Greek Mythology

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Greek Mythology
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The sources for ancient Greek myth are myriad.
References to myth range from those written by
contemporary Greek historians and authors to
poems composed in honor of the gods and
goddesses to plays (comedies, tragedies, even
films and videos).
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These are meant to dramatize man's relationships
with the divine and sometimes man's aspirations
to be divine.
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Truly, to compile a complete list of ancient
sources is far beyond the resources of most
individuals.
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Yet, a description of the major characters of
Greek myth has the distinction of being
accessible.
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There are four major categories of characters we
will look at
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Gods Goddesses featuring the Greek pantheon
(from Aphrodite to Zeus), the Titans, and other
free spirits (the Muses, for example)
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2)Heroes HeroinesGreek mortals of myth and
legend, such as Odysseus, Theseus, and Ariadne,
are featured in this section
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3)Lovers Legends myths and stories about
Greek mythological characters - for example the
legend of Echo and Narcissus, and the story of
Eros and Psyche
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4)Creatures Chimerae the monsters of Greek
mythology - the Sphinx, Medusa, and of course the
Chimera - are categorized
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Within the category Gods and Goddesses we have
four more categories Olympians Chthonians
Titans Free Spirits
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ChthoniansThese are the Greek gods and
goddesses of Earth and the Underworld - examples
are Hades and Persephone
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TitansWere beings who ruled before the coming of
the Olympians - Gaia and Hyperion are two
examples of Titans
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Free Spirits There is a list of important Greek
gods and goddesses who do not fit into a specific
category - includes the Muses, Nike, nymphs, etc.
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The Chthonians deities inhabited the opposite
realm from the Olympians - the Earth or the
Underworld (chthon means earth in Greek).
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These immortals therefore acquired a slightly
more dark and shadowy aspect than their bright
Olympian counterparts.
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Nevertheless, the following gods had their place
in the Greek pantheon, for they fulfilled certain
fundamental needs, including providing an
explanation for what happens to mortals after
death.
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Erinyes (Furiae) also known as Furies, these
were female spirits who exacted vengeance against
those who committed specific crimes
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Keres Keres were female spirits of death and
destruction in ancient Greece
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Hades (Pluto) Was the god of the Underworld
and ruler of the dead husband of Persephone
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Hekate (Trivia) A goddess of magic an
alternate spelling of her name is Hecate
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Persephone (Proserpina) A goddess of the
Underworld and wife of Hades also known as Kore
(the maiden)
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Thanatos God of death
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The Titans The Titans were a race of gods who
were the parents and precursors of the Olympians.
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The Titans were defeated by this younger
generation of deities, who were led by Zeus.
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The ancient Greek poet Hesiod, in his Theogony,
claims that the goddess Gaia first gave birth to
Ouranos, then mated with him to produce these
offspring.
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Later, Ouranos was to name his children Titans,
which translates into overreachers.
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Atlas Atlas led the struggle between the Titans
and Olympians, and for this he was punished...
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Atlas is a legendary Titan in Greek mythology.
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Indeed, this mythological character appears in
many compelling stories, from the tale of the
exploits of the hero Herakles (Hercules), to the
myth that claims he supported the sky on his
shoulders.
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Epimetheus This Titan was the brother of
Prometheus the name Epimetheus means
"afterthought"
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Epimetheus is often mentioned in conjunction with
his famous brother Prometheus.
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Indeed, the names Epimetheus and Prometheus
together represent two different but related
aspects of thought - Epimetheus means
"afterthought", while Prometheus symbolizes
"forethought".
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The personification of afterthought, the Titan
Epimetheus is often contrasted with his more
sensible brother (Prometheus) in myth.
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Prometheus was a not a fool, but why else would
he rebel against Zeus?
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He tried to trick Zeus (who knows all and sees
all) with a false sacrifice. How foolish can
you get?
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Prometheus also stole fire from Zeus and gave it
to the primitive mortals on the earth.
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Zeus did not punish Prometheus alone, he punished
the entire world for the effrontery of this rebel
god.
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Prometheus was a god long before Zeus took the
Throne of Eternity.
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He fought for Zeus against the devising Kronos
(Cronos), but Prometheus never had true respect
for Zeus.
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Prometheus feared that the new Olympians had no
compassion for each other or the mortals on the
earth below.
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To show his disdain, Prometheus prepared two
sacrifices and, in an attempt to belittle father
Zeus, he made one sacrifice of fat and bones and
the other of the finest meat.
