldest of divinities."
Eros: He is the God of love, and symbolizes the divine principle itself, which quickened creation. He is credited with bringing the principles of Gaea, the feminine, and Ouranus, the masculine, together to manifest all things. He is also known as Cupid in popular culture, but that is a simplified and stereotypical version of the true nature of Eros. He is known for his bow, with which he shoots golden arrows of desire.
The Titans: born from Gaea and her son Ouranus (Uranus), they were the original divine race of beings, and are described below.
Oceanus: A Titan brother, he was the god of the ocean, which was considered a great river that forever circled the world.
Tethys: A Titan sister, she became the mate to Oceanus, and mother of 3000 sons, the Rivers, 3000 daughters, the Water Nymphs, Metis (wisdom), Tyche (fortune), and Styx (the infernal river)
Hyperion: A Titan brother, and the first sun-god of Greek origin.
Theia: A Titan sister, she became the mate to Hyperion, and she birthed Helios (the sun),
Selene (the moon), Eos (the dawn), and Astraeus.
Cronus: A Titan brother, credited with overthrowing his father.
Rhea: A Titan sister, and an Earth Mother goddess, identical to Gaea and Cybele. She is mate to Cronus, and she birthed three daughters; Hestia, Demeter and Hera, and three sons; Zeus, Poseiden, and Hades.
Iapetus: A Titan brother, mate of the Nymph Clymene, father to Prometheus, Epimetheus, Atlas, and Menoetius.
Crius: A Titan brother, mate of the Nymph Eurybia, and father to Astraeus, Pallas, and Perses.
Coeus: A Titan brother
Phoebe: A Titan sister, she symbolizes the moon, and mate of Coeus, she birthed Leto and Asteria.
Themis: A Titan sister, she is justice.
Mnemosyne: A Titan sister, she is memory
Cyclops: 3 giants, born of Gaea and Ouranus, each with a single eye in the middle of their foreheads. They are associated with storms, and are named Brontes (thunder), Steropes (lightning), and Arges (thunderbolt).
Hecatoncheires or Centimanes: 3 monsters, also born of Gaea and Ouranus, whose name means hundred handed giants, they each had 100 powerful arms and 50 heads. They were Cottus the furious, Briareus the vigorous, and Gyges the big-limbed.
Cronus and Rhea: Cronus and Rhea have the same story as Ouranus and Gaea, as they are essentially the same Divinities. Rhea is an earth goddess, and is seen as the Earth personified, like Gaea, her mother. Both Cronus and Ouranus have the same issue with a child who is to become more powerful than they are, whom they try to destroy, and who end up destroying them in the end. This Divine couple have six children, three female and three male, together.
Hestia: Daughter of Cronus and Rhea, Hestia is the goddess of the hearth, and her name itself means hearth in Greek. The hearth was the center of the home, and the fire kept within was considered a powerful spiritual and family connection. When a child married and moved to another home, he or she took a bit of fire from the parent’s hearth to take to the new home and hearth. While Hephaestus symbolizes the raw creative power of fire as it manifests in the Earth and the heavens, Hestia symbolizes domesticated fire, as we use it for warmth, light, and cooking, and as a source of nurturing and protection. Each city had a public hearth sacred to Hestia, where the fire was never allowed to go out.
Demeter: Daughter of Cronus and Rhea, Demeter is an earth goddess like her mother, yet she symbolizes the fertile Earth, the soil, the crops, and the fruits. She is a corn-goddess, and she ruled the seasons, agriculture, and the harvest. The first loaf of bread from the harvest is sacrificed to her. She is the mother of Persephone, and she is responsible for founding the Eleusinian mysteries, of which very little is known, as it was a secret celebration, having to do with the cycles of birth, growth and death. He is depicted as holding the sheaves of corn, symbolizing fertility; poppies, symbolizing divinity; and snakes symbolizing the Earth.
