Wednesday, November 27, 2019

A Project on Banana Fibre Extraction Essay Example

A Project on Banana Fibre Extraction Essay Example A Project on Banana Fibre Extraction Essay A Project on Banana Fibre Extraction Essay How to make pencils? Background One of the oldest and most widely used writing utensils, the pencil originated in pre-historic times when chalky rocks and charred sticks were used to draw on surfaces as varied as animal hides and cave walls. The Greeks and Romans used flat pieces of lead to draw faint lines on papyrus, but it was not until the late 1400s that the earliest direct ancestor of todays pencil was developed. About one hundred years later graphite, a common mineral occurring as soft, lustrous veins in rocks, was discovered near Borrowdale in northwestern England. The Borrowdale mine supplied Europe with graphite for several hundred years; however, because people could not then differentiate between graphite and lead, they referred to the former as black lead. Cut into rods or strips, graphite was heavily wrapped in twine to provide strength and a comfortable handle. The finished product, called a lead pencil, was quite popular. In the late sixteenth century, a method for gluing strips of wood around graphite was discovered in Germany, and the modern pencil began to take form. In 1779, scientists determined that the material they had previously thought was lead was actually a form of microcrystalline carbon that they named graphite (from the Greek graphein meaning to write). Graphite is one of the three natural forms of pure carbon- the others are coal and diamond. In the late eighteenth century the Borrowdale mine was depleted, and, as graphite was now less plentiful, other materials had to be mixed with it to create pencils. A Frenchman chemist, Nicolas Jacques Conte, discovered that when powdered graphite, powdered clay, and water were mixed, molded, and baked, the finished product wrote as smoothly as pure graphite. Conte also discovered that a harder or softer writing core could be produced by varying the proportion of clay and graphite- the more graphite, the blacker and softer the pencil. In 1839, Lothar von Faber of Germany developed a method of making graphite paste into rods of the same thickness. He later invented a machine to cut and groove the pencil wood. Following the depletion of the nce-abundant graphite source at Borrowdale, other graphite mines were gradually established around the world. A number of these mines were set up in the United States, and the first American pencils were manufactured in 1812, after the War of 1812 ended English imports. William Monroe, a cabinet maker in Concord, Massachusetts, invented a machine that cut and grooved wood slats precisely enough to make pencils. Around that time, American inventor Joseph Dixon developed a method of cutting single cedar cylinders in half, placing the graphite core in one of the halves, and then gluing the two halves back together. In 1861, Eberhard Faber built the United States first pencil-making factory in New York City. Today, the hardness of a pencil is designated by numbers or letters. Most manufacturers use the numbers 1 to 4, with 1 being the softest and making the darkest mark. Number 2 pencils (medium soft) are used for normal writing. Pencils are also sometimes graded by letters, from 6B, the softest, to 9H, the hardest. The idea of attaching an eraser to a pencil is traced to Hyman W. Lipman, an American whose 1858 U. S. atent was bought by Joseph Rechendorfer in 1872 for a reported $100,000. The first step in pencil manufacture involves making the graphite core. One method of doing this is extrusion, in which the graphite mixture is forced through a die opening of the proper size. In addition to the conventional wood pencil, a number of other pencils are widely used. In the early 1880s, the search for a pencil that didnt require sharpening led to the invention of what has variously been termed the automatic, propelling, or repeating pencil. These instruments have a metal or plastic case and use leads similar to those found in wood cased pencils. The lead, lodged in a metal spiral inside the case, is held in place by a rod with a metal stud fastened to it. When the cap is twisted, the rod and stud move downward in the spiral, forcing the lead toward the point. The early twentieth century saw the development of colored pencils in which the graphite core was replaced by a combination of pigments or dyes and a binder. Today, colored pencils are available in more than 70 colors, with 7 different yellows and 12 different blues. However, the cedar-casing lead pencil- manufactured at a pace of 6 billion per year in 40 different countries- continues to outsell all of its competitors, including the ballpoint pen. Raw Materials The most important ingredient in a pencil is the graphite, which most people continue to call lead. Contes method of combining graphite with clay is still used, and wax or other chemicals are sometimes added as well. Virtually all graphite used today is a manufactured mixture of natural graphite and chemicals. The wood used to manufacture pencils must be able to withstand repeated sharpening and cut easily without splintering. Most pencils are made from cedar (specifically, California cedar), the choice wood for many years. Cedar has a pleasant odor, does not warp or lose its shape, and is readily available. Some pencils have erasers, which are held on with a ferrule, a metal case that is either glued or held on with metal prongs. The erasers themselves consist of pumice and rubber. The Manufacturing Process Now that most commercially used graphite is made in factories rather than mined, manufacturers are able to easily control its density. The graphite is mixed with clay according to the type of pencil being made- the more graphite used, the softer the pencil, and the darker its line. For colored pencils, pigments are added to the clay, and virtually no graphite is used. Processing the graphite Two methods are used to form the graphite into its finished state. The first is an extrusion method in which the graphite and wax mixture is forced through a mold to create a spaghetti-like string, which is then cut to precise measurements and dried in ovens. In the second method, the graphite and clay mixture is poured into a machine called a billet press. A plug is placed over the top of the press, and a metal ram ascends from the bottom to squash the mixture into a hard, solid cylinder called a billet. The billet is then removed from the top of the machine and placed into an extrusion press that forces it through a mold, slicing off strips the To make the wood casings for the pencils, square slats are formed, and then grooves are cut into the slats. Next, graphite sticks are inserted into the grooves on one slat, and then a second slat with empty grooves is glued on top of the graphite-filled slot. Correctly sized pencils are cut out of the sandwich, and the eraser and metal ferrule are attached. size of the pencil core. After being cut to size, the cores pass along a conveyor belt and are collected in a trough to await insertion in the pencil wood. Making the wood casings 1. The cedar usually arrives at the factory already dried, stained, and waxed, to prevent warping. Logs are then sawed into narrow strips called slats; these are about 7. 25 inches (18. 4 centimeters) long, . 25 inch (. 635 centimeter) thick, and 2. 5 inches (6. 98 centimeters) wide. The slats are placed into a feeder and dropped, one-by-one, onto a conveyor belt which moves them along at a constant rate. 2. The slats are then planed to give them a flat surface. Next, they pass under a cutter head that makes parallel semicircular grooves- one half as deep as the graphite is thick- along the length of one side of each slat. Continuing along the conveyor belt, half of the slats are coated with a layer of glue, and the cut graphite is laid in the grooves of these slats. 3. The slats without glue- and without graphite in the grooves- are placed on another belt that carries them to a machine that picks them up and turns them over, so they are laying on the belt with the grooves facing down. The two conveyor belts then meet, and each unglued slat is placed over a slat with glue and graphite, forming a sandwich. After the sandwiches have been removed from the conveyor belt, they are placed into a metal clamp and squeezed by a hydraulic press and left clamped together until the glue is dried. When the pencils are dried, the ends are trimmed to remove excess glue. Shaping the pencils The next step is shaping, when the sandwiches actually become pencils. The sandwiches are placed on a conveyor belt and moved through two sets of cutters, one above and one below the belt. The cutters above the sandwiches cut around the top half, while the lower set cuts around the bottom half and separates the finished pencils. The majority of pencils are hexagonal, so designed to keep the pencils from rolling off surfaces; a single sandwich yields six to nine hexagonal pencils. Final steps 1. After the pencils have been cut, their surfaces are smoothed by sanders, and varnish is applied and dried. This is done with varnishing machines, in which the pencils are immersed in a vat of varnish and then passed through a felt disk, which removes the excess varnish. After drying, the pencils are put through the process again and again until the desired color is achieved. Finally, the pencils receive a finishing coat. 2. The pencils once again are sent on a conveyor belt through shaping machines, which remove any excess varnish that has accumulated on the ends of the pencils. This step also ensures that all of the pencils are the same length. 3. Erasers are then attached, held to the pencil by a round, metal case called a ferrule. The ferrule first attaches to the pencil either with glue or with small metal prongs, and then the eraser is inserted and the ferrule clamped around it. In the final step, a heated steel die presses the company logo onto each pencil. Colored pencils Colored pencils are produced in much the same way as black-writing pencils, except that their cores contain col oring materials such as dyes and pigments instead of graphite. First, clay and gum are added to pigment as bonding agents, and then the mixture is soaked in wax to give the pencils smoothness. When the pencils have been formed, the outsides are painted according to the color of the center mixture. Quaility Control Because they travel along a conveyor belt during the manufacturing process, pencils are thoroughly scrutinized before they are distributed to the public. Workers are trained to discard pencils that appear dysfunctional, and a select number are sharpened and tested when the process is complete. A common problem is that the glue of the sandwiches sometimes doesnt adhere, but this nuisance is usually caught when the sandwiches are being cut.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

How To Make a Ketchup Packet Cartesian Diver

How To Make a Ketchup Packet Cartesian Diver Place a ketchup packet in a bottle of water and make it rise and fall at your command, as if by magic. Of course, the magic involves some basic science. Heres how to do the diving ketchup trick and how it works. Diving Ketchup Magic Trick Materials Plastic bottleKetchup packet from a fast food restaurantWater Perform the Diving Ketchup Magic Trick Drop the ketchup packet into the bottle.Seal the lid of the bottle.Fill the bottle with water. The ketchup packet should float somewhere in the middle of the bottle. If it sinks, either try using a different packet (the size of the air bubble inside the ketchup packet varies slightly) or else dump out the water and ketchup, bend the packet slightly so that it can hold an air bubble when you fill the bottle again, and refill the bottle. My packet was heavy, so I trapped an air bubble on the packet and tapped the bottle with a fingernail until I knocked off just enough air bubbles to get the packet to sit in the middle of the bottle.Squeeze the bottle to cause the ketchup packet to sink.Relax your grip on the bottle to cause the packet to float. With a little practice, you can make it appear that you arent squeezing the bottle. If you are performing this demonstration as a magic trick you can say you are using the power of your mind to move the ketchup. Pretend to be concentrating very hard, using your incredible powers of telekinesis. How the Diving Ketchup Magic Trick Works An air bubble is trapped inside a ketchup packet when it is sealed at the factory. If the bubble is big enough, it makes the packet float in water. When you squeeze the bottle, the water wont compress but the air bubble inside the ketchup packet is squeezed and becomes smaller. The size of the packet is reduced, but its mass remains unchanged. Density is mass per volume, so squeezing the bottle increases the density of the ketchup packet. When the density of the packet is more than the density of the water the packet will sink. When you release the pressure on the bottle the air bubble expands and the ketchup packet rises.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Article Review of A Cost-Benefit Analysis of Alternative Device Essay

