Greek mythology is not only interesting, but it is also the foundation of allusion and character genesis in literature. In this essay you will gain a better understanding of Greek mythology and the Olympian gods and goddesses. Although when we think of mythology we think of a collection of stories, there is a beginning to them. Understanding the beginning of the story, aka the creation of the world, gives us a foundation to build on as we learn about the different myths. In the beginning, the universe was without form. It was not nothing; of course there was matter, but it was not organized at all, shapeless, mixed up and just plain dark. This was called Chaos. After Chaos, more divinities, or gods, came into being. Gaia, aka the
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Gradually, it became associated less and less with an actual mountain and more with an imaginary place high above the earth. According to the ancient Greeks, the gate to Olympus was made of clouds and it was guarded by four goddesses, the Seasons. Each god had his or her own dwelling place, but Olympus was kind of like their home base. There was up to 14 gods considered to be Olympian gods. Seven of them were Zeus and his siblings, and seven others were children the of Zeus. The Greeks and Romans shared mythology, that’s why there are two names for each god.
Zeus was the king of Olympus. He was dominating, powerful and had a weakness for pretty women. He could be terrifying when …show more content…
He is often pictured with a winged helmet and sandals. He is said to have invented the alphabet, boxing and gymnastics.
Next is Athena, or Minerva, the daughter who sprang fully formed from the head of Zeus after a major headache.. She preferred reason to violence unless she was pushed. She turned Arachne into a spider for bragging that she could spin better than Athena, hence “Arachnophobia”. She was very competitive and is pictured with her helmet and a spear. She carried Zeus's shield.
Hephaestus, Vulcan, was born disabled and was crippled even more when he was thrown from Olympus by his mom, Hera, in a fit rage. He was the only Olympian god with a disability. He was married to Aphrodite against his will and worked as a blacksmith.
Aphrodite, Hephaestus's wife, aka Venus by the Romans, was the goddess of love and beauty. She was born out of sea foam when the blood of Uranus dropped into the ocean. She was the mother of Eros and was irresistibly charming, vain and competitive. Her symbol was a cestus, or magic belt, that made everyone fall in love with the person wearing it; sometimes she would let the humans use it. Humans were merely toys to the
Gradually, it became associated less and less with an actual mountain and more with an imaginary place high above the earth. According to the ancient Greeks, the gate to Olympus was made of clouds and it was guarded by four goddesses, the Seasons. Each god had his or her own dwelling place, but Olympus was kind of like their home base. There was up to 14 gods considered to be Olympian gods. Seven of them were Zeus and his siblings, and seven others were children the of Zeus. The Greeks and Romans shared mythology, that’s why there are two names for each god.
Zeus was the king of Olympus. He was dominating, powerful and had a weakness for pretty women. He could be terrifying when …show more content…
He is often pictured with a winged helmet and sandals. He is said to have invented the alphabet, boxing and gymnastics.
Next is Athena, or Minerva, the daughter who sprang fully formed from the head of Zeus after a major headache.. She preferred reason to violence unless she was pushed. She turned Arachne into a spider for bragging that she could spin better than Athena, hence “Arachnophobia”. She was very competitive and is pictured with her helmet and a spear. She carried Zeus's shield.
Hephaestus, Vulcan, was born disabled and was crippled even more when he was thrown from Olympus by his mom, Hera, in a fit rage. He was the only Olympian god with a disability. He was married to Aphrodite against his will and worked as a blacksmith.
Aphrodite, Hephaestus's wife, aka Venus by the Romans, was the goddess of love and beauty. She was born out of sea foam when the blood of Uranus dropped into the ocean. She was the mother of Eros and was irresistibly charming, vain and competitive. Her symbol was a cestus, or magic belt, that made everyone fall in love with the person wearing it; sometimes she would let the humans use it. Humans were merely toys to the