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The trick was, Prometheus had wrapped the fat in
such a way that it looked to be the most sincere
tribute of the two.
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Zeus saw through the trick and magnanimously
controlled his anger. He warned Prometheus but
did not punish him.
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Zeus had many plans for the reshaping of
creation.
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After the fall of Kronos and his confinement in
Tartaros, Zeus took no interest in the mortal
race of men on the bountiful earth, he intended
for them to live as primitives until they died
off.
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Zeus said that knowledge and divine gifts would
only bring misery to the mortals and he insisted
that Prometheus not interfere with his plans.
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Dispite Zeus warning, Prometheus took pity on
the primitive mortals and again, he deceived
Zeus.
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Prometheus gave the mortals all sorts of gifts
brickwork, woodworking, telling the seasons by
the stars, numbers, the alphabet (for remembering
things), yoked oxen.
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He also provided them with carriages, saddles,
ships and sails. He also gave other gifts
healing drugs, seercraft, signs in the sky, the
mining of precious metals, animal sacrifice and
all art.
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To compound his crime, Prometheus had stolen fire
from Zeus and given it to the mortals in their
dark caves.
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The gift of divine fire unleashed a flood of
inventiveness, productivity and, most of all,
respect for the immortal gods in the rapidly
developing mortals.
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Within no time (by Immortal standards), culture,
art, and literacy permeated the land around Mount
Olympos (Olympus).
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When Zeus realized the deception that Prometheus
had fostered, he was furious.
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He had Hephaistos (Hephaestus) shackle Prometheus
to the side of a crag, high in the Caucasus
mountains.
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There Prometheus would hang until the fury of
Zeus subsided.
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Each day, Prometheus would be tormented by Zeus
eagle as it tore at his immortal flesh and tried
to devour his liver.
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Each night, as the frost bit its way into his
sleep, the torn flesh would mend so the eagle
could begin anew at the first touch of Eos (the
Dawn).
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Zeus anger did not stop there. He intended to
give the mortals one more gift and undo all the
good Prometheus had done.
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Zeus fashioned a hateful thing in the shape of a
young girl and called her Pandora.
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Pandoras name means, giver of all or all
endowed. Her body was made by Hephaistos, he
gave her form and voice.
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Goddess Athene (Athena) gave her dexterity and
inventiveness.
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Aphrodite (goddess of Love) put a spell of
enchantment around her head and Hermes put
pettiness in her tiny brain. She was ready for
the world.
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Zeus gave Pandora to Ephemetheus (brother of
Prometheus). Ephemetheus knew better than to
trust Zeus and he had been warned by Prometheus
never to accept gifts from the Olympians,
especially Zeus.
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One look at Pandora and Ephemetheus was rendered
helpless. He could not resist her, he accepted
her willingly.
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When the gift was opened, evil and despair
entered into this world.
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Mistrust and disease spread over the wide earth.
After Pandora was emptied of her curse, only Hope
was left inside. Unreasonable, groundless Hope
that makes the curse of life into a blessing.
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Prometheus was destined to suffer at the hands of
his own kind. Gods punishing gods.
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To Prometheus, the saddest part of his punishment
was the implication that the gods (Zeus in
particular) had lost their right to rule because
they had lost touch with their hearts.
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Lets get back to the Titans Gaia (Tellus)
Gaia was an Earth goddess she is also the
mother of the Titans
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Hyperion A Titan god whose most famous role
was that of father. He sired Helios, Eos, and
Selene
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Iapetos A Titan god who fathered Atlas,
Prometheus, and Epimetheus
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Koios A Titan god who mated with Phoebe and
together they produced Leto and Asteria
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Kreios God who sired Astraios, Pallas, and
Perses
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Kronos (Cronus) It was Kronos, son of Gaia
(Earth) and Ouranos (Sky), who castrated his
father in turn, Kronos was the sire of many of
the Olympians.
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Leto (Latona) The goddess Leto bore the
Olympian deities Artemis and Apollo to Zeus .
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MnemosyneThe name Mnemosyne means "memory" she
and Zeus together produced the Muses
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Okeanos (Oceanus)God of the Ocean and water
father of the Oceanids ("three thousand
slender-ankled daughters")
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Ouranos (Uranus) Ouranos also known as the Sky
was both the son and the consort of Gaia he was
also the father of the Titans.
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PhoebeGoddess who conceived Leto and Asteria by
the Titan Koios.
