Greek Mythology

The Three Brothers

Zeus was the god of the sky and ruler of the Olympian gods. Zeus overthrow his Father Cronus then drew lots with his brothers Poseidon and Hades. Zeus won the draw and became the supreme ruler of the gods. He is lord of the sky, the rain god. His weapon is a thunderbolt which he hurls at those who displease him. He is married to Hera but, is famous for his many affairs. He is also known to punish those that lie or break oaths.He was the rain god, and the cloud gatherer, who wielded the terrible thunderbolt. His breastplate was the aegis, his bird the eagle, his tree the oak. He is represented as the god of justice and mercy, the protector of the weak, and the punisher of the wicked.

God of the sea, protector of all waters. Poseidon is the brother of Zeus. After the overthow of their Father Cronus he drew lots with Zeus and Hades, another brother, for shares of the world. His prize was to become lord of the sea. He was widely worshiped by seamen. He married Amphitrite, a granddaughter of the Titan Oceanus.

Hades is the brother of Zeus. After the overthow of their Father Cronus he drew lots with Zeus and Poseidon, another brother, for shares of the world. He had the worst draw and was made lord of the underworld, ruling over the dead. He is a greedy god who is greatly concerned with increasing his subjects. Those whose calling increase the number of dead are seen favorably. The Erinnyes are welcomed guests. He is exceedingly disinclined to allow any of his subjects leave. He is also the god of wealth, due to the precious metals mined from the earth. He has a helmet that makes him invisable. He rarely leaves the underworld. He is unpitying and terrible, but not capricious. His wife is Persephone whom Hades abducted. He is the King of the dead but, death itself is another god, Thanatos.

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The son of Zeus and Hera

Hephaestus is the son of Zeus and Hera. Sometimes it is said that Hera alone produced him and that he has no father. He is the only god to be physically ugly. He is also lame. Accounts as to how he became lame vary. Some say that Hera, upset by having an ugly child, flung him from Mount Olympus into the sea, breaking his legs. Others that he took Hera's side in an arguement with Zeus and Zeus flung him off Mount Olympus. He is the god of fire and the forge. He is the smith and armorer of the gods. He uses a volcano as his forge. He is the patron god of both smiths and weavers. He is kind and peace loving. His wife is Aphrodite. Sometimes his wife is identified as Aglaia.

 Father of the Founders

Cronus was the ruling Titan who came to power by castrating his Father Uranus. His wife was Rhea. There offspring were the first of the Olympians. To insure his safety Cronus ate each of the children as they were born. This worked until Rhea, unhappy at the loss of her children, tricked Cronus into swallowing a rock, instead of Zeus. When he grew up Zeus would revolt against Cronus and the other Titans, defeat them, and banish them to Tartarus in the underworld. Cronus managed to escape to Italy, where he ruled as Saturn. The period of his rule was said to be a golden age on earth, honored by the Saturnalia feast.

Athena: The Daughter with no Mother

            Athena is the daughter of Zeus.  She sprang full grown in armor from his forehead, thus has no mother.  She is fierce and brave in battle but only fights to protect the state and home from outside enemies.  She is the goddess of the city, handicrafts, and agriculture.  She invented the bridle, which permitted man to tame horses, the trumpet, the flute, the pot, the rake, the plow, and many others.  She is the embodiment of wisdom, reason, and purity.  She was Zeus’ favorite child and was allowed to use all his weapons (including the thunderbolt).  Her favorite city is Athens (pretty obvious) and her tree is the olive.

The Fastest of them All

            Hermes, is the son of Zeus and Maia.  He is Zeus’ messenger and the fastest of the Gods.  His wears winged sandals, a winged hat, and carries a magic wand.  He is the God of thieves and God of commerce.  He is the guide for the dead to the underworld (which there they meet Hades obviously).  He invented  the lyre, pipes, musical scale and many other musical instruments.

The Banishment of the Titans

            Tartarus was spawned from the primordial chaos.  At once both a place deep beneath even the underworld and a personification of a place.  So dark and sunless is Tartarus that its gloom has its own personification- Erebus.  To reach Tartarus an anvil dropped from the surface and would fall for nine days.  It is below the roots of the earth and the sea.  Surrounded by a bronze fence with gates of iron it is used as the ultimate place of imprisonment.  Zeus imprisoned most of the Titans there.