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Achilles was the son of Peleus and
Thetis. After Achilles was born, Thetis dipped him in the river Styx to protect
him from all harm, but his heel was not touched by the water and left it
unprotected. In the Trojan war, Achilles was shot in the heel and killed.
Ascelpius has a strange life
story. When he was born, he was interested in becoming a doctor and when he was
older, he did become one. He had a lot of fun with this kind of job and he was
also good at it. He was so good, that he was able to restore lives from the
dead. Some say that Athena, his aunt came to his office and gave him two vials
of gorgon blood. One would kill anyone, and the other would restore them to
life. Ascelpius said he only needed the second one, for the first would do him
no good. Others say he had so much talent, he brought people back to life on his
own. In fact, he brought so many people back from the dead, that Hades began to
be angry with him. He was stealing his patients right back from the gate of
Tartarus.
Hades complained
about Ascelpius to his brother Zeus. Zeus agreed to stop Ascelpius. He did this
by throwing a thunderbolt at him, which killed Ascelpius and a patient. When
Apollo heard of this, he was enraged. He went to Olympus and there he slew all
the Cyclopes that had forged the thunderbolt. Upon hearing of this, Zeus
banished Apollo to Tartarus. But Athena pleaded with Zeus so much that Zeus
eventually agreed to restore Ascelpius and his patient, and to bring Apollo
back. However, he suggested Ascelpius be more tactful about his cures and be
careful about offending the gods.
Later on in Ascelpius'
life, Apollo asked Zeus if Ascelpius could be given eternal life. Zeus agreed
and Ascelpius was brought to Mount Olympus, where he was fed ambrosia and nectar
and then became immortal.
Aeolus was the Greek god of the wind.
He lived on one of the Aeolian Islands which were named for him. He kept the
wind inside a cave and released it whenever he pleased.
Aeolus was an important character in the epic The Odyssey. He gives Odysseus a
leather bag containing wind that would prevent Odysseus from sailing home.
Odysseus' crew opened the bag and the ship was blown off course.
Greek and Roman
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Aphrodite (Venus)
was the goddess of love and beauty. Father: None Mother: None Children: Eros,
Deimos, Phobos, Harmonia, Hermaphroditus, Eryx (a Sicilian king), Aeneas. She
was married to Hephaestus. In some myths, Eros (Cupid) was her son. Her other
son was Aeneas.
Aphrodite, Hera, and Athena (Venus, Juno, and Minerva) all claimed the golden
apple, a prize awarded to the most beautiful goddess. To settle the argument,
Paris was chosen to award the prize. He chose Aphrodite.
Aphrodite is the only character in Greek mythology not to have a mother or
father. She is said to have indirectly been born of Oranos, however. She was
born during the primal murder, when Cronus murdered his father, Oranos, and
threw his body into the sea. From the foam rose a beautiful maiden standing
naked and dripping on a seashell. Wherever she stepped, flowers bloomed and
beach sand turned to green grass. She went to Mount Olympus, and Hera
immediately decided that Aphrodite should marry. So Zeus gathered all the gods
and asked that they make their suit, and that Aphrodite would choose her own
husband. Now, Hepheastus had been promised by Hera to have Aphrodite as his
bride if he came back to Olympus. So Hera told him exactly what to say when it
was his turn to make his suit.
Now all the gods offered
amazing gifts. Poseidon offered grottos, riddles, and fine undersea treasures.
He also pointed out that since she was born of the sea, that she belonged to
him. Hermes offered to make her queen of the crossroads where all must come, so
she would know every secret in the world. All the other gods made their suits in
turn. Finally, it was Hepheastus' turn. "I would make a good husband for a girl
like you. I work late." Aphrodite chose Hephaestaus.
Apollo was the god of light, purity,
and the sun. He was the son of Zeus and Leto. His twin sister was named Artemis.
His father was Zeus and mother was Leto and children were Ascelpius and
Phaeton. He wore a long shirt of golden panther skin and carried a golden bow
and quiver. He also wore a wreath of laurel leaves around his head. He also
drove Helios' sun chariot across the sky. He had an even temper. He preached
moderation in all things and owned an oracle at Delphi.
