Greek Mythology

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The Olympian Gods

2005-10-10T21:37:00.000-07:00

There were a group of twelve ruling gods who ruled after the Titans were overthrown.

Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hestia, Hera, Ares, Athena, Apollo, Aphrodite, Hermes, Artemis, Hephaestus

Later Hestia gave her position of one of the ruling gods to Dionysus because she became tired of the petty problems between the other gods.

Other Gods

2005-10-10T21:36:00.000-07:00

There were many Greek gods who were not part of the ruling counsil of Mt. Olympus.

Demeter, Persephone, Eros, Hebe, Eris, Helios, Thanatos, Pan, Nemesis, The Graces, The Muses, The Furies, The Fates

The Titans

2005-10-10T21:29:00.000-07:00

Before the Olympian gods there were the Titans. The Titans were overthrown by Zeus before the creation of mankind.

Cronus, Gaea, Uranus, Rhea, Oceanus, Tethys, Hyperion, Mnemosyne, Themis, Iapetus, Coeus, Phoebe, Thea, Prometheus, Epimetheus, Atlas, Metis

Perseus

2005-04-02T05:44:00.000-08:00

Greek Mythology
Hero

Name: Persues

History:

There was a king named Acrisius, and he had a daughter named Danae.
Acrisius was told by the Oracle of Apollo that Danae's son would kill
him. To prevent his daughter from ever having children Acrisius
locked Danae in a bronze tower.

The tower was dark, and did not have any doors. Thus Danae did not
have any contact with the outside world and would never marry or have
any children. The tower did have a small window. One day Zeus
entered the tower through the window. He told Danae that he wanted
her to be his wife. Zeus promised that if she became his wife he
would turn her prison into vast rolling fields as beautiful as any
ever seen. Danae accepted Zeus' proposal.

Later Acrisius noticed light coming from within the tower. He had a
wall torn down, and saw Danae sitting with a baby on her lap. Danae
looked at her father and told him that she had named the baby Persues.
Acrisius was angry and locked Danae and Persues in a large chest and
cast them out to sea.

They floated to the island of Seriphos where they were rescued by
Dictys. Dictys was the king of Seriphos' brother. Perseus grew to be
a strong young man, and protected his mother from the king of
Seriphos, Polydectes. Polydectes wanted to take Danae as his wife,
but she refused.

Polydectes devised a plan to get rid of Persues so he could have
Danae. Polydectes pretended to marry another woman. Everyone on the
island was required to give him a wedding present, including Perseus.
Unfortunately Perseus did not have any money and was unable to bring a
gift. Polydectes called Perseus a lazy-good for nothing, which
enraged Perseus. Perseus then said he could get the king any gift in
the world. So Polydectes told Perseus to bring him the head of the
gorgon Medusa and Perseus agreed.

Perseus wandered aimlessly for days searching for Medusa. He realized
that he was in trouble because the gorgons were monstrous creatures.
Instead of hair they had serpents on their head, they had brazen
hands, and if you looked at one you would be turned to stone. Just
then Perseus was greeted by Athena and Hermes. Hermes gave Perseus
his winged sandals and the sickle which Cronos used to overpower
Uranus. Athena gave Perseus a reflective shield to protect him from
being turned to stone.

Hermes told Perseus to find the Graeae. He was to have them tell him
how to get to the Nymphs of the North. Perseus was to find the Nymphs
of the North and they would give him the cap of darkness, a magic
wallet, and they would tell him where the Gorgons' lair was.

Perseus found the Graeae. They were three old women who all shared,
and fought over, one eye. He stole the eye, and ransomed it for
information. They reluctantly agreed and told him where the Nymphs of
the North were. Perseus returned the eye and set out for the Nymphs
of the North.

Once he located the Nymphs of the North they gave him the cap of
darkness which allowed its user to turn invisible. They also gave him
the magic wallet, and told him where the Gorgons' lair was.

Perseus located the lair, which was surrounded by statues that were
once men. Perseus saw Medusa and her sisters asleep through the
reflection in his shield. He flew down and cut off Medusa's head with
the sickle. Her sisters awoke and attacked Perseus, but he was able
to escape without suffering any injury.

On his way back to Seriphus Perseus came across Atlas holding the
world upon his shoulders. Perseus felt sorry for Atlas and turned him
to stone so he would no longer feel the weight of the world upon his
shoulders.

He then saw a woman chained to a stone near the ocean. Perseus
contacted her and she told him that her name was Andromada. She told
him that her mother had boasted that she was more beautiful than
Nereids. This angered Poseidon so he said that she had to be
sacrificed to a sea monster. Just as Andromada told Perseus her story
a sea monster emerged from the sea. Perseas showed Medusa's head to
the sea monster and it turned to stone.

