The world of our gods was a violent one. Those that ruled in this world were, and had to be, the most powerful and cunning fighters in the land. During this time the race of huge immortals known as the Titans seized power from their tyrannical father Uranus, the sky. The youngest of these brothers, a Titan named Cronos, managed to wound Uranus with a sickle and banish him from the Earth. Thing is, Cronos proved as cruel as his father, even swallowing any promising children at birth just to make sure they did not ever grow old enough to rebel against him.
His wife, Rhea, just happened to have had born a child, and terrified by what Cronos did to their other children she hid this child and gave him, instead, a stone wrapped in swaddling clothes which he ate and did not know the difference. After having grown to a full adult this child tricked his father Cronos into drinking a potion that made him cough up his brothers and sisters who then joined him in the battle against their father and the other Titans. After ten years the Titans were all defeated and thrown into Tartarus. This child that made all of this possible was Zeus.
Seeing how wise and strong Zeus was, his brothers and sisters quickly named him king of the gods. Zeus made his sister, Hera, queen of the gods. Their wedding celebration lasted 300 years, but their marriage was rocky because Zeus had a liking to taking other wives and lovers and of course Hera was jealous of them all. She especially hated one of Zeus' sons by a mortal, Hercules, not only because of his power, but because Zeus seemed to favor him most amongst his illigitamate children.
The Gods
Strange clouded fragments of an ancient glory,
Late lingerers of the company divine,
They breathe of that far world where from they come,
Lost halls of heaven and Olympian air.
Aphrodite
Look, look, why shine
Those floating bubbles with such light divine ?
They break, and from their mist a lily form
Rises from out the wave, in beauty warm.
The wave is by the blue-veined feet scarce press'd.
Her silky ringlets float about her breast,
Veiling its fairly loveliness ; while her eye
Is soft and deep as the blue heaven is high.
The Beautiful is born ; and sea and earth
May well revere the hour of that mysterious birth.
-Shelley
The goddess of love, desire, and beauty. Some say that she rose out of the sea on a cushion of foam when the blood of the wounded Uranus touched the ocean, others claim she is the daughter of Zeus and Dione. She was carried in a giant scallop shell to the shores of Cyprus where roses bloomed upon her arrival. Doves and sparrows flocked around her and the four seasons greeted her and garbed her in clothing and jewels. Unlike the other gods who have many tasks, Aphrodite's only duty is to be beautiful, which of course she has no equal in. She even refuseds to carry weapons, instead she wears a magic girdle which makes her irresistible to anyone who lays eyes upon her. Also the wife to Hephaestus and the mother of Cupid, she can bathe in the sea and become a virgin again, no matter how many lovers or children she has had.
Aphrodite favors training in Physical Development, but disfavors common Brawling and Mechanical Knowledge. Her symbol is the swan (her tree the myrtle, her birds the dove, swan, and sparrow) and her followers offer her white pearls, mirrors, or valuable hair brushes.
Apollo
I am the eye with which the Universe
Beholds itself and knows itself divine;
All harmony of instrument and verse,
All prophecy, all medicine is mine,
All light of art or nature ;-to my song
Victory and praise in its own right belong.
-Shelley
The handsome god of music, playing a golden lyre, the son of Zeus and Leto, also called the Archer for his skilled shooting with a silver bow, the god of healing who taught man medicine, the god of light, the god of truth for he cannot speak a lie. As a patron of wisdom, he encourages people to know themselves and to live their lives in moderation. He foretells the future through his oracle at Delphi and shares his knowledge with mortals through that means. He is also a master musician and storyteller. One of Apollo's more important daily tasks is to harness his chariot with four horses and drive the Sun across the sky. He encourages his followers to learn the arts of alchemy and mechanical along with arcane skills.
Apollow favors training in Alchemy and Mechanical Knowledge. He disfavors training in Acrobatics. His symbol is a crown of laurel leaves (his bird the crow, his animal the dolphin) and his followers often offer him arrows, sun shaped medallions, bows, and sapphires to gain favor.
Ares
The herded wolves, bold only to pursue ;
The obscene ravens, clamorous o'er the dead ;
The vultures, to the conqueror's banner true,
Who feed where Desolation first has fed.
