While these stories may seem a little strange on the surface, it is important to remember that they were once a beloved part of the Greek culture in the days before Christianity. These stories held both cultural and religious significance.

Here’s a look at some of the most famous stories that Greek Mythology has to offer:

Olympians Defeat the Titans

Most of us know how the main Olympian Gods and Goddesses are. According to most sources, these are Zeus, Hera, Aphrodite, Athena, Hephaestus, Apollo, Poseidon, Ares, Artemis, Demeter, Dionysius, and Hermes. However, there was a time when this wasn’t the case and it were the Titan gods and goddesses that ruled, that is, until the Olympians defeated them. This is an important story because it shows how the change in power came about.

Turbulent Relationship of Zeus and Hera

More an ongoing theme than it is an individual story, the relationship between Zeus and Hera is a memorable and often turbulent one. Zeus was often unfaithful, and Hera was often jealous. This forms the backbone of many famous stories, such as Hercules and the Twelve Labors and the story of Narcissus and Echo. These are just some examples of the stories that involve this theme, but they are amongst the two most popular.

Prometheus Gives Mankind Fire

Another theme in Greek mythology is that the stories are often used to explain certain phenomena. The story of Prometheus attempts to explain how fire came to be in the world. He saw that mankind was struggling, and he thought that giving humans the gift of fire would make their lives easier. Ultimately, he was punished for this act, but mankind was incredibly grateful! Although we know more about fire during our modern days, the tale still does present an interesting concept!

Origin of the Four Seasons

As the story goes, the four seasons came about because of Demeter. When Persephone, Demeter’s daughter, caught the eye of Hades, Demeter was left heartbroken. Demeter loved her daughter deeply, and she was heartbroken when Hades kidnapped her and took her to the Underworld. Demeter’s grief resulted in an endless winter. Zeus had to intervene and convince Hades to let Persephone spend part of the year with her mother.

Theseus and the Minotaur

Another common theme in Greek mythology are those focused on the heroes. In order to appease the Minotaur, King Minos had to offer human sacrifices. This caused people a lot of heartache, but the king thought this was the only way to keep people safe. When Theseus learned of this, he knew that he could help. He offered himself as one of the sacrifices and ultimately slaughtered the beast.

Pandora’s Box

Most of us have heard the phrase “opening Pandora’s box”. This is one of those stories in Greek mythology that seeks to explain certain things. In this case, the take of Pandora’s box tries to explain why there are bad things that exist in the world. It is said that these things were said to be contained in a single box. Pandora’s curiosity led to her opening the box, which ultimately released these things into the world.

There are a lot of memorable stories in Greek mythology. These are some of the most popular and interesting!

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Despite his strength, he was half mortal and he did eventually face his death. His downfall came because he was unlucky in love.

Here’s a look at not only how he died, but also the events that led up to the death of Hercules:

Hercules Killed His First Wife

Hera’s wrath and jealousy essentially caused Hercules to kill not only his first wife, but the two kids he had with them, as well. Hercules actually loved his wife and children and wouldn’t intentionally do anything to harm them. However, Hera hated Hercules so much that she didn’t want to see him experience that amount of happiness. Th goddess caused Hercules to suffer from madness and in a haze, he murdered his wife and kids. He lived with that guilt for a long time.

Hercules Meets His Second Wife

After some time passed, Hercules met the woman who would eventually be his second wife – a woman named Deianira. He spent some time courting her and he eventually won her over. The two made plans to get married and it was his involvement with her that eventually caused his death.

Hercules Kills Nessus the Centaur

In the first version of the story, Hercules and Deianira eventually did get married. However, in order to bring his bride home, she had to cross a river. A centaur by the name of Nessus offered to help her get across. However, instead of being helpful, he actually tried to rape her. Naturally, this didn’t make Hercules happy and he tried to kill the centaur in retaliation. He shot and killed the centaur but before he died, the creature convinced her to take some of his blood to use as a love potion if she should ever need it.

Hercules Dies By Poison

As their marriage progressed, Deianira eventually became jealous of a young maiden whom she thought had captured Hercules interest. She decided that this was the perfect time to use the centaur’s blood to woo Hercules back into her arms. What she didn’t realize is that the centaur’s blood was actually poisonous to Hercules. They both realized far too late what had actually happened. Hercules was in so much agony after he took the potion that he wished he were dead.

