1、1Twelve Olympians （十二位奥林匹斯山神）September, 2010The Twelve Olympians, also known as the Dodekatheon (Greek: ,1 ddeka, “twelve“+ , theoi, “gods“), in Greek mythology, were the principal gods of the Greek pantheon, residing atop Mount Olympus. The first ancient reference of religious ceremonies for them i
2、s found in the Homeric Hymn to Hermes. The classical scheme of the Twelve Olympians (the Canonical Twelve of art and poetry) comprises the following gods: Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Athena, Dionysus, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Aphrodite, Hephaestus and Hermes. The respective Roman scheme comprises t
3、he following gods: Jupiter for Zeus, Juno for Hera, Neptune for Poseidon, Ceres for Demeter, Minerva for Athena, Bacchus for Dionysus, Apollo, who lacked a Latin name, Diana for Artemis, Mars for Ares, Venus for Aphrodite, Vulcan for Hephaestus and Mercury for Hermes.2 Hades (Roman: Pluto) was not g
4、enerally included in this list. He did not have a seat in the pantheon because he spent almost all of his time in the underworld. Also commonly seen among the twelve is Hestia (Roman: Vesta.) When Dionysus was offered a seat, the total number of Olympians became thirteen. Believing this would create
5、 a fight amongst the gods because then there would be 7 gods and 6 goddesses, Hestia stepped down. There was, however, a great deal of fluidity when it came to who was counted among their number in antiquity.3 Around 400 BC, Herodotus included in his Dodekatheon the following deities: Zeus, Hera, Po
6、seidon, Hermes, Athena, Apollo, Alpheus, Cronus, Rhea and the Charites.4 Wilamowitz agrees with Herodotus version of the Twelve.5Herodotus includes Heracles as one of the Twelve.6 Lucian also includes Heracles and Asclepius as members of the Twelve, without explaining which two had to give way for t
7、hem. At Kos, Heracles and Dionysus are added to the Twelve, and Ares and Hephaestus are left behind.7 However, Pindar, Apollodorus,8 and Herodorus disagree with this. For them Heracles is not one of the Twelve Gods, but the one who established their cult.4Plato connected the Twelve Olympians with th
8、e twelve months, and proposed that the final month be devoted to rites in honor of Hades and the spirits of the dead, implying that he considered Hades to be one of the Twelve.9 Hades is phased out in later groupings due to his chthonic associations.10 In Phaedrus Plato aligns the Twelve with the Zo
9、diac and would exclude Hestia from their rank.11Hebe, Helios, Eos, Selene and Persephone are other important gods and goddesses which are sometimes included in a group of twelve. Eros is often depicted alongside the other twelve, especially his mother Aphrodite, but is rarely considered one of the O
10、lympians.The Twelve Olympians gained their supremacy in the world of gods after Zeus led his siblings to victory in war with the Titans. Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Hestia, and Hades were siblings. Ares, Hermes, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, the Charites, Heracles, Dionysus, Heb
11、e, and Persephone were children of Zeus. Although some versions of the myths state that Hephaestus was born of Hera alone, and that Aphrodite was born of Uranus blood.2List of the OlympiansClassical OlympiansThe twelve gods and goddesses listed among the Twelve most often.Zeus King of the gods and r
12、uler of Mount Olympus; god of the sky and thunder. Youngest child of the Titans Cronus and Rhea. Symbols include the thunderbolt, eagle, oak tree, scepter and scales. Brother and husband of Hera, although he had many lovers.Hera Queen of the gods and the goddess of marriage and motherhood. Symbols i
13、nclude the peacock, pomegranate, crown, cuckoo, lion and cow. Youngest daughter of Cronus and Rhea. Wife and sister of Zeus. Being the goddess of marriage, she frequently tried to get revenge on Zeus lovers and their children.Poseidon Lord of the seas, earthquakes and horses. Symbols include the hor
14、se, bull, dolphin and trident. Middle son of Cronus and Rhea. Brother of Zeus and Hades. Married to the Nereid Amphitrite, although, like his brother Zeus, he had many lovers.Demeter Goddess of fertility, agriculture, nature, and the seasons. Symbols include the poppy, wheat, torch, pig and serpent.
