Greek and Roman Mythology Study Guide

Greek Mythology

The roots of Greek mythology extend beyond mainland Greece. In 3000 B.C., The Great Mother was worshipped all across the land of modern Greece. Invaders came from Asia Minor that worshipped Aryan sky gods. These invaders settled in Thessaly and central Greece and married and started families with those already living there. Their beliefs blended, so many Greek and Roman myths have their origins elsewhere.

The Ages of Greece

Name Time PeriodEarly and middle Bronze Ages 3000-1600 B.C.Mycenaean Age 1600-1150 B.C.Dark Ages 1150-750 B.C.Archaic Age 750-490 B.C.Classical Age 490-323 B.C.Hellenistic Age 323-30 B.C.

The Greek Creation Myth

The most well-known Greek creation myth was told by the poet Hesiod around 800 B.C. It tells of the original Chaos, which was a swirling and formless mass. Gaia (Mother Earth), and her son Uranus (The Heavens), were born from Chaos. Gaia and Uranus created all of the plants and animals on Earth as well as the Titans, Cyclopses, the Giants, and had two children named Rhea and Cronus. Uranus was eventually overthrown by his son, Cronus. Rhea and Cronus gave birth to the twelve gods that would become the Olympians, who were the greatest of Greek gods and goddesses.

The Titans

The Titans were a race of twelve Greek gods that gave birth to the Olympian gods, therefore preceding (coming before) the Olympians. The Titans were the children of Gaia (Earth) and Uranus (Heavens). The male Titans were Coeus, Crius, Cronus, Hyperion, Iapetus, and Oceanus. The female Titans were Mnemosyne, Phoebe, Rhea, Tethys, Theia, and Themis. The Titans were the main gods during the Golden Age of Greece. Cronus was the leader of the Titans until he became too old and Atlas took his place.

The Olympian Gods

The youngest son of Cronus was Zeus, who rebelled against his father and the other Titans. Zeus was helped by the other Olympians in a great battle where the Titans were defeated with the help of thunderbolts created by the Cyclopses. After that battle, Zeus rose to the rank of ruler of the gods and banished the Titans to Tartarus, which is the deepest and darkest part of the

underworld. Zeus gave the realm of the ocean to his brother Poseidon and the realm of the underworld to his brother Hades. Zeus then brought many of his siblings to live with him atop Mount Olympus.

The gods and goddesses who lived in Greece atop Mount Olympus were called the Olympians. As the Roman Empire grew, its people absorbed the religious beliefs of the Greeks and gave the gods and goddesses Roman names. In the following list, the Greek name of each god is followed by the Roman name.

Zeus/Jupiter - Zeus was the son of Cronus, a Titan. He was primarily a sky and weather god and his emblem is the thunderbolt. Zeus was the leader of the Olympians.

• The childhood of Zeus was very troubled. Cronus, father of Zeus, was told that one of his children would kill him so he swallowed each of them as soon as they were born. The wife of Cronus and father of Zeus was Rhea and she saved Zeus by wrapping a stone in clothes and giving it to Cronus instead, which Cronus swallowed. Zeus was hidden by his mother in a cave on Mount Ida in Crete where Amalthea and the nymphs Ida and Adrastia took care of him.

• Zeus rescues his siblings after being given advice from the Metis, a wise Titan. Zeus was told to disguise himself as a cupbearer and offer Cronus a drink that would make him so sick that the Titan would throw the swallowed children up. The plan worked and his brothers and sisters Hestia, Demeter, Hades, Hera, and Poseidon were all freed. The stone that Cronus thought to be Zeus was also thrown up and later set up at Delphi.

• The War with the Titans took place over 10 years after Zeus rescued his siblings from Cronus. With the help of his siblings, Zeus fought the Titans. Atlas led the Titans because Cronus was too old. Zeus was helped by Gaia who told him to release the Cyclopses and Hundred-Handed Ones (the Hecatoncheires) who were being kept in the Underworld. The Cyclopses gave gifts of thanks, including the thunderbolt to Zeus, a helmet of invisibility to Hades, and a trident to Poseidon. With the help of these weapons, the Titans were defeated by the group that would be known as the Olympians. Following the war, Zeus and his brothers Poseidon and Hades drew lots to decide who would rule parts of the universe. As a result, Poseidon controlled the sea, Hades the Underworld, and Zeus the entire universe except Mount Olympus, which was a realm shared by all gods and goddesses.

• Zeus and Hera were married. Hera was the sister of Zeus. They had two sons, Ares and Hephaestus, as well as a daughter named Hebe. Some legends say that Hera also gave birth to the smith god Hephaestus without Zeus.

• Metis was the first wife of Zeus according to the Greek poet Hesiod. Metis was known for being wise. Uranus and Gaia warned Zeus that a child born with Metis would be a

threat to him so Zeus swallowed Metis and absorbed her wisdom. However, the child was born as the goddess Athene.

• Other loves of Zeus include:

• Electra – daughter of Atlas and mother of Harmonia

• Eurynome – daughter of Oceanus and Tethys, who gave birth to the Three Graces

• Leto –mother of Artemis and Apollo

• Maia – daughter of Pleione and Atlas as well as mother of Hermes

• Mnemosyne (Memory) – whose daughters were the Muses

• Taygete – daughter of Atlas and mother to Lacedaemon

• Themis – gave birth to:

• Horae (Seasons)

• Eunomia (Wise Legislation (laws))

• Dike (Justice)

• Eirene (Peace)

• The Fates (Moerae) who were daughters of Nox (Night)

Hera/Juno was the queen of Olympus and sister and wife of Zeus. She was born to Cronus and Rhea. She was known as Juno to the Romans. She was mother to Hebe, Hephaestus, Ares, and Eileithya. She was the goddess of marriage. Hera is an ancient god that existed before Zeus, who she often had struggles with.

• Hera and the Cuckoo is a story by Pausanius that tells that Zeus appeared before Hera as a cuckoo bird drenched in rain and shivering. Hera took the bird in and warmed it. Zeus then returned to human form and agreed to marry Hera.

• Hera and Ixion is the story of Hera and her admirer, King Ixion of Lapith. The king fell in love with Hera during a banquet at Mount Olympus. Zeus became jealous and made a cloud that looked like Hera for Ixion to obsess over.

• Hera and Io is the story of Io, a love of Zeus, and how Hera turned her into a cow. Hera then had Argus guard Io with its hundred eyes. Hermes rescued Io by soothing Argus to sleep with music and then killing him. Hera then transformed the eyes of Argus into the beautiful tail of the peacock.

Poseidon/Neptune was god of the seas and of horses as well as the cause of earthquakes. In ancient times, long before the appearance of Zeus, Poseidon was worshipped as a god of children and of herdsmen. His symbol is the three-tined trident. Poseidon was the brother of Zeus, Demeter, Hades, Hestia, and Hera. He was married to Amphitrite.