Hercules eventually died and after he did, his mortal portion perished. Zeus took his “god” half back to Olympus where he made amends with Hera. Hercules stayed in Mount Olympus from then on and then married Hebe, Hera’s daughter.

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Here’s a look at some of the fiercest monsters in Greek mythology:

Cerberus

Takes of the Underworld, or Hades, wouldn’t be complete without mention of Cerberus, the multi-headed dog that guarded the underworld. Once someone passes on from the living and goes to the afterlife, they are not allowed to leave. Cerberus’s job was to guard the gate so that people couldn’t leave Hades, but occasionally he needed to guard the entrance against people who tried to enter Hades before it was their time.

Teumessian Fox

Legends tell of a fierce and large fox, known as the Teumessian Fox, that was sent to the Ancient Greek city-state of Thebes in order to ransack it. The stories indicate that one of the gods sent it there in order to punish the city. Some believe that it was Dionysius who sent the fox, but there are other versions of the story that give some of the other gods the credit for sending it.

Echidna

Echidna is a monster that is known for being half human and half snake. She is thought to be the mother of other fierce creatures of Greek Mythology, such as Cerberus, the Sphinx, the Hydra, and Chimera. Her consort and the father of many of these creatures was another monster named Typhon.

Typhon

Typhon is not only known for being the father of many of Greek mythology’s fiercest creatures, but he was also a fearsome beast in his own right. Another humanoid, Typhon is half man and half snack. He is a man from the waist up, but the rest of his body is depicted as being snakelike. Both of his “legs”, for example, were actually coiled snakes.

Sphinx

Like her parents, Typhon and Echidna, the Sphinx is a hybrid creature. In this case, she had the head of a woman and the body of a lion. This creature was a part of Oedipus’s take. He had to solve a riddle correctly in order to travel to the Oracle of Delphi. When Oedipus answered her challenging riddles and was able to gain passage, the Sphinx killed herself.

Hydra

The Hydra was a creature of Greek mythology who had multiple heads. This creature had a lair in Lake Lerna, which was considered to be one of the entrances into Hades. The Hydra was one of the Twelve Labors of Hercules. He was tasked with killing this beast, which he succeeded at doing.

Chimera

The Chimera is a creature that was truly terrifying. This monster had its origins in Lycia, which was a part of Asia Minor. Homer mentioned the Chimera in his Iliad and Odyssey. Hesiod also mentioned this creature. As you can see, this fierce beast had a place in many of the ancient stories.

Greek mythology just wouldn’t be the same without these fierce monsters! They certainly have an important place in the tales.

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The early gods and goddesses had a tendency to represent things of the earth, and one, Gaia, actually represented the earth itself. Here’s a roundup of some of the most interesting early gods and goddesses that are part of Greek mythology:

Aether

Aether was the child of Erebus, the god of darkness and Nyx, the goddess of the night. This goddess was responsible for giving the day “light”. When the sun rose, she would bring light to the earth. It is interesting how she was the daughter of two symbols of darkness.

Gaia

Gaia didn’t just represent the earth, she was actually the personification of the earth. She was thought of as the mother, not only of the gods and goddesses, but the mother of all. Gaia and her partner, Uranus, were responsible for parenting a generation of gods and goddesses, known as the Titans. After the Primordial gods and goddesses were overthrown, Gaia still was looked at favorably in the stories.

Ourea

The Ourea were depicted as several gods, usually shown to be older men. In actuality, these gods were the personification of the nine major mountains in Greece, and were said to represent these mountains. Their names wereAetna, Athos, Helikon, Kithairon, Nysos, Olympus, Oreos, Parnes, and Tmolus. If you notice, some of the mountains in Greece bear these names.

Thalassa

Thalasa is the very personification of the sea itself. In fact, the Greek word for “sea” even today is thalassa. This shows that the sea has been important to the Greek people since ancient times. It is responsible for giving the Greek people food, transportation, and is also seen as something that gives life. Her parents were Aether, the god who represented light and also the air, and Hemera, the goddess who represented the day.

Uranus

Uranus is known as the Father of the Sky. He is the god who represented the sky and the heavens, and the Greek word for sky is actually, “Ouranos,” which is named after him. He was also a highly complex figure in the stories. Eventually, he was overthrown from his kingly position amongst the early gods. Once that happened, this allowed the Titans to take over.

