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Athena Athena, the goddess of wisdom skill and military victory, and also the patron of the city of Athens, was Hercules' half-sister. Her parents were Zeus and Metis, a nymph. Zeus heard a prophecy that the child Metis bore after she gave birth to Athena would become the lord of heaven, so, to prevent this from happening, he swallowed Metis while she was still pregnant with Athena.
One day Zeus had a big headache and he asked a god to crack his head open. When they did Athena came out in full armor. Athena never got married.After competing against the Greek god Poseidon, Athena officially became the patron deity of the city of ancient Athens and the Parthenon was built in her honor. She was known as "Athena Nike" (Athena the victorious), as she was believed to have given the Athenians the victory during the Persian War.Athena's symbols were the spear, the distaff and the aegis (a shield of goatskin), to which the head of the Gorgon Medusa was fastened in order to terrify the opponents).
Athena's tree was the olive tree and her sacred animal was the owl, the symbol of wisdom.
One day Zeus had a big headache and he asked a god to crack his head open. When they did Athena came out in full armor. Athena never got married.After competing against the Greek god Poseidon, Athena officially became the patron deity of the city of ancient Athens and the Parthenon was built in her honor. She was known as "Athena Nike" (Athena the victorious), as she was believed to have given the Athenians the victory during the Persian War.Athena's symbols were the spear, the distaff and the aegis (a shield of goatskin), to which the head of the Gorgon Medusa was fastened in order to terrify the opponents).
Athena's tree was the olive tree and her sacred animal was the owl, the symbol of wisdom.
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Artemis Artemis Parents are Zeus and Leto. She is the goddess of hunting, the goddess of the moon and protector of animals. She is also protector of expectant women and the young . Artemis twin brother Apollo was god of the sun, but Artemis cult was connected to the moon. Artemis was born after Apollo and helped her mom give birth to her younger brother.As a child, Artemis had asked from her father Zeus to remain an eternal virgin and therefore became one of the three Virgin Goddesses in Greek mythology. Artemis had absolute sovereignty over nature and was said to bring fertility to all places that worshipped her. Usually accompanied by Nymphs and Oceanids, Artemis loved to hunt with arrows dipped in poison. The symbols of Artemis are the bow and the pike. Her tree was the cedar and her sacred animals were the snake, the bear and the deer.
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Aphrodite
Birth of Aphrodite
Aphrodite was created from the foam of the crystal waters of Paphos in the fragrant island of Cyprus, when the Titan Cronos slew his father, the major Titan Ouranos, and threw then his genitals into the sea.
Family of Aphrodite
Husband and Relationships: Aphrodite was married to the lame smith Hephaestus, the Olympian God of the Iron, but her heart was devoted to Ares, the God of War, with whom Aphrodite was having a passionate, but secret love affair.
Famous Children: According to a myth, Aphrodite gave birth to Eros, the winged cupid of love and was often accompanied by him. Other children of Aphrodite were Himeros (desire), Pothos(desire), Phobos(fear), Deimos (terror), Armonia (Harmony) and the Nymph Rhode [1].
[View Aphrodite's full family tree here...)
The Role of Aphrodite as a Goddess
Aphrodite was the most attractive goddess of Mount Olympus. She was the goddess of Love, Beauty and Eternal Youth, arousing desire to gods and humans as well as birds and beasts. In addition, she was connected to the death/rebirth of nature and human beings
Personality of Aphrodite
Aphrodite may have been the most attractive goddess, but according to the Iliad(the famous poem by Homer), she was a rather weak, frightful goddess.
Appearance of Aphrodite
Aphrodite was a highly attractive young woman who dressed elegantly and loved to wear jewelry. Her eyelashes were curled and she had a constant smile on her lovely face. Aphrodite had a tender neck and symbolized the feminine beauty
Symbols of Aphrodite
Aphrodite's symbols were the girdle (which she was using to compel love), the seashell and the mirror. Her sacred animal was the dove.
Birth of Aphrodite
Aphrodite was created from the foam of the crystal waters of Paphos in the fragrant island of Cyprus, when the Titan Cronos slew his father, the major Titan Ouranos, and threw then his genitals into the sea.
Family of Aphrodite
Husband and Relationships: Aphrodite was married to the lame smith Hephaestus, the Olympian God of the Iron, but her heart was devoted to Ares, the God of War, with whom Aphrodite was having a passionate, but secret love affair.
Famous Children: According to a myth, Aphrodite gave birth to Eros, the winged cupid of love and was often accompanied by him. Other children of Aphrodite were Himeros (desire), Pothos(desire), Phobos(fear), Deimos (terror), Armonia (Harmony) and the Nymph Rhode [1].