15、 Middle daughter of Cronus and Rhea. Her Latin name, Ceres, gave us the word cereal. One of her surnames is Sitos as the giver of food, (corn).Athena Virgin goddess of wisdom, handicrafts, defence and strategic warfare. Symbols include the aegis, owl, olive tree, snake and spider. Daughter of Zeus a
16、nd the Oceanid Metis, she rose from her fathers head fully grown and in full battle armor after he swallowed her mother.Dionysus God of wine, celebrations and ecstacy. Symbols include the grapevine, ivy, cup, tiger, panther, leopard, dolphin and goat. Son of Zeus and the mortal Theban princess Semel
17、e. Married to the Cretan princess Ariadne. The youngest Olympian, as well as the only one to have been born of a mortal woman.Apollo God of light, music, poetry, prophecy and archery. Symbols include the sun,lyre, bow and arrow, raven, dolphin, wolf, swan and mouse. Twin brother of Artemis. Youngest
18、 child of Zeus and Leto.Artemis Virgin goddess of the hunt, virginity, archery and all animals. Symbols include the moon, deer, hound, she-bear, snake, cypress tree and bow and arrow. Twin sister of Apollo. Eldest child of Zeus and Leto.3Ares God of war, violence and bloodshed. Symbols include the b
19、oar, serpent, dog, vulture, spear and shield. Son of Zeus and Hera, all the other gods (excluding Aphrodite) despised him. His Latin name, Mars, gave us the word Martial.Aphrodite Goddess of love, beauty, desire and sex. Symbols include the dove, apple, bee, swan, myrtle, rose and seashell. Daughter
20、 of Zeus and the Oceanid Dione, or perhaps born from the sea foam after Uranus blood dripped onto the earth and into the sea after being defeated by his youngest son Cronus. Married to Hephaestus, although she cheated on him frequently, most notably with his brother Ares. Her name gave us the word A
21、phrodisiac.Hephaestus Master blacksmith and craftsman of the gods; god of fire and the forge. Symbols include the fire, anvil, ax, donkey, hammer, tongs and quail. Son of Hera, either by Zeus or alone. After he was born, his parents threw him off Mount Olympus and landed on the island of Lemnos. Mar
22、ried to Aphrodite. Unlike most mythical husbands, it is never stated that he cheated on her. His Latin name, Vulcan, gave us the word Volcano.Hermes Messenger of the Gods; god of commerce and thieves. Symbols include the caduceus (staff entwined with two snakes), winged sandals and cap, stork and to
23、rtoise (whose shell he used to invent the lyre). Son of Zeus and the nymph Maia. The second-youngest Olympian, older only than Dionysus. He married Dryope, the daughter of Dryops, and their son Pan became the god of nature, lord of the satyrs, inventor of the panpipes and comrade of Dionysus.Notes A
24、 According to an alternate version of her birth, Aphrodite was born of Uranus, Zeus grandfather, after Cronus threw his castrated genitals into the sea. This supports the etymology of her name, “foam-born“. As such, Aphrodite would belong to the same generation as Cronus, Zeus father, and would tech
25、nically be Zeus aunt. See the birth of Aphrodite B Romans also associated Phoebus with Helios and the sun itself.1213 However, they also used the name legaced by the Greeks, Apollo.14 Other definitionsThe following gods and goddess are sometimes mentioned as the twelve Olympians. Hades - God of the
26、Underworld; he was born into the first Olympian generation, but as he lives in the Underworld rather than on Mount Olympus, he is typically not included amongst the twelve Olympians. Hestia - Goddess of the hearth and of the right ordering of domesticity and the family; she was born into the first O
