Mythology

1. Mythology Edith Hamilton

2. Chapter 1 - The Gods Greeks did not believe that the Gods created the universe The universe created the gods. Heaven and Earth were formed first From Heaven and Earth came the Titans From the Titans came the Olympian Gods

3. The Titans The Titans were called the Elder Gods Enormous in size and strength Supreme rulers for ages There were many, but we only have stories of a few The most important was Cronus

4. The Titans - Cronus Cronus (Greek) or Saturn (Roman) He ruled over the other Titans Came into power by dethroning his father Uranus Eventually was overthrown by his son Zeus Roman mythology say Cronus fled to Italy, where he brought in the Golden Age

5. Other notable Titans Ocean (or Oceanus) The river that encircled the earth Tethys Ocean�s wife � mother of thousands of river Gods and sea nymphs Hyperion Father of the sun, the moon, and the dawn Mnemosyne Goddess of memory and mother of the Muses

6. Other notable Titans Themis Justice Iapetus His importance was related to his sons, Atlas and Promethus Atlas Bore the world on his shoulders Prometheus The savior of mankind

7. The Olympian Gods Olympus was the home of the gods It is where we get Olympian Gods Olympus not easy to define Generally identified with Greece�s highest mountain, Mount Olympus in Thessaly Less of a mountain and more of a place Mysterious region far above the earth Not Heaven

8. The Olympian Gods Gained power by overthrowing Cronus Led by Zeus, chief among the rebellion His brothers Poseidon and Hades were next in importance His sisters Hestia and Hera His son by Hera, Ares His children by others, Athena, Apollo, Aphrodite, Hermes, and Artemis Hera�s son Hephaestus

9. Zeus (Jupiter) Lord of the Sky, Rain-god, Cloud-gatherer Wielded the awful thunderbolt Power greater than other gods combined Not omnipotent (all powerful) Could be opposed Not omniscient (all knowing) Could be deceived

10. Zeus (Jupiter) Had many failings and misgivings Fell in love many times Tried to hide affairs from his wife Hera He was a blend of many local divine rulers As worship of Zeus came to a new village, the old ruling god was fused into the new The wife of the old ruler thus became a new wife of Zeus

11. Zeus (Jupiter) His breastplate was the aegis �awful to behold

12. Hera (Juno) Zeus� wife and sister Raised by Ocean and Tethys Protector of marriage Married women turned to her for help Her daughter Ilithia helped women in childbirth Was known for her anger

13. Hera (Juno) Focused on punishing Zeus� mistresses Unyielding, even when woman was tricked Her anger followed their children Never forgot an injury Trojan war continued because of her Rarely considered protector of heroes and inspirer of heroic deeds Notably in the Quest of the Golden Fleece

14. Poseidon (Neptune) Ruler of the sea Second to Zeus in eminence, or rank Very important to Greeks, who lived near the Aegean sea Had a splendid palace below the sea, but more often at Olympus Also honored for giving horses to man

15. Poseidon (Neptune) He controlled both storms and calm at sea Known as Earth Shaker Carried a trident, a three prong spear, to shake and shatter the world

16. Hades (Pluto) Ruler of the underworld and the dead Third to Zeus in eminence, or rank Also known as The God of Wealth Due to precious metals in the earth Sometimes translated to Dis (latin for �rich�) Also known as King of the Dead Was not Death himself That was Thanatos (Orcus)

17. Hades (Pluto) Lives in the underworld with his wife Persephone (Queen of the Lower World) Rare that he left his home to visit Olympus Not a welcome visitor �He was unpitying, inexorable, but just; a terrible, not an evil god�

18. Pallas Athena (Minerva) Daughter of Zeus � Had no mother Sprang from Zeus� head full-grown and in full armor Zeus� favorite child She carried Zeus� aegis, his buckler, and his thunderbolt Often carried out Zeus� aggressions for him

19. Pallas Athena (Minerva) A fierce and ruthless battle-goddess Focused on defending the state and the home from outside enemies Known as the Goddess of the City, and the Protector of Civilized Life Sometimes referred to as �grey-eyed� or �flashing-eyed� Invented the bridle, and tamed horses for men to use

