Zeus' Escape from the Threat of Cronus Soon afterwards, Cronus rescues his brothers and sisters and shares the World (Cosmos) with them. He then marries Rhea and together they created children who later on would become the Olympian gods . But Cronus developed the same fear as his father so he started to swallow his own children as well. Rhea was highly discomforted so, on her attempt to save her youngest child, Zeus , she deceived Cronus by giving a huge stone to swallow. To protect her son afterwards, Rhea then sent Zeus to Crete. 4. The Victorious Battle of the Olympian Gods against the Titans (Titanomachy) Zeus grew up in Crete, fed by the goat Amaltheia and been taken good care of by the Nymphs . When he reached manhood, as prophesied, Zeus rescued his five elder brothers and sisters and then made war on hisfather and the Titans , also known as"Titanomachy". In this battle, Zeus succeeded in overthrowing Cronus, casting him and the other titans into the depths of the Underworld. A huge battle with the Giants followed, where the Olympian Gods excelled and then time had come for the Olympian gods to rule the world. Aphrodite Aphrodite was the Greek goddess of Love, Beauty and Eternal Youth Aphrodite means"arisen from the foam"in ancient Greek Birth and Family of Aphrodite Aphrodite was created from the foam of the crystal waters of Paphos in the fragrant island of Cyprus, when the Titan Cronos slew his father, the major Titan Ouranos , and threw then his genitals into the sea. Aphrodite was married to the lame smith Hephaestus , who was the Olympian God of the Iron, but her heart was devoted to Ares , the God of War, with whom Aphrodite was having a passionate, but secret love affair. According to a myth, Aphrodite gave birth to Eros , the winged cupid of love and was often accompanied by him. Other children of Aphrodite were Hemeros, Pothos(desire), Phobos(fear), Demos, Harmonia and Rhodes . The Role of Aphrodite as a Goddess Aphrodite was the most attractive goddess of Mount Olympus . She was the goddess of Love, Beauty and Eternal Youth, arousing desire to gods and humans as well as birds and beasts. In addition, she was connected with the death/rebirth of nature and human beings. The Personality of Aphrodite Aphrodite may have been the most attractive goddess, but according to the Iliad(the famous poem by Homer), she was a rather weak, frightful goddess. Appearance of Aphrodite Aphrodite was a highly attractive young woman who dressed elegantly and loved to wear jewellery. Her eyelashes were curledand she had a constant smile on her lovely face, since she was a lover of smiles. Aphrodite had a tender neck, tender breasts and beautiful buttocks . Symbols of Aphrodite Aphrodite's symbols were the girdle(which she was using to compel love), the seashell and the mirror. Her sacred animal was the dove. The Roman name of Aphrodite is"Venus"

Apollo Apollo was the Olympian God of the Sun, the Light, the Music and the Prophecy Family Tree of Apollo Apollo was born by the King of the Gods Zeus and the mortal Leto in the divine Greek island of Delos . He was the younger twin of Artemis , the Greek goddess of the hunt. Apollo, the God of Music Apollo was the Greek god of the Music. He invented the lute(a plucked string instrument with a body shaped like a pear), but he was more popular for playing the lyre, which was invented by Hermes , the messenger of the gods. Apollo excelled in important music contests,competing against Greek god Hermes and the Satyr Pan as well as other deities. Apollo, the God of Prophecy In addition, Apollo owned the precious gift of prophecy, given to him by his father Zeus in his infancy. He was the patron of the ancient city of Delphi , where the first oracle of Ancient Greece was located. The district was considered to be the Navel of the World (the "Omphalus" in Ancient times. Appearance of Apollo Apollo was a handsome, strong and youthful god with impressive golden hair. Symbols of Apollo Apollo's symbols were the lyre, the tripod, the laurel tree and the navel stone. His plants were the myrtle andthe laurel. Apollo's sacred animals were the wolf, the raven and the lizard. The Roman name of Apollo is " Apollo "

