Gaea & Uranus

Gaea is the Earth goddess. She mated with her son Uranus (whom she created without help) to produce the remaining Titans.

Gaea seems to have started as a neolithic earth-mother

Uranus is the sky god and first ruler. His rule ended when when Cronus, encouraged by Gaea, castrated him. He either died from the wound or withdrew from earth

Titans

Known as the elder gods, ruled the earth before the Olympians overthew them.

Cronus was the ruler of the Titans who was de-throned by his son Zeus.

Most of the Titans fought with Cronus against Zeus and were punished by being banished to Tartarus.

During their rule the Titans were associated with the various planets.

The Titans

Cronus Rhea OceanusTethys Hyperion Mnemosyne

Themis Lapetus Coeus Crius Phoebe Thea Prometheus Epimetheus Atlas Metis

The Olympians

A group of 12 gods who ruled after the overthrow of the Titans.

All the Olympians are related in some way. They are named after their dwelling place Mount Olympus.

Zeus Ares AthenaApollo Aphrodite HermesArtemis HephaestusPoseidon

Hades Hestia Hera

Aphrodite The Goddess of Love and BeautyThe Goddess of Love and Beauty Daughter of Zeus and Dione or Daughter of Zeus and Dione or sprung from the foam of the sprung from the foam of the sea near Cytherasea near Cythera

Without her there is no joy or Without her there is no joy or loveliness anywhereloveliness anywhere

Can be treacherous and Can be treacherous and malicious: exerts a deadly and malicious: exerts a deadly and destructive power over mendestructive power over men

Wife of Hephaestrus (VULCAN)Wife of Hephaestrus (VULCAN)

Athena (MINERVA)

Daughter of Zeus (his favorite)—sprung Daughter of Zeus (his favorite)—sprung from Zeus’s head full-grown and in full from Zeus’s head full-grown and in full armorarmor

Tends to be warlike only to defend the Tends to be warlike only to defend the state and home from outside enemiesstate and home from outside enemies

Goddess of the City: protector of Goddess of the City: protector of civilized life, handicrafts, and civilized life, handicrafts, and agricultureagriculture

Carries Zeus’ aegis, buckler, and Carries Zeus’ aegis, buckler, and thunderboltthunderbolt

Goddess of Wisdom, Purity, and ReasonGoddess of Wisdom, Purity, and Reason

Calypso

Nymph daughter of AtlasNymph daughter of Atlas Ruler of her own islandRuler of her own island Loved Odysseus and planned to Loved Odysseus and planned to never allow him to leave the never allow him to leave the islandisland

Overwhelmed Odysseus with Overwhelmed Odysseus with kindnesskindness

ImmortalImmortal

Cyclopes

Race of giants with one eye in Race of giants with one eye in the middle of the foreheadthe middle of the forehead

Cyclopes lack a cultural Cyclopes lack a cultural history and sense of communityhistory and sense of community

Live solitary lives in Live solitary lives in mountain cavesmountain caves

Deal out rough justice to wife Deal out rough justice to wife and childand child

Eris

Goddess of Discord & StrifeGoddess of Discord & Strife Shows up uninvited to the Shows up uninvited to the wedding of Peleus and Thetis wedding of Peleus and Thetis with an applewith an apple

The Fates The Fates (notice the The Fates (notice the personification here?) provide personification here?) provide mortals the good and evil that they mortals the good and evil that they will possess in their lifetimewill possess in their lifetime

Clotho= Spinner: she spun the thread Clotho= Spinner: she spun the thread of lifeof life

Lachesis= Disposer of Lots: assigned Lachesis= Disposer of Lots: assigned each mortal his/her destiny each mortal his/her destiny (measures the thread)(measures the thread)

Atropos= carried the “abhorréd Atropos= carried the “abhorréd shears” and cut the thread of deathshears” and cut the thread of death

Hades

God of the underworldGod of the underworld Zeus’ brotherZeus’ brother Greedy godGreedy god Always trying to increase his Always trying to increase his subjectssubjects

Helen

The wife of Menelaus, King of The wife of Menelaus, King of Sparta. Sparta.

She is the cause of the Trojan She is the cause of the Trojan War, for the war started because War, for the war started because the Achaeans were trying to get the Achaeans were trying to get her back from Troy. her back from Troy.

She is sympathetic to the She is sympathetic to the problems of others.problems of others.

