Download Greek Mythology Overview

The Creation Myth
• First there was Chaos (vast and
unorganized space from which
all other things originated).
• Chaos gave birth to Gaea
(Mother Earth), Eros (Love), and
Night, which gave birth to day.
• Gaea and Uranus (the sky) gave
birth to Cronus and the other
Titans, the Cyclopes, one-eyed
giants, and the Hecatonchieres
with 50 heads and 100 arms
apiece.
The 12 Titans: 6 Males and 6 Females
MALES
• Cronus
Father of Zeus
• Oceanus
the oceans
• Hyperion
Sun/light
• Coeus
Intelligence
• Iapetus
• Crius
FEMALES
• Rhea
mother of Zeus
• Mnemosyne
memory
• Themis
Justice/Order
• Thea
• Phoebe
Moon
• Tethys
rivers of the
underworld
CRONUS AND THE PROPHECY
• Youngest son of Uranus
and Gaea
• Roman name: Saturn
• Castrated his father
Became “King” of the
Titans and the Sky God
Drops of blood create
Aphrodite and Erinyes
• Ate 5 of 6 children to
prevent the prophecy
• Father of the Olympians
Cronus’ rule as “King” was known as the
“Golden Age” where all people prospered,
but it was prophesized that one of his
children would overthrow him in power. To
prevent this, Cronus ate his children after
birth. His wife, Rhea, secretly gives birth to
Zeus in order to protect him from Cronus.
Zeus fulfills the prophecy by overthrowing
his father and shifting power to the
Olympians.
Prometheus
Zeus punished Prometheus
by having him chained to a
rock with an eagle tearing
at his liver—rescued by
Hercules
• Son of Iapetus (Titan)
• Brother to Atlas and Epimetheus
• Fought against his fellow Titans with
Zeus
• Brought enlightenment to humans
Stole fire from the gods and
gave it to humankind
Humans able to reproduce and
survive as a result
Remembered as the
• Olympian Gods wanted to keep the
power of fire (enlightenment) for their
exclusive use
• Taught man numbers and letters
Pandora
• Her name means “All
Gifts”
• She was the 1st woman
Meant as punishment
to man
• Opened Husband’s box
• Released evil into the
world—7 Deadly sins
Hope was left
The olympians
• A group of 12 gods
who ruled after the
overthrow of the
Titans
• All the Olympians are
related in some way
• Named after their
dwelling place, Mount
Olympus
• The Olympian Gods:
Zeus, Poseidon, Hades,
Hephaestus Ares,
Apollo, Hermes, Hestia,
Hera, Athena, Artemis,
and Demeter
ZEUS
“King” oF the gods
Roman: Jupiter/Jove
• Son of Cronus and Rhea
• Poisoned his father—fulfilled the
prophecy
• Led war and defeated the Titans
 Rolled dice with his brothers,
Poseidon and Hades for
control of the realms
Zeus won and chose the Sky
• One of the 12 Olympians
• Tricked his sister, Hera, into
marriage
 Unfaithful—many affairs and
children
• Punished criminals
• Olympic games were created and
held in his honor
Oak Tree
Eagle
• Parents: Cronus and Rhea
• Bothers: Zeus, Poseidon,
Hades, and Hermes
• Sisters: Hestia and
Demeter
• Married to Zeus (He
tricked her)
• never wanted to
marry
• bathes every spring in
the well Canathus to
restore her virginity
Symbolizes new
life/rebirth
HerA
Roman: Juno
SYMBOLS
Cuckoo Bird,
Cow, Peacock,
Pomegranate
• Had a servant/guard
named Argos who had
100 eyes
he failed to protect her
cow so she took his
eyes and put them on
the feathers of the
peacock
• Goddess of Marriage,
monogamy & childbirth
• Known for being vengeful
Punished the women
who helped Zeus be
unfaithful to her
Hestia
Goddess of the Hearth and Family
Roman: Vesta
SYMBOLS:
The hearth (fireplace)
Eternal flame
• Parents: Cronus and Rhea
• Bothers: Zeus, Poseidon,
Hades, and Hermes
• Sisters: Hera and Demeter
• known for her kindness,
charity, and modesty
• Swore to a life of chastity
• Known as the Virginal
Goddess
her female attendants
called “vestal virgins”
They keep the flame
of Vesta burning
believed that if the
(eternal) flame ever
went out, then Rome
would fall
Demeter:
• Parents: Cronus and Rhea
• Bothers: Zeus, Poseidon,
Hades, and Hermes
• Sisters: Hera and Hestia
• Daughter: Persephone
• Becomes depressed when
daughter kidnapped by
Hades
Zeus intervenes and
allows daughter to
return for half the year
Reason for coldness of
winter and warmth of
Summer
Explains seasons
Goddess of grains, seasons, and the harvest
Roman: Ceres
SYMBOLS:
Ears of wheat
Cornucopia
Artemis:
Roman: Diana
Symbols:
Bow
Deer/stag
Crescent moon
Silver Arrows
• Parents: Zeus and Leto
• Bothers: Apollo (twin)
 First born and
helped her birth
with birth of Apollo
Goddess of: the hunt, wild things,
child birth
• One of the Virginal
Goddesses
• Associated with Hecate
and the Amazons
• Zeus gave her one wish
She NEVER wanted
him to marry her off
• She was given 60
nymphs to help care for
her hunting hounds
• She demanded chastity
of all of her followers or
death
of Wisdom, justified warfare, and peace
Athena: Goddess
• Muse for Odysseus
Roman name: Minerva
• Parents: Zeus and Metis
born from Zeus’ head
in full body armor
favorite child of Zeus
• One of the three virginal
Goddesses
• Patron Goddess of Greece
