Mount Olympus
Greece is a mountainous country almost surrounded by the sea.
The highest mountain of Greece is Mount Olympus. Its walls of rock make it almost impossible to scale it. So high it is, that its top cannot be seen, always surrounded by clouds.
The Gods were immortal, this means that they could not die.
El palace had been built by the Cyclopes.
The Cyclopes were fabulous beings, gigantic creatures with a single eye in the middle of the front. They were very skillfull.
The Cyclopes were many, but the most important were three: Arges, the one that shines, Brontes, the one that thunders and Esteropes, the one that gives the ray. Besides building the palace in the mount Olympus, they forged the rays of Zeus and are the ones that gave him the thunder and the lightning.
The palace was built as the palaces of the mortal kings. That is to say that was very large and pompous. It had many departments so that each one of the Gods could live comfortable and a huge hall where the Counsel met to discuss the problems of men: which army will be wining a battle or which of the kings deserves to be punished, but most of the time they fought and discussed among them.
The palace had also dining rooms, kitchens, rooms for weapons, and rooms for servants. Horses stables, kennels for dogs and even a zoo where the gods kept their sacred animals. These included a bear, a lion, a parrot, an eagle, tigers, a cow, a tortoise, white oxen, an owl, a deer, a stork, swans, mice and a reservoir full of colored fish.
Zeus
Zeus was the most important of the twelve Gods that inhabited the Olympus.
Zeus Was a son of Cronus and Rea.
Rea suffered terribly seeing that Cronus devoured their children, so, she asked aid to her parents that advised her to move away.
Rea had her last son, Zeus, far away from her house, in the island of Chalk where hid him to free it from his evil father. When Cronus arrived to Chalk to devour him, Rea wrapped a stone in diapers and Cronus, believing that was his son, swallowed the stone. After a year, Cronus vomited the stone and Zeus placed it as a monument. When Zeus grew up, got rid of his father, but as Cronus could not die because was immortal, Zeus sent him to a distant island. Then he freed their paternal aunt and uncle, the Cyclopes, that Cronus had keeped chained for many years, and they, in gratitude gave him the thunder, the ray and the lightning.
At that time, they also gave Poseidon the trident and a helmet to Hades. That, did him invisible.
With these powerful weapons Zeus reigned on mortals and immortal.
At the Olympus palace Zeus had a throne of Egyptian marble with inlays of gold, and seven steps decorated with the colors of the rainbow. Above the throne there was a blue covering to show that the sky belonged to him. To his right there was an eagle of steel with rubies in the eyes. The throne was covered by a purple color lamb skin that utilized to cause rainfall during the dry seasons.
Zeus was strong, arrogant, capricious, violent and quite noisy. He could kill any enemy that he pleases launching rays and thunders against them. When he got mad could cause strong storms and large floods that kept men on edge.
Zeus had thick curly hair and a beard also curled. A laurel crown girded its head. He carried a cloak that covered his back.
Zeus could also transform himself into any animal or in any thing to achieve what he desired.
Hera
Zeus wife was called Hera.
Hera did not like to be Zeus´s wifebecause he had the bad habit of marrying mortal women all the time. His girlfriends aged and die, but Hera, maintained always young and beautiful. Zeus kept asking Hera to marry him, year after year for three hundred years and Hera always refuses.
Diring spring, Zeus to transform himself into a frightened sparrow surprised by a storm and struck Hera´s window with the peak.
Hera, that loved birds, felt pitied of the poor sparrow and allowed to enter into her room. It shook its wings, and while holding it into her hands, told him: Oh Poor little sparrow, I love you. Then Zeus changing again of aspect told Hera: You said that you love me. Now you should marry me.
In spite of the Zeus evil behaviour, Hera felt forced by the circumstances to marry him. She wanted in this way, to be a model for all the other God and mortals becoming the Mother of the Sky.
Poseidon
Poseidon was the God of rivers, seas and oceans.
He also had a throne in the palace of mount Olympus.
He never travels in ships. He had a carriage thrown by white horses.
Poseidon had a private palace under the sea, near Paxos. He didn’t live al this palace all the time. He hided there when was mad or needed some rest.