27、lympian generation and was one of the original twelve Olympians, but stories suggest that when Dionysus had arrived at Mount Olympus she gave him her spot in the twelve to prevent discord. Asclepius God of medicine and healing. 4 Eros God of erotic love and desire. Hebe Goddess of youth, and the cup
28、bearer for the gods. Heracles Greatest hero of the Greek myths. Pan God of the wild, shepherds, nature, and animals. Persephone Goddess of the spring growth; also, wife of Hades and Queen of the Underworld. Close to the OlympiansThe following gods and goddesses were not usually counted as Olympians,
29、 although they had close ties and friendships with them. Anemoi Wind gods: Boreas (north wind), Notus (south), Zephyrus (west), Eurus (east). Bia Personification of violence. Kratos Personification of power. Dione Oceanid; Mother of Aphrodite by Zeus in Homers version. Eileithyia Goddess of childbir
30、th; daughter of Hera and Zeus. Eos Personification of dawn. Eris Goddess of discord. Ganymede Cupbearer of the gods palace at Olympus. Hecate - Goddess associated with magic, witches and crossroads Horae Wardens of Olympus. Iris Personification of the Rainbow, also the messenger of Olympus along wit
31、h Hermes. Janus - God of doors, beginnings, ends and choices Leto Titaness; the mother of Apollo and Artemis. Morpheus God of dreams. Muses Nine ladies of science and arts. Nemesis Greek goddess of retribution and revenge. Nike Goddess of victory. Paeon Physician of the gods. Perseus Son of Zeus, sl
32、ayer of Medusa, the legendary founder of Mycenae and of the Perseid dynasty. Selene Titaness; personification of the Moon. Zelus Emulation. See also Ancient Greek religion Dii Consentes (its equivalent on the pantheon of Ancient Rome) Family tree of the Greek gods Greek mythology List of Greek mytho
33、logical characters Supreme Council of Ethnikoi Hellenes References51. Used comparatively rarely, in Byzantine Greek, e.g. by Nicephorus Callistus Xanthopoulos, Athanasius of Alexandria or Ducas. 2. “Greek mythology“. Encyclopedia Americana. 13. 1993. p. 431.* “Dodekatheon“ (in Greek). Papyros-Larous
34、se-Britanicca. 2007. 3. According to Stoll, Heinrich Wilhelm (translated by R. B. Paul) (1852). Handbook of the religion and mythology of the Greeks. Francis and John Rivington. p. 8. “The limitation of their number of the Olympians to twelve seems to have been a comparatively modern idea“ 4. a b “D
35、odekatheon“ (in Greek). Papyros-Larousse-Britanicca. 2007. 5. Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, Ulrich von (19311932) (in Deutch). Der Glaube der Hellenen (Volume 1). Berlin: Weidmansche Buchhandlung. pp. 329. 6. Herodotus, The Histories, 2.4344 7. Berger-Doer, Gratia (1986). “Dodekatheoi“. Lexicon Iconograp
36、hicum Mythologiae Classicae. 3. pp. 646658. 8. Pindar, Olympian Odes, 10.49 9. Plato, The Laws, 828 d-e 10. “Greek mythology“. Encyclopedia Americana. 13. 1993. p. 431. 11. , Plato: Phaedrus, 246 e-f 12. North John A., Beard Mary, Price Simon R.F. “The Religions of Imperial Rome“. Classical Mytholog
37、y in English Literature: A Critical Anthology. (Cambridge University Press, 1998), p.259. ISBN 0-521-31682-0. 13. Hacklin, Joseph. “The Mythology of Persia“. Asiatic Mythology (Asian Educational Services, 1994), p.38. ISBN 81-206-0920-4. 14. See, for example, Ovids Met. I 441, 473, II 454, 543, 598, 612, 641, XII 585, XVIII 174, 715, 631, and others. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