When Apollo first received his bow and arrows he ran down the side of Mount
Olympus to kill the serpent Python. Python had tormented his mother, Leto, and
had stolen and eaten little children. When he reached the bottom of Mount
Olympus, the Dryads (tattletales) told Apollo that Python was near Mount
Parnassus. He there found Python and shot him with an arrow. When Apollo arrived
to where the serpent had been, all he could find was a trail of blood. This
trail led to Delphi. At Delphi, Apollo found that Python was hiding in a cave in
which Apollo could not follow. To drive the serpent out of the cave, Apollo
breathed on the arrows and shot them into the cave as quickly as possible. When
the arrows hit the wall they burst into flames. When the smoke filled the cave,
the serpent had to come out. As the serpent came out of the cave, Apollo shot
many arrows into Python until he died. He next skinned the snake and saved the
skin for a prize. The place where Apollo had killed Python was where the gods
and others came to hear the priestesses, of the oracles of Mother Earth,
prophesy. Mother Earth became angry and told Zeus about this. Apollo then said
that he would make up for it. Next Apollo developed the Pythian games in Delphi
(Pythian games being named after Python).
Once Apollo, the
god of light and music and more was in a contest. He heard of a satyr named
Marsyas getting too much fame for his music. So Apollo challenged him to a
playing contest. The winner would give the loser a punishment in which he had to
fulfill. The Muses were going to be the judges. Apollo played his lyre (which he
often played for the other gods) and Marsyas played his flute. They both played
exceptionally and without fault. When this happened, Apollo said to play the
instrument upside down while singing. Apollo went first and played and sung a
song praising the Muses. Marsyas knew he had lost because he knew that you can't
play a flute upside down or sing while playing it. When Marsyas was proclaimed
loser, Apollo skinned him alive and nailed him to a tree. A river then came up
from the tree's roots. That river was named Marsyas and is still called by that
name today.
Apollo
Athena (Minerva)
was the goddess of warfare and wisdom. At birth, she sprang full-grown and
dressed in armor from the forehead. Her father was Zeus and mother was Metis.
She had no husband or children. She also was the goddess of handicrafts and
strategy. She did not like to fight, but when forced to, she always won. She
hated Ares and took pleasure in thwarting him on the battle field.
The founding of
Athens
Before humans had settled Greece, cities were to be established and city patron
gods and goddesses decided upon. But there was an argument over a certain plot
of land in southern Greece, located next to the harbor. Everything was just
perfect. In fact, it was so perfect that both Poseidon and Athena wanted it to
be named after them. So Zeus told the entire Olympian company to come down to
Athens. Both Poseidon and Athena were to give a gift to the city. The better
gift would win the city.First, Poseidon gave a gift useful in war (exactly what
it was I don't know). The gods were impressed. They said, "If you win, the city
shall be called Posideonia. But if Athena should defeat you with a better gift,
the city will be named Athens. Then Athena gave her gift. It was an olive tree.
The gods found this more useful than a war gift and so awarded the olive tree to
the city, named it Athens, and gave Athena the duty of being the patron goddess
of the wonderful place.
Athens grew to be a wonderful city. The Partentheon was built there, a temple
worshipping Athena. It was the only Greek city, and the first city, to have a
democracy instead of king and queen. Its only unlucky statistic was that it was
unlucky in naval battles. This was because Poseidon was jealous for not having
the city named Posiedonia and put into his care.
Because of Athens'
great qualities, other cities and countries wanted it for themselves. This led
to the Battle of Marathon, involving the Athenians defending themselves against
the dreaded Persian army.
Athena was very skilled in spinning and weaving. A mortal named Arachne once
challenged Athena to a weaving contest. Many various myths disagree who won, but
the outcome is the same. Athena turned Arachne into a spider so she could spend
the rest of her life spinning.
Aes (Mars) was the
god of war. He was the son of Zeus and Hera (Jupiter and Juno). Ares showed the
most violent and brutal parts of war. Many Greeks did not respect Ares for these
traits. He was strong and loved bloody incidents. Ares loved many women, but
Aphrodite (Venus) was the most famous of his lovers. Together they had Eros
(Cupid). Ares was the father of the Amazons.
Ares was caught committing adultery with Aphrodite. Aphrodite's husband,
Hephaestus, publicly ridiculed Ares.
Greek and Roman
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Artemis (Diana)
was the goddess of childbirth and hunting. Artemis was the daughter of Zeus
(Jupiter) and Leto (Juno). Apollo was her twin brother. Artemis was a goddess.
She demanded all of her followers to dedicate themselves to purity.
King Oeneus of Calydon was having his annual sacrifice to the gods, and forgot
Artemis. In return, Artemis brought the largest, most savage boar ever seen to
him. The boar killed men, animals, destroyed crops, and forced people away form
their homes. The city faced starvation until the boar could be ceased. The King
told everyone in the city that if they could catch the boar, they could win the
skin as a prize. Many Argonauts including the king's son Meleager, tried to
catch the boar. Also came the huntress Atlanta. Because of Atlanta's presence,
many didn't want to hunt because she was a women. The king forced the rest of
them to accept her. Everyone thought that Meleager was in love with Atlanta.