• Amphitrite was a Nereid, or sea nymph, that had three children with Poseidon: Triton, Benthescyme, and Rhode that lived in an underwater cave.

• Poseidon was greedy and tried to take Athens from the goddess Athene. They went to a court controlled by the gods and goddesses. Poseidon presented the court with unusable seawater but Athene presented an olive tree. The olive branch likely became a symbol of peace through this legend.

• Poseidon created the horse using his trident and invented the bridle to control the horse. One legend says that Poseidon turned into a horse to gain the love of Demeter, who had turned herself into a horse.

Demeter/Ceres was the goddess of fertility and the mother of Persephone, who was carried off to the Underworld by Hades. It was said that the winter months were dark and unfruitful because that was when Persephone went underground.

• Persephone was the daughter of Demeter and Zeus. Demeter did not know that Zeus had promised to give Persephone to Hades, the god of the Underworld. One day while Persephone was gathering flowers in a field in Nysa, Hades opened the earth and dragged Persephone to the Underworld. Demeter suffered greatly at the loss of her daughter and wandered the earth searching for her until Helios, the sun god that sees everything, told Demeter what happened. Demeter left Olympus in anger and lived secretly as an old woman. Fruit stopped growing once Demeter went away so Zeus sent Hermes to the Underworld to bring back Persephone. Persephone ate four pomegranate seeds before leaving, dooming her to return to the Underworld for four months of every year, which is how winter was explained.

• Demeter was loved by Zeus but others tried to gain her affection, including Poseidon, who she had her daughter Despoena with. Demeter loved Iason and they had a son named Plutus.

Hades/Pluto was the ruler of the dead and of the underworld. His status as an Olympian is disputed because he did not live atop Mount Olympus, but as a brother of Zeus and Poseidon, Hades was a powerful force among the gods.

• Hades rarely left the Underworld. Exceptions are when he captured Persephone and when he tried to gain the affection of a nymph named Minthe.

Athene/Minerva was a goddess of war, arts and crafts, wisdom and the patron goddess of the city of Athens.

• There are many different legends about the birth of Athene. The most common is that Athene was born fully grown from the head of Zeus after Haphaestus hit it with an axe. It was said in Crete that Athene was born after Zeus struck his head against a cloud that Athene was hidden inside. The Palasgians (an ancient group from Asia Minor) said that Athene was born at the river Triton and raised by three nymphs.

• Athene challenged Poseidon over who should rule Athens. A court of gods and goddesses decided Athene should after she presented the court with an olive tree while Poseidon only produced unusable salt water.

Apollo is the only god to have the same name in both Greek and Roman mythology, Apollo had many functions. He was the god of poetry, music, archery, prophecy, and the art of healing. He was a sun god from ancient times that was described as just and wise and of great beauty.

• Apollo’s father was Zeus and his mother Leto, who was the gentle Titan. The wife of Zeus, Hera, was jealous of Leto and made it difficult for her to find a place to have her child. Leto was able to find refuge (a place that provides protection) in Delos, the floating island of Ortygia. It is there that Leto gave birth to twins Aretemis and Apollo. Artemis was born first and helped Leto with the birth of Apollo.

• Apollo and the Python is a legend about when Apollo tried to seek revenge against Python because Python had repeatedly bothered and scared his mother when she was looking for a place to have her children. Apollo finally found Python at Delphi and killed her. Zeus then told Apollo that he needed to be purified at the Vale of Temple. Apollo then returned to Delphi, taking control of the shrine there and making Python to be its Oracle.

• Apollo was very handsome and had many loves, including Cassandra (daughter of King Priam), Cyrene, and Hyacinthus. The nymph Daphne was chased by Apollo but she turned herself into a laurel tree instead of being with him.

Artemis/Diana was the goddess of the hunt, beasts, and childbirth. She is usually shown with a bow and arrow.

• Artemis was the twin sister of Apollo. She was born first and helped her mother, Leto, with the birth of Apollo.

• Orion was a great hunter that Artemis fell in love with. One day while Orion was swimming far from shore, Apollo shot an arrow at Orion, turning Orion into a rock.

• Artemis was known as “the Vengeful One” because she punished others that fell in love with her nymphs or she punished her nymphs if they fell in love.

• Zeus fell in love with her nymph Callisto and they had a son together named Arcas. Artemis was angry at Callisto for this so the god turned her into a she-bear.

• Acteon was turned into a deer by Artemis after she caught him watching her while she took a bath.

• The Aloeids were two giants that were trying to overthrow the Gods of Olympus. They tried capturing Artemis so she turned herself into a white deer and ran between the two brothers. The brothers shot arrows at Aloeid but missed and killed each other.

• Niobe bragged that she was better than Artemis’s mother Leto so Artemis and Apollo killed all twelve of Niobe’s children.

Hephaestus/Vulcan was the Greek god of craftsmen and of fire. He was the son of Zeus and Hera, but was considered inferior because he was not as handsome as the other Olympian gods. Depending on the legend, either Zeus or Hera flung Hephaestus from Olympus to the island of Lamnos. It was there that the sea goddesses Eurynome and Thetis rescued and looked after him.

Aphrodite/Venus was the goddess of love. Aphrodite was born of the sea foam that swirled around the flesh of Uranus that had been cast to the sea. Aphrodite had many loves:

• Poseidon fell in love with Aphrodite after he saw her trapped in a golden net. With Poseidon, she had the sons Rhodus and Herophilus.

• With Hermes she had Hermaphroditus and Eros.

• With Dionysus she had Priapus.

• She had children with Ares, god of war:

• Phobos (Fear)

• Deimos (Terror)

• Harmonia (Peace)

• Eros (Love)

Dionysus/Bacchus was the Greek god of having children, god of vegetation, and god of wine. Dionysus was born to a mortal named Semele and the god Zeus after he disguised himself as a mortal. Hera became jealous of the love between Zeus and Hera so he made Zeus return to his true form, causing Semele to burst into flames in his presence. Zeus saved the unborn Dionysus and gave him to Semele’s sister, Ino, and her husband, Athamas, to take care of the child. Hera then made Ino and Athamas go insane. Early on, Dionysus was linked with wild behavior. Later the god was thought of as a lawgiver, peacemaker, and creator of good soil.

Hermes/Mercury was the winged messenger of the gods, Hermes was also the god of merchants and thieves, roads, flocks, and luck. Hermes was the son of Zeus and Maia and was born in a cave in Arcadia. He quickly learned to walk and killed a tortoise when exiting the cave. He then made the first lyre from its shell. Hermes frequently had interactions with Apollo.

