Greek and Roman Mythology

1
Greek and Roman Mythology

• A Review
• of
• The Principal Gods and Goddesses

Author Unknown
2
What is a myth?

• A traditional story rooted in primitive folk
  beliefs of cultures
• Uses the supernatural to interpret natural events
• Explains the cultures view of the universe and
  the nature of humanity

3
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.

4
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.

5
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.

6
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)

7
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

8
The Olympians
9
Zeus

• Roman Name Jupiter (also Jove)
• Supreme god of the Olympians.
• Fathered many characters in mythology

10
Zeus
11
Hera

• Roman Name Juno
• Zeuss sister and wife
• Jealous protector of marriage
• Punished the women Zeus fell in love with

12
Poseidon

• Roman Name Neptune
• God of the Seas and Waters
• The Earthshaker

13
Hades

• Roman Name Pluto
• God of the Underworld/ Dead
• Kidnapped Persephone

14
Hestia

• Roman Name Vesta
• Goddess of Home
• Powerful Protector

15
Demeter

• Roman Name Ceres
• Goddess of the Harvest
• A Goddess of the Earth

16
Athena

• Roman Name Minerva
• Goddess of Wisdom and War
• Sprang from Zeuss head

17
Ares

• Roman Name Mars
• God of War
• Son of Zeus and Hera
• Bloodthirsty and merciless

18
Hephaestus

• Roman Name Vulcan (Mulciber)
• God of Fire/Forge
• Son of Zeus and Hera
• Kind, unlike his brother

19
Apollo

• Roman Name Apollo
• God of Light/Sun and Music
• Brother of Artemis

20
Artemis

• Roman Name Diana
• Goddess of the Moon/ Hunt
• Sister to Apollo

21
Hermes

• Roman Name Mercury
• Messenger of the Gods
• Appears in more myths than any other character

22
Aphrodite

• Roman Name Venus
• Goddess of Love and Beauty
• Sprang from the ocean foam

23
Dionysus

• Roman Name Bacchus
• God of Wine
• Patron god of the Greek stage
• A God of the Earth

24
Persephone

• Roman Name Proserpina
• Goddess of the Underworld
• Daughter of Zeus and Demeter
• Abducted by Hades

25
Hebe

• Roman Name Juventas
• Goddess of Youth
• Cupbearer to the Gods
• Restored youth to the aged

26
Eros

• Roman Name Cupid
• Young God of Love
• Son of Aphrodite and Hephaestus

27
Iris

• Goddess of the Rainbow
• Messenger for Zeus and Hera
• Daughter of the titan Thaumus and the nymph
  Electra

28
The Muses

• Goddesses who presided over the arts and sciences
• He is happy whom the muses love.

• Nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne
• Inspired artists of all kinds

Clio, Urania, Thalia, Melpomene, Erato, Calliope,
Euterpe, Terpsichore, Polyhymnia
29
The Graces

• Three Goddesses of Grace and Beauty
• They give life its bloom.
• Aglaia (Splendor)
• Euphrosyne (Mirth)
• Thalia (Good Cheer)

30
The Erinnyes (The Furies)

• Roman Name Furiae or Dirae (The Furies)
• Three Goddesses of Vengeance
• Tisiphone
• Alecto
• Megaera
• They punish evildoers.

31
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.

32
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.

33
The Gorgons

• Three snake-haired monsters
• Medusa is most well-known
• Their look turns men to stone.

34
The Centaurs

• Half man, half horse
• Savage creatures (except Chiron)
• Followers of Dionysus

35
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.ht
  ml
• This presentation is for educational purposes
  only it has not been and should not be sold or
  used as a vehicle to make money.