Perseus took Andromada home and asked her father, King Cepheus, if
they could wed. He agreed and Perseus took Andromada with him. On
their way they stopped at Larisa so Perseus could compete in some
games, but during the discuss competition Perseus accidentally hit an
old man in the stands and killed him. The old man was Acrisius, and
his death fulfilled the prophecy. After they morned Acrisius' death
Andromada and Perseus left.

When they arrived at Seriphus the first person they met was Dictys.
Dictys told them that Polydectes never truly married. He said that
since Perseus' mother refused to marry Polydectes he forced her to be
his hand-maiden. Perseus was angry and left Andromada with Dictys.

Perseus stormed the castle and warned everybody who was his friend to
shield their eyes. He then lifted Medusa's head and turned Polydectes
and his courtiers into stone. Perseus and Andromada married and lived
long happy lives. Their descendants became great kings, the greatest
of which was Heracles who was the strongest man in the world.

In the end Perseus was killed by Dionysus, and he and Andromada were
put into the sky as constellations.

Metis

2005-03-06T21:25:00.000-08:00

Greek Mythology
Titan

Name: Metis
Domain: The Planet Mercury

History:

Metis was seduced by Zeus and became pregnant with Athena. Before Metis gave birth, Zeus devoured her because he feared prophecies that her second child would overthrow him. It was said that Metis was the source of Zeus' wisdom, and that she advised him from inside his stomach. Athena later arose from Zeus' forehead armed and in full armor. Metis is not listed as Athena's mother because she was killed before Athena was born.

Atlas

2005-03-06T21:20:00.000-08:00

Greek Mythology
Titan

Name: Atlas

History:

Atlas was Prometheus and Epimetheus' brother. He was a son of Iapetus. He did not fight with Zeus to overthrow the Titans with his brothers. Atlas led the Titans against Zeus because of Cronus' advanced age. When the Titans were defeated by Zeus, Atlas was punished by being forced to hold the world on his back.

Epimetheus

2005-03-06T21:14:00.000-08:00

Greek Mythology
Titan

Name: Epimetheus
Domain: The Titan of Afterthought

History:

Epimetheus was considered to be a stupid Titan. His name meant afterthought. He was the brother of Prometheus and Atlas. He was the son of Iapetus. He faught along side Zeus with his brother Prometheus when Zeus overthrew the Titans. Some of the Greek myths stated Epimetheus and Prometheus created mankind under Zeus' instruction. Epimetheus also accepted Pandora as a gift from Zeus. Pandora was ultimately responsible for releasing evil into the world.

Prometheus

2005-03-06T21:04:00.000-08:00

Greek Mythology
Titan

Name: Prometheus
Domain: The Titan of Forethought

History:

Prometheus was the wisest of the Titans. His name meant forethought, and he was able to see the future. He was Epimetheus and Atlas' brother. He was the son of Iapetus.

When Zeus rebelled against the Titans, Prometheus defected to fight along Zeus' side. Since Prometheus fought with Zeus he was spared the other Titans' fate.

Some of the myths stated that Prometheus and Epimethus were ordered to create mankind by Zeus. But it was know that Prometheus was the protector of mankind. Prometheus gave mankind several gifts, most notably he supplied them with fire.

Prometheus also tricked Zeus into letting men keep the best parts of the animals that were sacrificed to the gods. Because of this infidelity Zeus had Prometheus chained to a boulder. He had an eagle gnaw at his liver daily. Since Prometheus was an immortal Titan, his liver would grow back every day, and he would not die.

Prometheus agreed to advise Zeus which of his children would attempt to overthrow him in exchange for his freedom. But before he supplied Zeus with the information he was rescued by Hercules.

Thea

2005-03-06T21:01:00.000-08:00

Greek Mythology
Titan

Name: Thea
Domain: The Titan From Which Light Emanates

History:

Thea was the Titan from which light emanates, she was regarded as being very beautiful. Thea was married to Hyperion, and was the mother of Helios, Eos, and Selene. They were the sun, dawn and the moon respectively.

Phoebe

2005-03-06T21:00:00.000-08:00

Greek Mythology
Titan

Name: Phoebe

History:

Phoebe was married to Coeus. She was the Titan of the moon and was Leto's mother.

Coeus

2005-03-06T20:58:00.000-08:00

Greek Mythology
Titan

Name: Coeus
Domain: The Titan of Intelligence

History:

Coeus was the Titan of intelligence and Leto's father.

