Greek and Roman Mythology

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

2. 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

3. 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.

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

5. The First Parents • Mother Earth = Gaia (Gaea) • Father Heaven = Uranus (Ouranos) • They 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.

6. The Titans (The Elder Gods) • There were many of them. • Enormous size, incredible strength • Cronos (Saturn): Ruler of the titans (control time and space) • Rhea: Wife of Cronos • Ocean: River that encircled the world • Iapetus: Father of Prometheus, Epimetheus, and Atlas (also titans)

7. The Principal Gods • Cronos and Rhea were parents of • Zeus (Jupiter, Jove) • Poseidon (Neptune) • Hades (Pluto) • Hera (Juno) • Hestia (Vesta) • Demeter (Ceres) • Other Olympians include • Athena (Minerva) • Ares (Mars) • Hebe (Juventas) • Hephaestus (Vulcan) • Apollo (Apollo) • Artemis (Diana) • Hermes (Mercury) • Aphrodite (Venus) • Dionysus (Bacchus) • Persephone

8. The Principal Gods

9. The Olympians

10. Zeus • Roman Name: Jupiter (also Jove) • Supreme god of the Olympians. • Fathered many characters in mythology

11. Zeus

12. Hera • Roman Name: Juno • Zeus’s sister and wife • Jealous protector of marriage • Punished the women Zeus fell in love with

13. Poseidon • Roman Name: Neptune • God of the Seas and Waters • “The Earthshaker”

14. Hades • Roman Name: Pluto • God of the Underworld/ Dead • Kidnapped Persephone

15. Hestia • Roman Name: Vesta • Goddess of Home • Powerful Protector

16. Demeter • Roman Name: Ceres • Goddess of the Harvest • A Goddess of the Earth

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

18. Ares • Roman Name: Mars • God of War • Son of Zeus and Hera • Bloodthirsty and merciless

19. Hephaestus • Roman Name: Vulcan (Mulciber) • God of Fire/Forge • Son of Zeus and Hera • Kind, unlike his brother

20. Apollo • Roman Name: Apollo • God of Light/Sun and Music • Brother of Artemis

21. Artemis • Roman Name: Diana • Goddess of the Moon/ Hunt • Sister to Apollo

22. Hermes • Roman Name: Mercury • Messenger of the Gods • Appears in more myths than any other character

23. Aphrodite • Roman Name: Venus • Goddess of Love and Beauty • Sprang from the ocean foam

24. Dionysus • Roman Name: Bacchus • God of Wine • Patron god of the Greek stage • A God of the Earth

25. Persephone • Roman Name: Proserpina • Goddess of the Underworld • Daughter of Zeus and Demeter • Abducted by Hades

26. Hebe • Roman Name: Juventas • Goddess of Youth • Cupbearer to the Gods • Restored youth to the aged

27. Eros • Roman Name: Cupid • Young God of Love • Son of Aphrodite and Hephaestus

28. Iris • Goddess of the Rainbow • Messenger for Zeus and Hera • Daughter of the titan Thaumus and the nymph Electra

29. The Muses • Nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne • Inspired artists of all kinds • Goddesses who presided over the arts and sciences • “He is happy whom the muses love.” Clio, Urania, Thalia, Melpomene, Erato, Calliope, Euterpe, Terpsichore, Polyhymnia

30. The Graces • Three Goddesses of Grace and Beauty • “They give life its bloom.” • Aglaia (Splendor) • Euphrosyne (Mirth) • Thalia (Good Cheer)

31. The Erinyes (The Furies) • Roman Name: Furiae or Dirae (The Furies) • Three Goddesses of Vengeance • Tisiphone • Alecto • Megaera • They punish evildoers.

32. The Fates • Roman Name: Parcae, Moirae • Three sisters • Clotho (“The Spinner”) • Lachesis (“The disposer of lots”) • Atropos (“The cutter”) • They weave, measure, and cut the thread of life for humans.

33. The Satyrs • Gods of the woods and mountains • “Shepherd gods” • Goat men (like Pan) • Companions of Dionysus • They like to drink, dance, and chase nymphs.

34. The Gorgons • Three snake-haired monsters • Medusa is most well-known • Their look turns men to stone.

35. The Centaurs • Half man, half horse • Savage creatures (except Chiron) • Followers of Dionysus

36. Sources • Graphics in this presentation were taken from the following web sites: • http://www.bulfinch.org/fables/search.html • http://www.pantheon.org/ • http://www.messagenet.com/myths/ • http://mythman.com/ • http://web.uvic.ca/grs/bowman/myth/index.html • http://www.paleothea.com/ • http://www.entrenet.com/%7Egroedmed/greekm/myth.html • This presentation is for educational purposes only; it has not been and should not be sold or used as a vehicle to make money.