Edith Hamilton’s Mythology

The Twelve Olympians

The Twelve Olympians
Greek/Roman Names
Zeus/Jupiter
Poseidon/Neptune
Hera/Juno
Hades/Dis
Hestia/Vesta
Ares/Mars
Athena/Minerva
Hermes/Mercury
Apollo/Phoebus Apollo
Artemis/Diana
Hephaestus/Vulcan
Aphrodite/Venus
 Zeus/Jupiter
God of Gods

• Eagle, thunderbolts
• Son of Cronus and Rhea; brother of Hades+Poseidon
• Wrathful, lustful, not “all-knowing”
• Married to Hera, ungodly marital behavior
• Many children mostly out of wedlock
Poseidon/Neptune
God of the Sea
• Trident
• Brother of
Zeus+Hades
• Powerful, secretive
• Son of Cronus &
Rhea
• Vengeful, usually
argumentative with
other gods
 Hades/Dis
God of the Underworld
• dark bearded, crown,
scepter, key, helmet
of invisibility, chariot
• Rarely worshipped
• Son of Cronus &
Rhea; brother of
Zeus+Poseidon (drew
the short straw)
• Cerberus
 Hera/Juno
Goddess of Marriage
Protector of Married Women
• Peacock, cow, pomegranate
• Powerful, bold, jealous
• Daughter of Cronus & Rhea
• Wife and sister of Zeus
• Avenged infidelity often
 Hestia/Vesta
Goddess of Home and Hearth

• Hearth fire
• Good-natured, loving
• Does not appear in myths at all…symbolic herself
• Daughter of Cronus & Rhea
• Seven Vestal Virgins oversee her fire
 Ares/Mars
God of War

• Spear, vulture, dog •4 horses: Terror,

• Boastful, loud, cruel Fire, Flame, Trouble
• Son of Zeus and Hera •Relatives:
Deimos(fear),
• Terrorized mortals
Phobos(terror),
Eris(discord)
 Athena/Minerva
Goddess of the City, Wisdom, Handicrafts,
War & Agriculture
• Owl, olive
• Wise, even-tempered,
fierce in battle
• Daughter of Zeus &
Metis
• Sprung from Zeus’
skull fully armed
 Hermes/Mercury
God of Travelers, Thieves & Shepherds

• Winged sandals and hat, caduceus

• Witty, happy, clever, friendly, helpful
• Son of Zeus & Maia
• Chief messenger, not the most honest god
 Apollo
God of Light & Purity
• Mouse, sun dial, lyre
• Cheerful, sometimes jealous
• Son of Zeus and Leto
• Perpetually young, handsome, wise
• Teaches moderation
 Artemis/Diana
Goddess of the Hunt & Moon
• Cypress tree, wild
animals, deer
• Aloof, majestic,
nature-loving, quick to
anger, athletic
• Daughter of Zeus &
Leto
• Twin of Apollo
• Skilled archer, lived
among virgin nymphs
Hephaestus/Vulcan
God of Fire & Forge
• Fire, quail
• Modest, helpful,
prone to laughter
• Son of Zeus & Hera
• Ugly and lame
• Helped by Cyclopes
in underground forges
• Taught men to use
fire
 Aphrodite/Venus
Goddess of Love

• Dove, rose, apple

• Seductive, irresistible, sometimes treacherous
• The foam-risen goddess
• Hephaestus won her hand, not heart, she’s in
love with Ares
• Led Paris to Helen
 The Myths
God Teachers, Quests, Cycles,
Metamorphoses, Losses of
Innocence, Creation
Prometheus
pro ME thee us

• Kind, clever, long-

suffering
• An original Titan
• Benefactor of
Mankind
• stole fire from Zeus
and gave it to the
primitive mortals
• Punished for
thousands of years
 Demeter and Persephone

• Demeter goddess of
Agriculture
• Loving but moody
• Daughter Persephone
kidnapped by Hades
• Neglect of the Earth
• Pomegranate seeds
• Spring vs. Winter
Dionysus
dy o NY sis

