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In greek mythology, Pandora is told to be the first woman on earth — created by the Gods. Each of these Gods gifted her different things, with her name in Greek meaning “the one who bears all gifts”. Pandora was created as a form of punishment for humans because Zeus felt it was warranted after Prometheus stole fire to bless upon them.

Each god gifting Pandora things described as ‘beautifully evil’ by Hesiod with Hephaestus creating the beauty out of clay, Aphrodite bestowing upon her femininity and Athena teaching her crafts. Hermes was also ordered to teach the girl to be deceitful, stubborn & curious by Zeus.

Pandora was then gifted a box/jar by the Gods dubbed ‘Pithos’ in Greek which she was told contained gifts however was not allowed to open it. Hermes then took the girl to Epimetheus (brother of Prometheus) to be his bride. Previously Prometheus had warned his brother not to take any gifts from the Gods but at the sight of Pandora’s beauty, he had completely forgotten.

Pandora tried to tame her curiously to no avail opening the box & releasing all its evil out into the world. When Pithos was opened every illness and hardship the Gods had put into it began to escape. Panicking, Pandora tried to close the box immediate closing Hope inside.

According to Hesiod Hope had stayed inside at the will of the Gods as Zeus had wanted humanity to suffer as a lesson to not disobey the Gods. Pandora was the perfect person to do so as she was curious enough but no malicious.

I’m uncertain in how I could work this into my final piece as Pandora is not even a God let alone a God of Olympus yet her story is one often depicted in pop culture. The myth of Pandora’s box is one of the most relevant tales to date as the world is so ryth with conflict so I feel as if it is possible to work some symbolism somewhere in my FMP it’ll allow the people that only know the basics of mythology to understand my final piece too.

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The myth of Pandora's box is considered one of the most descriptive myths of human behavior in Greek mythology. Ancient Greeks used this myth not only to instruct themselves about the weaknesses of humans, but also to explain several misfortunes of the human race.

Pandora, the first woman on Earth

Pandora was, according to the myth, the first woman on Earth. She was created by Gods; each one of them gave her a gift, thus, her name in Greek means "the one who bears all gifts".

Pandora was created as a punishment to the mankind; Zeus wanted to punish people because Prometheus stole the fire to give it to them. Her gifts were beautifully evil, according to Hesiod. Hephaestus created her from clay, shaping her perfectly, Aphrodite gave her femininity and Athena taught her crafts. Hermes was ordered by Zeus to teach her to be deceitful, stubborn and curious.

Pandora's box

Pandora was given a box or a jar, called "pithos" in Greek. Gods told her that the box contained special gifts from them but she was not allowed to open the box ever. Then Hermes took her to Epimetheus, brother of Prometheus, to be his wife. Prometheus had advised Epimetheus not to accept anything from the Gods, but he saw Pandora and was astonished by her beauty, thus he accepted her right away.

Pandora was trying to tame her curiosity, but at the end she could not hold herself anymore; she opened the box and all the illnesses and hardships that gods had hidden in the box started coming out. Pandora was scared, because she saw all the evil spirits coming out and tried to close the box as fast as possible, closing Hope inside.

According to Hesiod Hope indeed stayed inside because that was Zeus' will; he wanted to let people suffer in order to understand that they should not disobey their gods. Pandora was the right person to do it, because she was curious enough, but not malicious.

The myth of Pandora's box has been fascinating people since ever, catching the imagination of countless artists, who created frescos, mosaics and sculptures depicting Pandora and the mythological elements. The myth itself though appears in many different versions; the most distinctive difference is that in some myths Hope does come out. The main purpose of the myth of Pandora though is to address the question of why evil exists in the world.

The birth of Pandora was represented on the pedestal of the statue of Athena situated at the Parthenon on the Acropolis in Athens.

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Pandora's box, the Greek myth of Pandora and her box

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Pandora's box is one of the most descriptive myths of human behavior in Greek Mythology. Pandora's box was full of gifts from the Gods and Pandora was not allowed to open the box. However Pandora's curiosity made her open the box finally

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The story of Psyche and Eros is one of the most infamous myths within Greek mythology & is still commonly celebrated worldwide today.

Psyche was a mortal woman that was said to be gifted the grace and grace of a goddess — with men fawning over her across Greece. This admiration in turn made the goddess Aphrodite ripe with jealous & anger, ordering her son to poison the men’s soul to “kill off their desire for Psyche.”

Despite the numerous men eager to court the beauty, Psyche refused all of them as she was looking out for genuine love. This made her parents anxious as they were desperate to know of their daughters fate, leading them to go to an oracle. Eros guided Apollo to give the Oracle a premonition that depicted Psyche marrying an ugly beast, whose face that she would never be able to see.

Even though her parents were reluctant, they decided to go ahead and arrange the wedding with their beloved daughter & the beast. Despite not being able to see his face, Psyche fell for her husband making her sisters envious of her happiness (she also confided in them her sadness that she was unable to see him).

The jealous sister managed to persuade Psyche that her husband was a monster that was plotting to kill her so she had to kill him first for self preservation. One night she acted upon this, she took an oil lamp & knife to kill him however was surprised to be met with the beautiful face of the god Eros. Caught by surprise, the girl accidentally spilt oil on the god, waking him and causing him to fly away whilst insisting that she had betrayed him.

Psyche begged Aphrodite, who had imprisoned Eros, to see him which in response Aphrodite gave three impossible tasks to complete. Psyche managed to complete all of said tasks, driven by the power of love. During one the tasks, Psyche fell asleep unable to be woken. Eros found out about his wife’s endeavours, leading him to escape from his mother and beg Zeus to save his Psyche. Zeus, amazed by their love, went one step further and made the girl immortal so that Eros and Psyche could be together for eternity.

This research is important to note when thinking about the characteristics and factors that makes Eros into the beloved and worshipped god that everyone knows. I could some how work some other symbols into my photoshoot of Eros.

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Roman name Vulcan
- Hephaestus was 1 of 5 of the children from Hera but not Zeus however after he was birthed he was thrown from the top of Mount Olympus by Hera.
- It's said that Hera conceived her son via parthenogenesis to get back at her husband Zeus however when he was delivered the goddess was so disgusted with Hephaestus' appearance & deformity that she threw him out.
- The god was rescued by Thetis & Eurynome he sheltered & raised him in cave under the ocean.
- Later Hephaestus did act on his revenge however by gifting his mother a golden thrown that once she sat upon it, she was unable to get up. Hera was only freed once Dionysus got Hephaestus drunk so he would release her.
- He is one of the only Olympian gods to be deemed unattractive with his appearance being ugly, bearded, stocky & lame.
- The deity is depicted full of flaws, with an oval cap and a hammer & anvil.
I’m unsure if I’m going to include Hephaestus as he is one of the lesser known of Olympian gods as he doesn’t have a big impact on mythology outside of his own tale. I also don’t know if I have a family member that would fit the characteristics of Hephaestus - because of his mild impact, not much is known about the God however he was often worshipped down to the fact that he was the God blacksmiths & fire.

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Roman name Mars
- Almost always depicted wearing an stunning armour & golden helmet, the model of a perfect solider.
- Ares’ ambition for conflict & blood horrified the other Gods. Due to his unpredictable & violent nature many feared the deity - including fellow gods earning him a bad reputation amongst all.
- The god never supported one side of a quarrel however was happy to see the slaughter and brutality. He would offer aid to those who honoured him with proper tributes and devotions.
- Zeus is known for saying that Ares is the most despicable of the Gods to occupy Olympus as he solely sorts out war, contention and fights.
- Zeus despised his son so much that he admitted that if Ares was not the son of Hera he would’ve been expelled from Olympus.
- Athena, the Goddess of Strategic War was the only one that would strongly oppose Ares, defeating him on several occasions however not even she could put a halt to the God’s quest for blood & war.
- Only one Goddess could tame Ares thirst for blood and it was Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love.
All of Ares characteristics are based on his violent nature & hatred received from the other Gods, and the people surrounding me that mimic these traits are unwilling to pose for photos so I’m uncertain on how I’d pertain these pictures yet it’s important to do so as even the antagonists of Olympus deserve a mention.