Article Review of A Cost-Benefit Analysis of Alternative Device Configurations for Aviation-Checked Baggage Security Screening - Essay Example The article is an evaluation of the technologies deployed in the explosive detection and their cost effectiveness, including possible future technologies. It considers both two-device and single-device systems and their associated annual operating costs. According to Jacobson et al (2005), the Federal Aviation Administration used the computer aided passenger prescreening system (CAPPS) in 1998 to determine which passengers to clear from being potential security risks and which not to clear. A cost model quantifying the expected yearly cost of screening various combinations of potential risks and non-risks was developed and analyzed, basing on data available before September 11, 2011. The article established that excess screening of non-risk EDS baggage increases annual costs but the security increase per dollar used on the exercise is marginal, as opposed to the significantly enhanced security when only high-risk EDS baggage is screened. In the article, the cost model is extended to integrate the effect of deterrence. The authors define deterrence as the effect screening more checked baggage has on the system’s threat level. Ideally, it is the reduction of threat levels in the system, and, depending on the apparent cost of terrorist occurrence, screening 100 percent checked baggage effectively deters terrorist activities. As described by the Aviation and Transportation Security Act (ATSA), attention directed towards high-risk and non-risk passengers are almost similar, since both ETDs and EDSs are used by the TSA to achieve 100 percent checked baggage screening. Deviating from previous work that concentrated on EDSs, a cost model is introduced by this article’s authors to measure the associated cost benefits of various configurations that involve both ETDs and EDSs. Additionally, they also introduce two alternatives; the dual energy backscatter (BACK) and XRAY machines, although they are currently not certified by the TSA. The data supporting the cost models is classified into probability, cost, time and volume parameters, which are random variables based on testing before a device is granted TSA certification. The probability of checked baggage containing a threat is evaluated by TSA personnel based on the perceived level of threat and changes according to intelligence information. TSA uses three factors in determining a security device’s effective lifetime. The device should become obsolete technically after certain years irrespective of usage and be replaced. Then it must wear out after prescribed years regardless of volumes handled, and after processing a prescribed volume, it must be replaced regardless of years of service. Technology distinguishes between a device alarm and system alarm in a multiple device system, where an alarm may be triggered by an object at any device within the system, or an alarm is triggered at every device along an objects path. The effectiveness of multiple device systems is that devic es provide a check for each other and an alarm is only given by the system if there is agreement in all devices in an object’s path. By the time of publishing the article, multiple device s

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Business and marketing Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business and marketing - Case Study Example She carried out her research, came up with figures and statistics; on the strength of these, wrote a memo proposing that the vendors change their selling patterns. However, they mostly responded in a negative way and telling her, she does not understand their market while others did not even bother and her plan failed. Three months later she is told to redo the plan again taking to account the errors in the previous implementation, if is deemed feasible, she will be asked to implement it. This paper will examine why her first attempt flopped and how she must craft her second attempt if she hopes to sell her ideas successfully to the venders and implement her plan in the long run. Reasons of her failure can be attributed to several factors the most obvious one being the fact that she carried out most of her research and ignored or assumed the opinion and views of the ideas direct consumers who would benefit from its implementation. She gave little effort to boost awareness for her ideas, she worked alone and did not try to popularize or educate the field agents of the plans she had for them. By working exclusively, she locked out her beneficiaries from the planning session of the plans. She should have told them how they not only needed to change from small to big accounts but also how they should implement the change. While the logic behind her ideas is clear, she did not tell them which methods should be used to mediate the process and how they should vary their sales techniques to achieve her goal. Taking to account that every single of the agents has a unique marketing technique adapted to their individual tendencies and market situations, her memo was mostly too uniform to be practical. She assumed that everyone had small clients for the same reasons and they would get uniform benefits from making the shift. This explains why most of

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Monterey, Ca Essay Example for Free

Monterey, Ca Essay Whenever I tell someone that I am from California I am automatically asked about palm trees, the sun, hot weather, tanning, the beach, richness, etc. However, it’s not like that for me, I’m not from San Diego or Santa Clara, I’m from a small town in Central California with a population of about thirty thousand people, Monterey and it is a popular tourist attraction. The weather is about the same year round, between 60-70 degrees. It is rare the day we get up to 90 to 95 degrees. On those days it is as if I did life in San Diego. When we get out of school, everyone goes to the beach. We spend hours there, girls mainly tanning while the boys skim board, surf, swim, or play beach volleyball. At night we’ll set up a bonfire. We don’t do this only on the hot days, it does not matter what day of the season it is well set up bonfires all the time. It was a great thing to do at night, laying by the fire, drinking, smoking, eating, making smores, etc. Monterey is mainly known for its marine life. It has one of the biggest aquariums in North America. Monterey Bay Aquarium gives many scientists access to different marine life for research. It just opened a new Jellyfish exhibit and a year or so ago remodeled the Open Sea. The aquarium has two main parts, the open sea and the ocean’s edge. In the open sea you can see the Puffins, the Jellies Experience, The Secret Lives of Seahorses, and an Auditorium. Where as in the Ocean’s Edge part of the aquarium you can see the Kelp Forest, the Habitats, Penguins, and even the Touch Pools. There is no student in the Monterey County who has not been to this aquarium, I know this for a fact because every first grader goes to the aquarium as a field trip. The teacher gives each student a clipboard with a worksheet on it. Then he class is broken up in to groups and each has a chaperone and an aquarium guide. As everyone walks around, the students must fill out the work sheet. Every student covers every inch of the aquarium, from the otters to the roof, and even to the lab rooms. The Monterey Bay Aquarium is located at the end of Cannery Row. Cannery Row was named after the novel by John Steinbeck that took place there. In high school, we were obligated to read John Steinbeck’s Cannery Row in order to get an idea of how it was in his time. There, I can promise you that you will be trampled by tourists. There are tourist everywhere, because Cannery Row is literally right next to the beach is has a very strong smell of fish and sea water, combined. On the both sides of the street you will see restaurants after restaurants, like Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, El Torito, Fish Hopper, Johnny Rocket’s, and Sly McFly’s. There are also many souvenir shops and a Starbucks and a Dip-n-Dots, and also a few clubs and bars. One street up from Cannery Row, a block away from the aquarium, is the American Tin Cannery. Years and years ago it used to be a world wide famous sardine factory which ending because the sardines disappeared tragically. Now, it is an outlet store and it has a couple of restaurants, my favorite bei ng First Awakenings. It is a breakfast, lunch diner, I used to go every Mondays before school with my family for breakfast. Walking past Cannery Row is a bike path, which has always been on of my favorite things to do. The bike path goes on for a couple of miles, a few feet from the edge of the ocean and on the other side are magnificent houses, hotels, the lighthouse, and a small golf course. It eventually leads into Pacific Grove and then Asilomar Beach, the dog beach. This is where most high school students go for their Winterball or Prom pictures. If I were to walk the opposite way of the path I would be going back to Cannery Row, passing Cannery Row I would end up at San Carlos Beach. San Carlos Beach is nothing big, a very small, private beach. I hardly ever see anyone there. Back on the bike path, passing San Carlos Beach I am heading toward the Old Fisherman’s Wharf, another very touristic destination. This Wharf has three major owners, one owns the front part, the other owns Old Fisherman’s Grotto, and the third owns most of the other shops, and restaurants at the end of the wharf. I worked at Gilbert’s on the wharf on summer and part of the school year. I was the ‘clam chowder girl’. That summer I just stood there, serving chowder to all these tourists from all over the world; Italy, France, Mexico, Spain, the Middle East, etc. I would get in trouble every now and then if I would socialize with them. At the end of the wharf there is always either a man or a women who draws caricatures and on the bottom adds a whale, ocean or the wharf. The reason why he or she does a whale is because right next to the booth is another booth for whale watching. I did it once and I did not see whales but others have said they have seen them. One the other side of the Old Fisherman’s Wharf is another wharf. That wharf consists mostly of parked cars, a couple of small restaurants and a fish market at the end. At the fish market they sell fresh fish. They will go fishing and keep the fish alive, one a customer comes in and orders whatever they please, the fishermen will kill the fish right in front of you so you know that it is fresh. Every now and then I see a big ship on the dock. In-between these two wharfs is filled with sail boats, yhats, house boats, fishing boats, etc. Walking on the bike path next to this part of the dock, if I were to look down to the ocean, you can see otters, hundreds of otters, crying, sleeping or just playing around. Across from Old Fisherman’s Wharf is a path that leading into Downtown Monterey. Alvarado Street is at the heart of Downtown and it’s one the places teens and adults are seen at a lot. There are approximately seven to ten clubs and bars on this street, so its hardly ever empty. About two years ago we got a Myo there. Myo is equivalent to a Pink Berry, only better in my opinion. You’re able to get your own serving but keep in mind that you’re being charged 65 cents per ounce. I believe it is owned by two Monterey firefighters. On Tuesdays, the city closes the street to vehicles because there is a Farmer’s Market. There are food stands, fruit/vegatable stands, handmade jewelry sellers, CHOMP blood drive, to clothing vendors. A street up from Alvarado is the Monterey Police Station, Monterey Fire Department, and the Public Library. A few streets down from Alvarado is the first church built in California, San Carlos Church, formally known as San Carlos Cathedral. Next door to the church is a private Catholic school, San Carlos School. I attended this school for elementary and middle school. It is a very small school, one class for each grade. We had a uniform, therefore, the elementary girls had to wear plaid dresses with a white or navy blue polo and the boys had to wear navy blue pants and a polo. The middle school girls couldnt wear the dresses anymore so we had to wear plaid skirts with the polos and the boys had the same uniform as the younger boys. My graduating class only had 20 kids because we were such a small school, our class was very close and most of us went to the same high school after. Monterey has four high school, Santa Catalina, York, Trinity, and Monterey high school. The Del Monte Shopping Center is where students mainly hang out because of the restaurants, stores and the movie theater. Century 21, is the only movie theater in Monterey. The mall is not very big but it has the main things people go to buy like, Starbucks, Jamba Juice, HM, Forever 21, Victoria Secret, Cold Stone, etc. The crime violence is very high in the city’s around Monterey but in Monterey itself is not to bad. We don’t hear about shooting or murders. However, it has been getting high in the cities around Monterey, and it worries some of the residents. It was disappointing to learn that crime violence in now creeping into Monterey. One thing that keeps the residence calm is that the Monterey Police Department do not rest with crime and they do, do something about it, immediately. In Seaside, and or Salinas it is a harder for them get the criminal. Monterey has and always will be my home. I grew up there, I lived there, I love it there, it is a place where I can feel at ease. It makes others feel at home. I have been told, and heard that tourists, celebrities, and residents all think that this is on of the prettiest places in California and of the world. It makes me feel proud to be part of the Monterey community, to be a part of something that others wished they could be a part. I recommend that everyone should see Monterey, at least once in their lifetime.

