Hestia

Greek Mythology
Goddess

Name: Hestia
Domain: The Goddess of the Hearth, Home and Family

History:

Hestia was Zeus' sister. She was the virgin goddess of the hearth, home and the family. She did not have a distinct personality, and did not play any major role in the myths.

Hermes

Greek Mythology
God

Name: Hermes
Domain: The Messenger of the Gods
Weapon: Caduceus (a willow wand with entwined snakes), The Helmet of Darkness (a helmet that endowed its wearer with invisibility), and Winged Sandals (sandals that allowed their wearer to fly)

History:

Hermes was the messenger of the gods. He also guided the souls of the dead to the Underworld. Hermes was a prankster and a genius from birth. Hermes was the son of Zeus and a mountain nymph. On his first day of life he created the lyre from a tortoise shell.

He aided Odysseus and Persues on their respective quests.

Hera

Greek Mythology
Goddess

Name: Hera
Domain: Queen of the Olympians

History:

Hera was the Greek god of marriage. She was also the queen of the Greek gods. Hera hated the Greek hero Hercules. Hercules was the son of Zeus and a mortal woman. Hera attempted to kill Hercules on several occasions. In contrast, Hera assisted Jason with his quest to retrieve the golden fleece.

The worship of Hera may be much older than her role in Greek Mythology. It has been written that some of the first deities were female, and that worship of Hera or a similar god stretched back to before written word.

Hephaestus

Greek Mythology
God

Name: Hephaestus
Domain: The Blacksmith of the Gods

History:

Hephaestus was the lame god of the blacksmiths. He was the son of Zeus and Hera. He was an ugly god so his mother Hera threw him from Mount Olympus causing him to go lame. There is another account that stated he intervened when Zeus and Hera were arguing and Zeus threw him from Mount Olympus.

Hephaestus created many remarkable things. He created the buildings atop Mount Olympus and also created the armor worn by Achilles during the Trojan War.

Zeus commanded Hephaestus to create the first woman, Pandora. Pandora married Epimetheus, which led to the myth of Pandora's box releasing all pain and disease into the world.

Dionysus

Greek Mythology
God

Name: Dionysus
Domain: The Greek God of Wine

History:

Dionysus was the Greek god of wine. Dionysus was the son of Zeus and the mortal Semele. Dionysus saved his mother from the Underworld after she had been killed by Zeus. He also endowed Midas with the power to turn anything he touched into gold.

Demeter

Greek Mythology
Goddess

Name: Demeter
Domain: Agriculture

History:

Demeter was the Greek goddess of agriculture. She was Zeus' sister and the mother of Persephone. Persephone was taken to the Underworld by Hades to be her queen. Demeter became distraught looking for her daughter, and the crops of the land began to die. An indefinite winter began. Hades was persuaded to return Persephone to Demeter for half the year. Whenever Persephone is with her mother it is spring and summer, whenever she is with Hades it becomes fall and winter.

Athena

Greek Mythology
Goddess

Name: Athena
Domain: Athens, The Greek Goddess of Wisdom
Weapon: Sword and shield

History:

Athena is the Greek goddess of the crafts and arts. She was the patron goddess of Athens. Athena later became the Greek god of wisdom.

Zeus was once married to Metis. It was prophesied that a son born to Metis would overthrow Zeus as he had overthrown Cronus. To prevent that from happening Zeus devoured Metis. Eventually Zeus began to have excruciating headaches. He summoned Hephaestus to assist. Hephaestus struck Zeus' forehead with an ax, and Athena emerged in full armor.

Athena assisted several heroes in their endeavors such as Perseus, Jason, Odysseus, and Hercules.

Artemis

Greek Mythology
Goddess

Name: Artemis
Domain: The Virgin Goddess of the Hunt
Weapon: Bow and Arrow

History:

Artemis was the virgin Greek goddess of the hunt. Artemis assisted women with childbirth, which was ironic due to the fact that she was a virgin goddess. In some variations of the myths it is said that Artemis' mother was pregnant with her and Apollo. It is said that Artemis was born first and helped her mother deliver Apollo. Artemis' arrows also dealt sudden death.

