1. Zeus Ruler of the gods Son of Cronus and Rhea Married to Hera, but “gets around” a bit His symbols are the thunderbolt, eagle, bull, and oak He rules the universe as a father-figure Cronus kept eating his children, but Rhea tricked him into swallowing a rock instead, so Zeus survived

2. Athena The goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, law and justice, just warfare, mathematics, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, and skill The goddess of heroic endeavor Favorite daughter of Zeus A warrior and a huntress Leaped from Zeus’s head, fully armed

3. Aphrodite Greek goddess of love, beauty, and pleasure Because of her beauty, other gods feared that their rivalry over her would interrupt the peace among them and lead to war, so Zeus married her to an ugly god who was not seen as a threat.

4. Dionysus God of wine, wine-making, and revelry Festivals in his honor helped establish Greek theater Often portrayed as a son of Zeus and Persephone, or Zeus and a mortal, Semele

5. Hades King of the Underworld The oldest male child of Cronus and Rhea Defeated the Titans, along with his brothers, Zeus and Poseidon Rules the dead, assisted by others over whom he had complete authority. He strictly forbids his subjects to leave his domain

6. Persephone The daughter of Zeus and the harvest-goddess Demeter Carries into effect the curses of men upon the souls of the dead. Abducted by Hades, the god-king of the underworld and made his wife. Goddess of vegetation, spring, and seeds (helps things that are below ground)