The Gods and Goddesses

Zeus: The king of the gods, the ruler of Mount Olympus and the god of the sky, weather, thunder, lightning, law, order, and fate. He is the youngest son of Cronus and Rhea, whom he overthrew after Cronus swallowed his brothers and sisters and he is brother-husband to Hera. In artwork, he was depicted as a regal, mature man with a sturdy figure and dark beard. His usual attributes are the royal scepter and the lightning bolt, and his sacred animals are the eagle and the bull.

Poseidon: The god of the sea, rivers, floods, droughts, earthquakes, and the creator of horses; known as the "Earth Shaker". He is a son of Cronus and Rhea and brother to Zeus and Hades. In classical artwork, he was depicted as a mature man of sturdy build with a dark beard, and holding a trident. The horse and the dolphin are sacred to him.

Hades: King of the Underworld and god of the dead and the hidden wealth of the Earth. His consort is Persephone and his attributes are the key of Hades, the Helm of Darkness, and the three-headed dog, Cerberus. The screech owl was sacred to him. Despite being the son of Cronus and Rhea and the elder brother of Zeus, as a chthonic god he is only rarely listed among the Olympians. The name Pluto became more common in the Classical period with the mystery religions and Athenian literature. He did not have a throne in Olympus, but is still very known for being one of the three sons of Cronus.

Aphrodite: The goddess of love, beauty and desire. Although married to Hephaestus she had many lovers, most notably Ares. She was depicted as a beautiful woman. Her symbols include the rose, scallop shell, pomegranate, and myrtle wreath. Her sacred animal is the dove.

Apollo: The god of music, healing, plague, the sun prophecies, poetry, and archery; associated with light, truth and the sun. He is Artemis' twin brother and Hermes' elder brother, and son of Zeus and Leto. He was depicted as a handsome, beardless youth with long hair and various attributes including a laurel wreath, bow and quiver, raven, and lyre. Animals sacred to Apollo include dolphins, roe deer, swans, cicadas, hawks, ravens, crows, foxes, and snakes.

Ares: The god of war, bloodlust, violence, manly courage, and civil order. The son of Zeus and Hera, he was depicted as either a mature, bearded warrior dressed in battle arms, or a nude beardless youth with helm and spear. His attributes are golden armor and a bronze-tipped spear. His sacred animals are the vulture, venomous snakes, alligators, dogs, and boars.

Artemis: Virgin goddess of the hunt, wilderness, animals, young girls, childbirth and plague. In later times she became associated with the moon. Her children are created of moonlight, so they are exceptionally beautiful, or handsome, usually with alabaster skin that almost looks like it glows. She is the daughter of Zeus and Leto, and twin sister of Apollo. In art she was usually depicted as a young woman dressed in a short knee-length chiton and equipped with a hunting bow and a quiver of arrows. In addition to the bow, her attributes include hunting spears, animal pelts, deer and other wild animals. Her sacred animals are deer, bears, and wild boars.

Athena: The goddess of wisdom, warfare, battle strategy, heroic endeavor, handicrafts and reason. According to most traditions, she was born from Zeus's head fully formed and armored. She was depicted crowned with a crested helm, armed with shield and a spear. Her symbol is the olive tree. She is commonly shown accompanied by her sacred animal, the owl.

Demeter: The goddess of agriculture, horticulture, grain and harvest. Demeter is a daughter of Cronus and Rhea and sister of Zeus, by whom she bore Persephone. She was depicted as a mature woman, often crowned and holding sheafs of wheat and a torch. Her symbols are the Cornucopia (horn of plenty), wheat-ears, the winged serpent and the lotus staff. Her sacred animals are pigs and snakes

Dionysus: The god of wine, parties and festivals, madness, drunkenness and pleasure at forever young. He was depicted in art as either an older bearded god or a pretty effeminate, long-haired youth. His attributes include the thyrsus (a pinecone-tipped staff), drinking cup, grape vine, and a crown of ivy. Animals sacred to him include dolphins, serpents, tigers, and donkeys. A later addition to the Olympians, in some accounts he replaced Hestia.

Hephaestus: Crippled god of fire, metalworking, stonemasonry, sculpture and volcanism. The son of Hera by parthenogenesis, he is the smith of the gods and the husband of the adulterous Aphrodite. He was usually depicted as a bearded man holding hammer and tongs—the tools of a smith—and riding a donkey. His symbols are the hammer, tongs, and anvil. His sacred animals are the donkey, the guard dog and the crane.

Hera: Queen of marriage, women, childbirth, heirs, kings and empires. She is the wife of Zeus and daughter of Cronus and Rhea. She was usually depicted as a beautiful woman wearing a crown and veil and holding a royal, lotus-tipped staff. Her sacred animals are the heifer, the lion, the peacock, and the cuckoo.

Hermes: The god of travel, messengers, trade, thievery, cunning wiles, language, writing, diplomacy, athletics, and animal husbandry. He is the messenger of the gods, a psychopomp who leads the souls of the dead into Hades' realm, and the son of Zeus and Maia. He was depicted either as a handsome and athletic beardless youth, or as an older bearded man. His attributes include the herald's wand or caduceus, winged sandals, and a traveler's cap. His sacred animals are the tortoise, the ram, and the hawk.

Hestia: Virgin goddess of the hearth, home and cooking. She is a daughter of Rhea and Cronus and sister of Zeus. She was depicted as a modestly veiled woman, whose symbols are the hearth and kettle. In some accounts, she gave up her seat as one of the Twelve Olympians in favor of Dionysus.

Hecate: Goddess of magic, crossroads and ghosts. Distinguishing features: Hecate is usually dressed in dark robes, holding twin torches (all the better to see you and burn you with, my dear). She is accompanied by a she-dog and a polecat, which used to be her enemies before she morphed them into animals. In later times, Hecate was pictured as a woman with three heads, or three entirely different forms for morning, noon and night. Talk about split personalities . . .
Now: Hecate is the daughter of the Titans, and although she sided with the gods in the Titan war, she’s a mysterious and crafty figure. Magic is her territory, and her followers include Circe and Medea, who were not exactly girl scouts. You can find Hecate in foggy graveyards, or at abandoned crossroads at night. If you see a woman with two torches, be nice to her, unless you want to become one of her animal familiars.
Then: Hecate was a goddess to be feared. The Greeks and Romans respected her power, but didn’t usually worship her. She was the goddess of dark and unknown forces, and the fact that she had three different forms meant you never knew whether she would be a good cop or a bad cop. It was best just to steer clear!