When the boar was found, many hunters were found dead also. Peleus threw a
javelin at the boar, accidentally hitting and killing his friend Eurytion.
Atlanta hit the boar drawing the first blood with one of her arrows. Amphiaraus
scored next. Then Meleager finished the boar. A quarrel broke out in who would
win the skin prize, resulting in Meleager killing his own uncles which would
result in his own early death.
Asclepius (Asculapius)
was the god of healing. His father was Zeus (Jupiter) and his most famous child
was Hygeia. The medical profession adopted his sign, a snake wrapped around a
staff.
Asclepius father, Apollo, taught him the art of health. But he misused the gift
by trying to revive a dead man. Zeus, the ruler of the gods, struck him dead and
sent him to Hades.
Atalanta was abandoned by her
father, who wanted a son, and became a great heroine. She didn't want to marry,
but decided to get married to any man who could beat her at a race. The Goddess
of Love gave out magical apples to the people on the race course. Atalanta could
not resist them long enough to be interested in the race. She lost the contest
destined husband.
Atlas was the son of Lapetus and
Clymene. Unlike his brother Prometheus, Atlas fought for Cronus in the battle
against Zeus. When Cronus was defeated, Atlas' punishment was to hold the world
on his shoulders.
Once Hercules asked Atlas for help in taking the apples of Hesperides. Atlas
went to get the apples, leaving Hercules to hold up the sky. When he returned ,
he refused to take back the world, but Hercules deceived Atlas and made him take
back the word.
Bacche was one of the five Nymphs who
looked after the infant Dionysus on Mt. Nysa. The Nymphs were called Bacchants;
their later name was used to describe followers of Dionysus.
Cyclops is a one-eyed giant that
built Olympus for the gods. The Cyclops who was named Polyphemus, almost
devoured Odysseus and all of his shipmates while they were returning from the
Trojan War.This gigantic goatherd dined on greeks for nights on end before the
hero, who shall be nameless, thought to poke out the Cyclops eye.(HOW SMART!)
Greek and Roman
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Charon was the son of Erebus and Nyx.
He was the old boatman of the underworld. He sent the spirits of the dead across
the rivers of the underworld. Greeks were buried with a coin in their mouths as
a payment to Charon.
Cronus (Saturn)
Jupiters Father. (Ancient Italian Deity) His father was Oranos and mother was
Gaea. His wife was Rhea. Children were Zeus, Demeter, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, and
Hestia. Cronus was the king of the gods before Zeus took over. He was a cruel
father and swallowed five of his children because he was afraid that the
prophecy would come true that he would be de-throned the same way he de-throned
his father.
Daedalus was a skilled craftsman
and inventor. He helped Minos daughter elope with Theseus. Minos punished him by
imprisoning him and his son Icharus in the Labyrinth. He made two pairs of wings
from feathers, wax and thread. He and Icharus flew from the Labyrinth, but
Icharus flew too close to the sun and his wings melted. He plunged into the sea
and died.
Demeter (Ceres)
was the daughter of Cronus and Rhea, she was one of the twelve great deities of
Olympus. With her brother she became the mother of Persephone. She had no
husband and her children were Persephone.
Dionysus (Bacchus)
was the god of wine and song. He had followers called Bacchantes who drank a lot
of wine. Together, he and Demeter were called gods of the harvest. He was also
affiliated with unpredictable or violent behavior. He wandered about teaching
people how to tend to grapes and to make wine. He was the son of Zeus and Semele
(a mortal). He had no wife or children. Dionysus was also a associated with
resurrection and raised Zagreus from the dead. Dionysus always grew angry and
punished people that forgot to worship him. The Greeks had a festival called
Dionysia and the Romans had a festival called Bacchanalia. They both included
wild behavior and drunkenness.
Eos (Aurora) was
the goddess of the dawn. She was the sister of Helios and Selene. She had a son
named Memnon. Certainly not the most brilliant goddess as she asked Zeus to
grant one of her husbands immortality, but forgot to ask for everlasting youth.
As a result, her husband soon became aged.
Eros (Cupid) was
the god of love. A person shot with one of his arrows fell in love He is shown
as a naked infant with wings holding a bow and arrows. Mother was Aphrodite and
wife Psyche and had no Children. He is the son of Chaos, although in later tales
he is the son of Aphrodite, by different fathers: Zues, Ares, and Hermes.
Fates were the Greek Goddeses who
controlled men and womens destinies. They were the daughters of Zeus and Themis.