Friday, November 15, 2019

The Degradation of the Character of Macbeth :: GCSE Coursework Macbeth Essays

The Degradation of the Character of Macbeth  Ã‚   Shakespeare's tragic play, Macbeth explores the decline of the central character, Macbeth from a respectable warrior to a murdering and lying fiend. This change in character is a direct result of Macbeth’s unbridled ambition and greed. In act 1 scene 2 Macbeth is described as "brave", "valiant" and "heroic" and everyone admires him. King Duncan and his court receive news from the wounded Captain that the battle against the traitor and the rebel MacDonwald and his army was evenly balanced until Macbeth and Banquo in acts of outstanding courage and ferocity destroyed him and his troops, like "sparrows eagles, or the hare the lion". But as this occurs , reinforcements from the King of Norway and the traitor, the Thane Of Cawdor, counterattack Macbeth and Banquo " but all's too weak; for brave Macbeth well he deserves that name". However these two are not at all dismayed; but as the Captain is taken away to tend to his wounds, the outcome is still unsure. The Thane Of Ross arrives to report that, through the fighting spirit of Macbeth, Duncan's army has won a great victory " The victory fell on us". Duncan declares that the "most disloyal traitor" the Thane Of Cawdor is to be executed which is very ironic "Go pronounce his present death" and Macbeth "O valiant cousin! worthy gentleman!" is to receive his title and estates as a reward "Nobel Macbeth hath won". Although we haven't yet met Macbeth, whilst the battle is primitive and bloody the Captain's and Ross's descriptions emphasize an "heroic", even "epic" quality of Macbeth part of them. This is shown in the personifications such as "Disclaiming fortune", "valorous minion", and references such as "memorize another Golgotha". Duncan himself generously praises Macbeth, and the final epithet he gives is "noble". These quotes show that people and even the king have a very high opinion of Macbeth. The witches appear at the beginning and are highly ambiguous creatures- whether they are human it is debatable. The witches create a sense of mystery: they will meet when "the battles lost and won", which seems a contradiction. The fact that they are evil is show in their final couplet. According to them "Fair is foul, and foul is fair". Put another way this means: good is bad and bad is good. All of Act 1 scene 1 creates a very ominous atmosphere.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Marketing Plan for MarryBrown Essay

INTRODUCTION Ms Ponnoraliza says that Marrybrown is Malaysian home-grown restaurant chain. Founded in 1981, they have more than 350 outlets serving fried chicken, burgers, finger food, desserts and drinks. Marrybrown has extended the menu that includes seafood, rice based tproducts, noodles and porridge and they also offer a famous local Malaysian dish: Nasi Lemak (offered as â€Å"Nasi Marrybrown†). The restaurant’s one of the biggest advantage is offering halal food, to dominate halal based countries, and preventing weak direct competition with some larger fast food chains. In the 1980s Marrybrown became the first fast food chain to franchise in Malaysia (Marry Brown). Marrybrown is the largest home-grown quick service restaurant chain with a global reach of over 400 outlets in Asia, Middle East, and Africa. Marrybrown is a global food service organization and a worldwide brand. Currently, Marrybrown is in different countries such as Dubai, India, China, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Saud i Arabia, Kuwait, Kingdom of Bahrain, Syria, Republic of Tanzania, Qatar, Azerbaijan, Malaysia and Maldives (Marry Brown, 2012). According to Marrybrown’s official website Marrybrown is a winner of numerous awards, Malaysian International Home-grown Franchise of The Year, Malaysia Franchise of The Year, First Malaysian fast food franchise, Most Promising Franchise of The Year, pioneer member of the Malaysia franchise association and The Brandlaureate SMEs best brands Award 1007- Food and Beverage, fast food. As Marrybrown does provide franchise, the numbers of franchisees has currently increased upto 82. Marrybrown has great opportunities for both domestic and international markets. The concept of Marrybrown is to be business of the future, fast growing market, wider reach to the customers, high brand recall, cash business, lower investment and better returns and serve the food to the customers at petrol pumps, highways, and large railway stations. CURRENT MARKET SITUATION Marrybrown is a well-known as fast food restaurant internationally where they draw in clients by staying on the objectives like enhancing their position in the home-developed market and building their brand and in the meantime concentrate on the high quality of food serving by customers well.  Marrybrown’s main target is to improve their reputation amongst Malaysian’s customers, and to be recognized on what the restaurant is offering to attract more customers’ attention. On the other side, Marrybrown’s missions (2007) are to achieve a better standard in customer services, and increase sales and profits of the company. According to the official website of Marrybrown, their success is based on the high quality of foods, fast service and great value for money. Their products are prepared based on Malaysia’s Halal requirements. According to Ms Ponnorlize (2014) they provide fresh food in order to satisfy customers’ needs and make them enjoy wit h Marrybrown’s products. Furthermore, the restaurant likewise gives a brilliant, stylish and fresh look that supplements the lifestyle of today’s customers. This system attracts the attention of a certain group of customers such as kids and teenagers. Marrybrown is an example of overcoming adversity based on extraordinary tasting formulas that are unique and truly Malaysian. They work on approaches to make food, services, and establishment operations better to convey the highest standards of value. Secured in 1981, they have over 400 outlets internationally. Marrybrown has expanded the menu that offers exotic local delights such as seafood, noodles, rice based products and porridge. Nasi Lemak is one of the famous local Malay rice dish, based on the menu it is called as Nasi Marrybrown. Nowadays, Marrybrown offers a wide choice of unique, innovative products that focused on fast-food loving customers. Still, chicken presents the basic of the menu, including the signature Lucky Plate, Chicken Porridge, Nasi Marrybrown. Moreover, Marrybrown Sdn Bhd has turned into the first international company that opens an outlet in Myanmar. In three years Marrybrown has also targeted to set up 15 outlets in Southern Thailand, while this year from June until December it aims to open 15 new outlets in Malaysia. For now, there are more than 400 Marrybrown outlets in Malaysia, China, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Tanzania, the United Arab Emirates, Kuw ABOUT THE COMPANY SWOT Analysis Malaysian based fast food chain started back in 1980s, Marrybrown is the nation’s largest fast food chain with 400 outlets in 11. Half of its outlets  are in Malaysia and others in abroad. It is the only fast food chain that satisfies halal food customers (Marrybrown.com.my, 2012). Marrybrown serves the food at affordable price and is the first Malaysian fast food franchise in the country. Marrybrown’s core values are high quality food, fast service, clean environment and great value for money. Marrybrown is expanding internationally to become a global fast food industry. Soon it will open in Syria, Azerbaijan and Iran. Marrybrown has been awarded Malaysia International Home grown Franchise of The Year in the years of 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 and promising franchiser award in India. Strength a) High quality food b) Halal food c) Unique fast food concept-Marrybrown carries a unique concept which brings about a fun and exciting eat-out experience. d) Adaptability to the market. Weakness a) Niche target market b) Intense competition c) Competitors quality of products and services Opportunities a) Growing market b) Improve the infrastructure for the society around it. c) Job opportunities for more. Threats a) Competition b) Consumers looking for better deal. OBJECTIVES To make a successful marketing plan, firstly have to plan the objectives of  marketing plan. Followings are the objectives of Marrybrown’s marketing plan on the new product Nasi MarryBrown (Nasi Lemak). To make the traditional recipe as well-known and penetrate into international market. To increase sales by 50% in upcoming 6 months. To increase brand awareness among targeting customers. To cover the whole target market. To increase the number of new customers. To increase the visibility and memorability of brand identity. To create value and make a difference MARKETING STRATEGIES Planning the marketing strategies is the most important for a company in introducing the new products. To penetrate the new product into market, it is vital to plan the marketing strategies. There are 4 types of marketing tools in a marketing plan; which is called 4 Ps. In order to introduce Marry Brown’s new product Nasi MarryBrown (Nasi Lemak), the company decide to apply 4 Ps to contribute into a marketing mix. PRICING STRATEGY Pricing strategy is the chase of classifying the ideal price for a product. Pricing strategy in marketing combines with other principles which are known as product strategy, place strategy and promotion strategy so that a new set of product can penetrate into market in a short period of time and build customers’ satisfaction. Marrybrown decided to use three types of pricing strategy to introduce our new product: Nasi MarryBrown (Nasi Lemak). We decided to apply discount pricing, skim pricing and market penetrating pricing systems. Marrybrown applies discount pricing in order to increase traffic and attracting new customers. This discounted pricing magnets attention to the product and can be used as a catch to bring in customers who will possibly obtaining other items. We use the skim pricing system to find the ideal price point for our product, which is unique item with unknown consumer demand. Our goal is to maximize potential profits layer by layer until the ideal price is reached. The appliance of market penetrating plan is to gain market share early for Marry Brown. The introduction of Nasi MarryBrown to the market is provided at low end prices in hopes to gain the  attention, loyalty, and market share of the customer base. PRODUCT STRATEGY The product offering, the heart of an organization’s marketing program, is usually the starting point in creating a marketing mix. As a fast food restaurant Marrybrown offers variety of fast foods and other type of food which are uncommon for fast food restaurants. The products are not much different from its competitors like McDonald’s and KFC in Malaysia, especially products are much similar to KFC. The products offered are burgers, desserts, soft drinks, rice, chicken and sea food based menu. As it is mentioned above that Marrybrown operates its restaurants chains in mostly Asia, therefore Marrybrown’s new Nasi Marrybrown is segmented more for Asian customers. This is one of the reasons what makes Marrybrown stand out from its competitors. Especially, following its slogan: â€Å"Something different† which offers offers our new introduced product, despite that Marrybrown fast food restaurants, also offers different menu which are not common for fast food restaurants. The â€Å"Something different† menu are rice and noodle products, and specifically include the new introduced dish: Nasi MarryBrown. The reason for offering Nasi Marrybrown is because it is one of the local favourites and attracts Asians since the restaurants chain mainly operate in Asia. (Yuvaraj S, 2011). Zazali M. (2012) reports that Chan, the restaurant chain owner, says they had to be different, so instead of offering only fried chicken and burgers they also offer locals’ main diches such as Nasi Goreng, Nasi Lemak (Nasi MarryBrown) and Chicken and Satay. She continued claiming that their competitors from US started copying their business module. Moreover, Marry Brown’s the advantages on its products over its competitors offering only halal food in Muslim countries would help the newly introducing product to become marketable as they are halal food. The picture below is the newly introduced product DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY One of the important part of marketing is distribution or place some may say. Without it marketing would be almost impossible. Place or distribution, strategies are concerned with making products available when and where customers want them. Would you rather buy a kiwi fruit at the 24- hour  grocery store within walking distance or fly to Australia to pick your own? We have conducted an interview with an outlet operator of Marrybrown namely Ms Ponnorliza (2014). According to her, Marrybrown has tough time with distribution. Its outlets are not placed in much places needed, which means not many customers are accessible to Marrybrown restaurants. As she mentioned that one of its competitors, McDonalds, is placed almost every 5 kilometres while Marrybrown is hard to find. The picture above also proves that Marrybrown is not popular in many parts of Malaysia compared to its close competitors which are easily accessible. However, making Marrybrown more popular would cost time and more money. Therefore, we came out with the idea that Marrybrown should offer home delivery. Marrybrown does not offer home delivery service now, this is its one of downsides of it. Home delivery to near locations is good choice to customers who find inconvenient to go to nearest Marrybrown restaurants. Usually, restaurants accept orders via receiving calls from customers for delivery services. While Marrybrown should offer online sale which can be used by customers who have a little more time. Online order is more convenient than ordering by calling, because customers can easily choose which product to offer from online menu and they will have unlimited time to choose as well. PROMOTION STRATEGIES As we most of us know that promotion includes advertising, public relations, sales promotion, and personal selling. Promotion’s role in the marketing mix is to bring about mutually satisfying exchanges with target markets by informing, educating, persuading, and reminding them of the benefits of an organization or a product. Ms Ponnorliza (2014) says in the interview that Marrybrown does not do much about advertising on TVs or any other places. However, advertising new product (Nasi Marrybrown) heavily can help to draw attention to them. Since many people watch TVs, commercials on TV would be one of the best choices. Marrybrown should place more commercials on TV about Nasi  Marrybrown in order to attract more customers. Commercial timing is also important, therefore Marrybrown should consider it too. Placing its commercial about the new product before every meal time is the best choice, since people are feeling hungry and they need to eat. In today’s day, as it is information century people use internet, it is also a good opportunity to place web advertisement of the new product on most used websites, especially, social networks like Facebook, YouTube, Tweeter, Instagram and so on. This method helps Nasi Marrybrown to become more noticed. Road banners are also an effective way of advertising. Marrybrown should not forget about this too, placing its banners on the roads where traffic jam is more frequent is a good choice. Because when people are stuck in traffic jams there is more chance that they are paying attention to the advertisements. Especially, traffic jam where occur when people are coming back from their word, due to the fact that most people are hungry when they are coming back from work. Moreover, Ms Ponnorliza (2014) said that they visit and conduct different activities in different places in order to promote their products. This method is also useful and effective in promotion strategy. Additionally, telling about your about the product door to door is also one of effective ways of promoting. It can be done by mailing people’s mailboxes, mails which may include menus of the restaurant and pictures of the new promoted product. CONCLUSION According to our new marketing plan for Marrybrown product, we are planning to make it successful our plan within six months following by our objective. In our marketing plan, we are planning to apply our 4Ps marketing strategies properly so that our product can be selling well and increasing sales 50% in upcoming 6 months. Nowadays Marrybrown is using franchise system and open branches in other countries. So that we hope our marketing plan is going well not only in local market but also penetrating the international market. In conclusion, we hope our new product Nasi Marrybrown to be a best-selling product of Marrybrown in whole Malaysia and even internationally with suitable price. References Academia.edu (2014). Marketing research for Marrybrown. [Online] Available at: https://www.academia.edu/4918251/MARKETING_RESEARCH_FOR_MARRYBROWN [Accessed 18 July 2014] All Free Papers (2012). Missions, goals and values of Marrybrown. [Online] Available at: http://www.allfreepapers.com/English/Missions-Goals-Values-Marry-Brown/26848.html [Accessed 18 July 2014] MARRYBROWN. Awards. [Online] Available from: http://marrybrown.com.my/company/awards/. [Accessed: 29th July, 2014]. MARRYBROWN. Company History. [Online] Available from: http://marrybrown.com.my/company-history/. [Accessed: 29th July, 2014]. MARRYBROWN. Introduction. [Online] Available from: http://marrybrown.com.my/company/introduction/. [Accessed: 29th July, 2014]. PONNORLIZA. (2014) About Marrybrown. [Interview]. 23rd July 2014. YUVARAJ S. (2011). Marry Brown. [Online] Available from: http://www.scribd.com/doc/ 62773399/Marry-Brown. [Accessed: 24th July, 2014]. ZAZALI M. (2012) Marrybrown chain prospering after many trials and tribulations. The Star. [Online] Available from:http://www.thestar.com.my/Story/?file=%2F2012%2F3%2F28%2 Fmetrobiz%2F10997466. [Accessed: 24th July, 2014].