Helios

Sun-GodSun-God Child of the Titan HyperionChild of the Titan Hyperion

Hephaestrus(VULCAN)

The God of FireThe God of Fire Son of Hera (and possibly Zeus)Son of Hera (and possibly Zeus) The only ugly god in Olympus--also The only ugly god in Olympus--also lamelame

Workman of immortals: their armorer Workman of immortals: their armorer and smith; he makes their and smith; he makes their dwellings, furnishings, and weapons dwellings, furnishings, and weapons

A kindly, peace-loving god: married A kindly, peace-loving god: married to Aphroditeto Aphrodite

Hera(JUNO)

Zeus’s wife and sisterZeus’s wife and sister Protector of marriageProtector of marriage Punishes the women Zeus falls Punishes the women Zeus falls in love within love with

Her daughter is Ilithyia: the Her daughter is Ilithyia: the goddess of childbirthgoddess of childbirth

Hermes(MERCURY)

Son of Zeus and Maia (daughter of Son of Zeus and Maia (daughter of Atlas)Atlas)

Noted for a famous statue: Graceful Noted for a famous statue: Graceful and swift of motion: Zeus’s messengerand swift of motion: Zeus’s messenger

Wings on his low-crowned hat, on his Wings on his low-crowned hat, on his magic wand, and winged sandals on his magic wand, and winged sandals on his feetfeet

Shrewdest and most cunning of the Shrewdest and most cunning of the gods gods (God of Commerce and the Market: (God of Commerce and the Market: Master Thief)Master Thief)

Appears in mythology more than any Appears in mythology more than any other godother god

Menelaus

The King of SpartaThe King of Sparta Husband of HelenHusband of Helen Brother of Agamemnon.Brother of Agamemnon. He is visited by Telemachus He is visited by Telemachus and shows anger at the acts and shows anger at the acts of the suitors but doesn't of the suitors but doesn't help Telemachus.help Telemachus.

Muses

Nine Muses totalNine Muses total Daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne Daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne (memory)(memory)

Their hearts are set upon song, Their hearts are set upon song, and their spirits are free from and their spirits are free from carecare

Companions to Apollo (The God of Companions to Apollo (The God of Truth)Truth)

Inspirations for peopleInspirations for people

Odysseus

The main character and King of The main character and King of Ithaca. Ithaca.

After the Trojan War he is prevented After the Trojan War he is prevented from returning home by Poseidon for from returning home by Poseidon for many years.many years.

He encounters numerous supernatural He encounters numerous supernatural beings and hardships. beings and hardships.

He is proud, strong, and smart - a He is proud, strong, and smart - a man skilled in all ways of man skilled in all ways of contending.contending.

Oracle Place where mortals go to get a Place where mortals go to get a glimpse of their destinyglimpse of their destiny

One can not defy the oracle (change One can not defy the oracle (change the outcome of the prophecy)the outcome of the prophecy)

Dodona and Delphi are places of the Dodona and Delphi are places of the oracleoracle

Delphi: A question is asked, and Delphi: A question is asked, and the priest or priestess enters the the priest or priestess enters the cave and absorbs the vapors to gain cave and absorbs the vapors to gain insight and knowledge regarding the insight and knowledge regarding the prophecyprophecy

Oracle(Continued)

Dodona: the god’s will was Dodona: the god’s will was revealed by the rustling of revealed by the rustling of the oak leaves which the the oak leaves which the priest or priestess priest or priestess interpreted.interpreted.

Penelope

The wife of Odysseus. The wife of Odysseus. She remains faithful to Odysseus She remains faithful to Odysseus despite the harrying of the suitors. despite the harrying of the suitors.

She postpones marriage to one of the She postpones marriage to one of the suitors by saying she will choose a suitors by saying she will choose a spouse after she weaves a funeral spouse after she weaves a funeral shroud for Laertes, but each night shroud for Laertes, but each night she unravels it, thus preventing its she unravels it, thus preventing its completion (This is a ruse).completion (This is a ruse).

Poseidon(NEPTUNE)

Ruler of the Sea (Aegean)Ruler of the Sea (Aegean) Zeus’s brotherZeus’s brother Second most powerful godSecond most powerful god Has a splendid palace beneath the Has a splendid palace beneath the sea but spends most of his time sea but spends most of his time on Olympuson Olympus

Nicknamed “Earth-shaker”Nicknamed “Earth-shaker” Always seen carrying his trident: Always seen carrying his trident: a three pronged speara three pronged spear

The Suitors

Young men who want to court Young men who want to court and marry Penelope—they and marry Penelope—they assume Odysseus is deadassume Odysseus is dead

They are unrulyThey are unruly

Telemachus

The son of OdysseusThe son of Odysseus He enters manhood and embarks He enters manhood and embarks upon a search for his father.upon a search for his father.

He is courageous, steady, and He is courageous, steady, and fights the suitors with his fights the suitors with his father.father.

Zeus(JUPITER)

God of the SkyGod of the Sky Supreme ruler: Zeus’s power is Supreme ruler: Zeus’s power is greater than the power of all the greater than the power of all the other gods combinedother gods combined

Rain-godRain-god Cloud-gathererCloud-gatherer ThunderboltThunderbolt Not omniscient or omnipotentNot omniscient or omnipotent Sometimes Fate appears to be more Sometimes Fate appears to be more powerfulpowerful

Zeus(Continued)

Constantly falls in love and Constantly falls in love and is unfaithful to Herais unfaithful to Hera

Demands sacrifices from Demands sacrifices from mortals and expects right and mortals and expects right and moral actionmoral action

Breastplate is aegisBreastplate is aegis