Greek and Roman Gods and Goddesses

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Greek and RomanGods and Goddesses
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Creation

• Chaos
• Whirling mass from which the universe is created
• First Rulers
• Giants, Cyclops, Titans

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Cronus

• Titan God
• Married sister Rhea
• Warned one child destined to usurp power
• Prevention swallowed each child after birth
• 5 children Demeter, Hades, Hera, Poseidon,
  Hestia
• Sixth child Rhea tricked Cronus
• Zeus raised by divine goat

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Zeus

• King of the Gods
• Titanomochy
• Battle against Cronus
• Zeus and siblings
• Defeated Cronus with a thunderbolt
• Home on Mount Olympus
• Father of the Gods
• Promiscuous (100 kids)

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Hera

• Goddess of Marriage and Family
• Jealous wife of Zeus
• Preoccupied with Zeus infidelity

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Hestia

• Goddess of the Hearth
• Protectress of the home
• Eldest of the children of Cronus and Rhea
• Least significant of the Olympians
• First stay at home woman
• Symbol of Rome
• 6 vestal virgins protected temple in Rome

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Hades

• God of the Underworld
• Not one of the 12 Olympian Gods
• Ruled world with Zeus and Poseidon
• Name means invisible or unseen
• Referred to as Pluton the rich one
• Not evil or hellish kingdom that administers
  justice

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Demeter

• Goddess of Fertility
• Taught humans agriculture
• Central Greek myth
• Persephone
• Details the changing of the seasons

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Poseidon

• God of the Sea
• Shaker of Earth
• Depicted with a Trident and driving a chariot
• Most widely worshipped Greek God

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Second Generation Deities

• Dionysus
• God of wine and passion
• Male life-force
• (God of fertility)
• Artemis
• Goddess of the hunt
• Virgin Goddess
• Ares
• God of war (destructive sense)
• Thrived on bloodshed
• Not popular with Greeks, but thrived under Romans
  (militaristic)

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Second Generation Deities

• Hermes
• Messenger of the Gods
• Patron of travelers
• Escorts the dead in the journey to Hades
• Apollo
• God of light and music, poetry, art
• Leader of the 9 muses (provide inspiration for
  writers, artists, musicians)
• Muses (9)
• Bring inspiration to artists, writers, musicians,
  etc.

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Second Generation Deities

• Hephaestus
• God of smith and fire
• Dwarfish and disfigured
• Husband of Aphrodite
• Aphrodite
• Goddess of beauty and love
• Wife of Hephaestus
• Eros
• Son of Hephaestus and Aphrodite
• God of Carnal Desire

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Second Generation Deities

• Athena
• Goddess of war and wisdom
• Patron of Athens
• Patron of arts and crafts
• Born from Zeuss head
• Represents everything Greek culture idealizes
  (wisdom, intelligence, reason over unbridled
  love/passion)
• Parthenon Temple to the Virgin

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Parthenon
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Monsters/Creatures

• Cyclops
• Giant one-eyed monsters
• Born to Gaea and Uranus
• Three (Represent)
• thunder Brontes lightning Steropes lightning
  bolt - Arges
• Giants
• Came from Uranus blood
• Imprisoned after defeat by Gods
• Pegasus
• Winged horse

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Monsters/Creatures

• Cerberus
• 3 headed dog
• Snake tail heads coming from back
• Guards the gate of the Underworld
• Sirens (sisters)
• Lure sailors to their deaths
• Song is irresistible

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Creatures

• Gorgons
• Female monsters with snakes as hair
• Ugly
• If man looks at one he turns face to stone
• immortal
• Medusa
• Mortal
• Seduced by Poseidon
• Turned into a gorgon after offending Athena

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Heroes

• Hercules
• Father Zeus Mother Alcmene (mortal)
• Strong child
• 12 Labors of Herakles
• Punishment for wrongdoings by Apollo

• Jason
• Defeated uncle to regain kingdom of Thessaly
  after 20 year misrule
• Golden Fleece