Greek Mythology
Greek mythology started like many other beliefs in prehistoric times when the people in an effort to understand the natural phenomena of the world around them, created gods and goddesses. These gods and goddesses controlled the heavens and earth and the daily lives of the peoples. Sacrifices, which included animal sacrifices where made to these gods in hope at they would grant good fortune on the peoples of the earth. The Greeks developed these beliefs with a plethora of gods and goddesses who in one way or another controlled the spiritual and practical sides of the Grecian way of life. Though there are many gods and goddesses in Greek mythology the gods and goddesses who resided on Mount Olympus are the most famous of all.
The twelve gods, who resided upon Mount Olympus , the highest mountain in Greece controlled the lives of the mere mortals living below. They would often descend and wander around in the mortal world sometimes to help them or punish them and even to make love to the women and sire children. Children born of this union between mortal women and the gods were demi-gods and were in possession of rare skills, and held in awe by all. The favourite food of the gods was ambrosia and they drank nectar, a drink reserved for the gods alone. Though the gods were all powerful, they also suffered the traits and weaknesses of mortal man, they were prone to jealousy, anger and just being plain awkward. Each of the gods and goddesses had their own area of jurisdiction but only Zeus, the most powerful of the gods had total control of the gods and man.
Zeus (god of the heavens and earth)
Zeus was the youngest son of Cronus and Rhea he was born in the Diktaean cave in Crete , after his birth, his father Cronus wanted to swallow him as he had done to his other children, Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades and Poseidon. Rhea, after giving Cronus a stone wrapped in cloth, which he swallowed saying it was the infant, hid the young Zeus in the Idaean cave also in Crete, here Zeus was raised by the nymphs, when he became a man, Zeus gave his father a potion which made him vomit up the children he swallowed. Zeus and his siblings then declared war on their father and the Titans. After the defeat of the Titans, Zeus became the undisputed leader of the gods.
Zeus took as his wife Hera (who also was his sister); she bore him four children Ares, Hebe, Eileithia and Hephaestus. His relationship with Hera was a turbulent one, due to his main weakness, women. Zeus fell in love with other women, mortal as well as other goddesses and sired many children much to the annoyance of his wife, who was jealous and often took revenge on her husbands many lovers. Zeus had affairs and fathered children with the goddesses Maia mother of Hermes, Metis mother of Athena and Leto mother of Artemis and Apollo. These are just three of his conquests; Zeus had hundreds of affairs with women and sired more children, he loved and protected all of his children again to the annoyance of his long-suffering wife Hera.
Zeus also was attracted to Ganymede a member of the royal family of Troy, Ganymede, said to be an exceptional beautiful boy, Zeus kidnapped him to serve as his cupbearer on Olympus, where his task was to make sure that Zeus’s cup was always full of nectar. Despite his failings, Zeus was said to be a fair and just god and many temples were built in his honour the first Olympic games were created to honour the great god Zeus.
Hera (goddess of families and married women)
Hera was queen of all the Olympians, as queen of the gods Hera was both beautiful and calculating. Hera often fell into rages over her husbands affairs with other women; Zeus tiring of these rages would tie her to Mount Olympus by fastening anvils to her feat. Hera not only incensed by her husband’s affair often took retribution on the children and mistresses of Zeus, when a mortal women Zeus was having a affair with gave birth to Heracles, Hera sent snakes to attack the infant whilst he lay in his crib. Hera transformed another of Zeus’s lovers into a cow. Hera was not always spiteful, she raised not only her own children but also many others, she was also helpful to those who were faithful towards her, Jason on his search for the Golden Fleece could not have succeeded without her aid. Throughout Greece , many of the oldest and most important temples are dedicated to Hera.