-Shelly
Ares, the only son of Zeus and Hera, is the god of war. A brute and braggart disliked by all of the gods (including his parents) except for his sister, Aphrodite, and Hades who only appreciates him because the wars he causes bring down to him new subjects. Ares delights in seeing bloodshed and discontent among mortals. His other sister is Discordia and her son is Strife, a fitting pair. Walking beside Ares on the battle field is usually a band of companions including The Goddess of War, Enyo, along with Terror, Trembling, and Panic. He is said to have come from Thrace, where the rudest and most fierce people of Greece are found. Ares loves war and does not care who wins as long as blood is shed. Whenever he hears the sound of clashing arms he prepares himself for battle and goes out to fight. Although Ares is an immortal god he is sometimes wounded, however he then goes to his Zeus who, much to his own dismay, ends up healing him. Ares honors only those who perform well in combat and is more often than not a clever schemer and unpredictable in his ways. He is considered murderous and bloodstained but he is also considered a coward by most. When caught in an act of adultery with Aphrodite, her husband Hephaestus is able publicly ridicule him. Called variously the avenger, the slayer, and the curse, Ares uses a spear as his emblem. His bird is the vulture and his animal the dog.
Artemis
Then, as the full orb poised upon the peak,
There came a lovely vision of a maid,
Who seemed to step as from a golden car
Out of the low-hung moon.
-Lewis Morris
Artemis, the daughter of Zeus and a Titaness named Leto, is the goddess of the hunt and wildlife and patron goddess to the amazons. She is the huntsman of the gods and protector of the young, along with being a virgin and thusly the goddess of chastity. Just minutes after her own birth she aided in the birth of her twin brother Apollo and because of this she now presides over all childbirth. She is a deadly archer and quick to strike down humans who offend here with her silver arrows. She likes to travel with Apollo and is often equated with the goddess Selene, who brings the moon across the night skies in a chariot drawn by silver stags.
Artemis favors training in Weapons, Acrobatics, Rituals, and Arcane Knowledge. She disfavors training in Mechanical Knowledge. Her symbol is the crescent moon (her tree is the cypress and all animals are sacred to her, but especially the deer) and her followers offer amethysts, moon medallions, or daggers to her.
Asclepius
The god of medicine. He is the son of Apollo and Coronis, a beautiful maiden of Thessaly. Angry because Coronis was unfaithful to him, Apollo killed her and took his infant son to a centaur named Chiron to be raised. Asclepius learned all that Chiron knew about the art of healing and soon became a great physician. One day he committed the unpardonable sin of raising a man from the dead and so Zeus killed him with a thunderbolt. For hundreds of years after his death, the sick visited the many temples built in Asclepius' honor. There they offer sacrifices and pray to Asclepius who, they believe, would come to them in dreams and prescribe cures for their illnesses. His symbol is the snake.
Athena
The gray-gleaming olive
Athena showed to men,
The glory of shining Athens,
Her crown from on high.
Athena, the daughter of Zeus and his first wife a Titaness named Metis, is the most important goddess next only to Hera. She was still in the womb when Zeus swallowed Metis as a precaution against having a son who may become powerful enough to depose him. Soon after, he had an unbearable headache and ordered Hephaestus to split open his head with an ax. When his head split open out popped Athena, full grown. She immediately became her father's favorite adviser, he even lent her the use of all his weapons including his mighty thunderbolts. Athena is the patron goddess of the city of Athens, to which she gave her name. Animals sacred to her include serpents, cocks, and owls. Although she is invincible in war and is often portrayed in full body armor, she prefers reason to bloodshed and only fights to protect the state and home from outside enemies. Athena also invented the flute, the trumpet, farmer's tools (the bridle, the pot, the rake, the plow, the yoke), the ship, the chariot, and the olive tree. Kinder than most of the gods she can also be merciless when scorned.
Athena favors training in Brawling and Weapons, but disfavors Acrobatics and Alchemy. Her symbol is the owl and her followers offer to her malachite stones, olive branches, and owl feathers.