As you can see, there are some interesting early gods and goddesses of Greek mythology that are worth knowing about!

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About Hercules

Hercules was the son of Zeus and a mortal woman named Alcmene. Hercules was born a demigod who had amazing strength and stamina. Hercules was given the name Alcaeus when he was born. Zeus’ wife Hera knew about his illegitimate son and would make the life of Hercules very difficult. She resented him so much that she would go to great lengths to destroy him. Her first attempt to get rid of him was at his own birth. Hera sent witches to prevent the birth from happening, but Alcmene’s servants sent them to a different room.

Hercules as a Demigod

When Hercules was a baby, Hera sent serpents to kill him, but Hercules strangled them. One version of the myth says that Alcmene left Hercules in the woods to protect him from Hera. Goddess Athena found him and took him to Hera as an orphan who needed nourishment. Hera took young Hercules and nursed him until her bit her. She pushed him away quickly and her milked spilled across the night sky to create the Milky Way. Unknowingly, Hera helped to give Hercules with more strength and power by nursing him. Hercules was fascinating to the Greek people as he was like other mortals and could make mistakes and suffer, but he also had powers like no other mortal did.

Hercules Becomes a God

Hercules would get married, have three sons, and be a successful hero. Hera could still not tolerate him and sent him into a madness. The result was Hercules killing his three sons. When it was over and he realized what he had done, he wanted to kill himself, but his cousin Theseus stopped him. Hercules then went to the Oracle at Delphi and she told him to go to his cousin Eurystheus, King of Tiryns and Mycenae.

His cousin gave him twelve labours to atone for his sins. It was around this time that Hercules was no longer known as Alcaeus, but as Herakles (Hercules) meaning “Glory of Hera,” as he had become well-known through his trouble with her. The twelve labors Hercules included tasks that included killing Hydra, the monster with nine venomous heads. He also had to capture the Cretan Bull belonging to King Minos, the Erymanthian Boar, and the Cerynthian Hind.

Hercules had to kill the Nemean Lion who was impenetrable to all weapons. Hercules managed to trap the lion and strangle it with his bare hands. For his final labour, one that seemed impossible, he had to descend to the underworld and capture the three-headed dog Cerberus. With the final task completed, Hercules earned his freedom and his immortality. Hercules would build a funeral pyre and end his life and live eternally among the gods.

Hercules is indeed a unique figure in Greek mythology. While he made mistakes like any other mortal, he also had qualities that deemed him suitable for immortality.

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Priapus’s Parents

Aphrodite is considered to be Priapus’s mother, but there is controversy as to who his father was. . Was it Zeus? Pan? Adonis? Dionysus? Most do credit Dionysus, but there is a case for each of them. Even before he was born, before he could do anything good or bad, he was cursed.

Hera, furious because Paris had judged Aphrodite more beautiful than she, took her wrath out on Priapus before he was born. She cursed Priapus so that he would be impotent, and he also made him ugly. Finally she gave him an X-rated mind with an insatiable libido that he could never act on.

Priapus Scorned

Shortly after he was born, all the gods on Olympus took this pitiable, ugly newborn with a huge penis and cast him out of the Elysian fields, down the mountain. The other gods were all perfect, good looking, and without flaw except, perhaps, for a significant lack of empathy. The baby landed in a pasture where he was found by shepherds. The shepherds brought him into their home and raised him.

Worshiping of Priapus

When Priapus grew older, he became more sexually aggressive, although he was never able to perform a sexual act because of the impotence Hera cursed him with. He had a constant erection except when he tried to copulate. He was thrown out when the shepherds couldn’t stand him anymore. He wandered to Asia Minor and found a home in Lampsacus on the Hellespont. There, he was honored as a god of gardens and husbandry, and, of course, a god of fertility as well.

Priapus and Lotis

Lotis was a beautiful nymph who had no interest in Priapus, as this was the nature of the curse. The little god, however, adored and lusted after her. He thought that, despite Hera’s curse, if he could sneak up on the nymph while she was asleep, he might be able to rape her. He found her sleeping in a garden and crept closer and closer. Then just as he was about to throw himself upon her, Lotis’ donkey brayed a warning. The nymph arose and ran away. Priapus ran after her, pursuing her until the gods felt sorry for her and turned her into a lotus blossom.