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Roman name Vesta
- One of the original Olympian Gods, the daughter of Cronus and Rhea.
- She is one of the least popular deities among the 12 Olympian Gods
- After the victory of Titanomachy, Hestia began to be worshipped as the protector of homes & estate.
- The goddess was courted by Apollo & Poseidon but rejected both as she had made a vow of chastity. Zeus honoured the goddess by ensuring that Hestia could stay chaste for all eternity.
- Hestia was a honest & kind goddess which meant that she did not partake in the major deities battles.
- Due to Hestia’s mild manor, myths make reference to the goddess of fire places but men honoured her by constantly keeping a flame lit within their homes & temples.
- Almost every Greek city had a sacred pyre in honour of the goddess in which flames would also burn continuously.
- She was one of the original 12 Gods of Olympus however with growth of Dionysius cult, he began to operate the role previously belonged to Hestia.
Despite no longer being on the council of the Olympic deities, Hestia’s gentle & unproblematic nature reminds me a figure in my life that shares equal traits with the goddess so I’m considering honouring her by putting her into my concept somewhere — like Eros.

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Roman name Diana
- The daughter of Zeus & Lito, the twin sister of the God of Light, Apollo — even though she was born one day before him & assisted her mother to deliver her brother.
- One of her symbols is her favourite weapon, the bow and arrow & because of that is always depicted with them in the arts.
- When they were just infants, the twins & their mother was chased by the ignominious snake, Python but the snake was later killed by Apollo when he became of age.
- One of the traits of the goddess was that she was a virgin deity. She made the vow after witnessing all the pain her mother endured to bring Apollo into the world.
- Artemis was regarded as the goddess of wildlife & dwelled in the forest and mountains of Arcadia.
- The goddess was always followed by a clique of wild & oceanic nymphs which became her companions. Artemis’ companions also swore an oath of abstinence & purity — not to smear the reputation and image of the goddess.
- Even though she had her own hunting dogs that she was close with, the animals that represented the goddess was the Deer.
- Much like her brother, Artemis was known as Luna goddess, taking the position of the Goddess of the Moon — replacing Selene.
- Artemis is known for being an ambiguous goddess, sometimes being generous & benevolent and other times being ruthless and rancorous.
Due to Artemis’ ambiguous nature it’ll be easy for me to identify her few noteable attributes to a member of my friends & family. With the information I’ve gained from research I can do my interpretation of the Goddess as a hunter of a different kind of animal — a bigot.

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Latin name Cupid
- In many artistic representation Eros is depicted as angelic being contrast to his main traits of desire & lust.
- Under the influence of Eros, people were capable of self-sacrificing actions inconsolable by those whose heart was not dominated by this feeling.
- The best known version of the origin of Eros is that he is the son of Aphrodite & Ares.
- Eros & Aphrodite were the duo responsible for spreading love and desire throughout the world, which Eros does so using his golden arrows — even working of the fellow gods.
- Sometime Eros was told to have blindfolded himself and shoot his arrows for fun.
- The infamous tale of Eros and Psyche is the most celebrated story in Greek mythology in modern day, the story of how the God of Love fell victim to his own arrows.
Despite residing with his mother in Olympus, Eros is not traditionally one of the 12 Gods of Olympus however with his infamy I wanted to mention him in my research. I did this because even though he isn’t an Olympian Gods, he plays a large part in mythology and his importance is often downplayed. The dilemma posed to me is wanting to somehow include him within my concept to homage to the God.

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Roman name Juno
- The daughter of the titans Cronus & Rhea, making her husband her full blood brother.
- According to some accounts, she is described as the most beautiful amongst all goddesses leading to Zeus falling for her.
- At first, Hera denied all of Zeus’ advances, who then restored to any tricks to seduce the goddess including the ones where Zeus turned himself into a cuckoo to conquer the goddess.
- the goddess became a deity associated with marriage, motherhood and the protector of the wives.
- She mothered 5 children however disowned one, Hephaestus — the god of forges. The reason behind this was the Hera had given birth to Hephaestus but noticing the she had created an imperfect son, she threw him from the top of mount Olympus. Hephaestus gifted Hera a beautiful golden thrown however when she sat on it she realised that she couldn’t get up & was stuck to it. Hera only freed herself after re-emitting Hephaestus into the Olympus.
- Zeus’ endless amount of affairs & lovers became the target for the enraged Hera’s attacks, including the children from these unions facing her wrath also — Hercules being the most persecuted at the hands of the goddess.
- Eventually, Zeus’s endless affairs put an end to his wife’s patience and she planned a rebellion against the god amongst the Olympus gods.
- In Ancient Greece, Hera was the most worshipped goddesses with her temples being scattered throughout all of Greece, often with pregnant women and wives being devoted to her.
- The cow and the peacock are two consecrated animals for the goddess, with the bird having the eyes Argos (the loyal footman of the goddess) within the feathers of it’s tail.
- The goddess was both admired & hated by man for her revengeful temperament.
I struggled to think of a figure in my life that i associated with Hera throughout my research as she’s a figure that I highly dislike as she often punished the mistresses and their offspring instead of Husband which i find unfavourable. It’s important that when I make the decision of who I see as Hera in my FMP, I look past those attributes of her nature.

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Roman name Jupiter
- Zeus is the supreme god in Greek mythology and holds the title of King of the Gods, God of the sky, weather, law & order, destiny & fate and kingship.
- With the title Lord of the Universe, Zeus established and maintained order & justice within the world — often associated with the duty of hospitality.
- The son of the titans Cronus & Rhea — his father was the god who reigned before the birth of Zeus.
- A prophecy foresaw that one of Cronus’ offspring would grow more powerful & dethrone him so in turn Cronus devoured all of his children with Zeus being an exception as he managed to to escape with the help of his mother. Zeus was secretly raised & breastfed by Amalthea until he was old enough to challenge his father & free his siblings
- After proceeded a ten year war amongst the new gods & the titans dubbed Titanomachy - with the new gods claiming victory.
- Zeus faced two battles before he could considered his power; with the giants in the giganto maki & the powerful monster Typhon. Zeus was defeated in their first battle however returned & managed to defeated & imprison Typhon in Mount Aetena.
- One of Zeus’ abilities included controlling the outcome of a battle with whoever was favoured by the God ending up victorious. For this Zeus is often represented with Nike, the goddess of victory, in his hand.
- Throughout mythology, the God is known for his infamous infidelity, fathering 54 children in total (with only 5 of them being by his wife Hera) some being demigods like Hercules & Perseus.
- To escape his jealous wife’s wrath, he would take several different forms like the bull, the swam & the cuckoo.
- Once the Gods of Olympus revolted and managed to imprison Zeus however with the help of Bryarius, the giant Hekaton carries, he escaped and put an stop to the rebellion.
- One of the many temples built in the deities honour was in Olympia, where inside was a 12 & a half foot sculpture of the God by the infamous Sculptor, Phidias. His work became one of the 7 wonders of the world.
- The olympic games was a celebration of games in honour of Zeus.
- The god is often represented in the arts as a mature, majestic man with a full beard, a crown of oak & olive leaves, a lightening bolt & an eagle — the animals associated with the god.
Zeus is the most infamous out of all the Olympian Gods as his vast legacy & achievements earned him the most important title in mythology. In my depiction of Zeus, I already have a loved one in mind as his importance to me (and my universe) is equivalent to the impact Zeus had on Ancient Greece.