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The OlympiansThis section introduces the Greek
pantheon, and it features the Olympian gods and
goddesses - for example Aphrodite, Athena, and
Zeus
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• There are twelve Olympians
• Aphrodite 7. Dionysos
• 2. Apollo 8. Hephaistos
• 3. Ares 9. Hera
• 4. Artemis 10. Hermes
• 5. Athena   11. Poseidon
• 6. Demeter 12. Zeus

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The Olympians were younger lot of gods. They
didnt do things the way the old guard (The
Titans) did things.The Olympians ruled!
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Aphrodite is known to the Romans as Venus. She
is the goddess of love and beauty. Her symbols
are the sceptre, myrtle, and the dove.
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As the Greek goddess of love and beauty,
Aphrodite holds great power over both mortals and
immortals.
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Therefore, it should come as no surprise that she
is featured in numerous myths, poems, and plays
likewise, there are many representations of
Aphrodite in Greek sculpture and vase painting.
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While several legends of Aphrodite emphasize
themes of love and desire, some of most
compelling myths deal with the consequences that
the goddess herself suffers as a result of being
the victim of love.
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The story of Aphrodite and her interlude with the
human Adonis makes for an interesting study of
the double-edged sword that passion can be.
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In this myth, the vulnerability of the goddess is
poignant. This vulnerability points to the fact
that in Greek mythology even the gods could
suffer, and were certainly not immune to the
pains and passions that we, as humans,
experience.
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Birth of Aphrodite  There are a couple of
versions of the birth of Aphrodite, which,
although they differ, are not necessarily
contradictory.
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According to Homer (Iliad, Book V, 370), the
goddess is simply the daughter of Zeus and Dione
(a name that is merely the feminine form of Zeus
in Greek).
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However, the poet Hesiod (Theogony, 188-198)
provides a much more elaborate explanation for
her birth he claims that the name Aphrodite is
derived from aphros or foam, and thus the goddess
was born of this substance.
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The tale states that the Titan Kronos castrated
his father Ouranos (Sky), and then cast the
severed genitals into the sea. From the foam that
gathered around the member, Aphrodite emerged,
fully formed.
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During the Italian Renaissance Botticelli was
inspired by a tale of Aphrodite. Can you guess
which one?
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Hesiod's description, however gruesome it may
seem, does have the advantage of attaching a
certain meaning to the birth of the goddess,
which well leave to the reader to ascertain.
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This version also lends a poetic quality to
Aphrodite's creation, in that as Anadyomene ("she
who emerges"), she was depicted by countless
artists.
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 As we have seen, Aphrodite was the Greek goddess
of love and desire.
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Therefore, it should come as no surprise that
there are abundant examples of Aphrodite's
intimate relationships with both gods and men.
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Perhaps the most notorious of these legends is of
her affair with the war god Ares.
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According to the myth, Aphrodite was married to
the god of smiths, Hephaistos.
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The golden goddess apparently tended to abandon
poor Hephaistos as soon as his burly back was
turned, for on many occasions she was to be found
in the arms of her lover (one consequence of this
illicit affair is included in the Odyssey.
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As a result of these romantic interludes,
Aphrodite bore three children to Ares Deimos
("terror") Phobos ("fear")Harmonia ("concord")
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In addition, the goddess of love also engaged in
other fruitful unions with male deities,
including flings with Dionysus and Hermes.
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It was even suggested in the Homeric Hymn to
Aphrodite that there were only three deities who
could resist the passions that Aphrodite aroused,
and they were Athena, Artemis, and Hestia.
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All three were goddesses, as well virgins by
choice. With the exception of these goddesses
however, anyone foolish enough to ignore
Aphrodite was courting disaster, as the following
myth will demonstrate.  
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According to one legend, Aphrodite used her
powers to punish Eos, the goddess of the dawn.
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You see, Eos made the mistake of engaging in a
tryst with Ares.
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The result of this unfortunate choice on the part
of poor Eos was that the jealous Aphrodite
punished the dawn goddess with an insatiable
appetite for love.
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In other words, Aphrodite turned Eos into what
amounts to a nymphomaniac.
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This punishment had a profound effect on Eos, for
she was compelled to take a series of lovers,
including Cephalus, Tithonus, and Orion.
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Indeed, take is the proper term for the affairs,
because Eos seemed to prefer abducting her
paramours, much to their dismay.
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The outcome of these unions was often disastrous
to the man involved, and so Aphrodite's revenge
was complete.
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Apollo is known as god of the arts (esp. poetry
and music), archery, and divination.
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Apollos symbols are the bow, the lyre, and the
laurel.
