The Olympians...Part 5

Zeus had a single child with Maia. This child was Hermes, God of thieves, tricksters and travelers. He is a wily Goddess, always up to some trick or the other. He was the messenger of Zeus along with Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow. His duties also included leading the souls of the dead to the underworld where they were to remain for all eternity. Hermes is the God most familiar to us. He appears oftener than any other divinity in Mythology. He is described and a "lovely youth at that time in his life when youth is at its loveliest." Various statues and sculptures throughout history have ensured that we all know what Hermes looks like. He is always pictured with a winged hat, winged sandals and his staff called the Caduceus.

Last but not least is Aphrodite, the laughter loving Goddess of beauty and physical love. She is sometimes said to be a child of Zeus but she is more commonly said to have risen out the foam created when the bits and pieces of Ouranos' body fell into the sea. Certainly her name seems to concur with this version: Aphros means foam in ancient Greek. From the spot where she was formed Aphrodite was said to have floated to the island of Cyprus where the seasons nursed her and took care of her. She is often portrayed with Eros (Latin Cupid), God of love, who is sometimes her son and sometimes her companion.

So these are the Twelve Great Olympians: Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Hades, Hestia, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Athena, Hephaestus, Aphrodite and Hermes.