• To finish building his lyre, Hermes needed to make strings. He stole a group of cows that belonged to Apollo by making them walk backwards to confuse the god as to their whereabouts. Hermes killed the cows and made strings for the lyre from their guts.

• Apollo gave Hermes his golden staff of gold, called his caduceus. Hades told Hermes to lay the staff on the eyes of mortals that die to help lead them to the Underworld.

• Artemis taught Apollo how to hunt.

Names of Gods in Rome and GreeceRoman Names Greek Names DutiesGods:

Jupiter Zeus King of godsControlled weather

Neptune Poseidon Earthquakes, waterMars Ares WarApollo Apollo Poetry, music, archery,

prophecy, healing, sun god, care of herds and crops

Vulcan Hephaestus Craftsmen, smiths, fireMercury Hermes Trade, commerceGoddesses:Juno Hera Moon, protected

women during childbirth Minerva Athene Goddess of warDiana Artemis Light, woodlands,

womenVenus Aphrodite Love, beautyVesta Hestia HomesCeres Demeter Living things, grains,

plants

Early Roman Religion

• Agricultural deities were very important.

• Ceres, the most honored of the farming deities, was believed to watch over the planting of grain, and the word “cereal” comes from Ceres. Ceres would also be honored in January during the festival of the sowing of the seed.

• According to the Romans, Robigus was the god of wheat and spared the grains.

• Flora caused the plants to blossom.

• Consus protected the stored grains.

• Quirinus was celebrated in the fall when the grains were roasted.

• Mars and Saturn were also important deities (gods and goddesses) associated with the success or failure of crop harvests. Mars, the god of agriculture, later became associated with Ares, the Greek god of war. Saturn, the god of agriculture and time, became associated with the Greek god Cronus, the father of Zeus.

• Other early deities represented the practical needs of everyday life. Janus, a strictly Roman god, was worshipped at doorways.

• The Lares were protective deities of the land. They dwelled in the fields, at sacred crossroads, and where several farms came together.

• Vesta, the guardian of the hearth (community fire), was an important deity in a primitive world where fires were still lit by rubbing sticks together. The fires of Vesta were never allowed to go out in the crude huts of the early Romans. Each day, the youngest daughter of a family would make offerings of salted cakes to Vesta to ensure continuous fire.

Time Periods of Rome

Name Time PeriodFounding of Rome 753 B.C.Kingdom 753 B.C. to 509 B.C.Republic 509 B.C. to 27 B.C.Empire 27 B.C. to 476 A.D.

Other Gods/Deities/Heroes/important mortals

Acca Larentia was a goddess that appeared to have an association with the world of the dead and the early role of Lares, the guardian spirit of the dead. The oldest legends say that Larentia was the wife of the shepherd Faustulus, who found and brought to her the twins Romulus and Remus so that she could nurse them and raise them as her own.

Acestes was the son of the Trojan woman Egesta and the Sicilian river god Crimisus, founder of Segesta, which is a city in Sicily.

Achilles was the son of Peleus and Thetis, husband of Deidamia, and father of Neoptolemus. Achilles is the main character of Homer’s Iliad, the great story of the Trojan War.

• This war lasted 20 years and was between the Greeks and the Trojans following the abduction of Helen by Paris.

• A soothsayer (a person who claims to foretell events) predicted that the Greeks would never be able to defeat the Trojans without Achilles.

• The brave Achilles was a hero in battle and has become a symbol of a fighting man doomed in war but that fights on for achievement and heroism.

Aeneas was the son of Anchises, prince of Troy, and of Venus. Aeneas was also the husband of Creusa, father of Ascanius. His greatest fame comes from being a hero of Homer’s Greek epic, the Iliad, as well as a hero of the Aeneid by the Roman poet Virgil. In the Iliad and other Greek writings, Aeneas is the leader of the Dardanians, descendants of Darnanus, the founder of Troy. Venus and the god Apollo frequently helped Aeneas in his battles, often accompanied by other gods. Aeneas married Lavinia and founded the city of Lavinium, which he named after her. Years later, Aeneas died and so Venus asked Jupiter to make him a god. The people of Rome worshipped Aeneas as a founding figure and protector long before Virgil wrote the Aeneid in the first century B.C.

Amazons were a legendary race of female warriors that fought in the Trojan War and came from either Asia Minor or Africa. The most famous of the Amazons was Queen Hippolyta.

Angerona is the goddess of winter, specifically for the winter solstice. The people of Rome celebrated her on December 21, the beginning of winter. People believed that Angerona brought back the sun on this day, for on this solstice, daylight hours began to increase and nighttime hours decrease. Angerona became linked with secrets and quiet in later years. Some Roman passages say that Angerona was a goddess of fear and illness.

Anna Perenna is an ancient goddess of childbirth that was worshipped in the sacred woods north of Rome. In the earliest stories about her, Anna Perenna took on the form of an old woman who made and sold cakes to starving Romans who had fled the country to avoid political uprisings and violence in the city. In a separate story, she is the sister of Dido, Queen of Carthage, whom the Trojan hero Aeneas had loved but left on his journey from Troy to Italy. Sometime after that, Aeneas married Lavinia and founded a city in her name. Anna Perenna arrived and Lavinia was jealous of the newcomer and threatened to kill her. Anna fled into the woods where she met Numicius, a Roman river god, who carried her off as his wife and transformed her into a nymph. Her name means both the New Year (Anna) and the whole year (Perenna) and the Romans honored her in the great New Year’s festival on March 15, the first day of the new year in the ancient Roman calendar.

Achelous is a Greek river god that turned himself into a snake to overcome Heracles for the love of Deianira. Achelous was defeated by Heracles. Rivers had gods associated with them that were worshipped by the Greeks, who thought of them as children of the gods Tethys and Oceanus.

Adonis was the love of Aphrodite and represented male beauty. The mother of Adonis was Myrrha and his father was King Theias, the king of Syria. Adonis was worshiped as a god of grain crops.

Amalthea cared for Zeus during his upbringing on Crete.

Ascanius was the son of Aeneas and his wife, Creusa. When Troy fell in the Trojan War, Ascanius fled with his parents and his grandfather, Anchises. He is said to have founded Alba Longa, a city southeast of Rome. Since he is also called Julus, the family of the mighty Roman emperor Julius Caesar claimed to be descended from him. The story of Ascanius is told by the poet Virgil in the Aeneid.

Atlas was a Titan and son of Iapetus and Clymene and led the Titans in their battle with the Olympian gods. The Titans were defeated and all but Atlas were sent to Tarturus in the Underworld. The punishment Atlas received was to carry the sky on his shoulders for all of eternity.

