Gods and Heroes of Greek Mythology Quiz

Answer: Heracles

Heracles completed the twelve labors in order to get cleansed from the slaying of his wife and their children, after the goddess Hera drove him mad. The twelve labors were the following ones: 1) The slaying of the Nemean Lion, 2) The slaying of the Lernaean Hydra, 3) The capture of the Ceryneian Hind, 4) The Capture of the Erymanthian Boar, 5) The cleaning of the Augean stables, 6) The slaying of the Stymphalian Birds, 7)The capture of the Cretan Bull, 8) The stealing of the Mares of Diomedes, 9) The seizure of the Girdle of Hippolyta, 10) The seizure of the cattles of Geryon, 11) The stealing of the Apples of the Hesperides and 12) The capture of Cerberus.

Answer: Theseus

The Minotaur was a beast - half-man and half-bull - who lived in the Labyrinth of Crete. Because Athens, Theseus' homeland, had lost a war with Crete, the Athenians were forced to send a group of young men each year to be devoured by the Minotaur. However, Theseus was given a yarn of thread by the daughter of the King of Crete, Minos, and thus he was able to find his way through the Labyrinth and slay the beast.

Answer: Twelve

The twelve Olympian Gods were the following: Zeus, ruler among the gods, Hera, goddess of marriage, Poseidon, god of the seas, Demeter, goddess of land and fertility, Athena, goddess of wisdom, Apollo, god of the light, Artemis, goddess of the hunt, Ares, god of war, Aphrodite, goddess of love, Hephaestus, god of fire and crafts, Hermes, god of trade, Hestia, goddess of the hearth and Dionysus, god of wine.

Answer: Trident

The trident of Poseidon was made for him by the three Cyclops, creatures of myth who were human-like but of giant stature and had only one eye on their heads. The most well-known Cyclops is Polyphemus, who encountered the hero Odysseus after the Trojan War and attempted to hold him captive and devour him, but Odysseus, after driving him into a wine-induced stupor, blinded him and managed to escape.

Answer: The Golden Fleece

Jason had to find the Golden Fleece in order to claim back the throne of Iolcus, which was occupied by Pelias, who had murdered Jason's father to acquire the throne. Jason and a crew of other heroes embarked on the quest aboard the ship Argo and managed to reach Colchis, the land where the Fleece was kept and finally acquired it with the help of Medea, daughter of the King of Colchis. Perseus married Medea after returning to his homeland.

Answer: Yes

Hades was the god of the underworld. He was brother to Zeus, King of the gods. His wife was Persephone, daughter of Demeter, goddess of fertility. He also had as guardian of his realm the monstrous three-headed dog Cerberus.

Answer: All of these

Apollo was the son of Zeus and Leto. He had a twin sister, Artemis, goddess of the Hunt. The famed Oracle of Delphi was associated with him. Apollo also had a lyre made by his brother, Hermes, and played it with great skill.

Answer: Medusa

Perseus was the son of Zeus and Danae. He slew Medusa under the orders of King Polydectes, who demanded that Perseus brings him Medusa's head or else Polydectes would forcefully take Danae as his wife. Later, Perseus slew the beast that terrorized Ethiopia, saving the life of Princess Andromeda and winning her hand in marriage.

Answer: Hermes

The winged sandals of Hermes were made by Hephaestus, using gold which could not be destroyed. The sandals had the ability to carry Hermes as if he were a bird. They were quite useful to him, since he was the messenger among the gods.

Answer: Ithaca

Odysseus was the son of Laertes. His wife was Penelope and he had a son named Telemachus. He participated in the Trojan War and he was the man behind the Trojan Horse, a wooden horse used to transport the Greek warriors inside Troy. His adventures from the end of the Trojan War to his return to Ithaca, after ten years of adventures, are told in "The Odyssey", an epic written by Homer.