The OLYMPIANS greek mythology part2

Hello JC again here, after long days, the part2, in this time i have to show you a lot of family values, very good parental responsability, and other funny things ! HERMES Primary known for being the messenger of the gods, with swift he can move freely between realms, he is son of Zeus and a nymph named Maia, he is the god of trade, thieves, travelers, sports and heraldy, being one of his major roles, as mentioned messenger of the gods, the protector of travelers and a key role role as a psychopomp; he guide and escort the souls of the dead to the Underworld. Hermes has a lot of participation on a lot of myths and stories, some fun things to mention: -It is said he invented the lyre, musical instrument, and he trade it with Apollo as compensation for stealing his cattle -His staff "caudeceus" represents trade, commerce and negociation, usually confused with the "rod of Asclepius" a similar staff but for healing and medicine -He and Artemis saved Ares who was kidnap by the Aloadae (a giant twins, breed of Poseidon) and holded in a bronze jar -He taked care of the baby Dionysus (mentioned in my previous blog post) -There was a nymph named Tanagra, wich Hermes and Ares were in love, they competed in a boxing match for her, Hermes won. -The greek hero Pollux (one of the Dioscuri) was a lover of Hermes -As his role of messenger, he is involved in many myth involving heroes, most notable Perseus and Odysseus, in wich he delivered instruction or items given by Athena. In the case of stories involving Hera, she didnt requested Hermes service, she had the titaness Iris as messenger. -Apparently he is the only Olympian who can safely escort souls down to the Underworld HEPHAESTUS The master artisan of Olympus, the god of fire, blacksmiths, forge, craftsmen, metallurgy and volcanoes, primary known for be the blacksmith who crafts magical weapons or armor fot the gods and heroes. There is two version of his birth, from Zeus and Hera, or from Hera alone by herself in retaliation/revenge of Zeus giving birth to Athena. Important points about Hephaestus: -He has a lameness -When he was child or recently born, he was ejected from the Olympus, there are two versions, Hera throw him because of his lameness or Zeus throw down him when he tryed to rescue his mother from Zeus "advances", he fall down during a day landing in an island, from this fall he got his lameness. During the time he was in this island he was cared by a tribe named Sintians and taught him metallurgy and craftmanship, in all version eventually Hephaestus will return to Olympus. -Following the version in wich Hera thrown him, he crafted a golden throne for her as a gift, but with a trap, a magical mechanism that didnt allowed Hera to stand up, the other gods begged him to return and release Hera from the trap throne, he refused, first Ares was tasked to fetched him and failed, Dionysus took the task, he intoxicated Hephaestus with wine and fetched him on the back of a mule. -To free Hera, he request Zeus the hand of Athena in marriage (urged by Poseidon who was hostile towards her), Athena didnt accepted, Zeus arrenged a marriage with Aphrodite -Olympians are mostly depicted of extraordinary beauty, but Hephaestus is the only one who is described as being ugly -Hepheastus with an axe, is the one who hits Zeus's head to crack it up and realease/gave birth to Athena (this version contradicts the one who Hera gave birth Hephaestus by her own) -He tryed to "advance" on Athena, she kicked or pushed away, his semen felt of the ground, giving birth to a baby, this baby has human upper body and snake lower body, Athena took this baby as her foster child. -He built robots, yes robots, known by then as automatons -Aphrodite cheated on him with Ares, Hephaestus found out that and make a trap with a sorta invisible chains, and locked them in bed in the act and showed to the other gods, whom reacted laughing, he divorced Aphrodite and Poseidon offered to paid the offense of Ares. -There was a matrimony who was the last one wich gods mingled with mortals; the greek hero Cadmus and Harmonia (daughter of Ares and Aphrodite), due the hostility he felt for Harmonia parents, he gave her as wedding gift a doomed necklace that bringed tragedies to its owner, generations later ending in the tragic events of Oedipus. APHRODITE Goddess of beauty, lust, love, passion and procreation, she has a posibly origin of a evolution or syncretism with previous love goddess, like phoenician Astarte and Sumerian Inanna. She is renowned for her irresistible beauty and the power to compel others to fall in love. There is a version in wich she is daughter of Zeus and Dione (a titaness, with few surviving sources, mostly mentioned for being mother to Aphrodite), and the most "accepted" version in wich she born from the sea foam impregnated by Uranus's severed genitals that fell to the sea (yes... Cronus did that, mentioned in my Titans blog post) and yes thats the scene depicted in the famous Sandro Botticelli painting "The Birth of Venus", being apparently a elder deity than Zeus and his brothers, what she was doing during that time that Cronus ruled? why she didnt join the titans? i dont know! -She had many childs, with Ares had Phobos and Deimos (who personificates the fear and horror in war), Harmonia, and most notable Eros (most popular by his roman form Cupid) BUT there are 2 differents versions of Eros, the one who is son of Aphrodite and other one who is a primordial being born from the primordial Chaos itself, although both has similar roles and functions. -Apparently her irresistible beauty and charm was a problem for the Olympians so they had to arrenge a marriage fast to avoid future conflicts, and there is Hephaestus joining the room -She has mortal childrens, most renowned Aeneas, a trojan prince, wich she rescued from the fall of Troy during the war, and later he will be part of the lineage of the Rome founding -She is very involved in the origin of the Trojan war, she gave Helen to the trojan prince Paris -She joined the Trojan side during the battle, even the battlefield, Athena who was in the greek/acheans side to counter this, gave a "power up" to the greek king Diomedes who attacked with a spear and wounded Aphrodite, she had to fled -She favoured the ones who honored her, but also punish the ones who disrespect her, often brutaly. There is a storie of the women of the island of Lemnos who didnt honored her so she cursed with a stink smell that no men wanted to have sex. -Her domain of love and desire, gave her contron over any mortal even god, the only ones who are not affected by her charms are Hera, Athena and Artemis. -A lot of stories of gods dramatically falling in love with a mortal, involves Aphrodite influence or Eros... or both. -Zeus didnt allow Olympians to participate in the Trojan war, but most of them actively did, a expranation is that they, specially Aphrodite, distracted him, there is many examples in wich Zeus cannot resist the charms of desire. ARES The legit god of war, he contrast with the war goddess Athena, being the brutal, bloody and chaotic aspect of war. Son of Ares and Hera. He represent an ambivalence figure in greek society, embodies the physical valor necessary for success in war, but also the savage dark aspect like sheer brutality, more a figure to fear than worship. -Despite his physical power and combat ability, he is oftenly defeated, specially by his sister Athena -He was Zeus's favourite son, but his act defraud him, then later Apollo took the place of Zeus's favourite son -Also most of the Olympians disliked Ares -The legendary female warrior society, the amazons, are legendary daughters of Ares, wich he fathered with the nymph Harmonia (not the same Harmonia, her daughter with Aphrodite... i guess), the most notable Amazon queens claims to be direct daughters or descendant of him, such as Hippolyta, Otrera and Penthesilea. They were prominent antagonist of the greek heroes. END