Who’s Who on Mount Olympus

Today’s Objectives:•To identify the chief Olympian gods

and goddesses and their functions

ZEUS - JUPITERKing of gods; ruler of mankind

SYMBOLS •EAGLE•AEGIS•THUNDERBOLT•SCEPTRE•OAK TREE

Why these symbols…•Power, Strength, Size•Eagle – chief of all birds

Poseidon – NeptuneGod of sea, horses & earthquakes

SYMBOLS •TRIDENT•HORSE

Why these symbols…•Trident = symbol of power•He is said to have created the horse

HADES – PLUTOGod of the Underworld

*did not live on Mt. Olympus

SYMBOLS • HELMET to make him

invisible

Why this symbol…• The helmet allows him

to leave the world unseen; he is not a welcome visitor.

HESTIA – VESTAGoddess of hearth & home; sister of Zeus

SYMBOLS • HEARTH-FIRE

Why this symbol…• The hearth is a symbol

of home and family

HERA – JUNOQueen of the Gods; wife of ZeusSYMBOLS

• PEACOCK• COW• IRIS (goddess of the

rainbow)

Why these symbols…• The animals are sacred to

her• Iris is her personal

messenger

ARES – MARSGod of War

SYMBOLS • WEAPONS• ARMOR• VULTURE

Why these symbols…• They symbolize war

• Vultures prey on the dead

ATHENA – MINERVAGoddess of Wisdom, War, & Weaving

SYMBOLS • OWL• OLIVE TREE• HELMET & SPEAR

Why these symbols…• The owl is a symbol of

wisdom• The olive tree is her gift to

Athens• The helmet & spear are

symbols of war

APOLLO – APOLLOGod of Sun, Music, Poetry, & Medicine

SYMBOLS • LYRE• BOW• LAUREL• DELPHI

Why these symbols…• The symbolizes music• The bow identifies his as

Archergod• The laurel is his favorite tree• His oracle is at Delphi

APHRODITE – VENUSGoddess of Love & Beauty

SYMBOLS • CUPID (her son)• DOVE• MYRTLE

Why these symbols…• Cupid shoots his arrow

at her command• The dove and myrtle are

sacred to her

HERMES – MERCURYMessenger-god; god of commerce, travelers, & thieves

SYMBOLS • CADUCEUS• WINGED HAT & SANDALS

Why these symbols…• The caduceus is his magic

wand• The winged hat and

sandals show the speed of a messenger

ARTEMIS – DIANAGoddess of the Moon & Hunting; Patroness of maidens

SYMBOLS • BOW & ARROW• DEER• CYPRESS

Why these symbols…• The bow & arrow are

symbolic because hunting is her pastime

• The deer & cypress are sacred to her

HEPHAESTUS – VULCANGod of fire; forger of armor

SYMBOLS • ANVIL & FORGE

Why these symbols…• The anvil and forge are

tools of a blacksmith