Lesson 1
Introduction
Gaia and Ouranos with baby Kronos
Welcome to the world of Greek mythology. For centuries, humans have had the need to believe in a greater being/s. The Greeks, in particular, had famous deities that are known until this day. They believed that everything sprung out of Chaos, the Void. According to Hesiod’s Theogony (an important source of mythological fact) what sprung out of Chaos was:
Gaia and Ouranos mated to produce the Titans, the leader of whom was Kronos. Kronos (with urgings from his mother, Gaia) killed his father Ouranos and became supreme king of the world. He and his wife, Rhea, had 6 children:
After hearing from the oracle that his children would overthrow him, Kronos swallowed his children but was tricked by Rhea, who managed to save baby Zeus. Zeus eventually grew up and got his father to regurgitate (disgusting, I know) his siblings, and together they overthrew Kronos. After that, the 3 males: Zeus, Poseidon and Hades split the world between them. Zeus got the sky, Poseidon the sea and Hades: the Underworld.
- Erebus (darkness) and Nyx (nighttime)
- Aether (light) and Hemera (daytime)
- Gaia (earth) and Ouranos (heaven)
- The Ourea (mountains)
- Pontus (water)
- Tartarus (the eternal abyss of hellfire)
- Eros (procreation)
Gaia and Ouranos mated to produce the Titans, the leader of whom was Kronos. Kronos (with urgings from his mother, Gaia) killed his father Ouranos and became supreme king of the world. He and his wife, Rhea, had 6 children:
- Hades
- Poseidon
- Demeter
- Hestia
- Hera
- Zeus
After hearing from the oracle that his children would overthrow him, Kronos swallowed his children but was tricked by Rhea, who managed to save baby Zeus. Zeus eventually grew up and got his father to regurgitate (disgusting, I know) his siblings, and together they overthrew Kronos. After that, the 3 males: Zeus, Poseidon and Hades split the world between them. Zeus got the sky, Poseidon the sea and Hades: the Underworld.
The 12 Olympians
The 12 Olympians
These were other deities that ruled the world after the Titans. Hades is not one of them.
1. Zeus
King of the gods, he ruled Mount Olympus as the god of the sky ad thunder. He is the brother of Hades and Poseidon, youngest child of the titan Kronos and Rhea. He is the father of all the other Olympians (except Hera, Poseidon, Demeter and Hestia, as they are his siblings) through his many conquests. His symbols are the thunderbolt, eagle, oak tree, scepter and scales. His wife is also his sister, Hera.
2. Hera
Queen of heaven and ruler of Mount Olympus alongside Zeus, she is the goddess of marriage and family. She is the youngest daughter of Kronos and Rhea and her symbols include the peacock, pomegranate, crown, cuckoo, lion and cow. Since she is the goddess of marriage and her husband has a tendency to have many conquests, she becomes very vengeful of his children by other women.
3. Poseidon
He is the god of the sea, earthquakes and horses. Brother to Zeus, he is the middle son of Kronos and Rhea. Poseidon is married to a nereid, Amphitrite, but has many other lovers as well. When he mates with a nature spirit, the result is a Cyclops. His symbols include the horse, bull, dolphin and trident.
4. Demeter
She is the middle daughter of Kronos and Rhea and is the goddess of fertility, agriculture, nature, harvest and the seasons. Her daughter is wed to Hades, and when she spends time with her husband in the Underworld, Demeter mourns and winter occurs. When she returns to her mother during the year, Demeter rejoices and summer occurs. Her symbols are the poppy, wheat, torch, cornucopia and pig.
5. Dionysus
The youngest Olympian, he was first the son of a mortal (Semele) before he was granted immortality. When he became a god, Hestia gave up her position as Olympian so he could join them. God of wine and theatre, his symbols are the grapevine, ivy, cup, tiger, panther, leopard, dolphin and goat. Dionysus is married to Ariadne, the princess of Crete.
6. Apollo
Son of Zeus and Leto, twin brother of the goddess Artemis, he is the god of light, knowledge, music, poetry, prophecy and archery. Also known for his healing abilities, his symbols include the sun, lyre, bow and arrow, raven, dolphin, wolf, swan and mouse.
7. Artemis
Daughter of Zeus and Leto, twin sister of Apollo, she is the goddess the hunt, childbirth, virginity, archery, the moon and all animals. Her symbols include the moon, dear, hound, she-bear, snake, cypress tree and the bow and arrow.
8. Hermes
Son of Zeus and the nymph Maia, as a baby, he stole some of Apollo’s cattle and repaid it by inventing him the lyre. He thus became the messenger of the gods, god of thieves, commerce, travelers, medicine men and anyone who used the roads. He is the second youngest Olympian and married Dryope, with whom he had a son, Pan. Pan became the lord of the wild. Hermes’ symbols include the caduceus, winged sandals and cap and tortoise.
9. Athena
Chaste goddess of wisdom, strategic warfare, defense and handy-arts, she is the daughter of Zeus by Metis. When Metis was pregnant, Zeus heard that the son she would bear after her first-born would overthrow him, he swallowed her. After that, he had a blinding headache, and out sprung Athena from his head, fully grown and in battle armour. Her symbols include the owl and olive tree.
10. Ares
Son of Zeus and Hera, he is the god of violence, bloodshed and warfare. His children are Deimos and Phobos, panic and fear. Despised by all the gods except Aphrodite, his symbols include the boar, serpent, dog, vulture, spear and shield.
