THE PRINCIPAL GODS

Chaos- was, according to Greek mythology, the origin of everything, and the first thing
that ever existed. It was the primordial void, the source out of which everything was created,
including the universe and the gods. The first primordial deities that emerged out of Chaos
were Gaea (earth), Tartarus (underworld) and Eros (love), while later Erebus (darkness) and Nyx
(night) also popped out. According to Hesiod, Chaos was also a place, much like Tartarus and
the Heavens later, beyond which the Titans lived.

Uranus- was a primal Greek god, symbolization the sky. They are coming from the egg
and split into two the father heaven and the mother earth. Uranus and Gaea had many
children; the twelve Titans, threeCyclopes, and three Hecatoncheires. Hating his
children, Uranusbanished them to Tartarus,. Gaea was infuriated and created a diamond sickle,
which she gave to Cronus, one of the Titans.Cronus found his father and castrated him in his
sleep; from the blood that fell on the earth, the Erinnyes, the Giants and the Meliads were
born; while from the sperm that fell into the sea, Aphrodite was born. Thus ended the reign
of Uranus, and Cronus became the new ruler of the universe.

Geae - was a primal Greek goddess, one of the deities that governed the universe
before the Titans. She symbolised the Earth, and was the mother of everything.According to
one version, Gaea, along with Chaos and Eros, coexisted during the creation of the world.
Another version has it that the three of them were born out of the Cosmic Egg, which itself was
created out of nothingness. Hesiod then tells us that from the union of Gaea andChaos - and
supported by Eros - Uranus was born. Gaea and Uranusgave birth to the Giants,
the Titans, Oceanus and the whole world. At that point, Uranus decided to stop Gaea from
creating anything else and sent his children inside her; Gaea was infuriated and allied with one
of her Titan sons, Cronus, managing to overthrow Uranus. However, due to the cruelty
of Cronus and his determination to remain on the throne, Gaea assisted Zeus in
overthrowing Cronus, which marked the end of the age of the Titans.

Cronus- was the ruling Titan who came to power by castrating his father Uranus. His
wife was Rhea, while their offspring were the first of the Olympians. To ensure his
safety, Cronus ate each of the children as they were born. This worked until Rhea, unhappy at
the loss of her children, tricked Cronus into swallowing a rock, instead of Zeus. When he grew
up, Zeus revolted against Cronus and the other Titans, defeating them, and banishing 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. A festival was also held in Athens,
honouringCronus; it was called Kronia and it took place on the twelfth day of the month
Hekatombaion.

Rhea- was one of the Titans, daughter of Uranus and Gaea. She was the sister and wife
of Cronus, also a Titan. She was responsible for the way things flow in the kingdom
of Cronus (her name means 'that which flows').Rhea and Cronus had six
children; Hestia, Hades, Demeter, Poseidon,Hera and Zeus. Cronus, afraid that he would be
overthrown by his children just like he had done with his father, decided to swallow all of them.
However, he was tricked by Rhea, who managed to save Zeusfrom his father. When Zeus grew
up, he forced his father to disgorge his siblings and eventually overthrew
him.Although Rhea was considered the "mother of gods", similarly to Gaea and Cybele, she did
not have a strong cult and many followers. She had a temple in Crete, the place in which she
hidZeus to save from his father. In art, she started appearing in the fourth century BC; however,
she was often depicted with characteristics similar to those used for Cybele, thus making the
two goddesses indistinguishable. Rhea was often symbolized as a pair of lions that pulled a
celestial chariot. This symbol was often placed on city gates, the best known example being that
at the city of Mycenae, where two stone lions guarded the gates.Rhea Is also called Ops,

OCEANUS –Oceanus was an ancient Greek god. According to one version, he was born
by the union of the primal gods Chaos and Gaea, sanctified by god Eros. Another version has it
that he was one of the twelve Titans, thus a son of Gaea and Uranus.Oceanus was married to
his sister, Tethys, with whom he had numerous children, called Oceanids. These were the lesser
gods and goddesses of the rivers, the sea, and the springs. In fact, Oceanus and Tethys were so
fertile that the overproduction of the aqueous elements of nature would cause floods; so, they
divorced to stop this from happening. The couple was not involved in the Titanomachy against
Zeus, so the latter let them continue their reign in their watery kingdom.In ancient Greek art,
Oceanus was depicted having bull horns and the tail of a serpentine fish instead of legs. He was
later considered as a simple sea god or the personification of the sea.Oceanus Is also called
Ocean, Oceanos.