Hera: Daughter of Cronus and Rhea, she was originally a sky goddess, or Queen of the Heavens. In the classical Greek pantheon she is the goddess of marriage and motherhood. She is married to her brother Zeus, and her story is one of a faithful, loving wife and mother who is frequently betrayed by her husband. She is always a beautiful virgin, for she recovers her beauty and maidenhood every year by bathing in a spring called Canathus in Argolis. There are many tales of her jealousy and revenge against Zeus’ consorts and children, especially her treatment of Heracles, son of Zeus and a mortal woman named Alceme. She put two serpents in his cradle when he was a small baby, trying to kill him. When his mother found him later, he was playing with the dead bodies of two strangled snakes. She continued to harass him, throughout his epic hero’s journey. Hera’s sacred animals are the cow and the peacock.
Zeus: Youngest son of Cronus and Rhea, he is saved by his grandmother from the fate of his brothers and sisters, and, after successfully overthrowing his father, becomes the ruler of the gods. He was originally a thunder god, and retains his power over the weather, the winds, and the lightning and thunder. He is the god of the sky, the air, the winds, of clouds, rain, lightning, and thunder. He resides at high altitudes, and was often worshipped on mountaintops. To a Greek, he became “the supreme god who united in himself all the attributes of Divinity" (New Larousse Encyclopedia of Mythology, 1968). He was considered a wise, compassionate god who ruled according to the law of fate. He was a god of family, friendship, and gatherings, as well as the protector-god of Greece.
Poseiden: Son of Cronus and Rhea, he is depicted as a powerful Divine being, like his brother. He is god of the sea, and he marries Amphitrite, who was herself the feminine personification of the sea, (related to Aphrodite) and is granddaughter of Oceanus. He is also the source of earthquakes using his trident to shake the Earth, and can shatter any object as well. He has many children with different goddesses, including the giant Antaeus with Gaea, and the goddess Aethusa, whose mother is Alcyone of the Pleiades. He is associated with horses, and it is said that he created the first horse to impress Demeter. His contests for other gods and goddesses for possession of certain islands and cities is symbolic of places where the ocean has risen or receded.
Hades: Son of Cronus and Rhea, he is god of the underworld, who was a dark and mysterious entity. His helmet made him invisible. He is the abductor husband of Persephone, and was primarily a loyal and devoted husband. He was in charge of assigning souls to The Elysian Fields (heaven) or Tartarus (hell) based on the good or bad acts each soul performed in life.
Athena: daughter of Metis and Zeus, she is a warrior goddess, who sprang fully formed from her father's head. Zeus had been warned by Gaea and Uranus that the second child born to he and Metis would be more powerful than him, and would dethrone him. He promptly swallowed the pregnant Metis, so that she would have only one child. Soon his head began to ache terribly, and he asked Hephaestus to split his head open with an axe. Athena emerged as a fully grown goddess, dressed in armor. Because Zeus had incorporated wisdom and prudence, as well as embracing his own feminine side by swallowing Metis, he became a more balanced leader, and broke the cycle of violence and hatred that had been passed down from generation to generation. Therefore, Athena did not challenge her father, but rather became his favorite, and was very loyal to him. She was a powerful and independent Virgin goddess, and she is the goddess of wisdom and practicality, taking on her mother’s qualities, as well as the qualities of craft and creativity, cleverness and ingenuity. Her tree is the olive tree, and the owl her bird.
The Horae: Daughters of Zeus and Themis, they are goddesses of time and the seasons. They govern the order of nature, bringing rain to the Earth, and they are responsible for the ripening of fruits and the flowering of plants. To the Athenians, they were Thallo, who brought the flowers, and Carpo, who brought the fruits. According to Hesiod, they were Eunomia, Dike, and Eirene, and they governed natural order, being associated with wise legislation, justice, and peace.
The Moerea (The Three Fates): They are also daughters of Zeus and Themis, they are the Fates. According to Hesiod, they are: Clotho, the Spinner, governing the thread of life; Lachesis, who governed chance and luck; and Atropos, who governed unalterable fate. These three were also called the daughters of night.
