1. The Greek / Roman
Gods & Goddesses
The Olympians
Author Unknown
2. The most important gods
• http://www.history.com/topics/greek-
mythology/videos#greek-gods
3. Zeus / Jupiter
• King of the gods
• God of air
• Uses Thunderbolts as
his weapon
• Womanizer – married
his own sister
• Son of Cronos and
Rhea
• Most powerful Jupiter is so named
because it is so big –
it is the “King of
Planets”
Music is Gustav Holst’s “Jupiter,
Bringer of Jollity”
4. Poseidon / Neptune
• God of the sea and
earthquakes
• Made horses
• Trident is weapon
• Amphitrite is his wife
• Zeus’ brother
• Son of Cronos and
Rhea
• 2nd
most powerful
Neptune is so
named
because the
blue looks like
water
Music is Gustav Holst’s “Neptune, the Mystic”
5. Hades / Pluto / Dis
• God of the Underworld and
Wealth
• King of the dead but he is
not Death
• Zeus’ brother
• Son of Cronos and Rhea
• Has a helmet that makes the
wearer invisible
• Persephone (Spring) is his
wife
• NOT EVIL! (but he is
unpitying)
• 3rd
most powerful
6. Hera / Juno
• Queen of the gods
• Protector of marriage
• Wife/sister of Zeus
• The peacock is her
symbol (because of the
eye-look)
• Cows are sacred to her
(ox-eyed Hera)
• Jealous
No planet, but there is an
asteroid named after her
plus a city in Alaska
7. Phoebus Apollo
• God of truth, light,
archery, and healing
• Sun god in some
myths (Helios is the
sun god in other
myths)
• Son of Zeus and Leto
• Wolves, dolphins, and
crows are sacred to
him
• Has the Oracle of
Delphi
Apollo asteroids
are near-earth
asteroids
8. Artemis / Diana
• Apollo’s Twin sister
• Goddess of the
hunt, wild things,
and crossways
• She is the moon
goddess sometimes
• Virgin goddess
• As Diana, she is
also a goddess of
light
• Stags are sacred
The Artemis
navigation
satellite
9. Aphrodite / Venus
• Goddess of
beauty and love
• Mother of
Eros/Cupid
• Wife of
Hephaestus/Vul
can but lover of
Ares/Mars and
other guys
•Born from the foam in the sea
caused by the attack of Cronos/
Saturn on Ouranus/Uranus
Venus is so named
because it is a beautiful
planet and can be
easily seen with just the
eye
Gustav Holst’s “Venus, Bringer of Peace”
10. Ares / Mars
• God of War
• Son of Zeus and Hera,
but both hate him
• The Romans glorify
him, but the Greeks
make him out to be a
coward
• He has three children
with Aphrodite:
Phobos (panic) and
Deimos (fear) are twins
Mars and
its moons,
Phobos
and
Deimos
Gustav Holst’s “Mars, Bringer of War”
11. Pallas Athena / Minerva
• Goddess of wisdom
and defensive war
• Daughter of Zeus and
Metis (titan) – she
popped out of his head
after he swallowed the
pregnant Metis
• She carries a shield
with Medusa’s head on
it
Minerva was a tiny
robot designed by the
Japanese to land on an
asteroid, but got lost in
space.
12. Hephaestus / Vulcan
• God of fire and the forge
• Son of Zeus and Hera
• Ugly
• Lame because he was thrown off Mt. Olympus for
interfering with a fight between Hera and Zeus
• Husband to Aphrodite
• Only god that regularly l
lives on earth and not on
Olympus
13. Hermes / Mercury
• Messenger god and
the god of thieves
• Greek Trickster
figure
• Very fast
• Son of Zeus and
Maia
• Loves Aphrodite
• Greeks believed he
guided souls to
Hades
Mercury revolves around the sun so fast, it was named for the
messenger god. One year is faster than one day on Mercury
The Hermes Asteroid
14. Hestia / Vesta
• Zeus’ sister – Oldest of the
original gods
• Goddess of the hearth and
home
• Gave up her spot on Mt.
Olympus for Dionysus
• Worshipped daily
• A virgin priestesses served
her for 30 year time periods
• Does pretty much nothing in
mythology
Asteroid Vesta
15. Eros / Cupid
• God of love
• Son of Ares and
Aphrodite
• Often portrayed as a
child, but not always.
• He has wings
• Uses a bow and arrow –
arrows cause one to fall
in love
• Momma’s boy
Eros is a near earth asteroid
16. Demeter / Ceres
• Daughter of Cronos and
Rhea
• Goddess of vegetation
• Had powers of growth
and resurrection
• Her daughter is
Persephone
The asteroid Ceres was the first asteroid
ever discovered and is one of the largest
(about the size of Texas). It almost became
a designated as a planet
17. Dionysus / Bacchus
• Son of Zeus and
Semele
• God of wine and
happiness
• In some areas of
Greece, his
worship was
outlawed (too
dirty) The Bacchus
asteroid
Editor's Notes
Some Lovers of Zeus – CALLISTO – forest nymph, gave birth to Arcas. Zeus changed her into a bear to hide her from Hera. She was accidentally shot by her friend, Artemis. Zeus placed her in the sky as a constellation (Ursa Major) EUROPA – Zeus came in the shape of a bull ANTIOPE – daughter of a river god. Zeus came in the form of a satyr DANAE – Zeus came in the form of a golden rain shower, gave birth to Perseus SEMELE – gave birht to Dionysus – Hera tricked her to ask to see Zeus in all his glory. It fried her. Hercules’ mom he came in the shape of her husband Ledo – came in the form of a swam
His mom, Leto, is a titan (daughter of Coeus and Phoebe) and worshipped by the Greeks. Hera sent a giant serpent to kill her for sleeping with Zeus, but she got away. Apollo defeated a python at Delphi in order to claim the oracle.
Caught by Hepheastus with Ares. Everyone laughed at Hephaetus Loved Adonis but had to share him with Persephone Had a son with Hermes named Hermaphroditos – he was loved by a water nymph but he did not return her attentions. When he bathed in some waters, she merged with him to be with him forever. The result was a female boy.
In one version, he got his revenge on Hera (for throwing him out) by building a golden throne – it was a trap. They had to invite him back and get him drunk before he released her.
One of his sons with Aphrodite was known for his enormous manhood.
Anteros is his brother (several Erotes – all look pretty much alike) He has long hair and butterfly wings and is the avenger of love scorned
