THE 12 OLYMPIANS!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJCm8W5RZes

ZEUS- King of the gods,

god of thunderstorms and hospitality

- Killed own father (Kronos) and took power

- Married to Hera (wife and sister)

- Loves pretty girls who are not his wife (!)

HERA- Queen of the

gods, goddess of marriage

- Married to Zeus- Peacock is her

bird- Constantly

takes revenge on the girls Zeus fancies

POSEIDON- God of the sea, earthquakes and horses

- Brother of Zeus and Hera

- Symbol is the trident

DEMETER- Goddess of the

harvest- Daughter

Persephone taken into Underworld by Hades for 6 months of the year (autumn and winter) – sad until Persephone returns

ATHENA - Born from Zeus’ head in full battle gear

- Symbol is the owl- Very clever,

especially at war tactics

- Often depicted wearing helmet and holding spear

APOLLO

- God of the sun, poetry, music, civilisation, prophecy, healing, plague…and yet more!-Brother of Artemis (son of Zeus)-Major show-off -Symbol is the lyre

ARTEMIS- Goddess of the moon,hunting, archery, chastity-Sister of Apollo-Daughter of Zeus-Loves being outdoors but woe betide you if you spy on her taking a bath!-Symbol is the bow

ARES

- God of war- Bloodthirsty, enjoys killing-Always depicted wearing armour-Aphrodite’s lover-Son of Zeus and Hera

APHRODITE - Goddess of love and beauty-According to Hesiod (Greek poet), she was born from the foam created by Kronos’ testicles when they dropped into Gaea (Earth)’s ocean-Mother of Eros-Wife of Hephaestus-Lover of many…!

HEPHAESTUS- God of blacksmiths,

craftsmen, fire and volcanoes

- Husband of Aphrodite

- Son of Zeus and Hera – his mum threw him off Mount Olympus because he was physically disabled in his legs

HERMES- Messenger of the

gods and transports souls to the underworld

- God of money, travellers and thieves

- Symbols are winged sandals, traveller’s cap and staff

- Son of Zeus

DIONYSUS- God of theatre, wine,

drunkenness and partying- Mortal followers were called

Maenads – frenzied women clothed in animal skins, who enjoyed drinking, dancing and killing animals with their bare hands

- Son of Zeus- Symbols are the grapevine,

leopard skin and a thyrsus (Bacchic wand which causes wine to spring from earth upon contact)