Who are these Olympians?

Who are these Olympians?

 The dispute between Zeus and Kronos shook the Earth and the heavens.  After the war was won, a new generation took over the administration: the Olympians.  These are gods and goddesses known for their heroism throughout classical mythology.  The reign of the Olympians brought balance and stability to the universe, and their rule was far from boring.  These gods and goddesses had strong personalities and were governed by strong emotions.  Now you will meet the mighty Olympians.

 Main Six Olympians

 After Kronos was defeated by his own children, he lost his strength.  With the defeat of Kronos, the conflict within the family ended.  The children of Kronos united and shared their kingdom among them.  However, they needed a leader and unanimously elected Zeus.  In the following titles you will get to know the six main Olympian gods and goddesses.

 Brothers

 (Zeus)

 Zeus drew the heavens in the draw, which made him the lord of both the gods and the sky.  Depictions of Zeus show him wearing a helmet, holding one of his lightning bolts, and protected by aegis (chest armor or shield).  He usually has an eagle as his servant, symbolizing his power.

 After the fall of Kronos, his three sons - Zeus, Poseidon and Hades, divided their domains into three.  They made lots for this.  The three shared domains of domination were the heavens, seas, and the realm of the dead.  (Mount Olympus would remain the land of all gods, no gods would rule here.)

 (Poseidon)

 Poseidon drew the seas as his domain of domination.  In myths, Poseidon appears as a cruel god, often associated with savage sea storms and earthquakes.  In his depictions, he is seen as tall, with a long beard, holding the trident spear made by the Kyklops in the war against Kronos.  He is also portrayed with seashells and various sea creatures.  Poseidon was also associated with horses;  Ancient people dreamed that there were rearing horses in strong waves beating the shore.

 According to some myths, Poseidon created or tamed the horses.  It was said that he gave horses as a gift to those whom he considered privileged, and that the magnificent chariot was pulled by horses or giant creatures like horses.

 (Hades)

 The third brother, Hades, drew the Underworld, the realm of the dead, from the draw.  Just as the Greek Underworld was not the same as the Christian concept of hell, nor was Hades evil or demonic.  In Greek mythology, Hades appears as a character who loves solitude and is not interested in the world of the living.  In his depictions, he usually holds a key indicating the position of the god that holds the dead locked in a place separate from the world of the living.  Like Poseidon, Hades has been associated with horses;  some myths say that the horses were created not by Poseidon, but by Hades.

 Sisters

 Zeus' sisters did not participate in the lottery, but they also had their own power.  The lands ruled by Hera, Hestia, and Demeter were indispensable to an ordered universe.

 (Hera)

 Hera was the eldest of the Greek goddesses.  As Zeus' sister and wife, she was also the queen of the heavens.  Hera, who was jealous and vengeful, had a quick temper and a frightening ambition.  She was the guardian of spouses, advocate of marriage and goddess of birth.  His depictions emphasized his royal stature: he looked tall and majestic, and carried a royal scepter in his hand.  The bird accompanying him was a peacock.

 (Hestia)

 Hestia, the goddess of the family hearth and home, does not appear in many of the myths that have survived until today.  However, in Antiquity, every household is thought to have considered it sacred and worshiped it.  Hestia was associated with virginity.

 (Demeter)

 Demeter's name means "Mother Earth".  However, it should not be confused with Gaia.  Gaia was the land itself.  Demeter, his grandson, had control over land crops, fertility and agriculture.  Demeter loved being close to the land.  Although his sister Hestia never left Mount Olympus, Demeter rarely stayed there and spent most of his time on Earth, above the ground.  Demeter is usually depicted sitting, and in his depictions he holds a torch or a bundle of crops.  Its bird is a crane and its animal is a snake.

 Other Olympians

 The original Olympians were these six gods and goddesses, but they were only half the story.  There were twelve great Olympians in total, each playing an important role in keeping the order of the universe.  In this section, you will get to know the other six.

 (Ares)

 Ares, the god of war, lived to fight and shed blood, and he greatly enjoyed the struggle of people with each other.  Ares is mentioned in many poems and myths.  He was worshiped in Sparta, especially before every war.  Depictions of Ares show him wearing an armor and a helmet and carrying a spear, sword and shield in his hand.  The animals it has been identified with are dogs and vulture.  Although Ares was the god of war, he was not always victorious.  In fact, he had been defeated in many battles throughout the myths.

 (Athena)

 Athena, the goddess of wisdom, was equally revered by mortals and immortals.  He was also the goddess of war, crafts, and talent.  However, unlike Ares, Athena was not bloodthirsty.  He would have preferred peace over war.  Still, he proved to be a unique strategist who dominated the battlefield every time he went into battle.  Athena is often depicted wearing armor, a helmet, and aegis.  He carries a spear and a shield in his hand.  He is identified with the owl, the symbol of wisdom, and is often depicted with an owl on his shoulder.

 What is an Aegis?

 It is said that the aegis, the shield or breastplate of Athena, was built by Hephaistos, the iron master of Mount Olympus.  Hephaistos added the severed head of the Gorgon Medusa to the aegis.  Because Medusa's frightening gaze turns people into stone, aegis has become an effective weapon that paralyzes enemies out of fear.  The word Aegis has also entered modern-day English;  Means "protection" or "support".