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Illusion vs. Reality A Streetcar Named Desire Essay

Tennessee Williams uses the constant battle between illusion and reality as a theme throughout his play A Streetcar Named Desire. Many use illusion to escape the reality they are living in. This theme is present in all of his characters in different ways. Each character is shown to live their life in either the way of illusion or reality. Harold Mitchell, also known as Mitch buys into Blanches illusions. He is overtaken by her charm, but in the end finally faces reality. Stella who is Blanches sister is always wishing for everything to be perfect with her and Stanley even though he abuses her. She overlooks Stanley’s downfalls to escape her reality. Blanche is the center of all illusion. She fishes for complements and believes she is a step up from all people. Lying to herself and to others allows her to make it seem as if her life appears as it should be rather than how it is. To Blanche the loss of Bell Reve was as dramatic as if she lost her castle. Because of this she pretends that her life in Laurel didn’t occur. She cannot stand the light because she is living in fear that people will notice that she is older and is in denial about it. Each of these characters show how powerful illusion can be. Williams includes specific situations where illusion is portrayed. Such as, in Blanche and Mitch’s relationship. Blanche wants Mitch to want her and creates illusion of what she should be. From this she wants to seem more appealing and lies about her age to him and hides in the darkness she he will not see her clearly. Blanche owns a costume trunk filled with things that are dear to her. Meanwhile, they have no true value. She wears the crown she owns with the costume jewelry and goes through moments where she can pretend she lives the life of a princess to escape reality. Shep Huntleigh is a rich character who works in the oil business whom we never truly find out exists. To Blanche he is a man who she made an escape plan for him to take her and Stella away to Miami. Stella doesn’t want to leave because she thinks Stanley her husband is true to her. In all of these instances illusion plays a key role in a way for the characters to do away with the lives they do not want to be living. Although, not all characters are living in illusion Tennessee Williams does include some who face reality. Stanley Kowalski, Stella’s husband, is strictly a reality based character. He is constantly looking into Blanches real past. He sees through all of her illusions and wants the truth to things. This is proved in the rape scene when Stanley turns Blanche into the victim as she had made herself out to be throughout the play. Eunice the character who lives in the upstairs of the house with the Kowalski’s. She knows how untrue Stanley is to Stella and is always telling her to face reality and not put up with how she is treated like garbage from him. Towards the end of the play Mitch finally overlooks Blanches illusions and begins to question her by telling her how he has never seen her in the light and asks her age. Mitch’s sick mother helps to keep him focused in the real things in his life by having him put aside all other things to take care of the one who cared for him. Escaping your reality and living in an illusion world will leave you blind to the things around you. In some cases, if you are strong enough to withhold from the illusions around you, you may end up in the reality, like Mitch. Both Stella and Blanche found it best in their minds to live in a fantasy but if you live in it too long it can take over your reality.

Friday, November 8, 2019

First-person Narrative and Story Essay Example

First First-person Narrative and Story Essay First-person Narrative and Story Essay There are 2 types of point of view in After Twenty Years. The story is about loyalty and it is indeed full of passion. It describes how important is the friendships in the human relations. In this story Bob tells us how he faithfully kept his promise to come back to see his friend after twenty years based on a promise the two had made with disregarding the choices they have made in life. Even though the author did not give us a lot of details in the story it is absolutely twisted carefully written. I believe it is important to say that the story has a very surprise ending cause I did not expect that the police man would be the friend until the end. The character of the police officer Jimmy remained mysterious throughout the story. Jimmy respects his friend but respects the law and understands that the law is above everybody. In my opinion as a police man I would not arrest my friend and I would ignore the fact I met him and let this Job done by somebody else when am not around. The tone of After Twenty Years is sympathetic as the police officer Mommy) is sympathetic towards his friend Bob and is unable to gather guts to arrest him myself so he end up sending a man in a civil dress to arrest his friend out of sympathy. In this story the commentary is more dominant than the dialogues because more than half of the story is in the form of commentary as bob tells the police officer Mommy) about him and his friend in the form of commentary. In this story the author wants to reveal the story in third person limited, but one who does not see what is in characters thoughts, they speak for themselves. : The purpose of such a point of view is not to reveal everything in the story so easily- it means the tutor wants to keep some suspense it is indeed untraditional story. All in all After Twenty Years is a story about friendship the two friends who were separated by time and have different baths in life. The point of view keeps the reader from knowing the truth until it is time to be revealed, which means complete suspense however it is unrealistic or in another word unbelievable because it rarely happens to arrest your best mate. The story starts off slowly and as soon as the ambiance is set, I was shown an altogether different side of the characters. The language used by the author does cake some time in getting used to and when I started reading the story I unknowingly become addicted to this author. THANK YOU AMA The first impression I took when I read the story is the women character she is evil because the story starts with a large women walking carrying a bag full of hammers and nails but gradually I start discovering how saintly she is. The women have a leadership character and lead the boy in to a real human being who has good things to offer in life . Believe the first person point view is the women she really has a big effect on e and made me understand that people might have some difficulties in life that make the criminals the way they are and made me realize that we can change people and make them have a better lives. There is only one person point of view in Thank You AMA, which is turning a bad person in too good person by given them much more of what they expect. In the story The narrator is only telling us what happens and what has been said in the form of dialogues but we dont know what is going on the mind of Mrs.. Jones and roger the protagonist of this story. (Mrs.. Jones) is a strong dad with a soft heart and good feelings she helped the boy (Roger) to get rid of his bad habits and reforms him. At the start of the story, Roger tries to rob Mrs.. Jones. But instead of turning him in to the police, she treats him with understanding and respect. By doing this, she makes him feel like a good person. She makes him want to act and behave, as when he does not steal from her when left alone with her purse. This is a massive gift, and that is why the story has the title it does. The tone of this story is a mixture of sympathy and irony . At some point she is sympathetic because it alps in reducing the motive behind why humans commit crimes. In showing her sense behemoths behind the boys dilemma and caring for him she has caused him to mirror on his choices and future decisions as she gives him ten dollars to buy clothes for himself, She feeds him with a good supper and gives him a piece of her wisdom. And it is ironic because the boy Roger does not even have enough money to buy shoes for him and has to steal in order to get one. In Thank You AMA the dialogues are more dominant than the commentary because the whole story is narrated in the form of dialogues. In this story the point of view helps us a lot to know about the authors attitude what the author wants us to think is that what will happen next. After Mrs.. Jones takes the boy Roger home the author wants to raise questions in our mind and he wants to play with our thinking, the purpose of such a point of view is to make the story more interesting and enjoyable to read. It helps in revealing the theme of the story because the narrator is only telling us what is going on and he didnt tell us what is going on the characters mind therefore we have to guess it. At the beginning I was thinking why Mrs.. Jones acting this way towards the boy Roger this makes the story more interesting and it really speaks to the boy and to my unconscious mind as a reader. All in all THANK YOU AMA by Longboats Hughes is a story about African-American lady who reforms a boy who tries to steal her purse in to a very important way. She has given him back his integrity, hopes for the future, and teaches him to live with dignity and respect. At the end I have to say that this entire story is a typical Hughes story which talks about the ethics of African- Americans and their lifestyle. THE TELL TALE HEART There is only one type of point of IEEE in The Tell Tale Heart and thats the first person point of view. The story was told to unidentified person I believe it is some sort of confession to an authority. The narrator who insists on his sanity after murdering an old man with a vulture eye the crime is carefully planned, and the murderer hides the body by cutting him into pieces and hiding it under the floorboards. Obviously the illusions that the mans heart is still beating under the floorboards is a major feeling in the murder mind. The relationship between the old man and the murderer is kind of vague. Am issuing the old man might be a relative, or whether the narrator works for the old man, possibly his vulture eye tell us some sort of veiled secret. The mystery and lack of information and details about the characters stand in stark contrast to the specific plot details leading up to the murder. The first person point of view is what makes the story so chilling and interesting. In the beginning of the story the narrator says and insists that he is not mad but as the story progresses his insane view gives the audience a disturbing look into the mind of a mad person and adds to the authors verbal haunting. The tone of this story is sympathetic because the murderer is sympathetic towards the old man he(Murderer)says in one line I loved the old man he had never wronged me for his gold I had no desire I think that it was his eye. The only thing he hated was his eye and the only reason why he killed the old man. In this story commentary is more powerful because the first person narrates the whole story in the form of commentary. The point of view in this story tells us that the author wants to tell the story through one of the characters the purpose in using such a point of view in the story is to create a effect of horror, like when the narrator (Murderer) keeps saying that he is not mad he creates a sense of horror and suspense about the characters.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