Athena (goddess of wisdom)
Athena is the result of a union between Zeus and Metis, when Metis became pregnant it was prophesised that a daughter would be born first who would be brave and wise, later a son would be born and he would become more powerful than Zeus. On hearing this prophecy, Zeus swallowed Metis to prevent this event from occurring. Nine months went by and Zeus complained of a terrible headache, he called Hephaestus to help him, Hephaestus struck Zeus on the head with a large axe, and Athena sprung out born as a fully developed women dressed for battle. She became the favourite child of Zeus, although she would become goddess of wisdom she was also a goddess of war. She was the only one of Zeus’s children to use her father’s thunderbolt. Her half brother, Ares was the god of war, but he represented uncontrollable conflict, while Athena taught the rules of organised warfare to mankind.
Although she was a goddess of war she was not warlike, she was also clever and wise. Athena helped other heroes in there battles, heroes such as Achilles and Odysseus. It was Athena who suggested to Odysseus the idea of the Trojan Horse. Athena and Poseidon both wanted to be the patron of Cecropia, the other gods on hearing this dispute told them that both of them that they should make a gift to the city and the gift that was deemed by them to be the most useful the donor would become the patron of the city. Poseidon struck the rock of the Acropolis with his trident and water gushed forth, but as he was the god of the seas, it was salty. Athena stamped her foot on the rock and an olive tree started to grow, the gods deemed this gift the most useful and made Athena the patron of Cecropia, the city was renamed Athens in her honour, though her exploits in battle are known, Athena is remembered for her wisdom and moderation and her peaceful works.
 
Poseidon (god of the sea)
Poseidon was the son of Cronus and Rhea. As god of the seas, he had immense powers he also had a terrible and unpredictable temper and would meter out punishment to anyone who defied him. Pictures often depict Poseidon driving his golden chariot across the seas whipping the waves with his trident to symbolise his unpredictable tempers. Poseidon also had the abilities to create earthquakes, and this talent earned the nickname “the earth shaker”. Despite these tempers, mariners made offerings to him to guarantee a safe voyage.
Poseidon fell in love with the sea nymph Amphitrite, she hid from his advances in the land of Atlas , he was heartbroken that she refused his advances, so he sent a dolphin to her to convince her of his good intentions she returned and married him. However, like many of the other gods Poseidon had a roving eye and had affairs with numerous women, and sired many offspring, one being Atlas who became the king of Atlantis.
Poseidon also lusted after his sister Demeter, to avoid him she transformed herself into a mare, Poseidon not to be outdone rapidly transformed himself into a stallion and captured her. The result of this incestuous affair was the birth of the horse Arion. Poseidon often changed himself into a stallion, a result of an affair with the Gorgon medusa resulted in the birth of the winged horse Pegasus. Many of Poseidon’s sons went on to become great heroes in Greek mythology among them were Theseus, Orion, Proteus and Despoena.
Odysseus incurred the wrath of Poseidon after he blinded the Cyclops Polyphemus, who was another of Poseidon's sons. Poseidon created a great storm that delayed Odysseus on his triumphant return from the Trojan wars.
Demeter (goddess of agriculture)
Demeter was the goddess of agriculture. She was responsible for the fertility of the earth, and protected the crops - particularly wheat. She also cared for the fertility of humans, unlike the other gods little is known about Demeter, more is known about her daughter the beautiful Persephone. Hades the god of the underworld had noticed Persephone's beauty so he kidnapped her, took her to his kingdom below, and made her his queen, her mother Demeter was heartbroken, she searched everywhere for her daughter whilst doing so the crops withered and died. People started to die and this troubled the gods, Zeus took control and sent Hermes down to return Persephone to Olympus .
Before Hermes took Persephone back, Hades made her eat a pomegranate seed, by doing so he had tricked her, by eating whilst she was in the underworld, she would never be able to leave the underworld forever, and she would have to return for part of the year to live with Hades. The ancient Greeks believed that the fertile months during spring and summer, where the time when Persephone lived with her mother and the cold autumn and winter months where when she returned to the underworld to live with Hades.
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