The Twelve Olympians

Aphrodite. The goddess of love, beauty and desire. Although married to Hephaestusshe had many lovers, most notably Ares. She was depicted as a beautiful woman. Her symbols include the rose, scallop shell, pomegranate and myrtle wreath. Her sacred animal was the dove.

Apollo. The god of music, healing, prophecies, poetry and archery; associated with light, truth and the sun. He is Artemis' twin brother and Hermes' elder brother, and son of Zeus and Leto. He was depicted as a handsome, beardless youth with long hair and various attributes including a laurel wreath, bow and quiver, raven and lyre. Animals sacred to Apollo include dolphins, roe deer, swans, cicadas, hawks, ravens, crows and snakes.

Ares.The god of war, bloodlust, violence, manly courage and civil order. The son of Zeus and Hera, he was depicted as either a mature, bearded warrior dressed in battle arms or a nude beardless youth with helm and spear. His attributes are golden armour and a bronze-tipped spear. His sacred animals are the vulture, venomous snakes, alligators and dogs.

Artemis. Virgin goddess of the hunt, wilderness, animals, young girls, childbirth. In later times she became associated with the moon. She is the daughter of Zeus and Leto and twin sister of Apollo. In art she was usually depicted as a young woman dressed in a short knee-length chiton and equipped with a hunting bow and a quiver of arrows. In addition to the bow, her attributes include hunting spears, animal pelts, deer and other wild animals. Her sacred animals are deer, bears and wild boars.

Athena.The goddess of wisdom, warfare, battle strategy, heroic endeavour, handicrafts and reason. According to most traditions, she was born from Zeus's head fully formed and armored. She was depicted crowned with a crested helm, armed with shield and a spear. Her symbol is the olive tree. She is commonly shown accompanied by her sacred animal, the owl.

Demeter. The goddess of agriculture, horticulture, grain and harvest. Demeter is a daughter of Cronus and Rhea and sister of Zeus, by whom she bore Persephone. She was depicted as a mature woman, often crowned and holding sheaves of wheat and a torch. Her symbols are the Cornucopia (horn of plenty), wheat-ears, the winged serpent and the lotus staff. Her sacred animals are pigs and snakes.

Hephaestus. Crippled god of fire, metalworking, stonemasonry, sculpture and volcanism. The son of Hera by parthenogenesis, he is the smith of the gods and the husband of the adulterous Aphrodite. He was usually depicted as a bearded man holding hammer and tongs - the tools of a smith - and riding a donkey. His symbols are the hammer, tongs and anvil. His sacred animals are the donkey, the guard dog and the crane.

Hera.Queen of marriage, women, childbirth, heirs, kings and empires. She is the wife of Zeus and daughter of Cronus and Rhea. She was usually depicted as a beautiful woman wearing a crown and veil and holding a royal, lotus-tipped staff. Her sacred animals are the heifer, the lion, the peacock, and the cuckoo.

Hermes. The god of travel, messengers, trade, thievery, cunning wiles, language, writing, diplomacy, athletics and animal husbandry. He is the messenger of the gods, a psychopomp who leads the souls of the dead into Hades' realm, and the son of Zeus and Maia. He was depicted either as a handsome and athletic beardless youth or as an older bearded man. His attributes include the herald's wand, winged sandals and a traveler's cap. His sacred animals are the tortoise, the ram, and the hawk.

Hestia.Virgin goddess of the hearth, home and cooking. She is a daughter of Rhea and Cronus and sister of Zeus. She was depicted as a modestly veiled woman, whose symbols are the hearth and the kettle. In some accounts, she gave up her seat as one of the Twelve Olympians in favor of Dionysus.

Poseidon. The god of the sea, rivers, floods, droughts, earthquakes and the creator of horses; known as the "Earth Shaker". He is a son of Cronus and Rhea and brother to Zeus and Hades. In classical artwork, he was depicted as a mature man of sturdy build with a dark beard and holding a trident. The horse and the dolphin are sacred to him.

Zeus. The king of the gods, the ruler of Mount Olympus and the god of the sky, weather, thunder, lightning, law, order and fate. He is the youngest son of Cronus and Rhea, whom he overthrew after Cronus swallowed his brothers and sisters and he is brother-husband to Hera. In artwork, he was depicted as a regal, mature man with a sturdy figure and dark beard. His usual attributes are the royal scepter, the lightning bolt; his sacred animals are the eagle and the bull.

Date: 2016-04-22; view: 862