Classical Literature The Gods Zeus-Artemis

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Zeus

• Roman name is Jupiter
• Lord of the Sky, Rain-god, Cloud gatherer
• wielded the thunderbolt
• divided the universe with his brothers
• not omnipotent or omniscient
• Poseidon and Hera duped him in the Iliad
• fell in love with one woman after another
• descending to all matter of tricks to hide his infidelity from his wife
• When his worship spread to a town where there was already a divine ruler the two were slowly fused into one
• His breastplate was the aegis
• His bird was the eagle
• His tree the oak
• His oracle was Dodona in the land of oak trees
• The god's will was revealed by the rustling of the oak leaves which the priests interpreted

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Hera

• Roman name is Juno
• Zeus's wife and sister
• protector of marriage
• very little that is attractive in the portrait poets draw of her
• She is shown chiefly engaged in punishing the many women Zeus fell in love with
• She never forgets an injury
• The wrong of her slighted beauty remained with her until Troy fell in ruins
• The cow and peacock were sacred to her
• Argos was her favourite city

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Poseidon

• Roman name is Neptune
• Ruler of the sea
• Zeus's brother and second only to him in eminence
• God of the Sea
• His wife was Amphitrite
• Unfaithful to Amphirite
• Poseidon had a splendid palace beneath the sea, but he was most often found in Olympus
• He gave the first horse to man
• Storm and calm were under his control
• Commonly called "Earth-shaker"
• Always shown carrying hid trident, a three-pronged spear, with which he would shake and shatter whatever he pleased
• Connection with bulls

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Hades

• Roman name is Pluto
• He was the third brother among the Olympians
• Rules over the dead
• God of Wealth, of the precious metals hidden in the earth
• He had a far-famed cap or helmet which made whoever wore it invisible
• He was not a welcome visitor in Olympus
• He was unpitying, inexorable, but just ; a terrible, not an evil god
• His wife was Persephone
• He was King of the Dead - not death himself Thanatos (Greek) /Orcus (Roman) was
• Had a 3 headed dog called Cerberus that guarded gates of the Underworld

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Pallas Athena

• Roman name is Minerva
• She was the daughter of Zeus alone
• She is warlike only to defend the State and the home from outside enemies
• Goddess of the City
• Protector of civilized life, of handicrafts and agriculture
• the inventor of the bridle, who first tamed horses for men to use
• Inventor of weaving
• Zeus's favourite child
• She was trusted to carry the awful aegis, buckler, and his devastating weapon the thunderbolt
• described as "gray-eyed" or "flashing-eyed"
• Chief of the three virgin goddesses and was called the Maiden
• Her temple is the Parthenon
• Embodiment of wisdom, reason, purity
• Athens was her special city
• The olive created by her was her tree
• The owl was her bird

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Phoebus Apollo

• Son of Zeus
• Called the most Greek of all the gods
• Master musician who delights Olympus as he plays on his golden lyre
• Lord of the silver bow, Archer-god, far-shooting, the Healer
• He first taught men the healing art
• God of Light
• God of Truth
• Delphi is his temple
• Motto is "all things in moderation"
• Sun-god
• He was a direct link between gods and men
• Two ideas were fighting in him as in all the gods
• The laurel was his tree
• Dolphin and crow were sacred to him
• Invented boxing, gymnastics, and the alphabet

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Artemis

• Roman name is Diana
• Apollo's twin sister
• Daughter of Zeus
• One of the three maiden goddesses of Olympus
• Lady of Wild Things
• Huntsman-in-chief to the gods
• Protectress of dewy youth
• She was the Moon
• The cypress was sacred to her
• Wild animals especially the deer were sacred to her

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