Aurora is a Roman Goddess whose name is also Latin for “dawn” and the name Romans gave to Eos, who was the Greek goddess of that time of day. Aurora returned the gift of sight to the giant Orion after he traveled to the dawn on the advice of an Oracle. The bands of light that can be seen in the night sky of far northern and southern latitudes take their name from this goddess.

Bellerophon was the handsome son of Glaucus, king of Cornithia. Bellerophon was given the task of killing the fire-breathing monster Chimera. The goddess Athene helped Bellerophon by giving him a golden bridle to tame Pegasus. After many adventures with Pegasus, Bellerophon made the mistake of riding Pegasus to Mount Olympus, home of the gods. Zeus sent a fly that stung Pegasus and caused her to hurl Bellerophon to Earth, where he spent the rest of his life crippled and as an outcast.

Cadmus was the founder of the Greek city of Thebes. He was the son of King Agenor and Telephassa. After Zeus carried off Cadmus’ sister Europa while disguised as a white bull, Agenor sent his sons to search for her. Unable to find the lost sister, each of the brothers settled down in different places. Cadmus settled in Thebes under the advice of the Oracle at Delphi and married Harmonia.

Camilla is a warrior and heroine of Roman legend. Metabus, the king of the Volscians, was Camilla’s father and he saved her with the help of Diana, goddess of the woods and hunting, while they were being chased out of their city by his enemies.

Charon ran the ferry in the Underworld that took spirits of the dead across the Acheron and Styx rivers. Charon would need to be given a small coin called an obulus as a bribe or the spirit would be driven away and forced to roam the shores of Acheron and Styx for eternity.

Chiron was a kind and gentle centaur. Chiron was wise and knowledgeable about healing and hunting and was the tutor of famous heroes like Achilles and Jason.

Cronus is the son of Uranus and Gaia. His sister and wife was Rhea, and together they fathered Demeter, Hestia, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, and Zeus. Cronus took the throne from his father, Uranus, and Zeus took the throne from him. Cronus probably began as a corn god in very ancient times.

Daedalus was a great architect, sculptor, craftsmen, and inventor from Athens. Daedalus had a talented nephew named Talus that became his apprentice. When Talus invented the saw, Daedalus became jealous and killed his nephew. Daedalus then fled to Crete from Athens. Daedalus built the labyrinth for King Minos of Crete to hide the Minotaur.

Daphne is a nymph and daughter of Ladon, a nature god, and Gaia. Daphne was pursued by Apollo and begged Gaia for help so her mother opened up the world and Daphne disappeared into it. A laurel tree grew in her place.

Demeter was the daughter of Rhea and Cronus. With her brother Zeus, Demeter became the mother of Persephone. Demeter was the goddess of agriculture. Her Roman name was Ceres. Demeter’s daughter, Persephone, was taken to the Underworld by Hades after Zeus had made a deal to give Hades her soul. Demeter suffered dearly over the loss of her daughter and wandered the world until Helios, the Sun, told her what had occurred. Demeter then left Olympus and disguised herself as an old woman to live with mortals.

Dido is the founder and queen of the city of Carthage. Dido was married to her uncle Acerbas, who was murdered by Pygmalion. After the murder, Dido fled to Carthage and built a citadel called Byrsa.

Dionysus is a Greek god of wine and childbirth. Semele is the mother of Dionysus in most stories with the father always being Zeus. He is called Bacchus in Roman mythology.

Erinyes, also known as the Furies, were spirits with snakes for their hair. They went after people who committed crimes, especially crimes against family.

Europa was the daughter of the King of Tyre in Phoenicia and she was famous for her beauty. Zeus fell in love with Europa and disguised himself as a white bull and carried Europa away to Crete. Zeus had three sons with Europa: Minos, Rhadamanthus, and Sarpedon.

Eurydice was a beautiful dryad that married Orpheus. She was bitten by a snake while being pursued by Aristaeus and died. Orpheus traveled to the Underworld to take back his wife. Hades

agreed under the condition that he not look back, but Orpheus looked back right before exiting, causing his wife to disappear forever.

The Fates were the three Greek goddesses that controlled the destiny of mortals. These daughters of Zeus and Themis were also called Moirae or Moirai. In Roman mythology they were called the Parcae.

Flora was the ancient Roman goddess of youth, springtime, and plants. Flora was worshiped by the Sabine people of central Italy. Flora was often linked with Ceres, the goddess of grains and the earth. Flora’s male counterpart was Faunus, the Roman god of nature and fertility.

The Furies were the Roman name for the Greek Erinyes. The Furies avenged crimes, especially those within families, and the punishments were said to continue into the afterlife in the Underworld. The poet Hesiod said they were the daughters of Gaia, the earth mother. There were three Furies in most accounts:

• Alecto (she who never rests)

• Megaera (the jealous one)

• Trisiphone (avenger of blood).

Gaia is the Earth Mother in Greek mythology and was known as Tellus to the Romans. She was born from Chaos at the start of time and gave birth to Uranus, the star-filled sky. Gaia was mother of the mountains, seas, and all other natural features of Earth. After Earth was formed, Gaia and Uranus created the Titans, Cyclopses, and Hecatoncheires (monster with 100 hands). Uranus banished all but the Titans to the Underworld, upsetting Gaia, who then had her youngest son Cronus attack Uranus. Cronus then cast parts of the body of Uranus into the ocean. From the blood of Uranus came the Giants, Nymphs, and Furies.

Ganymede was a Trojan prince and great-grandson of Dardanus in Greek mythology. In the form of an eagle, Zeus carried Ganymede off to Olympus to serve as cupbearer of the gods.

Glaucus fought for the Trojans in the Trojan War. During the course of the war, Glaucus and a Greek soldier named Diomedes learned that their grandparents were friends. Glaucus and Diomedes exchanged armor and vowed to remain friends. Glaucus was later killed in battle by Ajax.

The Three Graces were Greek goddesses of charm and beauty and were the daughters of Zeus and Eurynome. According to the poet Hesiod, their names were Thalia (Flowering), Euphrosyne (Joy), and Aglaia (Radiance). The Three Graces were symbols of well-being and joy and would often dance with nymphs to celebrate the joys of nature.

Hades was the Greek god of the Underworld. In Roman mythology he was most often associated with Pluto, Orus, and Dis. The son of Cronus and Rhea, Hades and his siblings Zeus,

Demeter, Hera, Hestia, and Poseidon were swallowed by Cronus. Zeus escaped and rescued his brothers and sisters and defeated Cronus with their help. After Cronus was defeated, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades drew lots to decide who would rule various parts of the universe. Hades fell to the Underworld and rarely left, but when he did, nobody knew because he had a helmet that made him invisible. Hades fell in love with Persephone on one of these trips. Hades also left the Underworld to pursue a nymph named Minthe. Persephone then trampled Minthe in anger and Hades turned her into the mint plant.

