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 Greek Mythology 
DeriveD from eDith hamilton’s mythology
 The Beginning 
HEAVEN included three races, they were: The
CYCLOPES, or wheel-eyed, named for having a giant
eye in the center of their foreheads the size of a wheel;
then there was another race of huge monsters, each
having five heads (the middle head that would spew fire)
and the others, that, when cut from their bodies, sprouted
two more heads to replace the one lost, these creatures
were known as the HYDRAS; and last, there were the
mighty TITANS.
First there was CHAOS, the vast
immeasurable abyss, outrageous as a sea,
dark, wasteful, wild.
Long before the gods appeared, in the dim past,
uncounted ages ago, there was only the formless
confusion of CHAOS that brooded over the unbroken
darkness. At last, but how no one ever tried to explain,
two children were born to this shapeless nothingness.
NIGHT and EREBUS were the children of CHAOS.
NIGHT is the night we know of now, NIGHT’s
companion was HYPNUS (SLEEP). EREBUS was the
unfathomable depth where THANATOS (DEATH)
dwelled. In the whole universe there was nothing else;
all was black, empty, silent, and endless.
Mother EARTH loved all of her children, but
Father HEAVEN hated the HYDRAS. So, Father
HEAVEN took this race and hid them on EARTH and
would not allow them to live as the other two races of
children were able too. This infuriated Mother EARTH
so much that she asked her other children to rise up and
help their siblings that were hidden away. Only one child
rose up to answer his mother’s call, it was the leader of
the TITANS. His name was CRONUS.
And then, a marvel of marvels came to pass. In
some mysterious way, from this horror of blank
boundless vacancy the best of all things came into being.
CRONUS laid in wait of his father, and when
Father HEAVEN wasn’t looking, CRONUS injured his
father terribly. From the blood of Father HEAVEN, the
first blood that was ever spilled from an act of violence
in Greek Mythological history, THE FURIES were born.
THE FURIES, there were three, had the job of pursuing
and punishing sinners. They were called “those who
walk in darkness,” and they had had writhing snakes for
hair and eyes that wept tears of blood.
…Black-winged NIGHT into the
bosom of EREBUS dark and deep laid a
wind-born egg, and as the seasons rolled
forth, there sprang LOVE, the longed-for,
shining, with wings of gold…
From darkness and nothingness, LOVE was
born, and with its birth, order and beauty began to banish
blind confusion. LOVE created LIGHT, and LIGHT
created its companion DAY.
CRONUS, after his defeat over Father
HEAVEN, then betrayed his mother and banished all the
other races from the EARTH. The only beings that he
allowed to stay were the TITANS. However, CRONUS
was unable to banish THE FURIES whom, he learned,
could not be banished from the EARTH as long as sin
was in existence.
What took place next was the creation
MOTHER EARTH and FATHER HEAVEN. No one
ever tried to explain how this occurred. It just happened.
EARTH the beautiful, rose up,
broad-bosomed, she that is the steadfast base
of all things. And fair EARTH, with her
equaled companion HEAVEN that covered
her all sides, began to prepare for mankind
while HEAVEN became the home of the
blessed gods and goddesses.
From that time on, for untold ages, CRONUS
was lord of the universe along with his sister, and wife,
RHEA. The other TITANS, his brothers and sisters,
included:
OCEAN, the TITAN who ruled the river that encircled
the EARTH. This river was said to have never been
scathed by wind or storm.
 The Titans 
Then, the first beings began to appear on
EARTH. The children of Mother EARTH and Father
TETHYS was OCEAN’s wife.
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PONTUS was the TITAN of the deep sea.
also earned the help of his uncles, the CYCLOPES.
These creatures fought with the OLYMPIANS, along
with PROMETHEUS, a very wise TITAN, and son of
IAPETUS. ZEUS also ordered his brother, HADES, to
create a monster that would ensure the defeat of
CRONUS. Therefore, HADES created the KRAKEN
from a piece of his own flesh. This huge monster helped
to defeat the TITANS once and for all.
HYPERION was the TITAN of the sun, the moon, and
the dawn.
MNEMOSYNE was the TITANESS of memory.
THEMIS was the TITANESS of justice. She is often
seen blindfolded as a reminder that the truth is often
hidden.
ZEUS punished his conquered enemies terribly.
IAPETUS, a TITAN is only well-known because of who
his sons were. His sons were PROMETHEUS, known as
the “savior of mankind,” EPIMETHEUS known for his
stupidity, and ATLAS who is forced to bear the weight
of the world on his shoulders.
