Download Introduction to Mythology

The Greeks believed the earth to be flat and circular, their own country occupying the middle of it, the central point being either Mount Olympus, the abode of the gods, or Delphi—famous for its oracle. The circular disk of the earth was crossed from west to east and divided into two equal parts by the Sea, as they called the Mediterranean, and its continuation the Euxine, the only seas with which they were acquainted. Around the earth flowed the River Ocean, its course being from south to north on the western side of the earth, and in a contrary direction on the eastern side. It flowed in a steady, equable current, unvexed by storm or tempest. The sea, and all the rivers on earth, received their waters from it. The Dawn, the Sun, and the Moon were supposed to rise out of the Ocean, on the eastern side, and to drive through the air, giving light to gods and men. The stars also rose out of and sank into the stream of Ocean. There the sun-god embarked in a winged boat, which conveyed him round by the northern part of the earth, back to his place or rising in the east.

Greek Name

Description

Aphrodite

Goddess of love, beauty, and pleasure. Although married to Hephaestus she had many lovers, most notably Ares. She was depicted as a beautiful woman usually accompanied by her son Eros. Her symbols include the dove, apple, scallop shell and myrtle wreath.

Apollo

God of music, healing, plague, prophecies, poetry, and archery; associated with light, truth and the sun. He is Artemis's twin brother, and son of Zeus and Leto. He was depicted as a handsome, beardless youth with long hair and various attributes including a laurel wreath, bow and quiver, raven, and lyre.

Ares

God of war, bloodlust, violence, manly courage, and civil order. The son of Zeus and Hera, he was depicted as either a mature, bearded warrior dressed in battle arms. His attributes are golden armor and a bronze-tipped spear, and his sacred animals are the eagle owl, the vulture and the venomous snake.

Artemis

Virgin goddess of the hunt, wilderness, wild animals, childbirth and plague. In later times she became associated with the moon. She is the daughter of Zeus and Leto, and twin sister of Apollo. In art she was usually depicted as a young woman dressed in a short kneelength chiton and equipped with a hunting bow and a quiver of arrows. In addition to the bow, her attributes include hunting spears, animal pelts, deer and other wild animals.

Athena

Virgin goddess of wisdom, warfare, strategy, heroic endeavor, handicrafts and reason. The daughter of Zeus and Metis, she was born from Zeus's head fully-formed and armored. She was depicted crowned with a crested helm, armed with shield and spear, and wearing the snake-trimmed aegis cloak adorned with the head of the Gorgon. Her symbols include the aegis, the owl and the olive tree.

Demeter

Goddess of fertility, agriculture, horticulture, grain and harvest. Demeter is a daughter of Kronos and Rhea and sister of Zeus, by whom she bore Persephone. She was depicted as a mature woman, often crowned and holding sheafs of wheat and a torch. Her symbols are the Cornucopia (horn of plenty), wheat-ears, the winged serpent and the lotus staff.

Dionysus

God of wine, parties and festivals, madness, and pleasure. He was depicted in art as either an older bearded god or a pretty effeminate, long-haired youth. His attributes include the thyrsus (a pinecone-tipped staff), drinking cup, grape vine and a crown of ivy. A later addition to the Olympians, in some accounts he replaced Hestia.

Eros

Eros was the god of love, cupids, desire and pleasure. Eros was the son of the goddess of love-Aphrodite-and the god of war-Ares. He was often shown with wings and arrows and with his mother. He had four brothers and one sister. He was married to Psyche and had two daughters: Hedone and Voluptas. His symbols were Bow, Arrows, Candles, Hearts, Cupids, Wings and Kisses.

Hades

King of the Underworld and god of death, the dead, and the hidden wealth of the Earth. His consort is Persephone and his attributes are the key of Hades, the Helm of Darkness, and the three-headed dog, Cerberus. Despite being the son of Kronos and Rhea and the elder brother of Zeus, he is only rarely listed among the Olympians.

Hephaestus

Crippled god of fire, metalworking, stonemasonry, sculpture and volcanism. The son of Hera by parthenogenesis, he is the smith of the gods and the husband of the adulterous Aphrodite. He was usually depicted as a bearded man holding hammer and tongs—the tools of a smith—and riding a donkey. His symbols are the hammer, tongs and anvil.