Cupid
Evil his heart, but honey-sweet his tongue,
No truth in him, the rogue. He is cruel in his play.
Small are his hands, yet his arrows fly far as death.
Tiny his shaft, but it carries heaven-high.
Touch not his treacherous gifts, they are dipped in fire.
Cupid, Aphrodite's winged son and husband to Psyche, is the god of love. He often does his mother's bidding but he is even more fickle than she. He flies about, shooting golden arrows and making people fall in love, usually with unsuitable mates. Mortals usually thank Aphrodite for the love he causes but blame Cupid for the absence of logic when love was involved. He uses two types of arrows, his golden arrows made with Dove feathers once piercing the heart infused that person with unremitting love for the first person whom they saw, and then there were the leaden arrows made with Owl feathers that caused indifference or distaste in those they pierced.
Demeter
Sacred Goddess, Mother Earth,
Thou from whose mortal bosom,
Gods, and men, and beasts have birth,
Leaf and blade, and bud and blossom.
Breathe thine influence most divine.
-Shelley
The goddess of harvest, agriculture, and civilization. It is she who taught mankind to sow, raise, and reap grain thereby ending their constant wandering and making it possible for them to settle in one place. Demeter causes the weather to be fair so that crops can grow. Her daughter, Persephone (fathered by Zeus), goes to Hades to spend time with her husband at the same time each year. This causes Demeter so much grief that she will not allow the grain to grow, thus causing winter. For as long as anyone, even the gods, can remember she has feuded with Poseidon, this perhaps is why the land near the seas and oceans is barren of crops.
Demeter favors training in Alchemy, Rituals, and Arcane Knowledge. She disfavors Brawling, Weapons, and Acrobatics. Her symbol is a sheaf of grain and her followers will offer her wheat, bread, or malachite stones.
Dionysus
And as I sat, over the light blue hills
There came a noise of revelers: the rills
Into the wide stream came of purple hue-
'Twas Bacchus and his crew!
The earnest trumpet spake, and silver trills
From kissing cymbals made a merry din-
'Twas Bacchus and his kin!
Like to a moving vintage down they came,
Crown'd with green leaves, and faces all on flame ;
All madly dancing through the pleasant valley.
-Keats
The god of wine and vegetation, who showed mortals how to cultivate grapevines and make wine. He is good and gentle to those who honor him but he brings madness and destruction upon those who spurn him or the orgiastic rituals of his cult. According to tradition, Dionysus dies each winter and is reborn in the spring. To his followers this cyclical revival, accompanied by the seasonal renewal of the fruits of the earth, embodies the promise of the resurrection of the dead. The yearly rites in honor of the resurrection of Dionysus gradually evolved into the structured form of the Greek drama, and important festivals are held in honor of Dionysus during which great dramatic competitions are conducted. The most important festival, the Greater Dionysia, is held in Athens for five days each spring. It is for this celebration that the Greek dramatists Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides wrote their great tragedies.
Discord
Sister of Ares, daughter of Zeus and Hera, and mother of Strife, the hand of Eris can be seen in every quarrel, feud and disagreement. Her eternal and unforgiving rage is the cause of fear and respect on Olympus, though despised by the Olympians they dared not confront her. She rides into battle with her brother and companion, Ares, but she is more generally known for the less deadly forms of conflict; political strife, personal contention, rivalry and wrangling. One such instance being when she wasn't invited by Zeus to one of his wedding banquets because of her reputation as a trouble maker. To get back at him she had fashioned a golden apple with the word Kallisti ("To the Prettiest One") inscribed upon it. Well when Athena, Hera, and Aphrodite got to the ball a fight ensued over to whom the apple belonged which thusly ruined the entire evening, not to mention caused the Trojan War.
Hades
Abhorred Styx, the flood of deadly hate,
Sad Acheron of sorrow black and deep ;
Cocytus named of lamentation loud
Heard on the rueful stream ; fierce Phlegethon
Whose waves of torrent fire inflame with rage.
Far off from these, a slow and silent stream,
Lethe, the river of Oblivion, rolls
Her watery labyrinth, whereof who drinks
Forthwith his former state and being forgets,
Forgets both joy and grief, pleasure and pain.