Bound in bitter chains beneath the
wide-wayed EARTH, as far below the
EARTH as over the EARTH is HEAVEN,
for even so far down lies DEATH. Nine
days and nights would a bronze anvil fall
and on the tenth reach EARTH from
HEAVEN and beat the enemies of ZEUS.
 The battle between father
and son 
PROMETHEUS’s brother, ATLAS, suffered a still
worse fate. He was condemned:
The TITANS, sometimes called the Elder Gods,
were, for untold ages, supreme in the universe. They
were of enormous stature and of incredible strength.
Finally, one of CRONUS and RHEA’s children, ZEUS,
rebelled against his father. He had good cause to do so,
for CRONUS had learned that one of his children was
destined someday to dethrone him. He thought, to go
against fate, he would swallow his children as soon as
they were born. But, when RHEA gave birth to ZEUS,
she succeeded in having him carried off to his
grandmother, Mother EARTH, while she gave her
husband a great stone wrapped in swaddling clothes
which he supposed was the baby and swallowed down
accordingly.
To bear on his back forever the
cruel strength of the crushing world and the
vault of the sky. Upon his shoulders the
great pillar that holds apart the EARTH and
HEAVEN, a load not easy to borne.
Bearing this burden he stands forever before the
place that is wrapped in clouds and darkness, where
NIGHT and DAY draw near and greet one another. The
house within never holds both NIGHT and DAY, but
always one, departing, visits the EARTH, and the other
in the house awaits the hour for her journeying hence,
one with far-seeing LIGHT for those on EARTH, the
other holding in her hands HYPNUS (SLEEP), the
brother of THANTOS (DEATH).
Later, when ZEUS was grown, he forced his
father, with the help of his grandmother, to disgorge his
brothers and sisters that were born before him. These
included his two brothers, POSEIDON and HADES, and
his two sisters, HERA and HESTIA.
Even after the TITANS were defeated, ZEUS
was not completely victorious. The other race of beings
created by Mother EARTH, the CYCLOPES or wheeleyed, rose up and tried to defeat ZEUS, but by this time
the gods and goddesses were strong and ZEUS had
control over thunder and lightning, used by no one else.
The gods and goddesses were also helped by
HERCULES, a son of ZEUS and HERA. The
CYCLOPES were defeated and the battle over the
radiant power of HEAVEN and the brutal forces of
EARTH were finally complete. From then on, ZEUS and
his brothers and sisters ruled, undisputed lords of all.
There followed a terrible war between
CRONUS, helped by his fellow TITANS, against ZEUS
with his four siblings—a war that almost wrecked the
universe.
A dreadful sound troubled the
boundless sea. The whole EARTH uttered a
great cry. Wide HEAVEN, shaken, groaned.
From its foundation, far Olympus reeled
beneath the onrush of the deathless gods.
 The Creation of Mankind 
The TITANS were conquered, partly because
ZEUS released from their prison on EARTH the
HYDRAS hidden by Father HEAVEN so long ago. He
By now all was ready for the appearance of
mankind. Even the places the good and bad should go
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after being taken by DEATH (THANATOS) had been
arranged. It was time for men to be created.
Therefore, ZEUS punished men by giving them
women.
In true fashion of his character, EPIMETHEUS
asked for PANDORA to be his wife. ZEUS allowed this
union to take place, knowing that no other being in their
right mind would have wanted PANDORA as their wife.
The creation of beings on EARTH was
delegated to PROMETHEUS, the TITAN who had sided
with ZEUS in the war between CRONUS and his son,
and to EPIMETHEUS, PROMETHEUS’s brother.
EPIMETHEUS, whose name means afterthought, was
scatterbrained and often changed his mind and followed
his first impulse with no thought as to what possible
consequences may result. Contrary to his brother,
PROMETHEUS, whose name means forethought, was
very, very wise, wiser even than the gods.
 The Olympians 
The twelve great OLYMPIANS were supreme
among the gods who succeeded the TITANS. The
twelve OLYMPIANS included: (1) ZEUS, the chief; his
two brothers next, (2) POSEIDON, and (3) HADES; (4)
HESTIA, their sister; (5) HERA, ZEUS’s wife, and (6)
ARES, their son; ZEUS’s children: (7) ATHENA, (8)
APOLLO, (9) APHRODITE, (10) HERMES, and (11)
ARTEMIS; and HERA’s son (12) HEPHAESTUS.
