In the beginning there was nothing and they did the favor to create humanity, so if anyone has to be blamed, they should be yhe ones asked for explanations. These are the stories of how the first Olympian gods emerged. Flaws and personalities that account for everything.
Gaea
Gaia is a rebell at heart. First she rebelled against her husband Uranos (Sky) who had imprisoned several of her giant-sons within her womb. Later when her son Cronus defied her by imprisoning his siblings, she sided with Zeus in his rebellion.The Greeks believed that an oath sworn by Gaia was the strongest since no one could escape from the Earth herself.
Ouranos
Uranos was the god of the sky and the sky itself. Born from Gaia, to become her husband, together they had a lot of sons and daughters but he was terrible father that locked their children away inside the belly of Gaia.Of course thatdidn't go well. With the help of his mother, the youngest son Cronos killed is father and from hisremains fallen into the sea thebeautifulAfrodite was born.
Kronos
Cronus was the King of the Titanes and the god of time, married to Rhea.He didn't learn much from his own paternal problems. In fear of a prophecy that he would be overthrown by his own son, Cronus swallowed each of his children as they were born wich lead to the rebelion of Rhea and Zeus. The period in which Cronus ruled was called the Golden Age, as the people of the time had no need for laws or rules; everyone did the right thing, and immorality was absent.
Rheia
The Titaness daughter of Gaia and Uranus and wife of Cronus is the goddess of motherhood and female fertily. When her husbandtook to swallowing each of their sons as soon as they were born, Reya devised a plan to save the last of them, Zeus. Rhea gave birth to Zeus hiding in a cavern, and gave Cronus a stone wrapped in swaddling clothes instead, which he promptly swallowed thinking it was the child.
Aphrodite
With a very unorthodox beginning,sprung from the foam of the sea, which had gathered around the mutilated parts of Uranus,The Godess of love and beauty, pleasure, passion and procreation is the most beautiful goddess.To avoid struggle between the Gods for her hand in marriage Afrodite was forced to marry the only ugly god in theOlympus.
Ares
Not a very popular god, Ares was hated even by his parents Zeus and Hera. He is the god of war and represents the unpleasant aspects of battle. The funny thing is thar Ares is really a coward in spite of his connection to war and in many occasions he responded to the slightest injury with outrage.
Artemis
Artemis is the Olympian goddess of hunting, the wilderness and protector of wild animals, wich may seem contraditory but is just a reflection of the cycles of life, death and rebirth.
Zeus
Zeus was the youngest child of the Titans Kronos and Rheia. Kronos devoured each of his children as they were born, but Zeus escaped this fate when his mother handed the Titan a stone substitute wrapped in swaddling cloth. After the fall of the Titan-gods, Zeus and his brothers drew lots to divide rule of the cosmos and Zeus won the heavens. Most well known as god of the sky and thunder, weather, law and order, destiny and fate, he is the king of the godsand and also a very unfaithful husband who mated with many goddesses and mortals.
Athena
Athena is the goddess of wisdom and good counsel, the defence of towns, heroic endeavour, pottery and various other arts and crafts, especially spinning and weaving. Against all reason she invented the flute although she never played it.
Dionysos
Dionysus is the god you have to thank for that cup of wine. At a young age he learned to cultivate grapes and became the first to turn them into wine. And then wandered across Asia teaching mortals the secrets of winemaking. Dionysus was the Olympian god of wine, vegetation, pleasure, festivity, madness and wild frenzy.
Hades
Hades is best known as the ruler of the underworld and god of the dead . He was the oldest male child of Cronus and Reha. After Hades and his brothers Zeus and Poseidon defeated their father and the Titans to end their reign, they agreed to split their rule over the cosmos, with Zeus becoming god of the skies, Poseidon god of the sea and Hades god of the underworld.Hades is also the god of the hidden wealth of the earth, from the fertile soil, to the mined wealth of gold, silver andother metals.
Hephaestus
Hephaestus isthe god of fire, metalworking, stone masonry, forges and the art of sculpture.Hephaestus was the only ugly god among perfectly beautiful immortals and was cast out of heaven when his parents noticed that he was imperfect. He is known has a kind and peace loving god, but he really isn’t a lucky god.He is married to Aprodite that was always unfaithful to him.
Hera
Hera is the queen of the gods, and the goddess of women, the sky and the stars of heaven, and of marriage and monogamy but ironically she is best known to be jealous and vengeful towards the many lovers and offspring of her husband Zeus.
Hermes
Hermes has many interests and that made him god of herds and flocks, travellers and hospitality, roads and trade,thievery and cunning, heralds and diplomacy, language and writing, athletic contests and gymnasiums, astronomy and astrology.Quick and cunning, he has the ability to freely move between the mortal and divine worlds. He is the herald and personal messenger of Zeus, and also the guide of the dead who leds souls down into the underworld.
Poseidon
At birth Poseidon was swallowed whole by his father Cronus, but Zeus later enlisted the aid of the goddess Metis who fed the Titan a magical elixir causing him to disgorge the god. Poseidon and his brothers drew lots for the division of the cosmos after the fall of the Titanes, and won the sea as his domain. Poseidon is the god of the sea, earthquakes, floods, drought and horses.
Apollon
Apollo is known for delighting Olympus with tunes played on his golden lyre. He is the god of music, song and poetry. taught men the art of medicine, and because of his truthfulness and integrity, he was granted the gift of prophecy and oracles.
These illustrations were printed and held at the Mitológico Exhibition in Ó! Galeria Lisboa. Prints available at Ó! Galeria Website.