-Milton
Hades, the brother of Zeus, rules the Underworld, the kingdom of the dead ,and judges the goodness of mortal souls who arrive in his domain, choosing whether to send them to Tartarus or the Elysian Fields. After the overthrow of their Father Cronus he drew lots with Zeus and Poseidon for shares of the world. He had the worst draw and was made lord of the Underworld, ruling over the dead. He is a greedy god who is greatly concerned with increasing his subjects. Those whose calling increases the number of dead are seen favorably. His three-headed dog, Cerberus, makes sure that no souls can escape his domain once there. He has a helmet that makes him invisible, but he rarely leaves the underworld. He is unpitying and terrible, but not capricious, neither good nor evil yet everything about him is somber, from his ebony throne to his chariot drawn by coal-black steeds. Hades owns all precious metals and jewels (since they are underground) and so he is also known as Pluto, meaning "wealth." He is the King of the dead but death itself is another god, Thanatos.
Hebe
Pour forth heaven's wine, oh goddess Hebe,
And let it fill the Daedal cups like fire.
Hebe, daughter of Juno, is the goddess of youth and the cup-bearer to the gods. Her tasks include but aren't limited to pouring the gods' nectar and drawing Ares' bath, along with helping Hera to her chariot. It is said that she resigned her office after marrying Hercules, but other stories say she was dismissed after tripping and falling in front of the gods. Her successor was Ganymede, a Trojan boy who was later carried off by Jupiter in the guise of an eagle to Mount Ida.
Hebe favors Acrobatics and Physical Training, but disfavors Arcane Knowledge. Her symbolis the cup and her followers often offer her citrines, cups, and toys.
Hephaestus
Thrown by angry Jove,
Sheer o'er the crystal battlements ; from morn
To noon he fell, from noon to dewey eve,
A summer's day ; and with the setting sun
Dropped from the zenith, like a falling star,
On Lemnos, the Aegean isle.
-Milton
Hephaestus, son of Hera (conceived without any help from Zeus or any other male for that matter), is the god of fire and metal working. Born weak and lame, Hera was disgusted by him so that she tossed him out of Olympus where he fell for over a day until he was rescued by the sea goddess Thetis. He grew to have a strong upper body but twisted legs due to Hera's harsh treatment, he also became the best craftsman the world had ever seen. When Hera laid eyes on a magnificent brooch he had made she called him back to Olympus immediately. There he became the smith of the gods, using a volcano as a forge he built them golden palaces, chariots, weapons, and tools. He married Aphrodite, which of course did not stop her from taking other lovers.
Hephaestus favors training in Weapons, Physical Development, Mechanical Knowledge and Arcane Knowledge, but disfavors Acrobatics and Alchemy. His symbol is the hammer and his followers often sacrifice sardonyx stones, metal, and ore to him.
Hera
Golden-throned Hera, among immortals the queen,
Chief among them in beauty, the glorious lady
All the blessed in high Olympus revere,
Honor even as Zeus, the lord of thunder.
Hera, the evil queen of the gods, is beautiful but vain. She has quite the reputation for being hateful and vindictive. She dislikes humans especially, more than likely because of Hercules and the human lovers her husband Zeus has. She is the protector of marriage and takes special care of married women. Hera's marriage was founded in strife with Zeus and continued in strife. Zeus courted her unsuccessfully, so he turned to trickery, changing himself into disheveled cuckoo. Hera feeling sorry for the bird held it to her breast to warm it. Zeus then resumed his normal form and, taking advantage of the surprise he gained, had his ways with her. She then married him to cover her shame. Once when Zeus was being particularly overbearing to the other gods, Hera convinced them to join her in a revolt. Her part in the revolt was to drug Zeus, and in this she was successful. The gods then bound the sleeping Zeus to a couch, taking care to tie many knots. This done they began to quarrel over the next step when Briareus overheard the arguments. Still full of gratitude to Zeus, Briareus slipped in and was able to quickly untie the many knots, Zeus then sprang from the couch and grabbed up his mighty thunderbolt. The gods fell to their knees begging and pleading for mercy and he seized Hera and hung her from the sky with gold chains. She wept in pain all night but none of the others dared to interfere for fear they'd anger Zeus. Her weeping kept Zeus up all night, so the next morning he agreed to release her if she would swear never to rebel again. She had little choice but to agree. While she never again rebelled, she often plotted against Zeus' plans and she was often able to outwit him. Most stories concerning Hera have to do with her jealous revenge on Zeus. She is never seen fully in her true form by mortals, the only thing one may see of her is her glowing eyes glaring down from the heavens. Her symbol is the peacock (her sacred animals are the cow and peacock, her favorite city is Argos).
