I leave at o'dark thirty tomorrow for my end of summer vacay to Athens, Greece and I'm so excited! To help me with the historical aspects of the archaeological sites I will be visiting, I brushed up on my knowledge of Greek mythology, notably on the twelve Olympian gods of Mount Olympus.
1) Zeus: Supreme god of the Olympians. Together with his siblings, they overthew their Titan father Cronus, and Mount Olympus became the new ruling kingdom of the universe. Zeus and his brothers drew lots to see what domain of the world they would rule. Zeus drew the skies, thereby giving him authority over the skies and Mount Olympus. His weapon was the thunderbolt, bc he also became the god of rain. He was notorious for his infidelities.
2) Poseidon: Brother to Zeus, who drew the watery domain of the sea. He was lord of the sea, who ruled with a trident that could shake the earth and shatter any object. Although he was second to Zeus in power, he primarily remained in his watery kingdom.
3) Hades: Brother to Zeus, who drew the worst lot. He was lord of the Underworld; ruler over the dead. He was a greedy god, who was always looking for ways to increase his subjects. He rarely let his subjects leave once they entered his dark domain.
4) Hestia: Sister to Zeus. She was the virgin goddess of the hearth. While she started out as one of the original twelve gods of Mount Olympus, it was said that over time she grew tired of the godly bickering and eventually relinquished her seat to the god of wine, Dionysos (son of Zeus and one of his infidelities).
5) Hera: Wife to Zeus and Queen of the Olympians. She often flew in a vengeance rage over Zeus's many infidelities. Ironically, she was the goddess of marriage.
6) Ares: Son to Zeus and Hera. He was the god of war. He was often depicted carrying a bloodstained spear.
7) Hephaestus: Son to Zeus and Hera. Only god to be physically ugly and lame, he was the god of fire and metal, and was the patron god of blacksmiths. He was also the master builder and armorer for the Olympians.
8) Athena: Daughter to Zeus. She sprang forth from Zeus's forehead (after it was axed to alleviate a "splitting" headache) fully grown and in armor. She was the goddess of handicrafts, domestic arts and agriculture, and was the patron goddess of Athens. Her symbol was the owl and she was known for her profound wisdom.
9) Apollo: Son of Zeus and one of his infidelities, and also twin brother to Artemis. He was the god of prophesy, music, and healing. He was an archer who shot with a silver arrow. He was also the god of truth, who could not lie. His daily task was to drive a chariot drawn by four winged horses across the sky as he dragged the sun behind him.
10) Artemis: Daughter of Zeus and twin sister to Apollo. She was the virgin goddess of the hunt. Like her twin, she also was an archer who shot with a silver arrow. While her brother was associated with the sun, she was associated with the moon.
11) Aphrodite: Daughter of Zeus and and one of his infidelities. She was the goddess of love, desire, and beauty. It was said that she rose newly formed out of the ocean in a gigantic clam shell.
12) Hermes: Son of Zeus and one of his infidelities. He was the messenger of the Olympians, because he was the swiftest. He also guided the dead to the Underworld. He wore winged sandals, a winged hat, and carried a snake-wrapped caduceus staff.
Well, this concludes my lesson in Greek mythology, Kids. LoL. Hopefully, this will be helpful in the blog diaries to come out of Athens. I can't wait for the adventures to unfold! Class dismissed!