The Muses: From this union of Zeus and Mnemosyne, came the Muses, who dwelt in pure springs as well as in mist, and were inspiration to poets, painters, singers, sculptors, and other artists and creative people. Their magical voices were often heard singing at Mount Olympus, where they joined in the feasts of the immortals. There were nine, and they were: Clio, Muse of history; Euterpe, Muse of the flute; Thalia, Muse of laughter and comedy; Melpomene, Muse of tragedy; Terpsichore, Muse of poetry and dance; Erato, Muse of love poetry; Polyhymnia, Muse of mimicry; Urania, Muse of astronomy; and Calliope, Muse of epic poetry and eloquence.
Persephone: Daughter of the rape of Demeter by Zeus, she is a maiden goddess, embodying innocence, beauty, and youth. She is also called Kore, the archetypal maiden. She was loved by all, especially her mother. One day, while picking flowers in a field, Hades, god of the underworld, visited her. He had been watching her and had chosen her to be his queen. He took her with him on his chariot into the world of the dead. Demeter was consumed with grief, and she searched the world for her precious lost child. During this time she neglected the land, as well as her duty as bringer of fertility and abundant harvest. The crops failed, and no children were born to humans or beasts. The land became cold and harsh, and the people starved and suffered greatly. Because of the loss of her child, and because she suffered, the whole world suffered as well, and began to die. Zeus was desperate to save his kingdom, and he, who had seen all, sent the messenger god, Hermes, to tell Demeter the story of what had happened to her daughter. Hermes promised to Demeter that if she attended to the Earth once again, and brought forth new life and abundant crops, that he would guarantee to bring her daughter home, that is, as long as she had not eaten of the foods of the underworld. It came about that Persephone had eaten three pomegranate seeds, and so a compromise was reached between Zeus and Hades, in which they agreed that Persephone would remain with Hades for three months of the year, one year for each pomegranate seed she had eaten. The remaining time she could be free to join her mother and gather flowers once again. It follows that during the months that Persephone resides with Hades, the Earth lies infertile, and when Persephone returns, she brings the spring and new life. Some myths say that Persephone spent six months in Hades and six months in the land of the living with her mother.
The Graces: From the union of Zeus and Eurynome came the Three Graces, or Charities. They are joyful, smiling maidens who bring happiness wherever they dwell. They are Aglaia, the brilliant one; Euphrosyne, she who rejoices the heart; and Thalia, she who brings flowers. They are closely associated with nature spirits, the Nymphs, and they presided over the budding of plants and the ripening of fruits. They often accompany Aphrodite, making her more beautiful and irresistible, as well as Apollo, as they were associated with the suns rays and their effect on the Earth.
. Hebe: Daughter of Zeus and Hera, she is the goddess of youth, having the gift of eternal youth. She was helpful as an eldest daughter, assisting her mother in caring for her brother Ares, preparing her mother's chariot for travel, and serving nectar and ambrosia to the gods during feasts.
Ilythia: Daughter of Zeus and Hera, she is the goddess of birthing, especially the rhythmic contractions which aid the child’s emergence.
Ares: Son of Zeus and Hera, he is the god of war, arrayed in armor, and riding on a chariot drawn by racing horses. He is known for his thirst for blood, and his brutality and lust for violence. In this way he differed from Athena, who embodies cool, intelligent courage. The two were always at odds, and battled many times. Once when Ares flew into a rage and struck her aegis, the invincible breastplate made by Hephaestus, Athena drew back, picked up an enormous black boulder, and, summoning her powerful strength, launched it at Ares. Her aim was true, and when he fell, his body covered 7 acres. He was covered in dust, and thoroughly mortified. Standing tall, Athena called out to him “Vain fool! Hast thou not yet learned how superior my strength is to thine?"
Eris: Daughter of Hera and Zeus, she is the goddess of discord, and is closely related to her brother Ares, whom she frequently accompanies in battle, along with her son Strife.
Hephaestus: Son of Zeus and Hera, he is the god of the forge, the divine blacksmith, who is associated with fire, especially volcanic, but also associated with lighting. He built the Palaces of Olympus, Zeus’ golden throne, sceptre, and thunderbolts, the Aegis or breastplate of Athena, the winged chariot of Helios, the arrows of Apollo and Artemis, Demeter's sickle, the armor of Achilles, Ariadne's diadem, Agamemnon's scepter, and the Golden goblet which Zeus offered to Aphrodite. Unlike the other gods and goddesses, he was not perfect in form, but was lame in both legs and had twisted feet. He walked with a severe limp. He was frequently laughed at by the other immortals, but his great skill in working with metals and fire to create useful and beautiful things made him a master craftsman who was sought after for his services often. He married Aphrodite, yet she was often unfaithful to him, having a long affair with Ares.