EPIMETHEUS was given the job of making the
animals that would roam the EARTH. However, before
mankind was created, EPIMETHEUS gave all the best
features to the animals, strength and swiftness and
courage and shrewd cunning, fur and feathers and wings
and shells and the like—until no good was left for men,
no protective covering and no quality to make them a
match for the beasts. Too late, as always, with no
forethought of possible consequences in his creations for
EARTH, EPIMETHEUS apologized to PROMETHEUS
and asked for his help. PROMETHEUS, who was given
the job of creating man, took over the task of creation
and thought out a way to make mankind superior. He
fashioned them in a nobler shape than the animals,
upright like the gods; and then he went to HEAVEN, to
the sun, where he lit a torch and brought down fire, a
protection to men far better than anything else, whether
fur or feathers or strength or swiftness.
They were called the OLYMPIANS because
Olympus was their home. What Olympus was, however,
is not easy to say. There is no doubt that at first it was
held to be a mountain top, but a mountain top in some
mysterious region far above all the mountains of the
EARTH. It is often called Mt. Olympus. Wherever it
was, the entrance to it was a great gate of clouds kept by
the seasons. Within were the OLYMPIANS, where they
lived and slept and feasted. It was an abode of
untroubled blessedness.
No wind ever shakes the
untroubled peace of Olympus; no rain ever
falls there or snow; but the cloudless
firmament stretches around it on all sides
and the white glory of sunshine is diffused
upon its walls.
ZEUS, after learning that PROMETHEUS had
brought fire to mankind, became enraged. ZEUS, in his
anger, figured a way to punish PROMETHEUS for his
actions; therefore, he fashioned a young woman and he
named her PANDORA.
 Zeus 
ZEUS gave PANDORA one main trait that
would spell doom for mankind, curiosity. He fashioned a
box and gave it to PANDORA warning her not to open
it, but knowing that her curiosity would prohibit her
from following his commands. One day, as ZEUS had
planned, she lifted the lid—and out flew plagues
innumerable, sorrow and mischief for mankind. In terror,
PANDORA clapped the lid down, but too late. One good
thing, however, was there—Hope. It was the only good
the box held among the many evils, and it remains, to
this day, mankind’s sole comfort in misfortune. So
mortals learned that it is not possible to get the better of
ZEUS or ever deceive him. The wise and compassionate
PROMETHEUS, too, found that out.
ZEUS and his brothers drew lots for their share
of the universe. Through a pact, made by POSEIDON
and ZEUS, the sea fell to POSEIDON, and the
underworld, the most undesirable of all places, went to
HADES. This enraged HADES, and to this day, HADES
does not have a kind word to say to either of his
brothers. ZEUS became the supreme ruler. He was the
Lord of the Sky, the Rain-god, and the Cloud-gatherer,
who wielded the awful thunderbolt. His powers were
greater than all the other divinities together.
I am mightiest of all. Make trial
that you may know. Fasten a rope of gold to
HEAVEN and lay hold, every god and
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goddess. You could not drag down ZEUS.
But if I wished to drag you down, then I
would. The rope I would bind to a pinnacle
of Olympus and all would hang in air, yes,
the very EARTH and the sea too.
this anger and jealousy that HERA is often remembered
for.
Nevertheless, he was not omnipotent or
omniscient, either. He could be opposed and deceived.
HERA often dupes him quite easily. Sometimes, too, the
mysterious power, Fate, is spoken of as stronger than he.
 Poseidon 
Her animal was the peacock and her tree was the
maple.
POSEIDON was the ruler of the sea. ZEUS was
his brother, and he was second only to ZEUS in
eminence. POSEIDON’s wife was AMPHITRITE; she
was a sea nymph and the granddaughter of the TITANS
OCEAN and TETHYS.
ZEUS is often represented as falling in love with
one woman after another, and in many myths his main
goal is to hide his infidelities from his wife, HERA. Still,
even though ZEUS had his downfalls, he was always
described as having grandeur.
POSEIDON had a splendid palace beneath the
sea, but he was more often to be found on Mt. Olympus.
Besides being Lord of the Sea, he is known for giving
the first horse to man.
ZEUS, most glorious, most great
God of the storm-cloud, thou that dwellest in
HEAVEN. Father ZEUS never helps liars or
those who break their oaths.
Lord POSEIDON, from you this
pride is ours, the strong horses, the young
horses, and also the rule of the deep.
