GodsofOl

ympus

TheTwel v eOl ympi ans ,al sok nownast he

Dodek at heon,i nGr eekmy thology ,wer et he
principal godsoft heGr eekpant heon,r es idi
ng
atopMountOl ympus .Thef irstanc ient
referenc eofr eli
giousc eremoni esf orthem i s
f
oundi nt heHomer i
cHy mnt oHer mes .The
classical sc hemeoft heTwel veOl ympi ans
compr i
s est hef oll
owi nggods :Zeus ,Her a,
Pos eidon,At hena,Ar es ,Demet er,Apol lo,
Artemi s ,Hephaes tus ,Aphr odite,Her mesand
Diony s us .
TheTwel v eOl ympi ansgai nedt heir
supremac yi nt hewor l
dofgodsaf t
erZeusl ed
hiss i
bl i
ngst ov i
ctoryi nwarwi tht heTi tans .
Zeus ,Her a,Pos ei
don,Demet er,Hes tia,and
Hadeswer es ibli
ngs .Ar es ,Her mes ,
Hephaes t
us ,Aphr odi te,At hena,Apol lo,
Artemi s ,theChar i
tes ,Her ac l
es ,Di ony sus ,
Hebe,andPer sephonewer ec hildrenofZeus .
Althoughs omev ersionsoft hemy thss tate
t
hatHephaes tuswasbor nofHer aal one,and
t
hatAphr odi tewasbor nofOur anos .
Thisi sac ompr ahens ivel ookatt heGr eek
Pant heoni nt heD&Dwor ld.Int hef ol
lowi ng
pages ,thegodwi llbedet ailedi nt heir
domai ns ,thei rwor shiper s,andt heirs tats .

1
Zeus
Good
Domains:Sky,Ai
r,St
orms,
Fat e,Nobi li
ty.
Theki ngoft hegods.As
ruleroft hepant heon,Zeusi si n
cont rolofevent si ntheuni verse.
Hi schur cht eachest hatnot hing
happensanywher ewi t
houtZeus’ s
consent .Ever ybl essi ngorcur set hatf alls
onmor talheadshappensbyt hewi l
lof“ the
gods, ”whi chpr imar i
lymeansZeus,t hought he
otherOl ympi andei ti
esof t
encont esthi s
deci sions.Zeusi srat herficklei nhi s
admi nist rat ionofj usticeint heuni ver se,he
playsf avor i
tes,andhi sfavorit
eschangeona
whi m.However ,Zeuscar esformor tall i
fe,much
l
ikear at herdi st antfat hercar esf orhi schi l
dr en.
Heal mostneversendsdest r
uct ionwi thout
somecause,r ealori magi ned.Themor tallot,
Zeus’ scl er gyt eaches,i ssi mpl yt oaccept
what everZeussendst heirway ,f orgoodori ll.
Dogma
Zeusi smar riedt oHer a,buthi samor ousen-
count erswi thot herwomen( bot hdi vineand
mor t
al )ar ei nf amous.Hei sthef at herofa
tremendousnumberofdei ti
esandexcept i
onal
mor t
al s,i ncl udi ngt hedei t
iesAr es,Hephaest us,
Ar temi s,Di onysus,Her mes,andAt hena,al arge
numberofl esserdi viniti
es( suchast hemuses
andt hegr aces) ,andal argenumberofmor t
als,
mostoft hem advent urersofher oicst ature.
Cl er gyandTempl es
Zeus’ scl er icsenj oyaposi tionofpr est i
ge
amongt hecl ergyoft heOl ympi andei ti
es.As
Zeusi ski ngoft hegods,soar et heyr uler s
amongcl er ics.NoOl umpi ancl ericscar emuch
forchur chhi er archy ,butwhenyourpat r
oni sthe
headoft hepant heon,yout endt ogetal i
tt
le
mor er espect .
Zeus’ scl er icswearwhi tetuni cs,andl ead
mont hlysacr af icesi nhi sgr andt empl es.Hi s
templ esar ef oundi never yset tlementwher et he
Ol ympi
smal l
ansar
estt
ewor
ownboastgr
shiped,andevent
andandi mpr
he
essive
2
struct urest ohonort heki ngoft hegods.
Posi
den
Neut
ral
Domains:Sea,Ri
ver
s,
Earthquak es .
Pos iden,godoft hes ea,
requiresl i
tt
lef rom hi s
f
ol l
ower sbey onds ac rafices .
Hisc ler i
css ac raf i
c eabul l totheirpat ron( by
t
hr owi ngi tintot hes ea)atl eas tonc eamont h,
andPos idenr emai nsr elativelypl ac id.
Dogma
Sailorsandc oas tal dwel lersmus tbes ur enot
t
oangert histemper ment al deit
y.Pos eidonhas
beenk nownt of lat t
enc oas talcit
ieswi thtidal
wav esorear thquak eswhent heydi spleas ehi m.
Theher oOdy s s euswasc ondemnedt ot enl ong
yearsofwander i
ngbec aus ehebl i
ndedonof
Pos eidon’ sc hildr en,t hec yc l
opsPol yphemos .
Pos eidonr epr es ent sal l thebount yandt he
dangeroft hes ea,br i
ngi ngf ort
hl i
fe( hei ss aidt o
hav ec r
eat edbot hhor sesandc attle)andt ak ingi t
away .
Cl ergyandTempl es
Pos eidon’ sc ler i
c shav et heweal thydut yof
stavingof fthedei t
y ’
sv olat i
leanger .Theyof fer
sac r
af i
c es,pr ayhi sbl es singsonboat sand
ships ,andac companys ailorsont hei rv oy ages .
Theyar eamongt hemos twel l-
trav eledc ler i
c sof
t
hepant heon,andar eus ual l
ynotaf f
ili
atedwi tha
spec if
ict empl ef orlong.
Pos eidon’ st empl ear eal waysl oc at edwi thin
sightoft hes ea,of t
enonpr omont or ies ,seas ide
cli
ffs,ori slands .Theyar eus uall
yopent ot hes ea
air.

