Book of Shadows pages: Greek Deities

Aphrodite
Aphrodite is the goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, passion, and procreation. Her Roman counterpart is Venus. Aphrodite’s sacred symbols include myrtles, roses, doves, sparrows, and swans. Aphrodite was married to Hephaestus, the god of blacksmiths and metal workers, but she was frequently unfaithful. Aphrodite was one of the three goddesses who started the trojan war (with Athena and Hera), as they fought over the mortal Adonis. The festival Aphrodisia was in her honour.
 
Athena
Athena is the goddess of wisdom, handicraft, and warfare. Her Roman counterpart is Minerva. Athena’s sacred symbols include owls, olive trees, snakes, and the gorgonian. Known as the virgin, the patron goddess of heroic endeavors and was believed to have aided Perseus, Hercules, and Jason. Moreover, she along with Aphrodite and Hera started the trojan war over the mortal Adonis.

Demeter
Demeter is the goddess of the harvest and agriculture, and the fertility of the earth. Her sacred symbols are cornucopias, wheat, torches, and bread. The mother of Persephone, Demeter is the reason for the seasons, as her grief and sadness at her child’s decent to Hades caused her to cease her gifts. Her blessings return with Persephone in the spring.

Hera
Hera is the queen of the gods and wife of Zeus; and is the goddess of marriage and childbirth. Hera’s jealousy is legendary, and she was known to prolong the labors of Zeus’s mistresses. Hera is known to punish mortals who cross her.

Artemis
Artemis is the goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, the moon, and chastity. Artemis is the first child of Zeus and Leto; her mother’s labor, delayed by the angry Hera was hard, but once Artemis was born, she acted as Leto’s midwife to bring Apollo into the world. Artemis is the protector of young girls and is a goddess of midwifery.

Hades
Hades is the god of the dead and ruler of the underworld, and brother of Zeus. Hades Kidnapped the daughter of Demeter, then called Kore, and was able to wed her through negotiation with Zeus. Though rocky at first, Hades was always deeply in love with Kore, by then called Persephone.

Persephone
Persephone was the daughter of Demeter and Zeus; she was kidnapped by Hades, whom she would later marry. Persephone is both the goddess of spring and vegetation, and the queen of death. The kidnapping of Persephone was the subject of the Eleusinian mysteries.
 
Hephaestus
Hephaestus is the god of Blacksmiths, metalworkers, carpenters, craftsmen, artisans, sculptors, fire, and volcanos. As a smith god, he was in charge of making all the weapons used by the Olympians. His symbols are the smiths hammer, the anvil, and tongs.

Hestia
Hestia is a virgin goddess of the hearth, the right ordering of domesticity, the family, and the home. Hestia received the first offering of every sacrifice in the household. The flame of Hestia was used to bless all new homes.

Gaia
Gaia is the primordial goddess, mother of the earth, the gods, and of men. She ruled over the universe before anything else existed. Gaia is the nourisher of small children and of plants and the giver of dreams. Gaia, being the mother f earth, is often portrayed with a big pregnant belly that is painted to look like earth to show that she is primordial.

Pan
Pan is the god of the wild and is often considered to be one of the oldest deities in the Greek pantheon. Pan is associated with nature and wooded areas, as well as with pasturelands, to which his name is affiliated.

Asclepius
Asclepius is the hero god of medicine. The rod of Asclepius is often used on hospitals to bring his guidance and protection to all who enter. Asclepius is known for his kindness and was given the great secrets of medicine from a sacred snake he helped.

Medusa
Medusa was a beautiful Greek virgin who remained chaste in order to be a priestess of Athena. Poseidon, who was feuding with Athena, saw Medusa as something he could take from the goddess in order to hurt her, so he raped Medusa in Athena’s temple. Athena, who knew she would need to act as the gods would see it as an affront to them, turned Medusa into a gorgon, but in doing so, blessed her with the power to turn men to stone so shed never be hurt again. Many modern pagans and scholars view her as a matron saint of sorts to rape victims and those who have been violated. She is a symbol of strength in the face of adversity and is often prayed to for protection against abusers.
 
Nyx
Nyx is the goddess of the night and is considered a primordial goddess; she created darkness and the night and is often portrayed as winged or as a charioteer. Though Nyx didn’t have her own temples, she was often worshiped alongside Hekate and Artemis.

Hekate
Hekate is the goddess of witchcraft, magick, crossroads, night, herbology, ghosts, necromancy, sorcery, and is the keeper of the keys. A triple goddess she was worshipped and prayed to for protection. She is also the goddess of wisdom, choices, victory, vengeance, death, and travel. Hekate is often invoked for justice, especially for sexual crimes against girls and women, and especially when justice isn’t naturally forthcoming. She has the power to grant mortal wishes and is often evoked to protect dogs. Moreover, she is prayed to for fertility, especially in hopes for female children. Hekate can also be invoked for healing when medicine has failed; and has been known to grant swift and painless death when requested. Hekate’s favourite people include Midwives, writers, healers, herbalists, dog lovers, and rescuers; she is a matron of women in general and protects and protects those who ride horses. Hekate is portrayed as having three bodies, one of the maiden, one of the mother, and one of the crone, and her sacred symbols are keys, torches, cauldrons, knives, and the witch’s broom. Dogs, snakes, toads, dragons and cats, though ESPECIALLY dogs are extremely sacred to her. Her sacred plants include lavender, garlic, and henna. And she favors the end of the month for her magickal workings.