251 Greek Gods and Goddesses

Greek Gods and Goddesses: 

Greek Gods and Goddesses Steve Wood TCCC

Pre-Titans Elementals : 

Pre-Titans Elementals In the beginning, there was primordial Chaos. Chaos gave birth to Darkness and Death. Darkness and Death produced Light and Love. Light and Love, in turn, produced Father Heaven and Mother Earth.

Hesiod’s Theogony: 

Hesiod’s Theogony Poet of the 8 th Century BC Hesiod’s Theogony (Birth of the Gods) is the source of many of the stories about the Elementals, the Titans, and the war between the Titans and the Olympian gods.

Pre-Mycenean Worship: 

Pre-Mycenean Worship Before the Myceneans arrived in Greece, the indigenous people there worshipped Mother Earth. Father Heaven was named Uranus. Mother Earth was named Gaia. Other Elementals were Tartarus (the Underworld), Eros (Love), Erebus (Darkness), Nyx (Night), Aether (Light), Hemera (Day), Ourea (Mountains) and Pontus Water, the Seas).

Heaven and Earth: 

Heaven and Earth Heaven (Uranus) and Earth (Gaia) created the Titans.

The Titans (First Generation): 

The Titans (First Generation) Oceanus – the ocean, married to Tethys Hyperion – light and the east, married to Theia, father of the sun, moon, and the dawn Coeus – prophecy and intelligence and the central axis of creation, married to Phoebe

The Titans (First Generation): 

The Titans (First Generation) Cronus – ruler of the Titans, known for his sickle used to kill his father Uranus, father of Zeus and several other Olympian gods Crius – not specifically known for anything in Hesiod Iapetus – ruler of mortal life and father of Prometheus, Epimetheus, and Atlas

The Titans (First Generation): 

The Titans (First Generation) Mnemosyne – memory Tethys – rivers, married to Oceanus Theia – mother of the sun, moon, and the dawn, married to Hyperion

The Titans (First Generation): 

The Titans (First Generation) Phoebe – married to Coeus, associated with the moon Rhea – Queen of the Titans, married to Cronus Themis – law, order, and justice, mother of the Fates

The Titans (First Generation): 

The Titans (First Generation) Mnemosyne – memory Tethys – rivers, married to Oceanus Theia – mother of the sun, moon, and the dawn, married to Hyperion Phoebe – married to Coeus, associated with the moon Rhea – Queen of the Titans, married to Cronus Themis – law, order, and justice, mother of the Fates

The Titans, Second Generation: 

The Titans, Second Generation Prometheus -- the wisest Titan, his name means "forethought" and he was able to foretell the future. In the war between the Titans and the Olympians, Prometheus deserted the other Titans and fought on Zeus side.

The Titans, Second Generation: 

The Titans, Second Generation By some accounts he and his brother created mankind. He gave mankind fire as a gift. For this Zeus punished Prometheus by having him chained to a rock with an eagle tearing at his liver. He was to be left there for all eternity, but he was rescued by Hercules.

The Titans, Second Generation: 

The Titans, Second Generation Epimetheus – a stupid Titan, whose name means "afterthought". He helped his brother Prometheus create mankind. He also accepted the gift of Pandora from Zeus, which lead to the introduction of evil into the world.

The Titans, Second Generation: 

The Titans, Second Generation Atlas – unlike his brothers Prometheus and Epimetheus, Atlas fought with the other Titans supporting Cronus against Zeus. Due to Cronus's advanced age Atlas actually led the Titans in battle. As a result he was singled out by Zeus for a special punishment and made to hold up the world on his back.

Titanomachy – The War Between the Titans the Olympians: 

Titanomachy – The War Between the Titans the Olympians Cronus wanted to ensure his reign as ruler of the Titans; however, Uranus (whom Cronus had castrated) and Gaia (his mother and father) prophesied that one of his children would overthrow him. So when he married Rhea, he made sure to swallow each of the children she birthed: Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, and Poseidon. Rhea finally has enough and gives Cronus a huge stone to swallow instead of their last child, Zeus. Gaia then takes Zeus and hides him deep in a cave beneath the Aegean Mountains. Tricked by Rhea, Cronus vomits up his other five children. Joining with Zeus, they waged a great war against their father and the other Titans. The war lasted ten years. Eventually Zeus wins, throwing the Titans into the underworld.

The Olympians: 

The Olympians There are twelve in number, although the list sometimes omits Demeter, sometimes Hestia. Zeus – king of the Olympians, god of the sky, storm, and thunder Hera – queen of the gods, goddess of marriage, married to Zeus (her brother) Poseidon – god of the sea, brother to Zeus Hades – god of the underworld, brother to Zeus, married to Persephone Demeter – goddess of nature, sister to Zeus

The Olympians: 

The Olympians Hestia – the virgin goddess, goddess of the hearth, sister to Zeus Ares – god of war, son of Zeus and Hera Athena – goddess of wisdom, the city, and agriculture, born directly out of Zeus’s head Aphrodite – goddess of love, married to Hephaetus, daughter of Zeus and Dione Apollo – god of light, truth, and prophecy, son of Zeus and Leto, twin of Artemis

The Olympians: 

The Olympians Hermes – the messenger of the gods, son of Zeus and Maia Artemis – goddess of the hunt and the wild, daughter of Zeus and Leto, twin of Apollo Hephaetus – god of fire and the forge, son of Zeus and Hera, the only ugly god as well as the only physically lame one, married to Aphrodite