TETHYS – Tethys was one of the Titans, daughter of Uranus and Gaea. She was married
to her brother, Oceanus, and gave birth to the river gods, who lived in the rivers that were then
known to the Greeks, such as the Nile and Alpheus; and to three thousand water goddesses,
called Oceanids. Despite being the mother of so many deities in the Greek mythology, Tethys
was not actively worshipped. During the Titanomachy, she raised Hera as her stepchild, brought
to her by Rhea.According to one myth, Hera did not like that Callisto and Arcas were placed in
the heavens by being turned into the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, so she asked
Tethys to do something about it. To appease Hera, Tethys denied the constellations from being
able to touch the sea and fall below the horizon; instead, they were forever doomed to circle
the sky

Coeus- was one of the Titans, son of Uranus and Gaia. His name means questioning,
while the respective Roman deity was Polus, the celestial axis around which the heavens
revolve. Based on his Greek name, it has been suggested that Coeus may have also been the
Titan of inquisitive minds and intellect.Coeus also represented one of the four pillars that hold
the heavens and the earth apart. He was the pillar of the north, while the other three pillars
were personified by his brothers Hyperion, Iapetus and Crius. The four brothers played an
important role in dethroning their father, Uranus; as they were located in the four corners of
the earth, they held Uranus in place, while their brother Cronus castrated him with the
diamond sickle that their mother Gaea had given him.
Although Coeus does not have an active role in Ancient Greek religion, he was important
through his children, Leto and Asteria, whom he had with his wife and sister, Phoebe. Leto was
one of Zeus' lovers and gave birth to the twin Olympians, Artemis and Apollo.During
the Titanomachy, Coeus tried to stop Zeus and the other Olympians; failing, he and the rest of
the Titans were banished to the Underworld. Trying to escape, Coeus broke his chains but was
forced to stay by Cerberus, the guardian of the underworld.Coeus Is also called Polus, Koios.

Phoebe -was one of the Titans, daughter of Uranus and Gaea. She was married to her
brother Coeus, with whom she had Asteria (the starry one) and Leto.
The Olympians Apollo and Artemis, twin siblings, were the children of Leto; thus, they were
often referred to as Phoebus andPhoebe respectively, taking their alternative names from their
grandmother. Phoebe was associated with the moon and the Oracle of Delphi, and was
considered to be the goddess of prophecy.
In the Titanomachy, the War between the Titans and the Olympian gods which resulted in the
defeat of the former, Phoebe did not participate and therefore, she was spared imprisonment
in Tartarus.
Phoebe Is also called Phoibe.

HERA - was Zeus' wife and sister, and was raised by the Titans Oceanusand Tethys. She
was the supreme goddess, patron of marriage and childbirth, having a special interest in
protecting married women. Her sacred animals were the cow and the peacock, and she favored
the city of Argos.Zeus initially courted Hera, but after many unsuccessful attempts, he resorted
to trickery. He took the form of a disheveled cuckoo; Hera, feeling sorry for the bird, held it to
her breast to keep it warm. Zeusthen resumed his normal form and taking advantage of Hera's
surprise, he raped her. Herathen married him to cover her shame; their marriage was turbulent
and they often clashed.
Occassionally, Zeus treated the other gods with particular harshness; Hera took advantage of
that and asked them to join her in a revolt. They all accepted and set the plan in
motion; Heradrugged Zeus, and then, the others bound him to a couch. At that stage, however,
they began to argue over what the next step should be. Briareus, one of the Hecatoncheires,
overheard the arguments; still full of gratitude to Zeus for saving him and his brothers from a
dragon, Briareus sneaked in and quickly untied the knots that held Zeus in place. Zeus sprang
from the couch and grabbed his thunderbolt. The gods fell to their knees begging and pleading
for mercy. He seizedHera and hung her from the sky with gold chains. She wept in pain all night,
but none of the other gods dared to interfere. Her weeping kept Zeusup, so the following
morning, he agreed to release her if she swore never to rebel again. She had little choice but to
agree. While she never again rebelled, she often interfered with Zeus's plans and she was often
able to outwit him.

Zeus- was the god of the sky and ruler of the Olympian gods. He overthrew his
father, Cronus, and then drew lots with his brothersPoseidon 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 oathbreakers. 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 lightnings 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.