Aphrodite: Though probably of Phoenician origin, according to popular Greek tradition, Aphrodite was born from seafoam that rose from the ocean after Cronus, son of Gaea and Ouranus, murdered his father, and severing his genitals, threw them into the sea. Aphrodite then rose from foam floating in the sea along the coast of Cythera, and came ashore at Cyprus. The gods all adored her, and she was adorned with precious jewels and welcomed into their midst. It is said that beside her walked Love and Desire, and that she was the essence of feminine beauty. Everything about her was pure, and she emanated charm and grace. She is often pictured with a scepter or a mirror. In addition to her natural gifts she has a magical girdle that compels anyone she wishes to desire her. The myrtle is her tree. The dove, the swan, and the sparrow are her birds.
Aphrodite became the uncontested goddess of love and beauty, though she had to win this right. When Eris was overlooked for an invitation to the wedding of Thetis and Peleus, she tossed a golden apple out into the hall embossed with the words for the fairest. Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite all three claimed the apple, and to settle the argument, Zeus ordered the son of King Priam of Troy, named Paris, to judge the women. The three were brought before him as he tended flocks on the slopes of Mount Ida. Hera came before him and told him she would make him Lord over all of Asia. Athena promised to see that he would always be victorious in battle. Aphrodite, who did not have the powers to offer such things, loosened her tunic and unknotted her girdle, revealing her feminine charms; then promised to give Paris the most beautiful of all mortal women. Paris chose to award the golden apple to Aphrodite, and won the breathtaking mortal, Helen. Thereafter, Aphrodite was sought in matters of love, and even the King of the gods was not immune to her charms. It was said of her, “She distracts the mind of Zeus, deceives his prudent soul, and sends him chasing after mortal women." She marries Hephaestus, but later falls in love with Ares. In some traditions, she is the mother of Eros, god of love, and she is often accompanied by the Three Graces.
Apollo: Apollo is the son of Zeus and Leto, and twin brother to Artemis. He is a sun-god, who made the fruits of the Earth ripen, and at Delos and Delphi, the first crops were consecrated to him. He is protector of the fields, and drives away rodents and insects, as well as a shepherd-god, protecting shepherds and their flocks. As with the action of the rays of the sun, he is an archer-god, who shoots his arrows from afar, as well as a healer, who drives away illness, and a speaker of truth, who cannot tell a lie. He is a musician-god, a god of song and of the lyre, and also of building and architecture. He is the god of divination and prophecy, and many oracles spoke in his name. The Oracle at Delphi was the most famous of these, situated deep in a cavern from which issued forth mysterious vapors, over which the priestess, or “Pythia” sat. There she would fall into trance, and possessed by Apollo, would begin to speak seemingly nonsensical phrases and obscure words, which would be interpreted by the priests of Delphi. In Roman mythology Apollo is called by the same name. His tree is the Laurel; the crow is his bird; and the dolphin his animal.
Artemis: Daughter of Zeus and Leto, Artemis became the goddess of midwifery, when she helped her mother give birth to her brother just minutes after she herself was born. She is strong and decisive, a Huntress and lover of all things wild and natural. On her third birthday, her father asked her what she would like as a gift. She told him that there were six things that she wanted and they were: to be allowed to live without having to be distracted by love or marriage; to be able to dress has she wanted; to have an arrow and a bow, and the clothing of a hunter; 60 young nymphs to be her companions and help to care for her hunting dogs; all the mountains on earth to live on; and to be able to bring light to the Earth. Artemis’ father laughed at her precocious directness, and was happy to grant the little goddess her wishes. She grew up maintaining her untamed spirit, her love of nature, mountains, forests, wild places, and wild creatures, and she became well known for her hunting skills, as she was fearless, with sharp focus and near perfect aim. She became a protectress of vulnerable creatures, including all children. She is also a healing goddess, compassionate and nurturing. She is called on to bring courage and the ability to face fears and find inner strength. The Cyprus is her tree and all wild animals are sacred to her, especially the deer. She is similar to Diana, the huntress.
