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Norse (Scandinavian) mythology and Greek mythology have their goddesses, but the goddesses of the Northland were not as treacherous. Their actions weren't exemplary, however. The Scandinavian language came from old German, as did English. It is from the Norse myths and gods that we get Hel, which is "Hell" in English. The Goddess Hel was not the place, Hel. It was a miserable and dark places of torture and anguish.

The most famous treachery by a goddess may have been in Greek mythology. Zeus, the Greek equivalent of Odin in Norse myths, raped his sister, Hera, then took her as his wife. She deserved some revenge, but after a revolution she fomented, drugging and tying Odin with many knots to prevent him from defending Olympus from being overthrown. She failed when Briareus discovered her treachery. After she was hanged from the sky by golden ropes for the night and she repented, her future treachery became more subtle.

Much of Hera's treachery was in response to Zeus's infidelities. They did manage to have a son, Ares, the God of War, known for being cruel and cowardly, and much like his father, he committed adultery with Aphrodite. The animal that symbolizes him is the dog.

Athena was the most virtuous of all gods or goddesses. She was the daughter of Zeus, but she was not born of Hera or any woman. She sprang from Zeus and remained a virgin. She was never accused of treachery or misconduct.

Aphrodite may have been the most beautiful and certainly the most seductive goddess. She was the daughter of Zeus and Dione. She was the goddess of love, desire and beauty. She married Hephaestus, but remained a seductress, using a magical girdle that immediately invoked desire in any whom she chose.

Although Artemis, the daughter of Zeus and Leto, was a virgin and goddess of chastity, she was wild, adventurous, and a hunter. Though animals fear her, and she was a virgin, she is the goddess of childbirth since she was born without causing Leto, her mother, pain during delivery. Her twin brother was Apollo.

I love mythology. I love reading about gods who had human sins and knew what temptation and failure were, firsthand. Treachery, adultery, intrigue and betrayal are rampant among the gods and goddesses of mythology. Greek gods became Roman gods, and became more cruel with time. Norse Gods were not perfect, and loved war, but their goddesses weren't as treacherous or as deceiving as Greek goddesses were. I'm not sure what that says of the people who served them; maybe nothing.

If we think mythology is full of immoral acts by the players, it pales by comparison to the actions of many of the characters in the Christian Bible.

Learn more about this author, Will Kester.
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