Ares Ares was the Olympian God of War and the figure behind all kind of violence Ares, the God of War Ares, the Greek god of War, was the son of Zeus and Hera . The half-sister of Ares was Athena , the goddess of Wisdom and Skill. Athena also was a goddess of War but approached war solely for the purposes of justice. Reputation of Ares Just like his mother Hera, Ares had a very difficult character to deal with and was therefore rather unpopular among the other deities and mankind. For this reason, no Greek city wanted to have him as its patron. He often had conflicts and fights with Artemis , the goddess of the Hunt and also with his sister Athena, especially during the Trojan War. Ares' Way of Life Ares had his residence up on Mount Olympus and his throne was upholstered with human skin. Usually he was accompanied by Eris, the goddess of discord. Ares' secret mistress was Aphrodite , the goddessof Love and Beauty; their union resulted to the birth of Armonia (Harmony), which was seen as a blend of two opposing powers. Symbols of Ares The symbol of Ares was the spear and his sacred animal was the dog The Roman name of Ares is " Mars "

Arthemis Artemis was the Greek goddess of the Hunt and the Moon and protector of expectant women and the young. Family of Artemis Greek goddess Artemis was born in Mount Cynthus at the island of Delos in Greece as a daughter of Zeus , the Ruler of the Greek gods and the mortal Leto. Artemis' twin brother was Apollo , the god of the Sun, whereas Artemis' cult was connectedwith the Moon. She had been born before Apollo and had helped her mother Leto to give birth to her little brother. Artemis, the Virgin Huntress As a child, Artemis had asked from her father Zeus to remain an eternal virgin and therefore became one of the three Virgin Goddesses in Greek mythology. Artemis had absolute sovereignty over nature and was said to bring fertility to all places that worshipped her. Usually accompanied by Nymphs and Oceanids, Artemis loved to hunt with arrows dipped in poison. Odd things about Artemis Oddly enough, Artemis was both a killer of wild animals and their protector. The Appearance of Artemis Artemis was usually armed with bowand arrows and was wearing a knee-high chiton (a sort of tunic). Symbols and sacred Animals of Artemis The symbols of Artemis were the bow and the pike. Her tree was the cedar and her sacred animals were the snake, the bear and the deer. The Roman name of Artemis is " Diana "

Athena Athena was the Greek goddess of Wisdom, Skill and War Athena's extraordinary Birth Athena was a child of Zeus and Metis,Zeus' first wife, who was keeping inside herself all the world's wisdom.She was born during the battle of the Giants , when she suddenly sprang out of the head of Zeus fully grown. Athena's precious Skills Athena was the goddess who taught mankind various skills such as weaving and sewing to the women and agriculture and metallurgy to men. She was always giving preciousadvice and stood by on any danger. Athena and the City of Athens After competing against the Greek god Poseidon , Athena officially became the patron deity of the city of ancient Athens and the Parthenon was built in her honour. She was known as "Athena Nike" (Athena thevictorious), as she was believed to have given the Athenians the victory during the Persian War. Appearance of Athena A tall, slim woman with glaucous eyes trickling light, wearing a suit of armour and a golden helmet Symbols of Athena Athena's symbols were the spear, the distaff and the aegis (a goat-like shield, to which the head of the Gorgon Medusa was fastened in order to terrify the opponents). Athena's tree was the olive tree and her sacred animal was the owl, the symbol of wisdom. The Roman name of Athena is " Minerva "

Demeter Demeter was the Greek goddess of agriculture and vegetation Family of Demeter Demeter was the second daughter ofthe major Titans Rhea and Cronus , after Hestia , the goddess of the hearth. Demeter's Personality and her Role as a Goddess Demeter was a peace-loving deity and the source of all growth and life;she was the goddess who provided all nutrition on the earth and taught mortals how to cultivate the earth and ease life. Demeter was most appreciated for introducing wheat tomankind, making man different fromanimals. Appearance and Sacred Symbols A rich haired woman with golden tresses and slender feet, usually wearing a dark cloak Symbols of Demeter The symbols of Demeter were the ear of wheat and the grains. The Roman name of Demeter is " Ceres "