20. Phoebus Apollo (same in Roman) Son of Zeus and Leto (Latona) Called �the most Greek of all the gods Known as the God of Light In him is no darkness at all Also known as the God of Truth No false word falls from his lips

21. Phoebus Apollo (same in Roman) Sometimes referred to as the Sun-god Phoebus means �brilliant� or �shining� The real sun-god was Helios, son of the Titan Hyperion Most stories hold him to be beneficent, or charitable A few accounts portray him as cruel and pitiless

22. Artemis (Diana) Daughter of Zeus and Leto (Latona) Apollo�s twin sister Sometime called Cynthia From birthplace, Cynthus in Delos Known as the Lady of Wild Things Huntsman in chief Odd office for a woman

23. Sometimes referred to as the Phoebe and Selene (Luna) Neither name was really hers Phoebe and Selene were Titans Selene, a moon goddess, was a sister of Helios Later paired with Selene and Hecate The goddess in three forms: Selene in the sky Artemis on Earth Hecate in the lower world, or at night

24. Aphrodite (Venus) Goddess of Love and Beauty Beguiled all, gods and men alike Laughed sweetly or mockingly at those she conquered Stole away even the wits of the wise Conflicting stories of origin Iliad: daughter of Zeus and Dione Later Poems: sprung from the foam of the sea

25. Aphrodite (Venus) Has a darker side She is a soft, weak creature in the Iliad Later poems describe her as treacherous and malicious She commands a deadly and destructive power over men Usually identified as the wife of Hephaestus (Vulcan) A contrast with the lame and ugly god

26. Hermes (Mercury) Zeus� Son and Messenger �flies as fleet as thought to do his bidding� Had wings on his sandals, hat, and wand Mother was Maia, daughter of Atlas Perhaps the most familiar god to us due to a popular statue The shrewdest and most cunning god Known as the Master Thief He stole Apollo�s herd at one day old

27. Hermes (Mercury) God of Commerce and Market Protector of traders Tied to his gift of the lyre to appease Apollo Also known as the Divine Herald The solemn guide of the dead Led souls to their final home

28. Ares (Mars) God of War Homer called him �murderous and bloodstained.� His sister Eris, or Discord, is often with him on the battlefield along with Strife, her son Enyo, the Goddess of War, walks alongside as well, followed by Terrot, Trembling, and Panic

29. Ares (Mars) Romans liked him better than the Greeks did They did not see him as the whining deity in the Iliad like the Greeks did Ares is not much more than the symbol of war Had no cities where he was worshipped Not a distinct personality

30. Hephaestus (Vulcan/Mulciber) God of Fire Son of Hera, sometimes Zeus The only ugly and lame god Stories vary � Some say mother cast him out, others say Zeus did out of anger Later, in Homer, he is highly honored Responsible for crafting the armor and weapons of the gods, as well as their dwelling

31. Hephaestus (Vulcan/Mulciber) A kindly peace-loving god Popular on Earth as in heaven Important to the city (as Athena is) Together they were the patron of handicrafts He is protector of smiths, she of the weavers

32. Hestia (Vesta) Zeus� Sister A virgin goddess like Athena and Artemis No distinct personality Plays no part in the myths Goddess of the Hearth Symbol of the home Each city had a public hearth sacred to Hestia In Rome, her fire was cared for by six virgin priestesses called Vestals

33. Lesser Gods There were gods other than the twelve Olympians

34. Eros (Cupid) Most important of the Lesser Gods God of Love In early myths, he is a beautiful, serious youth who gives good gifts to men In later accounts, he was a mischievous, naughty boy Hesiod calls him �the fairest of the deathless gods� Often represented as a blind boy Symbolizes that love is often blind

35. Eros (Cupid) Sometimes he is Aphrodite�s son Other times he is simply her companion Accompanied by others Anteros Sometimes the avenger of slighted love Sometimes the one who opposes love Himeros (or Longing) Hymen � God of the Wedding Feast