These two opposing ideas of ZEUS, the low and high,
have persisted side by side throughout Greek Mythology
forever.
Storm and calm were also under his control.
He commanded and the storm
wind rose and the surges of the sea growled.
His bird was the eagle and his tree was the oak.
But when he drove his golden car over the waters, the
thunder of the waves sank into stillness, and tranquil
peace followed his smooth-rolling wheels. He was
commonly called the “EARTH-shaker” and was always
shown carrying his trident, a three pronged spear, with
which he would shake and shatter whatever he pleased.
 Hera 
HERA was ZEUS’s wife and sister. While she
was the daughter of the TITANS CRONUS and RHEA
she was raised by the TITANS OCEAN and TETHYS.
She was the protector of marriage, and married women
were her peculiar care. Early in her marriage to ZEUS,
HERA is described as powerful and reverent to her
husband.
His animal was the horse and his tree was the
willow.
 Hades 
Golden-throned HERA, among
immortals the queen, chief among them in
beauty, the glorious lady all blessed in high
Olympus revere, honor even as ZEUS, the
lord of the thunder.
HADES was the third brother among the
OLYMPIANS, who drew for his share the underworld
and the rule over the dead. He was king of the dead, not
THANATOS (DEATH) himself. He was third to
POSEIDON and ZEUS in eminence.
However, HERA is hardly ever described as being a
“charming character” in mythology, especially after her
discovery that ZEUS had fallen in love with so many
other women.
It was rare that HADES left his dark realm to
visit Mt. Olympus, nor was he ever urged to do so.
HADES wasn’t an evil god, just an unpleasant one.
Her chief goal became the punishment of all the
women that ZEUS had ever fallen in love with, even the
women that yielded to ZEUS because he had tricked or
coerced them. Her anger for ZEUS’s wrongdoings
followed her throughout all of Greek Mythology. It is
His wife was PERSEPHONE, whom he carried
away from EARTH and made Queen of the Underworld.
PERSEPHONE was a beautiful mortal woman who was
caught one day eating a pomegranate from the garden of
HADES. As punishment for this act, HADES left his
dark underworld, came to EARTH, and stole
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PERSEPHONE away, forcing her to be his wife and
Queen of the Underworld.
His animal was the crow and his tree was the
laurel.
 Artemis 
His animal was the beetle and his tree was the
palm.
ARTEMIS is APOLLO’s twin sister. Her father
and mother were also ZEUS and LETO, a mortal
woman. ARTEMIS was the Lady of the Wild Things.
She was also huntsman-in-chief to the gods, an odd
office for a woman. Like a good huntsman, she was
careful to preserve the young: she was “the protectress of
dewy youth” everywhere.
 Athena 
ATHENA was the daughter of ZEUS alone. No
mother bore her. Full-grown and in full armor, she
sprang from ZEUS’s head. She is a fierce and ruthless
battle-goddess; she is warlike and defends the home
from outside enemies. She is most often referred to as
the Goddess of Wisdom.
ARTEMIS is also one of the three virgin
goddesses in Greek Mythology. She is often symbolized
by the moon, in conjunction to her brother APOLLO.
She was ZEUS’s favorite child; the only child
that he ever trusted to carry his might thunderbolts. She
is most often described as “gray-eyed” or “flashingeyed.” Of the three virgin goddesses she was the chief,
and in many Greek Mythological stories she is the
embodiment of wisdom, reason, and purity.
Her animal was the deer and her tree was the
cypress.
 Aphrodite 
APHRODITE’s parents were ZEUS and
DIONE, a mortal woman known for her immense
beauty. After the union of ZEUS and DIONE it is said
that APHRODITE sprang from the foam of the sea. The
Goddess of Love and Beauty, who beguiled all, gods and
men alike; the laughter-loving goddess, who laughed
sweetly or mockingly at those her wiles had conquered;
the irresistible goddess who stole away even the wits of
the wise.
Because of ATHENA’s relationship with ZEUS,
she often earns HERA’s hate and jealousy.
Her animal was the owl and her tree was the
olive tree.
 Apollo 
Apollo is the son of ZEUS and a mortal woman
named LETO. He is often called “the most Greek of all
the gods.” He is a beautiful, master musician who
delights Olympus as he plays on his golden lyre.