Hermes
The babe was born at the break of day,
And ere the night fell he had stolen away
All of Apollo's herds.
Hermes, the messenger of the gods, is the son of Zeus and a Titaness named Maia. He is a favorite among Olympia despite his roguish and thieving qualities. He fashioned the first lyre out of a tortoise shell and the gut from one of Apollo's cows, which he of course stole, on the day he was born no less. And of course, Apollo was furious but Hermes managed to escape with just a few scratches by giving the lyre to him . Later Apollo bet him he could not do it again and Hermes lost the bet, having to swear to never again tell a lie, though he did not ever swear to tell the truth either. He is said to be quite the charmer and he wears a winged helmet along with winged sandals and carries his caduceus (a staff twined with serpents) wherever he goes. He not only delivers messages between the gods but also delivers souls to the Underworld and is said to bring good luck to travelers. He invented the lyre, the pipes, the musical scale, astronomy, weights and measures, boxing, and gymnastics.
Hermes favors Mechanical Knowledge and Acrobatics, but disfavors Alchemy, and Arcane Knowledge save for Perception. His symbol is the caduceus and his followers often offer him agates, lockpicks, and feathers.
Hestia
Hestia, in all dwellings of men and immortals
Yours is the highest honor, the sweet wine offered
First and last at the feast, poured out to you duly.
Never without you can gods or mortals hold banquet.
Hestia, the older of the original siblings (Demeter, Hades, Poseidon, Hera, and Zeus), is the goddess of the hearth. She protects every household on the Earth and is honored by both gods and mortals alike. The gentlest member of the twelve Olympians, she gave her place on Olympus when Dionysus arrived to avoid the unlucky number thirteen and so that she could spend more time tending the eternal hearth in the center of the great hall where the gods spend most of their days. Each city has a public hearth sacred to Hestia where the fire is never allowed to go out.
Hestia favors training in Ritual Magic and Arcane Knowledge. Her symbol is a flame and her followers often offer brown jaspers, torches, and coal to her.
Iris
Dispel this cloud, the light of heaven restore ;
Give me to see and Ajax ask me no more ;
If Greece must perish we thy will obey,
But let us perish in the face of day.
-Pope
Iris, daughter of the Titan Thaumas and Electra, is the beautiful winged goddess of the rainbow and Hera's favorite messenger. Unlike Hera though, she is kind and gentle, although she has been known to deal with the harpies. She dresses in beautiful multicolored robes and carries her herald's staff wherever she goes. Iris only leaves Olympus to convey the divine commands to humankind, by whom she is regarded as an adviser and guide. Traveling with the speed of the wind, she can go from one end of the earth to the other, and to the bottom of the sea or to the depths of the underworld. Although she is a sister of the winged monsters, the Harpies, Iris is a beautiful maiden with wings and robes of bright colors and a halo of light on her head, trailing across the sky with a rainbow in her wake.
Iris favors training in Rituals and Arcane Knowledge, and disfavors training in Mechanical Knowledge. Her symbol is a water pitcher and her followers often offer to her fire opals, flowers, and rainbow medallions.
The Muses
The nine goddesses and daughters of the god Zeus and of Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory. They preside over the arts and sciences and are believed to inspire all artists, especially poets, philosophers, and musicians. Calliope is the muse of epic poetry, Clio of history, Euterpe of lyric poetry, Melpomene of tragedy, Terpsichore of choral songs and the dance, Erato of love poetry, Polyhymnia of sacred poetry, Urania of astronomy, and Thalia of comedy. They are said to be the companions of the Graces and of Apollo, the god of music. They sit near the throne of Zeus, king of the gods, and sing of his greatness and of the origin of the world and its inhabitants and the glorious deeds of the great heroes. The Muses are worshiped throughout ancient Greece, especially at Helicon in Boeotia and at Pieria in Macedonia.
