The Creation
In the beginning, the universe was a gaping void surrounded by water. The void was called Chaos and ruled by Eurynome, and the water was ruled by Oceanus. Eurynome wanted to make order out of Chaos, so she separated the land from the sea and introduced Eros, the god of love, and populated the land with exotic creatures, beasts, and monsters.
Gaia, the Earth, and Uranus, the sky and heavens, also emerged from Chaos. Together, they gave birth to the Titans, a race of powerful deities. One of these deities, Cronus, became the ruler of the Titans. Gaia and Uranus warned Cronus that one of his children would one day overpower him and become the ruler. To prevent this, Cronus swallowed his children.
Gaia was angry at Cronus for swallowing his children, however, so she tricked him. When his youngest son, Zeus, was born, Gaia brought Cronus a stone wrapped in a blanket. Cronus swallowed the stone, thinking it was Zeus. Meanwhile, Gaia took Zeus away and hid him on the island of Crete.
Zeus grew up on Crete until he was old enough to return home. He needed his siblings to help him overthrow his father, so he gave Cronus a drink that made him vomit. Cronus threw up his other children, Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, and Poseidon. With his siblings' help, Zeus overpowered his father and banished him to Tartarus.
Zeus made himself the king of the gods and ruled with his favorite gods and goddesses in a beautiful palace on Mount Olympus.
Gaia, the Earth, and Uranus, the sky and heavens, also emerged from Chaos. Together, they gave birth to the Titans, a race of powerful deities. One of these deities, Cronus, became the ruler of the Titans. Gaia and Uranus warned Cronus that one of his children would one day overpower him and become the ruler. To prevent this, Cronus swallowed his children.
Gaia was angry at Cronus for swallowing his children, however, so she tricked him. When his youngest son, Zeus, was born, Gaia brought Cronus a stone wrapped in a blanket. Cronus swallowed the stone, thinking it was Zeus. Meanwhile, Gaia took Zeus away and hid him on the island of Crete.
Zeus grew up on Crete until he was old enough to return home. He needed his siblings to help him overthrow his father, so he gave Cronus a drink that made him vomit. Cronus threw up his other children, Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, and Poseidon. With his siblings' help, Zeus overpowered his father and banished him to Tartarus.
Zeus made himself the king of the gods and ruled with his favorite gods and goddesses in a beautiful palace on Mount Olympus.
The Gods and Goddesses You Need to Know
Cronus
Cronus was the son of Gaia and Uranus, who overthrew his father and took the throne. He was the leader of the Titans and the father of Demeter, Hestia, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, and Zeus. He tried to prevent his son from overthrowing him by swallowing his children, but Gaia saved baby Zeus. Zeus returned as a young man and defeated Cronus, banishing him to Tartarus.
Zeus
Zeus is the king of the gods and rules on Mount Olympus. He is the god of the sky and thunder and is known for having a bad temper. He is married to Hera but has affairs with many women both divine and human. He also has many children. His symbols are lightening, the scepter, the eagle, and the aegis.
Hades
Hades is the god of the Underworld, the dead, and the riches under the Earth. He is the elder brother of Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, and Demeter, and younger brother of Hestia. Hades lives in the Underworld and not with his siblings on Mount Olympus.
Poseidon
Poseidon is the god of the sea and earthquakes. His symbols include the horse, bull, dolphin, and trident. He is the brother of Zeus.
Hera
Hera is Zeus' wife and the Queen of the gods and goddesses. She is the goddess of marriage and family, and her symbols are the peacock, pomegranate, crown, cuckoo, lion, and cow. She is jealous of Zeus's affairs and often tries to get revenge.
Demeter
Demeter is Zeus's sister and the goddess of fertility, agriculture, nature, and the seasons. Her symbols include the poppy, wheat, torch, and pig.
Athena
Athena is the goddess of wisdom, war, courage, justice, and skill. She is the daughter of Zeus and emerged from his head fully grown and dressed in armor. Her symbols are the owl and the olive tree.
Ares
Ares is the god of war, violence, and bloodshed. His symbols include the boar, serpent, dog, vulture, spear, and shield. He is the son of Zeus and Hera and despised by all the other gods (except Aphrodite).
Hephaestus
Hephaestus is the god of fire and the forge. He is also the master blacksmith and craftsman of the gods, and his symbols include fire, anvil, axe, donkey, hammer, tongs, and quail. He is the son of Hera.
Apollo
Apollo is the god of light, knowledge, healing, plague and darkness, the arts, music, poetry, prophecy, archery, the sun, manly youth, and beauty. He is the son of Zeus and Leto and the twin brother of Artemis. His symbols include the sun, lyre, bow and arrow, raven, dolphin, wolf, swan, and mouse.
Artemis
Artemis is the goddess of the hunt, virginity, childbirth, archery, the moon, and all animals. She is the daughter of Zeus and Leto and the twin sister of Apollo. Her symbols include the moon, deer, hound, she-bear, snake, cypress tree, and bow and arrow.
Aphrodite
Aphrodite is the goddess of love, beauty, and desire. Her symbols include the dove, bird, apple, bee, swan, myrtle, and rose. Myth says she was born out of sea foam and arose fully grown from the sea.
Persephone
Persephone is the daughter of Demeter and Zeus and the goddess of spring time and the dead. She was captured by Hades, the god of the underworld, and she became the queen of the underworld. She spends half the year in the underworld and half with her family on Mount Olympus.
Hermes
Hermes is the messenger of the gods and the god of commerce, thieves, and games. His symbols include the caduceus (staff entwined with two snakes), winged sandals and cap, stork, and tortoise. He is the son of Zeus and the nymph Maia.
Helios
Helios is the personification of the sun. He is a handsome god who drives the sun chariot around the Earth each day to bring the sun across the sky.