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Apollo is in many respects the paradigm of a
Greek god, one that serves as a pattern or a
model.
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He represents order, harmony, and civilization in
a way that most other Olympian deities cannot
quite equal.
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One only has to compare him with Dionysus to
understand how Apollo is depicted as a bright,
rational counterpart to the chaotic and frenzied
god of wine and women.
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Indeed, Apollo is most often associated with the
cultivated arts of music and medicine, and his
role as the leader of the Muses establishes him
as a patron of intellectual pursuits.
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In art, images of Apollo represented the height
of male attractiveness - indeed, for years,
Archaic statues of youths were commonly referred
to as "Apollo", later to be replaced the more
accurate term "kouros" (young man).
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As with most Greek deities, Apollo has
characteristics that are myriad and diverse, so
we should proceed to an exploration of this
important god.
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Birth of Apollo According to the Greek poet
Hesiod (Theogony, 918-20), Apollo was the son of
the Olympian Zeus and the Titan Leto, and the
brother of the goddess Artemis.
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The details of how Apollo and his sister were
born make an intriguing story, so let us look at
this legend more closely.
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The myth of Apollo's birth includes another
instance of the wrath of Hera.
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Hers, the wife of the philandering Zeus,
discovered that her husband had impregnated yet
another goddess, and this time it was the Titan
Leto.
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In her anger, Hera would not allow Leto to bear
her children.
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Leto was pregnant with the twin gods Apollo and
Artemis), and the land itself was afraid to
provide a shelter for Leto because of the fear of
Hera's notorious retribution.
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Finally, Leto found an island that was willing to
allow her to give birth, and this island was
named Delos (which means "brilliant", and,
incidentally, inspired the epithet Delian) in
honor of the divine site.
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Apollo was then cared for by Themis, who fed him
nectar and ambrosia for a few days, after which
time he was an adult capable of assuming the full
responsibilities of a god.
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This is the story of how Apollo was born in Greek
mythology.
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Shortly after his birth on the island of Delos,
the precocious god Apollo embarked on his first
adventure.
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In a beautifully lyrical passage of the Homeric
Hymn to Apollo, the handsome young divinity is
depicted traveling the earth and then ascending
to Olympus, where he charmed the gods and
goddesses with his music.
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The goddesses - including the Muses, Charites
(Graces), Horae (Seasons), Aphrodite, Hebe, and
Artemis - were especially fond of Apollo, and
they sang and danced to welcome his arrival.
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The god then retired from the company of his
fellow Olympians to begin a quest to locate the
appropriate site for an oracle.
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 After searching far and wide, Apollo finally
found a place that pleased him.
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He informed Telphousa, the resident nature
spirit, of his intentions to build a temple at
her sacred spring, but the nymph discouraged him
from this plan.
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Telphousa instead suggested that Apollo select
Delphi as the site for his shrine, and the god
therefore left the spring and continued his
journey.
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Near Delphi, Apollo encountered and killed the
enormous serpent Python (the god's priestess was
named Pythia to commemorate this event).
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According to some sources, this in part is the
mythological explanation for how the oracle of
Apollo was established at Delphi.
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In addition to defeating Python, Apollo also
conquered, in various ways, several other notable
mythological figures, including the satyr
Marsyas, the giant Tityus, and the children of
Niobe.
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Indeed, the god and his sister Artemis together
punished both Tityus and Niobe as a form of
revenge for the insults these characters had made
to their mother Leto.
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Apollo was, however, not just a fighter - like
many of the other Olympian gods, he was a lover
as well. He was also an Olympian, and the son of
the Leto and Zeus. So back to the Olympians
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Ares (Mars) Is god the of war. His symbols is
the spear.War, battles, and bloodshed are his
major preoccupations.
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In certain respects, there is not too much more
to Ares than this connection to war, as he is
portrayed as being somewhat one-dimensional. Or
at least limited in his pleasures.
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There is one other area in which Ares was
interested, and that is indeed pleasure - with
the goddess Aphrodite, that is.
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He engaged in an ongoing tryst with Aphrodite
which is the stuff of legend (and myth), in
defiance of that fact that the lovely goddess was
already married (to the god Hephaistos).
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There is a wonderfully charming tale in the
Odyssey of Homer about how this couple's romantic
rendezvous came to an abrupt, and comic, end.
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Ares and Aphrodite  Ares and Aphrodite were
dallying together when their interlude was rudely
interrupted.