APOLLO is also known as the Healer, who first taught
men the art of healing. Even more than these good and
lovely endowments, he is the God of Light (a role which
often has him symbolized by the sun), in whom there is
no darkness at all, and so he is the God of Truth. No
false word ever falls from his lips.
With her, beauty comes. The
winds flee before her and the storm clouds;
sweet flowers embroider the earth; the
waves of the sea laugh; she moves in radiant
light. Without her there is no joy no
loveliness anywhere.
She is a soft, weak creature, whom a mortal need
not fear to attack. She is usually shown as being
malicious, exerting a deadly and destructive power over
men.
O APOLLO, from your throne of
truth, from your dwelling-place at the heart
of the world, you speak to men. By ZEUS’s
decree no lie comes there, no shadow to
darken the word of truth. ZEUS sealed by an
everlasting right APOLLO’s honour, that all
may trust with unshaken faith when he
speaks.
She is said to have been the wife of
HEPHAESTUS, ironic because HEPHAESTUS was the
ugliest of all the OLYMPIANS.
Her animal was the dove and her tree was the
myrtle.
 Hermes 
APOLLO’s twin sister, born to the same mother
and father is ARTEMIS.
HERMES was the son of ZEUS and MAIA, the
mortal daughter of the TITAN ATLAS. HERMES was
ZEUS’s messenger, who “flies as fleet as thought to do
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his bidding.” He was graceful and swift of motion. On
his feet were winged sandals; wings were on his lowcrowned hat, too, and on his magic wand.
fear onto the battlefield. As the brigade moved forward
they left behind them the bloodshed they had created and
the groaning of dying soldiers.
Of all the gods he was the shrewdest, and most
cunning; in fact, he was the master thief of Mt.
Olympus, who started his career before he was a day old.
It is also said that ARES often had affairs with
APHRODITE causing much contempt between ARES
and, APHRODITE’s husband, HEPHAESTUS.
The babe was born at the break of
DAY, and ere NIGHT fell he had stolen
away APOLLO’s herds.
His animal was a vulture and his tree was a pine.
 Hephaestus 
ZEUS made HERMES return the herds to
APOLLO, and HERMES was able to win APOLLO’s
forgiveness by presenting him the lyre (named from the
mischievous nature of HERMES) which would become
APOLLO’s most prized possession.
HEPHAESTUS was the son of HERA alone. He
had no father. His wife was APHRODITE. He was the
God of Fire and Handicrafts. Among all the perfectly
beautiful gods and goddesses he was the only one that
was ugly and lame.
In contrast to the uplifting image of him,
HERMES was also the solemn guide of the dead, the
Divine Herald who led souls down to their last home.
There are three stories that describe how
HEPHAESTUS became deformed. In the first story
HERA creates him out of jealousy for ATHENA;
because of his creation being based on hate and jealousy,
he was born ugly. Due to his ugly features, ZEUS kicks
him out of OLYMPUS, much to the chagrin of his
mother, HERA. The second story says that
HEPHAESTUS stood up to ZEUS in defense of his
mother when he was young; out of anger for his protest,
ZEUS throws him down the steps of Mt. Olympus,
making him uglier and uglier as he bounces all the way
down. In the third story, HEPHAESTUS is simply born
ugly and ZEUS doesn’t allow him to stay in Mt.
Olympus with the more beautiful gods and goddesses.
HERMES also appears in tales of Greek
Mythology more than any other god or goddess in
history.
His animal was the hawk and his tree was the
redwood.
 ARES 
ARES is the only OLYMPIAN born to ZEUS
and HERA together. ARES is known as the God of War,
and it is often said that ZEUS and HERA detested their
son. Throughout mythological stories ARES is often
described as a ruthless, murderous, and bloodstained
god; however, strangely, ARES was also a coward in
most stories, described as someone who would “bellow
with pain and run away when he was wounded.”
Although there are three differing stories to
describe HEPHAESTUS’s deformity, there is one
constant in each of the stories: ZEUS always kicks him
out of OLYPMPUS. However, HEPAESTUS is allowed
back into OLYMPUS only after ZEUS discovers that he
is talented at creating items. Therefore, ZEUS allowed
him back and gave him the job of creating his mighty
thunderbolts as well as other weaponry used by the
OLYMPIANS.
