by sending a gadfly to sting her. The Greek artistsportrayed Hera as beautiful, dignified, and matronly. APOLLOApollo was a major god in Greek mythology. He was the son of Zeus and thegoddess Leto. The goddess Artemis was his twin. Apollo was the god of light, purity,and the sun. Apollo played the lyre and wrote poetry, and he became a patron ofmusicians and poets. He also had healing powers. According to myth, Apollo killed a dragon named Python at Delphi. The townbecame the major center of Apollo’s worship in Greece. As the god of phophecy, Apolloforetold the future through his oracle at Delphi. The Greeks regarded Apollo as the idealyoung man-handsome, honest, intelligent, and strong. But Apollo could also be cruel. Hekilled the children of Niobe, queen of Thebes, who had boasted that she was superior toLeto. He accidently killed a young boy with a discus. But he was still a much belovedgod to the Greeks.ATHENAAthena was the goddess of warfare and wisdom in Greek mythology. At birth,according to myth, she sprang, full grown and dressed in armor, from the forehead ofZeus. Athena represented the intellectual aspect of war. The Greeks also worshipped heras the patroness of arts and crafts. Athena was particularly skilled at spinning andweaving. One myth states that a mortal woman challenged Athena to a weaving contestand afterward Athena changed her into a spider so that she could spend the rest of her lifespinning. Athena never married. Athena’s most famous temple, on the Acropolis inAthens, is called the Parthenon. The Greeks in the territory of Attica wanted to manetheir principle city for either Poseidon, the sea god, or Athena, whoever gave them themore useful gift. One myth says Poseidon created the horse. Another myth says hecreated a spring. Athena created the olive tree. The gods judged Athena’s gift moreuseful, and so the city was named Athens, with Athena its patroness. Ancient arti...