Priapus is one of the few gods that ancient Grecians routinely ridiculed. He was actually honored and worshipped in the rural areas where fertility is critical to the welfare of the farmers. But in the cities, urban dwellers thought he was a joke and made humorous plays of his failed love life, and regularly mocked him.

Source:

Priapus – Wikipedia

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Legend of Prometheus

Many Greek myths have multiple versions, and the legend of Prometheus is no exception. The Greek poet, Hesiod, is commonly considered to be the first author to introduce the myth. According to this account, Prometheus tricks Zeus into accepting an inferior sacrifice from mortal men. This sacrifice sets the precedent that men could keep the meat of sacrificed animals and only leave the bones and fat for the gods.

Zeus is enraged by Prometheus’ antics, and he retaliates by robbing humans of fire. Undeterred, Prometheus recaptures fire for humanity. He does so, however, at a great cost, for Zeus punishes him by having him chained to a rock as an eagle torments him by consistently eating his immortal liver.

Other Stories of Prometheus

Aeschylus, who was around later than Hesiod, tells a different of this Titan in his tragedy called,  Prometheus Bound. The story reflects the same themes as the original, but it also introduces the idea that Prometheus had once helped Zeus only to be later betrayed by him. In this version, Prometheus not only introduces fire, but he also assists humans as they develop their civilization.

Hesiod himself expanded on his original tale. In a subsequent version, humans are additionally punished by Pandora and the contents of her container. A lost epic called the Titanomachy may also include alternative information about Prometheus.

What the Stories Mean

The original account of Prometheus can be interpreted as presenting the existence of both good and evil in human life. (Prometheus is both a trickster and also a hero to humanity). In his role as an advocate for humanity, he was revered by the educated people of Athens. He also serves as a symbol of Greek culture’s transition from reliance on the gods to a more independent (and perhaps troubling) existence.

William Lynch surmises that Aeschylus’ later treatment of the Prometheus myth was bourne out of the rise of secularism in Athenian culture and the need for more sophisticated mythology.

There are, however, religious elements to the account. The story touches on aspects of justice and whether Zeus can be considered a just god. It also depicts a system where supernatural forces influence events, but mortals must still grapple with their environment.

The story of Prometheus was an attempt by the Ancient Greeks to explain how mankind ended up with fire. He is hailed as a hero by the people, but the gods had an entirely different perspective. They weren’t happy with what he did and he was punished because of it.

Source:

Wikipedia – Prometheus

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Not only that, but not all of the stories are happy ones. There are a lot of tragic tales that are part of it. Here’s a look at some of the most tragic stories of Greek Mythology:

Icarus Falls to His Death

Icarus was a mortal who had famous parents. His father, Deadalus, was a famous inventor who also made the legendary labyrinth that entrapped the Minotaur. His mother was Naucrate, one of King Minos’s female slaves. Icarus was absolutely convinced that he could fly, so he invented a pair of wings that took him up into the heavens and beyond. His story is a tragic one because he ultimately flew too high. When he approached the sun, the heat melted the wax holding his wings together and he fell to his death.

Medusa Becomes a Monster

Medusa is known for being a dreaded monster with snakes instead of hair. She could turn you to stone if you looked into her eyes. She met her end when Perseus slayed her. However, she wasn’t always a monster. She was a young, beautiful girl who was turned into a monster by Athena. It is largely believed that the goddess did this act out of jealousy for the young girl’s beauty and her suitors.

Prometheus Punished for Giving Man Fire

Prometheus is considered to be a god and is listed as existing around the same time as the Titans. However, he isn’t officially listed is one of the main Titan gods. Rather, his mother was Clymene, a Titan Goddess, and his father was one an Oceanid, or one of the sea nymphs. Prometheus is most known for giving mankind the gift of fire. However, his act was punished by Zeus, the king of the Olympian gods. He captured Prometheus and chained him to a rock on a mountain where eagles came daily to eat his liver. He was eventually freed from him imprisonment.

Hera Became Jealous of Hercules

Zeus was known for having constantly cheating on his wife, Hera. Occasionally, he would have children with one of his mistresses. Hera was never happy with this and was often vengeful against the mistress and sometimes the children. Hercules was one of the children of one of Zeus’s lovers. Hera was especially unhappy with Hercules because it is said that Zeus loved his mother, Alcmene, and this angered Hera. She spent a lot of time trying to make Hercules’ life miserable. He even caused Hercules to go mad, which caused him to murder his wife and children.