Hermes: Son of Zeus and Maia, he became his father's messenger, a mediator between the ruler of the gods and humans. He is the god of traveling, and his image was often placed at crossroads. According to Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman’s Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), Hermes was the consort to the Great Mother Goddess Aphrodite, and as She was the Lady of Life, He was the Lord of Death, and Conductor of Souls. He is known for his winged hat and winged sandals, which symbolize his connection to the winds. His son is Pan, who is the god of goatherds and shepherds. He is mostly human in appearance but had goat horns and goat feet. He was a talented musician and played the many piped “pan-flute.” He was child-like, happy and playful, frequently seen dancing with woodland nymphs. He was at home in any wild place but his favorite was Arcady, where he was born. He loved to pursue the nymphs, but they reject him because he is ugly.
Dionysus: The son of the unfortunate union of Zeus and Semele, he was very celebrated and loved by common people. He was the eternal boy, an adventurer who loved the natural world. He was a god of wild places, and a free-spirit. He was the god of the vine, and he invented wine and the art of tending grapes. Dionysus wandered the world, gathering followers who wanted to celebrate life with him. He was accompanied by the Maenads, who were wild women, imbibing wine, shoulders draped with a fawn skin, carrying rods tipped with pine cones. While other gods had temples, the followers of Dionysus worshipped him in the woods. Dionysus became one of the most important gods in everyday life. He became associated with several key concepts. One was rebirth after death. The other was the idea that under the influence of wine, one could feel possessed by a greater power. Unlike the other gods, Dionysus was not only outside his believers, but also within them. The festival for Dionysus was in the spring when the leaves began to reappear on the vine. It became one of the most important events of the year, and was celebrated in theater. Most of the great Greek plays were initially written to be performed at the feast of Dionysus.
Zeus and Semele: Semele was a mortal woman whom Zeus fell in love with. Zeus came to Semele in the night, invisible, felt only as a divine presence. Semele was pleased to be a lover of a god even though she did not know which one. Word soon got around and Hera quickly assumed who was responsible. Hera went to Semele in disguise and told her that her lover should reveal himself to her. When Zeus next came to her she asked him to grant her one wish. She made him swear on the River Styx that he would grant her request. Zeus was very much in love and agreed. She then asked him to show her his true form. Zeus knew what would happen and was very reluctant, but having sworn, he had no choice. He appeared in his true form and Semele was instantly annihilated by the sight of his glory. Zeus was able to save the child she carried by stitching him into his thigh and holding him there till he was ready to be born.
Zeus and Maia: Maia is the daughter of Atlas and Pleione. Her union with Zeus was kept from Hera, as she spent her pregnancy dwelling deep within a cave in Mount Cyllene.
Zeus and Leto: According to some, Zeus and Leto were married before Zeus and Hera, though there is a popular story about how Hera jealously tried to prevent Leto from giving birth. She is the daughter of the Titans Phoebe and Coeus, and is a moon goddess like her mother.
Zeus and Hera: Hera became Zeus’ reigning queen. She became the goddess of marriage and family, though she was originally Queen of the sky, and a Celestial goddess. With Zeus she bore five children, and joined him, reigning side-by-side with him on Mount Olympus. She was an exemplary wife, strong, wise, faithful, loving, and generous. She was a brilliant beauty, and was attractive to many. The same was not true of her husband, and this caused her grief and suffering. Their marriage includes tales of enduring love, as well as jealousy, infidelity, violence, and revenge
Zeus and Eurynome: A Water Nymph, daughter of Oceanus and Tethys, Eurynome was one of several nymphs who had children with Zeus.
Zeus and Demeter: Both were children of the Rhea and Cronus. Demeter is the goddess of fertility, birth, the cycles of the seasons, and the crops. Zeus desired Demeter, but she did not return his affection. He came to her as a bull, and forced himself on her.
