Zeus was the god of the sky and ruler of the Olympian gods. He overthrew his father, Cronus, and then drew lots with his brothers Poseidon and Hades, in order to decide who would succeed their father on the throne. Zeus won the draw and became the supreme ruler of the gods, as well as lord of the sky and rain. His weapon was a thunderbolt which he hurled at those who displeased or defied him, especially liars and oath breakers. He was married to Hera but often tested her patience, as he was infamous for his many affairs. Zeus, the presiding deity of the universe, ruler of the skies and the earth, was regarded by the Greeks as the god of all natural phenomena on the sky; the personification of the laws of nature; the ruler of the state; and finally, the father of gods and men. Using his shield, the Aegis, Zeus could create all natural phenomena related to the air and the sky, such as storms, tempests, and intense darkness. At his command, mighty thunders would flash and lightning would roll, wreaking havoc; or the skies would open to rejuvenate the earth with life-giving water.As the personification of the operations of nature, he represented the grand laws of unchanging and harmonious order, by which both the natural and the spiritual world were governed. He was the god of regulated time as marked by the changing seasons and the regular succession of day and night, in contrast to what his father Cronus represented before him; absolute time, i.e. eternity. As the ruler of the state, he was the source of kingly power, the upholder of all institutions connected to the state, and the friend and patron of princes, whom he guarded and assisted with his advice and counsel. He was also the protector of the people, and watched over the welfare of the whole community. As the father of the gods, Zeus ascertained that each deity perform their individual duty, punished their misdeeds, settled their disputes, and acted towards them on all occasions as their all-knowing counsellor and mighty friend. As the father of men, he took a paternal interest in the actions and well-being of mortals. He watched over them with tender solicitude, rewarding truth, charity, and fairness, while severely punishing perjury and cruelty. Even the poorest and most forlorn wanderer could find a powerful advocate in Zeus, for he, as a wise and merciful paternal figure, demanded that the wealthy inhabitants of the earth be attentive to the needs of their less fortunate fellow citizens. Picture has a link.
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This week we talked about Greek Mythology. The Greek Gods are Zeus, Hades, Poseidon, Hera, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Hermes, Hestia, Demeter, and Dionysus. In total their is fourteen gods. Zeus was the father of the famous Greek hero Hercules. The name Zeus means “bright” or “sky.” His weapon of choice was the thunderbolt, made for him by the Cyclops. He was also called the God of Wealth or “the rich one” because he possessed the precious metals of the earth. Hades had a cap or helmet that made its wearer invisible. His wife was Persephone, Demeter’s only daughter, whom he kidnapped and made his queen. Poseidon was allotted his dominion after the fall of the Titans. He wielded the trident or three-pronged spear, and this image of him is reflected in art. Poseidon was most notably the God of the sea and the protector of all waters. Hera was Queen of the Olympian gods. In the story of the Quest of the Golden Fleece, Hera was a gracious protector of the heroes. Hera had few, if any, redeeming qualities. She never forgot an injury. Athena, also referred to as Athene, is a very important goddess of many things. She is goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, law and justice, strategic warfare, mathematics, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, and skill. She is known most specifically for her strategic skill in warfare and is often portrayed as companion of heroes and is the patron goddess of heroic endeavor. Apollo was the son of Leto and Zeus. He was born on the island of Delos. He and his twin sister Artemis, also an Olympian, shared an aptitude for archery. The nine Muses were companions of his; they were goddesses known for inspiring art and music. Artemis was daughter of Zeus and Leto and twin sister of Apollo. She was primarily a virgin huntress, goddess of wildlife and patroness of hunters. She was an important goddess in the lives of women, especially when it came to marriage and young creatures. He was the son of Zeus and Hera, both of whom hated him (according to Homer). Eros (more commonly known as Cupid) was the child of Ares and Aphrodite. Ares was most notably referred to as the God of War; he represented the unpleasant aspects of battle. Hephaestus was the only ugly god among perfectly beautiful immortals. He was the workman of the immortals: he made their dwellings, furnishings, and weapons. Hephaestus was known as the God of Fire. Aphrodite was the goddess of fertility, love, and beauty. During the Trojan War, Aphrodite fought on the side of Paris. Aphrodite and her son Eros (Cupid) teamed up to cause Zeus to fall in love with a human named Europa. Hermes was considered a “trickster” due to his cunning and clever personality. He primarily served as the herald or messenger of the gods. Hermes was born in a cave on a mountain in Arcadia; he was conceived and born within the course of one day. Although Hestia appeared in a few stories, she was not overly significant in Greek mythology. She was a sibling to Demeter, Hades, Poseidon, Hera, and Zeus. Hestia is completely omitted from the works of Homer, author of the Iliad and the Odyssey. Demeter was the daughter of Cronos and Rhea. She was the goddess of harvest and fertility. Only women attended the Thesmophoria, a fertility festival held in honor of Demeter. Dionysus was primarily known as the God of the Vine. Upon reaching adulthood, Dionysus wandered the Earth, teaching men the culture of the vine. Dionysus was the last god to enter Olympus. |
Julia Godinez
I am creative and helpful. I also love to make new friends Archives
June 2016
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