3
Hades
Evi
l
Domai
ns:Deat
h,Under
wor
ld,
Weal th.
Hades,t hegodofdeat hand
weal th.Hadesi soneoft he
12Ol ympi ondei ties,but
unli
kehi sfell
owsi nt he
pant heon,hedoesnot
residei nOl ympus.He
makeshi shomei nt he
Stygi andar knessoft he
under wor l
d.Hei smar riedt o
Persephone,daught erofDemet er,butshe
resideswi thhi m onl ydur i
ngt hewi ntermont hs.
Dogma
Unl i
kesomedei ties
whosepor t
foli
oi ncl udesdeat h,Hadesi snot
particular l
ymal i
ci ousorhat efultowar dst he
mor talswhosesoul scomet ohi sr ealm.Deat h,
het eaches,i st hel otofal lmor t
als,thethi ngs
t
hatset sthem apar tf rom dei t
ies,andi tmustbe
accept edeveni fbr ingsgr ief.
Cler gyandTempl es
Hades’ sclericst endt oshar etheirpat ron’s
dour ,gl oomydemeanor .Dr essedi nbl ack,t hey
off
iciat eatf uner alsandannualr i
tesi nhonorof
depar t
edancest or s.I ncont rasttomost
Olympi anf estivals,t hesear esol emnaf fairs.
Templ est oHadesar eusual l
ybuilt
under ground,i ncaves,oratl eastsunkenso
t
hei rfloor sar ebel owgr oundl evel.Theyt endt o
bedar kandwi ndowl ess,cr eatingan
atmoshper eofgl oom r emi niscentoft he
under wor l
d’sdar kness.

4
 Les
serGods

Aphr
odi
te
Neut
ral
Domains:Love,Lust
,
Beaut y.
Thedei tyofr omant icl ov e,
sex ual des ire,andphy s i
c al
beaut y,Aphr odi teembodi est hos ei deals .
Truet ohernat ur e,Aphr odi ehasnotonl yi nspir
ed
otherdei ti
est oac tsofpas sion,buthasi ndul ged
i
ns ev er alaf fairsofherown.Shei smar ri
edt o
Hephaes tus ,buthasbor nes ixc hil
drent oAr es,
onet oHer mes ,t wot oPos eidon,onet o
Diony sus ,andatl eas tonet oamor talman,t he
TrojanAnc his es .
Dogma
Whi leherc ons t
antl ov erAr esr epres entst he
des truc ti
v es ideofc haos ,Aphr oditeembodi es
t
hej oyofpas sion,f reedom,andwhi ms y.Her
brandofpas s ionc reat esr athert handes tr
oy s
l
ife,ands hec el ebrat est hebeaut yofl i
fei nal l
f
or ms .Laught er -l
ov ingAphr odi t
eur gesher
f
ol l
ower st ot ak ewhat ev erpl eas urec anbe
ex t
rac tedf rom l ifewi t
houtal lowi ngs ocial
stri
ctur est os quel cht hei rfreedom. ,thei r
creat i
v i
ty ,ort hei rpas s ion.Thr oughs hepr omot es
t
hei deal sofgood,s hedoesnotdemandt hat
any onet akeupar mst opr omot ei t.Thoughher
onac tionshav epr ov ok edgr eatc onfli
cts,
Aphr odi tewoul dpr ef ert os eemor t
alsmak elove
rathert hanwar .
Cl er gyandTempl es
Aphr odite’sc lericsar emat chmak er s
,
dispens er sofadv icet ot hel ov el orn,andgener al
meddl er si not herpeopl e’sper s onal bus ines s.
Aphr odi te’st empl esar ebeaut i
ful l
ydec or ated
withf inear tandpr ev iousi mpl ement s.Theyar e
us uallyf oundonl yi nc i
ties ,thoughAphr odite
her self,asoneoft he12Ol ympi ans ,isr ev eared
wher ev ert her es toft hepant heoni swor s hiped.