Nemisis
The goddess of justice, to show her grudge,
Clapt asses' ears upon the judge ;
A goodly pair, erect and wide,
Which he could neither gild nor hide.
The personification of divine justice and the vengeance of the gods, sometimes called the daughter of Night. She represents the righteous anger of the gods against the proud and haughty and against breakers of the law; she distributes good or bad fortune to all mortals. No one can escape her power.
Pan
So did he feel who pulled the boughs aside,
That we might look into a forest wide,
. .
. .
. .
Telling us how fair trembling Syrinx fled
Arcadian Pan, with such a fearful dread.
Poor nymph-poor Pan-how he did weep to find
Nought but a lovely sighing of the wind
Along the reedy stream ; a half-heard strain,
Full of sweet desolation, balmy pain.
-Keats
Pan, the ugly faced child of Hermes, is god of everything wild and untamed. Part animal, with the horns, hooves, and ears of a goat, he is a rollicking deity, the god of the shepherds and goatherds. He is both a shepherd and musician, but his pipes can cause insanity when he plays them. A wonderful musician he, accompanied with his pipe of reeds, played for the woodland nymphs when they danced. He invented his flute when the nymph Syrinx, whom he was pursuing, transformed herself into a bed of reeds to escape him; Pan then took the reeds of unequal length, fashioned them into a flute, and played on them so that he could always remember her. He can be found running wild in the woods either dancing to his own music or chasing any nymphs that might have caught his eye that day.
Pan favors training in Acrobatics, but disfavors training in Mechanical Knowledge. His symbol is a set of pan pipes and his followers offer green tourmalines, holy water, or laurel leaves to him.
Persephone
But even in death, so strong is Love,
I could not wholly die ; and year by year,
When the bright springtime comes, and earth lives,
Love opens these dread gates, and calls me forth
Across the gulf.
-Lewis Morris
Both the goddess of spring and the queen of the dead and the daughter of Demeter, she was stolen from her mother by Hades and made to stay there as his queen. During this time her mother mourned over her so ,that all the crops she was responsible for withered and died causing mass starvation. Eventually a deal was struck with Hades, by Hercules, to allow Persephone equal time with him in the Underworld and with her mother in the heavens. When Persephone is with Demeter she is so happy that she let's the crops spring back to life. When Persephone must go back down to spend her time with Hades, Demeter mourns and refuses to let crops grow, bringing on winter.
Persephone favors training in Alchemy and Arcane Knowledge, but disfavors training in Mechanical Knowledge. Persephone's symbol is a wildflower and her followers sacrifice smoky quartzes, honey bread, and spring flowers to her.
Poseidon
King of the stormy sea !
Brother to Jove, and a co-inheritor
Of elements ! Eternally before
Thee the waves awful bow. Fast, stubborn rock,
Its deep foundations, hissing into foam.
. . .
. .
.
Subdued majesty with his glad time.
O shell-borne king sublime !
We lay our hearts before thee evermore-
We sing, and we adore !
-Keats
Poseidon is the quick tempered brother of Zeus and Hades and lord of the oceans. After the overthrow of their father Cronos he drew lots with Zeus and Hades for shares of the world. His prize was to become lord of the sea. He is widely worshiped by seamen. He married Amphitrite, a granddaughter of the Titan Oceanus, though at one point he desired Demeter. To put him off Demeter asked him to make the most beautiful animal that the world had ever seen, so to impress her Poseidon created the first horse. In some accounts his first attempts were unsuccessful and he created a variety of other animals in his quest. By the time the horse was created his passion for Demeter had cooled. Temperamental and easily angered, he spends most of his time in his golden palace of coral and gems beneath the ocean with his queen, the sea goddess Amphitrite. Poseidon's scepter is a trident and he rides in a chariot drawn by dolphins and seahorses. More often than not when he shakes his trident storms and floods are soon to follow and when he strikes the earth he makes mountains tremble, though he can also be kind. He has a difficult, quarrelsome personality and is very greedy leading to a series of disputes with other gods when he tried to take over their cities.