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Greek Gods >> Olympian Gods >> Zeus

Zeus with eagle and lightning, Athenian red-figure amphora C5th B.C., Musée du Louvre

ZEUS was the King of the Gods and the god of the sky, weather, law and order, destiny and fate, and kingship. He was depicted as a regal, mature man with a sturdy figure and dark beard. His usual attributes were a lightning bolt, a royal sceptre and an eagle.

MYTHS

Zeus was the youngest child of the Titans Kronos (Cronus) and Rheia. Kronos devoured each of his children as they were born, but Zeus escaped this fate when his mother spirited him away, handing the Titan a stone substitute wrapped in swaddling cloth. << More>>

The god was raised in secrecy on Mount Dikte in Krete (Crete) where he was nursed by nymphs on the milk of the goat Amaltheia and guarded by the warrior Kouretes (Curetes) who drowned out the sound of his crying with their shield-clashing battle-dance. << More>>

Upon coming of age Zeus recruited the goddess Metis to his cause. She served the Titan Kronos a magical draught which caused him to disgorge the young gods he had devoured. << More>>

Zeus liberated the six giant-sons of Heaven from the pit of Tartaros. In gratitude the Kyklopes (Cyclopes) armed him with lightning-bolts and the Hekatonkheires (Hundred-Handed) aided him in his assault on the Titanes with volleys of thrown boulders. Kronos and his allies were eventually defeated and banished to a prison beneath the earth. << More>>

After the fall of the Titan-gods, Zeus and his brothers drew lots to divide rule of the cosmos - Zeus won the heavens, Poseidon the sea and Haides the underworld.

Zeus devoured the pregnant goddess Metis when an oracle revealed that her son was destined to replace him as King of the Gods. Their child, Athena, was subsequently born in his belly and birthed directly from his head. << More>>

Zeus married his sister Hera, queen of the heavens, after seducing her in the guise of a cuckoo-bird. But this union of ever quarreling sky-god and sky-goddess proved not to be a match made in heaven! << More>>

Prometheus crafted the race of man and gave them fire stolen from the gods of heaven. Zeus punished this act by ordering the creation of the first woman, Pandora, and sent her to earth with a vessel full of troubles to plague mankind. Prometheus himself was arrested and chained to a mountain with an eagle set to torment him. << More>>

The early generations of man descended into wickedness and corruption and Zeus decided to wipe them from the face of the earth with a great deluge. One virtuous couple, Deukalion and Pyrrha, were spared and afterwards allowed to repopulate the world with the casting of stones which transformed into men. << More>>

The earth-goddess Gaia (Gaea), angered by the imprisonment of the Titanes, urged the Giants to rise up against the gods of Olympos. They laid siege to the heavenly fortress but Zeus laid low their king and many others with his deadly lightning-bolts. << More>>

Gaia produced one more giant, Typhoeus, the most monstrous of his kind and set him upon Olympos. The rest of the gods fled in horror and Zeus himself was defeated in combat with the monster tearing the sinews from his limbs rendering him helpless. Pan later stole back the god's strength and, restored, Zeus defeated the giant in a rematch and bound him beneath Mount Etna. << More>>

Zeus seduced many mortal woman including Leda in the guise of a swan, Europa as a bull, Danae as a shower of gold, Alkmene as her own husband, Kallisto (Callisto) as the goddess Artemis, and Antiope as a satyr. << More>>

The god's favorite mortal son was Herakles (Heracles) whom he supported throughout his trials and eventually welcomed to Olympos as a god.

Zeus punished the worst villians of myth for their impiety and crimes against the gods including Tantalos who stole ambrosia from heaven, Lykaon (Lycaon) who served human flesh to the gods, Ixion who attempted to rape Zeus' wife the goddess Hera, and Salmoneus who tried to imitate Zeus and steal the worship that was due the gods.

Many other myths are detailed over the following pages.

SYMBOLS & ATTRIBUTES

Zeus' most distinctive attribute was his stylized lightning bolt which he wielded in his hand like a javelin. His other attributes included a royal sceptre, a throne, an eagle, a miniature Nike (winged goddess of victory), and the aigis (a goat-skin arm-guard). The god was usually clothed in a long robe ( chiton) and cloak ( himation) but was sometimes depicted nude. He was often crowned with a wreath of olive leaves.

Below are some examples of his attributes as depicted in ancient Greek art:-

1. Lightning bolt; 2. Lightning bolt; 3. Throne; 4. Wreath of olive-leaves.

SACRED ANIMALS & PLANTS

Zeus' sacred animals were the eagle and the bull. In myth he abducted the youth Ganymede in the shape of an eagle and the maiden Europa in the guise of a bull.
His sacred plants were the evergreen holm oak and the olive tree. At the ancient oracle of Dodona Zeus' priests were inspired by the rustling of oak-leaves, and at the Olympic Games victors were crowned with a wreath of olive-leaves picked from the god's sacred grove.

Below are examples of the god's animals as depicted in ancient Greek art and photos of his sacred plants:-

1. Eagle; 2. Bull; 3. Holm oak; 4. Olive tree.

RETINUE OF ZEUS

Befitting his role as King of the Gods, Zeus was attended by a large complement of lesser divinities.

His throne was guarded by four winged spirits, two male and two female, named Kratos (Strength), Zelos (Rivalry), Nike (Victory) and Bia (Force). Kratos and Bia functioned as muscular enforcers and were tasked with jobs such as the apprehension and imprisonment of the Titan Prometheus. Nike drove Zeus' chariot and often accompanied him in miniature form as something of a divine familiar.

The god Hermes was Zeus' personal herald who acted as diplomat, envoy and general agent of the god's will.

His messenger was Iris, the winged goddess of the rainbow, who simply relayed messages verbatim and delivered commands to the other gods.

Zeus' high councillor Themis, goddess of law and order, was seated beside his throne. She was attended by their six daughters the Moirai (Fates) and the Horai (Seasons). These goddesses were collectively responsible for the orderly functioning of the cosmos. Themis was also charged with summoning all of the gods to assembly in the courtyard of Zeus.

The god's virgin sister Hestia also resided in his palace where she tended the ever-burning, divine hearth-fire in the center of his hall.

Metis, goddess of wisdom, was perhaps his most unusual attendant. Zeus swallowed her whole to avoid a prophesy and she took up residence in his belly. The ancient Greeks believed the belly rather than the brain was the seat of thought and emotion, and so by subsuming her he effectively implanted wise counsel in his mind. She continued to exist in some form or other within the god, even to the extent of birthing Athena there and equipping her with armour and weapons before her second birth from Zeus' head.

Ganymede and the goddess Hebe were Zeus' cupbearers who served ambrosia and nectar at the feasts of the gods.
The winged Harpyiai (Harpies), known as the "hounds of Zeus", were crude creatures tasked by the god with carrying off or harrassing mortals.
Pegasos, the winged horse, carried Zeus' lightning bolts, and four other immortal horses drew his chariot through the sky.

ZEUS PAGES ON THEOI.COM

This site contains a total of 8 pages describing the god, including general descriptions, mythology, and cult. The content is outlined in the Index of Zeus Pages (left column or below).

