The twelve most important gods and goddesses of ancient Greece, were called the Olympians. They were part of the same family and lived together in an enormous palace, set well above the usual level of clouds at the top of Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece.
They met in the Council Hall from time to time to discuss mortal affairs, such as which army should win, whom to punish and who to reward. But for the most part they were to busy bickering among themselves to take much notice of mortal affairs.

Zeus

Hera

Poseidon

Demeter

Hephaestus

Athene

Aphrodite

Ares

Apollo

Atemis

Hermes

Hestia

 

 King Zeus had an enormous throne of polished black Egyptian marble, decorated in gold. Seven steps led up to it, each of them enamelled with one of the seven colours of the rainbow. A bright blue covering above showed that the whole sky belonged to Zeus alone; and on the right arm of his throne perched a ruby-eyed golden eagle clutching jagged strips of pure tin. A purple rams fleece covered the cold seat. Zeus used it for rainmaking in times of drought. One of Zeus emblems was the eagle, another was the woodpecker.

Queen Hera had an ivory throne, with three crystal steps leading back, and a full moon hung above it. Hera sat on a white cowskin, which she used for magical rainmaking if Zeus could not be bothered stopping a drought. Her emblem was the cow, the most motherly of animals; but, not wanting to be thought of as plain-looking and placid as a cow, she also used the peacock and the lion.

 

These two thrones looked down the hall towards the door leading into the open courtyard. 
Along the sides of the hall stood ten other thrones - five for goddesses on Hera's side, five gods on Zeus's.

 

 Poseidon, god of the seas and rivers, had the second-largest throne. It was of grey-green white-streaked marble, ornamented with coral, gold, and mothers of pearl. The arms were carved in the shape of sea beasts, and Poseidon sat on sealskin. He was married to Amphitrite, the former Sea-goddess, and allowed him to take over all her titles. His weapon was a trident with which he could stir up the sea. As his emblem Poseidon chose the horse, an animal which he pretended to have created.

Opposite Poseidon sat his sister Demeter, goddess of all useful fruits, grasses and grains. Her throne of bright green malachite was ornamented with ears of barley in gold, and little golden pigs for luck. Demeter's emblem was the poppy, which grows red as blood among the barley.

Next to Poseidon sat Hephaestus, as son of Zeus and Hera. Being the god of goldsmiths, jewellers, blacksmiths, masons, and carpenters, he had built all these thrones himself, and made his own masterpiece of every different metal and precious stone to be found. The seat could swivel and the arms could move up and down, and the whole thing could move along automatically wherever he whished, like the three-legged golden tables in his workshop. His emblem was the quail, a bird that does a hobbling dance in springtime.

Opposite Hephaestus sat Athene, Goddess of Wisdom, who first taught him how to handle tools, and knew more than anyone else about pottery, weaving and all useful arts. Her silver throne had golden basketwork at the back and sides, and a crown of violets, made from blue lapis lazuli set above it. Its arms ended in grinning Gorgons' heads. Athene was also a battle goddess, but never went to war unless forced, and when she fought she always won. She chose the wise owl as her emblem.

Next to Athene sat Aphrodite, Goddess of Love and Beauty. Aphrodite's throne was silver, inlaid with beryls and aquamarines, the back shaped like a scallop shell, the seat made of swan's down, and under her feet lay a golden mat - an embroidery of golden bees, apples, and sparrows. Aphrodite's emblem was the dove.

Opposite Aphrodite sat Ares, Hephaestus's tall, handsome, boastful, cruel brother, who loved fighting for its own sake. Ares throne was built of brass, strong and ugly - those huge brass knobs in the shape of skulls, and the worst of taste, yet Aphrodite thought him wonderful. His emblems were a wild boar and a bloodstained spear.

Next to Ares sat Apollo, the god of music, poetry, medicine, archery, and young unmarried men. His highly polished golden throne had magical inscriptions carved all over it, a back shaped like a lyre, and a python skin to sit on. Above hung a golden sun-disk with twenty-one rays shaped like arrows, because he pretended to manage the Sun. Apollo's emblem was a mouse; mice were supposed to know all secrets.

Opposite Apollo sat his twin sister Atemis, goddess of hunting and of unmarried girls, from whom he had learned medicine and archery. Her throne was pure silver, with a wolfskin to sit on, and the back shaped like two date palms, one on each side of a new moon boat. She chose as her emblem the she-bear, the most dangerous of all wild animals in Greece.

Last in the row of gods sat Hermes, a son of Zeus. Hermes was the god of merchants, bankers, thieves, fortune tellers, and heralds. His throne was cut out of a single piece of solid grey rock, the arms shaped like rams' heads, and a goatskin for the seat. On its back he had carved a swastika, this being the shape of a fire-making machine invented by him - the fire drill. Hermes also invented the alphabet; and one of his emblems was the crane, because cranes fly in a V - the first letter he wrote. Another of Hermes's emblems was a peeled hazel stick, which he carried as the messenger of the Olympians.

Last in the row of goddesses sat Zeus's eldest sister, Hestia, goddess of the Home: on a plain, uncarved, wooden throne, and a plain cushion woven of undyed wool. Hestia, the kindest and most peaceable of all the Olympians, hated the continual family quarrels, and never troubled to choose any particular emblem of her own. She used to tend the charcoal hearth in the middle of the Council Hall.

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