Lesson 3: The Olympians

Date @September 6, 2022

Status Done

MYTHS

traditional stories of gods, kings, and heroes

show the relationships between gods and people

Mythology was a form of early science to Greeks because it helped explain the
unexplainable

Myths seek to explain all those unexplainable or unknowable aspects of life

THE OLYMPIANS
they are the group of 12 gods who ruled after the overthrow of the Titans

they were named after their dwelling place, Mount Olympus

Lesson 3: The Olympians 1

 1. Zeus

Roman Name: Jupiter

Realm: king of the gods, god of thunder and lightning

Symbols: eagle, oak tree, lightning bolt, aegis

Aegis

a shield that depicts the head of the monster Medusa

given as a gift to Zeus

passed down to his daughter Athena

the spiritual father of gods and men

Married to Hera; had many affairs and many children, some of whom were
gods and goddesses because as the Greeks conquered territories, they took on
the new goddesses and “married” them to Zeus

chief god of the Olympians

Zeus + Eurynome

had an affair and resulted to three daughters

the trio were known by the Greeks as The Charitie or The Graces

inspire happiness to people

1. Aglaia (Splendor)

glory or faith

2. Euphrosyne (Mirth)

happiness expressed by laughter

3. Thalia (Good Cheer)

Zeus + Mnemosyne

Mnemosyne

the titaness of memory

Lesson 3: The Olympians 2

 also had an affair with Zeus that resulted to 9 daughters known as
the muses

the muses are often invoked by the Greeks when they need to
be inspired especially when it comes to creating art

1. Clio

history

2. Urania

astronomy

3. Melpomene

tragedy

4. Thalia

comedy

5. Terpsichore

dance

6. Calliope

epic poetry

7. Erato

love poetry

8. Polyhymnia

songs to the gods

9. Euterpe

lyric poetry

Zeus + Themis

Themis

the titan of fairness and justice

bore three daughters to Zeus

Lesson 3: The Olympians 3

 they are known as the moirai or fates

1. Clotho

spins the roll of thread

responsible for the beginning of life

2. Lachesis

measures the thread

responsible for the length of life of humans

3. Atropos

cuts the thread

responsible for the end of life

knows when our life will end

2. Poseidon

Roman Name: Neptune

Realm: god of the sea and earthquakes

Symbol: trident

Zeus’ brother

controlled earthquakes, hurricanes, rough seas, tidal waves

gave the horse to mankind

Rivalry With Athena

Poseidon and Athena once fought to be the patron of the city of Attica

both gods presented a gift for the people

Poseidon struck his trident on the ground and water came shooting our

the water was salty, not drinkable, no use to the people of Attica

Athena gave them the Olive tree

Lesson 3: The Olympians 4

 3. Hades

Roman Name: Pluto

also called Dis

Latin term meaning the rich (because he owned all the minerals in the
earth)

Realm: god of the Underworld, god of wealth

Symbol: Cerberus (3 headed dogs guarding the underworld), cypress ( a

kind of tree), bident (similar to Poseidon’s trident, but only 2 prongs)

rarely visited Earth

not friendly, but not evil either

God of the dead, not death itself (Thanatos)

The Three Major Parts of the Underworld

1. The Fields of Elysium

Greeks counterpart of heaven

there is no suffering, pain

there is just eternal comfort and happiness

people who cultivated kindness will go here

2. The Fields of Asphodel

big field with dry grass and eternal gloom

always gloomy

the souls of those who are forgotten by their loved ones wonder
here forever

3. Tartarus

deepest part of the Underworld

most evil souls

titans were present here

Lesson 3: The Olympians 5

 The Five Rivers of the Underworld

1. River Styx (Hatred)

2. River Cocytus (Lamentation)

3. River Lethe (Oblivion)

after you enter the gates of the Underworld, you will take a bath in
this river for you to be washed off of your past life

4. River Phlegethon (Fire)

leads to Tartarus

5. River Acheron (Woe / Misery)

river of suffering or hate

The Three Jealous Goddesses

4. Hera

Roman Name: Juno

Realm: goddess of marriage

Symbols: peacock, cow

Married to Zeus, referred to as the queen of the heavens

jealous of Zeus’ affairs

Hera’s Bodyguard

had a lot of fights with Zeus’ mistress and she thinks she needs a bodyguard

Argus

very loyal

Hera liked Argus much because he was peculiar; he was covered with eyes
all around his body giving him an unobstructed view of the surroundings

when Argus died, Hera took pity and transferred all his eyes to the tail of the
peacock, resulting to the eye patterns on the tail of the male peacock