FAMILY OF ZEUS

PARENTS

KRONOS & RHEA (Homer Iliad 15.187, Hesiod Theogony 453, Apollodorus 1.4, Diodorus Siculus 5.68.1, et al)

OFFSPRING

See Family of Zeus

Zeus was a son of the Titans Kronos (Cronus) and Rheia and a grandson of Ouranos (the Sky) and Gaia (the Earth). He was a brother of the gods Poseidon, Haides, Hera, Demeter and Hestia.
Zeus married his sister, the sky-goddess Hera, and they had three children - Ares, Hebe and Eileithyia.
His other divine consorts included: his sister Demeter mother of Persephone; his cousins Metis mother of Athena, Leto mother of Apollon and Leto, and Maia mother of Hermes; his aunts Dione mother of Aphrodite, Themis mother of the Moirai (Fates) and Horai (Seasons), and Mnemosyne mother of the Mousai (Muses); and his descendant Semele mother of Dionysos.
He was also the father of innumerable mortal kings and heroes, the most famous of which were Perseus, Herakles (Heracles), and Helene of Troy. << More>>

Below are two graphics depicting Zeus' core family tree, the first with names transliterated from the Greek and the second with the common English spellings:-

A much more detailed family tree for Zeus including all of his immortal lovers and children can be found here (transliterated Greek version) and here (English names version).

ENCYCLOPEDIA

Zeus, Athenian red-figure Panathenaic amphora C5th B.C., Staatliche Antikensammlungen

ZEUS (Zeus), the greatest of the Olympian gods, and the father of gods and men, was a son of Cronos and Rhea, a brother of Poseidon, Hades (Pluto), Hestia, Demeter, Hera, and at the same time married to his sister Hera. When Zeus and his brothers distributed among themselves the government of the world by lot, Poseidon obtained the sea, Hades the lower world, and Zeus the heavens and the upper regions, but the earth became common to all (Hom. Il. xv. 187, &c., i. 528, ii. 111; Virg. Aen. iv. 372).

Later mythologers enumerate three Zeus in their genealogies two Arcadian ones and one Cretan; and tne first is said to be a son of Aether, the second of Coelus, and the third of Saturnus (Cic. de Nat. Deor. iii. 21). This accounts for the fact that some writers use the name of the king of heaven who sends dew, rain, snow, thunder, and lightning for heaven itself in its physical sense. (Horat. Carm. i. 1. 25 ; Virg. Georg. ii. 419.)

According to the Homeric account Zeus, like the other Olympian gods, dwelt on Mount Olympus in Thessaly, which was believed to penetrate with its lofty summit into heaven itself ( Il. i. 221, &c., 354, 609, xxi. 438). He is called the father of gods and men (i. 514, v. 33; comp. Aeschyl. Sept. 512), the most high and powerful among the immortals, whom all others obey ( Il. xix. 258, viii. 10, &c.). He is the highest ruler, who with his counsel manages every thing (i. 175, viii. 22), the founder of kingly power, of law and of order, whence Dice, Themis and Nemesis are his assistants (i. 238, ii. 205, ix. 99, xvi. 387; comp. Hes. Op. et D. 36 ; Callim. Hymn. in Jov. 79).

For the same reason he protects the assembly of the people (agoraios), the meetings of the council (boulaios), and as he presides over the whole state, so also over every house and family (herkeios, Od. xxii. 335; comp. Ov. Ib. 285). He also watched over the sanctity of the oath (horkios), the law of hospitality (xenios), and protected suppliants (hikesios, Od. ix. 270; comp. Paus. v. 24. § 2). He avenged those who were wronged, and punished those who had committed a crime, for he watched the doings and sufferings of all men (epopsios, Od. xiii. 213; comp. Apollon. Rhod. i. 1123).

He was further the original source of all prophetic power, front whom all prophetic signs and sounds proceeded (panomphaios, Il. viii. 250 ; comp. Aeschyl. Eum. 19 ; Callim. Hymn. in Jov. 69). Every thing good as well as bad comes from Zeus, and according to his own choice he assigns their good or evil lot to mortals ( Od. iv. 237, vi. 188, ix. 552, Il. x. 71, xvii. 632, &c.), and fate itself was subordinate to him.

He is armed with thunder and lightning, and the shaking of his aegis produces storm and tempest ( Il. xvii. 593) : a number of epithets of Zeus in the Homeric poems describe him as the thunderer, the gatherer of clouds, and the like.

He was married to Hera, by whom he had two sons, Ares and Hephaestus, and one daughter, Hebe ( Il. i. 585, v. 896, Od. xi. 604). Hera sometimes acts as an independent divinity, she is ambitious and rebels against her lord, but she is nevertheless inferior to him, and is punished for her opposition ( Il. xv. 17, &c., xix. 95, &c.) ; his amours with other goddesses or mortal women are not concealed from her, though they generally rouse her jealousy and revenge ( Il. xiv. 317). During the Trojan war, Zeus, at the request of Thetis, favoured the Trojans, until Agamemnon made good the wrong he had done to Achilles.

Zeus, no doubt, was originally a god of a portion of nature, whence the oak with its eatable fruit and the fertile doves were sacred to him at Dodona and in Arcadia (hence also rain, storms, and the seasons were regarded as his work, and hence the Cretan stories of milk, honey, and cornucopia) ; but in the Homeric poems, this primitive character of a personification of certain powers of nature is already effaced to some extent, and the god appears as a political and national divinity, as the king and father of men, as the founder and protector of all institutions hallowed by law, custom. or religion.

Hesiod ( Theog. 116, &c.) also calls Zeus the son of Cronos and Rhea , and the brother of Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, and Poseidon. Cronos swallowed his children immediately after their birth, but when Rhea was near giving birth to Zeus, she applied to Uranus and Ge for advice as to how the child might be saved. Before the hour of birth came, Uranus and Ge sent Rhea to Lyctos in Crete, requesting her to bring up her child there. Rhea accordingly concealed her infant in a cave of Mount Aegaeon, and gave to Cronos a stone wrapped up in cloth, which he swallowed in the belief that it was his son. Other traditions state that Zeus was born and brought up on Mount Dicte or Ida (also the Trojan Ida), Ithome in Messenia, Thebes in Boeotia, Aegion in Achaia, or Olenos in Aetolia. According to the common account, however, Zeus grew up in Crete. As Rhea is sometimes identified with Ge, Zeus is also called a son of Ge. (Aeschyl. Suppl. 901.)

In the meantime Cronos by a cunning device of Ge or Metis was made to bring up the children he had swallowed, and first of all the stone, which was afterwards set up by Zeus at Delphi. The young god now delivered the Cyclopes from the bonds with which they had been fettered by Cronos, and they in their gratitude provided him with thunder and lightning. On the advice of Ge. Zeus also liberated the hundred-armed Gigantes, Briareos, Cottus, and Gyes, that they might assist him in his fight against the Titans. (Apollod. i. 2. § 1; Hes. Theog. 617, &c.) The Titans were conquered and shut up in Tartarus ( Theog. 717), where they were henceforth guarded by the Hecatoncheires. Thereupon Tartarus and Ge begot Typhoeus, who began a fearful struggle with Zeus, but was conquered. ( Theog. 820, &c.)

Zeus now obtained the dominion of the world, and chose Metis for his wife. ( Theog. 881, &c.) When she was pregnant with Athena, he took the child out of her body and concealed it in his own, on the advice of Uranus and Ge, who told him that thereby he would retain the supremacy of the world. For Metis had given birth to a son, this son (so fate had ordained it) would have acquired the sovereignty. After this Zeus, by his second wife Themis. became the father of the Horae and Moerae; of the Charites by Eurynome, of Persephone by Demeter, of the Muses by Mnemosyne, of Apollo and Artemis by Leto, and of Hebe, Ares, and Eileithyia by Hera. Athena was born out of the head of Zeus; while Hera, on the other hand, gave birth to Hephaestus without the co-operation of Zeus. ( Theog. 8866, &c.)