He was married to the beautiful Anphitrite.
Poseidon was very ugly and she didn’t want to marry him. But Poseidon sent a group of dolphins to convince her.
His emblem was the horse.
Demeter
Demeter has also a magnificent throne at the palace.
She was the goddess of grains, fruits and pastures. She taught men the principles of agriculture: How to plow and how to harvest.
Demeter was sad most of the time, except in spring and summer when her daughter Persephone, kidnapped by Hades, the god of the dead, came to visit her.
When Hades abducted Persephone, Demeter searches for her daughter during many years, and when she found her, negotiate with Hades that she would spend half of the year with him, and the other half with her. At that time, Demeter smiled all the time.
Hephaestus
Hephaestus had a throne in the palace next to Poseidon.
He was the ugliest of all the gods.
Was son of Zeus and Hera. Her mother threw him away from a precipice because he was born defective, but instead, he fell in the sea and lived. His leg was badly injured during the fall and had to be amputate. Since then uses an iron leg as prosthesis.
He was the god of goldsmiths, jewelers, bricklayers and carpenters.
He built all the thrones at the Olympus palace in his own workshop. His throne was a masterpiece covered with precious metals and stones.
The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 4)
by Rick Riordan
from Hyperion
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1)
by Rick Riordan
from Miramax
Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he cant seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worsePercy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. Percys mom decides its time that he knew the truth about where he came from. She sends Percy to Camp Half-Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon a mystery unfolds and together with his friendsone a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of AthenaPercy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.
The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 3)
by Rick Riordan
from Hyperion
The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 2)
by Rick Riordan
from Miramax
Percy Jackson's seventh-grade year has been surprisingly quiet. Not a single monster has set foot on his New York prep-school campus. But when an innocent game of dodgeball among Percy and his classmates turns into a death match against an ugly gang of cannibal giants, things get . . . well, ugly. And the unexpected arrival of Percy's friend Annabeth brings more bad news: the magical borders that protect Camp Half-Blood have been poisoned by a mysterious enemy, and unless a cure is found, the only safe haven for demigods will be destroyed.In this fresh, funny, and hugely anticipated follow up to The Lightning Thief, Percy and his friends must journey into the Sea of Monsters to save their beloved camp. But first, Percy will discover a stunning new secret about his family -- one that makes him question whether being claimed as Poseidon's son is an honor or simply a cruel joke.
Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold
by C.S. Lewis
from Harcourt Brace & Company
Mythology
by Edith Hamilton
from Back Bay Books
Edith Hamilton loved the ancient Western myths with a passion--and this classic compendium is her tribute. "The tales of Greek mythology do not throw any clear light upon what early mankind was like," Hamilton explains in her introduction. "They do throw an abundance of light upon what early Greeks were like--a matter, it would seem, of more importance to us, who are their descendents intellectually, artistically, and politically. Nothing we learn about them is alien to ourselves." Fans of Greek mythology will find all the great stories and characters here--Perseus, Hercules, and Odysseus--each discussed in generous detail by the voice of an impressively knowledgeable and engaging (with occasional lapses) narrator. This is also an excellent primer for middle- and high-school students who are studying ancient Greek and Roman culture and literature. --Gail Hudson
Edith Hamilton loved the ancient Western myths with a passion--and this classic compendium is her tribute. "The tales of Greek mythology do not throw any clear light upon what early mankind was like," Hamilton explains in her introduction. "They do throw an abundance of light upon what early Greeks were like--a matter, it would seem, of more importance to us, who are their descendents intellectually, artistically, and politically. Nothing we learn about them is alien to ourselves." Fans of Greek mythology will find all the great stories and characters here--Perseus, Hercules, and Odysseus--each discussed in generous detail by the voice of an impressively knowledgeable and engaging (with occasional lapses) narrator. This is also an excellent primer for middle- and high-school students who are studying ancient Greek and Roman culture and literature. --Gail Hudson
The Iliad (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)
by Homer
from Penguin Classics
This groundbreaking English version by Robert Fagles is the most important recent translation of Homer's great epic poem. The verse translation has been hailed by scholars as the new standard, providing an Iliad that delights modern sensibility and aesthetic without sacrificing the grandeur and particular genius of Homer's own style and language. The Iliad is one of the two great epics of Homer, and is typically described as one of the greatest war stories of all time, but to say the Iliad is a war story does not begin to describe the emotional sweep of its action and characters: Achilles, Helen, Hector, and other heroes of Greek myth and history in the tenth and final year of the Greek siege of Troy.