King Midas’ Golden Touch Brings Tragedy

King Midas saved the life of one of Dionysius’s revelers, a satyr named Silenus. As a reward, Dionysius granted King Midas a wish. He chose that everything he touched would turn to gold. The wish was granted and he was happy at first because he was able to greatly increase his wealth just with his touch. This happiness turned to sadness, however, as he realized he could no longer feel the same pleasure in life that he used to. He could no longer touch a human being, touch the food he eats, or even experience the world in the same way. The gift had become a curse.

As you can see, there were moments of real tragedy in Greek Mythology. These sad stories, however, top the list as being amongst the most tragic.

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However, Zeus wasn’t always king. When he was born, he was son of the Titan king, Cronus. There was another king before he took over, and another king before that. Where did Zeus come from exactly, and how did he become king?

Well, it all started with a prophecy. Gaia told Cronus that it was his fate to be overthrown by his sons, just as he had overthrown his own father. Eventually, it was the actions brought on by this that led Zeus to become king.

Zeus’s Birth

Zeus was the son of the Titans, Cronus and Rhea. Cronus, at the time, was king – a title he usurped from his father, Uranus. Cronus was told that one of his children would overthrow him. As a result, he swallowed each of his children whole to prevent them from taking his throne.

To prevent this from happening to Zeus, Rhea enlisted the help of Gaia. Rhea was tired of watching her own children be swallowed by her husband. So, she tricked Cronus by giving him a rock wrapped in swaddling clothes, which he then swallowed.

He was taken to the island of Crete and raised on Mount Dicte. In one version of the story, he was nursed by the Nymph Amaltheia and raised by Gaia. In other versions, exclusively Gaia raised him. When he was old enough, he left the island of Crete in order to rescue his siblings.

Confronting Cronus

Once he left Crete, Zeus knew that he had to confront Cronus and rescue his siblings. Zeus tricked Cronus by giving him an emetic, which causes vomiting. When Cronus vomited, he expelled all of his swallowed children. In some versions of the story, Gaia is the one who caused Cronus to regurgitate the children.

After they were freed, Poseidon and Hades banded together with their brother, Zeus, to overthrow Cronus. Thus, the prophecy was fulfilled because his own sons took down Cronus.

Who will become king?

After Cronus was defeated, Poseidon, Hades, and Zeus bickered over who would become the next king. Rather than fight violently, they decided to draw lots over who would have the honor. Because of the draw, Zeus became the king, Poseidon ruled over the seas, and Hades ruled the underworld.

Despite the fact that Zeus won the draw, many believe that he was destined to be king anyway because he was considered to be the most powerful. Nevertheless, he went on to rule as king of the Olympian gods. It all began with a simple prophecy that stated that his sons would overthrow Cronus.

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Hercules

Perhaps one of the most well known of the mythical heroes, Hercules certainly had his hands full. When he wasn’t engaged in a battle of wits with Hera, he was busy fighting other battles. Hera completely resented his existence because he was Zeus’s child by one of his lovers, the mortal Alcmene. His problems began at birth when Hera put snakes in his crib. Rather than cower in fear, the newborn Hercules fought, and won, the battle with these creatures. He also underwent his famous “Twelve Labors” which included tasks like slaying the Nemean Lion and capture the Cretan Bull, the father of the legendary Minotaur.

Achilles

Achilles was the undisputed hero of the Trojan War and his exploits in battle have made him one of the most well known heroes in Greek mythology. Most notably, he slayed the Trojan, Hector, outside the gates of the city, which changed the direction of the war. He was the son of Thetis, a Nymph, and Peleus, a king. When he was born, his mother tried to make him immortal by dipping him the River Styx. Rather than succeed, his heel was damaged. This was a weakness he struggled with even during his heroic exploits. His exploits during the war were highlighted in The Iliad.

Theseus

Theseus was the son of Aegeus, the King of Athens. He wasn’t born in Athens, but he journeyed there when he reached adulthood. During his travels, he had many adventures, which helped solidify his place as a hero. For example, in Corinth he killed Sinis, a dangerous outlaw who killed many people. During his reign in Athens, he was directed by King Minos to send some of his people to the Minotaur’s Labyrinth as a sacrifice. To prevent this from continuing, he traveled to Crete where he battled and eventually slayed the beast.