The family of the Cronidae accordingly embraces the twelve great gods of Olympus, Zeus (the head of them all), Poseidon, Apollo, Ares, Hermes, Hephaestus, Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Athena, Aphrodite, and Artemis. These twelve Olympian gods, who in some places were worshipped as a body, as at Athens (Thueyd. vi. 54), were recognised not only by the Greeks, but were adopted also by the Romans, who, in particular, identified their Jupiter with the Greek Zeus.

In surveying the different local traditions about Zeus, it would seem that originally there were several, at least three, divinities which in their respective countries were supreme, but which in the course of time became united in the minds of tile people into one great national divinity. We may accordingly speak of an Arcadian, Dodonaean, Cretan, and a national Hellenic Zeus.

1. The Arcadian Zeus (Zeus Lukaios) was born, according to the legends of the country, in Arcadia, either on Mount Parrhasion (Callim. Hymn. in Jov. 7, 10), or in a district of Mount Lycaeon, which was called Cretea. (Paus. viii. 38. § 1 ; Callim. l. c. 14.) He was brought up there by the nymphs Theisoa, Neda, and Hagno; the first of these gave her name to an Arcadian town, the second to a river, and the third to a well. (Paus. viii. 38. § 2, &c., 47. § 2; comp. Callim. l. c. 33.) Lycaon, a son of Pelasgus, who built the first and most ancient town of Lycosura, called Zeus Lycaeus, and erected a temple and instituted the festival of the Lyceia in honour of him; he further offered to him bloody sacrifices, and among others his own son, in consequence of which he was metamorphosed into a wolf (lukos; Paus. viii. 2. § 1, 38. § 1; Callim. l. c. 4 ; Ov. Met. i. 218.) No one was allowed to enter the sanctuary of Zeus Lycaeus on Mount Lycaeon, and there was a belief that, if any one entered it, he died within twelve months after, and that in it neither human beings nor animals cast a shadow. (Paus. viii. 38. § 5; comp. Schol. ad Callim. Hymn. in Jov. 13.) Those who entered it intentionally were stoned to death, unless they escaped by flight; and those who had got in by accident were sent to Eleutherae. (Plut. Quaest. Gr. 39.) On the highest summit of Lycaeon, there was an altar of Zeus, in front of which, towards the east, there were two pillars bearing golden eagles. The sacrifices offered there were kept secret. (Paus. viii. 38. § 5; Callim. l. c. 68.)

2. The Dodonaean Zeus (Zeus Dôdônaios or Pelasgikos) possessed the most ancient oracle in Greece, at Dodona in Epeirus, near mount Tomarus (Tmarus or Tomurus), from which he derived his name. (Hom. Il. ii. 750, xvi. 233; Herod. ii. 52 ; Paus. i. 17. § 5; Strab. v. p. 338, vi. p. 504; Virg. Eclog. viii. 44.) At Dodona Zeus was mainly a prophetic god, and the oak tree was sacred to him ; but there too he was said to have been reared by if the Dodonaean nymphs (Hyades; Schol. ad Hom. Il. xviii. 486; Hygin. Fab. 182 ; Ov. Fast. vi. 711, Met. iii. 314). Respecting the Dodonaean oracle of Zeus, see Dict. of Ant. s. v. Oraculum.

3. The Cretan Zeus (Zeus Diktaios or Krêtagenês). We have already given the account of him which is contained in the Theogony of Hesiod. He is the god, to whom Rhea, concealed from Cronos, gave birth in a cave of mount Dicte, and whom she entrusted to the Curetes and the nymphs Adrasteia and Ida, the daughters of Melisseus. They fed him with milk of the goat Amaltheia, and the bees of the mountain provided him with honey. (Apollod. i. 1. § 6; Callim. l. c. ; Diod. v. 70; comp. Athen. xi. 70; Ov. Fast. v. 115.) Crete is called the island or nurse of the great Zeus, and his worship there appears to have been very ancient. (Virg. Aen. iii. 104; Dionys. Perieg. 501.) Among the places in the island which were particularly sacred to the god, we must mention the district about mount Ida, especially Cnosus, which was said to have been built by the Curetes, and where Minos had ruled and conversed with Zeus (Hom. Od. xix. 172; Plat. de Leg. i. 1; Diod. v. 70; Strab. x. p. 730; Cic. de Nat. Deor. iii. 21); Gortyn, where the god, in the form of a bull, landed when he had carried off Europa from Phoenicia, and where he was worshipped under the surname of Hecatombaeus (Hesych. s. v.) ; further the towns about mount Dicte, as Lyctos (Hes. Theog. 477), Praesos, Hierapytna, Biennos, Eleuthernae and Oaxus. (Comp. Hoeck, Creta, i. p. 160, &c., 339, &c.)

4. The national Hellenic Zeus, near whose temple at Olympia in Elis, the great national panegyris was celebrated every fifth year. There too Zeus was regarded as the father and king of gods and men, and as the supreme god of the Hellenic nation, His statue there was executed by Pheidias, a few years before the outbreak of the Peloponnesian war, the majestic and sublime idea for this statue having been suggested to the artist by the words of Homer, Il. i. 527. (Comp. Hygin. Fab. 223.) According to the traditions of Elis, Cronos was the first ruler of the country, and in the golden age there was a temple dedicated to him at Olympia. Rhea, it is further said, entrusted the infant Zeus to the Idaean Dactyls, who were also called Curetes, and had come from mount Ida in Crete to Elis. Heracles, one of them, contended with his brother Dactyls in a footrace, and adorned the victor with a wreath of olive. In this manner he is said to have founded the Olympian games, and Zeus to have contended with Cronos for the kingdom of Elis. (Paus. v. 7. § 4.)

The Greek and Latin poets give to Zeus an immense number of epithets and surnames, which are derived partly from the places where he was worshipped, and partly from his powers and functions. He was worshipped throughout Greece and her colonies, so that it would be useless and almost impossible to enumerate all the places.

The eagle, the oak, and the summits of mountains were sacred to him, and his sacrifices generally consisted of goats, bulls and cows. (Hom. Il. ii. 403; Aristot. Ethic. v. 10, ix. 2; Virg. Aen. iii. 21, ix. 627.) His usual attributes are, the sceptre, eagle, thunderbolt, and a figure of Victory in his hand, and sometimes also a cornucopia. The Olympian Zeus sometimes wears a wreath of olive, and the Dodonaean Zeus a wreath of oak leaves.

In works of art Zeus is generally represented as the omnipotent father and king of gods and men, according to the idea which had been embodied in the statue of the Olympian Zeus by Pheidias.
Source: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.
CLASSICAL LITERATURE QUOTES

HYMNS TO ZEUS

Zeus and the giant Porphyrion, Athenian red-figure kylix C5th B.C., Antikensammlung Berlin

I) THE HOMERIC HYMNS

Homeric Hymn 23 to Cronides (trans. Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C7th to 4th B.C.) :
"To [Zeus] Kronides (Cronides) (Son of Kronos), Most High ( hypatos). I will sing of Zeus, chiefest among the gods and greatest, all-seeing, the lord of all, the fulfiller who whispers words of wisdom to Themis as she sits leaning towards him. Be gracious, all-seeing Kronides, most excellent and great!"