5
Apol
lo
Good
Domains:Li
ght
,Pr
ophecy
,
Musi c,Heal i
ng.
Thegodofmusi c,li
ght,and
heal i
ng,Apol l
o.I twasApol lo
whof i
r stt aughtt hepeopl et he
heal i
ngar t.Whi l
egener all
y
benevol entandhel pful,hecanbe
trulyt er ri
bl ewhenangr y,oftenl oosi ngar rows
thatvi sitdi seaseanddeat hont ar getst hey
strike.Hei squi tevai nabouthi smusi cal
pr owess.
Dogma
Apol loi sat oler antgodwhoi si nterestedi n
heal i
ngwoundsandai l
ment soft hespi r
itaswel l
ast hebody .Hepr echespeace,f orgiveness,
andj ust iceoverr evenge.Heur geshi sfollower s
tomakepeacewher etheycanandt ohel p
thosewhohavest rayedat onef ort heir
mi sdeeds.Hedoesnott oleratewi ll
fulact sof
evi l
,however ,andhasnopat i
encewi th
unr epent antcr imi nal s.Hehasaver ylow
opi nionoft hi
evesandt hosewhomaket heir
l
ivingsdi shonest l
y .
Apol lour geshi sf ell
owst obebol dand
relent lesswhenf aci ngevi l
,butal sot o
remembert ohavecompassi onf ort hevi cti
msof
evi landt ot aket imet oappr eciatet hef iner
thingsi nl ife,especi all
ymusi c.
Cl er gyandTempl es
Apol lo’scl ericsof tenweargol denoryel l
ow
gar b.Theyser veasadvi sors,teacher s,
dipl omat s,andheal ers.Theypr eferapeacf ul
role,medi at i
ngdi sput esandmaki ngt hei njured
whol ewhent heycan.Theyar enotaf raidto
takeupar mswhennecessar y,however ,and
gladl ymaket heirpoi ntsont hebat t
lefi
eldi fthey
cannotdosoi nt hecounci lchamber .
Apol lo’st empl esar eusual lylacedi nsunny
spot sornearcavesorhotspr ings.I naddi t
iont o
hospi talsf ort hesi ck.Apol lo’stempl esusual ly
alsoi ncl udedi vinat ionchamber swher ehi s
cler i
csdi vi net hef uture.

6
Ar
es
Chaot
icEvil
Domains:War
,Ki
l
li
ng,
Des t
ruction.
Thegodofwar ,Ares .
Aresi st heper s oni f
i
c ation
oft hes av ages ideofwar .He
i
sf ondofs trif
e,anger ,and
unr es trainedbl oodl etting.He
alsoi sj eal ous ,unt rus twor thy,andeas i
l
y
offended.Ass uc h,hei snotav erypopul argod
amongmor talsoramongt heot hergods .Hei s
t
hes onofZeusandHer a,bot hofwhom det est
him.Ar esi st heac hfoeofAt hena,hi shal fs i
s t
er
andf ellowgodofwar .
Dogma
Ar est eac hest hatthewor ldisac ruel and
t
er riblepl ac ewher eonl yt hes tronghav ear i
ght
t
ohappi nes s .Hei nstruc tshi sfoll
ower stoans wer
ever yi ns ult,liewhennec es sary,andc ov etwhat
i
snott hei r
s .Al lthes eac ts,s aysAr es ,canl ead
onei ntot hej oyofbat tl
e.
Cl er gyandTempl es
Ar es ’
sc l
er icspr eferc ri
ms ongar banddo
what ev ertheyc ant opr omot es tr
ifeandopen
war far e.Manys er veasgener alsormi li
tary
adv isor st oaggr es siver uler s.St i
l
l ot hersl ead
bandsofbl oodt hirst
yr aider sthatt err ori
zet he
count ryside.Whennotac tual l
yf i
ght ingor
plotting,t heyt raini nthear tsofwar .Manyc leri
cs
ofAr esar ec l
eric /
fi
ght ersorc l
eric/
bar barians .
Ar es ’
sc l
er icsoppos ec lericsofAt hena
wher ev erandwhenev ert heyc an.Wher ev erthe
t
wos ec t
smeet ,bl oodi ss uret oflow.
Templ est oAr esar er ar e.Theyar eus ual l
y
f
or biddi ngf ortr
es sesbui l
tt ointi
mi dat ec i
v i
li
ans
ands erveasbas esforr aidingorot hermi l
itary
actions .

