Test yourself! Take this Greek Mythology Quiz | Mythology & Legends

Answer: Hestia

Hestia was the goddess of the hearth. Each city in Ancient Greece or Rome would have a central fire in its temple to Hestia (Vesta in Latin).

Answer: Hebe

Two other children that Zeus and Hera had together (in most tales) were Hephaestus and Ares. Many tales have been told about the poor girls that Zeus cheated on Hera with. Hera never seemed to punish Zeus, just the girls, even if it wasn't their fault.

Answer: Thanatos

Hypnos is mentioned in the "Iliad" talking to Hera. When the twins are not named, they are often called Sleep and Death. Romans had a deity close to Hypnos called Somnus. Thanatos himself was called cruel, and had a heart of iron. He was brought into being by Night. So cheerful, eh?

Answer: Elysian Fields

Some tales say that if you wanted to, souls that were in the Elysian Fields could go back and live another life. They might not end up in the Elysian Fields again, so there are really no tales of souls actually trying it. However, the tale goes that if you made it back to the Elysian Fields three times, you would go on the Island of the Blessed, which was kind of like a super-Elysian Fields.

Answer: Aphrodite

In the Trojan War, Aphrodite fell in love with the mortal hero Jason. She caused misery and death on both sides of the war just to save her son and lover from death. She got stabbed in the hand by Diomedes and fled home to Mt. Olympus. Zeus advised her not to be concerned by war, but by "the lovely secrets of marriage." Connecting Aphrodite to current objects and words, think of an "aphrodisiac."

Answer: Themis

Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos were the three Fates. Life is "woven" by Clotho. It is measured by Lachesis. Life is then, cut by Atropos. If you've ever seen the animated film "Hercules", these three are represented by laughing old women that cut threads. The threads represent peoples' lives. Towards the end, they try to cut Hercules' string, but it turns golden, or immortal.

Answer: Prometheus

Prometheus is involved in the story of Io. (Io is also one of the moons in our solar system) To make a long story short, Zeus became infatuated with a beautiful maiden named Io. Eventually, Hera got involved and turned poor Io into a heifer. Io is driven mad (by Furies in some stories, a gadfly in others) and continually hops around the Mediterranean Sea. Io comes to Prometheus and he advises her where to go to get the curse lifted. Zeus lifts her curse and Io has a son. Thirteen generations later, one of Io's grandchildren cuts Prometheus down from the mountain. I love that story!

Answer: False

The other beast is called Charybdis. On the first time past Scylla and Charybdis, Odysseus sails too close to Scylla and she eats six of his sailors. It's better than sailing too close to Charybdis, which would have killed his whole crew. The second time back, he is alone. He sails closer to Charybdis and clings to a rock near her cave.

Answer: Helios

One tale says that Hyperion and his sister Eryphaesa married and had three children. One was Helios, the sun. Another was Eos, the Dawn. The third child was Selene, the moon. It was said that Helios could see anything the light touched, and so saw Aphrodite cheating on her husband with Ares.

Helios told Aphrodite's husband, and he embarrassed Aphrodite and Ares in front of all the Olympians! Helios is often confused with Apollo, as Selene is often confused with Artemis. While these gods may be alike in some ways, they are not the same people!

Answer: Apollo

Apollo did not have a different Latin name, oddly enough. They used the same name in both Rome and Greece. However, Artemis' Roman name was Diana, Athena's was Minerva, and Ares' was Mars. Just like there were different names, Romans viewed some of the gods differently from the way Greeks viewed them. Romans thought that Mars was a glorious, brave warrior. Greeks thought he was somewhat of a coward, a big bully that wouldn't go anywhere without a train of attendants. I think it was the attitude and lifestyles of the people that made them view things differently.

Answer: Hephaestus

Hephaestus was the husband of Aphrodite. He is also called the God of Fire and was rumored to have his workshop under a volcano. In some tales Zeus and Hera hate him for his deformity, in other tales they love him for his skill as a blacksmith.

Answer: Ceres

Ceres and Demeter were both goddesses of the grain/harvest. When Persephone was abducted by Hades, Demeter got very angry and threatened to bring famine and destruction upon the crops of the mortals (she was Persephone's mother). When Persephone was found in the Underworld, it almost came to a fight, but Hermes reached an agreement. Persephone spent different sections of the year in Mt. Olympus and the Underworld, which created our seasons. (When Persephone was with Demeter the crops would flourish = summer and when Persephone was with Hades the crops would die = winter.)

Answer: The Graces

If you were wondering, the Charities were Roman goddesses. The Graces comforted Aphrodite after she and Ares were embarrassed in front of other gods and goddesses. They anointed her and dressed her in wonderful clothing. They sound very nice. Their names were Aglaia (Splendor), Thalia (Rejoicing), and Euphrosyne (Festivity).

Answer: False

The goddess that gave Diomedes this power was called many things. In the "Iliad" she was called Athene, but was also named Athena, Pallas Athene, Tritogeneia, and Glaukopis. She was born out of Zeus' head after he swallowed her mother, Metis. She was one of the three virgin goddesses, the other two being Artemis and Hestia. She was the goddess of intellect and wisdom.

Answer: Eros

He had two types of arrows, golden with white feathers and leaden with brown feathers. The golden arrows could inspire love, and the lead ones could inspire dislike. Eros also caused the Trojan War by hitting Helen with an arrow. Helen then sailed off with Alexandros. However, the spell wore off, and later on we find her back with her rightful husband!