Harmonia is the daughter of Aphrodite and Ares. Harmonia married Cadmus and all of the Olympian gods attended the wedding. Harmonia means “peace” and people believe that harmony is often used to describe peace between people in war due to Harmonia.

Hectate was a Titan and Greek goddess of goodwill and sorcery. She had the power to send spirits of the dead from the Underworld to the human world.

Hector was the great hero of the Trojans in the Trojan War. His death was brought about by Achilles and his funeral was at the close of the Iliad.

Heracles is the greatest hero of Greek mythology. In Roman mythology, he is called Hercules.

• His name means “glory of Hera.”

• He is the son of the god Zeus and the mortal Alcmene.

• Monsters, beasts, and human enemies were defeated by Heracles.

• He loved many women, including Deinira, who would cause his death.

The Twelve Labors of Heracles were almost impossible tasks given to Heracles by King Eurytheus. The labors were to be completed in order to right the sins that resulted from a fit of madness caused by Hera in which Heracles killed his children. These labors had to be performed over the course of 12 years. Heracles was victorious in all labors.

• The Nemean Lion was a gigantic offspring of Selene that lived in a cave with two separate entrances. After losing many battles to the lion, Heracles sealed off one entrance and trapped the lion before strangling him with his bare hands.

• The Hydra of Lenaea was a monster with many heads. New heads would grow each time one was cut off. Iolaus, companion to Heracles, burned the stumps of the heads, which prevented them from re-growing. After the monster was defeated, Heracles dipped his arrows in the poisonous blood of the Hydra to use later.

• The Wild Boar of Erymanthus was a huge beast that was hunted down by Heracles through winter fields covered with snow. Heracles eventually captured the boar and brought it to Eurytheus, who hid in a bronze jar out of fear of the beast.

• The Hind of Ceryneia was an Arcadian deer with bronze feet and antlers. It took a year for Heracles to catch it due to its speed. Heracles finally captured it and carried it to King Eurytheus without harm.

• The Stymphalian Birds were monstrous birds with wings, claws, and beaks made of bronze. These birds grouped together and would block out the sun. Heracles scared the birds with noise from a bronze rattle made with the help of the goddess Athene. The birds flew away and never returned.

• The Augean Stables were the manure-filled stables of King Elis of Augeus. Heracles cleaned the stables by diverting two nearby rivers, causing clean water to rush through the stables and wash the manure away.

• The Cretan Bull had terrorized the island of Crete. Heracles captured the bull and brought it to Greece, where it was killed by Theseus.

• The Horses of Diomedes were captured by Heracles in Thrace. Diomedes was said to have fed people to the horses, causing the horses to go wild. Heracles killed Diomedes and fed him to the horses, causing the horses to become tame.

• The Girdle of the Amazon was a piece of clothing worn by Queen Hippolyta of the Amazons. Heracles was given the girdle by Hippolyta after she fell in love with him.

• The Cattle of Geryon were envied by everyone. They were the red cows of a monster with three heads. Heracles stole the cattle at the banks of the Tiber River.

• The Stealing of Cerberus from the Underworld was ordered by Eurytheus. Cerberus was a three-headed dog that guarded the gates of the Underworld. Heracles was helped by Athene and Hermes in this labor and overcame Hades and the monstrous dog.

• The Apples of the Hesperides was the final task for Heracles. The Hesperides were the daughters of Atlas but the apples actually belonged to Hera and were guarded by the dragon Ladon. Only Atlas, a Titan who carried the sky on his shoulders, knew the location of the apple orchard. Heracles stole the sky from Atlas and convinced him to retrieve the apples before tricking Atlas to taking back the weight of the sky.

The Death of Heracles occurred on the final expedition of Heracles against an enemy named Eurytus.

• Heracles killed Eurytus and took his daughter, Iole, whom he loved before his current wife, Deianira.

• Deianira heard about Iole and sent a shirt soaked in poison with the messenger, Lichas.

• Heracles put on the shirt, which caused him great pain.

• Heracles ordered for a funeral pyre to be built and climbed atop.

• Hyllus told Heracles that Deianira had not intended to poison him and had killed herself out of regret.

• Before dying, Heracles gave Iole to his son to marry.

• Philoctetes set the pyre ablaze after no one else would.

• Zeus came down in a cloud and brought his son to Olympus and made him immortal.

Hermes is the winged messenger of Greek mythology. Hermes is also linked with roads, trading, thieves, and flocks. Zeus is the father of Hermes and Maia is his mother. Hermes was the father of Autolycus, Hermaphroditus, and Daphnis. Hermes was born in a cave in Mount Cyllene in Acadia. Hermes invented the lyre and guided souls on their way to Hades.

Hesiod is a Greek poet that probably lived between 800 B.C. and 700 B.C. He was a poor farmer and his poem, Works and Days, shows the lives of ordinary people in ancient Greece. Theogony by Hesiod deals with mythology and describes Greek beliefs on creation, ancestry, and gods and goddesses. Hesiod also wrote against the practices of witchcraft and human sacrifices.

Hestia, goddess of the hearth (a fireplace or household fire), is the oldest daughter of Cronus and Rhea and sister of the gods Hera and Zeus. Hestia is one of the twelve Olympian Gods and is described as peaceful, gentle, and pure.

• Hestia and the Hearth – It was difficult for early people to make and keep a fire. Once made, they tended the fire with care and honor. Each community had its own public hearth that was constantly maintained. Hestia represented the duty of caring for fire.

• Hestia and Priapus is the story of when Priapus hurt Hestia after having too much wine at a dinner party. The guests became angry and forced Priapus to leave. This story warns against the mistreatment of guests.

Homer is the most famous poet of ancient Greece and is typically connected to the epics the Iliad and the Odyssey. Little is known about Homer and he is estimated to have been born between 1050 and 700 B.C. Scholars debate whether the poems were his original work or were a collection of ancient writings that Homer compiled.

Hyperion is one of the Titans in Greek mythology and the twin brother of Thanaos (Death), son of Gaia and Uranus, and father of Helios (the Sun), Selene (the Moon), and Eos (the Dawn). The sun is sometimes called Hyperion in Greek mythology.

Hypnos is the mythological representation of sleep. The twin brother of Hypnos is Thanatos (Death) and is the son of Erebus (Darkness) and Nyx (Night).

Icarus is the son of Daedalus, the great inventor of Greek mythology. When Daedalus wanted to leave the island of Crete where he was being held prisoner, he created wings from wax. Icarus took flight but ignored the warnings from his father to not get too close to the sun. The heat from the sun melted the wax, causing Icarus to fall to the sea and drown.