Whenever ARES entered into battle, he was
always accompanied by a train of attendants that
included: ARES’s wife, ENYO, the Goddess of War;
ARES and ENYO’s daughter, ERIS, whose name means
discord; ERIS’s son, STRIFE; and following behind
these members of the brigade were three monster-like
creatures known as TERROR, TREMBLING, and
PANIC. ENYO did little more than walk behind the
brigade, watching the havoc caused by her husband and
her children. ERIS swept through the battle like a fog,
creating an environment filled with chaotic fighting and
frenzied soldiers. STRIFE’s main goal was to bring pain
and suffering to all soldiers that were wounded during
battle. TERROR, TREMBLING, and PANIC did just
what their names suggested; they brought anxiety and
His animal was the bear and his tree was the
hickory.
 Hestia 
HESTIA was the last of the five original
OLYMPIANS. She was also the last of the three virgin
goddesses. She has no distinct personality and she plays
no part in most myths. She was the Goddess of the
Home.
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Every city had a statue of HESTIA surrounded
with fire that was never allowed to go out. Every
newborn was taken to the statue and presented to
HESTIA before officially being accepted into the family.
Every meal began and ended with an offering to her.
There were also two bands lovely sisters that
lived in Olympus.
The first of the two bands, which consisted of three
sisters, were THE GRACES. THE GRACES were
present at most parties and banquets in Greek
Mythology, and their main job was to ensure that a good
time was had by all. They were AGLAIA, who spread
splendor, EUPHROSYNE, who spread mirth, and
THALIA, who spread good cheer. These sisters were the
daughters of ZEUS and EURYNOME, daughter to the
TITAN, OCEAN. The gods and goddesses delighted in
these women when they danced enchantingly to
APOLLO’s lyre, and whomever they visited was sure to
be happy. They “gave life its bloom.”
HESTIA, in all dwellings of men
and immortals yours is the highest honor,
the sweet wind offered first and last at the
feast, poured out to you duly. Never without
you can gods or mortals hold banquet.
HESTIA was not represented with a tree or an
animal, rather, she was often represented by simple gift
taken to most people as a house-warming gift: a
pineapple.
The second of the two bands, which consisted of nine
sisters, were THE MUSES. They were the daughters of
ZEUS, and MNEMOSYNE (the TITANESS of
Memory). The nine were: CLIO, the Muse of History;
URANIA, the Muse of Astronomy; MELPOMENE, the
Muse of Tragedy; THALIA, the Muse of Comedy;
TERPISCHORE, the Muse of Dance; CALLIOPE, the
Muse of Epic Poetry; ERATO, the Muse of Love Poetry;
POLYHYMNIA, the Muse of Music; and EUTERPE,
the Muse of Lyric Poetry.
 The Lesser Gods of Olympus 
There were other divinities in Olympus besides
the twelve great OLYMPIANS. The most important of
these other divinities was APHRODITE’s son, EROS
(CUPID), the God of Love.
Love—EROS—makes his home
in men’s hearts, but not in every heart, for
where there is hardness he departs. His
greatest glory is that he cannot do wrong nor
allow it; force never comes near him. For all
men serve him of their own free will. And
he whom love touches walks not in
darkness.
THE MUSES and THE GRACES
are all of one mind, and their hearts are set
upon love, and their spirit is free from care.
He is happy whom THE GRACES love.
And he is inspired whom THE MUSES
love. For though a man has sorrow and grief
in his soul, and though he has clouds in his
mind, when THE MUSES sing and THE
GRACES arrive, at once he forgets his dark
thoughts and remembers not his troubles.
Such is the holy gift of these sisters to men.
He is always seen with a bow and arrow, and his arrows
are known to spread love to whomever they pierce.
Small are his hands, yet his
arrows fly far as death.
EROS (CUPID) was often represented as
blindfolded, because love is often blind. In attendance
upon him were ANTEROS, the Avenger of Slighted
Love, HIMEROS, the God of Longing, and HYMEN the
God of the Wedding Feast.
 The Lesser Gods of the
Waters 
NEREUS, the son of the TITAN PONTUS, was
nick-named “The Old Man of the Sea.”
HEBE was the Goddess of Youth, the daughter
of ZEUS and HERA, known mainly for her marriage to
HERCULES. HERCULES was also the born to ZEUS
and HERA; he was a mortal known for his immense
strength.
A trusty god, and gentle, who
thinks just and kindly thoughts and never
lies.
NEREUS’s wife was DORIS, the daughter of the
TITAN OCEAN. Together, NEREUS and DORIS had
fifty lovely daughters, the Nymphs of the Sea, which
were referred to as THE NEREIDS throughout Greek
IRIS was the Goddess of the Rainbow and a
messenger for the gods and goddesses before the
appearance of HERMES.
