Greek and Roman Mythology

Greek and Roman Mythology A Review of The Principal Gods and Goddesses

What is a myth? • A traditional story rooted in primitive folk beliefs of cultures • Uses the supernatural to interpret natural events • Explains the culture’s view of the universe and the nature of humanity

In the beginning... • …was Chaos (shapeless nothingness) • Chaos had two children: • Night (darkness) • Erebus (death) • “All was black, empty, silent, endless.” • Mysteriously, Love was born of darkness and death.

And then... • When Love was born, order and beauty began to flourish. • Love created Light and Day. • Then the Earth was born. • She was the solid ground, but also a personality. She needed to be protected. • The Earth bore Heaven to protect her and be a home for the gods.

The First Parents • Mother Earth = Gaea (Gaia) • Father Heaven = Ouranos (Uranus) • Earth and Heaven had three kinds of children: • Three monsters with 100 hands and 50 heads • Three cyclopes • The Titans • These were the first characters that had the appearance of life, although it was unlike any life known to man.

The Titans (The Elder Gods) • There were many of them. • Enormous size, incredible strength • Cronos (Saturn): Ruler of the titans • Rhea: Wife of Cronos • The Titans created many gods.

Cronos and Rhea were parents of Zeus Poseidon Hades Hera Hestia Demeter Other Olympians include Athena Ares Hephaestus Apollo Artemis Hermes Aphrodite The Twelve Principal Gods

Mount Olympus is both an actual mountain in Greece and the mythical home of the Greek gods. In Zeus' palace on its peak resided the Twelve Olympians, which consisted of the major gods and goddesses. Depending on whom you asked, the exact names of those twelve changed. The following are the major gods and goddesses of Greek mythology. Mount Olympus

The Olympians

ROMAN NAME: JOVE, JUPITER LORD OF THE SKY, RAIN-BRINGER, CLOUD-GATHERER After leading his brother and sister gods in a revolt against their parents, the Titans, Zeus became the unquestioned ruler of the Heavens. His feared weapon is the Thunderbolt, and his palace on Mount Olympus is a place of peace, where all gods are welcome. Zeus is the husband of the goddess HERA, but it's not in his nature to be faithful. Time and time again, he enters into disastrous affairs with other goddesses, nymphs, and mortal women. Zeus is the all-father. Almost all the second generation of gods claim Zeus as their father. Many of the mortal heroes are children of the god as well. Zeus

ROMAN NAME: NEPTUNE BLUE-MANED GOD OF THE SEAS AND OCEANS Next to his brother Zeus, Poseidon is the god the Greeks most feared. As a sea-faring people, they knew the hazards of a stormy sea. The god was known for his mood swings, violent rage one minute, calm the next--just like the waters he controlled. When an earthquake hit, the Greeks recognized it as the work of Poseidon Earth-shaker. Poseidon was married to the Daughter of the Ocean and commanded the waves with his mighty trident. Poseidon

ROMAN NAME: PLUTO, DIS RULER OF THE DEAD, LORD OF THE UNDERWORLD Hades is no villain. He is cold and calculating. He keeps to himself, only showing up in myth when he is sought out. Hades is more a recluse than anything else. He has little to do with mortals' lives. Their deaths are a different story. Hades is not Death himself; in other words he is not responsible for deciding when mortals die. A mortal's death is an assembly line: The Fates snip the threads of life, Thanatos (or death) causes the mortal to die, HERMES leads the soul to the banks of the Styx. After the gods defeated their forbearers, the Titans, Hades was presented with a helmet of invisibility and given the Underworld to rule. Hades

ROMAN NAME: JUNO GODDESS OF MARRIAGE, QUEEN OF OLYMPUS Hera is usually shown as a crafty schemer and jealous wife. She is married to Zeus. She is the mother of a few of the second generation gods: ARES, HEPHAESTUS, and HEBE. ZEUS and his frequent affairs are enough to keep her busy, punishing his many lovers and cursing his illegitimate children. Even though she cannot protect her own marriage, Hera is labeled as the protector of marriage. Wives with unfaithful husbands could definitely sympathize with her. Hera has a fiery temper and enough venom for her anger to last centuries. The Romans named June, the season for marriage, after Hera (Juno). Hera

Athena • Roman Name: Minerva • Goddess of Wisdom and War • Sprang from Zeus’s head

ROMAN NAME: VENUS GODDESS OF LOVE AND BEAUTY Aphrodite was so lovely that the Greeks couldn't imagine her being born in the usual way. Instead she sprang from the white beauty of the sea foam. In an odd arrangement, this most beautiful goddess was married to the only ugly Olympian, Hephaestus, the deformed forge god. Her vows did not stop her from having many affairs. Gods and mortal men found her charms simply irresistible. In Greece her worship was popular, although the temple priestesses were rumored to be prostitutes. Aphrodite

ROMAN NAME: MARS GOD OF WAR Ares is the cruelest member of the Olympians, hated by all (even his mother, HERA). This god is known for his ruthlessness when he has the upper-hand and his cowardice when the tides turn against him. Even the Greeks disliked this terrible god. APHRODITE, in one of her many infidelities, started an affair with Ares, which was his motivation to fight for the Trojans in the great war. Ares

ROMAN NAME: MERCURY MESSENGER OF THE GODS Hermes, the most mischievous and clever of the gods, also served as a guide of dead souls to the Underworld. One of the youngest gods, Hermes showed his ability to cause both trouble and delight at an early age. On the day of his birth, Hermes snuck out from his cradle and whisked away the cattle of his elder brother APOLLO. A witness soon reported this to Apollo, who came to Maia, Hermes's mother, demanding the return of his livestock. Maia insisted that Hermes had been in his cradle the entire time. Hermes was quickly found out and forced to return the cattle. But in reparation for his actions against Apollo, the newborn god created a lyre from the shell of a turtle. He presented the stringed instrument to his older brother. His anger melted away, Apollo presented Hermes with a magical sleep-inducing staff called the Caduceus. Once ZEUS realized his young son would cause nothing but trouble if his mind weren't constantly occupied, he gave him with the job of Olympian Messenger. He was given a winged cap and sandals to assist him in his duties. Due to the nature of his job, Hermes appears most often of all the gods. Hermes

Greek and Roman Mythology