If you've heard about the greek goddesses adored by people who live in Greece and admired all over the world, you already have some idea about Greek Mythology. Present in films, series, books and even poems, it is characterized by a set of narratives that bring divine beings as protagonists. It is these stories that explained phenomena of nature, for example, to the ancient Greeks.
It is important to note that Greek Mythology is not a religion, even though it involves divine figures. She is like legend – or folklore. They are stories told by a people and that have spread around the world, conquering everyone's attention. If you want to know more about this amazing world of Greek Mythology, follow us!
A fundamental part of Greek Mythology are its goddesses. It is common for a very beautiful person to be called a Greek goddess, since their image was built from the beauty standards in force at the time. Amazingly, this standard of beauty is still in force: white, thin, hairless women with smooth skin.
Despite this, Greek goddesses are much more than just appearance. The story behind each one and the virtues they present are much more interesting than their physical form. Next, meet the most important goddesses of Greek Mythology!
goddess athena
Goddess of wisdom, art and war, Athena is one of the most popular names when talking about Greek goddesses. She is known to be a great tactician, which gives her an advantage in any battle, even though she doesn't have that much physical strength. This is where the main differentiator of the goddess lies.
According to Mythology, she is the daughter of Zeus, the most powerful god. When her mother was pregnant, Zeus learned from an oracle that her daughter would be more powerful than he was. Afraid of losing his hegemony, he devoured his wife and, consequently, Athena. However, after some time, he felt a severe headache. Out of her came Athena, now an adult, with all the strength she needed to accompany her father.
Goddess Aphrodite
Goddess of love, beauty and sex, Aphrodite is the name of the one who is always associated with beauty. Because she was so beautiful, she attracted the eyes of other gods, and even mortals, which caused, in a patriarchal society, rivalry with other goddesses. There are even stories that she would be a rival of Hera, who you will meet soon.
Greek Mythology tells that Aphrodite was born from the meeting of the sky with the sea, when Uranus (god of the sky) had his reproductive apparatus thrown into the sea by Cronos (god of time). The foam that formed from this act brought Aphrodite to life, and her name means precisely “from the foam”. For the Romans, she is named after Venus.
Goddess Persephone
Goddess of agriculture, the seasons and the mysteries of the underworld, Persephone is the goddess that can surprise anyone. Even though she was the daughter of Demeter – a goddess who will soon appear – she caught the attention of Hades, god of the underworld. Fascinated by the young woman's charms, he felt he should kidnap her for company in the world of the dead.
According to legend, when Hades abducted her, Demeter fell into a deep sadness, which caused the entire land to become infertile and the days to turn dark. With an agreement, Persephone could return to her mother for a period of the year when she would be sunny and warm and the lands would become fertile again. That's how the seasons came about!
goddess Artemis
Goddess of hunting, wildlife and the moon, Artemis is an example of strength and selflessness. In addition, she is also the goddess of childbirth and children. The explanation for this second role of Artemis is in her story, which will make your heart beat faster.
When Artemis was born, her mother was facing a very complicated birth. Artemis, newly arrived in the world, identified her mother's suffering and helped her give birth to Apollo, her brother. To thank her, the goddess's father asked what she would like to do. Artemis asked to walk freely through the forest and never marry. And that's what she did!
goddess demeter
Goddess of fertile lands, agriculture and the seasons, Demeter is the mother of Persephone and was of paramount importance to mortals. According to Greek Mythology, she would have taught people to collect the food they planted. Even wheat is a plant associated with and dedicated to it.
The myth of Demeter joins that of Persephone, since it was she who suffered with the kidnapping of her daughter. Had it not been for Zeus' agreement with Hades, asking Persephone to return to the world of the living for a period of the year, all lands would have remained infertile, due to Demeter's grief.
Goddess Hera
Goddess of marriage, monogamy, of all goddesses and queen of Olympus, Hera is one of the most important names in Greek Mythology. It is believed that, until Aphrodite's birth, she was the most beautiful goddess among them all, which made her marry Zeus, god of all gods.
As is known, Zeus had a series of extramarital relationships, having children with many other goddesses. Because of this, Hera was insecure about the relationship, which showed in the form of jealousy and revenge plans against Zeus' lovers. It is for this reason, too, that they claim that Aphrodite was his great rival.
Goddess Hestia
Goddess of home, fire and construction, Hestia is what you might call a simple woman, even if she was divine. She did not excel in battle and did not want to marry or become romantically involved with men, even though Poseidon and Apollo tried to seduce her. The goddess's greatest talent was construction.
You may also like
- Hera: the goddess of marriage and childbirth
- Take good care of the “Goddess” or “God” that dwells in you
- Discover the 4 Archetypes for the Inner Journey
- Delve into Greek mythology and be amazed!
- Learn all about the moon phases and goddess archetypes
Being the daughter of Cronos and Rhea, she was swallowed by her father, as he did with the other children, until Zeus was born and freed them all. Hestia was the last to be freed and lived as a sweet divine woman, gentle and distant from any kind of conflict. Thus, most of the time, she is represented with a bunch of flowers in one of her hands.
Learning more about the Greek goddesses is a way to understand how the mindset of a people worked long ago and what ideas have stuck with time. Having met each of the goddesses we selected, you must have already realized that beauty is just one of the attributes of these divine women, right? So awaken the goddess in you and cherish her qualities!
