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The pantheon of Greek gods

The pantheon of Greek gods. The Greek gods and goddesses can be divided into 8 classes. Although all Greeks would have been familiar with the famous gods, many lesser gods were only worshipped in specific communities. . The first class of Greek gods were the Protogenoi

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The pantheon of Greek gods

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  1. The pantheon of Greek gods The Greek gods and goddesses can be divided into 8 classes. Although all Greeks would have been familiar with the famous gods, many lesser gods were only worshipped in specific communities.

  2. The first class of Greek gods were the Protogenoi Protogenoi-(FIRST BORN GODS) These were the primeval gods that form the fabric of the universe. They were elemental gods (earth, sea, sky, day, night, etc.). Uranus-rulerofProtogenoi; god of the sky Gaia-the goddess of earth Pontos-the sea god The second class of gods were the Daimones (spirits) & the Nymphai– nymphs and dryads nurtured life of the four elements (earth, wind, water & fire). For example, the Satyroi took care of the beasts of the world. (note-daimon is the root of the English word demon, though it was not a negative creature in Greek mythology) The third class of gods were the body and mind daimones like Hypnos (sleep), Eros (love), Phobos (fear), Euphrosyne (joy), Eris (hate), Thanatos (death), Geras (Old Age) The fourth class of gods were the Theoi–they controlled the the forces of nature and gave the Greeks the civilized arts. Protogenoi

  3. THEOI-there are gods for everything • THEOI OURANIOI (Sky Gods). E.g. Helios (Sun), Anemoi (Winds), etc. • THEOI HALIOI (Sea Gods). E.g. The Nereides, Triton, Glaukos, etc. • THEOI KHTHONIOI (Underworld Gods). E.g. Hades, Persephone, Hekate, etc. • THEOI GEORGIKOI (Agricultural Earth Gods). E.g. Ploutos, etc. • THEOI NOMIOI (Pastoral Earth Gods). E.g. Pan, Aristaios, etc. • THEOI POLIKOI (City Gods). E.g. Hestia, Eunomia, etc. • THEOI OLYMPIOI (Olympian Gods). E.g. Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, The Mousai, Hebe, etc. • THEOI TITANES (Titan Gods). E.g. Themis, Kronos, Prometheus, etc. • APOTHEOTHENAI (Deified Mortals). E.g. Herakles, Asklepios, etc. **Note-you will often see different spellings for these gods; these are a more authentic Greek spelling, most of the time you will see their spelling more anglicized (Cronus instead of Kronos)

  4. The TITANS-these were the original“main” gods of the Greeks, until they were overthrown by the Olympian gods under Zeus. Kronos (Cronus) was the ruler of the Titans, before being dethroned by his son, Zeus, and exiled to Tartarus. • Gaia-wife of Uranus, mother of Cronus. Mother Earth. • Uranus-God of the sky & heavens. Father of the Titans. Ruler of the Protogenoi until he was overthrown by his son Cronus. • Cronus-God of time. Kronos overthrew his father Uranus to become ruler of the Greek gods. His wife as Rhea. To avoid being overthrown by his own sons, he ate each of his children as they were born, until Rhea tricked him and made him swallow a rock instead of Zeus. When Zeus grew up, he did overthrown his father and banish him to Tartarus. Kronos came to rule Italy as the god Saturn. • Rhea-wife of Cronus. • Oceanus-the unending body of water that circles the earth. Father of sea nynphs • Tethys-wife of Oceanus; creator of rivers with Oceanus • Hyperion-god of light • Mnemosyne-Titan goddess of memory; mother to the Muses • Themis-Titan goddess of justice & order; mother of the Fates & the seasons • Iapetus-father to several gods, including Prometheus • Coeus-Titan god of intelligence; father of Leto • Crius- • Phoebe-Titan goddess of the moon; mother of Leto • Thea • Prometheus-the wisest Titan; gifted with premonition. In the war, he sides with • the Olympians. Protector of mankind who gives us the use of fire. There are GREAT stories • about him in Greek mythology. • Epimetheus-the unintelligent Titan, brother to Prometheus. It is he who was given the gift of • Pandora’s box, which, when opened, released evil into the world. • Atlas-Titan god who carried the world on his back • Dione-thought to be the mother of Aphrodite • Metis-goddess of wisdom & knowledge; has the gift of foresight. She is the mother of Athena. • Zeus eats her when she refuses to tell him which of his children will overthrow him.

  5. The 12 OLYMPIANS-Zeus overthrew his father Cronus to become ruler of the Greek gods. He moved the Greek gods to Mount Olympus. They are all related in some way. • Zeus-ruler of the gods; god of lightening, thunder, and the heavens • Poseidon-god of the sea & earthquakes; brother to Zeus • Hades-god king of the underworld; brother to Zeus • Hestia-goddess of home • Hera-goddess of women, marriage, & goddesses; wife of Zeus • Ares-god of chaotic war • Athena-goddess of wisdom, art, poetry & war strategy • Apollo-god of prophecy, music, & healing • Aphrodite-goddess of love, beauty, & fertility • Hermes-god of commerce & travel; messenger of the gods • Artemis-goddess of moon, hunting, & nursing • Hephaestus-god of fire & blacksmiths; makes the gods’ weapons • Other important gods & goddesses • Dionysus-god of wine & pleasure • Demeter-goddess of the harvest • Kratos-god of strength & power • Mania-goddess of insanity & the dead • Nemesis-goddess of retribution (revenge) • Pan-god of woods, fields, & flocks. He is a satyr (goat-man) • Persephone-goddess of Spring who lives half the year in the Underworld with Hades • Selene-goddess of the moon & “mother” of vampires

  6. Life on Olympus The Greek gods are not “nice guys.” They can be petty, jealous, and just plain mean, much like normal people! To the Greeks, the main difference between mortals and gods was the fact that gods have power over nature, and don’t have to eat food. The food of the gods, when they eat, is ambrosia.

  7. The rest of the gang… • The spirits of the constellations (like Orion), included the 12 zodiac signs. • The monsters, beasts, and giants of myth were also important, like the gigantes (giants), drakones (dragons), kentauroi (centaurs), Sphinx, minotaurs, and sirens. • Heroihemitheoi (demigods)-real world heroes who were worshipped as minor gods after their deaths. These include Achilles, Theseus, and Helene.

  8. Achilles • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf4IoxEUmHM

  9. Theseus • Athens was forced to send 14 tributes, 7 young men & 7 young women, to Crete’s King Minos as punishment for the death of Minos’s son in Athens years before. These young people were thrown in a labyrinth to be eaten by a minotaur. (Sound familiar? The Hunger Games are an allusion to this Greek myth!) • http://www.mythweb.com/heroes/theseus/index.html

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