Aphrodite. The name of this goddess of love and beauty means “risen from the foam”. Hesiod related that Cronus, leader and youngest of the first generation of titans, severed Uranus’ genitals and cast them into the sea, and that Aphrodite rose from the resulting foam. She had the power to make any man fall in love with her.
Athena. The "one who possesses wisdom" never had a consort or lover and was known as "Virgin Athena". Some women would say that is wisdom indeed, but she earned her name in competition with Poseidon for patron deity of the city of Athens. Athena offered the king of Athens the first domesticated olive tree, providing wood, oil, and food. Her wisdom is bestowing a gift of such value won her the place of honor.
Artemis. This goddess's name means "bear", and she was goddess of the hunt. When Callisto gave Zeus a son, Artemis was angered and changed her into a bear. When the infant Atalanta was abandoned and near death, Artemis sent a female bear to nurse her. Her chief powers were to heal or to kill, and to guard women in childbirth.
Demeter. The name of this goddess has been interpreted as “earth mother” and “mother goddess”. She was provider of the harvest, and she and Zeus were the deities to whom prayers for good crops were offered. She also had the power to withhold the harvest.
Eos. The name of this goddess, one of the Titans, means “dawn”. Every morning, Eos awoke and opened the gates of heaven, loosing her brother, the sun God, to ride his chariot across the sky. She had the power to give eternal life and did so for her husband but forgot to also give him eternal youth.
Hebe. Eos would have done well to consult this goddess, whose name means either "youth" or "prime of life". Hebe possessed not only the power to restore youth and vitality to aged mortals but also to change her shape to that of any mortal or most animals, to move through the air, and to know all.
