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Who are the Olympian gods and what qualities do they possess
Nature & characteristics of Greek gods
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Most people that learn about the twelve main Olympian gods might think that they are confusing, imperfect, and just down right weird. And they are. They have symbols to represent them but most of the symbols for them have no connection. However, let 's take Zeus for example, one of his symbols is the thunderbolt, Zeus 's most well known symbol. Zeus however is connected to the thunderbolt because he can throw them. Zeus is the god of the sky, lightning, thunder, and justice. Zeus is the king and father of all the gods. Hera is his sister who is his wife. Most people think that Hera was Zeus 's only wife, however, before Hera became the wife of Zeus, he was married to Titan Metis. But Zeus got worried that his son would be stronger in power than him so he swallowed Metis and married Hera. Zeus, like all mythical Greek gods, had symbols they were …show more content…
Her symbols are the bow and arrow, hunting dog, the moon, and the Ceryneian Hind. The Ceryneian Hind is a female dear she has antlers and golden hooves. The Ceryneian Hind can run faster than an arrow. Artemis also leads a group called Hunters of Artemis. The hunters and Artemis deeply dislike men and wish to stay unmarried. Apollo is the brother of Artemis. He is the god of music, poetry, light, prophecy, and medicine. His symbols are the lyre, bow and arrow, raven, and laurel. Apollo is not married to anyone. Apollo and Poseidon tried and failed to overthrow Zeus. As punishment they were sent to earth to be mortals and that when Poseidon built the walls of Troy. Apollo is the leader of the Muses, who are the goddesses of music. Hermes is the god of travel, roads, thieves, sports, and shepherds. His symbols are the tortoise, caduceus staff, winged saddles, winged cap, and rooster. He is a very athletic and fit god. He is also the messenger for the gods because he is the only god that can travel easily through the realms of Olympus and the human
There is no doubt in mythology that the king of gods, Zeus, is the most supreme and powerful, ruling the sky. He controls the thunderbolt, a symbol of power feared by both gods and mortals. The Greeks and Romans honored Zeus above all other gods. He is without mistake, the god of all gods. Their stories of Zeus are plenty; his designs have molded mythology from his birth. Zeus' victory in outwitting his intelligent wife, Metis, by swallowing her pregnant, was the gateway used by the Greeks and Romans to show Zeus as the greatest god to come since his father and grandfather. However, as the stories of the gods and goddesses unfold, the Greeks and Roman's interpretation of Zeus' characteristics are different. Zeus is always upheld as the king of gods, but his other personal attributes to his godly rein are conflicting. Zeus' characteristics of fearfulness of female deities, cunningness and use of trickery, and lust in Ovid's Metamorphoses compared to the Theogony are opposed due to Hesiod's true respect of Zeus versus Ovid's lack of respect of Jupiter in Roman mythology.
Hera was one of the daughters to Cronos. She was called the queen of the gods. She was the sister of Zeus, but also his wife. Hera sent disease on all women Zeus had relationships with. She mothered Ares and Hephaestus. Hera was the god of women. She protected all women and punished men who cheated and beat their wives
“Apollo is considered the god of music, prophecy, oracles, healing, plague and disease, song, poetry, archery, and the protection of the young. He is always depicted as a handsome young male with long flowing hair, with his bow and his lyre in hand. His Mother and Father are Zeus and Leto. (Leto is a female titan.) Apollo has a twin sister named Artemis. She is the goddess of hunting, wilderness, and wild animals. Apollo was not only a very skilled musician he was also very skilled with his Silver bow.” (1)
Hermes is a greek god, he has beautiful sandals on which allow him to swiftly travel across the land as he is the messenger god. He also has a wand that allows him to put people to sleep, or when he wills, awaken them.
These aspects of their culture have made a significant contribution to their quality of life. Moreover, these topics will be examined in relation to the twelve Olympian gods and their associates. The ancient Greeks practiced a religion that was, in effect, a building block to many ensuing pagan religions. This religion revolved around their reverence for the gods. Essentially, the Greeks worshipped numerous gods, making their religion polytheistic.
Hermes is the son of Zeus and Maia, daughter of Atlas. In literature, he was connected to the protection of cattle and sheep as well as vegetation. He is also the messenger of the gods, transporter of the dead, protector of travelers and a god of dreams. Hermes was a patron of music and the god of eloquence. He was described as graceful and swift in motion, having worn winged sandals. He also had wings on his hat and on his magic wand. He became Zeus's Messenger. He is described as the shrewdest and most cunning of all the Gods. He is connected to treasure and good luck. His bird was the vulture and the dog as his animal. His sacred number was four.