36. Hebe Goddess of Youth Daughter of Zeus and Hera Sometimes appears as the cupbearer to the gods Some accounts give that office to Ganymede Married to Heracles

37. Iris Goddess of the Rainbow Messenger of the Gods The only messenger in �The Iliad� Hermes does not replace her � shares duties

38. The Graces Daughters of Zeus and Eurynome Three in number, but considered one A triple incarnation of grace and beauty Aglaia (Splendor) Euphrosyne (Mirth) Thalia (Good Cheer) Along with the Muses, considered the �Queens of Song�

39. The Muses Daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne Appeared to Hesiod - written in Theogony �We know how to speak false things that seem true, but we know when we will, to utter true things.� Companions of Apollo, the God of Truth Owned the lyre in conjunction with him Nine in number; at first considered one

40. The Muses Later, each had her own special field Clio � Muse of history Urania � Muse of astronomy Melpomeme � Muse of tragedy Thalia � Muse of comedy Terpsichore � Muse of dance Caliliope � Muse of epic poetry Erato � Muse of love poetry Polyhymnia � Muse of songs to the gods Euterpe � Muse of lyric poetry

41. Personified emotions as gods There were some emotions that had a god like presence � but not real personalities Two were connected with Zeus Themis � means Right, or Divine, Justice Dike � means Human Justice Two lived on Earth Nemesis � means Righteous Anger Aidos � means reverence and the shame that holds men back from wrongdoing

42. Gods of the waters Poseidon � Lord and ruler of the seas and underground rivers Ocean � A Titan; Lord of the river Ocean that encircles the earth Wife is Thetis; Daughters are nymphs of Ocean; sons are gods of all rivers on earth Pontus � God of the Deep Sea Son of mother Earth Father of Nereus � a more important sea-god

43. Gods of the waters Nereus � The Old Man of the Sea Hesiod said �a trusty god and gentle, who thinks just and kindly thoughts and never lies Wife is Doris, a daughter of Ocean Has fifty lovely daughters called Nereids Nereids � Nymphs of the Sea Thetis � Mother of Achilles Amphitrite � Wife of Poseidon

44. Gods of the waters Proteus Sometime said to be Poseidon�s son, sometimes his attendant Had power both of foretelling the future and changing his shape at will Naiads � also water nymphs Dwelt in brooks and springs and fountains

45. The Underworld Ruled by Hades and Persephone Often called Hades, because of his name Several entrances are described Most are too accessible; vague descriptions Divided into two main divisions Erebus � Where the dead pass as soon as they die Tartarus � Deeper of the two Either can refer to the entire lower region

46. The Underworld Homer describes it as a vague, shadowy place inhabited by shadows Nothing is real It is like a miserable dream Later poets define it more clearly as a place of punishment or reward Virgil describes all the torments of the bad and the joys of the good

47. The Underworld Virgil gives the best account of the path to the underworld The river of Woe leads to the river of Lamentation An aged boatman named Charon ferries the dead across to the gate of Tartarus Charon only takes passengers who had payment On guard at the gate is Cerberus � a three-headed dog who allows entrance, but not exit

48. The Underworld Three other rivers separate the underworld from the world above Phlegethon � river of fire Styx � river of unbreakable oath Lethe � river of forgetfulness Pluto�s Palace Thought to be many gated, filled with guests No writer describes it

49. Erinyes (the Furies) Punish evildoers in the underworld Greeks viewed them as pursuing sinners on Earth They were considered tough, but fair Usually represented as three Tisiphone Megaera Alecto

50. Other beings of the underworld Sleep and his brother Death dwelt there Dreams came to men from the underworld Two gates for dreams to pass through One of horn for dreams of truth One of ivory for false dreams

51. Lesser Gods of the Earth Earth was called all-mother, but was not personified into a god Two supreme deities of earth Demeter � Goddess of Corn Dionysus � God of Wine Also known as Bacchus

52. Lesser Gods of the Earth Pan � The chief of the earth gods Hermes Son Part animal and part man � Had goat�s horns and goat�s feet Homer calls him �a noisy, merry god� A wonderful musician At home in the woods, thickets, forests, and mountains Always in love, but always rejected