GODS
Here is a list of Gods, along with short descriptions and interesting anecdotes about them.
Aphrodite
Aphrodite is the goddess of love. She has no parents, when Kronos was killed by the Olympians they threw his body in the ocean. His blood began to foam in the sun, from the foam Aphrodite rose. In greek, Aphrodite means "foam born". She, unlike the other original gods/olympians, was only given one job as a goddess. That was desire, it was here, hobby, duty, and passion.
Apollo
Apollo is the god of the sun and medicine and music. And he is also the paron of poetry and mathematics, and prophecy. Along with being the god of many things he also is known by many names, such as Phoebus, The Bright One, Prince of Oracles, and Lord of the Golden Bow, to name a few. He is the twin brother of Artemis, and gold belongs to him. He is also well known for the Oracle at Delphi. It was a place where oracles (similar to modern day psychics) would predict people's futures and give advice to those who made the trip.
Artemis
Artemis is the goddess of the moon. She was the twin to Apollo and, of course, was one of the Olympians. Silver belonged to her, just how gold belonged to Apollo. She rode on a silver chariot guided by white stags (white male deer). She also held the waves of the ocean on a silver leash, with it she moved it wherever she wanted it to be. Wild animals were sacred to her because she was also the Lady of Wild Things. She would punish hunters who killed more than they could eat.
Athena
Athena is the goddess of wisdom. She was the daughter of Zeus and the mortal, Metis. Before she was born Zeus was having headaches so terrible he battered his head on rocks to help relieve the pain. So Hephaestus came and split open his head, out sprang Athena. She was holding a spear. She always wears a breastplate, helmet and holds a shield and a spear. Her main goal was to make men smarter, she did this by supplying them with inventions such as the ploug or sail. The olive tree and the owl were sacred to her.
Demeter
Demeter is the goddess of the harvest. She is one of the Olympians, daughter of Kronos and Rhea. She grew the crops of the earth, and mantained a connection with her brothers, especially Zeus, the Father of her daughter, Persephone. She never forgave Hades for the abduction of her daughter. That myth can be read in the myths section. Because of her daughter being gone for half of the year, Demeter stops growing things on earth. That is where winter comes from.
Dionysus
Dionysus is the god of wine and festivities. His father was Zeus, but his mother is unknown. There are numerous guesses at who it was. One story is that it was a Phyrgian princess who was courted by Zeus who disguised himself as the wind. When she saw his real form she started on fire and died, then gave birth to Dionysus. The fiery birth led him to have fire in his veins, making him a riot at parties. He learned the secrets of the vine from a nymph who adopted him early in his life, he then introduced it to the world. The grape vine, dolphin and the rose were sacred to him.
Eros
Eros is the god of love. He is also known as Cupid by the Romans. He is the son of Zeus and Aphrodite according to most stories. But another story suggests that Zeus, afraid of Hera's wrath spread the word that his mother was Iris, the rainbow, while his father was the West Wind, but the test results from Maury are inconclusive. His arrows would make anyone fall in love with the next person they see. Which in one case ended up being a bull, which created the minotaur. If you want to know more about the minotaur visit the myths section.
Hades
Hades is the god of the underworld. When duties were assigned to the Olympians he "picked the short straw" essentially. Although along with ruling the underworld, or "hades", he is also God of wealth, and his vaults were infinitely filled with gold jewels, and other treasures. His pet was a three headed beast of a dog named Cerberus. Cerberus guarded the entrance to the underworld from living mortals who tried to enter the underworld.
Hephaestus
Hephaestus is the god of metal working and is the craftsman of the gods. He was born ugly and deformed, when Hera saw him, she threw him off of Mount Olympus he landed and broke his legs, gimping him life. He was found by a sea goddess, with her he made many fine crafts and jewlery. He eventually forced Hera and the other gods to let him onto Olympus again. Once there he made weapons and other items for gods and heroes alike.
Hera
Hera is the queen of the gods, and the wife of zeus. She is most well known for her beauty and her extreme jealousy. In many of her stories, she becomes jealous over one of Zeus' many mortal lovers or their children. She is another one of Kronos and Rhea's children. So she married her brother, as did almost all of the original gods. Her husband, Zeus, is the one responsible for most of the well known children between the couple.
Hermes
Hermes is the god of commerce and is the patron god of thieves and gamblers. Hermes is usually shown wearing winged sandals and a winged helmet. Those are the same sandlas Hermes gave to Perseus in the myth of Perseus and Medusa. To read that myth more in-depth go to the myths. He was used often as Zeus' messenger and did confidential errands. He is also accredited with many improvements such as the torch, dice, and the first system of weights and measures. He is known for being a witty, saucy god.
Hestia
Hestia is the goddess of the hearth and orphans and lost children. Hestia was an Olympian but unlike her other brothers and sisters on Olympus she never partook in the conspiracies of Mount Olympus. She never took to war, only preached peace. And she never had a husband, nor did she ever bear a child. She was gentle and instigated domestic happiness. Truly completely different from her Olympian counterparts.
Persephone
Persephone is the daughter of Demeter and Zeus. She is the Goddess of the underworld, that happened through a myth you can find in the myths section. She was well known for her beauty and her influence in the season spring. For more information on the story of her and spring, visit the myth, Hades and Persephone.
Poseidon
Poseidon is the god of the sea and earthquakes. He is also one of the largest, most physiclly powerful gods. He is another one of the original/olympian gods born from Kronos and Rhea. He was well known for having a very dynamic mood. He would be angered easily, but very pleased with recognition. He created the horse, and while trying to make the horse he created the camel, hippopotomaus, donkey, zebra, and giraffe. But since the horse was not the accident, the horse was sacred to him. As was the pine tree, because of its vital use in shipbuilding.
Zeus
Zeus is the king of the gods, and is also the god of the sky and mountains. He sat on his throne at Mount Olympus with lightning crafted by Hephaestus, and sent orders to all gods. Although all of the Olympians were just as strong and the same age as Zeus, they listened to him, and almost always obeyed him. He was supremely powerful, nothing could succeed without his blessing. And almost everything failed that he was not pleased by. Zeus was afraid of absolutely nothing, except for his wife Hera. In several myths you see Zeus hiding his mistakes or children, from Hera to escape her wrath.