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Mythology. Three of the most famous of THE
NEREIDS include:
Although DEMETER was the daughter of CRONUS and
RHEA, she was never considered worthy of residing in
Olympus with the other OLYMPIANS. Instead, she was
found to be more useful left under the care of her
grandmother, EARTH. EARTH taught her how to make
things grow and flourish; therefore, she became the
Goddess of Agriculture. She was considered to be the
most important Goddesses to the EARTH.
AMPHITRITE, the first, was the wife of POSEIDON.
CALYPSO, the second, was known throughout most
Greek Mythological stories as a devious temptress who
lived alone on an island. The island was where she held
any stranded men hostage; the most famous of these men
included ODYSSEUS, a very famous, mortal soldier
who fought in the most famous of Greek Mythological
wars, The Trojan War. ODYSSEUS was one of the two
main soldiers to plan the Trojan Horse attack on Troy; a
plan which included a hollowed horse given to Troy as a
surrender from the Achaeans. Once Troy brought the
token into the walls, the Achaeans exited the inside of
the horse and stormed the city, this act won The Trojan
War. ODYSSEUS’S wife was PENELOPE and his son
was TELEMACHUS.
When DEMETER’s daughter PERSEPHONE
was taken to the Underworld by HADES, DEMETER
journeyed to retrieve her. HADES struck a deal with
DEMETER, saying that PERSEPHONE could spend
half the year with her mother and the other half with
him. This is why in Spring and Summer DEMETER
makes flowers bloom and the weather warm and
pleasant, and why in Winter and Fall she makes it cold
and dreary. Therefore, the seasons are based on
DEMETER’s emotions that are felt when DEMETER is
able to spend time with her daughter, and when she is
made to be separated from her.
THETIS, the third, was known mainly for being the
mother of ACHILLES, another very famous, mortal
soldier. When ACHILLES was young, THETIS took her
son to the River Styx, the river that flowed through the
Underworld. It was believed in Greek Mythology that by
dipping an item into the River Styx, you could make it
invulnerable to harm. Therefore, THETIS took her
young son, ACHILLES, into the Underworld and dipped
his body into the water of the river. Everything was
immersed in the water except for ACHILLES’s ankle;
this part of his body became his main weakness. (This is
where the phrase “ACHILLES Heel” originated.
ACHILLES was also the second of the two main
soldiers that came up with the plan of the Trojan Horse.
The God thought to be the most important to the
EARTH was BACCHUS, the God of Wine.
PAN, the son of HERMES, was a noisy, merry
god. All the wild places were his home, and he was part
human, part goat; he had goat’s horns and goat hoofs
instead of feet. PAN was often seen with the woodland
nymphs and was always in love with one nymph or
another, yet he was always rejected because he was ugly.
He was a beautiful musician, and was often seen playing
his pipes of reed.
Upon his pipes he could play
songs as sweet as the nightingales’ song.
TRITON was known as the “Trumpeter of the
Sea.” His trumpet that he would often sound in
mythological stories is a great shell. He was the son of
POSEIDON and AMPHITRITE.
Sounds heard in the wilderness at night by a trembling
traveler were supposed to be made by him, so the term
“panic” was made in his honor.
PROTEUS, sometimes said to be the son of
POSEIDON and sometimes said to simply be
POSEIDON’s servant, had the power of both foretelling
the future and changing his shape at will.
SILENUS was also the son of HERMES and the
brother to PAN. He was a jovial fat man who usually
rode a donkey because he was too drunk to walk. Before
he became a drunkard he was the God of Wine; he
taught BACHUSS the ways of his work, and once
BACHUSS stepped in, SILENUS became his devout
follower.
 The Lesser Gods of the EARTH 
AEOLUS, the God of the Wind, had four
companions that aided with his duties. There was
BOREAS, the God of the North Wind, NOTUS, the God
of the South Wind, EURUS, the God of the East Wind,
and ZEPHYRUS, the God of the West Wind.
 Beings of the underworld 
On guard before the gates of the Underworld
was CERBERUS, the three-headed dog, who permits
spirits to enter, but none to return. He was the favorite
pet of HADES.
DEMETER, the Goddess of Agriculture, was
also the mother of PERSEPHONE, the wife of HADES.
