Limericks about Greek Gods

When it comes to understanding humans, our planet, and the universe, I think it’s safe to say that the Ancient Greeks were way ahead of the curve. Without telescopes, microscopes or smart phones, they pretty well calculated the size of the earth, the motion of the stars, the notion of the atom and the theory of music. They also came up with some marvelous theories about the mind, the soul and the origins of the cosmos.

All this takes us back about 2,500 years. But it’s the mighty gods of Mount Olympus who cast the longest shadow across Western Civilization. Even 2,000 years of crusading Christianity haven’t been enough to erase the pantheon of Greeks gods from the human psyche. Psyche, after all, is just another Greek goddess. And, if you recall, those zealous Christians actually managed to erase a formidable share of the competition.

But you can read about all that elsewhere. Let’s get to the limericks.

The Gods

The Romans called him Saturn. Others call him father time. He’s where we get words like chronological and synchronicity. Cronus is such a towering—dare I say titanic?—figure, that I had to write more than one limerick about him. To refresh your memory, he castrated his own father Uranus, permanently dividing heaven and earth. He then tried to swallow his own children so they wouldn’t bring a similar fate to him. But no one escapes the procession of time, not even Cronus himself.

     King Kronos
     An Olympian Grecian called Cronus
     Accepted a perilous onus
               Avoiding a pickle
               By waving his sickle
     He swallowed his kids for a bonus

     Challenging Cronus
     On Crete there’s a bright guiding lantern
     Enlightening a time-proven pattern
               Providing assistance
               On the path of resistance
     So like Zeus we can overcome Saturn

     Trial by Fire
     Drop in on Hades for left-handed learning
     Not to say Hell where the wicked are burning
               It’s not for the dead
               But ye heroes instead
     When you rise and return you’ll be twice as discerning

     Mercury Rising
     The messenger roaming from Athens to Crete 
     Patron of merchants and guide of the fleet
               Conveyor of souls
               Who moves between poles
     Here he comes, Hermes, with wings on his feet

     Apollo & Daphne
     The heroic Hellenic Apollo
     Found Daphne appealing to follow
               But after a quarrel
               She turned to a Laurel
     Her fate wasn’t easy to swallow

     Prometheus
     There once was a Titan with special desire
     To teach humankind and endow them with fire
               But some gifts are tainted
               So don’t get acquainted
     With powers that promise to raise you much higher

     Janus
     Observing the faces in either position
     Janus is honored in times of transition
               His effigy stays
               And under his gaze
     He guardedly watches the door of admission

The Goddesses

     Nemesis
     There’s always a goddess of Rhamnous observing
     The habits of hubris she finds so unnerving
               While not in a hurry
               She strikes with a Fury
     Punishing only the proud and deserving

     Gift of the Magi
     Blessings to Hekate, all three of her faces
     She rules from afar, to those hard-to-reach places
               Succumb to her charm
               She’ll do you no harm
     Give thanks to the goddess and garner her graces

Further Reading

If you liked these limericks about Greek Gods, you’ll be sure to enjoy:

• Limericks about Greek Myths and Heroes
• Limericks about Near Eastern Mythology
• Limericks about Astrology
• Limericks about Goddesses
• Limericks about Greek Philosophers
• What is a Limerick?