When someone says that he is in the "Olympus of the gods" he means that he is superbly cared for, resting, as if he were floating among clouds. However, it also has other meanings: it applies to those who have managed to reach the highest position and to those who have risen in such a way that they no longer see reality. These meanings come directly from the Greek mythology since this was the place that the ancient Greeks believed inhabited by the gods: a peak among clouds, the highest and most inaccessible place in all Greece, where everything was lazy and lived "divinely". In Supercurious we want you to accompany us to know What is Olympus and Everything you want to know about the Home of the Gods.
What is Olympus: know the Home of the Gods
Olympus means "the luminous" and comes from the Greek word "λυμπος" (Ólympos). It is the highest mountain in Greece (2,919 m.) And therefore it is not surprising that the ancient Greeks made it home of the gods of Olympus. They thought that from that height, the gods looked out and decided the fate of humans.
To know what Olympus is, we must go back to war between the ancient gods, the titans, and the new gods captained by Zeus known as the Titanomachy. The ancient Greeks believed that during one of those epic battles Mount Olympus was formed in the area of Thessaly and at the end of the war the young gods decided to found their home on the summit of that summit, which they called Olympus. Was perfect to be the abode of the gods since a crown of clouds hid it from human eyes.
1. What is Olympus
Olympus is the home of the most important Greek gods . What is Olympus is answered by the characteristics with which the Hellenic myths described it: a place with a pleasant temperate climate and surrounded by forests and ravines that contained a city. That divine place had a door, built by Hephaestus, so that the gods could enter and leave and that entrance was guarded by "the hours" that were the goddesses of order, seasons and justice.
Each of the gods had his palatial mansion in Olympus . They were built with marble, glass and gold, but the most sumptuous was the palace of Zeus. The tables in that place were made of gold and moved like automatons between the rooms, in addition it was the Pantheon, which was the hall where the gods met. Every day they met to decide the fate of mortals and celebrate parties. His drink was nectar and his food ambrosia.
Humans were prohibited from accessing Olympus and there is a myth that explains the story of a hero, Bellerophon , who was the son of Poseidon and a mortal. He wanted to reach Mount Olympus riding his brother the horse Pegasus . However, Zeus to prevent it nailed a sting to Pegasus who unhorsed his rider throwing him into the void. Although Bellerophon survived the fall, he became blind and lame and ended up wandering alone across the plains at the foot of Mount Olympus. Pegasus went up to heaven, so high that it became a constellation.
2. The Gods of Olympus
Those who lived on Mount Olympus were the 12 gods of Olympus . Although their names have varied over the centuries and some were substituting others, it is considered that the 12 main ones are: Zeus and his wife Hera, Athena, Poseidon, Artemis, Apollo, Demeter, Hester, Aphrodite, Hermes, Hephaestus and Ares.
If you want to know more about these 12 gods and other Greek deities, do not miss our entry on the Greek gods and gods of Olympus . And if you are interested in knowing some specific divinity, you may find it among our following proposals:
- Hades and Persephone : knows thoroughly the myth of Persephone and its rapture.
- Who is Athena : all about the goddess of peace, wisdom and justice.
Persephone was on Mount Olympus two thirds of the year and at the foot of Mount Olympus they lived muses that they were daughters of Mnemosyne and Zeus. On one occasion, Olympus was attacked by Typhoon, a monstrous being with a hundred heads spitting fire. All the gods fled except Zeus, Athena and Dionysus. Zeus finally defeated the monster by throwing 100 lightning bolts and sending it to Hades.
3. What is your relationship with Mount Olympus?
As we have seen, the Greeks believed that Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece It was the place where the Olympian gods lived. It is located in the region of Thessaly and consists of 52 peaks. The highest one, the Mytikas peak, was where Zeus was believed to live. Since 1938, Mount Olympus is a National Park, the first that Greece had. It is famous for its rich and varied flora which has made it a "World Biosphere Reserve". As a curiosity we will add that the mountain remained unexplored until August 2, 1913, when it was crowned by three climbers.
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If you enjoyed discovering what Olympus is, let us recommend you our article about Short Greek myths , where you will know the most epic stories of the different deities. Do not miss them!
Somehow, Olympus was for the ancient Greeks something like heaven, but unattainable by humans. In the world there are 18 mountains with that name . Did you know what Olympus is? Do you know any interesting information about him? Share it with us!