Greek and Roman Greek and Roman MythologyMythology

A ReviewA ReviewOf gods, goddesses, & Of gods, goddesses, &

creaturescreatures

What is a myth?What is a myth? A traditional story rooted in A traditional story rooted in

primitive folk beliefs of culturesprimitive folk beliefs of cultures Uses the supernatural to interpret Uses the supernatural to interpret

natural eventsnatural events Explains the culture’s view of the Explains the culture’s view of the

universe and the nature of universe and the nature of humanityhumanity

In the beginning...In the beginning... ……was Chaos (shapeless nothingness)was Chaos (shapeless nothingness) Chaos had two children:Chaos had two children:

– Night (darkness)Night (darkness)– Erebus (death)Erebus (death)

““All was black, empty, silent, All was black, empty, silent, endless.”endless.”

Mysteriously, Love was born of Mysteriously, Love was born of darkness and death.darkness and death.

And then...And then... When Love was born, order and When Love was born, order and

beauty began to flourish.beauty began to flourish. Love created Light and Day.Love created Light and Day. Earth was created.Earth was created.

– She was the solid ground, but also a She was the solid ground, but also a personality.personality.

The Earth bore Heaven to cover her The Earth bore Heaven to cover her and be a home for the gods.and be a home for the gods.

The First ParentsThe First Parents Mother Earth = Gaea (Gaia)Mother Earth = Gaea (Gaia) Father Heaven = Ouranos (Uranus)Father Heaven = Ouranos (Uranus) They had three kinds of children:They had three kinds of children:

– Three monsters with 100 hands and 50 Three monsters with 100 hands and 50 headsheads

– Three cyclopesThree cyclopes– The titansThe titans

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

The Titans (The Elder The Titans (The Elder Gods)Gods)

There were many of them.There were many of them. Enormous size, incredible strengthEnormous size, incredible strength Cronos (Saturn): Ruler of the titansCronos (Saturn): Ruler of the titans Rhea: Wife of CronosRhea: Wife of Cronos Ocean: River that encircled the worldOcean: River that encircled the world Iapetus: Father of Prometheus,Iapetus: Father of Prometheus,

Epimetheus, and Atlas (also titans)Epimetheus, and Atlas (also titans)

The Principal GodsThe Principal Gods Cronos and Rhea Cronos and Rhea

were parents ofwere parents of– Zeus (Jupiter, Jove)Zeus (Jupiter, Jove)– Poseidon Poseidon

(Neptune)(Neptune)– Hades (Pluto)Hades (Pluto)– Hera (Juno)Hera (Juno)– Hestia (Vesta)Hestia (Vesta)– Demeter (Ceres)Demeter (Ceres)

Other Olympians Other Olympians includeinclude– Athena (Minerva)Athena (Minerva)– Ares (Mars)Ares (Mars)– Hebe (Juventas)Hebe (Juventas)– Hephaestus (Vulcan)Hephaestus (Vulcan)– Apollo (Apollo)Apollo (Apollo)– Artemis (Diana)Artemis (Diana)– Hermes (Mercury)Hermes (Mercury)– Aphrodite (Venus)Aphrodite (Venus)– Dionysus (Bacchus)Dionysus (Bacchus)– PersephonePersephone

Traits of Gods and GoddessesTraits of Gods and Goddesses immortalimmortal slightly larger than slightly larger than

humans in sizehumans in size live on Mt. Olympuslive on Mt. Olympus beauty is beauty is

exaggeratedexaggerated "ichor" flowed "ichor" flowed

through their veins: through their veins: clearer and lighter clearer and lighter than bloodthan blood

intense passions: intense passions: jealousy, rage, lust, jealousy, rage, lust, etc…etc…

can suffer physical paincan suffer physical pain supernatural powers; supernatural powers;

appear, disappear, appear, disappear, change forms (humans, change forms (humans, animals, gods)animals, gods)

all gods are not all gods are not omnipotent or omnipotent or omniscient omniscient

(Zeus/Apollo use oracles (Zeus/Apollo use oracles to be omniscient)to be omniscient)

eat ambrosia (immortal eat ambrosia (immortal stuff) & drink stuff) & drink nectar/winenectar/wine

The OlympiansThe Olympians

ZeusZeus Chief of the Chief of the

OlympiansOlympians god of sky, lightning, god of sky, lightning,

& thunder& thunder Carried a thunderbolt Carried a thunderbolt

as his symbolas his symbol Married to HeraMarried to Hera fathered many fathered many

characters in characters in mythologymythology

ZeusZeus

HeraHera Wife of ZeusWife of Zeus goddess of marriage & goddess of marriage &

homehome Symbol is a peacock Symbol is a peacock

(for her beauty)(for her beauty) Highest-ranking female Highest-ranking female

OlympianOlympian Terribly jealous & often Terribly jealous & often

punished the women punished the women Zeus has affairs withZeus has affairs with

PoseidonPoseidon Moody & quarrelsome Moody & quarrelsome

brother of Zeus brother of Zeus god of the seas, god of the seas,

oceans, earthquakes, oceans, earthquakes, and horses (invented and horses (invented for his sister Demeter)for his sister Demeter)

