The Birth of the Olympians: A Tale of Chaos and Triumph

1. In the beginning… …there was chaos

2. And out of chaos…. Gaea, Mother Earth, was created

3. And Gaea gave birth to Uranus, the sky

4. Uranus rained down on Gaea… And plants, animals, and rivers appeared

5. Gaea and Uranus had many children….. Their first born were the twelve Giant Titans, six boys and six girls.

6. Later more children were born….. • Three were the mighty Cyclops, one-eyed giants • And three were the Hecatoncheires, monsters with a hundred arms and fifty heads

7. Uranus hated the Cyclops and the Hecatoncheires, because they were ugly • And he threw them into Tartarus – the deepest pit of the underworld.

8. Gaea was furious. She urged the Titans to overthrow their father and rescue their brothers in Tartarus.

9. Only Cronus, the youngest , was brave enough. • He attacked Uranus with a sickle and banished him from earth. • Cronus replaced his father as Lord of the Universe. But he was cruel and did not free his brothers from Tartarus. • Cronus married his sister, Rhea, and they had many children.

10. Cronus was afraid that one of his own children might overthrow him just as he had overthrown his father. • So as each child was born, he swallowed it whole. (Remember he was a giant Titan and his children were much smaller. ) • Also the children were gods (immortals) so they could not die. They remained alive and grew inside his stomach.

11. Rhea was horrified and finally she tricked Cronus by feeding him a rock wrapped in a blanket. • Zeus was raised on the island of Crete by gentle woodland nymphs who fed him honeyed milk. When the baby would cry, the Curettes – Zeus’s guards – clashed their weapons to hide the sound from Cronus.

12. Zeus grew into one of the strongest gods and Rhea, his mother, wanted him to overthrow Cronus. Rhea gave Cronus a drink that made him throw up the stone and his unharmed children – among those were: Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, and Poseidon. made him throw up the stone and his unharmed children – among those were: Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, and Poseidon.

13. The children were all reunited and gratefully joined their brother. Zeus freed their uncles (the monsters) from Tartarus, and together they prepared to fight the Titans. The cyclops made weapons.

14. They armed Zeus with a thunderbolt that shook the universe.

15. They made Poseidon a trident that could split the seas.

16. They gave Hades a helmet of darkness that made him invisible to his enemies.

17. For ten years a war raged between the old gods (Titans) and the new gods (Olympians). At last Cronus and the Titans were defeated and thrown into Tartarus to be guarded by their own hundred-armed brother.

18. Mother-Earth , Gaea, was finally at peace. The universe was divided among the three brothers. 1.- Zeus was King of the gods, heaven and earth.2.- Poseidon became god of the seas. 3.- Hades became god of the underworld.

19. The Cyclops (children of the Titans, Cronus and Rhea) built the “Olympians” a palace on Mt. Olympus. • Zeus lived there with his brothers, sisters, six of his children, and Aphrodite (goddess of love) forever. • The gods dined on nectar and ambrosia, the food and drink of the gods and they could change shape or form to mingle and control the mortals on earth.

20. Mt. Olympus The magical kingdom of all of the Gods and Goddess. Ruled by Zeus!

21. King and Queen of Mt. Olympus

22. Zeus, Jupiter • King of the gods • Women loved him and he loved them. • Symbol: Lightning bolt

23. Hera, Juno • Queen of the gods • Goddess of the family • Symbol: pomegranate (symbol of fertility) Hera, queen of the gods

24. Brothers of Zeus

25. Poseidon, Neptune • Ruler of the sea • Responsible for natural and supernatural events • Symbol: Trident

26. Hades, Pluto • Supreme ruler of the underworld • God of the dead • Symbol: Helmet (helped him stay invincible)

27. Top Ten Olympic Gods and Goddesses!

29. Aphrodite, Venus • Goddess of love and beauty • Mother of Eros • Wife of Hephaestus • Lover to Ares • Symbol: Dove

30. Apollo, Apollo • God of sun, music, poetry • Twin to Artemis • Gift of prophecy • Symbol: Lyre

31. Ares, Mars • God of War • Not well liked by the other gods • Ares and Aphrodite had a daughter--Harmony • Symbol: Spear and dogs

32. Artemis, Diana • Goddess of moon and hunt • Twin to Apollo • Absolute power over nature • Symbol: Bow

33. Athena, Minerva • Goddess of wisdom and war • Approached war in terms of Justice • Symbol: Staff and Owl

34. Demeter, Ceres • Goddess of agriculture (grain) • Mother of Persephone • Taught mortals harvest • Symbol: Wheat

35. Dionysus, Bacchus • Goddess of wine and festivities • Party Guy • Symbol: Grapes

36. Hephaestus, Vulcan • God of metal working • Only physically ugly god • Husband to Aphrodite • She played him • Symbol: Fire, ax, and hammer

37. Hermes, Mercury • Messenger God • Fastest because of his winged shoes • Only god who could visit heaven, earth, and underworld • Symbol: Wings

38. Hestia, Vesta • Goddess of the hearth • Kind and forgiving • Symbol: Flame

39. Other Important Near Deities

41. Persephone • Hades loved her and stole her from her mother, Demeter • She spends 6 months with Mom and 6 months with husband

42. Cerberus • Watch dog of the underworld • Prevent the dead from exiting • Three heads, very scary

43. Eros, Cupid • We will read the story. • Son of Aphrodite • Falls in love with beautiful, mortal Psyche • Convinces Zeus to make her immortal

44. The Fates • Clotho-spins the thread of destiny • Lacesis- measures • Atropos-cuts • Determined every mortal’s life • No other god could alter their decision

45. Muses • 9 beautiful, intelligent deities • Each Muse was in charge over an intelligence • Required to praise them in epic poetry