II) THE ORPHIC HYMNS

Orphic Hymn 15 to Zeus (trans. Taylor) (Greek hymns C3rd B.C. to 2nd A.D.) :
"O Zeus, much-honoured, Zeus supremely great, to thee our holy rites we consecrate, our prayers and expiations, king divine, for all things to produce with ease through mind is thine. Hence mother earth ( gaia) and mountains swelling high proceed from thee, the deep and all within the sky. Kronion (Cronion) king, descending from above, magnanimous, commanding, sceptred Zeus; all-parent, principle and end of all, whose power almighty shakes this earthly ball; even nature trembles at thy mighty nod, loud-sounding, armed with lightning, thundering god. Source of abundance, purifying king, O various-formed, from whom all natures spring; propitious hear my prayer, give blameless health, with peace divine, and necessary wealth."

Orphic Hymn 19 to Zeus of Thunder :
"To Zeus Keraunos (Ceraunus) (Thundering). O father Zeus, who shakest with fiery light the world, deep-sounding from thy lofty height. From thee proceeds the ethereal lightning's blaze, flashing around intolerable rays. Thy sacred thunders shake the blest abodes, the shining regions of the immortal Gods. Thy power divine the flaming lightning shrouds with dark investiture in fluid clouds. 'Tis thine to brandish thunders strong and dire, to scatter storms, and dreadful darts of fire; with roaring flames involving all around, and bolts of thunder of tremendous sound. Thy rapid dart can raise the hair upright, and shake the heart of man with wild affright. Sudden, unconquered, holy, thundering God, with noise unbounded flying all abroad; with all-devouring force, entire and strong, horrid, untamed, thou rollest the flames along. Rapid, ethereal bolt, descending fire, the earth, all-parent, trembles at thine ire; the sea all-shining, and each beast, that hears the sound terrific, with dread horror fears: when nature's face is bright with flashing fire, and in the heavens resound they thunders dire. They thunders white the azure garments tear, and burst the veil of all-surrounding air. O Zeus, all-blessed, may thy wrath severe, hurled in the bosom of the deep appear, and on the tops of mountains be revealed, for thy strong arm is not from us concealed. Propitious to these sacred rites incline, and to thy suppliants grant a life divine, add royal health, and gentle peace beside, with upright reasoning for a constant guide."

Orphic Hymn 20 to Zeus of Lightning :
"To Zeus Astrapaios (Astrapaeus) (Lightning Maker). I call the mighty, holy, splendid, light, aerial, dreadful-sounding, fiery-bright, flaming, ethereal light, with angry voice, lighting through lucid clouds with crashing noise. Untamed, to whom resentments dire belong, pure, holy power, all-parent, great and strong: come, and benevolent these rites attend, and grant the mortal life a pleasing end."

Orphic Hymn 73 to the Daemon :
"To the Daimon [Zeus]. Thee, mighty ruling Daimon dread, I call, mild Zeus, life-giving, and the source of all: great Zeus, much wandering, terrible and strong, to whom revenge and tortures dire belong. Mankind from thee in plenteous wealth abound, when in their dwellings joyful thou art found; or pass through life afflicted and distressed, the needful means of bliss by thee suppressed. 'Tis thine alone, endued with boundless might, to keep the keys of sorrow and delight. O holy blessed father, hear my prayer, disperse the seeds of life-consuming care, with favouring mind the sacred rites attend, and grant to life a glorious blessed end."

ANCIENT GREEK & ROMAN ART

SOURCES (ALL ZEUS PAGES)

GREEK

Homer, The Iliad - Greek Epic C8th B.C.

Homer, The Odyssey - Greek Epic C8th B.C.

Hesiod, Theogony - Greek Epic C8th - 7th B.C.

Hesiod, Catalogues of Women Fragments - Greek Epic C8th - 7th B.C.

Hesiod, Great Eoiae Fragments - Greek Epic C8th - 7th B.C.

Hesiod, Astronomy Fragments - Greek Epic C8th - 7th B.C.

The Homeric Hymns - Greek Epic C8th - 4th B.C.

Pindar, Odes - Greek Lyric C5th B.C.

Pindar, Fragments - Greek Lyric C5th B.C.

Greek Lyric I Alcman, Fragments - Greek Lyric C7th B.C.

Aeschylus, Fragments - Greek Tragedy C5th B.C.

Herodotus, Histories - Greek History C5th B.C.

Plato, Republic - Greek Philosophy C4th B.C.

Plato, Theages - Greek Philosophy C4th B.C.

Apollodorus, The Library - Greek Mythography C2nd A.D.

Callimachus, Hymns - Greek Poetry C3rd B.C.

Callimachus, Fragments - Greek Poetry C3rd B.C.

Diodorus Siculus, The Library of History - Greek History C1st B.C.

Strabo, Geography - Greek Geography C1st B.C. - C1st A.D.

Pausanias, Description of Greece - Greek Travelogue C2nd A.D.

The Orphic Hymns - Greek Hymns C3rd B.C. - C2nd A.D.

Antoninus Liberalis, Metamorphoses - Greek Mythography C2nd A.D.

Aelian, On Animals - Greek Natural History C2nd - 3rd A.D.

Aelian, Historical Miscellany - Greek Rhetoric C2nd - 3rd A.D.

Philostratus the Elder, Imagines - Greek Rhetoric C3rd A.D.

Philostratus, Life of Apollonius of Tyana - Greek Biography C2nd A.D.

Ptolemy Hephaestion, New History - Greek Mythography C1st - 2nd A.D.

Quintus Smyrnaeus, Fall of Troy - Greek Epic C4th A.D.

Nonnus, Dionysiaca - Greek Epic C5th A.D.

ROMAN

Hyginus, Fabulae - Latin Mythography C2nd A.D.

Hyginus, Astronomica - Latin Mythography C2nd A.D.

Ovid, Metamorphoses - Latin Epic C1st B.C. - C1st A.D.

Ovid, Fasti - Latin Poetry C1st B.C. - C1st A.D.

Virgil, Aeneid - Latin Epic C1st B.C.

Cicero, De Natura Deorum - Latin Rhetoric C1st B.C.

Pliny the Elder, Natural History - Latin Encyclopedia C1st A.D.

BYZANTINE

Suidas, The Suda - Byzantine Greek Lexicon C10th A.D.

OTHER SOURCES
Other sources not quoted here: numerous.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
A complete bibliography of the translations quoted on this page.

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ZEUS - Greek God of the Sky, King of the Gods

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Zeus was the king of the ancient Greek gods, and the god of the sky, weather, law and order, destiny and fate. He was depicted as a regal, mature man with a sturdy figure and dark beard. His usual attributes were a lightning bolt, royal sceptre and eagle.

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(UNCERTAINTY)
Roman name Phoebus
- The son of Zeus & Lito, the twin brother of the Goddess Artemis both born of the legendary floating island of Delos.
- The god is often represented with his liar or famous bow — with artists depictions often being generous as in mythology he’s described as having unparalleled beauty.
- Even though Apollo was the epitome of male beauty in Ancient Greece, he was unlucky in love with almost all of his relationships ending with tragedy.
- From the story of the god’s unreciprocated love with the nymph Daphne, the laurel plant was often associated with Apollo— with the laurel wreath becoming one of his symbols.
- Apollo is the god gifted with multiple attributes, them being the God of light, the God of prophecy, the God of medicine, the God of arts, the God of archers, the God of music and many more.
- He had a son with his muse, Calliope, called Orpheus who inherited many of his fathers talents.
- The Gods cult often identified Apollo as a solar God, a title that had previously belonged to the titan Helios.
- Apollo also has a more sinister side, with him being associated with pests & epidemics. During the Trojan war he cast a pestilence upon the Greeks from disrespecting one of his priests.
- When Apollo casted his light upon something, it revealed the purest truth — which was the reasoning behind him being associated with the search of truth & rationality and him being honoured by the ancient philosophers.
Apollo is one of the only gods to be worshipped in Roman times even after the adoption of Christianity so has one of the longest running cults in Ancient Greece. Much like with Aphrodite, my depiction of Apollo will be personal as beauty is subjective & how i chose to display my interpretation of modern male beauty will be distinctive. I’m uncertain about this as when I think about the standard of male beauty that Apollo is held up to, there isn’t anyone that instantly comes to mind in my close circle so I might need to utilise make-up & computer editing to convey the beauty I see on the inside of a loved one.