Lesson 3: The Olympians 6

 Hera and Leto

encounter with Leto

Leto

one of the Greek characters that felt the harsh vengeance of Hera

mother of the Olympians twins, Apollo and Artemis

because of Zeus’ affair with Leto, Hera decided to punish her

Hera asked her daughter, Eileithyia, the goddess of childbirth to withdraw

labor care for Leto

Here also prevented any part of the earth to extend help for Leto’s birth

this is also said to be the literary basis why women carry babies for nine
months

Hera and Echo

Echo

mortal woman

while Hera was following Zeus because she was convinced that he’s
cheating

she was distracted by a woman - Echo

she cursed her to not have the first word and repeat what ever was said
to her will say

echo was not able to talk freely or consciously

has the ability to repeat whatever is said to her

why sounds reverberates or echo

5. Athena

Roman Name: Minerva

also called as Pallas Athena

Realm: goddess of defensive warfare, wisdom, handicrafts

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 Symbols: armor, owl, olive tree

emerged from Zeus’ head fully grown

experienced a very painful headache

axed his head

city of Athens name for her after she gave them the olive tree

created the spider

Athena and Medusa

Medusa belonged to the Gorgon sisters along with the Stheno and Euryale

she was the only beautiful one among them

while praying inside Athena’s temple, she was cornered by the sea god
Poseidon

cornered Medusa inside Athena’s temple

Athena punished to have snakes instead of her hair and a powerful stare
that can petrify both mortals and monsters alike

she cursed Medusa and took away her beauty

6. Aphrodite

Roman Name: Venus

Realm: goddess of love, beauty, sexuality

goddess of woman

Symbols: shell, mirror, dove, swan

Symbol of feminine / woman

most beautiful woman

Married to Hephaestus

her son is Eros (Cupid)

it was said that Aphrodite is the daughter of Zeus to a woman named Dione

Lesson 3: The Olympians 8

 but in the Iliad, it was stated that Aphrodite rose from the sea foam

Aphrodite came from the Greek word aphros which means foam

had an affair with Ares

7. Apollo

Roman Name: Apollo

Realm: god of light, music, shepherds, poetry, healing

Symbols: bow and arrow, the sun chariot, the lyre (small harp)

always shown in pictures as being young, beardless, and handsome

referred to as Phoebus Apollo

Apollo and Daphne

was said that Daphne is Apollo’s “first love”

Daphne wanted to remain a maiden but the god still pursued her

she asked help from her father, a minor river god named Peneus

she was turned into a tree, which Apollo vowed to be a part of every
Greek’s success (Laurel wreath)

symbol of crown, being higher from others

8. Artemis

Roman Name: Diana

Realm: goddess of the hunt, moon, and sometimes witchcraft

Symbols: crescent moon, bow and arrow, short hunting robes

Apollo’s twin sister

avoided men

9. Ares

Lesson 3: The Olympians 9

 Roman Name: Mars

Realm: god of war

Symbols: dogs of war (hound dogs); vulture (eats carcass or rotten remains of
animals), weapons

son of Zeus and Hera

very unpopular

no myths written about Ares

Ares and the City of Sparta

10. Hermes

Roman Name: Mercury

Realms: messenger of gods; god of commerce, thieves, science (sometimes

medicine)

Symbols: winged helmet or sandals

The Caduceus

famous symbol

11. Hephaestus

Roman Name: Vulcan

Realm: god of the forge, volcanoes, and blacksmiths

Symbol: the forge

son of Zeus and Hera

Zeus threw him out of heaven for siding with his mother (Hera)

ugliest god / Olympian

husband of Aphrodite, who was constantly unfaithful to him

Aphrodite had an affair with Ares

Lesson 3: The Olympians 10

 12. Hestia

Roman Name: Vesta

Realm: goddess of hearth (fire place) and home; protector of the sacred fire

Symbol: torch, hearth

Zeus’ sister

six priestesses called Vestal virgins attended her temple and protected the fire;
shrined were built to her by the fireplace in homes

today the word vestal means “pure” or “virginal”

Two Lesser Gods of the Earth

1. Dionysus

Roman Name: Bacchus

Realm: god of wine, revelry (wild partying), drama

Symbol: grapes

brought pleasure and insanity (from wine)

first plays were presented during the festivals of Dionysus

not typically considered an “Olympian” god

her mother is a mortal - Semel

2. Demeter

Roman Name: Ceres

Realm: goddess of agriculture

Symbols: sheaves of wheat

Zeus’ sister, mother of Persephone

Lesson 3: The Olympians 11

 Hades and Persephone

Persephone was kidnapped by Hades because he was attracted to her

Demeter created eternal winter on earth until Zeus agreed to bring her back

she had eaten 6 pomegranate seeds and so had to remain in the

underworld for 6 months of the year

because it was said that you cannot eat anything from the underworld

Lesson 3: The Olympians 12