 (Artemis)

 Since Artemis was the goddess of the hunt, she did not show much interest in anything other than the thrill of following the hunt.  He roamed the mountains with a Nympha gang and hunted animals (and sometimes men).  Although hunting was his primary business, Artemis was also the guardian of children, wild animals and the weak.  According to legend, his arrows could kill in an instant, without causing pain.  Still, you wouldn't want to see its reverse.  From time to time, Artemis could also be a goddess of hatred and revenge.

 In his depictions, Artemis is often depicted carrying his favorite weapon: the arrow and the bow.  Some myths depict her as a girl - a virgin of infinite youth - who is as wild as the animals she both hunted and protected.  Since all wild animals fall under his dominion, he is not specifically identified with a single animal, but is often depicted with a male deer or a hunting dog.

 Twin Brothers

 If Hera had achieved her goal, Artemis and her brother Apollo would never have been born.  When Zeus had a love affair with Leto, Hera was determined to do her best to prevent a child born from this union.  However, Leto managed to escape from Artemis and gave birth, first giving birth to Artemis.  The newborn Artemis helped her mother, who had intense labor pain for nine days, as a result of which Apollo was born.  Artemis and Apollo became her fiery protectors, as their mother suffered so much for them.

 (Apollo)

 Apollo, the twin brother of Artemis, is the god of archery, music and poetry.  While his sister lives solely for hunting, Apollo is a god whose hand is good at anything and enjoys many different things.  While he is a shepherd who sometimes keeps sheep or cows;  sometimes it can be a very talented musician.  Apollo is also an important god in matters of priesthood and treatment.  It has the ability to both make sick and heal.

 Since Apollo was involved in many arts, there is not a single depiction.  You can see him play his lyre, shoot arrows, or ride a chariot.  Nevertheless, the only thing common to all depictions of Apollo is his extraordinary beauty, considered to be flawless.  Apollo is associated with many different animals - wolf, deer, dolphin, crow, vulture and swan - and the laurel tree.

 (Hermes)

 Hermes was the god of commerce, travel and sports.  He would bring luck to people, guide travelers and merchants, and act as a protector against thieves and scammers.  Hermes, renowned for his agility and athleticism, was an extremely active god.  He was one of the few gods who could enter and leave the Underground.  However, probably his most familiar task is as a messenger for the gods.

 Hermes is often depicted wearing a winged hat and winged sandals, representing his quickness (which is a good attribute for a messenger).  Sometimes he is seen carrying a golden ambassador staff or a staff with two snake heads.  Hermes was a trickster who could be damaging, but he also had a good heart.

 (Aphrodite)

 Almost everyone has heard of the name Aphrodite, the goddess of love.  (You may also know him by the name Venus, which was given by the Romans.) In some myths, Aphrodite is presented as a strange, even slightly absurd character;  in some he is portrayed as a generous and benevolent goddess who is as revered as the other Olympians.  Regardless of his character, Aphrodite has always been lustful.

 Aphrodite was beautiful, with a sweet and seductive smile.  In myths about him, there are almost always love affairs;  either he is having a love adventure or he is involved in the adventures of others.  Aphrodite was identified with dove, and its plants were rose and myrtle.

 (Hephaestus)

 Hephaistos was Aphrodite's husband.  You might think that the goddess of love was married to a handsome and attractive man.  However, this was not the case with the Olympians.  In fact, Hephaistos, the sons of Zeus and Hera, was expelled from heaven as soon as he was born due to his ugliness and injuries.  Hephaistos, the god of fire, blacksmithing, craftsmanship and metalworking, built magnificent palaces for gods and goddesses, and made armor to those they saw privileged.  Because he was a talented craftsman, there seemed to be nothing he could not build.  Hephaistos was associated with volcanoes that were considered to have workshops.

 According to some myths, Hephaistos was born healthy, without any injury.  Hephaistos took the side of Hera in a dispute with Zeus.  Enraged, Zeus threw him down from the heavens.  Hephaestus fell for nine days, eventually landing on an island.  This not so smooth fall crippled him.

 (Dionysos)

 Dionysos was the god of the vines, wine and drunk spirits.  While most Olympians despised mortals, Dionysos was in direct contact with his mortal followers.  His religious festivals often turned into ecstatic rites.  The greatest gift of Dionysus to humanity was wine, which alleviated human suffering for a while.  As all gods could be, Dionysus could sometimes be cruel.  Dionysus is often identified with vineyards, dance, music, wine, madness and sexuality

 While there should have been a total of twelve great Olympians, you may have noticed that fourteen of them are described in this chapter.  No, you did not count it wrong.  It is said that Dionysos replaced Hestia, who disappeared from mythology over time.  Another god that is often excluded from the count is Hades.  His land was the Underground, he rarely visited Mount Olympus.  For this reason, he is not considered one of the great Olympian gods.

 References:

 * Dr.  Nancy Conner - Classical Mythology in Every Aspect - Olympians.