Gaea is the earth. With the exception
of Chaos, she was the first living thing to roam the universe. Then she had a
child named Oranos, also known as Father Sky, although no one can explain how.
Then she married this son, and Mother Earth and Father Sky joined. Her husband
was Oranos.
Giants in Greek Mythology Gaia told
the Giants to attack Zeus and the gods up in Olympus. The battle was long and
harsh. The gods finally won the battle with the help of Hercules. Some people
say that the battle represented war between man and nature.
Hades (Dis or Pluto
in Roman) was the Greek god of the underworld. He was the son of Cronos and Rhea
and the brother of Zeus (Jupiter). His wife wasPersephone. In spite his
importance, the Greeks and Romans didn't devote any rituals or festivals to him.
He and all of his brothers and sisters got swallowed by Cronos. His brother Zeus
finally rescued them. He had little mercy and did not like to allow any souls,
living or dead, to exit the Underworld. Hades was very gloomy. Hades also had
many riches, which were stored in the Underworld. He had a "Cap of Darkness"
which many heroes asked to borrow because it made the wearer invisible.
Hebe (Juventas)
was a goddess that served nectar to the gods and goddesses on Mount Olympus.
This nectar was believed to keep the gods youthful. Hebe was the daughter of
Zeus and Hera (Jupiter and Juno). She was married to Hercules, and was the cup
bearer to the gods.
Hecate was the goddess of witchcraft and of black magic.
She is the daughter of Demeter. She is best known as a torch bearing goddess. At
night, she presided at crossroads (which Greeks thought were evil).
Helen of Troy - She was the daughter of Zeus and
Leda. She was the most beautiful woman in the world and the cause of the Trojan
War. Some picture her as a deceitful woman and others as an inoccent victim of
her own beauty.
Greek and Roman
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Helios (Sol) was the god of the sun and
was also called the sun. His sisters were Eos who was called the dawn and Selene
which was called the moon. The Greeks believed that Helios and Eos drove a four
horse chariot across the sky every day, and at night a huge golden cup took him
back to his palace in the East. They also called upon him to witness their
oaths.
Hephaestus (Vulcan) was the god of
fire and the protector of the metal workers. He was lame and deformed, but very
powerful. He was the only god that was "ugly". He was crippled at birth, when
Hera , his mother, threw him off Mount Olympus because she was appalled at his
ugliness. His wife was Aphrodite, but Aphrodite was not very faithful to him. So
Hephaestus attempted to rape Athena to aggravate Aphrodite. This resulted in the
birth of Erichthonios. He made the golden throne of Zeus.
Hera (Juno) was the
protector of women and the goddess of marriage and childbirth. Hera was the
queen of the gods. She was the sister and wife of Zeus. She was very beautiful.
Hera hated her husband and his many mistresses. Her father was Cronus and mother
was Rhea and Hephaestus her son.
Hercules - He was the son of
Alcmene and Zeus. Hera, who hated him, caused him to kill his wife and children.
Because of these murders, he had to complete twelve labors. After he completed
these labors, he was called one of the greatest heroes in mythology.
Hermes (Mercury) was the messenger
god. He was the protector of travelers and supposedly brought good luck. He
guided the souls of the dead to Hades. He had winged shoes and a winged hat.His
father was Zeus and mother was Maia, daughter of Atlas. His children were Pan
and Hermaphroditus.
Hestia (Vestia) was the goddes of the
hearth and the family. She was worshipped as the protector of the home, city,
and state. She had only one temple, but was worshipped in every home by the
fire. She was the first child of Cronus and Rhea. The people called of her first
in their prayers and offered her sacrifices.
Greek and Roman
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Hygeia was the son of Asclepius, and the word hygiene comes
from his name.
Hypnos (Somnus) was the god of sleep.
He was a kind youth, but could put the mightiest gods to sleep. He was the son
of the goddess Nyx but had no father.
Iole was the daughter of Eurytus, who was a king of Echalia.
Hercules loved her, and because of this love affair, Hercules got killed. His
wife gave him a potion ,which she thought would make him love her more, but
actually made him die.
Jason was the hero of many famous Greek Legends. He was a
king, and when he was old enough he went to regain his kingdom. While he was on
this journey he helped an old lady across the river. He was the son of Aeson. He
led a group of about fifty men called the Argonauts. Their capture of the Golden
Fleece, the wool of a golden ram, is one of the most exciting adventures in
mythology.
Janus was the god in Roman mythology that had two faces that
looking in opposite directions, one in the past and one in the future. The month
of January is named for him. Janus means "gate".
