Greek and Roman Mythology

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Greek and Roman Mythology

• A Review
• of
• The Principal Gods and Goddesses

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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.

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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.

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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

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The Titans (The Elder Gods)

• There were many of them.
• Enormous size, incredible strength
• Cronos (Saturn) Ruler of the Titans
• Rhea (Ops) Wife of Cronos
• Oceanus River that encircled the world
• Iapetus Father of Prometheus, Epimetheus, and
  Atlas (also Titans)

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The Olympians

• 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)
• Hephaestus (Vulcan)
• Apollo
• Artemis (Diana)
• Hermes (Mercury)
• Aphrodite (Venus)
• Dionysus (Bacchus)
• Persephone (Proserpina)

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The Olympians
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Zeus

• Roman Name Jupiter (also Jove)
• King of the gods
• Fathered many characters in mythology
• Overthrew his father Cronos

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Zeus
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Hera

• Roman Name Juno
• Zeuss sister and wife
• Jealous protector of marriage
• Punished the women Zeus fell in love with

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Poseidon

• Roman Name Neptune
• God of the Seas and Waters
• The Earthshaker
• Symbol trident

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Hades

• Roman Name Pluto
• God of the Underworld/ Dead
• Kidnapped Persephone

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Hestia

• Roman Name Vesta
• Goddess of Home Hearth
• Powerful Protector

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Demeter

• Roman Name Ceres
• Goddess of the Harvest
• Caused the change of seasons

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Athena

• Roman Name Minerva
• Goddess of Wisdom and War
• Sprang from Zeuss head

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Ares

• Roman Name Mars
• God of War
• Son of Zeus and Hera
• Bloodthirsty and merciless

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Hephaestus

• Roman Name Vulcan
• Blacksmith to the gods
• Son of Zeus and Hera
• Married to Aphrodite

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Apollo

• Roman Name Apollo
• God of Light/Sun and Music
• Twin brother of Artemis

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Artemis

• Roman Name Diana
• Goddess of the Moon/ Hunt
• Twin sister to Apollo

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Hermes

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

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Aphrodite

• Roman Name Venus
• Goddess of Love and Beauty
• Sprang from the ocean foam

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Dionysus

• Roman Name Bacchus
• God of Wine Theater
• Cupbearer to the gods
• Taught man how to grow grapes make wine

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Persephone

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

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Eros

• Roman Name Cupid
• Young God of Love
• Son of Aphrodite and Hephaestus

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Iris

• Roman Name Isis
• Goddess of the Rainbow
• Servant to Hera
• Messenger goddess

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The Muses

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

• Nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne
• Inspired artists of all kinds

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

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

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The Erinnyes (The Furies)

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

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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.

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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.

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The Gorgons

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

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The Centaurs

• Half man, half horse
• Savage creatures (except Chiron)
• Followers of Dionysus