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You see, the god of the Sun, Helios, from whom
little, if anything, could be kept secret, spied
the pair in enjoying each other one day.
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Helios promptly reported the incident to
Hephaistos, who was understandably angry.
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Hephaistos contrived to catch the couple "in the
act", and so he fashioned a net to snare the
illicit lovers.
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At the appropriate time, this net was sprung, and
trapped Ares and Aphrodite locked in very private
embrace.
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But Hephaistos was not yet satisfied with his
revenge - he invited the Olympian gods and
goddesses to view the unfortunate pair.
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For the sake of modesty, the goddesses demurred,
but the male gods went and witnessed the sight.
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Some commented on the beauty of Aphrodite, others
remarked that they would eagerly trade places
with Ares, and they all laughed.
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Well, except for Ares, who was out of sorts, and
Aphrodite, who, if goddesses can blush like
maidens, surely did so.
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 The Lovers of Ares in Myth  The fierce god
Ares was often inflamed with lust in Greek
mythology - lust for battle, that is.
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Indeed, it is fair to say that Ares was obsessed
with war, almost to the exclusion of anything
else.
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The god did, however, have an eye for the female
form, and his appetite for Aphrodite, the
alluring goddess of love and beauty, at times
almost rivaled his desire to do battle.
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In consequence his conquests off the battlefield
are nearly as legendary as his victories and
defeats in combat. There are many a tale to be
found. Heres a short list of his lovers
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Aphrodite The beautiful Greek goddess of love
certainly snared the god of war with her
irresistible charms - the pair together conceived
several children, including Deimos, Phobos, and
Harmonia  
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Cyrene As a result of her affair with Ares, the
nymph Cyrene gave birth to a son named Diomedes
 
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EosThe Greek goddess of the dawn engaged in an
ill-advised tryst with Ares, which ended badly
for Eos when Aphrodite discovered the
relationship  
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PyreneSome sources for mythology state that
Ares and Pyrene were the parents of Cycnus  
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Sterope Sterope was one of the Pleiades
(daughters of Altas and Pleione), and according
to some versions of the tale, she was a lover of
Ares and the mother by him of Oenomaus
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Lets get back to our list of Olympians
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Artemis (Diana) Is the goddess of the hunt and
protector of children. Her symbols are the bow
and the deer.
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The goddess Artemis plays an intriguing role in
Greek mythology and religion.
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She is known as the "Mistress of Animals" and the
protectress of children, but she was also a
huntress and the goddess who could bring death
with her arrows.
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Myths such as the one about Niobe show Artemis as
a strong willed and powerful goddess, a female
who could punish injustices against the gods with
ferocious and deadly accuracy.
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Artemis was the daughter of Leto and Zeus (the
ruler of the Greek gods). Together with her twin
brother Apollo she enjoyed the status and
privileges of an Olympian.
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As an Olympian goddess, Artemis was free to
pursue her interests, and was often found
frolicking in the forests, accompanied by a band
of nymphs.
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Myths and legends show that the goddess Artemis
was aloof and free-spirited, and not constrained
by husband or hearth.
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Her independent nature is further reinforced in a
very important way, for in mythology and
religion, the goddess remained eternally a
virgin.
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Indeed, those who in some way compromised her
strict requirements for chastity were severely
punished by the maiden goddess.
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There are several tales that describe the swift
and terrible retribution of Artemis. One of the
most revealing of these stories involves the
youth Actaeon.
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In addition, Artemis was also responsible for
punishing the nymph Callisto.
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In myth, Callisto was at one point a follower of
the virgin goddess, but when she became involved
in an affair with the god Zeus, Artemis had her
revenge on the unfortunate nymph.
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Artemis is sometimes identified with Selene, the
Greek goddess of the moon. Indeed, this
association between Artemis and the moon is
revealed in one of the epithets used to describe
the goddess - Phoebe ("the bright one").
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The goddess Artemis was known as Diana in Roman
mythology.
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  Athena (Minerva)Is the goddess of wisdom,
war, and crafts the patron of Athens.
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 Demeter (Ceres) Is the goddess of agriculture
and fertility.
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Dionysos (Bacchus) Is the god of wine,
mysteries, and the theatre.
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Hephaistos (Vulcan) Is the god of smiths and
metal-workers. He is also the husband of
Aphrodite.
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Hera (Juno) Is the goddess of marriage consort
of Zeus.
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Hermes (Mercury) Is the god of merchants. He
is also known as the messenger god of Zeus.