Keres was an evil, polluting spirit in Greek mythology.
Sometimes he was identified with the Harpies and other times with the Furies.
Lichas was a friend of Hercules. He died because Hercules
hurled him into the sea.
Meleager was the son of Oeneus,Calydon,and Althaea. He
killed the Calydonian Boar. His mother soon found out that he would die when a
log that was burning on the hearth burnt out. One day she snatched the log,
wrapped it up, and hid it. As soon as he killed the Calydonian Boar, she threw
it in the fire. Soon after that he died. Meleager was the son of Oeneus and
Althaea, king and queen of Calydon. When he was born, the three Moirae (Fates)
announced to his mother that Meleager would live only so long as a brand burning
upon the hearth remained unconsumed. Althaea snatched the brand from the fire
and kept it in a safe place. Meleager grew up into a valiant warrior who was
seemingly invulnerable to harm, and married Cleopatra, the daughter of the hero
Idas.
Midas was the King of Phrygia. Dionysis gave Midas the power
to turn everything he touched into gold. At first this pleased Midas, but then
it became a curse. He prayed to Dionysis to help him. He told him to bathe in
the river Pactolus. Once he did this the magic touch left him, but the sands of
the river turned to gold.
Minos was the King of Crete. He built the Labyrinth, and
placed the Minotaur in it. He conquered much of Greece, and forced the Grecians
to send fourteen young men and women to be put in the Labyrinth yearly.
Greek and Roman
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Narcissus was the son of river-god of Cephissus and
Liriope. He was a beautiful man. When he rejected the love of a Nymph named
Echo. He was cursed to reject all love except that of his own reflection in a
pool. He pined away and finally changed into a beautiful flower that shares his
name.
Morpheus was the god of dreams in Greek mythology. He was
the son of Hynos. He lies on a ebony bed in a dim-lit cave, surrounded by poppy.
He appears to humans in their dreams in the shape of a man. He is responsible
for shaping dreams, or giving shape to the beings which inhabit dreams.
Morpheus, known from Ovid's Metamorphoses, plays no part in Greek mythology. His
name means "he who forms, or molds" (from the Greek morphe), and is mentioned as
the son of Hypnos, the god of sleep. 'Morphine' is derived from his name.
Nemesis is the goddess of divine justice and vengeance.
Her anger is directed toward human transgression of the natural, right order of
things and of the arrogance causing it. Nemesis pursues the insolent and the
wicked with inflexible vengeance. Her cult probably originated from Smyrna. She
is regarded as the daughter of Oceanus or Zeus, but according to Hesiod she is a
child of Erebus and Nyx.
Nereus was an old sea god in Greek mythology. He was called
the Old Man of the Sea by many ancient writers. Nereus could see the future and
change forms. Nereus' wife was named Doris and they had fifty sea nymphs called
Nereids.
Nike (Victoria) was the Greek goddess
of victory. Her father was Ares ,god of war. Little is known about Nike. In
fact, there are very few stories about her, and the ones that do exist are often
about the Greek word "nike", meaning victory. But Nike nonetheless survived and
found her way into modern-day life. A certain shoe company happens to be named
after the Greek goddess of victory.
Greek and Roman
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Odysseus (Ulysses)
was the son of Laertes and was the ruler of the island kingdom of Ithaca. He was
one of the most prominent Greek leaders in the Trojan War, and was the hero of
Homer's Odyssey. He was known for his cleverness and cunning, and for his
eloquence as a speaker. Odysseus was one of the original suitors of Helen of
Troy.
Oeneus was the King of Calydon, Althea's husband and the
father of Mealeager, Tydeus, George, and Deianira. Oeneus was deprived of his
kingdom by his nephews. Even though his grandson avenged him, his two nephews
brutally killed him. The king of Calydon in Aetolia, husband of Althaea, and
father of Meleager. He is thought to have introduced viniculture to Aetolia, and
Dionysus himself had given him the first vine branch (oinos, wine). The sons of
his brother Agrius removed him from the throne, but Diomedes restored Oeneus to
power. Later in life, during a journey through the Peloponnesus, his nephews
killed him. Diomedes buried him in Argos, in a spot that was from then on called
Oenoë
Oranos (Uranus) was the first god of
the sky, before Cronus took over. He was also known as Father Sky. Somehow,
Gaea, the first living creature on Earth, with the exception of Chaos, who
didn't do much of anything, had a son without a husband. This son was named
Oranos. She then married this son and Mother Earth and Father Sky joined. His
children were Cronus, other Titans, Hundred-Handed ones and Cyclopses.
