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The Gods of Olympus Olympian Gods The Gods of Olympus Olympian Gods • Zeus • Hera • Poseidon • Hestia • Apollo • Demeter • Ares • Athena • Hermes • Aphrodite • Hephaestus • Artemis Hera Hera • Daughter of Cronus and Rhea • Perhaps an ancient nature goddess – One of the few not from Egypt (Hdts. ii.50) • Born in Argos or Samos • Patron of Sparta, Mycenae and Argos • Represented with veil, peacock and scepter Heraion at Argos Hera • Wife of Zeus – Honored by other gods but inferior to Zeus • Hieros Gamos • Goddess of marriage and childbirth • Mother of Ares, Hebe and Hephaestus • Mostly a foil to Zeus: – Jealous, argumentative. Hera and Zeus Hestia Hestia • Daughter of Cronus and Rhea • Goddess of the hearth (home fire) • Virgin goddess • Presides over all sacrifices • Home fire of the city in the Prytaneum Athena Athena • Daughter of Zeus and Metis (wisdom) – Tritogeneia; born near the river Triton – Or; born from the head • Goddess of the air – Glaucopis; the blue-eyed one – Athena, more than any other goddess, is the female representation of Zeus. Birth of Athena Pallas Athena • Most common epithet – Obscure origins, not a Greek word • Iconic connections with Ishtar and Syrian warrior goddesses – Pallas was a giant whom Athena killed and flayed using the skin to make her shield. Athena • Goddess of engineers, architects etc. – All of the technical aspects of civilization – Patron of the arts, both practical and aesthetic • Protector of the state and society – Supervisor of the laws and the assembly • Goddess of War; – As protector of the state – Grand Strategy Patron of Athens • Competed with Poseidon – Poseidon gave the Athenians spring water – Athena gave them the olive tree • Temple of Athena Parthenos on the Acropolis Artemis Artemis • Daughter of Zeus and Leto • Sister of Apollo • A female counterpart to Apollo – Goddess of the bow, sickness and death – Also the saviour from these evils • Goddess of the hunt and wild animals • Virgin goddess Arcadian Artemis • More of a nature goddess • Not associated with Apollo • Chariot drawn by stags • Goddess of the hunt and forest Artemis of Ephesus • Potnia Theron • Originally Asiatic • Born in Ephesus, not a sister of Apollo • Fertility goddess Demeter Demeter • Daughter of Cronus and Rhea • Goddess of the Harvest • Of vegetation and growth • Of marriage • Of the ‘first night’ • Mystery Religion – Eleusis – Arcadia Demeter and Persephone • Persephone (Core), daughter of Demeter • Zeus promised her to Hades – Hades captured her and took her to the underworld to be his wife. – Demeter caused famine – Zeus asked Hades to return Core – Mother and daughter meet at Eleusis – Core to spend three months a year in Hades Aphrodite Aphrodite of Melos Aphrodite • Daughter of Uranus – ‘aphro’ = foam • Aphrodite Urania (heavenly) • Daughter of Zeus and Dione (Iliad v.370) • Goddess of love (passion) and beauty • Syrian Astarte, Persian Mithra • Associated with the dove and the swan Hierodouloi and Hetairai • Temple of Aphrodite at Corinth and Cyprus – Priestesses had intercourse with worshipers – A Babylonian custom originally (Herodotus i.199) • Hetairai – Companions, courtesans – Not just for sex, but etiquette and conversation – Aspasia .
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