Zeus and Mnemosyne: Zeus joined Mnemosyne, goddess of memory, for nine nights in order to bring forth divine beings who would honor life and inspire creativity and joy, and who could help celebrate the victory of the Olympians.
Zeus and Themis: Zeus next joined with the Themis, goddess of natural law. She is Mother Nature, as well as the goddess of conscience and morality.
Zeus and Metis: Metis had helped Zeus in the saving his brothers and sisters, and she became his first consort. Hesiod says that Metis, goddess of wisdom, “knew more things that all the gods and men put together."
Zeus’ Children: Zeus had children with his sister, Hera, goddess of marriage, as well as others, including the goddesses Metis, goddess of wisdom, Leto, Demeter, goddess of fertility and motherhood, and Maia, as well as the Titanesses, Mnemosyne and Themis.
Chaos: The name comes from the Greek root meaning “to gape,” and originally described the void, the open space or nothingness from which was born all things. Later it was used to describe “the confused and unorganized mass of elements scattered through space,” according to the New Larousse Encyclopedia Of Mythology (1968), yet Chaos originally described the pure cosmic principal without any further characteristics (agape).
Ouranus’ Defeat: Ouranus was not pleased with his children, and he shut them up in the depths of the Earth. Gaea first was saddened, and then began to plan a way to free her children. All were afraid of their father, except Cronus, who agreed to help his mother. Gaea provided the steel blade for a Sickle, and hid Cronus from his father. Cronus, while his father was sleeping, castrated him and cast his genitals into the sea. As the blood dripped upon the Earth, the Furies were born, as well as monstrous giants. From the foam of the remains in the sea, the goddess Aphrodite was born.
The Defeat Of The Titans, And The Rise Of Zeus And The Olympians: After Cronus had freed his brothers and sisters, with the exception of the Cyclops and the Hecatoncheires, and became ruler of the Titans. He married his sister Rhea, and they had six children, who were Hestia, Demeter, and Hera, Hades, Poseiden, and Zeus. An Oracle had foretold to Cronus that one of his children would overthrow him, and so, as his children were born, he swallowed them whole. Rhea was consumed with grief, and she asked her mother, Gaea, to help her save her sixth child. Gaea took her grandson Zeus to Mount Ida, where he was hidden away and cared for by the Nymphs Adrasteia and Ida. The Curetes, Earth-spirits who were sworn to protect the child, would dance around him and beat bronze shields with swords so Cronus would not hear him cry. He was nursed by the invincible goat Amaltheia, and one of her horns later became the horn of plenty (cornucopia), as it would refill itself of whatever food or drink was wished for.
As soon as Zeus came to manhood, he began to plan a punishment for his father, and a way to free his brothers and sisters. He called on the help of Metis, daughter of Oceanus, and she made a special drink which she gave to Cronus. As soon as he drank it, he vomited up his children, and was immediately cast out of the sky into the underworld by his son Zeus. The stone which came up along with the children was placed at Delphi, within the walls of the tomb of Neoptolemus.
After Zeus overthrew Cronus, he divided the universe between the three sons, Zeus becoming god of the heavens, Poseiden becoming god of the sea, and Hades becoming god of the underworld.
Following Cronus’ overthrow, the other Titan children resented the new gods, who resided on Mount Olympus. Battle ensued between the Titans and The Olympians, and Zeus released the Cyclops and the Hecatoncheires and made them his allies. They lent him the thunderbolt, and their many invincible arms. With these they threw great boulders and crushed the Titans, while from the heights of Mount Olympus, Zeus threw thunderbolts repeatedly.
The fiery destruction of the battle covered the Earth. Forests caught fire and rivers boiled. The Titans were defeated, and the Olympians began their reign. Following this battle, the Olympians still had to defend themselves against the giants. They had been born from the blood of Ouranus, and soon they rose up in arms to attack the Olympians. Trees and mountains fell before them, and to reach the summit of Mount Olympus they piled other smaller mountains one on top of the other. An Oracle foretold that only a human could defeat the monsters, and this is where Hercules comes in. With the help of Dionysus and Athena, he brought the great creatures down. The giants were buried under islands and mountains, and to this day, when the earth shakes, it is said that the giants are turning over.