Taken from "Dictionary of Classical Mythology" by J.E. Zimmerman, 1964,
"Facts on File Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legends",
The Empty Closet, "A Halloween ABC", October 1997,
"Mythology", An Illustrated Encyclopedia, Edited by: Richard Cavendish, 1980.,
"Who's Who in Egyptian Mythology", by Anthony Mercatante, 1978

A, B, D,E, F,H,I,K,M, N,P,V

Amaterasu

(ah-ma-tey-ra-sue) Japanese Goddess of the Sun

Antevorte

Goddess of the Future

Artemis

(aka Diana- Romans) Anatolian/Greek Virgin Goddess of the Wilderness, the moon, and Women. Artemis, among other things, controlled women's menstrual cycles and childbirth. She and her nymphs lived together without men. She has a triad form. She is Latona (the "mother" of Artemis, actually her birth-goddess form); Artemis the Amazon/Huntress, and Hekate as Crone, queen of magic and the night.

Astarte

(as-star-tay) Syrian Queen of Heaven

Astraea, Astrea

(as-tray-ah) Roman Goddess of Justice. Lived on earth during the Golden Age, but the wickedness of mankind during the Brazen and Iron ages drove her to heaven, where she is placed among the constellations of the zodiac under the name Virgo. In English poetry, she is the symbol of innocence and purity.

Ate

(ah-tay) aka Eris, Discordia (Roman), Daughter of Zeus. Goddess of all evil, ingatuation, and mischief.

Athena

one of twelve olympians, born out of head of Zeus, Goddess of Wisdom, skills, warfare

Astarte

(as-star-tay) aka Ashtoreth, Phoenician Goddess of Fertility and Sexual love, also Moon Goddess. Identified by Greeks with Aphrodite and Artemis

Bellona

Roman goddess of war. Some legends say she was the wife of Ares, others say that she was his sister.

Benten or Benzaiten

(ben-ten of ben-za-ee-ten) Japanese Goddess associated with Feminity, love the sea, music and literature.

Bona Dea

(bone-a dee-a) Goddess of fecundity and fertility worshiped only by women. Female counterpart to Pan. She was so chaste that no man but her husband saw her after her marriage.

Buto

(boo-tow)Egyptian Goddess, mother of the sun and moon. aka Latona, Leto (greek)

Demeter

aka Ceres, one of the great Olympians, Goddess of Agriculture, Productive Soil, and Fruitfullness of Mankind, Guardian of Marriage. Mother of Persephone by Zeus

Diana

(dee-ah-nah) aka Artemis, Roman daughter of Zeus by Leto, twin sister of Apollo, Moon Goddess and Goddess of Hunting. Also Goddess of Childbirth (aka Lucina) Patroness of unmarried girls and of chastity. {other names: Cynthis, Delia, Hecate, Luna, Phoebe, Selene}

Dice or Dike

(dee-say or dee-kay) Goddess of Justice: one of the the three Horae (hours, seasons) other two were Eirene (aka Trene), Goddess of Peace, and Eunomia, Goddess of Wise Legislation and Order. As Goddesses of the seasons, produced order in both nature and society. Daughters of Zeus and Themis

Eileithyia

(aka Nekhebet- Egyptian) Greek Goddess of Childbirth. She is the daughter of Zeus and Hera. She is the one responsible for making childbirth easy or difficult.

Erzulie

African Voodoo Goddess of Love. She was formerly a member of the sea-spirits.

The Fates

Atropos (at-ro-pos), Clotho, and Lachesis (lak-e-sis), daughters of Erebus and Nyx. Atropos carries the shears and cuts the thread of life, Clotho carries the spindle and spins the thread of life, Lachesis carries the globe or scroll and determines the length of the thread of life. The fates appear in many works of English poetry.

Freya

Scandinavian Goddess of Love, Beauty, the Earth, female fertility, magick and warriors. She is Sister to Frey. She enjoys love poetry.

Frigg

(aka Saga -"the sayer") Norse Goddess. Divine Mother and Housewife. She was the wife of Odin. Frigg was credited with the ability to see the fate of all mankind.