Artemis and Apollo were Zeus and Leto's children. Apollo was jealous of Artemis' relationship with Orion so he challenged her to an archery competition. Apollo had Artemis hit a target floating far out to see. Of course Artemis' aim was perfect and she hit the object which turned out to be Orion's head.

Ares

Greek Mythology
God

Name: Ares
Domain: The Greek God of War
Weapon: Blood-Soaked Spear
History:

Although Ares is an immortal, he had been bested by mortal heroes on several occasions. Hercules defeated him in combat. He was also almost killed when two giants stuffed him into a jar. Ares was also injured by another hero during the Trojan War.

Ares is often seen carrying a blood-soaked spear. It is said that his throne on Mt. Olympus is upholstered with human skin.

Apollo

Greek Mythology
God

Name: Apollo
Domain: The God of Prophecy
Weapon: Bow and Arrow

History:

Apollo was the Greek god of prophecy, healing and music.

During the Trojan War he helped Paris obtain revenge on the hero Achilles by helping Paris slay Achilles with an arrow.

Apollo was the Greek god of music, and was often seen playing the lyre. He did not invent the lyre. He was given the lyre by Hermes. Some say that Apollo created the lute, but he was far more proficient with the lyre. During a music competition Apollo competed against Pan. King Midus said he preferred Pan's music even though Apollo had won the competition. In retaliation Apollo made King Midus' ears resemble those of a donkey.

Aphrodite

Greek Mythology
Goddess

Name: Aphrodite
Domain: goddess of Love, Beauty and Fertility

History:

Aphrodite was the Greek goddess of love, beausty and fertility. She also protected sailors. According to Homer, Aphrodite was the daughter of Zeus and Dione. According to the poet Hesoid, she was born of sea foam.

The Trojan Prince Paris was asked to judge who was the most beautiful goddess. Hera and Athena attempted to bribe him with power and vitory in battle, but Aphrodite bribed him with the love of the most beautiful woman in the world. She gave him the love of Helen of Sparta, who after Paris and Helen eloped became Helen of Troy. This caused the Trojan War. Aphrodite involved herself with the affairs of mortal man on several other occasions. She helped Jason retrieve the golden fleece from the King of Colchis by having the King's daughter fall in love with Jason.

Aphrodite was married to Hephaestus, but she was unfaithful to him with Ares the Greek god of war.

Hades

Greek Mythology
God

Name: Hades
Domain: The Underworld

History:

After the titans were overthrown by the Olympian gods, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades divided all of creation. Hades became the Greek god of the underworld. Hades was a greedy god, and refused to let any of his subjects leave his domain. The gates to the underworld were gaurded by Hades' three headed dog Cerberus.

Poseidon

Greek Mythology
God

Name: Poseidon
Domain: All water
Weapon: Trident

History:

Poseidon was the Greek god of the sea, and all water. After the overthrow of the titans, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades divided the known world between each other. Poseidon was granted dominion over all water. Poseidon married a sea nymph named Amphitrite. He had the ability to change his shape into that of a horse when he felt it was necessary.

Poseidon had disputes with several Greek heroes. Odysseus refused to pay homage to Poseidon after the win of the Trojan War, and later blinded Poseidon's son the Cyclops Polyphemus. Because of Odysseus' actions Poseidon greatly delayed his return home, and helped caused great peril to his journey home.

Also Poseidon gave King Minos a bull from the sea which proved his divine right to rule Crete. King Minos was to sacrifice the bull, but changed his mind and kept the bull. Out of spite Poseidon and Aphrodite caused King Minos' wife Pasiphae to fall in love with the bull. The result was the half-man, half-bull monster called the Minotaur.

Zeus

Greek Mythology
God

Name: Zeus
Domain: Ruler of the Greek gods.
Weapon: A lightning bolt.

History:

In Greek Mythology Zeus was the son of the titan Cronus. Cronus devoured his children because it was prophesied that one of his children would overthrow his rule. Zeus survived because his mother tricked Cronus. Zeus grew up and overthrew the titans. Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades drew lots to see who would control each domain. Zeus won the honor of becoming the supreme lord of the Greek gods.

Zeus' wife was Hera. She was not interested in him originally, but he tricked her, then took advantage of her. Hera did not want to let it be known that Zeus had disgraced her so she agreed to marry him. Zeus was famous for his many affairs which produced offspring such as Hercules.