Hard to make a cheeseburger with no grain for bread and no grass for the cows. When Hades stole her daughter Persephone, Demeter stopped all plants from growing, and people started starving. If you wanted to eat, you had to make sure you kept on Demeter’s good side. As long as the crops were growing and the farmers were happy, Demeter was content. Then: Demeter was one of the quieter goddess. She should’ve married the god of doctors! He’s still not good enough for Persephone. Now: Demeter divides her time between the upper world, where she oversees the growing season and produces commercials encouraging people to eat more cereal products (part of a balanced breakfast!), and the Underworld, where she visits her daughter Persephone and plays the wicked mother-in-law to Hades, who kidnapped her poor little daughter eons ago. Symbol: pomegranate, cow (the motherly animal – no comments, please!), peacockĭistinguishing Features: The goddess prefers simple dresses of green or gold, though you can often find her in gardening clothes. If an old woman asks you to carry her piggyback across a river, do it. She was the enemy of Heracles and many others, though she did have a soft spot for mortal heroes, like Jason. Hera has no patience with demigods, the children of godly affairs. Then: It’s tough to be the goddess of marriage in a family where everyone cheats on everybody. She’s likely to smash you into the ground. When Hera is mad, she doesn’t just ground you. As the goddess of family, Hera will be happy to pack your lunch or comb your hair or give you a ride to school, but don’t talk back to her. That strange woman you saw at Laser Quest, serving pizza and singing Happy Birthday? Yes, that was probably her. Now: She hangs out where family life is strongest: the car pool line at school, weekend soccer games, and birthday parties. She usually appears as a beautiful older woman, and enjoys turning into birds when she needs to hide or spy.
Goddess of Marriage, Mothers and Families (Hair’-ah)ĭistinguishing Features: Usually prefers classic Greek dresses and a simple silver crown, though she can blend in as needed.