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 Poseidon (Neptune) God of the sea and
earthquakes
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 Zeus (Jupiter) God of the sky Ruler of
Olympus
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If you will recall we had four major categories
within Gods and Goddesses that we were looking at
when we started. The fourth is the Free
Spirits
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The Free Spirits include a list of important
Greek gods and goddesses who do not fit into a
specific category - includes the Muses, Nike,
nymphs, etc.
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Amphitrite Sea goddess wife of Poseidon
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Asklepios (Asclepius) God of healing
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Boreas God of the north wind
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Dike (Iustitia) Goddess of justice
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Eileithyia (Lucina) Goddess of childbirth
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Eirene (Pax) Goddess who personified peace
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Enyo (Bellona) Goddess of war
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Eos (Aurora)Goddess of the dawn
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Erebus Personification of darkness
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Eris (Discordia) Goddess whose name means
"discord" or "strife"
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Eros (Cupid) God of love and desire
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Eunomia Goddess who personified discipline or
good government
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Fates (Moirai in Greek, Parcae in Latin)
Goddesses who supervised fate the poet Hesiod
names them Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos
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Graces (Charites in Greek, Gratiae in Latin) A
trio of graceful goddesses associated with
Aphrodite
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Hebe (Juventas) Goddess who was a cup-bearer
for the Olympian gods
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Helios (Sol) God of the sun
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Hesperus (Vesper) The evening star
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Hestia (Vesta) Goddess of the home and hearth

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Heroes Heroines From A - Z
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Heroes Heroines Greek heroes, from Achilles
through Cassiopeiaas well Ajax, Ariadne, and
Bellerophon
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Heroes Heroines Greek heroes from the
brothers Castor and Polydeuces through
Hippolytus other notables are Helen of Troy and
Herakles
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Heroes Heroines From Iphigenia through
Oedipus also Jason, Medea, and Odysseus
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Heroes HeroinesFrom Orion through Theseus
with intriguing characters such as Orpheus,
Pandora, and Paris
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Lovers These myths involve themes of love,
desire, and passion some examples are the story
of Eros and Psyche, the tale of Echo and
Narcissus, and the numerous affairs of Zeus
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Legends "legends" is an appropriate term to
describe these mythological characters, in that
their deeds are legendary notable legends are
Arachne, Callisto, and Psyche
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Hybrids A hybrid is a composite creature -
examples are the centaur (combination of human
and horse), and the harpy (human and vulture)
these mythical beings populated the imaginations,
literature, and art of the ancient Greeks
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Centaur In Greek mythology and art, the
centaur has the torso of a human combined with
the body of a horse
217
Cockatrice This creature was also known as a
basilisk ("king of serpents"), and its very
glance could kill the cockatrice was composed of
a dragon's tail and assorted poultry parts
218
Giants (gigantes) These fierce and frightening
beings were the offspring of Gaia (the Earth)
219
Griffin According to myth, the griffin was a
creature with a lion's body attached to the head,
wings, and claws of an eagle
220
Harpy Harpies had female torsos melded with
vulture parts the name harpy is derived from the
Greek word that means "snatcher"
221
Satyr (faun) Satyrs were often the companions
of Dionysos, and these creatures were depicted in
myth and art with the legs of goats and bestial
natures
222
SirensWomen with bird-like bodies sirens were
legendary for luring sailors by singing their
enchanted songs
223
Monsters Monsters were generally either friends
or foes to various Greek heroes
224
ArgusCreature with many eyes Argus played a
prominent role in one of the myths of the goddess
Hera
225
Cerberus Cerberus was the guardian of the
Underworld in myth, he was portrayed as a dog
with three heads
226
Charybdis In Greek mythology, Charybdis was a
deadly whirlpool personified as a female monster

227
Chimera With a body that was one third lion,
one third she-goat, and one third serpent, this
creature was definitely one frightening beast
228
Cyclops Giant with a single eye in its
forehead the plural form of this word is
Cyclopes
229
Echidna This monster was half beautiful woman
and half deadly serpent she was the mother of
many mythical monsters
230
Geryon The monster known as Geryon had three
heads and three bodies he was defeated by the
hero Herakles
231
Gorgons This trio of terrifying females
consists of the sisters Euryale, Medusa, and
Stheno
232
GraiaeThese "old women" were the sisters of the
Gorgons
233
Hydra The Hydra had a water-serpent body topped
by numerous heads
234
Ladon Dragon who guarded the area where the
apples of the Hesperides were hidden
235
Lamia She was a frightening bogey-woman in
Greek mythology
236
Fin