Zeus In Ancient Greek God

Greek Mythology Explanation/Description Implication (When you see this term in a poem or text, what is the purpose of including this reference?)

Zeus/Jupiter

Zeus was the supreme god in Ancient Greece and the father of the Olympian gods. Symbols of Zeus include the scepter, the throne and the thunderbolt. His sacred animal was the eagle. He was the child of the Titans Cronus and Rhea and had five older siblings, Poseidon, Hades, Hestia, Hera and Demeter. Zeus married his sister Hera, but due to his unfaithfulness he fathered many children.

Zeus was also known to create the natural phenomena in the air and the sky, such as storms and darkness. He could make thunder growl and lightning flash, or give the earth essential water. Zeus is also known as the protector of the people.

When an author refers to Zeus, he is alluding to a character’s power and superiority. Zeus also represents laws of rigid and congruous

order, which governed the natural and spiritual world. This supports the status Zeus had as a leader. Furthermore, when an author symbolized Zeus, the author embodies a character with an outstanding sense of leadership and is demanding. A character labeled as “Zeus” is powerful, governing, and has a strong sense of leadership. Also, one takes a fatherly interest in the engagements and the well being of others, who rewards the good and punishes the bad.

Poseidon/Neptune
Poseidon was the ruler of the sea, earthquakes and horses. His symbol is the trident. His sacred animals were dolphins and horses. He was the child of Titans Cronus and Rhea and had five siblings, Zeus, Hades, Hestia, Hera, and Demeter. He was married to the sea-goddess Amphitrite, but according to a tradition, her was married more than once. His children were the merman Triton, the Nymphs Rhode and Benthesicyme, and the giant twins Otus and Ephialtes.
Poseidon had desired Demeter. She told him to make her the most beautiful animal in the world, and he does so to impress her. However, through a lot of trail-and-error, after creating a variety of other animals, he had finally created the horse. By this time, his desire for Demeter had faded away. Poseidon is also known as a matured man, with a sturdy build and dark beard, and holds a trident, yet can be selfish.

When an author refers to Poseidon, he is referring to a character that cannot make up his of her mind. This character is also very competitive. Furthermore, Poseidon was considered by the Greeks to have a quarrelsome and cantankerous personality. However, he symbolizes a strong, matured, but greedy and troublesome character. When referred to as “Poseidon”, a character is being represented as one who gets into a lot of arguments and is strong-minded.
Hera/Juno
Hera was the goddess of Marriage and Family. She was also known as the protector of married women. Her symbols were the diadem, the scepter, and the pomegranate. Her sacred animals were the peacock and the cow, and her flower was the lily. She was the child of the Titans Cronus and Rhea. She had five siblings, Poseidon, Hades, Zeus, Hestia and Demeter. Here children were Eilithyia, the goddess of childbirth, Ares, the Olympian god of War, Hebe, the goddess of youth and
Hephaestus, the god of Metallurgy.
Zeus had tried to court Hera, but even after many attempts he was unsuccessful and had resorted to trickery. He took the shape of a disturbed cuckoo. Hera, feeling pity for the bird, held it close to her to keep it warm. Then, Zeus resumed his normal form and took advantage of Hera by raping her. In order to hide the shame, Hera married Zeus, but their marriage was violent and they often disagreed.
When an author refers to Hera, he is referring to a character that wants to keep a good reputation, but can be very gullible. She is caring about her environment and the animals around her, but can have a slight temper. When an author alludes to “Hera” the character is being described as a jealous and a revenge-seeking person.
Athena/Minerva
Athena was the goddess of Wisdom, Skill and War. Athena’s symbols were the spear, the distaff and the aegis. Her sacred animal was the owl, a symbol of wisdom; her tree was the olive tree. Athena was the daughter of Zeus, and was born from his forehead. Athena never got married and had no children. She was one of the three virgin goddesses.
She was brave and fierce, and represented wisdom, reason and purity. She became the patron goddess of Athens after she won a contest against Poseidon where she offered the olive tree to the Athenians.

When an author refers to Athena, he is alluding to a character that is strong minded and wise. The character is also very smart, intelligent and inventive. Furthermore, this character can be competitive and strives to reach to the top.
An “Athena” is often associated with purity, competition, wisdom, and intelligence.
Hermes/Mercury
Hermes was the god of trade and eloquence. He was also known as a luck-bringing messenger of the Gods. Also because he felt an impulse to steal since he was young, he quickly developed as the god of the cheaters and thieves. He was the son of Zeus and Maia, and was born in a cave on Mt. Cyllene. His children were Hermaphroditus and the Satyr Pan. The symbols of Hermes include The caduceus (his staff), the purse (or leather pouch), the winged sandals, the ram and the petasus (his hat).
He moved quickly between the mortal world and the world of the gods. He was the messenger of the gods and the link between human mortals and Olympus gods. He had sporadically tricked the other gods for his own amusement or to protect humans.

