Greek and Roman Mythology

A Reviewof

The Principal Gods and Goddesses

What Is a Myth? A traditional story rooted in 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 w/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)

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

– Greek (Roman)– 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 (Jove)

Fathered many characters in mythology

Lightning

Hera (Juno) Jealous

protector of marriage

Punished the women Zeus fell in love with

Poseidon (Neptune) Roman Name:

Neptune God of the

Seas and Waters

“The Earthshaker”

Hades (Pluto) God of the

Underworld/ Dead

Kidnapped Persephone

Hestia (Vesta)

Goddess of Home

Powerful Protector

Demeter (Ceres)

Goddess of the Harvest

A Goddess of the Earth

Athena (Miverv

a) Roman

Name: Minerva

Goddess of Wisdom and War

Sprang from Zeus’s head

Ares (Mars) God of War Son of Zeus

and Hera Bloodthirsty

and merciless

Hephaestus (Vulcan)

God of Fire/Forge

Son of Zeus and Hera

Kind, unlike his brother

Apollo God of

Light/Sun and Music

Brother of Artemis

Artemis (Diana)

Goddess of the Moon/ Hunt

Sister to Apollo

Hermes (Mercury)

Messenger of the Gods

Appears in more myths than any other character

Aphrodite (Venus) Goddess of

Love and Beauty

Sprang from the ocean foam

Dionysus (Bacchus

) God of Wine Patron god of

the Greek stage

A God of the Earth

Persephone

(Proserpina)

Goddess of the Underworld

Daughter of Zeus and Demeter

Abducted by Hades

Hebe (Juventus

) Goddess of

Youth Cupbearer to

the Gods Restored

youth to the aged

Eros (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.