Io was the beautiful daughter of the river Inachus and a priestess to Hera. Zeus, Hera’s husband, fell in love with Io so Zeus turned Io into a young cow to prevent Hera from hurting her and put her under the protection of Argus, a giant with 100 eyes, who watched her day and night.

Janus was a Roman god that was worshipped at doorways. People would pray to him when entering a house to prevent evil spirits from coming through the door and would pray to him when leaving to ensure a safe journey. After Rome became a prosperous city during the third and fourth centuries B.C., Janus became the guardian of the gates of the city. Janus was shown as a man with two faces, with one facing forward and the other facing backward. He became the Roman god of beginnings. His name was always said first in prayer, and he held the sacred first hour of the day, the first day of the month, and the first day of the year. In the eighth century B.C., King Numa added two months to the beginning of the old ten-month calendar and named the first month Januarius.

Jason and the Argonauts

• Jason was the son of Aeson, king of Iolcus, and Queen Alcimede.

• Pelias, the half-brother of Aeson, overthrew Aeson and claimed the throne of Iolcus.

• Jason was smuggled away and put into the care of the gentle Centaur named Chiron.

• After many years he made his way back to Iolcus to regain the kingdom.

• On his way he helped carry an old woman across a river and lost his sandal in the process.

• This old woman was the goddess Hera in disguise. She would help Jason throughout his journey.

• An Oracle warned Pelias to beware of a man that was wearing one sandal.

• Pelias sent Jason to capture the Golden Fleece, a task that he never expected Jason to return from.

• Hera helped Jason build the Argo, a ship with 50 oars.

• Jason recruited 50 people called the Argonauts to row the boat, including Heracles, Orpheus, and a women named Atalanta.

• Legends said that the fleece was hidden across the Black Sea so Jason and the Argonauts sailed there.

• Jason and the Argonauts reached Aetes and the king imposed nearly impossible tasks, including harnessing fire-breathing bulls to be used to plow a field and to sow the plowed field with the teeth of dragons.

• Medea, daughter of Aetes, fell in love with Jason and she led him to the fleece.

• The Golden Fleece was guarded by a dragon. Medea put the dragon to sleep with a magic potion and Jason took the fleece.

• Jason returned triumphantly and brought the fleece and Medea, a sorceress-queen.

• Medea brought Jason disaster after he left her for Glauca.

• Jason lived a sad and lonely life and died under the bow of his ship, the Argo.

Midas is a mythical king of Phrygia in Asia Minor. He was said to be the son of the goddess Cybele and King Gordius. There are two well-known stories from Greek mythology about Midas.

• Midas and the Golden Touch – As king, Midas was devoted to the god Dionysus. People that followed Dionysus were known for wild behavior. An old man named Silenus could not keep up with the fun at a party so a group of peasants tied Silenus up and presented him to Midas. The king knew that Silenus was a true follower so he brought the old man to Dionysus. The god was grateful and offered Midas a wish. Midas chose for his wish to be that everything he touched would turn to gold. Midas became very rich but almost died because any food he touched was turned to gold. Midas begged for the wish to be taken away and Dionysus answered by telling Midas to bathe in the river Pactolus to rid him of the ability. Midas did this and lost his “golden touch.”

• Midas and the Donkey’s Ears – After losing his riches, Midas enjoyed living a simple life. He spent his days in the forests and fields while listening to the ancient deity Pan play music on his pipes. Pan was bragging one day about how he could play better than Apollo, the Olympian god of music. The ground shook and Apollo appeared. Pan played his pipes and Apollo his lyre while a group of nymphs judged. Apollo was declared the winner by the nymphs but Midas declared Pan the winner. Apollo turned the ears of Midas into donkey ears as punishment.

Minerva was a roman goddess of education, business, culture, art, and science. She was originally worshipped by the Etruscans of central Italy. Minerva was shown wearing a helmet and holding her sacred animal, the owl.

Minos was the son of Zeus and Europa in Greek mythology. Minos was a king that was known for his wisdom and fairness and was made a judge of the Underworld after his death, which came as he was drowned in a bathtub of boiling water under the order of King Cocalus of Sicily. There are two famous stories linked to Minos.

• Minos and the Minotaur – As King of Crete, Minos was married to Pasiphae. Minos upset Poseidon when he refused to sacrifice a magnificent bull. Poseidon made Pasiphae fall in love with a bull and she gave birth to the half-human, half-bull minotaur. Hoping to hide the minotaur, Minos asked Daedalus, the great inventor, to build a prison that nobody could leave. Minos declared war on Athens and his son, Androgeus, was killed. As punishment, Minos required that the people of Athens send seven men and seven women to Crete to be fed to the minotaur.

• Minos and Scylla – Nisus, the king of Megara in southeastern Greece, had a lock of hair that protected him from his enemies by making him invincible. Nisus had a daughter named Scylla that fell in love with Minos as he was attacking the city. Scylla cut her father’s lock of hair off while he slept, allowing Minos to capture the city. Minos was so angered by what she did to her father that he let her drown as she swam after his ship.

The Moirae were three Greek goddesses that determined the destiny of each person at their birth and are commonly referred to as the Fates. Their names were Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos.

Muses and Graces were daughters of Zeus that lived with other gods on Mount Olympus. There were nine muses and they worked under Apollo to inspire scholars and artists. The three Graces represented beauty, charm, and good cheer.

Orpheus was the world’s greatest poet and musician who ever lived according to Greek mythology. The wife of Orpheus, Eurydice, died when she was bitten by a snake. This left Orpheus heartbroken. Orpheus traveled to the Underworld to plead with Hades to bring Eurydice back to life. Hades allowed Orpheus to bring his wife back so long as he did not look back while leaving. Just as Orpheus reached daylight, he looked back to make sure his wife was still behind him. This caused Eurydice to vanish back into the Underworld, never to emerge.

Pales was guardian spirit of the flock in ancient Roman mythology. He protected and watched over sheep after they were moved from winter pastures in the valleys to summer pastures in the hills. He also brought the animals good health, grass and water, and insured good wool and milk. Pales was honored in April during the festival of Parilia, before the sheep were moved from their winter to their summer pastures.

Pan was god of the shepherds. Pan always had his musical pipes on hand.

Perseus was the son of Zeus and Danae and was husband to Andromeda. Perseus went on many adventures.

• Perseus and Medusa – After Perseus and his mother were cast away from Argos by King Acrisius, they found shelter on the island of Seriphos where King Polydectes ruled. Polydectes sent Perseus on a quest to bring back the head of Medusa. Perseus was helped by the gods as he was given a mirror from Athene and a leather bag from

Hermes. The Graea, three sisters with one eye and one tooth between them, told Perseus where to find Medusa. Perseus cut off Medusa’s head and from her blood came Chrysaor and Pegasus.