When an author alludes to Hermes, he is emphasizing that the character is a mischievous, trickster, who was known for his immoral behavior. Furthermore, a “Hermes” can be described as someone who does bad things and tries to blame someone else. Despite this deceiving behavior, a character might use this trickery for the better good to help others. It can embody someone who serves as a protector. This character can also be represented as a messenger or connection that serves as a link between two separate entities.
Hestia/Vesta
Hestia was the goddess of the hearth, the home and the family. Hestia was the daughter of the Titans Cronus and Rhea. She had five siblings, Zeus, Hades, Poseidon, Hera and Demeter and never married. She was one of the three virgin goddesses. She refused to give into Poseidon and Apollo, and was saved from Priapus by a mule.
Hestia symbolizes the association and relationship between the colonies and the mother cities. Dionysus later replaced her in the Olympian gods.

When an author alludes to Hestia, he is referring to a character that stays true to herself. This character refuses to let other people tell him/her what to do. Furthermore, this character also embodies Hestia, in that she is very kind and homely. A character known as a “Hestia” has a passive and non-confrontational nature to prevent conflict. This character is also very modest and simple.
Artemis/Diana
Artemis was the goddess of the hunt and the moon. She was also the protector of expectant women and the young. She was on of the three virgin goddesses in the pantheon. She had a twin brother Apollo and she never married. She rejected marriage and love and requested her father to grant her eternal chastity and virginity. Her symbols were the bow and pile. Her sacred animals were the snake, the bear, and the deer; her tree was the cedar tree.
Artemis became the protector of childbirth and labor after helping her mother give birth to her twin brother.
When an author refers to Artemis, he is referring to a character that is protective of the environment and nature. This character has a strong will and is caring. However, this character can be a very revenge seeking when others try to hurt her. The character is very devoted and dedicated to something and pursues it for his/her entire life.
Ares/Mars
Ares was the god of war and defense. Also, he was known as a figure behind all kinds of violence. His symbol was the spear and his animal was the dog. He was the son of Zeus and Hera. He had three siblings, Eilithyia, Hebe, and Hephaestus. His secret mistress was Aphrodite with whom he had seven children. His children were Himeros, Pothos, Phobo, Deimos, Armonia, Eros, and Anteros. He also had a daughter with Aglaulus, named Alcippe.
Whenever an army would march to war, sacrifices to Ares would usually be made.

When an author refers to Ares, he is representing a character that displays raw violence and untamed actions, such as those that occur during a war. This character is disliked and hated. An “Ares” is often associated with savagery and danger. Furthermore, this character would lack the skill of military planning and tactical strategy and uses violence and strength to win. This character also faces lots of humiliation.

Persephone

Persephone is the daughter of Zeus and Demeter, the goddess of vegetation. She was also kidnapped by Hades to become his wife and the queen of the underworld. Zeus tried to bring her back but she had already eaten the seeds of a pomegranate that Hades gave her, binding her to him for one-third of a year. It was decided that she would spend four months in the underworld and eight months on earth with her mother. This corresponds with the seasons on earth. The time Persephone spends in the underworld is the winter, which symbolized her mother’s

grief.

When an author alludes to Persephone, he is alluding to a character that might have been under a spell. This character might be represented as someone who has been kidnapped and is being controlled. However, this character can also be described as a leader who is tricked or forced into leading merely for the image.
River Styx
The River Styx is one of the five rivers in the Underworld, separating the living world on Earth and the dead world in Hades. It had to be crossed in order to reach life after death and could only be crossed in a ferryboat rowed by an old man named Charon, who only takes their soul of their bodies if they have had a funeral. The Styx is believed to hold lost hopes, dreams and wishes that have never came true.

When the author refers to the River Styx, he is alluding to a character that serves as a distinct separation between two very different realms. It serves a boundary between two lands that cannot or should not frequently intermingle as this can possibly lead to disaster. It can make people invincible and undefeatable, but still not completely perfect. A “river styx” can be referred to as a waterway between two realms that should be separated.

Ceberus
Ceberus is the three-headed dog owned by Hades and guards the Underworld. He is usually depicted as a huge dog with three heads. He also has snakes on his tail and mane, and the claws of a lion. Ceberus was born out of the Giants Typhoon and Echina. However, he was frightened of Hercules. Hercules had killed Cerberus’ three siblings, The Lernaean Hydra, the Lion of Nemea, and the dog Orthus.

When author is alluding to Ceberus, he is relating to a vicious animal that acts as a guard. This animal could be protecting something of great value. Despite this powerful prowess, this character still has one major flaw. This one flaw can lead to the downfall of the purpose of the creature, and oftentimes the object it is protecting is taken away.
Aphrodite/Venus
Aphrodite is the Goddess of love, beauty, and eternal youth. Her symbols were the girdle, the seashell and the mirror, and her animal was the dove. She was married to Hephaestus, the Olympian God of the Iron, but was in love with Ares, the God of War. Her children were Eros, Himeros, Pothos, Phobos, Deimos, Armonia, and the Nymph Rhode.