Zeus
Zeus overthew his father Kronus. He then drew straws with his brothers Poseidon and Hades. Zeus won the draw and became the king of the gods. He is lord of the sky, the rain and thunder god. His weapon is a thunderbolt which he hurls at those who displease him. He is married to Hera and had many children that include Ares, Eris (see Minor
Gods), Hebe (see Minor Gods), Hephaestus.
Hera
Hera is Zeus wife and sister. Hera's marriage was founded in strife with Zeus and continued in strife. Zeus courted her unsuccesfully. 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 suprise he gained, raped her. She then married him to cover her shame. Once when Zeus was being partcularly 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 arguements. Still full of gratitude to Zeus, Briareus slipped in and was able to quickly untie the many knots. Zeus sprang from the couch and grapped up his thuderbolt. The gods fell to their knees begging and pleading for mercy. He seized Hera and hung her from the sky with chains. She wept in pain all night but, none of the others dared to help her. 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 rebeled, she often intrigued against Zeus's plans and she was often able to trick him.
Poseidon
When he drew straws with Zeus and Hades, another brother, for shares of the world, his
prize was to become lord of the sea. He was worshiped by saliors. He married
Amphitrite, a granddaughter of Oceanus. At one point he desired Demeter.
Demeter asked him to make the most beautiful animal that the world had ever seen.
Poseidon created the first horse, but in his first attempts he created other animals of the
Earth. His weapon is a trident, which can shake the earth, and shatter any object. He is
second only to Zeus in power amongst the gods. He is a difficult quarrelsome person. He
is also greedy. He had a series of disputes with other gods when he tried to take over their
cities.
Hades
Hades is the brother of Zeus and Poseidon. When the male gods drew for power he had
the worst draw and was made lord of the underworld, ruling over the dead. He is a greedy
god who is greatly concerned with increasing his subjects. Those whose calling increase
the number of dead are seen favorably. The Erinnyes are welcomed guests. He is
exceedingly disinclined to allow any of his subjects leave. He is also the god of wealth,
due to the precious metals mined from the earth. He has a helmet that makes him
invisable. He rarely leaves the underworld. He is unpitying and terrible, but not
capricious. His wife is Persephone whom Hades stole from her mother Demeter. He is
the King of the dead but, death itself is another god, Thanatos.
Hestia
Hestia is the Goddess of the Hearth, the symbol of the house around which a new born
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. The women that kept the fire going
where the vestal virgins. It was a great honor for a young girl to become a vestal virgin.
Hestia is rearly mentioned in myths.
Demeter
Demeter is the godess of grain, and the harvest. It is Demeter that makes the crops grow
each year. Demeter is associated with the seasons. Her daughter Persephone (see minor
gods) was abducted by Hades to be his wife in the underworld. In her anger at her
daughter's loss Demeter laid a curse on the world that caused plants to wither and die, the
land became desolate. Zeus sought Persephone's return. However, because she had eaten
while in the underworld Hades had a claim on her. Therefore, it was decreed that
Persephone would spend six months each year in the underwold. During these months
Demeter greves her daughters absence, and withdraws her gifts from the world, creating
late fall, early spring, and all of winter.
Aphrodite
Aphrodite is the goddess of love, desire and beauty. She is the wife of Hephaestus. She
was born when Kronus (see Titans) castrated Uranus (see Titans) and tossed his genitles
into the sea. Aphrodite then arose from the sea foam on a giant clam shell and walked to
shore in Cyprus then Zeus brought her to Olympus. The myrtle is her tree. The dove, the
swan, and the sparrow her birds.