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Latin name Pluto
- The god of the underworld is also guardian of all the wealth sources found under the soil like gold, silver & gems — making him the richest god of them all.
- ‘Hades’ means the one who can not be seen.
- The god is known for being dedicated to his work and is the reason behind him rarely visiting the surface.
- One of the times Hades did visit the surface was when he snatched Persephone, Goddess of the Spring. After she accepted a pomegranate fruit from him, they developed an unbreakable bond.
- Hades rarely interfered with the world of men or with the olympian affairs however one of the times that he did was when King Sisyphus cheated death.
- In the arts, the god is often depicted holding his fork in the company of his hell dog, Cerberus (who guards the entrance of his master’s kingdom)
- In Ancient Greece, Hades was held with the utmost respect — with the Greeks rarely pronouncing his name and not looking at the altar when making sacrifices.
Even though in Western films, like Disney’s Hercules, Hades is often depicted as an antagonist or villain, he is not an malevolent figure. In mythology Hades is even displayed as an empathetic deity, allowing Orpheus to bring back his lover, Eurydice, to the mortal realm with him. I want my depiction of the Gods to be as true to mythology as possible. I also want to take into consideration all aspects of their characters to challenge westernised ideology about Greek mythology.

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Roman name Venus
- In the best known version, Aphrodite rise from the foam that formed from the fall of Uranus’ testicle after his castration of the sky god from Kronos
- According to Homer’s version, Aphrodite was Zeus daughter
- Aphrodite personifies charm, sensuality & the ideal of feminine beauty.
- The goddess was not known for her fidelity & took plenty of lovers — one of them being Ares the God of war. From this union came Eros, also known as cupid.
- She once fell hopelessly in love with the mortal, Adonis but the love was interrupted by his death.
- Hera was one of Aphrodite’s biggest rivals as Hera felt the goddess and her son, Eros, were the ones responsible for the countless times Zeus fell for his lovers.
- The rivalry grew when the trojan shepard Paris elected Aphrodite as the most beautiful goddess.
- The Apple became one of the symbols of the deity as the golden apple was handed to the most beautiful of the goddesses.
- Aphrodite is the most depicted of the gods in the arts from classical to the present day.
- Being one of aphrodite’s main symbols was the mirror as it represented to female sex in complete opposition to the spear & shield of Ares.
Her depiction in my concept will be one of my most personal as beauty is a subjective topic — so this my opportunity to to display what my perception of beauty is. I was uncertain about this goddess as it’s a high name to live up to.

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Roman name Mercury
- the messenger for the gods of Olympus, and he carries their messages across the skies with his winged sandals.
- he is the son of Zeus & Maya (the daughter of the titan Atlas)
- Hermes is known throughout mythology for his playful nature.
- After stealing Apollo’s cattle when he was just an infant, they became great friends.
- Apollo is the one that gifted Hermes his famous caduceus which he uses to guide the souls of the dead towards the kingdom of hades.
- He became known as the god of cunningness, of travellers, of traitors & of thieves.
- The myths that Hermes appears in are endless and throughout he assumes the role of the guide.
- The deity was also brave as he’s faced giants, rescued Zeus from Typhoon and Aries from the Allieds
- He became one of Zeus’ favourites sons next to Athena
- The god has a handful of children with his lovers; one of the most famous is his son with Aphrodite — Hermaphrodite.
Hermes is one of the most recognised gods in pop culture as he’s influenced characters such as the Flash and Quicksilver - this shows the Gods relevant even in today’s society. It is important for me to convey the Gods true nature in my concept, including his trickery & cunning.

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Roman god Ceres
- The first generation of olympian Gods and was considered one of the kindest goddesses.
- She was also the goddess of sacred law and the cycle of life & death
- Farmers were dependent on her as she had the power to turn their land into a Baron wasteland.
- An ear of wheat is one of her symbols so fruits & cereals were often left to her as a sacrifice
- In the arts, Demeter is sometimes depicted as holding the torch that aided her in the search for Persephone.
- The mother of Persephone, who was taken by Hades to be his bride in the underworld — during this time Demeter neglected her tasks so she could mourn her daughter absence & the soil became infertile. To resolve this issue an agreement was made where Persephone would spend half of the year on Earth with her mother and the rest of the time with Hades.
- She takes her role as a mother extremely seriously and is often overly-stressed because of how overprotective she is over her children.
Due to Demeter’s peaceful nature, she doesn’t appear in the conflicts that largely makes up Greek Mythology. It was difficult to pin point the aspects that make up her personality because of her lack of appearance.

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Roman name Minerva
- Known as Zeus’ favorite daughter
- Also known for her shy personality yet one of the most beautiful - she remained a virgin for all eternity
- The goddess had a well recognised intelligence & was often consulted by other deities for all problems
- Athena’s unshakable courage was a memorable personality trait she was high credited for.
- The only god to stand beside her her father in the fight against the mighty Typhon while others found refuge in Egypt
- Because her sharp mind and bravery she was also considered by the Greeks as the Goddess of strategic warfare
- The city of Athens was consecrated in honour of the Goddess after a clash with the Poseidon
- The olive tree is also synonymous with Athena after she gifted the inhabitants of Attica.
- In some versions, in retaliation Zeus raped Medusa in the temple of Athena which led Athena to turning Medusa into a gorgon.
- Athena is also known as the goddess of weavers — an activity popular amongst women in Ancient Greece
- She appears throughout mythology assisting heroes on their quests
- The owl is the animal consecrated for the goddess and is known as a symbol of wisdom.
Her importance in Greek mythology is well known even amongst modern society as the legacy she created was so vast. She was highly respected by the Ancient Greek which led to a handful of temples and landmarks dedicated to her. Her personality is has so many factors so when taking into consideration who I feel in my life aligns with her.

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Latin name Bacchus
- The last God to join the Olympus
- He’s regarded as the god of wine and ecstasy but also associated with crops and fertility
- He’s different from the other Olympus deities as he was born from Zeus’ union with a mortal
- From a young age, Dionysus had to face Hera’s maltreatment when she struck him with madness causing him to wonder the world aimlessly until his was cured by his grandmother
- Dionysus responsible for the invention of Wine
- Godly symbols included; grapes, vines & branches
- Hestia gave up her place in the council of the 12 olympian Gods for him, as she was tired of the fighting
- The gods cult was often filled with dance, alcohol and carefree spirits. During these celebrations masked were often used which then led onto the invention of Greek theatre.
- Dionysus then became known as the protector of the fine arts & was often paid special reference by actors and authors
As the God has a long lasting effect of Greek culture and definitely modern culture through writings and theatre, he is and especially important God to my concept and his carefree influence on his cult is definitely something to make note of.

