THORThe Mighty God of Thunder

Background Information

• Son of Odin, king of the gods, and Jord, goddess of the Earth

• Married to Sif, goddess of fertility

• Had twin sons: Magni, god of Might, and Modi, god of battle

• Also had a daughter named Thrud

• Thor was the most powerful of all the gods, even Odin

• Served as the protector of gods and humans from evil

• He is the god of thunder and lightning

• Thunderstorms began when he rode his chariot through the sky; his chariot was pulled by the goats Tanngrisni (Gap-tooth) and Tanngnost (Tooth Grinder)

The Weapons of Thor

Mjollnir

The hammer of Thor. No one, not even the gods could lift Mjollnir except for Thor. Lightning flashed anytime Thor threw his hammer.

Megingjard

The belt of Thor. Even though Thor was the most powerful of all the gods, he wore this belt which doubled his strength.

The Death of Thor and the End of the World

RagnarokIn Norse mythology, it was believed that the world would come to an end during a great battle between the forces of good and evil.

Snakes, dragons, demons and giants would arise and attack the gods and mankind.

Many of the gods would die in the battle and the Earth would burn until there was nothing left. Eventually it would be covered in water.

This battle would be called “Ragnarok.”

One of the most terrible monsters to attack during Ragnarok is Jormundgand, a serpent that lived in the sea and was so large that it circled the entire world to bite its own tail.

It would be Thor’s duty to kill Jormundgand

The Final Battle

Once Ragnarok begins, Jormundgand will rise from the ocean, creating tidal waves and earthquakes around the world.

The giant serpent will try to make its way to land, but Thor will be there to stop it.

Thor will battle the monster and eventually kill it by smashing in its skull.

However, Thor will be poisoned by Jormundgand. He will take nine steps after the battle and fall over dead.

The Death of the Gods

With their protector dead, most of the other gods will die during Ragnarok.Even Odin, king of the gods, will be devoured by the wolf, Fenrir.

The fire giant, Surt, will set the world on fire with his sword and end all life in the world.The ocean will eventually cover the Earth until it is reborn as a place of perfection without suffering and misery.

Works Cited

Barbar, Richard. A Companion to World Mythology. New York: Delacarte Press, 1979. Print.

Lindermans, Micha F. “Thor.” Encyclopedia Mythica. Encyclopedia Mythica, 2 Feb. 2006. Web. 11, Mar. 2011.

Willis, Roy, ed. World Mythology. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1996. Print.

Wikipedia or 9th Grader?

Zeus is etymologically cognate with and, under Hellenic influence, became particularly closely identified with Roman Jupiter.

Zeus was called, Jupiter, by the Romans.

Round 1

Round 2

Apollo was the god of prophecy and fortune telling.

Apollo was an oracular god—the prophetic deity of the Delphic Oracle.

Round 3

Athena is portrayed as a shrewd companion of heroes and is the patron goddess of heroic endeavor. She is the virgin patroness of Athens.

Athena is the goddess that protects heroes. The city of Athens was even named after her.

Round 4

Hermes was the messenger of the gods.

Hermes is a god of transitions and boundaries. He is quick and cunning, and moves freely between the worlds of the mortal and divine, as emissary and messenger of the gods,[1] intercessor between mortals and the divine, and conductor of souls into the afterlife. He is protector and patron of travelers, herdsmen, thieves,[2] orators and wit, literature and poets, athletics and sports, invention and trade.[3] In some myths he is a trickster, and outwits other gods for his own satisfaction or the sake of humankind. His attributes and symbols include the herma, the rooster and the tortoise, purse or pouch, winged sandals, winged cap, and his main symbol is the herald's staff, the Greek kerykeion or Latin caduceus which consisted of two snakes wrapped around a winged staff.[4]

Taking notes•The website says this:

Although Hades was an Olympian, he spent most of the time in his dark castle in the Underworld. This Lord of Hell, who was formidable in battle, proved his ferociousness in the famous battle of the Olympians versus the Titans, which established the rule of Zeus.

You write this:

-He’s an Olympian-Spends most time in Underworld-Helped Zeus beat the Titans -Good fighter

You try itHephaestus was the God of Fire and the Forge, the patron god of smiths, craftsmen, sculptors and artisans. He was the weapon maker of the gods and god of metal, fire and volcanoes. His chosen attributes and symbols are a smith's hammer, an anvil and tongs.

Of all the gods, Hephaestus was the only one to be physically ugly, and he was also lame (crippled). But of all the gods, it was the deformed Hephaestus who created the greatest works of beauty.