7
At
hena
Lawf
ulGood
Domains:Wi
sdom,cr
aft
s,
Civilizat ion,War .
Thedei tyofnobl ecombat ,
skill
edcr aftwor k,pr idence,andci ti
es,
Athena.At henai st hedaught erofZeusal one,
becausenomot herbor eher .Oneday ,Zeus
devel opedat er ri
bl eheadache.Tor el i
evei t
,
Hephaest ususedhi saxet ospl itopent he
mi ghtygod’ shead.Outspr angAt hena,f ull
l
grownandf ullyar medandar mor ed.
Athenawast hef irstt ot eachmor tal smanyof
theci vil
izedar ts.Shei scr editedwi thi nvent ing
weavi ng,t hepot ter ’swheel ,t hehor sebr idl
e,
andmanyot hercr afts.Sheal socr eat edt he
olivetreeasagi ftt omor tals.Shei st he
protect orofweaver s,and,al ongwi th
Hephaest us,t hepat ronofhandi wor kandal lthe
artsthatmakeci vi l
izat ionpossi ble.
Athenai swar like,butonl yi ndef enseof
thingsshebel ievesar ewor thpr otecting,such
asci ti
es,t owns,andpl antedf ields.She
opposest hedest ruct iver ampagesofherhal f
brother ,Ar es,wheneverandhowevershecan.
Dogma
Athenaexpect sherf ol l
ower st ouphol dt he
highesti deal sofwi sdom,r eason,andpur it
y .
Sheexpect sherf ollower st of ightindef enseof
homeandst ateagai nstout isdeenemi es,andt o
beski lledi nt hear tsofpeaceaswel laswar .
Cl ergyandTempl es
ClericsofAt henaf ightagai nstwor shiper sof
Ar eswhenevert heycanandspendt her estof
theirtimepr ot ectingci vili
zedl andsf rom out side
threats.At hena’ scl ericsar eal waysact i
vei n
civiclif
e,ser vingasj udges,advi sors,pl anner s,
andt eacher s.Herchur chi sagr eatpat ronof
thear ts,sponsor ingbot hpubl icwor ksand
i
ndi vi
dualpai nter s,scul ptors,andar chi techs.
Templ est oAt henaar eal waysst atelyand
pleasentt ol ookat .Inl essset tledar easwher e
monst ersandr aider sar eat hr eat,At hena’ s
templ est endt obef or t
ified,butt heyar est i
llbuil
t
tobeest hetical l
ypl easi ng.

8
Her
mes
Unal
igned
Domains:Tr
avel
,Tr
ade,
Thef t
,Gambl ing,
Runni ng.
Thedei t
yoft rav eler s,
mer chant s,thi ev es,gambl ers,
athletesandel egants peak ers,
Her mes .Hei sper hapst he
shrewdes tandmos tc unni ngofal ltheOl ympi an
deiti
es .Hebaganhi sc areerasat hiefbef orehe
wasadayol dbys teal i
ngaher dofc at t
lefrom
Apol l
o( whor et ainsdi stastefort hiv est othis
day ).
Dogma
Her mesv aluesf airpl ay,s omuc ht hatheof ten
settl
esdi sputesamongt heOl ympi ans .Whi l
ehe
valuest hewi tanddar ingr equi r
edt oac mpl i
sha
dif
fi
c ulttheft,hef rownsupont hosewhowoul d
st
eal f
rom any onewhoc annotaf for dt helos s .He
urgeshi sfollower st obedependabl eandpr ompt ,
buthedes pis est edi ous nes sands mi leswhen
somet hingunex pec tedups et
st hepr edic t
abl e.
Her mesanhor si dl
enes s.Ifonec annotdo
any t
hingus ef ul,Her mess ays,thepr opert hi
ngt o
doi strav elandhav enewex per i
anc es .
Cler gyandTempl es
Her mes ’sc lericss eldom s its t
il
l.They ’r
e
alway sbus ywi t
hs omet hing,oroutt ravelingt he
wor l
d.Theyar ef oundi nawi dev ar i
etyofoc c u-
pations ,serv i
ngasdi plomat s,judges ,trans l
at ors,
money changer s,s urv eyors ,andex ploerers .
Way s i
des hrinest oHer mesar ec ommon,but
t
empl esdedi cat edt oHer mesar ef airl
yr are.