Seen with his TridentSeen with his Trident Married to Thetis, a Married to Thetis, a

water nymphwater nymph

AthenaAthena goddess of wisdom, goddess of wisdom,

justice, peace, & justice, peace, & intelligent warfareintelligent warfare

Sprang from Zeus’s Sprang from Zeus’s headhead

Seen with an owlSeen with an owl Athens is named for Athens is named for

her & her symbol is her & her symbol is the olive treethe olive tree

Most loved child of Most loved child of ZeusZeus

ApolloApollo god of light, sun, the god of light, sun, the

arts, music, arts, music, prophecy, prophecy, philosophy, & philosophy, & medicinemedicine

Twin brother of Twin brother of ArtemisArtemis

Drove his chariot Drove his chariot across the sun to pull across the sun to pull it each dayit each day

ArtemisArtemis goddess of goddess of

childbirth, the childbirth, the moon, & the huntmoon, & the hunt

Twin sister of Twin sister of ApolloApollo

Always carried a Always carried a silver bow & silver bow & arrowsarrows

Remained chaste Remained chaste and pureand pure

HephaestusHephaestus god of fire, volcanoes, god of fire, volcanoes,

and the forgeand the forge Blacksmith to the godsBlacksmith to the gods Least attractive of the Least attractive of the

gods & was crippled by gods & was crippled by his mother Herahis mother Hera

Usually carries his anvilUsually carries his anvil Married to Aprodite, Married to Aprodite,

who cheated on himwho cheated on him

AphroditeAphrodite goddess of love, goddess of love,

beauty, & desirebeauty, & desire Sprang from the Sprang from the

ocean foamocean foam Married to Married to

Hephaestus but Hephaestus but cheated with Arescheated with Ares

Son is Cupid Son is Cupid (Eros)(Eros)

AresAres god of wargod of war Known for riding his Known for riding his

chariot and chariot and carrying his spearcarrying his spear

Favored son of Favored son of HeraHera

Involved with Involved with AphroditeAphrodite

Bloodthristy & Bloodthristy & mercilessmerciless

HermesHermes god of thieves, mischief, god of thieves, mischief,

travelers, shepherds, travelers, shepherds, & humans& humans Messenger of the godsMessenger of the gods Wears his winged sandalsWears his winged sandals Sometimes holds a Sometimes holds a

caduceus (medical symbol)caduceus (medical symbol) Appears in more myths Appears in more myths

than any other characterthan any other character

HadesHades Sometimes not considered an Sometimes not considered an

Olympian because he lives in Olympian because he lives in the Underworld & gave up the Underworld & gave up seat on Mt. Olympusseat on Mt. Olympus

god of the Underworldgod of the Underworld Husband of PersephoneHusband of Persephone He is not death but simply He is not death but simply

watches over the dead.watches over the dead. Seen with Cerebeus, his Seen with Cerebeus, his

three-headed dogthree-headed dog

HestiaHestia Roman Name: Roman Name:

VestaVesta goddess of goddess of

home/hearthhome/hearth Symbol: Symbol:

Hearth/fireHearth/fire Powerful Powerful

ProtectorProtector

DionysusDionysus Roman Name: Roman Name:

BacchusBacchus god of wine, earth, & god of wine, earth, &

merrimentmerriment Patron god of the Patron god of the

Greek stageGreek stage Sprang from Zeus’s Sprang from Zeus’s

thighthigh Symbol: grapevine; Symbol: grapevine;

wine/cupwine/cup

DemeterDemeter Roman Name: CeresRoman Name: Ceres goddess of the goddess of the

harvest, earth, & harvest, earth, & fertilityfertility

Symbol: grainSymbol: grain Mother of Persephone Mother of Persephone

who grieves when who grieves when she goes to the she goes to the Underworld by Underworld by changing the seasonschanging the seasons

The MusesThe Muses 9 daughters of 9 daughters of

Zeus and Zeus and MnemosyneMnemosyne

inspired artists of inspired artists of all kindsall kinds

goddesses who goddesses who presided over the presided over the arts and sciencesarts and sciences

““He is happy whom He is happy whom the muses love.”the muses love.”

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

The GracesThe Graces 3 goddesses of 3 goddesses of

grace and grace and beautybeauty

““They give life its They give life its bloom.”bloom.”

Aglaia (Splendor)Euphrosyne (Mirth)Thalia (Good Cheer)

The FuriesThe Furies 3 Goddesses of 3 Goddesses of

VengeanceVengeance They punish They punish

evildoers.evildoers.

Tisiphone, Alecto, Megaera

The FatesThe Fates 3 sisters3 sisters They weave, They weave,

measure, and cut measure, and cut the thread of life for the thread of life for humans.humans.

Clotho (“The Spinner”)Lachesis (“The disposer of lots”)Atropos (“The cutter”)

The GorgonsThe Gorgons 3 snake-haired 3 snake-haired

monstersmonsters Medusa is most Medusa is most

well-known.well-known. Once beautiful Once beautiful

but were cursedbut were cursed Their looks turn Their looks turn

men to stone.men to stone.

The SatyrsThe Satyrs gods of the woods gods of the woods

and mountainsand mountains goat men (like Pan)goat men (like Pan) Companions of Companions of

DionysusDionysus They like to drink, They like to drink,

dance, and chase dance, and chase nymphs.nymphs.

The The CentaursCentaurs

Half man-half horseHalf man-half horse Savage creatures Savage creatures

(except Chiron)(except Chiron) Followers of Followers of

DionysusDionysus Chiron was a Chiron was a

teacher to Jason teacher to Jason and Achilles (both and Achilles (both famous Greek famous Greek heroes)heroes)

SourcesSources Graphics in this presentation were taken from Graphics in this presentation were taken from

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

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