Lesser Gods of Olympus
Minor Deities
Eros/Cupid
• Later accounts of Eros say that he is the son of Aphrodite
• He is the God of Love
Hebe
• Goddess of eternal youth
The Muses
• 9 in total; daughters of Zeus• Clio – history; Urania – astronomy; Melpomene –
tragedy; Thalia – comedy; Terpsichore – dance; Calliope – epic poetry; Erato – love poetry; Polyhymnia – songs to the gods; Euterpe – lyric poetry
Iris
• Goddess of the rainbow
The 3 Graces
• Algaia – Splendor; Euphrosyne – mirth; Thalia – good cheer
• Daughters of Zeus • Bestow happiness upon the gods and man
Poseidon/Neptune
• God of the sea and underground rivers
Ocean
• He was a Titan and lord of the River Ocean – a river that encircled the earth
Tethys
• Ocean’s wife; a Titan
Pontus
• Deep Sea god
Oceanids
• Sea nymphs of the river Ocean • Nymphs are any of the minor divinities of
nature represented as beautiful maidens dwelling in the mountains, forests, trees, and waters.
Nereids
• Sea nymphs
Amphitrite
• Poseidon’s wife
Triton
• The trumpeter of the sea
Proteus
• Poseidon’s son• Power to foretell the future and to change his
shape
Naiads
• Water nymphs – fresh water (springs, lakes, fountains)
Hades/Pluto
• God of the Underworld and wealth
Persephone
• Wife of Hades• Abducted by Hades• Daughter of Demeter/Ceres
Charon
• The ferryman of the Underworld• Dead souls paid him with coins to ferry them
across the Styx River
The Erinyes/The Furies
Pan – god of nature
• Son of Hermes
Silenus
• Pan’s son or brother • Jolly and fun
Castor and Pollux
• Brothers who protected sailors; were great in battle
• Castor – tamed horses• Pollux – skilled boxer
Satyrs
• Goat-men of the forests – looked like Pan
Nymphs on Land
• Oreads – mountain nymphs• Dryads (Hamadryads) – tree nymphs
The Winds
• Aeolus – King of the Winds• Boreas – North Wind• Zephyr – West Wind• Notus – South Wind • Eurus – East Wind
Centaurs
• Aggressive and savage• Half-man and half-horse
The 3 Gorgons
• Female creatures – turn men to stone with a glance
• The most fearsome was Medusa
The Sirens
• Female sea creatures – lured sailors to their death with their enchanting songs
The Graiae
• Sisters to the Gorgons • Shared one eye
The 3 Fates
• Very powerful – controlled all human life• Clotho – spinner; Lachesis – Destiny; Atropos –
thread-cutter