Pan (Faunus) was the god of the woods and
pastures. He was also the protector of shepherds and their flocks. Pan was half
man and half goat. The ancient people believed he had a wild temper. They also
thought he could fill humans and animals with sudden terror and fear. The word
"panic" comes from his name.
Pandora was a beautiful women, created at the demand of
Zeus. She was sent by Zues to set free all of the troubles of mankind upon the
world. She was given a box and told not to look in it, but when she did, all the
woes of the world were set free.
Perseus was the son of Zeus and Danae. With the help of
Athena, he beheaded Medusa while looking at her reflection in his shield (he
couldn't look at Medusa directly because her ugliness turned people to stone).
Greek and Roman
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Persephone (Proserpina )
Daughter of Demeter/Ceres. Persephone is the goddess of the underworld in Greek
mythology. She is the daughter of Zeus and Demeter, goddess of the harvest.
Persephone was such a beautiful young woman that everyone loved her, even Hades
wanted her for himself. One day, when she was collecting flowers on the plain of
Enna, the earth suddenly opened and Hades rose up from the gap and abducted her.
None but Zeus, and the all-seeing sun, Helios, had noticed it.
Poseidon (Neptune) was the god of
the sea. His son was Triton. He was also the god of horses, earthquakes, and
storms at the sea. Poseidon was the son of Cronus and Rhea. His wife was
Amphitrite. Artist portay him as a bearded man with a strict face. He drove a
chariot drawn by horses and he carried a three-pronged spear called a trident.
He had an extremely irritable temper and was known for creating the horse.
Prometheus was part of the earliest race of gods.
Prometheus was a Titan. His parents were Iapetus and Thesis or Clymene.
Psyche was a princess in Greek and Roman mythology. Psyche
is the goddess of love and goddess of the soul. Her husband was Eros.
She has a very interesting relationship with Eros.
She was so beautiful people started worshiping her rather than Aphrodite (Venus)
the goddess of beauty.
Quirinus was one of the three main gods in Roman
mythology. He was concerned with the Roman people. He promoted general
prosperity. After 200 B. C. he lost his importance to the Romans.
Rhea (Ops) was the wife and sister of
Cronus. She became the queen of the gods after Cronus defeated Uranus. Her
mother was Gaea and her father was Uranus.
Rhadamanthus was the son of Europa and Zeus.
According to Homer, he was the ruler of the Elysian Fields. Legends say that he
was later a judge of the Underworld.
Romulus and Remus - They were twin
brothers that found the city of Rome. While building the city, the brothers got
in a fight and Remus was killed. Romulus became the first ruler of Rome, and
after reigning 38 years disappeared and became the god Quirinius.
Selene (Luna) was the ancient moon Goddess. She was a beautiful
woman with long wings and a golden crown that glows a gentle light in the
darkness. She traveled across the sky in a beautiful chariot led by white
horses.
Thanatos is walking death. The Greek personification of
death who dwells in the lower world. In the Iliad he appears as the twin brother
of Hypnos ("sleep"). Both brothers had little to no meaning in the cults. Hesiod
makes these two spirits the sons of Nyx, but mentions no father.
Tyche (Fortuna) was the goddess of
luck in mythology. Tyche is shown with a wheel that she turned to bring failure
of success. She also had a rudder that showed how she steered peoples' life. The
word "fortune" comes from the Roman name.
Uranus hated all of his children, but mostly the monsters. Cronos (Saturn) a
Titan agreed to overthrow Uranus, his father. From Uranus' blood came Giants and
the Furies. Uranus was the god of the sky. He was the son and husband of Gaea.
They were the parents of the Titans, the first race of mythological creatures.
Zeus (Jupiter) was the king of the
gods. He was the son of Cronos (Saturn) and Rhea. Ancient people associated him
with justice and they thought he punished those who did wrong and rewarded those
who did good. He had affairs with 8 goddesses other than his wife, Hera. He also
had affairs with countless mortals and nymphs. There fore, he is the cause of
many myths. Zeus was also the god of the sky. His weapon was the thunderbolt.
Still another job of Zeus's was the god of hospitality.
http://library.thinkquest.org/J001782/atoz.htm
Demeter was the
goddess of the earth, agriculture, fertility, and grain. She was the daughter of
Cronus and Rhea. She was also Zeus' sister. Common farmers prayed to her to
bring them a plentiful harvest. The Romans had a festival called the Cerealia
that honored Ceres (Roman for Demeter).
One day when Persephone (Demeter) was picking flowers, the earth opened up
underneath her. Hades caught her and took her to the underworld to be his wife.
