Ancient gods

 

         The ancient Greeks and Romans worshiped twelve major gods. The one with the most power was Zeus, or Jupiter, who lived on a high mountain, Mount Olympus. From the cloudy peak he surveyed the various affairs of the world. He rode in a great chariot which was drawn by four white horses. Whenever he liked, he called for a great assembly of the gods. At the huge assembly one would find Poseidon, or Neptune, the god of the sea; Hades, or Pluto, the god of shadowy land of the dead; Hera, or Juno, the beautiful but quarrelsome wife of Zeus; Apollo, the handsome god of the sun; Diana, the swift goddess of the hunt; who in time became known as the goddess of the moon; or Mercury, the swift messenger of the gods; Hestia, or  Vesta, the goddess of the hearth, who became a special protector of the home; Ares, or Mars, dreadful god of war; Athena, or Minerva, the favorite daughter of Zeus, who was noted for great wisdom; Hephaestus, or Vulcan,  the ugly god, who was the useful god of fire and of the forge; and Aphrodite, or Venus, the lovely goddess of beauty. Noted for her beauty, Venus was sought by all the gods as a wife. Jupiter, knowing her charms, nevertheless married her to Vulcan, the ugliest of the gods. Bathed in radiant light, Venus brought love and joy wherever she went. Mars, known to the Greeks as Ares, was the god of war. Terrified by Ares’ power, the Greeks did not like to worship him. They saw both land and people destroyed by him. Observing his path, they said that Ares left blood, devastation, and grief behind him. The Romans, having great respect for Mars, made him one of their three chief deities. They imagined him dressed in shining armor. Mars, supposed to be the father of the founders of Rome, has a month named after him.