• Perseus and Andromeda – With Medusa’s head in his bag and winged-sandals on his feet, Perseus traveled to return the head to King Polydectes of Seriphos. During his flight, Perseus saw a beautiful woman chained to a rock. The woman was Andromeda, daughter of King Cepheus of Ethiopia. Perseus saved Andromeda from being eaten by a sea monster by turning the monster to stone with Medusa’s head.

• Perseus and Polydectes – Perseus turned Polydectes and his army to stone after they were persusing him while returning with the head of Medusa.

• Perseus and Acrisius – Knowing that Perseus would be arriving soon to take his throne, King Acrisius fled. Perseus chased Acrisius to Larissa, where games were being held. Perseus threw a disc that flew wildly and killed Acrisius.

Romulus and Remus were the mythological founders of Rome and were the twin sons of the god Mars and Rhea Silvia. Their mother was condemned to death and her uncle, King Amulius, ordered that the two infants be tossed into the Tiber River. A she-wolf found the infants and fed them her milk. A shepherd of King Faustalus found Romulus and Remus and brought them home where they were raised by his wife, Acca Laurentia. Romulus and Remus grew up and founded Rome on Palatine Hill. They fought over plans for the city and Romulus killed Remus. Legends say that Romulus became King of Rome for 40 years.

Satyrs had the head and torso of a man and the legs, horns, and ears of a goat. Satyrs were companions of Dionysus and spent their time dancing.

Theseus was the main hero of Athens in Greek mythology. He was the son of the king of Athens and Aethra, who was the daughter of King Pitheus of Troezen. Theseus set off for Athens when he was 16 to claim the city and had many adventures on the way.

• Periphates, who used a bronze club to kill those walking by, was killed by Theseus on his journey to Athens.

• Sinis “The Pinebender” would tie his victims between the ground and a bent tree before releasing the tension of the tree. Theseus used the same technique on Sinis.

• Procrustes (Polypemon), father of Sinis, was slain by Theseus.

• The slaying of the Minotaur was the greatest victory for Theseus. He was helped by Ariadne, daughter of King Minos of Crete. The king required Athens to send men and women to Crete to feed the Minotaur as punishment for the murder of his son, Androgeus, by the Athenians. Theseus joined the ship with the Minotaur’s yearly victims on its way to Crete. The king’s daughter fell in love with Theseus at first sight. Ariadne

gave Theseus a ball of string to escape the labyrinth that held the Minotaur. After slaying the Minotaur and exiting the labyrinth, Theseus planned to return to Athens with Ariadne but he abandoned her on the island of Naxos before returning home.

• Medea was a sorceress that tried to poison Theseus. Aegeus, father of Theseus, saved his son by hitting a poisoned cup from his son’s hand.

• After joining Heracles to take the girdle of Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons, Thesus made Hippolyta his wife and had a son named Hippolytus with her.

• After the death of his wife and son, Theseus left for Crete, which was ruled by his wife’s brother, Deucalion. The ship that he was traveling on was blown off course and he landed on Skyros. King Lycomedes at first welcomed Theseus but quietly pushed him off of a cliff.

Important Places from Greek and Roman Mythology

Aethea is an island in Greek mythology that was home to the witch Circe. Odysseus stayed here for a year and had a child with the witch.

Arcadia is the central plateau of the Peloponnesus in Greece. Settlers in Arcadia were mainly shepherds and worshipped Pan and other nature gods.

Asia Minor is the peninsula at the tip of western Asia. It was the intersection between the East and West in ancient times.

Athens is the capital city of Greece. It was named after the goddess Athene. People inhabited Athens since before 2000 B.C. It is the site of the Acropolis and Parthenon.

Carthage is an ancient city in North Africa. Dido established Carthage according to Virgil’s Aeneid and became its queen.

Corinth is a city in northeast Greece on the isthmus that connects central Greece with the Peloponnesus and was one of the most powerful and largest cities of ancient Greece. Cornith was often a rival of Athens and usually sided with Sparta.

Crete is a southern island of Greece and was once home to a thriving civilization. Trading had occurred between Crete and other ancient civilizations like Egypt. Crete reached its height at around 1600 B.C. when it was known as the Minoan civilization. The Minoan civilization collapsed in 1,400 B.C., most likely as the result of an earthquake, and the mainland Greeks took over the island.

Delos was the smallest of the Cyclade islands in the Aegean sea. Legend says that the drifting island was anchored by Zeus so Leto could give birth to his children Aremis and Apollo.

Delphi was the location of the most famous shrine in ancient Greece. It was found on Mount Parnassus above the Gulf of Peloponnesus where the ruins of the Temple of Apollo still stand.

Ethiopia is a country in northern Africa. In the Trojan War, the hero Memnon was a king of Ethiopia.

Hellesport, or the Dardanelles, is the long waterway from the Aegean Sea to the Black Sea.

Iolcus is a town in Magnesia in Thessaly. Iolcus was the home of Jason and Pelias and the starting point of the Argonauts as they searched for the Golden Fleece.

The Labyrinth was designed by Daedalus to house the Minotaur for King Minos.

Laconia is a region of southeast Greece whose capital was Sparta.

Oracles were sacred shrines where people believed that the gods would reveal future events. The most well-known was the Oracle at Delphi where a Pythia sat atop a tripod and uttered predictions.

Peloponnese is the large peninsula of southern Greece.

Phoenicia is an ancient kingdom where Lebanon and Syria are today. Its people were called Canaanites according to Homer. Tyre was the most famous port of Phoenicia.

Rome is a city on the Tiber River in Italy. According to most legends, Rome was founded by Romulus on April 21 between the years 772 B.C. and 754 B.C. Another legend tells that the city was founded by the descendants of Aeneas, a Greek hero that settled in Italy after the Trojan War.

Sparta is in southern Greece and was the capital of Laconia. Spartans were famous for their military training. Sparta and Athens were competing city-states.

Thebes is a city in ancient Greece that was supposedly established by Cadmus.

Thessaly is a central region of Greece that is also referred to as Aeolus, as it was called in the Odyssey.

Troy is the city that was sieged for ten years during the Trojan War. Troy was located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia Minor.

The Trojan War

The Trojan War is a legendary war that was fought between the people of Troy and Achaean (Greek) invaders. The events of this war were passed down orally for generations before being reshaped and written down by the poet Homer in the Illiad and the Odyssey.

• The cause of the war was said to be due to a beauty contest between three goddesses that erupted at a wedding in which Eris was not invited. Eris threw an “apple of discord” into the wedding party with the words “to the fairest” written on it. The goddesses Hera, Athene, and Aphrodite all claimed the apple. Zeus was asked to settle the dispute and passed the task on to Paris, a Trojan prince that was said to be the most handsome mortal. The three goddesses attempted to woo Paris with bribes. Aphrodite promised him the love of the most beautiful woman in the world if he gave her the apple and Paris agreed. Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world at the time, was at the court of King Menelaus of Sparta when Paris came and took her away to Troy.