Dionysus Dionysus was the Greek God of Wine, Joy and Theatre and a Lover of Peace Family of Dionysus Dionysus was born in Thebes as the son of Zeus , the King of the Gods andthe beautiful princess Semele. Because of his mortal mother, his birthplace Thebes refused to acknowledge him as an immortal at first. Personality and Style of Dionysus Dionysus was a god known for his lightheartness and always offered his help to anyone in need. He was therefore very popular among gods and mortals and many festivals werebeing held every year in his honor. Nevertheless, Dionysus was many times misunderstood. Dionysus was one of the Olympian gods who actually did not live in Mount Olympus but was constantly travelling around the world togetherwith Satyrs and Maenads in order to discover the secrets of winemaking. Appearance of Dionysus Dionysus was a handsome young man with impressive hair (usually tresses falling below his shoulders) and a wreath of ivy on his head. In his hand he was holding a "thyrsos", which was a light staff wrapped with leaves of ivy and a pine cone onits top. Symbols of Dionysus The symbols of Dionysus were the thyrsos, a wooden stick wrapped with ivy leaves and vines, the flute and the wine barrels. his sacred animals were the panther and the tiger. The Roman name of Dionysus is " Bacchus "

Hades Hades was the God and Ruler of the Underworld Hades means "invisible" in ancient Greek Family of Hades Greek god Hades was a son of the titans Cronus and Rhea . Hades' wife was Persephone , whom he abducted from her divine mother Demeter and took with him down to the Underworld. Hades, the Ruler of the Underworld Hades was the Greek god of the Dead and, according to Plato, he should be considered as one of the Olympian gods.Hades was the supreme ruler of the Underworld. Almost never did he leave his gloomy kingdom but was residing there instead, surrounded by darkness and silence... Hades' helper was Charos, the angel of dead. Charos had the duty to transfer the dead people 's souls with a boat over the River Acheron from the world of the living to the world of the dead. Furthermore, Hades had a dog with three heads which was named Cerberus. Appearance and Sacred Symbols Hades had gloomy features. He had abeard and dark hair falling over his brow . His sacred symbol was the helmet, which helped him stay invisible. The Roman name of Hades is " Pluto "

Hephaestus Hephaestus was the Greek God of Metallurgy and the Smith of the Olympian Gods. Family Tree of Hephaestus Hephaestus was the son of Zeus and Hera , although it was considered by some that he had been conceived prenuptially. Hephaestus was married to Aphrodite , the Greek goddess of Beauty, but unfortunately Aphrodite never devoted herself entirely to Hephaestus. The Disability of Hephaestus Hephaestus was a very kind and loveable god, but was the only deity who was physically ugly and lame. When his mother Hera saw him for the first time, she was so frustrated that she took her son and threw him from Mount Olympus to the depths ofthe seas, causing a deformation to his leg. Hephaestus was finally rescued by two Nereids, Thetis and Eurynome, who raised him for nine years inside a cave, far away and hidden from his cruel mother. The Workshop of Hephaestus Hephaestus had his working lay beneath the crater of the volcano of Aetna in Italy. There, he was working together closely with the one-eyed Cyclopes to create strong thunderbolts for his master Zeus . Hephaestus was also famous for having created the first woman of the ancient world, Pandora . Symbols of Hephaestus The symbols of Hephaestus were theFire, the axe, the pincers and the hammer The Roman name of Hephaestus is " Vulcan "

Hera was the goddess of Marriage and Family and protector of married women. The Family of Hera Hera was born by the Titans Cronus and Rhea and was one of the three sisters of Zeus and later on became his wife as well. The royal wedding of Zeus and Hera was celebrated with exceptional splendour and the couple gave birth to four children; Eilithyia , the goddess who was protecting the childbirth, Ares , the Olympian god of war, Hebe , the goddess of youth and Hephaestus , the Olympian god of metallurgy. According to some beliefs, Hephaestus was born without the intervention of Zeus. Hera's troubled marriage with Zeus Although Hera was one of the fairestgoddesses in Mount Olympus , Zeus was giving Hera plenty of reason to be suspicious and jealous; Hera therefore used to stay in high places in order to keep an eye on her husband's doings. There were times she would also interfering, causing harm to Zeus' mistresses, since Zeus himself was invincible. Appearance of Hera Hera was a beautiful(but not really desirable), mature woman with big eyes and pierced lobes. She was wearing an ornate crown on her head, elegant clothes tightened witha belt and woven by goddess Athena and golden sandals were hugging her feet. Hera loved to wear jewelery and pamper her body with divine cosmetics. Symbols of Hera Hera's symbol were the diadem, the scepter and the pomegranate, a symbol of fertility. Her flower was the lily and her sacred animals were the peacock and the cow. The Roman name of Hera is " Juno "

