A R J U N K A P O O R G A B R I E L L A L E C C E S E S E U N G M I N Y I

THE GREEK GODS

RELIGIOUS BACKGROUND

In ancient times people often idolized gods who looked nothing like them. However this was not the case in Greek culture. The physical appearance of gods and the behavior displayed by these idols closely resembled those who worshipped them, humans. These gods and goddesses lived on Mount Olympus, where they ruled over ancient Greece and served as the basis upon which many tales and epics were written, displaying both the pros and cons in human idealism.

RELIGIOUS BACKGROUND

The Ancient Greeks had many different beliefs about the Greek Gods. Each major god was the ruler of something broad. They also had minor gods that were rulers of something more specific. Pleasing the gods was particularly important because it meant that good things would happen to the Greeks. The more satisfied the gods were, the better Greek life would be. Obviously it was a polytheistic religion, as there were numerous gods that represented an aspect of Greek life in a different way. The most common practice in Ancient Greece was sacrifice. The temples of the Greek religion were not gathering places because they were where animals were offered as sacrificial offerings to one deity or another. Some animal sacrifices were more valuable than others, because they had been used primarily for that god only. For example, horses were sacred to Poseidon as roosters were to Hermes.

BASIC BELIEFS IN GREEK RELIGION

The ancient Greeks believed in an afterlife that is similar to what people believe today. Greeks believed that once someone has died, he must cross the river of Styx to go to the underworld. In order to cross by ferry, he must pay Charon. That is why ancient Greeks placed a coin under a person’s tongue when they have died. In the underworld, Hades ruled over the dead with his wife, Persephone. Cerberus watched over those who entered and made sure nobody left. Heroes lived happily in the Elysian fields. However, great sinner had their own punishments that were assigned by Rhadamanthus, a judge of the dead. Ancient Greeks believed in an afterlife, where they would be judged on how they had lived their lives on earth.

BASIS TO GREEK RELIGION ORIGIN

All life began from Gaea, the earth. Above her was Uranus, who smiled down on her with twinkling stars. Mother earth carried Uranus’s children who were known as the Titans.

URANUS

Uranus was the lord of the Universe. He ruled over heaven and was the father of the twelve titans.

THE TITANS

The titans were the first twelve children of Uranus and Gaea. The titans, six massive gods, married their sisters, the titanesses. Gaea wanted to end Uranus’s rule, because he was a cruel leader. Gaea chose her youngest and strongest son, Cronus to overthrow Uranus. Cronus succeeded, and Uranus fled Mount Olympus.

CRONUS

Cronus was now the ruler of the universe. During his rule, the humans had a Golden Age, where everything prospered. Gaea became angry with Cronus when he did not set his brothers who were thrown in the deepest darkest pit under the Earth by their father. Cronus knew that one of his sons would be strong enough to overthrow him, so to protect his power he swallowed every god after they were born.

Cronus’s wife, Rhea, wanted more children, so she sought Gaea’s help in stopping Cronus from swallowing his sixth child. Rhea put stones in the baby clothes, and gave it to Cronus. Cronus swallowed it, and Rhea had to hide Zeus in a cave to keep Cronus from discovering him.

ZEUS’S STRUGGLE FOR POWER

Zeus grew up in an isolated cave, where he was nursed by a magical goat, Amaltheia, and nymphs. After he grew up into a great young god, he chose Metis as his first wife. She was the goddess of prudence and warned him not to attempt to overthrow his father alone. Metis tricked Cronus into eating a herb that made him vomit all of his children. Cronus knew his kids will overthrow him soon, and surrendered his powers and fled. Zeus freed the Cyclopes and the hundred-armed monsters from Tartarus, who were all grateful. In return, the Cyclopes made Zeus and the other gods weapons. Poseidon was given a trident, Hades received a cap of invisibility, and for Zeus, they made lightning bolts. Also, the Cyclopes created Mount Olympus for the Gods. The titans fought against Zeus in a struggle for power, but eventually lost and were thrown in Tartarus.

IMPORTANT FACTS ON GREEK FIGURES

HERA

• Hera• The queen of Olympus• Jealous wife• She hated all of Zeus’s other wives• Zeus won Hera over by pretending he was a distressed

cuckoo bird and flew into her arms for protection• Mother Earth gave her a tree that bore apples of

immortality• She had a hundred eyed watchman to watch over her

precious garden, the Hesperides• Hermes killed her watchman• Hera put his eyes on her favorite bird, the peacock

HEPHAESTUS

• God of smiths and fire• Son of Zeus and Hera• hard working and peace loving god• Husband of Aphrodite• He had forges inside volcanoes on earth• His helpers were the Cyclops

APHRODITE

• Goddess of love• Only Olympian who had neither mother nor father• She arose from the sea on a cushion of foam• The three graces, goddesses of beauty, were her

attendants• Aphrodite had a son, Eros, who shot arrows of

love to unwary victims• Aphrodite preferred Ares, the god of war, over her

husband, Hephaestus.