The Ultimate Guide to the 28 Main Greek Gods and Goddesses

The Ultimate Guide to the 28 Main Greek Gods and Goddesses SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Few figures from ancient mythology are as popular and well-known today as the Greek gods. You can find them in books and movies, company names and Halloween costumes, and even in space, where tons of astrological features are named after them! But what if you want to know more about the Greek goddesses and gods than just their names and a vague idea of their function? In this article we’ll provide a comprehensive guide to the Greek pantheon, starting with an introduction to the Greek gods and their mythic origins. Then, we’ll do a deep dive on the Twelve Olympians, go over some other important minor deities, discuss Greek gods family tree, the history of their worship, and wrap up with all the places you might encounter this ancient pantheon today! Greek Gods and Goddesses: An Introduction As in many ancient religions, there were hundreds of beings recognized as deities by the Greeks. These deities were mostly associated with abstract concepts like memory and justice and natural forces and features like rivers, seasons, death, and rebirth. There were also gods associated with agriculture and craftsmanship (like shepherding and blacksmithing) and the social order (i.e. marriage, the law). These gods were understood primarily as inexorable forces that governed human existence, but they also had a human aspect. These gods also marry, have children, fight, intermingle with mortals, insult each other, take vengeance, make war, and create great art. They have hierarchical and familial relationships. Mythology shows the gods both hurting and harming both mortals and each other in fairly equal measure, and not necessarily in accordance with modern conception of justice or fairness. To the modern observer, ancient religions can seem truly bizarre. The gods seem petty and irrational- not benevolent or better than humans, but embodying the entire spectrum of human strengths and foibles while simultaneously ignoring human conventions (the Greek gods’ family tree is incredibly complicated- and incestuous). But to the Greeks, the gods were not meant to behave better than humans or judge human conduct; they were simply the absolute forces that ordered the universe and drove all phenomena. Their human aspects simply made them intelligible. Mount Olympus, the mythic home of the Greek gods. Photo by flickr user stefg74. Mythic Origins of the Greek Gods and Goddesses In the Greek view, the main gods of Olympus were far from the original gods of the Universe. In the beginning was only Chaos. From Chaos came four beings: #1: Eros, who represented not only love but the power to reproduce#2: Gaia, the earth#3: Tartarus, the empty abyss beneath the earth#4: Nyx, the night Gaia birthed Uranus, the sky, from herself. Gaia and Uranus then had many children together, who were known as the Titans. Among the Titans were both gods and monsters. Uranus was not pleased with Gaia’s monstrous children, and so attempted to force them back into her womb, causing her incredible pain. Because of this, Gaia had her youngest son, the Titan Kronos, castrate his father with a sickle and cast the testicles into the sea. Kronos then became ruler of the gods. He took his sister Rhea as consort. But as he had overthrown his own father, he feared his children would overthrow him. So he consumed each of his children as they were born. However, with her last child, Zeus, Rhea tricked Kronos by offering him a stone wrapped in swaddling instead. She hid Zeus on earth, where he was raised by a nymph. When he grew to manhood, Gaia helped Zeus drug Kronos and then give him a potion to make him throw up all of his siblings: Poseidon, Hades, Demeter, Hera, and Hestia. With his siblings as allies, he established himself at Mount Olympus and led a war against Kronos and the other Titans. With his victory, he became king of the greek gods and goddesses. He imprisoned the defeated Titan men in the depths of Tartarus. However, he allowed the Titan women to remain above and in fact went on to have children with many of them! He also married Hera and made her his consort. To the Greeks, Rhea, Cronus, and the Titans most likely represented the gods who were worshiped before the worship of the main Olympians were established. The Battle Between the Gods and the Titans, by Joachim Wtewael, 1600 Major Figures of the Pantheon: The Twelve Olympians The number twelve had great symbolic significance to the Greeks, and so there always had to be twelve primary Olympians. This is regardless of the fact that far more than twelve gods lived at Olympus, and some of the Twelve barely resided there if at all (like Poseidon and Hades). Myth holds that Hestia forfeited her place as one of the Twelve when Dionysus ascended Olympus, to keep the correct number. Who was among the Twelve was not always consistent, either- some descriptions kept Hestia and left out Hades, for example. However, the following Greek goddesses and gods were those most commonly named as the Twelve. Zeus Illustration of Zeus by Paul Bransom, circa 1921 God of: Storms, fate and destiny, law and order, kingship; king of the gods. Origin: Child of Titans Kronos and Rhea Usually Depicted As: A strong, mature, kingly man with a dark beard. Symbols and Icons: Thunderbolt, eagle, oak, bull Major Relationships Married to Hera Brother of Hera, Poseidon, Hades, Demeter, and Hestia Fathered many of the Olympian gods: Athena, Persephone, Ares, Apollo and Artemis, Dionysus, and many other more minor gods and demigods. Only Ares was fathered with Hera; the rest were from extramarital dalliances. Major Attributes After Zeus threw down Kronos, he, Poseidon, and Hades drew lots to divide up the cosmos. Zeus got the sky. The earth was considered equally under the mastery of all three brothers. Zeus' primary original aspect was as a weather god; thunderbolts forged by Hephaestus were his chosen weapon. Later, he came to symbolize order, the law, and fate; he was considered more powerful than all the other gods and thus his rule went unchallenged. He had a huge number of affairs with both goddesses and mortal women, and the many children resulting from said affairs. He often took animal form to seduce mortal women. Myths Other than the story of him overthrowing the Titans, most of the best-known myths of Zeus today center around his seduction (or rape) of various women. Here are some notable ones: Leda: Leda was the wife of Tyndareus, the Queen of Sparta. However, Zeus desired her, so he transformed into a swan and either seduced or raped her, depending on the version of the story. Leda also slept with her husband the same night, and then laid two eggs. From one egg came her children with Zeus, Helen (of Troy fame) and Polydeuces (or Pollux). From the other egg came her children with Tyndareus, Castor and Clytemnestra. Europa: Zeus saw and desired the beautiful Europa, a Phoenician noblewoman. He disguised himself as a white bull in her father’s herds. When out with her handmaids, she admired the beautiful bull and climbed atop his back. He seized the opportunity to take her away, swimming across the sea to Crete. After Zeus had several children with her, she married the king of Crete. The name of the continent "Europe" comes from Europa. Danae: Danae was the daughter of a king. This king heard a prophecy that her son would overthrow him, so he locked Danae in a tower so no man could touch her. However, Zeus transformed into a shower of gold, came in through the grates of her tower, and impregnated her with Perseus. The king threw Danae and Perseus into the sea in a wooden chest. Zeus asked Poseidon to bear them to safety. Hera The Peacock Complains to Juno; Gustave Moreau, 1881 Goddess of: Marriage and childbirth, women, and the sky and stars; queen of the gods Origin: Child of Titans Kronos and Rhea Usually Depicted As: A beautiful, majestic matron wearing a crown Symbols and Icons: The peacock, the cuckoo, the pomegranate, the cow Major Relationships Married to Zeus (also his sister) Sister of Demeter, Poseidon, Zeus, Hades, and Hestia Mother of Ares, Eris, Hebe, and Eileithyia, (with Zeus) Mother of Hephaestus (without male intervention!) Major Attributes As wife of Zeus, she was queen of the Greek gods. She was undeniably powerful in her own right, but was not really considered Zeus’ equal; in myths about direct confrontations between them Zeus always emerged the victor. She was considered somewhat stubborn and quarrelsome; she and Zeus had a tumultuous relationship. She was known for tormenting Zeus’ many lovers and so had a reputation for being "jealous." Every year, she renewed her virginity by bathing in a spring at Nauplia. Myths Many of Hera’s appearances in myth revolve around her attempts to torment the lovers of Zeus and the children resulting from these unions. Heracles and the Milky Way: Hera repeatedly tormented Zeus’ child with the mortal Alcmene, Heracles. (Zeus’ attempt to placate Hera by naming the child in her honor was not successful.) She set many obstacles against him throughout his life. One notable story about Hera and Heracles was that when he was an infant, Zeus tricked Hera into breastfeeding Heracles, presenting him simply as an abandoned child. When she realized who he was, she yanked the baby from her breast, and the spray of milk that followed became the Milky Way. Lamia: Zeus took a beautiful queen of Libya as his mistress, and she bore him multiple children. Enraged, Hera killed Lamia’s children and turned her into a monster (typically part-serpent) who devours the children of others. Poseidon Cirta mosaic of Poseidon and Amphitrite, circa 315-325 God of: The sea, flood, drought, earthquakes, horses Origin: Child of Titans Kronos and Rhea Usually Depicted As: A mature, dark-bearded man with a trident Symbols and Icons: The trident, the horse, the dolphin, the bull, the tuna Major Relationships Brother of Demeter, Hera, Zeus, Hades, and Hestia Married to Amphitrite Fathered many children with various mothers; a large number of these children were monstrous in some respect or another. Major Attributes When Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades defeated their father Kronos, they drew lots on who would rule over what, and Poseidon drew the sea. He is thought to be much like the sea: capable of being both majestic, calm, and stormy by turns. Like his brother, Zeus, he was known to have many lovers. He was considered to have the power to give sailors safe passage. He is often credited with creating the horse; he rode around on the surface of the sea in a chariot pulled by magic horses. The Greeks believed that sacrificing a horse would win Poseidon’s favor. Myths Patronage of Athens: Poseidon and Athena were both in bitter competition to become the patron god of Athens when it was a newly-founded city (and before it was called Athens, of course). Athena proposed they hold a content for the patronage of the city: each would present a gift to the city and the king, Cecrops, would judge which present was best and therefore which god would be patron. Some versions of the myth have Poseidon giving the people a spring, which turned out to be saltwater and so useless. Some versions have him creating and gifting the city with the horse. Either way, Athena gave the city the olive tree, which Cecrops deemed the better gift. Athena became patron and the city was called Athens in her honor. Demeter Fresco of Demeter by Cosimo Tura, 1476-1484 Goddess of: All plants and fruit, agriculture, grain, bread, fertility, and newlyweds. Origin: Child of Titans Kronos and Rhea Usually Depicted As: A crowned, blonde, somewhat voluptuous, mature woman bearing grain. Often portrayed with her daughter, Persephone, or in a chariot drawn by horses or dragons Symbols and Icons: Corn, pigs, fruit, poppies, sheaves of wheat, the cornucopia/horn of plenty. Major Relationships Mother of Persephone (by Zeus) Sister of Hera, Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, and Hestia Major Attributes The name "Demeter" has two potential derivations; it could mean either "mother earth," or "giver of grain/barley." She was primarily a Greek goddess not just of nature but of cultivation; she taught humanity how to cultivate grain. As such she was also considered the giver of bread. Without her blessing, nothing grew and people starved. Rather than dwell in Olympus, she spent most of her time wandering the surface of the earth with her daughter, Persephone. Mother and daughter were often worshiped together, particularly as part of the Eleusinian mysteries. This was a mystery cult centered at Eleusis that promised initiates entrance into the blessed paradise Elysium in the afterlife. The contents of the mysteries were closely-guarded secrets. We have a general idea that they were primarily a ritualized presentation of the myth of Persephone, but we don’t know all the specifics. So many details of the mysteries remain a mystery to this day! Many agrarian festivals were held in her honor throughout Greece. Demeter was also a goddess of fertility, and the priestess of Demeter was responsible for explaining the duties of marriage to newlywed couples. Myths The most important myth about Demeter is the myth of the abduction of Persephone- a story that has endured in the popular imagination through the present day. The Abduction of Persephone: The god Hades