Hermes was the Greek God of the Trade, the god of eloquence and a luck-bringing Messenger of theGods. Birth of Hermes Hermes was born inside a cave on Mount Cyllene in Arcadia (Peloponnes) as the son Zeus , the King of the Gods, and the mountain Nymph Maea, who was a daughter ofthe Titan Atlas . The Role of Hermes in Greek Mythology Hermes was wearing wings on his sandals and therefore was the speediest of all Greek gods. Because of his speed, Hermes received the role of the messenger and conductor of souls to the Underworld. Hermes was the only Olympian god who was authorized to visit Heaven, Earth andalso the Underworld and enjoyed this way popularity among all the Greek gods and spirits. Hermes, the God of the Thieves It is well known that Ancient Greeks endowed their gods with human weaknesses. Hermes, for instance, felt an irresistible impulse of stealing ever since his infancy and quickly developed as the god of the cheaters and the thieves. Hermes' special Relation to Zeus Hermes was a messenger of all gods,but mostly he was known for performing duties for his father Zeus with great pleasure. Zeus appreciated Hermes' wits highly and always asked for Hermes' assistance throughout his decisions, especially when it came to cheating on his wife Hera . Appearance and sacred Symbols Hermes was a young man, wearing traveling clothes, a flat hat known as"petasus" and winged sandals on his feet. Oftentimes he was also considered to have wings attached to his shoulders and hat. Hermes usually held a winged staff with snakes wrapped around it in his hands in order to gain access everywhere. The Roman name of Hermes is " Mercury "

Hestia goddess of hearth, home and family. Family of Hestia Greek goddess Hestia was the eldest daughter of the titans Cronus and Rhea and a senior goddess among the mortals. [1] . She was the first to be swallowed by her father, but the last to be disgorged. Hestia, the Virgin Goddess Hestia was one of the three virgin goddesses, next to Athena and Hera . Both Poseidon and Apollo had wished to marry her; however Hestiahad given the oath to Zeus to never enter into a union with a male and toremain forever pure and undefiled. Worship of Hestia Hestia personified the fire hat was burning in the hearth of every home. All families were pouring sweet wine in her name and dedicated her the richest portion. The hearth fire was not allowed to go out by any family unless it was ritually extinguished. Hestia herself was never leaving her residence, the sacred mountain of Olympus . Hestia may not have had a public cult, but she was always worshipped in any temple, regardless of the god it was dedicated to. All Olympian deities respected and loved Hestia because of her kind, forgiving soul and her discrete character, since Hestia never participated in any disputes or wars. Appearance and Sacred Symbols A bashful woman, usually seated The Roman name of Hestia is " Vesta

poseidon Poseidon was the God of the Seas, the horses and the earthquakes. Family of Poseidon Poseidon, the Greek god of the Seas, was born by the major Titans Cronus and Rhea . He was an older brother of Zeus , the King of the gods. The Personality of Poseidon and his Way of Life Poseidon was considered to be the bad-tempered, moody and greedy god among the Olympians. Once insulted, he would revenge himself, like he did in the case of Odysseus, who brutally blinded his son, the Cyclopes Polyphemus. Poseidon loved to cross the oceans and seas with his golden chariot surrounded by dolphins. The Powers of Poseidon Poseidon was the Greek god responsible for natural and supernatural events, mainly the onesassociated to the sea world. He possessed a trident which was so powerful that it could shake the earth. Poseidon could cause tempests and earthquakes, drown lands, shatter rocks and had the ability to finally bring back peacefulness. Poseidon possessed two palaces, theone was up in Mount Olympus and the other was located in the depths of the seas and was bejeweled with gold and precious gems. Usually Poseidon preferred to stay with his wife Amphitrite beneath the ocean. Appearance of Poseidon Poseidon was imposing and strong with long, blue hair. Symbols of Poseidon His symbol was the trident and his sacred animals were the dolphin andthe horse. According to a tradition, he was the one who breathed life into the first horse on earth. The Roman name of Poseidon is " Neptune "

