The Mythology Of Ancient Greece By: Abigail

Summary and Watercolor of the myth: Hades

Hades is the King of the dead, but death itself is another god, Thanatos. Hades was also the god of the hidden wealth of the earth, from the fertile soil to the wealth of gold, silver and other metals. Zeus and Poseidon were Hades’ brothers.  Hades had a home on Mount Olympus, the magical mountain on which all the main gods, the Olympians, lived.  But, Hades did not reside on Mount Olympus.  When the three sons of Kronos divided up the world, Zeus took the sky, Poseidon took the sea, and Hades took the underworld. Hades was content living in the Underworld.  His job was to be the all-powerful leader the Underworld. He was a superior ruler. Parts of the Underworld were extremely beautiful, like the Elysian Fields, where heroes dwelled after they died. Other parts were horribly gruesome. Those were for people who were wicked during their lifetime. Hades came up to earth now and then, if he needed to be on Mount Olympus for an assembly of the gods. The truth was Hades preferred his beloved Underworld to Mount Olympus. Hades had everything he needed there. He had his wife Persephone, who was with him for autumn and winter. He had an invisible helmet, which he enjoyed greatly. He had a golden chariot, which was his delight and bliss. He had his faithful and deeply prized companion, his three-headed dog, Cerberus.   Hades desired a bride and asked his brother Zeus to grant him one of Zeus’s daughters. Zeus offered him Persephone, the daughter of Demeter. However, knowing that the goddess would resist the marriage, he led himself to the abduction of the beautiful immortal. When Demeter learned of this, she was infuriated with Hades. She caused a great famine to fall upon the earth until her beloved daughter was returned. Zeus was forced to give in, in fear that the Greek culture perish, and Persephone was brought by Hades from the underworld. However, since she had tasted six pomegranate seeds, she was forced to return to him six months each year. Each spring, Demeter makes sure all the flowers bloom in welcome when her daughter, Queen of the Underworld, returns to her. Each fall, when Persephone returns to Hades, Demeter cries, and lets all the crops die until spring, when Persephone comes again.

Caitlin: goddess of puppies Nature myth and mask Caitlin: goddess of puppies

Inside the whirlwind, Caitlin felt herself get taller, her hair get longer, and her face get rounder. She was excited, but confused, until she put two and two together and realized that she was immortal. “Caitlin the goddess,” she thought to herself, “I like the sound of that!” Meanwhile, outside of the whirlwind, Demeter whispered “Yay! I like this girl,” to Persephone. Apollo and Artemis shot sparkling arrows into the air. Ares actually put down his weapons to get food from his war chariot. The Big Three (Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades) arranged a party on Olympus, while Athena, Aphrodite, Hermes, Hephaestus, and a drunk Dionysus talked about what Caitlin’s throne on Olympus would be like. Everyone except Hera liked the new goddess. Hera never liked new goddesses though, because she was always afraid that they would take her place as Queen of the Gods. For everyone else though, it was good Hera didn’t like the new goddess, because it meant that the new goddess was loyal, kindhearted, and intelligent, all things that Hera was not. At the current moment, Hera was sulking in the corner. As Caitlin emerged from the whirlwind, a puppy ran towards her. This particular dog was Caitlin’s dog, and her name was Cocoa. The gods and goddesses had never seen a dog before, so this was new to them. This was why they also made Cocoa immortal, and Caitlin the goddess of puppies. Caitlin liked being the goddess of puppies, because it was a good excuse for getting whatever dog she wanted.