When Demeter found out Persephone was missing, she was very sad and wandered all
over the world looking for her. Demeter became angry at the gods for letting
Persephone be taken away, so she didn't allow her crops to grow. Because of
this, Zeus commanded Hades to return Persephone to Demeter. But while Persephone
was in the underworld, Hades had tricked her into eating a pomegranate, a fruit
that stood for marriage. By eating the seeds, she started a marriage with Hades
that could not be ended. Zeus arranged a compromise between Demeter and Hades.
Persephone would spend two-thirds of the year with her mother. The other one
third of the year would be spend in the underworld with Hades. In the summer
when Persephone is with Hades, the ground is dry, showing Demeter's sadness. But
during the winter while Persephone is with Demeter, the ground prospers. This
myth was used to show the cycle of fertility in nature.
Demeter
Together, Demeter and
Dionsyus were considered gods of the harvest. She is the cause of the seasons.
This happened when Hades stole Demeter's daughter, Persephone, to marry her.
While Persephone was gone, winter lasted for a year because Demeter was
mourning. When Persephone was in the underworld, she ate six pomegranite seeds.
She could only go back to her mother six months out of the year because of this.
While Persephone is gone, Demeter mourns and winter comes.
Roman Name: Ceres
Dionysus grew up to be a wanderer. Once, he was spotted by pirates. He appeared
to them as a rich young man. Thinking he was a king, they took him onto a ship
hoping for ransom. As they tried to tie him up, the rope would not hold. Any
place the rope touched Dionysus it fell apart. Dionysus, just sat there watching
calmly while smiling. The pirates thought that could only be done by a god, so
they thought they should free him. But the captain called them fools and set
sail. The sail caught the wind, but the ship didn't move. The ship quickly
became overgrown with vines that held it down. Then Dionysus changed into a lion
and began to chase the crew. To escape, they leaped overboard and changed into
dolphins. Only the crew member that thought he was a god, was left on the ship.
Eos had and affair with Tithonus, the brother of the King Priam of Troy. They
had a son named Memnon, but he was killed by Achilles in the Trojan War. The
people believed dewdrops were shed by Eos for her son.
Eros (Cupid) is the god of love in early Greek mythology. He is the son of
Chaos, although in later tales he is the son of Aphrodite, by different fathers:
Zues, Ares, and Hermes.
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Aphrodite (Venus) was jealous of the beauty of Psyche, so she sent her son Eros
to shoot her with one of his arrows. This, she thought, would makes Psyche fall
in love with an ugly man. But Eros accidentally shot himself with an arrow and
fell in love with Psyche. He visited her every night in complete darkness,
because Psyche was not allowed to see her lovers' face. Finally she was
convinced to light a lamp, but some of the oil fell on Eros and he left. Psyche
searched the world to find Eros. Aphrodite (Venus) told her she must complete
three hard tasks to receive love. Psyche performed the first two tasks, but died
completing the third. Aphrodite took pity on her and she was taken to join Eros.
Eros was the god of love. Unlike Aphrodite, he was the god of pure love. He has
made his way into modern day Valentine's Day celebrations. Eros had arrows which
could infect anyone pierced by them with love.
Hades
Once Zeus had a mistress named Princess Io. Zeus changed Io, a beautiful
princess, into a cow to hide her from Hera. When Hera found Io she made Argus
guard her. Zeus commanded Hermes to go kill Argus. When Hermes killed Argus, he
won the title of Argeiphontes (which means slayer of Argus). When Hera found
Argus dead, she took his 100 eyes and put them on the tail of her peacock to
decorate it.
Hera
On the day of his birth, Hermes stole Apollo's cattle. Later Hermes and Apollo
became friends. Because of their friendship Hermes invented the seven stringed
lyre for Apollo who loved music.
Hermes was one of the messengers of the gods, the other being Iris. Hermes also
had a number of other jobs, which were god of travelers, shepherds, thieves, and
merchant. He also conducted dead souls to Hades in the Underworld. He wore a
winged cap and sandles, which enabled him to fly. In addition, he was very
clever and invented cards, card games, the lyre, and the alphabet.
Romans prayed to Janus during war. They also called on him at the beginning of
every prayer, even before Jupiter (Zeus is Greek).
Narcissus is another example among several of a beautiful young man who spurned
sex and died as a result. As such, his myth has much in common with those of
Adonis and Hippolytus. In the Roman poet Ovid's retelling of the myth, Narcissus
is the son of the river god Cephissus and the nymph Liriope. Tiresias, the seer,
told his parents that the child "would live to an old age if it did not look at
itself." Many nymphs and girls fell in love with him but he rejected them. One
of these nymphs, Echo, was so distraught over this rejection that she withdrew
into a lonely spot and faded until all that was left was a plaintive whisper.