ARES

• God of war• Handsome and vain• His companion was Eris, the spirit of strife• She had an apple of discord that caused disasters• Ares rushed into war, not caring who won or lost

ATHENA

• Goddess of wisdom• Favorite child of Zeus• Her mother was Metis, goddess of prudence and the first wife

of Zeus• Zeus tricked Metis into turning into a fly so he could swallow

her because if Metis bore a son, he would overthrow Zeus as his father, Cronus dethroned his own father, Uranus

• She hammered a helmet and weaved a robe for Athena• Athena came out of Zeus head• Athena’s constant companion was Nike, the spirit of victory• She fought with armies who had just reasons• Athens became her city instead of Poseidon’s because she

gave them a valuable gift, the olive tree

POSEIDON

• Lord of the sea• Moody and violent god• His wife was Amphritrite, the daughter of the old

sea god, Nereus• They had a son, Triton, who had fishtails for legs

HERMES

• Herald/messenger of the gods• Zeus’s son• Happiest of all gods• God of shepherds, travelers, merchants, thieves, and

any other people who survived with common sense • Mother is Maia, a Titan’s daughter• Lived in a cave in Mount Cyllene• Very mischievous• As a child he stole Apollos’ cows and hid them in his

cave• Put everyone to sleep with his lyre• Guided everyone on their “last journey” (to death)

APOLLO

• Zeus’s son/ Leto is his mother• Artemis is his twin• God of light and music• When grown Zeus sent to Delphi the Oracle (most

sacred place in Greece)• Apollo destroyed dragon Python that guarded the

oracle• Used 1000 silver shafts to kill dragon• Nymphs thanked Apollo with songs for killing

dragon • Light and Music returned

DEMETER

• Goddess of the harvest• Persephone’s mother• Devastated when Persephone went to Underworld• Most of nature died because she was so upset• Goddess of the seasons

PERSEPHONE

• Demeter’s daughter• Married to Hades• Queen of the underworld• Never wanted to leave Demeter• Got tricked into coming to the underworld by

Hades• Originally did not eat the forbidden pomegranate

seed, but ended up eating it• Had to stay in the Underworld for a portion of the

year

ARTEMIS

• Daughter of Zeus• Goddess of the hunt• Wanted to remain a maiden all her life• Went to the forest to bathe and a man watched

her named Acteaon• Changed him into a stag to punish him • Leto is her mother

DIONYSUS

• Youngest of the gods• God of wine • Son of Zeus• Mother is a mortal• Kind God • Always has a good time

HESTIA

• Zeus’s oldest sister • Goddess of the hearth• Didn’t have a throne on Mount Olympus • Tends hearths around the universe

HADES

• Zeus’s oldest brother• God of the underworld• Married to Persephone• Lord of the Dead• Never went to Olympus• Stayed in the Underworld

GREEK GODS WHO PLAYED A ROLE IN THE ODYSSEY

GREEK GODS IN THE ODYSSEY

• Zeus: Ultimate decider of Odysseus’s fate, Athena went to Zeus to ask him to allow Odysseus to go home to Ithaka.

• Poseidon: He tried to stop Odysseus from getting home because Odysseus blinded one of his sons, the Cyclopes.

• Athena: Helped Odysseus and Telemakhos  throughout their journeys. Athena continued to help Odysseus throughout his lifetime because she wanted to get him away from Kalypso’s Island

• The Cyclopes, The Sirens, Kirke, Kalypso were all minor gods that played an important role in the Odyssey.

CONCLUSION

The Greek gods were mystical and important figures in the lives of Ancient Greeks. They were a source of comfort, because the Greeks used the gods to explain things they could not. By taking on human like qualities, the gods were able to connect more with the people, because although they were still extremely worshipped, the Greeks felt familiar with the gods. The Greek gods played a role in Greek society from the birth to the death of a person because they were so important.

CITATIONS

Info: • D’Aulaires’ book of Greek Myths

By: Ingri and Edgar Parin D’ AulairePublished by Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc.1540 Broadway New York, New York 10036Copyright 1962

• http://library.thinkquest.org/28111/newpage2.htm• http://www.religionfacts.com/greco-roman/overview.htm

Images:• http://www.google.com/imgres?

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• http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Uranus_(mythology).aspx/Cronus• http://www.arthistoryarchive.com/arthistory/romanticism/arthistory_romanticism.html• http://www.korealawtoday.com/2012/08/31/clash-of-the-titans-scalia-v-posner-dispute-continues/• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Greek_mythological_figures

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