• Menelaus chose Agamemnon, his brother, to lead an army to Troy. Agamemnon sacrificed his daughter, Iphigenia, to gain favorable winds for the journey to Troy.

• Achilles was an important hero for the Greeks and controlled his own fleet of roughly 50 ships outside of the control of Agamemnon and his even larger fleet of sips. Achilles and Agamemnon quarreled after Agamemnon stole Briseis from Achilles, causing Achilles to withdraw from the war. Achilles would later rejoin the war and bring victory to Greece under the direction of Patroclus, who was then killed by Hector. Achilles later slew Hector.

• The gods took sides in the Trojan War. The Trojans were supported by Apollo, Aphrodite, and Ares. The Greeks were backed by Athene, Poseidon, and Hera, as well as Hephawestus, who made armor for Achilles.

• Most scholars believe that a war between Greece and Troy did occur. Burial mounds from the Bronze Age have been found in what is believed to be the location of Troy.

• The Wooden Horse of Troy was an idea by the Greek hero Odysseus in which an enormous wooden horse would be built to secretly carry hundreds of Greek soldiers. The horse was given as a gift and then taken within the walls of Troy. At night, the Greek soldiers left the horse and fought the unprepared soldiers of Troy, destroying the city and bringing the war to an end.

Monsters from Greek and Roman Mythology

Argus was a giant with 100 eyes that was sent from Hera to watch over Io. Hermes played songs until all of the eyes of Argus closed and the giant fell asleep. Hermes then slew Argus, freeing Io.

Cerberus was the hound that guarded the Underworld for Hades. Some legends say Cerberus had three heads and others as many as 50. Music and offerings of food would calm him.

Cyclopses were the three sons of Uranus and Gaia. Their names were Brontes (Thunder), Steropes (Lightning), and Arges (Thunderbolt). They were very large and strong but their most notable feature was that they each had a single eye in the middle of their forehead. Uranus hated these sons and banished them to Tartarus, the deepest region of the Underworld. In the

Odyssey, Homer spoke of a tribe of Cyclopes that lived on an island in the Mediterranean Sea. These centaurs were wild and ruthless.

Chimera was a fire-breathing monster with the body of a goat, the head of a lion, and the tail of a snake. Chimera was born to Chidna and Typhon. Chimera was destroyed by Bellerophon after shooting it with lead arrows while atop Pegasus.

Echidna was the monster-child of Tartarus and Gaia and was both human and snake. She lived in a cave and ate humans.

Hydra was a water creature with many heads that would regrow when cut off. The second labor of Heracles was to slay the Hydra. Hydra is the child of Echidna and Typhon.

Ladon was the dragon that guarded the apples of the Hesperides. Heracles killed this dragon, upsetting Hera.

Laelaps was a dog that could catch anything. Zeus gave Laelaps to Procris, a nymph, to give to her husband, Cephalus. Cephalus accidentally killed Procris while hunting with Laelaps.

Medusa was once a beautiful maiden but Athene turned her into a monster so hideous that anyone that looked at her would be turned to stone. Medusa was defeated by Perseus, who cut off her head and used it to turn enemies to stone.

Minotaur was a mythical beast from Greek mythology that was half-human, half-bull. The minotaur was housed in a labyrinth constructed by Daedalus and survived off of eating humans. The hero Theseus slew the Minotaur with the help of Ariadne.

Nemean Lion was an enormous lion with impossibly tough skin that would become the constellation Leo.

Orthrus was a terrifying dog with two heads that lived among the giants.

Scylla and Charybdis were two mythical creatures of Greece that lived between Italy and the island of Sicily in the Straits of Messina. Scylla lived near the peninsula of Italy and had the body of a woman but with six long necks holding the heads of dogs that each had three rows of teeth. Closer to Sicily lived Charybdis, who swallowed up the sea and spat it out in a violent whirlpool three times a day.

Sphinx was a half-woman, half-beast that lived near Thebes and would give impossible riddles. Oedipus solved a riddle of the Sphinx. This Sphinx is not directly related to the Sphinx of Egypt.

Typhon was the largest and most deadly monster ever born. It had 100 ears and coiled snakes for legs. Zeus defeated Typhon and sent it to Hades.

Other Creatures from Greek and Roman Mythology

Arachne is the daughter of Idmon of Colophon and was skilled at weaving. People would marvel at her work and said that she must have been trained by the goddess Athene. Arachne denied this and invited Athene to compete with her. At the competition, Arachne made disrespectful designs of the gods and goddesses so Athene turned her into a spider, forcing Arachne to spend eternity making cobwebs.

Centaurs had the upper body of a human and the lower body of a horse. These creatures were the sons of Centaurus and the mares of Thessaly. Centaurs were known for their unruly behavior in Thessaly and lived on Mount Pindus. Chiron was the most famous of the centaurs.

Dryads were tree nymphs. They were connected to a certain tree and lived and died with that tree.

Harpies were beautiful women with wings and would appear suddenly to take objects and even people away. Harpies were blamed for the disappearance of children. The Harpies served Zeus and sent them along with his storms to complete tasks.

Nymphs were beautiful female spirits that lived for several thousand years and had magical powers. There were six specific kinds of nymphs:

• Dryads (tree and forest nymphs)

• Naiads (nymphs of lakes and freshwater springs)

• Napaeae (nymphs of valleys)

• Nereids (nymphs of the inner sea)

• Oceanids (nymphs of the outer sea)

• Oreads (mountain nymphs)

Pegasus was a horse with wings from Greek mythology that came out of the blood of the Gorgon Medusa when her head was cut off by Perseus.

The Sirens were nymphs whose soothing songs lured sailors to become shipwrecked on the coast where they lived.

The Iliad and the Odyssey

The Iliad is the name of an epic poem by Homer from around the eighth century B.C. The Iliad is told across 24 books and speaks of the final days of the Trojan War. The Iliad focuses on Achilles, a Greek hero, who caused setbacks for the Greeks after withdrawing from the war. Achilles then rejoined the war and killed Hector, the leader of the Trojans. The poem also tells of the life shepherds, woodcutters, and fishermen from Greece from between 1200 and 1300 B.C.

The Odyssey is the epic poem by Homer that tells of the adventures of Odysseus as he returned to his home of Ithaca following the Trojan War. The Odyssey is divided into 24 books but the narrative takes place across only six weeks (although flashbacks occur that go back as much as 20 years). The Odyssey is considered by some historians to be the first novel with a fictional story and fictional characters.