Greek Gods And Goddesses Review 66s49

Greek and Roman Mythology 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.  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.

The First Parents Mother Earth = Gaea (Gaia)  Father Heaven = Ouranos (Uranus)  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.

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

The Principal Gods 

Cronos and Rhea were parents of – Zeus (Jupiter, Jove) – Poseidon (Neptune) – Hades (Pluto) – Hera (Juno) – Hestia (Vesta) – Demeter (Ceres)

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Other Olympians include – – – – – – – – – –

Athena (Minerva) Ares (Mars) Hebe (Juventas) Hephaestus (Vulcan) Apollo (Apollo) Artemis (Diana) Hermes (Mercury) Aphrodite (Venus) Dionysus (Bacchus) Persephone

The Olympians

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

Zeus

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

Poseidon Roman Name: Neptune  God of the Seas and Waters  “The Earthshaker” 

Hades Roman Name: Pluto  God of the Underworld/ Dead  Kidnapped Persephone 

Hestia Roman Name: Vesta  Goddess of Home  Powerful Protector 

Demeter Roman Name: Ceres  Goddess of the Harvest  A Goddess of the Earth 

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

Ares Roman Name: Mars  God of War  Son of Zeus and Hera  Bloodthirsty and merciless 

Hephaestu s Roman Name: Vulcan (Mulciber)  God of Fire/Forge  Son of Zeus and Hera  Kind, unlike his brother 

Apollo Roman Name: Apollo  God of Light/Sun and Music  Brother of Artemis 

Artemis Roman Name: Diana  Goddess of the Moon/ Hunt  Sister to Apollo 

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

Aphrodite Roman Name: Venus  Goddess of Love and Beauty  Sprang from the ocean foam 

Dionysus Roman Name: Bacchus  God of Wine  Patron god of the Greek stage  A God of the Earth 

Persephon e 

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Roman Name: Proserpina Goddess of the Underworld Daughter of Zeus and Demeter Abducted by Hades

Hebe Roman Name: Juventas  Goddess of Youth  Cupbearer to the Gods  Restored youth to the aged 

Eros Roman Name: Cupid  Young God of Love  Son of Aphrodite and Hephaestus 

Iris Goddess of the Rainbow  Messenger for Zeus and Hera  Daughter of the titan Thaumus and the nymph Electra 

The Muses 

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Nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne Inspired artists of all kinds

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Goddesses who presided over the arts and sciences “He is happy whom the muses love.”

Clio, Urania, Thalia, Melpomene, Erato, Calliope, Euterpe, Terpsichore, Polyhymnia

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

The Erinnyes (The Furies) Roman Name: Furiae or Dirae (The Furies)  Three Goddesses of Vengeance 

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Tisiphone Alecto Megaera

They punish evildoers.

The Fates Roman Name: Parcae, Moirae  Three sisters 

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Clotho (“The Spinner”) Lachesis (“The disposer of lots”) Atropos (“The cutter”)

They weave, measure, and cut the thread of life for humans.

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. 

The Gorgons Three snakehaired monsters  Medusa is most well-known  Their look turns men to stone. 

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

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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