wished to marry Persephone, but he knew that it was unlikely that Demeter would allow anyone to marry her daughter as it would separate the two. So he petitioned Zeus, who gave him permission to abduct Persephone. When Persephone was gathering flowers with her companions, he came forth from the earth, snatched her up onto his chariot, and descended down with his new bride into the Underworld. Demeter, distraught, searched everywhere for her daughter with the help of the goddess Hecate. But she couldn’t find Persephone anywhere on earth. In her grief, she made it so all crops failed and all vegetation withered. Eventually, the Greek god Helios told her he had seen Hades carry off Persephone. Outraged, Demeter went to Zeus to demand her daughter be returned. Zeus complied because humanity was starving, and commanded Hades to return Persephone to the surface world. Hades did return her. But before that he offered Persephone a single pomegranate seed to eat. Because she had eaten of the fruit of the Underworld, she had to return there part of every year. Thus she spends a third of every year (or half, depending on who is telling the tale) in the Underworld, and the rest of the year on the earth’s surface with her mother. This myth is used to explain the cycling of the seasons: when Persephone is above ground, Demeter is happy and things grow. When Persephone is in the Underworld, Demeter is sad and the earth is barren (so, winter). Hades 16th-century painting of Hades God of: King of the Underworld, god of death and funerals; also considered the god of the metals and riches of the earth and soil Origin: Child of Titans Kronos and Rhea Usually Depicted As: A dark-bearded, mature man; had two commonly depicted aspects: enthroned in the underworld, or pouring earthly riches from a cornucopia Symbols and Icons: Black sheep, cyprus, narcissus Major Relationships Husband of Persephone Brother of Zeus, Poseidon, Demeter, Hera, and Hestia Father of The Furies (sometimes) Major Attributes His name has two possible derivations: one meaning "he who makes invisible," and another meaning "receiver/embracer of all." He became god of the underworld when he, Poseidon, and Zeus drew lots to see who would control which realms of the cosmos. However, he was allowed to ascend Olympus at will, although he did not know what transpired on earth or on Olympus when he was in the underworld. He presided over the trials of the dead. He was considered a chthonic deity- associated with the earth and underground as opposed to the sky or sea. The Greeks considered him somewhat pitiless and he was not well-loved; unsurprising for the god of death! He was also often referred to euphemistically, with names like "Clymenus" (the illustrious) and "Eubelus" (the giver of good counsel) due to Greek superstition. He was also known as "the hidden one" because he had a helmet that made him invisible. Like Poseidon and Zeus, he had several extramarital dalliances; although of an order of magnitude less, it seems. Myths By far the most notable myth about Hades is his abduction of Persephone; see Demeter’s section above for this myth. Athena Athena by Gustav Klimt, 1898 Goddess of: wisdom and reason, battle strategy/warfare, handicrafts, weaving. Patron goddess of Athens. Origin: Was the child of Zeus and Titan Metis. Fearing his child would usurp him, Zeus consumed the pregnant Metis. Later, he endured a "splitting" headache- until Hephaestus split open Zeus’ head with an axe and the fully-formed, armor-wearing Athena emerged. Usually Depicted As: Wearing body armor with a shield and a lance; or wearing a helmet and the aegis, her cape printed with the face of Medusa. Symbols and Icons: The owl, the olive tree, the goose, the serpent Major Relationships Had a close relationship with Zeus; often cited as his favorite child Was in many ways counterparts with Hephaestus, who wished to marry her; she refused Major Attributes She represents logic and rationality to such an extent that she cannot be "afflicted by Aphrodite"- she cannot fall in love. As such, she is a sworn virgin. She is also considered to have a somewhat androgynous aspect. She has a close relationship with Zeus and was thought to sit at his right hand and give her wise counsel when occasion required. As opposed to being aligned with natural forces, Athena is primarily a goddess of civilization. She was considered a force of power and wisdom who protected the law, the state, and social institutions. In many ways she is the opposite of her fellow sworn virgin goddess Artemis. As protector of the state, she also had an aspect as a goddess of warfare and battle; she was considered the goddess of military strategy. This stands in contrast to Ares, who was the god of thoughtless battle-lust. The Greeks took it as somewhat self-evident that Athena surpassed Ares in battle. She was considered, much like Hephaestus, a great innovator and creator of many of the useful crafts used by humankind. Pretty much any carefully-designed invention or craft commonly used for human industry was thought to be inspired or created by Athena. She was notably considered the inventor of weaving. She also created the olive tree. Athena was a particularly beloved goddess by the Greeks; she had many cult sites and they often sacrificed bulls to her. Myths We've already covered how Athena became patron goddess of Athens in the Poseidon section, but there are also other notable myths about her. Arachne: Arachne was a young Greek woman who claimed that she was a better weaver than Athena herself. Insulted, Athena challenged Arachne to a weaving contest. Athena wove scenes of the gods’ glories and triumphs, while Arachne wove scenes of the gods abusing mortals. There is some variation in exactly what happened- some versions claim that Arachne’s weaving was superior, and some that Athena won. However, Athena was enraged by Arachne’s insult to the gods through her woven scenes and turned her into a spider, weaving only webs. Bonus: Want to read more about spiders? Check out our articles on myths of the camel spider and why you shouldn't fear garden spiders. Hephaestus 1497 painting of Hephaestus by Andrea Mantegna God of: Craftsmen, blacksmiths, fire, volcanoes Origin: Typically considered a child of Hera and Hera alone. She conceived him herself, but when he was born crippled, she threw him out of the heavens. He was rescued and raised by Thetis and Eurynome. He was later welcomed back to Olympus after proving his skill as a craftsman. Depicted As: A middle-aged, bearded man with the tongs and hammer of a blacksmith, usually wearing a short-sleeved tunic and cap; sometimes riding a donkey. Sometimes visibly crippled; sometimes ugly, especially in post-ancient depictions. Symbols and Icons: Hammer, anvil/tongs, axe Major Relationships In some ways a counterpart to Athena; he initially wished to marry her but she rebuffed him. Married Aphrodite when his request to marry Athena was denied. Had a somewhat contentious relationship with his mother, Hera Major Attributes Hephaestus is notable for being the only primary Greek god of Olympus with a disability. Aphrodite was not happy to be married to him and engaged in an ongoing affair with Ares. Hephaestus was the craftsman of the gods and made many of their most prized possessions, for example: Hermes’ winged sandals Aphrodite’s’ girdle The chariot of Helios The armor of achilles Hephaestus taught man the crafts associated with smithing and as such was often worshiped in tandem with Athena, who was also associated with crafting. He was also known for his healing abilities; his priests were renowned for their knowledge of healing snake bites. Myths As Hephaestus was often ridiculed and mistreated for his lameness, many of his myths are about shaming those who cross and denigrate him- even the other gods. Aphrodite and Ares: Aphrodite was married to Hephaestus, but they did not have a happy marriage. She had an ongoing affair with Ares, god of war. Helios, the Greek sun god, revealed the affair to Hephaestus when he saw the lovers cavorting together from his chariot above. Enraged, Hephaestus decided to lay a trap. He hung a fine-woven, invisible net above their trysting-place and told his wife he would be gone for some time. When Ares and Aphrodite were in flagrante delicto, the net dropped, trapping them in an amorous embrace. Hephaestus invited the gods to come view his unfaithful wife and her lover. The goddesses declined, but the men went to see. Hephaestus demanded back the bride-gifts he had paid for Aphrodite, but Zeus refused and told him they needed to work out the marital manner themselves. Ares was ordered to pay a fine to Hephaestus. None of this, of course, made Aphrodite faithful to Hephaestus. Aphrodite "The Birth of Venus" by Giorgio Vasari, 1556-1558 Goddess of: Love, passion, beauty, sex Origin: When Uranus was castrated by Kronos, his testicles were cast into the sea. Aphrodite rose from the foam that formed around the testicles. Depicted As: A beautiful, nude woman; or in a clothed, seated style similar to other Olympian goddesses Symbols and Icons: Apple, myrtle wreath, scallop shell, the dove, the swan, the rose, the pomegranate Major Relationships Unhappily married to Hephaestus Had an ongoing affair with Ares Had many children by different lovers, mortal and immortal Major Attributes "Aphros" means foam; while Aphrodite’s primary aspects were related to love and sex, she was also a goddess of the sea. She rescued shipwrecked sailors. She also guarded plants, and was (somewhat unsurprisingly) the goddess of prostitutes. In some regions she was also a Greek goddess of war and considered the lawful wife of Ares; her connection to war perhaps explains the coupling of Ares and Aphrodite throughout myth. She had a magic girdle made my Hephaestus that made the woman who wore it irresistible; she would loan it to Hera when Hera wished to recapture the attention of Zeus’ wandering eye! Unlike most of the other female gods, who tended to have a fairly limited number of lovers, Aphrodite was known for her many mortal and immortal lovers. She was known for her jealous nature; while she was very generous to her worshipers, she was spiteful to those who denied her. Myths Aphrodite myths typically concern her love affairs. Her liaison with Ares and the trap laid by Hephaestus was already described. Other than Ares, her most famous lover was Adonis. Aphrodite and Adonis: Adonis’ parentage is not consistent in myth, but in all accounts his pregnant mother was turned into a myrrh tree and he was born from the tree some time later. Aphrodite was taken with the baby and gave him into the care of Persephone. However, Persephone refused to give the child back. To solve the dispute, Zeus (or sometimes Calliope) decreed that Adonis would spend four months of the year with each goddess and the remaining four months however he chose. He decided to spend eight months of the year with Aphrodite. (It is unclear at exactly what point in the story Adonis becomes a young man and the lover of Aphrodite, but that is how he is typically depicted.) Unfortunately, Adonis is gored to death by a wild boar. In different versions of the myth, the boar is sent by a different god or goddess to take retribution against Aphrodite for some perceived wrongdoing. One of the most famous versions has her immortal lover Ares sending the boar to kill Adonis out of jealousy. Aphrodite hears Adonis’ cries and rushes to his side, where he dies in her arms. She turns his blood into the anemone flower. Adonis was actually a cult figure in ancient Greece and the subject of many mystery cults concerned with the Underworld, resurrection, and immortality. He and Aphrodite were sometimes worshiped in tandem as part of these cults. Ares Mars by Has Thoma, 19th century God of: war and battle (especially bloodlust), but also associated with courage and civil order Origin: Child of Zeus and Hera Depicted As: Either as a mature armored warrior or a nude youth, but almost always with his helmet. Symbols and Icons: Spear, woodpecker, vulture, dog, peaked warrior’s helmet Major Relationships Best-known relationship among the gods was as the lover of Aphrodite Also had many children, some by Aphrodite but most by others. Was accompanied into battle by his children with Aphrodite, Phobos and Deimos (Panic and Dread), and his sister, Eris (Strife) Major Attributes While Athena represented battle strategy and cunning, Ares represented bloodlust and battle frenzy- he enjoyed conflict for its own sake and was known to aid both sides by turns in the battles of men. In addition to battle and bloodshed, he was also said to cause plagues and epidemics. As an agent of violence and chaos, he was not well-loved by his parents or the other gods (except for by Aphrodite). Like most of the other male gods, he had many lovers, but Aphrodite was the most notable one. Because he was an agent of violence and chaos, he was not necessarily hugely popular across Greece. He was worshiped primarily in the northern parts. Additionally, the Spartans believed they were descended from him, and at a certain point in Spartan history he received human and dog sacrifices. He wore a golden helmet and bronze armor made by Hephaestus. Myths Some Ares myths have already been mentioned; he was humiliated by Hephaestus for his affair with Aphrodite, and he killed Adonis because he was jealous of Aphrodite’s love for him. But here’s one other: The Areopagus: The site