Iapetus

2005-03-06T20:57:00.000-08:00

Greek Mythology
Titan

Name: Iapetus

History:

Iapetus was Prometheus, Epimethus, and Atlas' father.

Themis

2005-03-06T20:54:00.000-08:00

Greek Mythology
Titan

Name: Themis
Domain: The Titan of Justice

History:

Themis was the Titan of justice and order. Themis was the Fates mother. Themis was often depicted as being blind-folded and holding a scale. Hence the phrase "justice is blind".

Mnemosyne

2005-03-06T20:52:00.000-08:00

Greek Mythology
Titan

Name: Mnemosyne
Domain: The Titan of Memory

History:

Mnemosyne was the Titan of memory. She was the Muses mother. Little more is known of Mnemosyne.

Hyperion

2005-03-06T20:51:00.000-08:00

Greek Mythology
Titan

Name: Hyperion
Domain: The Titan of Light

History:

Hyperion was the Titan of light. He was responsible for creating the sun, the moon, and the dawn.

Tethys

2005-03-06T20:49:00.000-08:00

Greek Mythology
Titan

Name: Tethys
Domain: The Rivers of Earth

History:

Tethys was the Titan Oceanus' wife. Together with her husband she produced the rivers of Earth. She was also the mother of the ocean nymphs.

Oceanus

2005-03-06T20:47:00.000-08:00

Greek Mythology
Titan

Name: Oceanus
Domain: The Oceans and Rivers

History:

Oceanus was the water which covered the entire Earth. He and his wife Tethys were the parents of the ocean nymphs.

Rhea

2005-03-06T20:43:00.000-08:00

Greek Mythology
Titan

Name: Rhea
Domain: The Wife of Cronus

History:

Rhea was the wife of Cronus and Queen of the Titans. Cronus would devourer their children after conception. To save her their son Zeus, Rhea tricked Cronus into eating a rock instead of Zeus.

Uranus

2005-03-06T20:36:00.000-08:00

Greek Mythology
Titan

Name: Uranus
Domain: The First Ruler of the Titans, The Sky God

History:

Uranus is the son of Gaea. Uranus did not have a father, he was created by Gaea alone. Uranus and Gaea mated and produced the rest of the Titans. Uranus was the first ruler, and the sky god. His rule came to an end when Cronus castrated him. Cronus was encouraged to castrate Uranus by Gaea. It is unknown if Uranus died from his injury or if he simply withdrew from earth.

One account of Aphrodite's conception stated she emerged from the spot in the ocean where Uranus' flesh had fallen after the castration.

Gaea

2005-03-06T20:30:00.000-08:00

Greek Mythology
Titan

Name: Gaea
Domain: Earth Goddess

History:

Gaea was the Earth goddess, or Mother Earth. She mated with her son Uranus to produce the other Titans. The worship of Gaea predated Greek Mythology.

Cronus

2005-03-04T23:43:00.000-08:00

Greek Mythology
Titan

Name: Cronus

History:

Cronus was the lord of the Titans. He consumed his children to prevent them from overthrowing his rule. Cronus' wife deceived him and allowed their son Zeus to live. Zeus later overthrew his father and the other Titans who were lead by Prometheus. Cronus and the other Titans were children of the goddess Earth.

The Fates

2005-03-04T23:16:00.000-08:00

Greek Mythology
Gods

Name: The Fates
Domain: The Goddesses of Destiny

History:

The three Fates; Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos, decided the destiny of men. Clotho would spin the thread of life. Lachesis chose a mans lot in life, and measured how long it would be. Atropos would cut the thread of life with her shears. The Fates pre-date the gods. It was possible that they even chose the fate of the gods themselves.

The Furies

2005-03-04T23:10:00.000-08:00

Greek Mythology
Gods

Name: The Furies
Domain: Gods Who Punished Crime

History:

The Furies; Tisiphone, Megaera and Alecto, emerged from the blood of Uranus when he was castrated. They relentlessly persued wrong-doers to death. They drove many of the wrong-doers to suicide.
The Furies were also known as the Erinnyes.

The Muses

2005-03-04T23:05:00.000-08:00

Greek Mythology
God

Name: The Muses
Domain: Goddesses of Music and Song

History:

The Muses are the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne. There were nine muses. Each Muse had a specialty. Clio was the Muse of history, Urania was the Muse of astronomy, Melpomene was the Muse of tragedy, Thalia was the Muse of comedy, Terpsichore was the Muse of dance, Calliope was the Muse of epic poetry, Erato was the Muse of love poetry, Polyhymnia was the Muse of songs to the gods and Euterpe was the Muse of lyric poetry. Their songs were known to bring joy to anybody who heard them.