11. Aphrodite
The lineage of Aphrodite is complex. Some say she was created from the remains of Ouranos after Kronos chopped him up. Others believe she was the daughter of Zeus by Dione. She was the most beautiful of goddesses and out of fear of war due to her presence, Zeus married her to Hephaestus, though she had many affairs, especially with Ares. Aphrodite is the goddess of love and beauty and her symbols include the dove, bird, apple, bee, swan, myrtle and rose.
12. Hephaestus
God of blacksmiths, fire and the forge, he was the craftsman of the gods. Son of Zeus and Hera, married to Aphrodite, he was the ugliest of all the gods. As a baby, Hera pitched him off Mount Olympus due to his ugliness (horrible mothering on her part!) His symbols include the fire, anvil, axe, donkey, hammer, tongs and quail.
Hestia
Goddess of the hearth, she was thesecond eldest child of Kronos and Rhea (after Hades) and part of the original Olympians. When Dionysus was included, there would have been 13 Olympians, an unlucky number, so she gave up her title of Olympian and let Dionysus claim it, to keep the peace between the gods. She is most well known as the kindest and generous of them all.
1. Zeus
King of the gods, he ruled Mount Olympus as the god of the sky ad thunder. He is the brother of Hades and Poseidon, youngest child of the titan Kronos and Rhea. He is the father of all the other Olympians (except Hera, Poseidon, Demeter and Hestia, as they are his siblings) through his many conquests. His symbols are the thunderbolt, eagle, oak tree, scepter and scales. His wife is also his sister, Hera.
2. Hera
Queen of heaven and ruler of Mount Olympus alongside Zeus, she is the goddess of marriage and family. She is the youngest daughter of Kronos and Rhea and her symbols include the peacock, pomegranate, crown, cuckoo, lion and cow. Since she is the goddess of marriage and her husband has a tendency to have many conquests, she becomes very vengeful of his children by other women.
3. Poseidon
He is the god of the sea, earthquakes and horses. Brother to Zeus, he is the middle son of Kronos and Rhea. Poseidon is married to a nereid, Amphitrite, but has many other lovers as well. When he mates with a nature spirit, the result is a Cyclops. His symbols include the horse, bull, dolphin and trident.
4. Demeter
She is the middle daughter of Kronos and Rhea and is the goddess of fertility, agriculture, nature, harvest and the seasons. Her daughter is wed to Hades, and when she spends time with her husband in the Underworld, Demeter mourns and winter occurs. When she returns to her mother during the year, Demeter rejoices and summer occurs. Her symbols are the poppy, wheat, torch, cornucopia and pig.
5. Dionysus
The youngest Olympian, he was first the son of a mortal (Semele) before he was granted immortality. When he became a god, Hestia gave up her position as Olympian so he could join them. God of wine and theatre, his symbols are the grapevine, ivy, cup, tiger, panther, leopard, dolphin and goat. Dionysus is married to Ariadne, the princess of Crete.
6. Apollo
Son of Zeus and Leto, twin brother of the goddess Artemis, he is the god of light, knowledge, music, poetry, prophecy and archery. Also known for his healing abilities, his symbols include the sun, lyre, bow and arrow, raven, dolphin, wolf, swan and mouse.
7. Artemis
Daughter of Zeus and Leto, twin sister of Apollo, she is the goddess the hunt, childbirth, virginity, archery, the moon and all animals. Her symbols include the moon, dear, hound, she-bear, snake, cypress tree and the bow and arrow.
8. Hermes
Son of Zeus and the nymph Maia, as a baby, he stole some of Apollo’s cattle and repaid it by inventing him the lyre. He thus became the messenger of the gods, god of thieves, commerce, travelers, medicine men and anyone who used the roads. He is the second youngest Olympian and married Dryope, with whom he had a son, Pan. Pan became the lord of the wild. Hermes’ symbols include the caduceus, winged sandals and cap and tortoise.
9. Athena
Chaste goddess of wisdom, strategic warfare, defense and handy-arts, she is the daughter of Zeus by Metis. When Metis was pregnant, Zeus heard that the son she would bear after her first-born would overthrow him, he swallowed her. After that, he had a blinding headache, and out sprung Athena from his head, fully grown and in battle armour. Her symbols include the owl and olive tree.
10. Ares
Son of Zeus and Hera, he is the god of violence, bloodshed and warfare. His children are Deimos and Phobos, panic and fear. Despised by all the gods except Aphrodite, his symbols include the boar, serpent, dog, vulture, spear and shield.
11. Aphrodite
The lineage of Aphrodite is complex. Some say she was created from the remains of Ouranos after Kronos chopped him up. Others believe she was the daughter of Zeus by Dione. She was the most beautiful of goddesses and out of fear of war due to her presence, Zeus married her to Hephaestus, though she had many affairs, especially with Ares. Aphrodite is the goddess of love and beauty and her symbols include the dove, bird, apple, bee, swan, myrtle and rose.
12. Hephaestus
God of blacksmiths, fire and the forge, he was the craftsman of the gods. Son of Zeus and Hera, married to Aphrodite, he was the ugliest of all the gods. As a baby, Hera pitched him off Mount Olympus due to his ugliness (horrible mothering on her part!) His symbols include the fire, anvil, axe, donkey, hammer, tongs and quail.
Hestia
Goddess of the hearth, she was thesecond eldest child of Kronos and Rhea (after Hades) and part of the original Olympians. When Dionysus was included, there would have been 13 Olympians, an unlucky number, so she gave up her title of Olympian and let Dionysus claim it, to keep the peace between the gods. She is most well known as the kindest and generous of them all.
Off to your first assignment!