Saturday, September 29, 2012

Hebe



Hebe

    Hebe was the daughter of Zeus and Hera. She was the goddess of youth and forgivness. Her duty was to be the cup-bearer for the gods. She would fill their cups with Nectar and Ambrosia. Nectar is a sugar-rich liquid from plants. Ambrosia is a greek god food that could give immortality to the consumer. Another one of her duties was to feed Zeus' pet eagle which she is shown offering a drink to in most photo's. Young  Trojan prince Ganymede became her successor and presumed the role as cup-bearer when she married her half-brother Hercules. Also she would draw bathes for her brother Ares, the god of war and help Hera into her chariet.  Hebe and Hercules had two children Alexiares and Anicetus. When Hercules' life as mortal ended and he became a god, Hebe showed him all the wonders of Olympus.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Pan


Pan

    Pan was the God of panic. At night in the woods it was supposedly him who put terror into the hearts of wandering men when he was feeling mischievous. He was known for being flirtatious and playful. Often, you would see him dancing with the wood nymphs or trying to pursue one of them but he was always rejected because they thought he was ugly. There are various versions of who Pan was born by. Some say his parents were Zeus, Apollo or Penelope but the most common one is that his father was Hermes and mother a nymph. Pan's appearance was described as a man with horns, goat legs and a thick beard.  He was an excellent musician and was known for playing the pipes. Syrinx who ran from him would turn into reeds which is what he used to make his famous pan-pipes.





Friday, September 14, 2012

Asclepius


Asclepius

Asclepius was the God of medicine and healing. His parents were Apollo and a mortal Coronis. But because Coronis insulted Apollo by sleeping with another man while Asclepius was still in her belly. Apollo slayed her with his arrows and rescued Asclepius from her funeral Pyre. When the Olympian Gods have children with mortals they aren't aloud to keep in touch with their children. Since Apollo had killed his mother he had no one to raise him. After some thought, Apollo left Asclepius to be cared by a centaur named Chiron. After he grew Athena gave him two vials filled of Gorgon's blood from the right side of his body which could bring back the life of a mortal and blood from the left side of his body which could kill one. He used the blood to raise dead mortals but Zeus thought that was overstepping the boundaries. Zeus then ended Asclepius's life with one of his lightning bolts. Before he died he had 10 children.

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Demeter



 
Demeter
In Greek mythology Demeter was the daughter of the Titan Chronus and Rhea. She is the goddess of vegetation,  fertility, and the harvest. Each year it is Demeter that decides to make the crops grow or not.  She also is the one who taught mankind about agriculture. She is mainly associated with the Seasons and is why we have Winter, Spring, Fall and Summer. In some myths she had 8 children but in others she only had a one daughter with Zeus named Persephone who was later abducted by Hades and made the Queen of the underworld. Although she is mainly known for being the Goddess of Harvest she also is involved with Marriage. Which is supposed to have a motherly feeling behind it because her name split up stands for "Mother-Earth." She may also be called Deo which is a surname of Demeter. In pictures and statues she is shown as a mature motherly figure around nature.