When in Rome…oops, I’m in Greece…..
I have always had an interest in Greek mythology, and now here I am in Greece! While enjoying a cup of coffee on the patio of this Airbnb apartment and watching the sun rise on the Parthenon, I feel totally inspired to read up on the 12 Olympians. To get to know these ancient deities a bit better!
So let’s get started!!
There are the Titans and the Olympians and they’re all family. There are first generation Titans and first generation Olympians. First generation Titans, Kronos and Rhea had six children: Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Hades, Demeter and Hestia. Zeus had kids – lots of them – but his main offspring are: Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Aphrodite, Ares, Hephaestus, Hermes and Dionysus.
Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Hermes, and either Hestia or Dionysus live on Mount Olympus and that is why they are called Olympians. Each Olympian have a certain role, purpose for the earth and the people.
Zeus: King of the gods and ruler of Mount Olympus. He is the god of sky, lightening, thunder, law, order and justice.
Hera: Queen of the gods. Zeus’s sister and wife. She is the goddess of marriage, women, childbirth and family. As the goddess of marriage, she wasn’t happy with Zeus’s many infidelities and would seek revenge on Zeus’s lovers and children!
Poseidon: God of the seas, water, storms, hurricanes, earthquakes and horses. A trident is his weapon of choice.
Demeter: Goddess of harvest, fertility, agriculture, nature, the seasons and the boss of grains and fertility on earth. Her brothers, Zeus and Poseidon were her lovers. I bet Hera wasn’t happy about that!
Athena: Goddess of wisdom, knowledge, reason, intelligent activity, literature, handicrafts, science, defense and strategic warfare. Athena is the guardian and patron of Athens! The Parthenon is her temple.
Apollo: God of light, the sun, prophecy, philosophy, truth, inspiration, poetry, music, arts, medicine, healing, and plague. He had muses that inspired him! His twin sister is Artemis.
Artemis: Goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, virginity, the moon, archery, childbirth, protection and plaque. Her twin brother is Apollo.
Ares: God of war, violence, bloodshed and manly virtues (whatever that means!) LoL!!! He isn’t popular with the other gods. Maybe because he represents the not so great aspects of war?
Aphrodite: Goddess of love, pleasure, passion, procreation, fertility, beauty and desire. She is married to the one ugly god, Hephaestus. She has lots of affairs. Mostly with Ares.
Hephaestus: Master blacksmith and craftsman of the gods; god of the forge, craftsmanship, invention, fire and volcanoes. He is a monogamous husband to Aphrodite. Maybe because he is the ugly immortal?
Hermes: Messenger of the gods; god of travel, commerce, communication, borders, eloquence, diplomacy, thieves and games. He is known to have a cunning, clever personality.
Hestia: Goddess of the hearth, fire and of the right ordering of domesticity and the family. She is a lesser known first generation goddess who is said to have given her throne to Dionysus to keep the peace.
Dionysus: God of wine, the grape vine, fertility, festivity, ecstasy, madness and resurrection. He walks around on earth teaching men how to grow grapevines. Maybe I’ll see him today?
Interesting group of immortals!
S, xo