Poseidon - is the god of the sea and protector of all aquatic features. Brother
of Zeus and Hades, after the overthrow of their father,Cronus, he drew lots with them to share
the universe. He ended up becoming lord of the sea. He was widely worshipped by seamen. He
married Amphitrite, one of the granddaughters of the Titan Oceanus.At one point he
desired Demeter. To deter him, Demeter asked him to make the most beautiful animal that the
world had ever seen. So, in an effort to impress her, Poseidon created the first horse. In some
accounts, his first attempts were unsuccessful and created a variety of other animals in his
quest; thus, by the time the horse was created, his passion for Demeter had diminished.His
weapon was a trident, with which he could make the earth shake, causing earthquakes, and
shatter any object. He was second to Zeus in power amongst the gods. He was considered by
Greeks to have a difficult quarrelsome personality. Combined with his greed, he had a series of
disputes with other gods during his various attempts to take over the cities they were patrons
of.Poseidon Is also called Neptune.

Demeter- was the goddess of corn, grain, and the harvest. She was the daughter
of Cronus and Rhea. It was believed that Demeter made the crops grow each year; thus the first
loaf of bread made from the annual harvest was offered to her. She was the goddess of the
earth, of agriculture, and of fertility in general. Sacred to her are livestock and agricultural
products, poppy, narcissus and the crane.Demeter was intimately associated with the seasons.
Her daughterPersephone was abducted by Hades to be his wife in the underworld. In her anger
at her daughter's loss, Demeter laid a curse on the world that caused plants to wither and die,
and the land to become desolate. Zeus, alarmed for the barren earth, sought for Persephone's
return. However, because she had eaten while in the underworld, Hades had a claim on her.
Therefore, it was decreed that Persephone would spend four months each year in the
underworld. During these months Demeter would grieve for her daughter's absence,
withdrawing her gifts from the world, creating winter. Her return brought the
spring.Demeter was also known for founding the Eleusinian Mysteries. These were huge
festivals held every five years and very important events for many centuries. Yet, little is known
about them as those attending were sworn to secrecy. It is thought that the central tenet
around which the Mysteries revolved was that just like grain returns every spring after its
harvest and the winter lull, so does the human soul after the death of the body, reincarnated in
a next life.

Iapetus - was a Titan, son of Uranus and Gaea, and father

of Atlas,Prometheus, Epimetheus and Menoetius. His name derives from the Greek word
meaning to pierce usually with a spear; therefore, Iapetusmay have been considered as the god
of craftsmanship, although other sources site him as the god of mortality.Iapetus was also
considered the personification of one of the four pillars that hold the heavens and the earth
apart, a role that he later bequeathed to his son, Atlas. He represented the pillar of the west,
the other three being represented by his brothers Crius, Coeus andHyperion. The four brothers
actively played a role in the dethroning of their father Uranus; as they were all in the four
corners of the earth, they held Uranus firmly in place while their brother Cronus castrated him
with a sickle.Iapetus' sons were thought to have been the ancestors of humans, and that they
had some detrimental qualities that not only led to their own demise, but they also passed
them down to humans. So, although Prometheus was clever, he bequeathed scheming to
mankind; Epimetheus, guileless as he was, passed down stupidity; Atlas, being powerful and
patient, gave excessive daring; and finally, Menoetius, an arrogant personality, bequeathed
violence.
Iapetus Is also called Japetus, Iapetos.

Atlas- was one of the Titans, son of Iapetus and Clymene, and brother
of Prometheus, Epimetheus and Menoetius. During the Titanomachy, the War between
the Titans and the Olympian gods, Atlas and his brother Menoetius sided with the Titans,
while Prometheus andEpimetheus helped the Olympian gods. Atlas was the leader in the
batttle; however, being on the losing side, Zeus condemned him to eternally stand on the
western side of Gaea (the earth) holding Uranus(the sky) on his shoulders. Therefore, the
contemporary depiction ofAtlas holding the Earth on his shoulders is a misconception.He was
the Titan god of astronomy and navigation and he was married to his sister, Phoebe. He had
numerous children, including the Hesperides, the Hyades, Hyas, the
Pleiades, Calypso,Dione and Maera. He was associated with the Atlas mountains in northwest
Africa. According to a later myth, when Perseus went to that region, a giant named Atlas tried
to drive him away. So, Perseus revealed Medusa's head, whom he had already killed, thus
turning Atlas into stone (the Atlas mountains themselves).In the myth of the Twelve Laboursof
Heracles, the demigod was sent to bring the golden apples from Hera's garden, tended by
the Hesperides and guarded by the dragon Ladon. Heracles asked Atlas to bring the apples to
him; during that time, he would replace him in holding up the sky. Atlaswent and brought the
apples to Heracles; he then attempted to trick him into holding the skies forever.
However, Heracles managed to evade the trick and left with the apples.
 Dione -, was a Titan goddess in Greek mythology, most probably a daughter
of Oceanus and Tethys and thus, an Oceanid. According to some sources, she was the first wife
of Zeus, with whom she had a daughter, the goddess Aphrodite. She was an oracle and was
worshipped alongside Zeus at the earliest Oracle in Greece that was located at Dodona. She
made an appearance in Homer's Iliad, when her daughter was wounded and she tried to heal
her. The priestesses and prophetesses at her shrine in Dodona were called Peleiades or the
Doves, which was the sacred bird of her daughter, Aphrodite.There was also another Dione, a
nymph and the daughter of Atlas. She became the wife of kingTantalus, and they had two
sons, Pelops and Broteas, and a daughter, Niobe.