This timeless poem-more than 2,700 year old-still vividly conveys the horror and heroism of men and gods wrestling with towering emotions and battling amid devastation and destruction as it moves inexorably to its wrenching, tragic conclusion. Readers of this epic poem will be gripped by the finely tuned translation and enlightening introduction.
Translated by Robert Fagles
Introduction and Notes by Bernard
Nobody's Prize
by Esther Friesner
from Random House Books for Young Readers
In this rousing sequel to Nobody’s Princess, young Helen of Sparta is not about to be left behind when her older brothers head off to join the quest for the Golden Fleece. Accompanied by her friend Milo, and disguised as a boy herself, Helen sets out to join the crew of heroes aboard the massive ship known as The Argo. Helen quickly faces all sorts of danger. Not only does she have to avoid her brothers’ detection, but a devastatingly handsome boy catches her eye, Hercules falls in love with her boy-self, there are battles to be faced, as well as a terrifying murderous princess and the start of her period. And that’s only the beginning! With her beauty blossoming, Helen’s journey takes her beyond the mythology of the Golden Fleece to Athens, where her very future as Queen of Sparta is threatened.
Mythology (Ologies)
by Lady Hestia Evans
from Candlewick
Presenting the newest discovery in the series with the Midas touch — a mythical exploration fit for the gods
In the early nineteenth century, an English nobleman embarked on a tour of the sites of ancient Greece. He brought as his guide a primer on Greek myths written by his friend Lady Hestia Evans, a devotee of Lord Byron who had recently taken the same voyage. In the true Romantic spirit, Lady Hestia’s book was not only lavishly illustrated but also boasted many paper crafts and novelties, including a card game featuring the twelve Olympians, an oak-leaf oracle of Zeus, a pop-up Pandora’s box (with hope still inside), a booklet retelling the tale of Odysseus, a piece of the Golden Fleece, a gold OBOLOS coin to pay the ferryman on the River Styx, and many more flaps, foldouts, and other surprises. The nobleman added his own witty comments and drawings along the way, but seems to have wished for something odd at the Delphic oracle: as the book nears its end, it slowly begins to turn . . .to gold. Now, for lovers of Greek myths and those just discovering their timeless power, this fascinating volume is faithfully reproduced with all its Romantic ambience, clever wit and novelty features intact.
The Complete World of Greek Mythology
by Richard Buxton
from Thames & Hudson
A full, authoritative, and wholly engaging account of these endlessly fascinating tales and of the ancient society in which they were created.
Greek myths are among the most complex and influential stories ever told. From the first millennium BC until today, the myths have been repeated in an inexhaustible series of variations and reinterpretations. They can be found in the latest movies and television shows and in software for interactive computer games.
This book combines a retelling of Greek myths with a comprehensive account of the world in which they developed—their themes, their relevance to Greek religion and society, and their relationship to the landscape.
- "Contexts, Sources, Meanings" describes the main literary and artistic sources for Greek myths, and their contexts, such as ritual and theater.
- "Myths of Origin" includes stories about the beginning of the cosmos, the origins of the gods, the first humans, and the founding of communities.
- "The Olympians: Power, Honor, Sexuality" examines the activities of all the main divinities.
- "Heroic exploits" concentrates on the adventures of Perseus, Jason, Herakles, and other heroes.
- "Family sagas" explores the dramas and catastrophes that befall heroes and heroines.
- "A Landscape of Myths" sets the stories within the context of the mountains, caves, seas, and rivers of Greece, Crete, Troy, and the Underworld.
- "Greek Myths after the Greeks" describes the rich tradition of retelling, from the Romans, through the Renaissance, to the twenty-first century.