Athens named in her
honor
SYMBOLS: owl,
olive tree, and Aegis
(her shield with
Medusa’s head on it)
• Created weaving
Arachne, a mortal,
boasted she was the
best weaver ever
Athena, disguised,
challenged Arachne
Arachne lost and
hung herself, so
Athena turned her
into a spider
this is why
spiders “weave”
webs
Hades: God of the Underworld (also known as Hades)
SYMBOLS: Invisibility helmet,
wealth, and Cerberus—the 3
Parents: Cronus and Rhea
Bothers: Zeus, Hermes, and Hades headed dog
Married to Persephone
she was his niece and he stole her
Ruled over the realms of the afterlife
Tartarus: place of punishment
Elysian Fields: Paradise
Charon brought the dead across
the river Styx
Dead were buried with coins on
their eyes or tongues to pay
Charon
No payment, then souls left to
wander the earth or the river
Styx
ROMAN: Pluto
•
•
•
•
•
Poseidon: God of Oceans and Earthquakes
Roman: Neptune
Symbols: Trident,
Horse, and dolphin
• Parents: Cronus and Rhea •
• Bothers: Zeus, Hermes,
and Hades
• Married to Amphitrite, but
many affairs like Zeus
Fathered many men
and creatures (Theseus,
Cyclopes, Pegasus)
•
• Punished Odysseus for
his arrogance
The oceans controlled
by his moods
Good mood=calm
seas and new lands
Bad mood=rough
seas and earthquakes
Sailors would drown
horses in the seas as a
sacrifice to appease him
ARES: God of War and Bloodshed
SYMBOLS:
Dog and Vulture
Parents: Zeus and Hera
•
neither parent liked him
Brother: Hephaestus
Married: Eris—goddess of chaos
and strife
Children: Pain, Panic, Famine,
and Oblivion
Daughter with Aphrodite:
Harmonia--the mother
of the Amazons (war tribe of
giant women)
• Responsible for the violence
and brutality of war
 Remember: Athena is known
for wisdom in battle, not
bloodshed
Roman: Mars
Sided with the Trojans—
fought against the
Greeks during the
Trojan War
Hermes: God of Travelers, Merchants, medicine, and Mischief
Roman: Mercury
• AKA: Messenger for the Gods
• Credited with creating Pan’s
Flute from reeds and inventing the lyre from cow gut and
a tortoise’s shell
• Invented the alphabet
• Guides souls to the Underworld
• Given the Caduceus by Apollo
Parents: Zeus and Maia
She is the daughter of
the Titan, Atlas
Brother: Apollo
• Affair with Aphrodite
son-Hermaphroditus
Ignored a nymph who
liked him—when he tried
to leave, she clung to him
and asked the gods to
make them one—they did
hermaphrodite—a
person born with the
organs of both sexes
SYMBOLS: Caduceus,
Purse/pouch, Winged
helmet and sandals
Apollo: God of Light, the Sun, Music, and Enlightenment
Roman: Phoebus
• Parents: Zeus and Leto
• Twin Sister: Artemis
• Traded his Caduceus for
the lyre made by Hermes
• Major responsibility: fly
his chariot across the sky
and dragging the sun behind
• Temple at Delphi erected in
his honor
Pythia, a priestess, gave
predictions of the future
• Unique trait—unable to lie
SYMBOLS: the lyre, chariot, the
laurel tree, golden arrows
Hephaestus:
God of Smithing, Metalwork, and Craftsmanship
• Parents: Hera and Zeus
He was born ugly and
sickly
Hera and Zeus threw him
off Mt. Olympus
He was deformed from
Roman: Vulcan
hitting the ground
SYMBOLS:
 Revenge: built a gold
throne for Hera
Axe and Anvil
When she sat in it, the
throne trapped her
Dionysus freed Hera
by getting Hephaestus
drunk
• Married: Given Aphrodite
as a wife because
Hera was jealous of
her beauty
Like “Beauty and the
Beast”
• Known for making Zeus’
lightning bolts, Athena’s
shield, Achilles’ armor,
and arrows for Apollo
and Artemis
Aphrodite:
Roman: Venus
Goddess of Love and Desire
APHRODISIAC
• Won a beauty contest
Parents: Zeus and Dione,
between herself, Hera,
but some believe she was
and Athena
born from doplets of
bribed a judge (Paris)
Uranus’ blood
by promising him the
Married: Hephaestus
most beautiful woman
Loved her—Showered
(Helen of Troy)if she won
her with jewels and
Caused the Trojan War
made her irresistible
to men
Many, many lovers
SYMBOLS:
Children (from multiple
Swan, dove, sparrows,
fathers): Eros (love),
Myrtle, pomegranate, lime
Phobos (fear), Diemos
trees, seashells, mirrors, and
(terror), Aeneas, and
golden apples
Harmonia
Eros:
Roman: Cupid
God of Love, Desire, Fertility, and Mischief
• First God to rise from Chaos
”Raised” by Aphrodite,
Ares, Zeus, and Hermes
• Considered oldest God
Often portrayed as a
baby—ironic!
No God could exist without LOVE (EROS)
• Married : Psyche—very
famous love affair
• Helped start the Trojan War
Shot a gold arrow into
Helen’s heart causing her
to fall in love with Paris,
the Prince of Troy
Problem—she was
married to Menelaus
SYMBOLS:
• Gold arrows with dove
feathers for LOVE
• Lead arrows made with
owl feathers for
LOATHING
• Rainbows
dionysus
atlas
nike
helios
hecate
nemesis
arachne
persephone
cassandra
fates
Erinyes
muses
narcissus
echo
rivers of the underworld
hercules
achilles
Perseus
Daedelus and icarus
scylla
charybdis
sirens
Medusa and the gorgons
pegasus
cerberus