Zeus Zeus was the Supreme God in Ancient Greece, father of the Olympian gods and ruler of mankind. The Family of Zeus Zeus was the last child of the Titans Cronus and Rhea and had five older brothers and sisters. All of them had been swallowed by their jealous father; however, Zeus managed to escape the menace and flee. Later on, he would revenge on his father and set his siblings free. Zeus married his own sister Hera , the goddess of marriage and monogamy, but was giving her plenty of reasons to be jealous, since Zeus was renowned of his numerous love affairs. As a result, Zeus was the father of plenty of children . Role and Responsibilities Zeus had his golden throne on the highest summit of Mount Olympus and was respected and awed by all Gods and mortals. He was the "Lord of Justice", punishing anyone who lied or broke an oath, but was fair and always striving to keep a balance of all things. Furthermore, Zeus was responsible for the weather and was shaping it according to his temper. When in high spirits, Zeus was blessing the world with fine weather; in case of bad mood, however, he would throwrain, winds, lightnings and thunderbolts to cause disaster to the mortals. But even Zeus' powers had their limits, for, however powerful as he was, he had neither the right nor the ability to intervene the decisions of the Fates . The Personality of Zeus Zeus was carefree and loved to laugh out loud. He possessed the perfect knowledge and was just, merciful and prudent. However, he was rather unpredictable, since no one could guess the decisions he would make. Appearance of Zeus Zeus was strong and imposing, with long, oftentimes curly hair. Symbols of Zeus The symbols of Zeus were the scepter, the throne and the thunderbolt, which was as a gift from the Cyclopes because he liberated them. Zeus' tree was the oak tree and his sacred animal was the eagle. The Roman name of Zeus is " Jupiter "

Chaos According to the Hesiod's Theogony (around 700 BC), in the beginning there was Chaos as a primeval state of existence. Chaos was the primal emptiness- a dark, silent, formless and infinite oddity with no trace of life. Out of Chaos, Mother Earth Gaea first came to existence. Full of life and power, Gaea created high mountains, low lands, rivers, lakes and seas. Soon Chaos created Tartarus , the embodiment of the Underworld who built his home deepbelow the World of Gaea. Gaea and Tartarus united and created Typhoeus ( Typhoon ), an appalling, fire breathing dragon with hundred heads. Then, out of Chaos love appeared in the form of Eros , who was the most handsome of all greek gods and invincible by nature. Chaos also gave birth to Erebus , the symbolization of the dark silence, and Nyx , the embodiment of the night. With the intervention of Eros, Erebus and Nyx united and Nyx created Aether (the Atmosphere) and Hemera (the Day). The creation of the Titans ...»

Titans According to Greek mythology, the Titans were a race of primordial, powerful deities that ruled during the legendary Golden Age. The Titans were created by Gaea , the goddess of the Earth and Uranus , thegod of the Heaven who embraced Gaea strongly with his starry mantle. Gaea and Uranus became the first divine couple of the World. The Titans were the first dwelling in Mount Olympus in Ancient Greece, but were overthrown and expelled to the lower basement of Hades, the Tartarus, after their defeat in a huge battle with the Olympian Gods , known as Titanomachy. Superior Titans Gaea Mother Earth Uranus Ruler of the Heaven and the Sky Main Titans Atlas Titan of Astronomy Prometheus Titan of Wisdom and Forethought Titan Couples Cronus Ruling Titan and Father of the Olympian Gods Rhea Mother of the Olympian Gods Coeus Titan of Intelligence Phoebe Titaness of Brilliance and the Moon Hyperion Titan of Life and Sun Theia Titaness of Sight Oceanus Ruler of the Waters and the Seas Tethys Titaness of the Wet Element and theOceans Further Titans Crius Titan of Leadership and Domestic Animals Iapetus Titan of Mortality Mnemosyne Titaness of Memory Themis Titaness of Law, Justice and Order