Poseidon favors training in Weapons, Brawling, and Physical Development. He disfavors training in Acrobatics. His symbol is the trident and black pearls, anchors, and tridents are often sacrificed to him.
Zeus
He spoke and awful bends his sable brows,
Shakes his ambrosial curls and gives the nod,
The stamp of fate and sanction of the god.
High heaven with reverence the dread signal took,
And all Olympus to the centre shook.
-Homer
Zeus is the all powerful king of the gods. After overthrowing his father Cronus, Zeus drew lots with his brothers Poseidon and Hades to become supreme ruler of the gods. Zeus won. He became the Lord of the Sky, the rain god, and the cloud gatherer. His weapon of choice is his mighty thunderbolt and his wife of choice is Hera (and whoever else that catches his eye, much to her disapproval). Zeus is the strongest of the gods, although not always the wisest, and when he speaks of his wife Hera one might think him more a fearful hen pecked husband than the Ruler of Olympia. He likes his followers to practice the skills of brawling, weapon use, and holy rituals and also encourages physical training.
Zeus favors training in Brawling, Weapons, and Rituals. He disfavors training in Mechanical Knowledge and Arcane Knowledge. His symbol is the lightning bolt and eagle feathers, oak leaves, and rubies are often sacrificed to him.
The Titans
Atlas, the son of Iapetus. Unlike his brothers Prometheus and Epimetheus, Atlas fought with the other Titans supporting Cronus against Zeus. Due to Cronus' advanced age, Atlas lead the Titan's into battle. As a result he was singled out by Zeus for a special punishment and made to hold up the world on his back.
Coeus is the Titan of Intelligence and father of Leto.
Crius married his sister Eurybia and became the father of Astraeus, Pallas and Perses.
Cronus was the ruling Titan who came to power by castrating his Father Uranus. His wife was Rhea and their offspring were the first of the Olympians. To insure his safety Cronus ate all of the male children as they were born. This worked until Rhea, unhappy at the loss of her children, tricked Cronus into swallowing a rock by wrapping it in swaddling clothes, instead of eating their son Zeus. When he grew up Zeus revolted against Cronus and the other Titans, defeated them, and banished them to Tartarus in the underworld. Cronus managed to escape to Italy where he ruled as Saturn. The period of his rule was said to be a golden age on earth honored by the Saturnalia feast.
Dione is the mother of Aphrodite.
Epimetheus is a one of the less smart of the Titans, whose name means "afterthought". He was the son of Iapetus. In some accounts he is said to have, along with his brother Prometheus, been told by Zeus to create mankind. He also accepted the gift of Pandora from Zeus, which lead to the introduction of evil into the world. Epimetheus and his brother Prometheus were given the task of creating humanity and providing humans and all the animals on earth with the endowments they would need to survive. Epimetheus (whose name means afterthought) accordingly proceeded to bestow on the various animals gifts of courage, strength, swiftness, and feathers, fur, and other protective covering. When it came time to create a being who was to be superior to all other living creatures, Epimetheus found he had been so reckless with his resources that he had nothing left to bestow. He was forced to ask his brother's help, and Prometheus took over the task of creation.
Gaea is the Earth goddess. She mated with her son Uranus to produce the remaining Titans. Gaea seems to have started as a neolithic earth-mother worshipped before the Indo-European invasion that eventually lead to the Hellenistic civilization.
Hyperion is the Titan of light, an early sun god. He is the son of Gaea and Uranus and he married his sister Theia. Their children are Helius (the sun), Selene (the moon), and Eos (the dawn).
Iapetus is the father of Prometheus, Epimetheus, Menoetius, and Atlas Clymene.