Hera

Queen of Heaven and goddess of marriage, women, childbirth, heirs, kings and empires. She is the daughter of Cronus and Rhea. She was usually depicted as a beautiful woman wearing a crown and holding a royal, lotus-tipped staff. Her symbols are the diadem, lotus-staff, peacock, cuckoo and pomegranate.

Hermes

God of travel, messengers, trade, thievery, cunning wiles, language, writing, diplomacy, athletics, and animal husbandry. He is the messenger of the gods, who leads the souls of the dead into Hades' realm, and the son of Zeus and Maia. He was depicted either as a handsome and athletic beardless youth, or as an older bearded man. His attributes include the herald's wand or caduceus, winged sandals, and a traveler's cap.

Hestia

Virgin goddess of the hearth, home and cooking. She is a daughter of Rhea and Cronus and sister of Zeus. She was depicted as a modestly veiled woman, whose symbols are the hearth and kettle. In some accounts, she gave up her seat as one of the Twelve Olympians to tend to the sacred flame on Mount Olympus for Dionysus.

Poseidon

God of the sea, rivers, floods, droughts, earthquakes and horses; known as the "Earth Shaker" or "Storm Bringer". He is a son of Kronos and Rhea and brother to Zeus and Hades. In classical artwork he was depicted as a mature man of sturdy build with a dark beard, and holding a trident. His attributes are the trident, dolphins and horses.

Zeus

The king of the gods, the ruler of Mount Olympus and the god of the sky, weather, thunder, law, order and fate. He is the youngest son of Kronos and Rhea, whom he overthrew, and brother-husband to Hera. In artwork, he was depicted as a regal man, mature with sturdy figure and dark beard. His symbols are the thunderbolt, royal sceptre, and eagle.

Greek Name

Description

Chaos

The mother or grandmother of the other substances of air: Nyx (Night), Erebos (Darkness), Aither (Light) and Hemera (Day)

Hyperion

God of light. With Theia, he is the father of Helios (the sun), Selene (the moon) and Eos (the dawn).

Iapetos

God of mortality and father of Prometheus, Epimetheus and Atlas.

Chronos

The Keeper of Time. Not to be confused with the Titan Cronus, the father of Zeus.

Coeus

God of intellect and the axis of heaven around which the constellations revolved.

Crius

The least individualized of the Twelve Titans, he is the father of Astraios, Pallas and Perses.

Cronus

The leader of the Titans, who overthrew his father Ouranos only to be overthrown in turn by his son, Zeus.

Hemera

Goddess of daylight and the sun.

Gaia

Goddess of the Earth (Mother Earth); mother of the Titans

Mnemosyne

Goddess of memory and remembrance, and mother of the Nine Muses.

Oceanus

God of the Earth-encircling river Oceanus, the font of all the Earth's fresh-water.

Phoebe

Goddess of the "bright" intellect and prophecy, and consort of Koios.

Rhea

Goddess of female fertility, motherhood, and generation. She is the sister and consort of Cronus, and mother of Zeus, Hades, Poseidon, Hera, Demeter and Hestia.

Tethys

Wife of Oceanus, and the mother of the rivers, springs, streams, fountains and clouds.

Theia

Goddess of sight and the shining light of the clear blue sky. She is the consort of Hyperion, and mother of Helios, Selene and Eos.

Themis

Goddess of divine law and order.

Other Mythological Characters Orion

Description

Medusa

One of the Three Gorgons; gazing directly upon her would turn onlookers to stone. She was beheaded by the hero Perseus, who thereafter used her head as a weapon.

The Cyclops

Was a member of a primordial race of giants, each

A giant huntsman whom Zeus placed among the stars as the constellation of Orion

with a single eye in the middle of his forehead. Centaurs

A member of a composite race of creatures, part human and part horse; caught between the two natures of man and animal.

The Moirae (or The Three Fates): Clotho, Lachesis & Atropos

The goddesses of destiny: The things that were, that are, and that are to be.

The Muses: Clio, Euterpe, Thalia, Melpomene, Terpsichore, Erato, Urania, Polyhymnia, Calliope

The muses were the Goddesses of the Arts and Literature and were also the daughters of Zeus (the central god of the Greek pantheon) and Mnemosyne (the personification of memory).

Achilles

Hero of the Trojan War

Heracles

Ascended hero

Perseus

Achilles

a son of Zeus and a mortal woman who fought and beat Medusa

Hercules

Achilles