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Latin name Neptune
-  Always carried his trident, a weapon that allowed him to create earthquakes and other natural disasters (Also known as god of the earth for this reason)
-  The god was known for being quite moody, that's why sailors and fishermen often offered him plenty of sacrafices
-  When his anger got the better of him, his outbursts knew no bounds. Knowing this Zeus felt it was important for Poseidon to have a wife, which is how he met Amphitrite - who became queen of the seas
- He fathered other memorable figures in mythology like; Triton, Pegasus and the giant Chrysaor.
- He is also known for his rivalry with his niece, the goddess Athena
- Throughout mythology he is seen as being troublesome towards Zeus and creating problems within the natural order
It is important to take note of significant factors of Poseidons personality and how he was viewed by the Greeks as it will help me build a reimagined image of the God

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Mount Olympus rose after the 10 year war between the Olympians and Titans, which saw Zeus and his fellow Olympians victorious. It’s highest peak, mythicist is famously known throughout mythology for being a meeting place for the Gods - home to fiery discussions & heated arguments. The only olympian gods that decided against making Mount Olympus their home was  Hades & Poseidon as they were stationed in the domains they reigned over.
It is located in Greece on the border of Thessaly & Macedonia however many scholars believe that in Mythology it simply represents the social hierarchy in ancient Greece as as the Mountain descends, the lower the level of the gods resides.
This is important to note as it helps me take into consideration where the location of my photoshoot could potentially take place - with the knowledge of mythicist coming in particularly helpful

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A mist-shrouded mountain, reaching up to the sky, was home to ancient gods who looked down upon the Earth each day to decide on the fate of humanity.

What Is Mount Olympus?

Mount Olympus is the mythical home of the gods in Greek mythology. According to authors, the mountain was created after the Titanomachy, the epic battle between the young gods, the Olympians and the older gods, the Titans. As a result of this battle, the Olympian victors created their new majestic home - Mount Olympus. It was shrouded from human eyes by clouds which constantly obscured its peaks. In Greece, you will also find a Mount Olympus, the tallest mountain in the country.

Description

The sacred mount was believed to have a temperate climate all year round, and mountain gorges lush with forests. The gods did not always reside in their paradise, however, and would depart or return from there via a gate of clouds guarded by the Horae, the goddesses of the seasons. Authors claim the tables in Zeus' palace on Olympus were made of gold and were actually automatons, created by Hephaestus! They moved in and out of the rooms as required by the gods. Zeus' throne was situated in the Pantheon, the meeting hall of the gods. It was also designed by Hephaestus and was constructed from black marble, inlaid with gold. Each of the gods had their own palace on the mountain, usually constructed of gold and marble, and situated in a gorge in the mountain peaks.

Inhabitants

All 12 Olympian gods resided at Mount Olympus: Zeus and his wife Hera, Athena, Poseidon, Artemis, Apollo, Demeter, Hester, Aphrodite, Hermes, Hephaestus and Ares. Since Hades resided in the underworld, he was not considered an Olympian god and did not visit the great mount often.

The nine muses, the daughters of Mnemosyne and Zeus, resided at the foot of the mountain. According to some sources, the goddesses were water nymphs and were responsible for the following: Clio - history; Calliope - epic poetry; Thalia - comedy; Euterpe - lyric poetry; Terpsichore - dance; Melpomene - tragedy; Erato - love poetry; Urania - astronomy; and Polyhymnia - sacred poetry.

The Olympians ruled Olympus until the monster Typhon attacked their stronghold. Typhon was allegedly a 100-headed fire-breathing dragon. When he attacked Olympus, the majority of the gods chose to flee, except for Zeus, Athena and Dionysus. Zeus was able to eventually defeat the giant monster with 100 lightning bolts, and banished him to Tartarus.

Activities

The gods met daily at Zeus' palace in the Pantheon, where they held feasts and discussed the fate of the mortals. There, they drank nectar and ate ambrosia, which perpetuated their immortality. Allegedly, when the gods drank ambrosia, the blood in their veins was replaced by ichor, a substance toxic to humans. Ichor also ran through the veins of Talos, the Greek giant automaton.

Bellerophon

No human could ever come near Mount Olympus, yet authors relay the story of Bellerophon, the son of Eurynome and Poseidon, who tried to reach the top of the mountain! One day he captured Pegasus when the horse was about to drink from a fountain in his town.

Bellerophon was later exiled from his home town and supposed to be put to death, but he was given a second chance. Instead, he had to conquer a Chimera, a fire-breathing monster! He managed to kill the beast by driving a spear with a lead tip into the monster's throat. After winning at two further tough challenges, he was finally recognized as the son of a god, but Bellerophon wanted more! He decided to fly Pegasus up to Mount Olympus, the home of the gods! Zeus was furious at his actions and sent a vicious fly to bite Pegasus. The fly did as required, causing the horse to throw its rider from its back, sending Bellerophon tumbling back to Earth.

Modern References

Today, a group called the Return of the Hellenes hope to revive ancient Greek religion and mythology. They gather at the foot of Mount Olympus in Greece to celebrate the hero Prometheus, through the Prometheus Festival. The celebrations commence with runners, in full ancient battle gear, wielding shields and spears, running up the sacred mount! The group purportedly revere the 12 Olympian gods and try to live by the same values the gods represented. Followers even decorate their homes with ancient furniture and give their children ancient Greek surnames.

Mount Olympus today is located in the Olympus range, between Macedonia and Thessaly. The area is also a National Park. Historians discovered an ancient Macedonian city called Dion, at the foot of the mountain which was believed to have existed between the 5 th century BC and 5 th century AD. Some authors claim the village had luxurious mosaicked houses, theatres and sanctuaries dedicated to the gods where sacrificial offerings were made. They held athletic competitions there too, according to some sources.

Ancient civilizations have often tried to understand the divine and mythical through anthropomorphism and personification. Inspired by the mysterious peaks reaching up beyond the clouds, the ancient Greeks understandably believed their sacred Mount Olympus to be the wondrous home of their gods!

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Mount Olympus - Home of the Greek Gods | Mythology.net

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A mist-shrouded mountain, reaching up to the sky, was home to ancient gods who looked down upon the Earth each day to decide on the fate of humanity. Mount Olympus is the mythical home of the gods in Greek mythology.

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Perseus is 1 out of Zeus’ 54 children - 23 of which are from Human Unions. His story is extremely influential to Greek culture & mythology as not only does Perseus display traits that are culturally respected but Medusa suffered her demise at his hands.
Perseus’ story was culturally important to Ancient Greece as it perfectly exhibits the premise that your predetermined fate is unavoidable, which Acrisius evidentially learnt the hard way no matter how much he sacrificed during the process.
Even though Perseus is not one of the 12 Olympian Gods, he was one of the last mortals to be accepted as a God after death, which further implements his importance to Greek Culture - and its important to recognise the influence that heroism has throughout mythology

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The Story of Perseus - Greek Mythology - See u in History

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The myth of the titan Atlas perfectly displays the strength & power of Zeus, telling the story of how Atlas - the leader of the Titans in the war against the Zeus - was deafeated & in turn his punishment was to bore the weight of the Heavens for eternity. A cruel punishment for a god who created & instructed the art of astrology.
Atlas appears again in Greek mythology when Hercules is tasked by Eursytheus with his 12 labours. Atlas offered to fetch the golden apples from the nymphs if in return, Hercules would take his place and bore the weight of the Heavens. When Atlas arrived back to deliver the apples to Hercules, Hercules tricked the titan by letting go of the Heavens which forced Atlas to catch it and return back to his place. In some versions of the myth, Hercules returns to Atlas with pillars to help him with the weight.
Atlas is believed to met his demise by Perseus when he was turned into the Atlas Mountain (in Africa) using the Gorgon’s, Medusa, head.

I felt as if this would be an important myth is research as it displays the importance of Zeus and the power the ‘new’ Gods of Olympus hold over the older generation of Titans. It’s also important to recognise how the Olympians came to power and what happened to the previous Gods as it will help me accurately depict the true strength and power of the Gods in my FMP