Many people would blatantly state that the importance of the gods in Greek society derives from the fact that Gods in any society are usually used to explain phenomenon that people cannot logically comprehend, but in ancient Greece gods were actually entities that took part in the workings of society itself. Even simple aspects of day-to-day life such as sex and disputes between mortals were supposedly influenced by godly workings. Unlike modern religions such as Catholicism, Buddhism, and Hinduism, where an omnipotent force supposedly controls the workings of the world, a hierarchy of Gods characterized religion in ancient Greece. Working as one big family, which they actually were, each one of the Greek gods governed a certain aspect of the world in a way that usually reflected their own humanlike personalities. These unique personalities also contained many human flaws such as envy and greed, and were where the Greek God’s importance lay. Greek religion was more concentrated on the way an individual dealt with situations that popped up in the world around him than on understanding the world itself. In other words the Greeks were more interested in the workings of the mind than in the workings of the environment around them.
Gods and goddesses in mythology are used in allusions and often referred to in our daily lives, but do we truly understand them? We may not understand how or why they look the way they do, how they behave, what they are capable of accomplishing, or how they interacted with humans. These super-beings of extremely high status were the heart and soul of prayers and explanations of natural phenomena. They had a variety of natures and were represented in a variety of ways, by different religions.
Hermes might have more to do with the human race’s everyday life than most people think. Hermes was the messenger of the gods, and the god of travel, business, and sports. He traveled with his winged sandals and winged hat. The god of helped and protected many mortals. On jobs he and his men could make anyone fall asleep instantly if a problem occurred. Hermes might have invented some things in the human race’s everyday lives. Hermes was an essential god in ancient Greek culture.
Gods are ancient beings thought to have created the world and are children of the Titans. Most gods are thought to help mortals for good. Zeus who is the most famous of all the gods is adored by millions. Yet, Zeus, the ruler of gods, is one of the most selfish irresponsible gods of them all. Zeus was a bad god because he had many affairs, abused his powers, and did not use his powers for good.
Hermes (Latin name Mercury) is the messenger of the gods. He is the fastest of all the gods and goddesses. He is the son of Zeus and Maia. He is a guide who knew the way to the underworld. So he would show the dead souls the way to the underworld. Hermes is also known as the patron of traders, merchants, thieves and everyone who lived by their wits.
In ancient Greece and Rome, each of the gods was associated with specific objects. Zeus (Jupiter), the father of the gods, was often accompanied by an eagle or a thunderbolt; Apollo, the god of art, by a lyre; Artemis (Diana), the hunter, by a bow and quiver. In addition, the Romans perfected the use of secular allegorical symbols. For example, a woman surrounded by bunches of grapes and sheaves of wheat would be readily understood as a representation of the bounties of the earth.
Hermes role in the society was to be the messenger and the conductor of souls to the underworld since he was the speediest of all gods with wings on his sandals. Zeus appreciated Hermes greatly since Hermes helped him with making hard decisions. Hermes existed to be the messenger, because he was the only Olympian God to be allowed in the Underworld, Heaven and Earth. Hermes was very popular among the Greek spirits and gods because of this and he enjoyed the popularity he gained from this. He also has some powers such as being immune to human disease, super speed, and did not age once he gained adulthood.
Apollo is one of the most widely renowned Greek god in ancient history, and one of the few gods to have both the same Greek and Roman name (Apollo). An online article, “Apollo,” said that he started out as the god of herdsmen, and “Apollo's identification as god of music, archery, and medicine came after his oracle was established at Delphi” ( “Apollo”). The article on GaleNet also mentioned that much later, he was commemorated as the god of the sun. Apollo is known for his powers in prophesying and his musical abilities with the lyre, a type of harp. He is also acknowledged as an athlete, particularly an archer, and a healer. He is said to have been the god to teach mortals the art of medicine. Apollo is an amazing character in Greek mythology,
Zeus is the god of law, justice, morals, thunder, lightning, and rain. It was his job to oversee and make sure laws were being kept. He was worshipped originally as a weather god. He was depicted as a middle-aged man with a youthful appearance; he was regale and was almost always shown ready to throw a lightning bolt (pantheon/zeus).