Hebe- was the goddess of youth, daughter of Zeus and Hera. She
served nectar and ambrosia to the Olympians and later marriedHeracles, with whom she had
two children, Alexiares and Anicetus. Her name comes from the Greek word for youth, and it
was believed that she had the ability to restore youth. When Iolaus, Heracles' charioteer, was
about to fight against Eurystheus, he asked Hebe to become young again for one day. Hebe was
reluctant initially, butThemis, the goddess of justice, told her that it would be fair to do it. Thus,
Iolaus' wish was granted and he emerged victorious.She lost her job as a cupbearer of the gods,
when she tripped and her dress came undone, thus exposing her breasts. Apollo fired her and
she was replaced by Ganymede, Zeus' lover and protege.
Hebe Is also called Juventas, Ganymeda.

Hestia - was the goddess of the hearth, family, and domestic life. She was not
worshipped publicly, which is evident by the lack of temples and shrines attributed to her; this
comes in contrast to the Romanequivalent goddess Vesta, who represented the public hearth.
Her name meant both a house and a hearth, symbolising the home and its residents. She also
represented the coalition and relationship between the colonies and the mother cities. She
was Zeus' sister, but although initially she was included in the Olympian gods, she was later
replaced by Dionysus. She took a vow to remain a virgin, refusing to give in to the callings
of Poseidon and Apollo; once, she was almost raped by Priapus, a lesser god of fertility, but was
saved thanks to the braying of a mule.

Apollo - was the son of Zeus and Leto, twin brother of Artemis. He was the god of music,
and he is often depicted playing a golden lyre. He was also known as the Archer, far shooting
with a silver bow; the god of healing, giving the science of medicine to man; the god of light;
and the god of truth. One of Apollo's most important daily tasks was to harness his four-horse
chariot, in order to move the Sun across the sky.Apollo was an oracular god, as he was the
prophetic deity in the Oracle in Delphi. People from all over the known world travelled there to
learn what the future held for them, through his priestess Pythia. The god was also worshipped
in the island of Delos, which was initially dedicated to his twin sister Artemis. In relation to the
rituals and practices that took place in Delos and Delphi, it could be said that there were two
completely distinct cults in honour of Apollo.As already mentioned, Apollo was also considered
as the god of healing and medicine, either through himself or through his son Asclepius. At the
same time, he could also bring forth disease and plague with his arrows; it was considered that
a god that can cause disease is also able to prevent it.He was born on Delos, where his
mother Leto sought refuge; Hera, having realised that Leto was impregnated by her
husband Zeus, banned Letofrom giving birth on land. So, Leto managed to go to Delos, which
had recently been formed, and therefore, was not considered a real island yet. The inhabitants
of the island, along with Artemis who had been born a day earlier, helped Leto give birth
to Apollo. Leto then promised the Delians that Apollo would always favour them for having
helped her.His holy tree was the laurel, and his holy animal was the dolphin.Apollo Is also called
Phoebus, Apollon.

