M.L. Chambers's Blog
January 7, 2026
Minor Gods
By virtue of their domains either being more specific and therefore worshipped by fewer mortals, or being considered less significant than the domains of the Olympians, minor gods have many times fewer temples and shrines dedicated to them, receive fewer prayers and sacrifices and hold less power and status on Olympus as a result.
Many minor gods attempt to change their fate to overcome this lower status by seemed the favour and patronage of an Olympian.
This Olympian patronage may come in the form of the minor god serving the Olympian in some way. Hera took many minor goddesses as her Ladies-in-Waiting; Poseidon and Apollo took many minor gods and goddesses as lovers; Hestia received many as companions of her Hearthside.
Some minor gods even attempted to raise their status by marrying an Olympian, as in the case of Amphritite to Poseidon, Algeria to Hephaestus and Daphnis as Hermes’ eromenos.
This method of securing honour, privilege and protection for themselves may be looked down upon as gauche by their fellow minor gods.
Other ways these minor gods may try to increase their status is by expanding their influence in the mortal realm. This is done by minor gods sending dreams of inspiration, causing plights natural to their domain or even directly interacting with mortals in the role of a mentor or guide. This is often the role Circe plays as a minor goddess in the many stories in which she appears. However, as seen by Circe’s story, the success rate of this method is not necessarily the best.
So it is far more popular among minor gods to seek the patronage and favour of the Olympians. This is the cause of much fierce rivalry and competition among the minor gods, to the endless entertainment of the Olympians. For all their efforts spent to win the Olympians’ elusive favour is time not spent among the mortal realm, allowing the Olympians to monopolise their presence in mortals’ lives; thereby strengthening mortals’ faith and fervour of their prayers and sacrifices. This creates a vicious circle where the power of the Olympians is ever expanding and the power of minor gods is ever diminished. Do you think some of these minor gods may grow resentful?
Many minor gods attempt to change their fate to overcome this lower status by seemed the favour and patronage of an Olympian.
This Olympian patronage may come in the form of the minor god serving the Olympian in some way. Hera took many minor goddesses as her Ladies-in-Waiting; Poseidon and Apollo took many minor gods and goddesses as lovers; Hestia received many as companions of her Hearthside.
Some minor gods even attempted to raise their status by marrying an Olympian, as in the case of Amphritite to Poseidon, Algeria to Hephaestus and Daphnis as Hermes’ eromenos.
This method of securing honour, privilege and protection for themselves may be looked down upon as gauche by their fellow minor gods.
Other ways these minor gods may try to increase their status is by expanding their influence in the mortal realm. This is done by minor gods sending dreams of inspiration, causing plights natural to their domain or even directly interacting with mortals in the role of a mentor or guide. This is often the role Circe plays as a minor goddess in the many stories in which she appears. However, as seen by Circe’s story, the success rate of this method is not necessarily the best.
So it is far more popular among minor gods to seek the patronage and favour of the Olympians. This is the cause of much fierce rivalry and competition among the minor gods, to the endless entertainment of the Olympians. For all their efforts spent to win the Olympians’ elusive favour is time not spent among the mortal realm, allowing the Olympians to monopolise their presence in mortals’ lives; thereby strengthening mortals’ faith and fervour of their prayers and sacrifices. This creates a vicious circle where the power of the Olympians is ever expanding and the power of minor gods is ever diminished. Do you think some of these minor gods may grow resentful?