Semi Gods and Spirits the Erinyes The Erinyes were three goddesses of revenge and retribution. The three Furies The Erinyes (also known as Furies) were cruel earth goddesses who symbolized the divine vengeance. The Erinyes were three sisters in Greek mythology: Alecto ("the angry", Megaera ("the grudging" and Tisiphone ("the avenger". The Creation of the Furies The Furies were created from the blood of the Titan Uranus , when his son Cronus castrated him to take revenge on the loss of his siblings. According to another legend, the Furies were the daughters of Nyx , who was the symbolization of the night and a daughter of Chaos . The Role of the Furies The Erinyes were persecuting crimes such as disrespect, injustice, perjury or arrogance and-first and foremost- murder, especially the murder inside a family. Their lust of punishment knew no bounds, for they kept punishing a sinner even after his death, until he finally would show remorse. Appearance of the Furies The Erinyes were dreadful creatures with appalling features. They had a burning breath and poisonous blood was dripping from their eyes. Their heads were wreathed with serpents. The Roman name of Erinyes is "Furies" Graces(charites) The Graces(Charites) were three lovely goddesses of Joy, Charm and Beauty Family of the Graces The Graces were daughters of Zeus , the King of the gods, and the OceanidEurynome. The three Graces There were three Graces in Greek Mythology: Aglaia , the Grace that symbolized Beauty, Euphrosyne , the Grace of Delight and Thalia , the Grace of Blossom. According to Greek poet Pindar, these enchanting goddesses were created to fill the world with pleasant moments and goodwill. The Style of the Graces Usually the Graces were attending the Greek goddess of Beauty Aphrodite and her companion Eros and loved dancing around in a circle to Apollo 's divine music, together with the Nymphs and the Muses . The Roman name of Charites is "Graces"

The Fates (Moirae) were the spinnersof the thread of life and the personification of destiny Genealogy of the Fates The Fates were among the eldest goddesses in ancient Greek mythology. The Fates were either daughters of Zeus , the Lord of the gods, and Themis , the goddess of justice, or were created by goddess Nyx without the intervention of man. The three Fates: Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos There were three Fates in Greek mythology: Clotho , Lachesis , and Atropos . Clotho, the spinner, was theyoungest of the three Fates; she spun the thread of destiny with a distaff, determining the time of birth of an individual; Lachesis measured the thread length to determine the length of life; finally, cruel Atropos cut the thread of life, determining this way the time of death. The Role of the Fates The Fates (Moirae) were the spinners of the thread of life, determining the span of human life of every mortal from birth to death. No other god had the right or the means to alter their decisions. The Fates were the personifications of destiny; nevertheless, no human could blame the fates, since there were times he was the only one responsible for his failures. The Muses The Muses were nine goddesses presiding over the Arts and the Sciences The Creation of the Muses The Muses were a group of nine very intelligent, beautiful and careless divinities. Each Muse was responsible for a different literary or poetic genre. They were created by Zeus , the King of the Gods, who secretly lay nine nights with Mnemosyne , the titaness of memory. The Role of the Muses and Apollo The Muses were brought to life to make the world disremember the evil and relieve the sorrows and to praise the gods, and especially the Olympian Gods ' victory over their ancestors, the Titans . Apollo was themain teacher of the Muses. They were usually accompanying him and the Graces on their strolls and loved singing and dancing on soft feet on laurel leaves, while Apollo was playing the lyre. The Home of the Muses Home of the Muses was Mount Helicon in Central Greece, a mountain that was sacred to the Greek god Apollo , the Greek god of the music, the light and the sun. Their most significant sanctuary was in Pieria. Interesting Facts about the Muses It were the Muses who unveiled the Greek shepherd Hesiod the origins and genealogies of the ancient Greek gods and then blessed and inspired him to write his famous epicpoem, the Theogony. The Muses may have had Mnemosyne, the goddess of Memory,as their mother-however, their mission was to make people actuallyforget their sorrows and don't think about their cares. Modern words deriving from the god Muses: Museum, Music