The Furies

(aka Erinyes or Eumenides also "Children of Eternal Night" and "Daughters of Earth and Shadow")Greek- They were Tisiphone (Retaliation-Destruction), Megaera (Grudge), and Alecto (Unnameable). They were personified as the vengeful moods of the triple Goddess Demeter. (called Erinys "punisher of sinners") When a mother was insulted or murdered, Eriniyes showed up "Like swift Bitches they persued all who had flouted blood-kinship and deference due to it."
Greeks believed blood of a slain mother was infected by spiritual poison, maisma, The Mother's Curse. This would draw Furies to their victim.

Hathor

Egyptian Goddess of Joy and Love. She is the consort of Horus. The Cow is her sacred animal. She is seen standing in the form of a cow upon the earth in such a way that her four legs were pillars holding up the sky and her belly was the firmament.

Hecate

(heck-a-tay) Daughter of Perses and Asteria. The triple Goddess: as Moon Goddess (aka Luna), as Earth Goddess (aka Diana), as Underworld Goddess (aka Hecate or Persephone) {Hecate is one of the eight names of the Moon.}

Hygea or Hygeia

Goddess of Health (aka Salus -Roman)

Innana

(In-nah-nah) Egyptian Goddess of Fertility, Famous lover of Dumuzi, (the true one) God of the Underworld. She Destroyed Dumuzi in order to save her own life.

Iris

Goddess of the Rainbow, Messenger of the Gods

Ishtar

(aka Inanna in Sumerian) Mesopotamian Goddess of Fertility, Love and War. For more info. read about her "Descent to the Underworld".

Isis

(I-iss-sis)Principal Egyptian Goddess, Sister-wife of Osiris, Goddess of Fertility, Wisdom, Magick and life. She knew the true name of the Sun God Ra, and was able to control him though magick. She restored the body of her murdered consort Osiris, and protected their son Horus until he was old enough to avenge his father's murderer. She and her sister Nebt-het (Greek Nepthys) were known as "The Two Ladies Who Are One."

Kali

Tantric Hindu Goddess known as the Great Mother or Mother of Time. She is black and is the Creatrix of the Universe(s) and of all life. In her horrific form she is a wild Amazon ghoul who drinks blood. Yet, she has been revered by mistics as the self-giving, eternal source of mercy.

Kishi-Mojin

(key-she moe-zhin) Japanese Goddess who protects mothers and children.

Kore

(ko-ra) aka Core, Kora, Libera (Roman), daughter of Demeter and wife to Pluto. She was queen of Hades.

Ma'at

Egyptian Goddess of Truth and Justice. She is seen with a feather on her head. This is a symbol of her truth.

Maeve or Medb

Celtic and Irish Goddess of War, Love and Sexuality, Supreme Being, Magick, and Small Size. Irish Goddess of Sovereignty. She became Goddess of Beltane in whose honor the May Queen is crowned and the Maypole dance is held. She has been positioned as Faery Queen.

Manes

(ma-nez) The Roman name for the good spirits of the dead in Hades

Mania

(may-nee-a) Roman Goddess of the Dead, often called Grandmother or Mother of Ghosts, also is Mother of Lares and of the Manes

Mena

(mee-na) Roman Goddess who presides over the monthly menstrual period of women

Meshkent

Egyptian Goddess of Birth. She is present at the Day of Judgement.

Mother Goddesses

(aka Ge, Gaea, Tellus, Terra) Earth, the great mother of all. Two daughters of Gaea, Rhea and Themis have Mother-Goddess attributes

Muta

Roman Goddess of Silence

Naenia

Roman Goddess of Funerals

Postevorta

Roman Goddess of the Past

Potina

Roman Goddess of Children's Potions

The Valkyries

Norse Warrior Maidens that ran for Odin. They were a group of women who presided over battles and chose who were to die. They also brought the souls of slain heros to Valhalla the Hall of Slain Heros. They soldiers would then battle during the day and feast with Odin at night.

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This is a tiny sampling of Goddesses I have read about. There are several books on the market today that have more information on Goddesses and Gods. A good place to look is the "New Age" and "Mythology" sections of your local bookstores. Happy Hunting. Take a look at my "Gods" page. It is under construction still, but coming along.

-Silverfire

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