• God of the Vine

• Grapes, panther, goat,
dolphin
• Joyful, pleasure-loving,
dangerous when opposed
• Son of Zeus & Semele
• Turned kidnapping sailors
into dolphins
• Bacchantes ecstasy
dancing
 Cupid and Psyche
CUE pid and SY key
• Cupid (Eros) Archer of
Love
• Psyche Greek Heroine
• Punished for challenging
Aphrodite (Eros’ mother)
• Accidental love
• Jealous sisters urge
disobedience
• Oil drip wakes Eros
• Vengeful tasks of
Aphrodite
• Forgiveness and
marriage
Athena and Arachne
a THEE nah and a RAK nee

• Athena challenged
Arachne
• Arachne’s weaving
was better
• She hung herself after
being beaten
• Athena turned her
into a spider
 Pygmalion and Galatea
pig MAIL yon and gal ah TAY ah

• King of Cyprus
• Sculpted a woman
• Prayed to Aphrodite
• Live statue
• Love and marriage
Apollo and Daphne
ah PAWL oh and DAF nee

• Apollo taunted Eros

• One arrow of gold
one of lead
• Pursuit and plea for
help
• Laurel tree
transformation
• Vow of fidelity
Phaeton
FAY tohn

• Childish son of Apollo

(Helios)
• Proof of parentage
• Wish granted to fly
the chariot
• Out of control flight
• Zeus puts an end to it
 Pyramus and Thisbe
PEER ah muss and THIZ bee

• Fairest and Handsomest

in Babylonia
• Forbidden love
• Plan to meet at Tomb of
Ninus
• Thisbe’s cape soiled with
blood by a lioness
• Pyramus stabbed himself
over her assumed death
• Thisbe returned to him
and stabbed herself also
Icarus and Daedalus
ICK ar uss and DAY dah luss
• Jealous of his nephew
Talus, killed him and
moved to Crete
• King Minos’ wife fell in
love and had a child with
a bull (Minotaur)
• Daedalus built the
labyrinth and a way to
escape
• Warnings of high and low
flying to Icarus
• Melting wax, falling Icarus
 Narcissus
nar SISS uss
• Hera’s sentence of silence for Echo the nymph
• Narcissus is vain, Echo loved him
• “Is anyone here?” “Here, here!”
• Echo ignored by Narcissus faded to only a voice
• Finally saw himself and died looking at it
 Baucis and Philemon
BA kiss and FILL ah min

• Zeus & son Hermes

• Test of Hospitality
• Ever-full wine bowl
• Flood
• Hut to Temple
• Oak and Linden trees
Pyrrah and Deucalion
PEER ah and doo CAL yon
• The Greek Noah, son of
Prometheus (who warned
him)
• Zeus floods Earth
• Ran aground on
Parnassus
• Loneliness in a cave
(Delphi Oracle)
• “Throw the bones of your
mother over your
shoulders.”
• Rocks turn to people
• Parents of Pandora
 Jason
JAY son

• Jason sent away to avoid

death by uncle
• Bargain for thrown with uncle
(golden fleece)
• Argonauts set out
• Bargains with Medea’s father
• Plowed the fields of the fire
breathing bull, attained fleece,
and distracted Medea’s father
with her help.
• Married Medea, later grew
tired of her and she killed their
children
 Theseus
THEE see us

• Aegeus buried sandals

and sword under heavy
rock
• Theseus lifted it at 16 yrs.
• Slayed the Minotaur
(labyrinth) for Minos
• Ariadne loved Theseus
and asked Daedalus for
help (thread idea)
• Returning to Aegeus,
wrong sails displayed
 Hercules
HER cue leez

• Hearty, good-natured,
prone to rages
• 12 Labors
• Nemean Lion, Hydra,
Thrace’s flesh-eating
horses, Cerebrus, etc
• Made a god upon his
death
Perseus
PER see uss
• King Acresias and Danae
• Polydectes loved Danae,
Perseus protects by offering
Medusa’s head
• Athena’s shield, nymph’s
invisibility helmet, winged
sandals, and magic pouch,
Hermes’ knife
• He succeeds
• Pegasus born
• Saved Andromeda, froze her
family for deceit
• Also froze Polydectes for
hassling Danae