The Nymphs were young goddesses of Nature-the sea, the land and the woods Who were the Nymphs? The Nymphs were the daughters of Zeus , the King of the gods. They ranged over beautiful groves and dwelled near springs, in mountains through which rivers flowed and in woods. What types of Nymphs existed? There were Celestial Nymphs, Sea Nymphs, Land Nymphs , Wood Nymphs and Underworld Nymphs in Greek mythology. The Role of the Nymphs Because of their close connection to water, a fertilizing element, the Nymphs were worshiped as daemons of fertility and vegetation.The nymphs protected the plants and animals and were also playing the role of nurses who occasionally raised human beings. Everyday life of the Nymphs The Nymphs were joining the Greek gods Artemis and Apollo and also Acheloos, the river god, and were playing with them. However, most ofall, the Nymphs enjoyed playing with Hermes , the messenger of the gods and Hermes' son, the Satyr Pan . According to the Odyssey, the ancient Greeks also used the word 'Nymph' to describe a mortal woman who was recently married. Sirens In Greek mythology, the Sirens were special sea Nymphs who were singing in a very seductive way Appearance of the Sirens The Sirens were special Sea Nymphs who were living in an isolated island, the island of the Faiakes. They had the body of a bird, but theirhead was human-like. What made the Sirens extraordinary? The Sirens had the gift of singing in avery seductive manner. Each sailor who was passing by this island got enchanted by their voice and was condemned to stay in their island forever and die. All over the island ofthe Faiakes there were bones of sailors who weren’t able to resist theSirens' divine melody. The Sirens in the Odyssey The Sirens are mostly mentioned by Greek poet Homer in his Epos " Odyssey ", where the Sirens encounter Odysseus and his companions on their journey back to the island of Ithaca. The Sirens were expecting Odysseus’ arrival and immediately started singing- but Odysseus was prepared for the situation, so he put wax in his ears and asked his companions to bind him strongly in the boat’s mast and to not obey to his beggings to free him. This way, Greek hero Odysseus was able to escape from the temptation and continue his long journey to Ithaca. Modern words deriving from the god Sirens: Siren

Monsters and Creatures Centaurs How did the Centaurs look like? The head, the arms and the torso of the Centaurs had the human shape and their lower part was that of a horse. Their diet was adjusted according to their physical shape. Family of the Centaurs The Centaurs were the offspring of Ixion, the king of Lapithae (Thessaly), and the rain cloud Nephele. Personality of the Centaurs With only few exceptions, such as Cheiron,the gentle Tutor, the Centaurs were lawless, aggressive creatures and were usually drunk. The Expelling of the Centaurs The Centaurs were mainly living on Mount Pelion in Thessaly. There was a time when the Centaurs got involved in a struggle with the Lapiths, known as "Centauromachy", when trying to intrude and cause trouble during the wedding feast of the Lapiths' King Peritheios with Ippodameia. Because of the Centauromachy, the Centaurs were expelled from Thessaly. Famous Centaurs in Greek Mythology 1. Chiron (tutoring) 2. Nessus (the river's ferryman) Cyclops The Cyclopes where giants with only one round eye in their forehead Family of the Cyclopes The Cyclopes were minor power godsof the second generation and children of Uranus and Gaea according to Hesiod, or Greek god Poseidon and the Sea Nymph Thoosa, according to Greek author Homer. Appearance of the Cyclopes The Cyclopes were huge monsters with frightening features which liked to eat human beings. They were leading a debauched life and their works were always full of force, violence and intrigues. The Fame of the Cyclopes In general, the Cyclopes had the fame of being great workmen and were assisting Greek god Hephaestus in constructing the lightnings of Zeus under the volcano of Aetna in Italy . The Cyclopes were also constructing thick walls, known as " Cyclopean Walls ". The Cyclopes and Zeus Because of their dreadful features, the Cyclopes were initially locked in the depths of the Underworld by their father Uranus, but Greek Zeus soon decided to release them from their prison. They thanked Zeus by giving him the thunder and the lightning as a gift. Giants The giants were huge, frightful monsters that tried to attack the Olympian gods The Creation of the Giants The Giants were 24 frightful monsters in Ancient Greece. They were conceived during the castrationof the titan Uranus by his son Cronus . Appearance of the Giants The Giants were impressive creatures as tall as the mountains, with snakes on their head instead of hair and tails like that of a dragon. Gigantomachy-The Giants'