Leto is the daughter of the Titans Phoebus and Coeus, and the mother of Artemis, goddess of the moon. She was loved by Zeus who, fearing the jealousy of his wife Hera, banished Leto when she was about to have his child. All countries and islands were also afraid of Hera's wrath and refused the desperate Leto a home where her child could be born. Finally, in her wanderings, she set foot on a small island floating in the Aegean Sea. The island, which was called Delos, was a rocky, barren place, but when Leto reached it and asked for refuge, they welcomed her hospitably. At that moment four great pillars rose from the bottom of the sea to hold the island firmly moored forever after.
Metis is the Titaness of the forth day and the planet Mercury. She presides over all wisdom and knowledge. She was seduced by Zeus and became pregnant with Athena which led to Zeus becoming concerned over prophecies that her second child would replace him. To avoid this Zeus ate Metis while the child was still in her womb. It is said that she is the source for Zeus' wisdom and that she still advises Zeus from inside his belly. It may seem odd for Metis to have been pregnant with Athena but, since Metis was killed well before Athena's birth this leads people to believe her role in the process didn't count.
Mnemosyne is the Titan of memory. She slept with Zeus for nine nights and gave birth to the nine Muses.
Oceanus ruled over the unending stream of water encircling the world which was believed to be a flat circle. Together with his wife Tethys they produced the rivers and the three thousand ocean nymphs. The nymphs of this great river, the Oceanids, were their daughters, and the gods of all the streams on earth were their sons.
Phoebe is the Titan of the Moon and mother of Leto.
Prometheus, the son of the Titan Iapetus by the sea nymph Clymene or the Titaness Themis, is the wisest of the Titans. His name means "forethought" and he is able to foretell the future. When Zeus revolted against Cronus, Prometheus deserted the other Titans and fought on Zeus' side. Prometheus and his brother Epimetheus were given the task of creating humanity and providing humans and all the animals on earth with the endowments they would need to survive. Epimetheus (whose name means afterthought) accordingly proceeded to bestow on the various animals gifts of courage, strength, swiftness, and feathers, fur, and other protective covering. When it came time to create a being who was to be superior to all other living creatures, Epimetheus found he had been so reckless with his resources that he had nothing left to bestow. He was forced to ask his brother's help, and Prometheus took over the task of creation. To make humans superior to the animals he fashioned them in a nobler form and enabled them to walk upright. He then went up to heaven and lit a torch with fire from the sun. The gift of fire that Prometheus bestowed upon humanity was more valuable than any of the gifts the animals had received. In all accounts Prometheus is known as the protector and benefactor of man. He also tricked Zeus into allowing man to keep the best part of the animals sacrificed to the gods and to give the gods the worst parts, for this Zeus punished Prometheus by having him chained to a rock with an eagle tearing at his liver. He was to be left there for all eternity or until he agreed to disclose to Zeus which of his children would try to replace him as king of the gods. He was eventually rescued by Hercules, though, without having to give in to Zeus.
Rhea was the wife of Cronus who together ruled the universe for many ages. Cronus, having been warned that one of their children was destined to seize his throne tried to avert this fate by swallowing his offspring as soon as they were born. After the birth of her sixth child, the god Zeus, Rhea outwitted her husband by giving him a stone wrapped in swaddling clothes which he swallowed thinking it was the baby. In the meantime she had hidden the child in Crete. Later, when Zeus was grown, he forced his father to disgorge the stone along with the five other children who had been born to Rhea: Poseidon, god of the sea; Hades, god of the dead; Demeter, goddess of the earth; Hestia, goddess of the hearth; and Hera, goddess of marriage who became the wife of Zeus.
Tethys is the wife of Oceanus. Together they produced the rivers and the three thousand ocean nymphs.
Themis is the Titan of justice and order. She is the mother of the three Fates and the Horae (Seasons). The goddess of divine justice and law, Themis is the constant companion of the Zeus and sits beside him on Olympus. She is usually represented holding aloft a pair of scales on which she weighs the claims of opposing parties.
Uranus is the sky god and first ruler. He is the son of Gaea who created him without help from any man. He then became the husband of Gaea and together they had many offspring, including twelve of the Titans. His rule ended when Cronus, encouraged by Gaea, castrated him. Nobody knows if he died from the wound or simply withdrew from earth.