Weapons+of+the+Greek+Gods

The Most Powerful Tools in Greek Mythology
How would you like to have the most powerful weapon in the whole universe? In ancient Greek Mythology the three brother gods: Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades all had weapons that could destroy every mortal on earth. The weapons of the Greek gods were also considered the most powerful tools in Greek Mythology because of their use in creating peace throughout Mount Olympus. So what weapons do the main gods have? How did the gods with weapons choose their weapons? What makes their weapons so special? Zeus was the most powerful god, he ruled over all of the gods and the sky. The weapon of his choice is the thunderbolt; this weapon was the most feared by the gods. Zeus was known for using his thunderbolts on those who broke promises or rules, but Zeus’s thunderbolts were not his only weapon; his armor breast plate was aegis. Aegis is a shield used by Zeus and as stated in the Iliad the aegis was fashioned by Hephaestus. Poseidon only second in power to Zeus is the ruler of the sea and earthquakes. His weapon of choice is the trident; it can shatter objects by just pointing at them. The trident could also cause earthquakes and make the sea to erupt on Poseidon’s command. Hades is third in power only to Zeus and Poseidon; he is the ruler of the underworld and wealth. His weapon is a helmet that turns the wearer invisible. He used his helmet to kidnap Persephone so she could be his wife and the queen of the underworld.

The three brother gods really did not know what weapons they would get because when they first were given their weapons they were fighting their father Cronus. After they defeated their father the brothers drew lots (ballots) to see what part of the earth they would get. Because Zeus drew the sky his weapon was the thunderbolt which is said to be seen by the mortals when Zeus is angry. [|Poseidon drew the sea] and with this lot he was given the trident which can control the sea and cause earthquakes. The reason he had the trident was because sailors used the trident for fishing in the sea. Hades drew the worst lot which was the underworld. He was given the helmet of invisibility. The helmet was given to him when he was helping his brothers overthrow their father Cronus and just what did these weapons represent.

When the brothers were given their weapons they represented what they ruled over and how much power they had. Zeus’s thunderbolt represented the sky, which he is the god of. The thunderbolt also represented Zeus’s power for which he had the most compared to the other gods. Poseidon’s trident represented the sea and because of this trident Poseidon was worshiped by the sailors and fishermen of the sea. Poseidon’s trident is only second in power to Zeus’s thunderbolts. Hades’s helmet of invisibility represented the souls of the dead whom roam the earth. The helmet was the third in power, but were there any limitations to these weapons? The three weapons used by the brothers really do not have any limitations to what they can do. They can shatter objects at will and destroy a city in a second. Really the only limitation is that the weapons cannot be used against any other god/goddess and they can’t destroy each other. When the three brothers drew lots they agreed on one thing, not to try kill or hurt the other. This agreement was broken only once when Hera (Zeus’s wife and goddess) and the other gods drugged Zeus and tied him to a chair. After a servant untied Zeus and he regained consciousness Zeus threatened Hera and the other gods by threatening to kill them with his thunderbolts. So besides the agreement there is really no limit to their weapons. When the fight between the three brothers and their father broke out Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades were given their weapons by the Cyclopes. During the fight only the three brothers were brave enough to fight and with that the Cyclopes created their weapons to defeat their father. After the 10 year fight the brothers drew lots and with their new power they kept the weapons that the Cyclopes made. So no one particularly decided which gods get weapons and which don’t because the decided was last second. Because of this last second decision the three brothers were able to defeat their father, Cronus, and restore peace to Mount Olympus.

So now you know why the weapons of the Greek gods were considered the most powerful tools in Greek Mythology because of their use in creating peace throughout Mount Olympus. The three brothers used their weapons to defeat their father and to protect the mortal humans that worshipped them. According to the data that has been shown the weapons of the Greek gods were the most important part in the success of the gods. The gods would have been defeated if it weren’t for their weapons. Cronus or even the humans could have overthrown the gods if they didn’t have their weapons. So without the information about the weapons of the Greek gods the whole idea of Greek Mythology could have been changed forever.