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There was also a band of sisters that dwelled in
the Underworld known as THE FATES. There were
three: CLOTHO, known as “The Spinner” who spun
every man their thread of life. The length of the thread
depicted how long the man would live. LACHESIS,
known as “The Disposer of Lots,” assigned each man his
destiny. ATROPOS, who could never be turned once she
made a decision, carried the “Abhorred Shears” and cut
the thread of life. THE FATES were known especially
by the mortals seeing as how THE FATES could not
control the lives of the immortal gods and goddesses.
them. Once their victims arrived on their island they
would sing until their victims died beside them. Once the
men had died THE SIRENS are also most popular in a
story with ODYSSEUS. ODYSSEUS was tied to the
mast of his ship and listened to the singing, wanting to
jump overboard once he heard their voices. But his
crewmates, who had stuffed their ears with wax so as not
to hear THE SIRENS, would tie ODYSSEUS tighter and
tighter to the mast the more he begged to be released.
ODYSSEUS is one of the only mortal men to hear THE
SIRENS’ singing, but still be alive to speak about it.
Another band of sisters that dwelled in the
Underworld were known as THE GRAEAE, or The
Gray Women. These women were approached quite
often in Greek Mythology stories, because they served
as prophets that could forsee the future. Most of the
time, they are depicted as three women who share one
eye; this eye is known as the “all-knowing eye.”
THE LOTUS EATERS were another race of
sisters, and like THE SIRENS, they were created by
POSEIDON. THE LOTUS EATERS were known for
their lotus flowers. Once a lotus flower was eaten, the
eater would forget what was most important to them;
therefore, they would stay with THE LOTUS EATERS
unable to notice the passing of time.
Also from the Underworld was the witch
CIRCE. CIRCE was a temptress that would turn men
into animals, forcing them to stay with her on her island.
She was banished to her island after the discovery by
HADES that she had murdered her husband. She was the
daughter of HYPERION, the Titan of the sun, the moon,
and the dawn.
Another creature of Mythology included
SCYLLA, a sea serpent created by POSEIDON.
SCYLLA was known for her ability to create whirlpools
on the surface of the seas. She was known as the
“devourer of men.”
Lastly, was MEDUSA, a woman with snakes for
hair that could turn men to stone by looking into their
eyes’. The story behind MEDUSA begins with her
beauty. MEDUSA was once a beautiful mortal woman
who was sought after by many men. POSEIDON
himself tried to seduce MEDUSA, however, MEDUSA,
not wanting to comply with POSEIDON, ran to the hall
of ATHENA and prayed to her that she save her from
POSEIDON. ATHENA did not help, and MEDUSA was
raped by POSEIDON in front of the statue of ATHENA.
ATHENA was so disgusted by MEDUSA’S rape, that
ATHENA cursed her, giving her snakes for hair and
eyes that would turn all men into stone. The most
popular perhaps of all mythological stories, is the story
of the death of MEDUSA in which PERSEUS, son to
ZEUS and DANAE (a mortal woman seduced by ZEUS
when ZEUS presented himself to her as a shower of
gold), goes to the island of MEDUSA and decapitates
her while looking at her reflection in a shield given to
him by ATHENA. The head is later used by PERSEUS
to defeat the KRAKEN. PERSEUS is aided in the defeat
of the KRAKEN by one of the most famous
mythological creatures, the winged horse known as
PEGASUS.
Lastly, there was CHARON, known as the “Ferryman of
the Underworld.” His job was to ferry the souls of the
dead across the River Styx. The cost for this journey
included coins, which is why coins were placed over the
eyes of dead Greeks. If you could not pay, CHARON
would force you to swim across the river, a journey that
would take 800 years.
 Creatures of Mythology 
POLYPHEMUS was the son of POSEIDON. He
was created in the image of the Cyclopes; a race of
beings long since banished from the earth.
POLYPHEMUS was adorned with a huge eye in the
middle of his forehead. He is known more popularly in
the story of his battle with ODYSSEUS. In the story,
POLYPHEMUS eats the men of ODYSSEUS’s crew,
but ODYSSEUS defeats POLYPHEMUS by blinding
him with a stake. ODYSSEUS is able to get away, but
ODYSSEUS is punished by POSEIDON when
POLYPHEMUS asks his father to avenge him.
THE SIRENS were another race of sisters, also
created by POSEIDON. They lived alone on an island
and would sing to lure men to their island. Their voices
were said to be irresistible to any mortal man that heard
Hamilton, Edith. Mythology. New York, New York.
Warner Books, Inc. ©1942.
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