Greek and Roman Mythology

A Reviewof

The Principal Gods and Goddesses

What is a myth?

A traditional story rooted in primitive folk beliefs of cultures

Uses the supernatural to interpret natural events

Explains the culture’s view of the universe and the nature of humanity

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.

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.

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

These were the first characters that had the appearance of life, although it was unlike any life known to man.

The Titans (The Elder Gods)

There were many of them. Enormous size, incredible strength Cronos (Saturn): Ruler of the titans Rhea: Wife of Cronos Ocean: River that encircled the

world Iapetus: Father of Prometheus,

Epimetheus, and Atlas (also titans)

The Principal Gods

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)– Hebe (Juventas)– Hephaestus (Vulcan)– Apollo (Apollo)– Artemis (Diana)– Hermes (Mercury)– Aphrodite (Venus)– Dionysus (Bacchus)– Persephone

The Olympians

Zeus

Roman Name: Jupiter (also Jove)

Supreme god of the Olympians.

Fathered many characters in mythology

Zeus

Hera

Roman Name: Juno

Zeus’s sister and wife

Jealous protector of marriage

Punished the women Zeus fell in love with

Poseidon

Roman Name: Neptune

God of the Seas and Waters

“The Earthshaker”

Hades

Roman Name: Pluto

God of the Underworld/ Dead

Kidnapped Persephone

Hestia

Roman Name: Vesta

Goddess of Home

Powerful Protector

Demeter

Roman Name: Ceres

Goddess of the Harvest

A Goddess of the Earth

Athena

Roman Name: Minerva

Goddess of Wisdom and War

Sprang from Zeus’s head

Ares

Roman Name: Mars

God of War Son of Zeus

and Hera Bloodthirsty

and merciless

Hephaestus

Roman Name: Vulcan (Mulciber)

God of Fire/Forge

Son of Zeus and Hera

Kind, unlike his brother

Apollo

Roman Name: Apollo

God of Light/Sun and Music

Brother of Artemis

Artemis

Roman Name: Diana

Goddess of the Moon/ Hunt

Sister to Apollo

Hermes

Roman Name: Mercury

Messenger of the Gods

Appears in more myths than any other character

Aphrodite

Roman Name: Venus

Goddess of Love and Beauty

Sprang from the ocean foam

Dionysus

Roman Name: Bacchus

God of Wine Patron god of

the Greek stage

A God of the Earth

Persephone

Roman Name: Proserpina

Goddess of the Underworld

Daughter of Zeus and Demeter

Abducted by Hades

Hebe

Roman Name: Juventas

Goddess of Youth

Cupbearer to the Gods

Restored youth to the aged

Eros

Roman Name: Cupid

Young God of Love

Son of Aphrodite and Hephaestus

Iris

Goddess of the Rainbow

Messenger for Zeus and Hera

Daughter of the titan Thaumus and the nymph Electra

The Muses

Nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne

Inspired artists of all kinds

Goddesses who presided over the arts and sciences

“He is happy whom the muses love.”

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

The Graces

Three Goddesses of Grace and Beauty

“They give life its bloom.”

Aglaia (Splendor) Euphrosyne

(Mirth) Thalia (Good

Cheer)

The Erinnyes (The Furies)

Roman Name: Furiae or Dirae (The Furies)

Three Goddesses of Vengeance– Tisiphone– Alecto– Megaera

They punish evildoers.

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.

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.

The Gorgons

Three snake-haired monsters

Medusa is most well-known

Their look turns men to stone.

The Centaurs

Half man, half horse

Savage creatures (except Chiron)

Followers of Dionysus

Sources

Graphics in this presentation were taken from the following web sites:– http://www.bulfinch.org/fables/search.html– http://www.pantheon.org/– http://www.messagenet.com/myths/– http://mythman.com/– http://web.uvic.ca/grs/bowman/myth/index.html– http://www.paleothea.com/– http://www.entrenet.com/%7Egroedmed/greekm/myth.html

This presentation is for educational purposes only; it has not been and should not be sold or used as a vehicle to make money.