[View Aphrodite's full family tree here...)
The Role of Aphrodite as a Goddess
Aphrodite was the most attractive goddess of Mount Olympus. She was the goddess of Love, Beauty and Eternal Youth, arousing desire to gods and humans as well as birds and beasts. In addition, she was connected to the death/rebirth of nature and human beings
Personality of Aphrodite
Aphrodite may have been the most attractive goddess, but according to the Iliad(the famous poem by Homer), she was a rather weak, frightful goddess.
Appearance of Aphrodite
Aphrodite was a highly attractive young woman who dressed elegantly and loved to wear jewelry. Her eyelashes were curled and she had a constant smile on her lovely face. Aphrodite had a tender neck and symbolized the feminine beauty
Symbols of Aphrodite
Aphrodite's symbols were the girdle (which she was using to compel love), the seashell and the mirror. Her sacred animal was the dove.
![Picture](/uploads/2/5/8/7/25876174/4959665.jpg)
Hera
Hera is Zeus wife and sister. She was raised by the Titans Ocean and Tethys. Shea is the supreme goddess, goddess of marriage and childbirth and takes special care of married women.
Hera's marriage was founded in strife with Zeus and continued in strife. Zeus courted her unsuccessfully. He then turned to trickery, changing himself into disheveled cuckoo. Hera feeling sorry for the bird held it to her breast to warm it. Zeus then resumed his normal form and taking advantage of the surprise he gained, raped her. She then married him to cover her shame.
Once when Zeus was being particularly overbearing to the other gods, Hera convinced them to join in a revolt. Her part in the revolt was to drug Zeus, and in this she was successful. The gods then bound the sleeping Zeus to a couch taking care to tie many knots. This done they began to quarrel over the next step. Briareus overheard the arguments. Still full of gratitude to Zeus, Briareus slipped in and was able to quickly untie the many knots. Zeus sprang from the couch and grabbed up his thunderbolt. The gods fell to their knees begging and pleading for mercy. He seized Hera and hung her from the sky with gold chains. She wept in pain all night but, none of the others dared to interfere. Her weeping kept Zeus up and the next morning he agreed to release her if she would swear never to rebel again. She had little choice but, to agree. While she never again rebelled, she often intrigued against Zeus's plans and she was often able to outwit him.
Most stories concerning Hera have to do with her jealous revenge for Zeus's infidelities. Her sacred animals are the cow and the peacock. Her favorite city is Argos.
Hera is Zeus wife and sister. She was raised by the Titans Ocean and Tethys. Shea is the supreme goddess, goddess of marriage and childbirth and takes special care of married women.
Hera's marriage was founded in strife with Zeus and continued in strife. Zeus courted her unsuccessfully. He then turned to trickery, changing himself into disheveled cuckoo. Hera feeling sorry for the bird held it to her breast to warm it. Zeus then resumed his normal form and taking advantage of the surprise he gained, raped her. She then married him to cover her shame.
Once when Zeus was being particularly overbearing to the other gods, Hera convinced them to join in a revolt. Her part in the revolt was to drug Zeus, and in this she was successful. The gods then bound the sleeping Zeus to a couch taking care to tie many knots. This done they began to quarrel over the next step. Briareus overheard the arguments. Still full of gratitude to Zeus, Briareus slipped in and was able to quickly untie the many knots. Zeus sprang from the couch and grabbed up his thunderbolt. The gods fell to their knees begging and pleading for mercy. He seized Hera and hung her from the sky with gold chains. She wept in pain all night but, none of the others dared to interfere. Her weeping kept Zeus up and the next morning he agreed to release her if she would swear never to rebel again. She had little choice but, to agree. While she never again rebelled, she often intrigued against Zeus's plans and she was often able to outwit him.
Most stories concerning Hera have to do with her jealous revenge for Zeus's infidelities. Her sacred animals are the cow and the peacock. Her favorite city is Argos.
![Picture](/uploads/2/5/8/7/25876174/5669443.jpg)
Hestia
Hestia is Zeus sister. She is a virgin goddess. She does not have a distinct personality. She plays no part in myths. She is the Goddess of the Hearth, the symbol of the house around which a newborn child is carried before it is received into the family. Each city had a public hearth sacred to Hestia, where the fire was never allowed to go out. Of all the Olympians, she is the mildest, most upright and most charitable.
Hestia is Zeus sister. She is a virgin goddess. She does not have a distinct personality. She plays no part in myths. She is the Goddess of the Hearth, the symbol of the house around which a newborn child is carried before it is received into the family. Each city had a public hearth sacred to Hestia, where the fire was never allowed to go out. Of all the Olympians, she is the mildest, most upright and most charitable.