The goddess Nemesis heard the rejected girls prayers for vengeance and arranged
for Narcissus to fall in love with his own reflection. He stayed watching his
reflection and let himself die. It is quite possible, however, that the
connection between Echo and Narcissus was entirely Ovid's own invention, for
there is no earlier witness to it.
She is portrayed as
serious looking woman with in her left hand a whip, a rein, a sword, or a pair
of scales. In the Hellenistic period she was portrayed with a steering wheel.
Also called Rhamnusia, from a temple and statue of her in Rhamnus, a village in
the northern part of Attica. The epithet Adrasteia "she whom none can escape",
properly of the those of the Phrygian Cybele, was later applied to her.
The word nemesis now stands for the word "retribution" which means deserved
punishment or reward.
Once, Hercules caught Nereus while Nereus was asleep. Nereus woke up and tried
to escape but could not. Finally he asked Hercules what he wanted. Hercules
wanted to know where the Garden of Hesperides was located and Nereus told him.
Hercules then let Nereus go.
Pan had many love affairs with Nymphs. He tried to start and affair with Syrinx,
a Nymph, but she ran away in fear. She begged the gods to help her. The gods
changed her into a bed of reeds. Pan made musical instruments called panpipes
with these reeds, and became famous for playing them.
Broken-hearted,
Demeter wandered the earth, looking for her daughter until Helios revealed what
had happened. Demeter was so angry that she withdrew herself in loneliness, and
the earth ceased to be fertile. Knowing this could not continue much longer,
Zeus sent Hermes down to Hades to make him release Persephone. Hades grudgingly
agreed, but before she went back he gave Persephone a pomegranate (or the seeds
of a pomegranate, according to some sources). When she later ate of it, it bound
her to underworld forever and she had to stay there one-third of the year. The
other months she stayed with her mother. When Persephone was in Hades, Demeter
refused to let anything grow and winter began.
On Odysseus' journey home, he stopped at an island where Polyphemus, a Cyclops
lived. Polyphemus took Odysseus and his crew captive. He even ate some of the
crew. Odysseus made a stake and set it on fire, then poked out Polyphemus' eye.
Odysseus and his men escaped. Polyphemus prayed to Poseidon to punish Odysseus
for blinding him. Poseidon then made Odysseus' journey home even longer and more
troublesome.
Zeus decided to destroy all humans by keeping fire away from them. But
Prometheus stole fire from the gods and gave it to humans. Zeus punished him by
taking Prometheus to the Caucasus Mountains. An eagle came every day to eat his
liver. Each night, the liver grew back. After many centuries, Hercules killed
the eagle and set Prometheus free.
Rhea and Cronus had six children they were Zeus, Demeter, Poseidon, Hades, Hera,
and Hestia. Cronus swallowed five of them when they were born, so they would not
conquer him. Rhea deceived Cronus when Zeus was born, by tricking him into
swallowing a rock instead of Zeus. Later, Zeus tricked Cronus into vomiting the
five children up. These five children helped Zeus defeat Cronus and the other
Titans.
Rhea was the wife and sister of Cronus. She became the queen of the gods after
Cronus defeated Uranus. Her mother was Gaea and her father was Uranus.
Greek and Roman
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She was the sister of Helios. She was
either the daughter of Hyperion and Theia of Zeus and Leto. In many myths, she
was confused with the goddess Artemis.
Selene fell in love with Endymion, a handsome shepherd. Many nights, Selene
would stop in her trip across the sky to talk and be with Endymion. Zeus was
bothered because Selene was failing in her duties. Zeus gave Endymion a choice
between death or eternal sleep. He chose the last one and is still asleep in a
cave on Mount Latmos today.
Phaethon learned that his father was Apollo. He went to his father, and ask to
ride his chariot to the sun so that everyone would know that he was the son of a
god. Apollo thought the horses would be too wild for Phaethon, but he let him go
any way. Phaethon couldn't control the chariot and almost burned up the earth.
Africans were burned from the heat, and their skin turned brown. Finally, Zeus
had to kill Phaethon with his thunderbolts to prevent more damage.
Zeus was the supreme diety in Greek mythology. He was the son of the Titans,
Cronus and Rhea. He was brought up in a secret cave on Mt. Ida and suckled by a
she - goat. When Zeus reached maturity he overthrew his father and established
the rule of the Olympian Gods.
Greek and Roman
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http://library.thinkquest.org/13238/
http://library.thinkquest.org/J002356F/godlibrary.htm
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