Artemis- was the goddess of chastity, virginity, the hunt, the moon, and the natural
environment.She was the daughter of Zeus and Leto, twin sister of Apollo. She was born on the
island of Ortygia (Delos), where Leto had found shelter after being hunted by the lawful wife
of Zeus, Hera. As soon asArtemis was born, she helped her mother give birth to her twin
brother, thereby becoming the protector of childbirth and labour. She asked her father to grant
her eternal chastity and virginity, and never gave in to any potential lovers; devoted to hunting
and nature, she rejected marriage and love.She was the protector of nature and the hunt; both
wild and tame animals were under her protection. She also protected the agriculture and
animal herding.Artemis appeared in a number of myths. In the myth of Actaeon, he was a
hunting companion of Artemis; at some point, he saw the goddess naked bathing in a spring
and tried to rape her. As a punishment, Artemis transformed him into a stag and his hounds
killed him. In the myth of Orion which has various versions, Orion was also a hunting
companion of Artemis and the only person to have won her heart. However, he was
accidentally killed either by the goddess or by a scorpion which was sent by Gaea. In another
myth, Callisto was one of the followers of Artemis and thus she had remained a virgin. Zeus,
however, changing his form to resemble Artemis, managed to seduce and rape her,
impregnating her. Callisto gave birth to Arcas, but later, she was transformed into a bear either
by Hera or Artemis. Arcas almost killed his mother, but Zeus stopped him and placed Callisto in
the heavens as a constellation. According to other sources, both Callisto and Arcas were turned
into the Ursa Minor and the Ursa Major constellations.

Hephaestus- was the Greek god of blacksmiths, sculptors, metallurgy, fire and
volcanoes; thus, he is symbolised with a hammer, an anvil and a pair of tongs.According to
Homer's epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey, he was the son of Zeus and Hera. However, Hesiod
informs us that Hera boreHephaestus alone. According to an account, after Hephaestus was
born, Hera threw him from Olympus because he was crippled; he fell into the ocean and was
raised by Thetis and Eurynome. Another myth has it that he once tried to protect his mother
from Zeus' advances and as a result, the father of the Gods flung him down from Olympus,
which caused his physical disability; he fell on the island of Lemnos where he became a master
craftsman. He was later accepted back to Olympus, and became the craftsman of the gods,
creating majestic armors, shields and weapons.He was married to Aphrodite; after he learned
his wife had an affair with her brother, Ares, he devised a plan with which he humiliated both
lovers to the other gods.Hephaestus Is also called Vulcan.
 Ares- was the god of war, and son of Zeus and Hera. He represented the raw violence
and untamed acts that occured in wartime, in contrast to Athena, who was a symbol of tactical
strategy and military planning.He was disliked by both his parents. Whenever Ares appeared in
a myth, he was depicted as a violent personality, who faced humiliation through his defeats
more than once. In the Iliad, it is mentioned thatZeus hated him more than anyone
else; Ares was also on the losing side of the Trojan War, favouring the Trojans. He was the lover
of his sister, Aphrodite, who was married to Hephaestus. When the latter found out about the
affair, he devised a plan and managed to humiliate both of them. The union
of Ares and Aphrodite resulted in the birth of eight children, including Eros, god of love.There
were few temples attributed to Ares in Ancient Greece. Sacrifices would usually be made to him
when an army would march to war; Spartans would make sacrifices to Enyalius, another lesser
god and son of Ares and Enyo. However, the name was also used as a byname
for Ares.When Ares went to war, he was followed by his companions, Deimos (terror)
and Phobos (fear), who were the product of his union with Aphrodite.Eris, goddess of discord
and sister of Deimos and Phobos, often accompanied them in war.

Hades - was the brother of Zeus and Poseidon. After the overthrow of their
father, Cronus, he drew lots with them to share the universe. He drew poorly, which resulted in
becoming lord of the underworld and ruler of the dead. Nevertheless, he was not considered to
be death itself, as this was a different god, called Thanatos. Greedy like his brother Poseidon,
he was mainly interested in increasing his subjects, and anyone whose deeds resulted in people
dying was favoured by him. The Erinnyes (the Furies) were welcomed guests in his kingdom.The
Greeks were not keen on uttering his name, afraid of causing some kind of reaction that would
end up with them dead sooner. Instead, they decided to give him another name, Plouton,
deriving from the Greek word for wealth, due to the precious metals mined from the earth.
Thus, Hades also became the god of wealth.Although an Olympian, Hades preferred the
Underworld and rarely left his kingdom. His weapon was a pitchfork, which he used to create
earthquakes, similar to the way Poseidon used his trident. He also had a helmet of invisibility,
which he had received as a gift from the Cyclopes, in order to use it during the clash of
the Titans. He was married to Persephone, daughter ofDemeter, whom Hades abducted and
carried down to the Underworld.
Hades Is also called Pluto, Dis Pater, Orcus, Plouton.