where criminal trials were held was named after Ares because he was, in myth, the first being tried there. One day he came upon a son of Poseidon trying to rape his daughter, Alcippe. To protect her, he killed her assailant. Poseidon was furious and demanded justice for the death of his sons. A trial was held and twelve gods acquitted Ares, saying his violence was justified. Artemis Diana la Casadora, Pedro Lira, 19th century Goddess of: Nature, wild creatures, hunting and archery, virgins, childbirth, and witches Origin: She was a child of Zeus and Leto, delivered on the island of Delos because that was the only place that would offer Leto sanctuary from Hera’s wrath. Usually Depicted As: A girl or young woman with a bow and arrow, usually with a stag or hunting dog Symbols and Icons: Deer, cyprus, the moon, bear, palm tree Major Relationships Twin sister of Apollo Accompanied by many companions, including the Pleiades Major Attributes Her name is typically thought to mean "healthy" or "vigorous." Artemis is primarily a nature goddess and was often identified with local nature goddesses in her worship. As a young girl, she begged her father to be able to remain a virgin forever; he granted her wish. Priests and priestesses of Artemis took vows of chastity. Artemis protects women and wild animals, especially the young. She was a goddess of the natural world. In spite of her status as a virgin goddess she was also associated with childbirth. Hunting with her silver bow, she wanders the woods with her companions, who are mostly female. Some of her notable companions include the Pleiades, the seven sisters. However, several of the Pleiades did not remain virgins and ended up having children, like Maia, who bore Hermes to Zeus. She was considered responsible for the sudden deaths of girls and women, but could also protect, cure, and heal these things. Her twin brother Apollo was in many ways her counterpart; they had a close and complementary relationship. Some traditions placed them as husband and wife, but this is not the most common interpretation. Myths The most famous myth about Artemis is the myth of Actaeon. Actaeon and Artemis: The young hunter Actaeon came upon Artemis bathing naked in a woodland spring. He was so struck by Artemis’ beauty that he remained to watch and was discovered by the goddess. As punishment for his transgression, she turned him into a stag, and he was hunted down and ripped to pieces by his own hunting dogs. Apollo Rosalba Carriera, Apollo, 18th century God of: Prophecy, the sun, music, poetry, the arts, archery, healing Origin: Child of Zeus and Leto; born on Delos Usually Depicted As: A beardless, beautiful youth (naked or robed), often holding a lyre Symbols and Icons: The lyre; eagles, snakes, crows, cicadas, wolves, dolphins, ravens, the laurel tree, the number 7 Major Relationships Twin of Artemis Major Attributes Apollo was one of the most widely worshiped and beloved Greek gods of Olympus. Like many of the gods, Apollo had a somewhat dualistic aspect; he was both the patron of the most civilized arts, like music and poetry, and capable of extremely violent and barbaric acts. Apollo was a close counterpart to his sister, Artemis. While she was a goddess of wild nature, he was much more closely associated with civilization; she was connected with the moon and he with the sun; while she was thought to be responsible for the sudden deaths of women and girls, his arrows caused the sudden death of men and boys. Artemis had a silver bow, and he had a wooden one. Both gods also had a healing aspect. As a god of civilization, Apollo protects flocks and cattle and the founding of towns. Additionally, Apollo was a god of prophecy; one of the most famous oracles in Greece, the oracle at Delphi, was dedicated to him. And of course, like many of the gods, he was known for his many lovers, male and female- although he was not very lucky in love, with many of his pursuits and affairs having tragic ends. Myths Many of the myths of Apollo center around his unfortunate pursuits of women and men. Daphne: Apollo loved the beautiful Daphne, who had sworn to remain a virgin. He chased her until she could run no more. She cried out to her grandfather, river god Peneus, for aid. He turned her into a laurel tree so that Apollo could not touch her and she could remain forever a virgin. Cassandra: Apollo gave Cassandra, a princess of Troy, the gift of prophecy in an effort to win her affections. When she rejected his advances, he cursed her that no one would ever believe her prophecies. Hyacinthus: The beautiful young man Hyacinthus was one of the lovers of the god Apollo. However, the west wind, Zephyr, also loved Hyacinthus and was jealous. So one day when Apollo and Hyacinthus were taking turns throwing the discus, Zephyr blew Apollo’s discus off-course, causing it to strike and kill Hyacinthus. Apollo turned the dying man’s blood into a flower, the Hyacinth. Hermes Photo of ancient Hermes vase by Nicolas Vollmer God of: Travel and trade, eloquence and insight, luck and the unexpected, athletes, messenger of the gods, bringer of dreams Origin: Child of Zeus and Maia, one of the Pleiades Depicted As: Typically depicted with his winged sandals and hat, sometimes with a sheep on one shoulder Symbols and Icons: Winged sandals, winged helmet, caduceus (a winged staff with two snakes twined around it), rooster, tortoise, ram, hare, crocus Major Relationships In many ways, Hermes was somewhat of a loner god; he interacted with most all the gods but did not necessarily have a close association with any of them However, he did father Hermaphroditus with Aphrodite. Major Attributes "Hermes" is probably derived from "herma," the heaps of stones that indicated boundaries and marked landmarks. As the messenger god, Hermes was both a god of travel and of social communication. He protected travellers and guarded those who crossed boundaries. He had a mischievous, trickster aspect; he was the god of all communication and eloquence, whether it was honest or not. He was frequently able to get away with deception simply because he was so charming! He also guarded thieves and prostitutes. As a figure of craft and cunning, he was credited with many inventions, including the lyre, music, the alphabet, numbers, measures, weights, astronomy, combat, and gymnastics. As a messenger, he was also considered a god of diplomacy and protected embassies and diplomats. He was a god of dreams in his messenger aspect as well. Finally, he was tasked with leading the souls of the dead to the underworld, and was one of the only gods with free passage to and from there. Myths Hermes had a particularly illustrious childhood, engaging in wild feats as soon as he emerged from the womb. The Cattle of Apollo and the Lyre: The day Hermes was born, he left his cradle to look for adventure. He decided to steal 50 cows from Apollo’s herds. Using trickery and cleverness he covered all the tracks so his crime couldn’t be traced. After a long and fruitless search, Apollo finally used his own oracular powers to find Hermes. Hermes denied stealing the cows, but Apollo didn’t believe him and brought him before Zeus. Zeus was delighted with Hermes’ cleverness and did not punish him, only ordered him to return the cattle. When it came time to return the cattle, Apollo found Hermes playing a new instrument he had just made out of a turtle shell- the lyre. Apollo offered to let Hermes keep the cattle in exchange for the lyre. Hermes agreed, and the gods were friends from that moment on. Dionysus Reproduction of plate depicting Dionysus by Arthur Elam Haigh (1896) God of: wine and drunkenness, celebration and festivity, but also madness and frenzy. Origin: Child of Zeus and Semele. Considered "twice-born" because his mother died while pregnant with him after beholding the full glory of Zeus. Zeus saved the child by carrying him to term in his own thigh. Depicted As: Earlier he was portrayed as a bearded man and later as a beautiful, but somewhat androgynous, young man Symbols and Icons: Grapes, the thyrsos (a pine-cone tipped-staff), panthers and leopards, the wine cup, the ivy wreath Major Relationships Married to Ariadne, daughter of Minos, a Cretan king. Lover of Aphrodite; she bore Priapus by him Major Attributes Dionysus was connected with wine, drunkenness, festivity, fellowship, and nature. His cult was also associated with art and literature. However, there was a dark side to his worship, as he was connected also to frenzy and madness- the untamed wildness both of nature and of drink. His entourage consisted of wild spirits of fertility, like the sileni and the satyrs. He was also considered to have power as a prophetic deity and a healer of illness. In his aspect as a nature god he was the protector of trees. He was considered somewhat effeminate or androgynous in nature. The ecstatic nature of his worship attracted many female followers, but was not as popular among men, who were uncomfortable with the female wildness associated with his rites. Myths There are not a huge number of myths centered on Dionysus, but he does feature in one well-known story. King Midas: For King Midas' hospitality to Dionysus’ foster father, Silenus, Dionysus offered the king whatever boon he wished. Midas wished that everything he touched would turn to gold. Realizing that he could not eat or drink and even turning his own daughter to gold, Midas repented of his choice of gift and prayed to Dionysus to take it away. Dionysus told him to wash in the nearby river and the gift would be taken. Minor Gods As there are literally hundreds of Greek gods and goddesses, this is not a comprehensive list. But we have outlined the most notable greek gods and goddesses other than the Twelve Olympians. Atlas- Titan Who Holds Up the Sky Atlas by Guercino, 1646 Atlas was a Titan, the Son of the Titan Iapetus and the Oceanid Clymene or Asia. He was was in the Titan army that fought against Zeus and the Olympians; as punishment he was made to bear the weight of the heavens. In art he is typically depicted as a man holding up the sky or the stars Persephone- Goddess of Spring, Queen of the Underworld The Spring Witch by George Wilson, circa 1880 Persephone was the daughter of Demeter and Zeus; the story of her abduction by Hades was detailed above. Many of her attributes as a goddess revolve around this tale. Her return to the surface world at the end of winter is what caused spring to begin as her mother allowed new growth, and her journey to Hades in the autumn caused plants to wither and die as her mother killed living things in her grief. Thus she became known as a Spring goddess as well as the Queen of the Underworld. She was worshiped with her mother as part of the Eleusinian mysteries and associated with immortality because of her cyclical passage into the underworld and return to the surface world. In her dual aspect as the bringer of spring and the queen of the Underworld, she was associated with both life and death. She is known for either bestowing favors or her wrath on the many heroic visitors to the Underworld in myth. She aided Hades in cursing the souls of the dead when necessary. Sometimes she was known as the mother of the Erinyes (the Furies) with Hades, but not always. She was depicted both as a young agriculture goddess with her mother, with a torch and sheaves of wheat, and as the throned Queen of the Underworld, sometimes besides Hades. Her major symbols are the torch, wheat, and the pomegranate. Eos- Goddess of the Dawn Evelyn de Morgan, Eos, 1895 Eos, Greek goddess of the Dawn, was the child of Titans Hyperion and Thea and the sister of Helios, the sun, and Selene, the moon. She is most notable in myth for drawing the ire of Aphrodite after taking Ares as a lover. The jealous goddess cursed her with insatiable lust, leading her to kidnap a number of handsome mortals. Eros- God of Love, Passion, and Fertility Red-figure plate with Eros by Ascoli Satriano Painter, circa 340-320 BC. Courtesy of the Walters Art Museum. Eros was originally considered one of the very first Greek gods- the son of Chaos who allowed for not only love, but fertility to come into the universe. Through the power of Eros other gods were able to reproduce and the universe as we know it was arranged. In later years, Eros was demoted to a mere son of Aphrodite (with Zeus, Ares, or Hermes depending on the tale) and simply an ancillary assistant to her powers of love, sex, and fertility. Hecate- Goddess of Witchcraft Maximilin Pirner, Hecate, 1901. Hecate, daughter of Titans Perses and Asteria, assisted Demeter in her search for Persephone, lending her torches so the search could continue into the night. When Persephone was found, Hecate remained below with Persephone and became an underworld goddess. Hecate supervised religious rites, was the mistress of demons, and was the patroness of witches. She was accompanied at all times by a black cat and a black dog. Her shrines were found at crossroads, and the Greeks would lay sacrifices at crossroads during full moons to worship her. Hecate was a goddess that most Greeks worshiped specifically to avoid the misfortunes she had the power to visit upon them. Helios- God of the Sun Relief of Helios, circa 390-275 BC Helios, Greek god of the sun, was the child of Titans Hyperion and Thea and the brother of Selene, the moon, and Eos, the dawn. He was sometimes called the "All-seeing" because he was said to see all that passed on earth from his chariot that