Names of the Gods

As a public service, Daitalês would like to present the ancient (reconstructed) pronunciations of the names of some of the Greek gods, and some of their epithets.

Ancient Greek distinguishes between the nominative case, used when the name is the subject of a sentence (Ζεύς ἐστίν οἱ ὄρχεις - Zeus is the balls) and the vocative case, used when the named person is addressed (Ζεῦ, σύ εἶ οἱ ὄρχεις - Zeus, you are the balls). If the vocative has a different form than the nominative, it is shown on a separate line. Epithets are always presented in the vocative case.

Long vowels are underlined. Unlike English long vowels, the pronunciation does not change, but the length of time is doubled.

Accent shows a change in musical pitch, not stress. A rising accent shows the pitch rises on that vowel, and it drops back down on the next one. A circumflex shows that the pitch rises and drops all on the same long vowel. A dropping accent shows that the pitch does not rise

A small font "h" shows an aspiration pronounced as part of the preceding consonant.

 Greek Name Pronunciation Translation
Hestia
 Ἑστίᾱ (hes-teé-a) Hestia
Zeus
 Ζεύς (zdeús) Zeus
 Ζεῦ (zdeû) (vocative)
 Κρονίδη (kro-neé-de) Son of Kronos
 Ὀλύμπιε (o-loóm-pee-e) Dwelling on Olympus
 Ζεῦ Πίλιε (zdeû peé-lee-e) Zeus of Friendship
 Ζεῦ Μειλίχιε (zdeû mei-leé-khee-e) Gracious Zeus
 Ζεῦ Σωτήρ (zdeû so-tér) Saviour Zeus
Hera
 Ἥρᾱ (hé-ra) Hera
 Ἀκραῖα (a-kraî-a) Dwelling on Heights
 Χρυσόθρονε (khroo-só-thro-ne) Golden-Throned
 Βοῶπι Πότνια Ἥρᾱ (bo-ô-pee pó-tnee-a hé-ra) Ox-Eyed Queen Hera
Demeter
 Δημήτερ (de-mé-ter) Demeter
 Εύχομον (eú-kho-mon) Rich-Haired One
 Εύχλοος (eú-khlo-os) Fresh and Green One
 Ξανθοό (ksan-tho-ó) Yellow One
Poseidon
 Ποσείδων (po-seí-don) Poseidon
 Πόσειδον (po-seí-don) (vocative)
 Ἐρεχθεῦ (er-e-khtheû) Erekhtheus
 Ἱπποδρόμιε (hip-po-dró-mee-e) Of the Horse-Race
 Ἐνοσίχθων (e-no-seé-khthon) Earth-Shaker
Aphrodite
 Ἀφροδίτη (a-phro-deé-te) Aphrodite
 Ἀκραῖα (a-kraî-a) Dwelling on Heights
 Ἀφροδίτη Οὐρανία (a-phro-deé-te ou-ra-neé-a) Heavenly Aphrodite
 Ἀφροδίτη Πάνδημε (a-phro-deé-te pán-de-me) Licentious Aphrodite
Ares
 Ἄρης (á-res) Ares
 Ἄρες (á-res) (vocative)
 Ἄρες Πολισσόε (á-res po-lees-só-e) Ares Saviour of Cities
 Χρυσεοπήληξ (khroo-se-op-é-lex) Golden Helmed One
Hephaistos
 Ἥφαιστος (hé-phai-stos) Hephaestus
 Ἥφαιστε (hé-phai-ste) (vocative)
 Κλυτοτέχνης (kloo-to-té-khnes) Famed-Craftsman
Athena
 Ἀθηναία (a-the-naí-a) Athena
 Ἀθηναίη (a-the-naí-e) (vocative)
 Ἀθηνᾶ (a-the-nâ) Athena (alternate)
 Ἀθήνη (a-thé-ne) Athena (alternate)
 Παλλά Ἀθηναία (pal-la a-the-naí-a) Pallas Athena
 Γλαυκόμματε (glau-kóm-ma-te) Gray-Eyed One
 Παρθένε (par-thé-ne) Virgin Goddess
Artemis
 Ἄρτεμις (ár-te-mees) Artemis
 Ἄρτεμι (ár-te-mee) (vocative)
 Πότνια θηρῶν (pó-tnee-a the-rôn) Queen of Wild Beasts
 Ἀγροτέρα (a-gro-té-ra) Huntress
 Ἄρτεμι Σῶτειρα (ár-te-mee só-tei-ra) Saviour Artemis
Apollon
 Ἀπόλλων (a-pól-lon) Apollo
 Ἀπόλλον (a-pól-lon) (vocative)
 Φοῖβε (phoî-be) Radiant One
 Ἀπόλλον Παιᾶν (a-pól-lon pai-án) Apollo Paean
Hermes
 Ἑρμῆς (her-mês) Hermes
 Ἑρμῆ (her-mê) (vocative)
 Ἐριούνης (e-ree-oú-nes) Speedy One
 Τύχον (toó-khon) Luck-Bringer
Dionusos
 Διόνῡσος (dee-ó-noo-sos) Dionysus
 Διόνῡσε (dee-ó-noo-se) (vocative)
 Βάκχε (bák-khe) Bacchus
 Ἐλευθέριος (e-leu-thé-ree-os) Deliverer
 Γυναιμανές (gu-nai-ma-nés) Inspirer of Frenzied Women