Eileithyia - was a goddess in Greek mythology, daughter of Zeus andHera, and

represented childbirth. She was born in a cave near Knossos, Crete, and became the main place
of worship for the goddess. The goddess was also worshipped in Olympia, which is attested by
the discovery of a shrine attributed to her, while other shrines have also been found in
Tegea, Argos and Aigion; icons of the goddess were also found in Athens. Her name was also
mentioned in a fragment from Knossos written in Linear B.

Aphrodite- was the goddess of love, desire and beauty. Apart from her natural beauty,
she also had a magical girdle that compelled everyone to desire her.Thereare two accounts of
her birth. According to one, she was the daughter of Zeus and Dione, the mother goddess
worshipped at the Oracls of Dodona. However, the other account, which is more prevalent,
informs us that she arose from the sea on a giant scallop, after Cronus castrated Uranus and
tossed his severed genitals into the sea. Aphrodite then walked to the shore of Cyprus. In a
different version of the myth, she was born near the island of Cythera, hence her epithet
"Cytherea".Aphrodite was married to Hephaestus; however, she had an affair with her
brother Ares, god of war. When Hephaestus found out about the affair, he devised a plan and
managed to humiliate his wife and her lover to the other Olympians. Her holy tree was the
myrtle, while her holy birds were the dove, the swan, and the sparrow.Aphrodite represented
sex, affection, and the attraction that binds people together.

Hermes- was the Greek god of commerce, son of Zeus and Maia. Quick acting and
cunning, he was able to move swiftly between the world of man and the world of gods, acting
as a messenger of the gods and the link between mortals and the Olympians.He was the
protector of travelers, thieves and athletes. He occassionally tricked the other gods for his own
amusement or in an effort to protect humans. With the ability to move freely between worlds,
he also served as the guide of the souls of the dead to the underworld and the
afterlife.When Hermes was born, he jumped out of his crib, stole Apollo's cattle and then went
back to his crib playing innocent. However,Apollo figured it out, grabbed Hermes and went
to Zeus to complain. The father of gods simply laughed and didn't punish Hermes. To
apologise, Hermes gave Apollo the lyre which he had just invented. Hermes appeared in many
other myths; in the Odyssey, Odysseus was instructed by the god to chew a magic herb with
which he would be able to avoid Circe's powers and not be transformed to animals like his
companions; in the myth of Pandora, when the gods provided a trait to her, Hermes gave her
the ability to lie and seduce with her words.

Maia - is one of the Pleiades and the mother of Hermes, is the daughter
of Atlasand Pleione the Oceanid and is the oldest of the seven Pleiades. They were born on
MountCyllene in Arcadia, and are sometimes called mountain nymphs, oreads; Simonides of
Ceos sang of "mountain Maia" (Maiadosoureias) "of the lovely black eyes."Because they were
daughters of Atlas, they were also called the Atlantides.

Leto – she was the daughter of the titans Phoebe and Coeus. Zeus love her, but when
she was about to bear a child he abandoned her, afraid of Hera. All countries and islands, afraid
for the same reason, refused to receive her and give her a place where her child could be born.
On and on she wandered in desperation until she reached a bit of land which was floating on
the sea. It had no foundation, but was tossed hither and thither by waves and winds. It was
called Delos and besides being of all islands the most insecure it was rocky and barren. But
when Leto set foot on it and asked for refuge, the little isle welcomed her gladly, and that
moment four lofty pillars rose from the bottom of the sea and held it firmly anchored forever.
There letos children were born, Artemis and Phoebus Apollo; and after in after years Apollos
glorious temple stood there, visited by men from all over the world. The barren rock was called
“the heaven-built isle”, and from being the most despised it became the most renowned of
islands.
 Persephone - was the daughter of Zeus and Demeter, and the queen of the underworld.
She was abducted by Hades, the god of the underworld, infuriating her mother who made the
crops wither and the earth barren. Zeus intervened and tried to bring Persephone back to the
world of the living; however, Persephone ate the seeds of a pomegranate that Hades had given
to her, binding her to him for one third of the year. Thus, it was decided that Persephone spend
four months in the underworld and eight months on earth with her mother. The period in the
underworld corresponded to the winter season, during which Demeter would make the soils
barren due to her grief, while her return marked the start of the spring.She was also given a
number of epithets; she was often called Kore (the maiden) and KoreSoteira (the saviour
maiden); Hagne (the pure); AristiCthonia (the best cthonic); and Despoina (the mistress of the
house).