pulled the sun across the sky. Helios was sometimes equated with Apollo, who was also associated with the sun, but they did have separate identities as deities. Hestia- Goddess of the Hearth and Domesticity Hestia tapestry, 6th century Egypt Hestia was the first child of the Titans Kronos and Rhea, making her sister to Zeus, Hera, Demeter, Poseidon, and Hades. Some accounts place Hestia as one of the twelve Olympians; others say that she abdicated her place in favor of Dionysus so that the number could remain twelve. After both Poseidon and Apollo sought to marry her, Hestia petitioned Zeus to remain a virgin. He granted her request and made her the presiding figure over all sacrifices. She was worshiped mostly with a shrine in every family hearth, as opposed to publicly, but Greeks took the sacred fire of Hestia with them whenever they went to establish new settlements. As she never leaves her home in Olympus, she is also associated with rest and sanctuary. She is closely associated with the family and domesticity. Her symbols are fruit, oil, wine, and one-year-old cows. Iris- Goddess of the Rainbow, Messenger of the Gods Vase painting of Iris by the Diosphos painter, circa 500-490 BC; photo by Marie-Lan Nguyen Iris, like Hermes, was a messenger of the gods. Iris served as the messenger for the Olympians during the Titomachy- the war with the Titans. Associated with the rainbow, she could travel all the way from the heavens across the earth and into the underworld. Se was the child of Thaumus and the Oceanid Electra. Nike- Goddess of Victory Sculpture of Nike at Ephesus, photo by Laszlo Ilyes Nike, daughter of the giant Pallas and the river Styx, was the Greek goddess of victory. However, she did not have her own cult; she was primarily considered an attribute of Athena and Zeus. She was usually depicted with wings, carrying a palm branch, wreath, or staff to carry the message of victory. She later came to symbolize all kinds of success, not just martial victory. Nyx- Goddess of Nyx Nyx, Night Goddess by Gustave Moreau, 1880 Nyx, or night, was one of the four original forces that emerged from Chaos. Alone and with various partners, she bore many deities who functioned as the most primordial of forces. She bore Aether (Brightness) and Hemera (Day) with Erebus (Darkness). Her children that she bore alone included Hypnos (Sleep), Thanatos (Death), Geras (Old Age), the Moirai (the Fates, sometimes said to be borne with Hades), Nemesis (Retribution), Eris (Strife), and the Oneiroi (Dreams). While she was not widely worshiped, her great power was acknowledged; it was said that even Zeus feared her power and majesty. Pan- God of Fertility, Nature, Shepherds, and Goatherds Painting of Pan, Arnold Bocklin, 1864-1865 The child of Hermes and Dryope, Pan was born with the horns, legs, and ears of a goat. When he was born, his mother was so alarmed by his animalistic appearance that she ran away screaming- hence the term "panic." Pan was a god of untamed nature and lusty fertility. He was known for his many amorous pursuits and his pipe-playing ability. Interestingly, many of his goatlike characteristics later became associated with Christian conceptions of the Devil! Selene- Goddess of the Moon Albert Aublet, Selene, 1880 Selene was the Greek goddess of the moon, worshiped primarily at the new and full moons. She was the child of Titans Hyperion and Thea and sister of Helios and Eos. Other than her aspect as moon goddess, Selene is known primarily for her relationship with her mortal lover Endymion, her sleeping prince, who wakes only when she visits him and so never ages or dies. Selene is typically represented as a woman crowned with the crescent moon, driving a chariot. Themis- Goddess of Justice, Wisdom, and Divine Law School of Marcello Bacciarelli, early 18th century, Allegory of Justice- Themis Themis, a child of Uranus and Gaea, was Zeus’ second consort before he married Hera; with him she bore the Horae (the goddesses of the seasons and time). Sometimes the Moirai (the fates) and the Hesperides are also listed as children of Themis and Zeus. As the personification of divine law, Themis was fairly widely worshiped in Greece. She was considered a goddess of order who supervised rituals and ceremonies. She was also connected with prophecy and oracles. Themis is typically depicted as a serious woman carrying scales. 3 Famous Greek Goddess Groups Many minor Greek deities were conceived of as groups of beings, usually goddesses who were sisters. While this is not a comprehensive list, we have identified some of the most important groups of Greek goddesses here. The Furies- Goddesses of Vengance Megaera, Tisiphone, and Alecto by Gustave Dore The Furies (or the "Erinyes," the angry ones) were Greek goddesses of vengeance, possibly identified as personified curses or the ghosts of the murdered. Sometimes they are described as children of Gaia and Uranus who sprang up from the blood of Uranus’ severed genitals, while in other tellings they are the daughters of Nyx and Hades. They reside in the underworld, but pursue the wicked across the surface of the earth. They could torment an entire community for an unpunished crime. They were usually depicted as grim young women wearing black mourning attire. It was only later that the number and identity of the individual furies was established. There were thought to be three: Alecto ("unceasing in anger") Tisiphone (avenger of murder") Megaera ("jealous") Due to Greek superstition, they were often referred to euphemistically as the Eumenides ("the kind ones") or the Semnai Theai ("venerable goddesses.") The Muses- Goddesses of Art and Science The Dance of the Muses by Joseph Paelinck, 1832 The muses, daughters of Zeus and the Titan Mnemosyne ("memory"), were the group of Greek goddesses considered responsible for artistic (and sometimes scientific) inspiration. The were the patronesses of poets, artists, musicians, dancers, seekers of knowledge, and so on. They were led by Apollo and associated with wells and springs. The muses were unmarried but various muses gave birth to many famous mythic figures, like Orpheus, Hyacinthus, and the Sirens. In some early accounts there are only three muses, but the standard number is nine. While the Greeks would have primarily considered the muses a unit, the Romans ascribed specific artistic and scientific domains to each muse, although not in a standardized way. Clio, "the proclaimer"- history Euterpe, "the well-pleasing"- tragedy or music/flutes/lyric poetry Thalia, "the blooming"- comedy Melpomene, "the songstress"- tragedy and lyre playing Terpsichore, "delighting in the dance"- lyric poetry, dancing, and/or flute playing (origin of the word "terpsichorean"- pertaining to dancing) Erato, "the lovely"- lyric and love poetry Polyhymnia, "she of the many hymns"- sacred poetry, or mimicry, or dancing, or geometry Urania, "the heavenly"- astronomy Calliope, "she of the beautiful voice"- heroic or epic poetry; most notable of the nine muses The Fates- Goddesses of Destiny The Three Fates, Bernardo Strozzi, before 1664 Goddesses of: Human destiny About These Goddesses: These Greek goddesses, known as the Moirai, were considered daughters of Nyx or, less frequently, daughters of Zeus and Themis. They determined mortals' lifespans and their shares of misery and suffering and were imagined as three very old women who quite literally spun the thread that made up individual human destiny: Clotho, "spinner"- spun the thread of human fate Lachesis, "allotter"- dispensed the thread Atropos, "inflexible"- cut it (causing death) Greek Gods Family Tree Below see the family tree of the main Olympian Greek gods and goddesses as it is most commonly understood today. However, it’s important to emphasize that the relationships between the gods were not static and shifted over time, sometimes dramatically- as we see with Eros, who was originally considered one of the original children of Chaos and later became a mere son of Aphrodite, no longer one of the primordial forces that shaped the initial universe. On this Greek gods family tree, a single arrow shows offspring, with branching arrows representing siblings. A double line bond means a partnership of marriage and/or children. The pink boxes indicate the Twelve Olympians. The Worship of the Greek Goddesses and Gods Greek worship involved rites, oracles, sacrifices, and festivals. The most formal elements of worship were place-based: gods were worshiped at their own particular temples and sacred sites through specific rites and rituals. Priests (and/or priestesses) to a particular god would oversee the rites associated with that god, which often involved animal sacrifice and the pouring of wine (the libration). Priests and priestesses also interpreted oracles at sacred oracle sites like Delphi. Interestingly, many priestesses either had to be virgins or past menopause. Outside of more formal rites, Greek citizens also offered sacrifices to particular gods to give thanks or to invoke their protection. They might also pray to the appropriate god for a particular concern or issue, and make some kind of offering if they felt the prayer was answered. The other main component of Greek worship was the festival. Festivals centered around music, theatre, and sports (like the Olympics!) were held to honor the gods. Those are some general trends in worship. However, it is difficult to make absolute statements on exactly how specific gods were worshiped, because a lot of worship was very localized. Different city-states had their own preeminent deities, and might worship particular deities in different ways. Furthermore, ideas about the gods and how they were related to each other, especially in terms of marriage and parentage, were constantly shifting over time. Newer gods (for example, from neighboring countries) were often incorporated into the pantheon, and some gods would be combined or fade in eminence over time. Nonetheless, the main figures of the Greek pantheon and the mythology surrounding them were clearly well-developed by around the 8th B.C., when Homer crafted the Iliad and the Odyssey. However, it’s worth noting that just because a god was included in the twelve Olympians does not mean they were widely worshiped- for example, there was very little worship of Hades. Conversely, some very widely worshiped figures were not in the main Olympian pantheon, like Themis. Due to close contact between the Greeks and Romans, the Roman pantheon was very influenced by Greek mythology, and many Roman gods took on the attributes and myths of similar Greek gods. Some Greek gods are also worshiped today, as part of Neo-pagan religions. The theater was often part of religious festivals in ancient Greece. Greek Goddesses and Gods Today The Greek gods continue to be a source of fascination and inspiration in all areas of human endeavor. There have been many operas, ballets, and theater productions based on Greek myth throughout all of history. The Greek gods were a huge inspiration to Romantic and Neoclassical artists and poets. More recently, the Greek gods have inspired tons of movies, TV shows, books, comic books, and video games. Some notable pop-culture works that have borrowed or adapted Greek mythology include: The 1997 Disney movie Hercules TV show Xena: Warrior Princess The 1981 and 2010 films Clash of the Titans Wonder Woman comics The Percy Jackson book series by Rick Riordan The God of War video game franchise Additionally, many astronomical bodies like asteroids and asteroid belts, moons, stars, planets, and comets are named for figures of Greek and Roman mythology. Most of the planets in our own solar system are named for Roman deities, but many of the moons and asteroids are named for Greek deities. For example, the Demeter asteroid belt, Themis, a moon of Saturn, and Eris, a dwarf planet. L. Calà §ada and Nick Risinger, artistic rendering of dwarf planet Eris The Greek Gods and Goddesses: Key Points to Remember Unlike modern gods, who are generally thought of as benevolent and all-knowing, Greek gods personified the forces that organized and drove the world. As such, they were just as often petty and violent as they were just and magnanimous within Greek myth. Within myth, the Olympian gods rose to power after a war with the Titans. The Twelve Olympians were: Zeus, king of the gods and god of storms Hera, wife of Zeus, goddess of marriage and childbirth, the heavens Poseidon, god of the sea Demeter, goddess of agriculture and fertility Hades, god of the underworld Athena, goddess of wisdom, craftsmanship, war Hephaestus, god of smiths and fire Aphrodite, goddess of love, passion, and fertility Ares, god of war and battle frenzy Artemis, goddess of the hunt and nature Apollo, god of prophecy, the arts, music, and healing Hermes, messenger of the gods, god of travelers Dionysus, god of wine, celebration, and frenzy In addition to the Twelve Olympians, there were also hundreds of other gods worshiped throughout Greece. Some were mostly considered aspects or minions of more major deities, while others had robust cults of their own. What's Next? The Greek gods and goddesses may have gotten up to some crazy shenanigans, but they served as inspiration for religions that followed. Learn about the 20th-century's Aleister Crowley and the multiple religions he was involved in here. What is agnosticism and what does it mean to be agnostic? Find out with our guide to the origin of the term and how agnosticism is practiced.