Odysseus

Odysseus was a great warrior who was also extremely clever. His actions during the war entirely changed the outcome of the battle. Because of him, the Greeks hid themselves in a wooden horse, which allowed the Greeks to break through Trojan Wars and put an end to the war. Before this, he and Hector, the Trojan hero, battled in single combat. Most of his exploits were written about in The Iliad.

Perseus

Officially, Perseus is considered the “first hero” of Greek mythology. He was the son of Zeus and as a result, possessed a good amount of strength, and he was also extremely clever. One of his most notable exploits was removing Medusa from her head, thus rendering the infamous monster incapable of turning anyone to stone. The head, however, was still able to turn people to stone. It became part of Athena’s shield.

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Life of Homer

Not much is known about Homer, particularly when he was born. Most believe that he was born sometime between the 850 B.C. and 1200 B.C. in Ionia in Asia Minor. The exact date isn’t known, but historians often guess based on his completed works. And, though exact proof of his authorship of the Iliad, Odyssey, and several other epic poems doesn’t exist, most experts agree that he was, in fact, the author.

His existence, however, is largely a mystery. Even though he is generally considered to be one man, it is possible that “Homer” is actually a group of multiple people. Any evidence either way, however, seems to have been lost.

Definition of Epic Poetry

Homer is most known for his epic poetry. This is a form of poetry that tells a whole story, or is a compilation of several stories at once. Bards who either sung or spoke the words while accompanying their tale with a stringed instrument traditionally performed them. These tales are often transcribed, which is a major reason why these works have survived.

The Blind Bard

Homer, who was also referred to as “The Blind Bard”, specialized in crafting stories out of the myths and legends of his time. These stories were meant to be sung and performed on a stage rather than read by us. His epic poetry contains literary elements that are meant to interact with the audience and engage them into the story. Modern audiences continue to be enthralled.

The Literary Works of Homer

Homer is most famously known for his epic poems but he wrote in other genres, as well. Besides writing the Iliad and the Odyssey, he also authored other epic poems and composed in a verse form known as Theben verse. Other works include the Homeric Hymns, Betrachomyomachia (a mini epic work known as “The Frog Mouse War”, and poems such as Phocais, and Capture of the Oechalia. By far, his most well known works are the Iliad and the Odyssey.

Homer’s Influence

Much of what we know about Greek mythology has come from Homer’s two major works, the Iliad and the Odyssey. In them, most of the stories we know about the Greek gods and goddesses. Both stories were centered on The Trojan Wars. The Iliad took place during the war; the Odyssey took place just as the war concluded. If these stories had been lost, we wouldn’t know as much as we do about Greek mythology.

Even though Homer was alive thousands of years ago, his influence is still felt today. Much of his work is still required reading in schools and universities. However, reading his work derives much of what we know about him. His true identity is unclear. In fact, some people theorize that “Homer” could refer to more than one person. The only thing we know for certain is that his epic poetry is still embraced today.

Source:

Wikipedia – Homer

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Pandora Was a Unique Mortal

Although Pandora was a mortal, she originated in a fairly unique way. She was the first mortal woman who was actually originated by the gods. As the story goes, two gods, Hephaestus and Athena, created Pandora out of a lump of clay. Originally, Prometheus was given the task of creating man and after he did, he was unhappy with the creation. Essentially, the world had man, but not woman. Eventually, Prometheus stole fire from the gods and gave it to man, and Zeus in general was angry with all that Prometheus had done. As a result, this prompted Hephaestus to create the first woman, or Pandora, out of the earth and clay.

Pandora Was Created to Punish Mankind

The story of Pandora actually relates to the story of Prometheus. Before he stole fire from the gods, fire was looked at as only something that the gods could enjoy. However, Prometheus realized that mankind could really benefit from using it. Although man was happy about this gift, the gods were angered, particularly Zeus. In retaliation, he created Pandora, whose fate it was to bring misery to mankind. In Zeus’s thinking, fire was looked at as a positive thing for man. He wanted to create something negative to offset Prometheus’s act.

Pandora Was Given a Box as a Gift

Pandora was created as a beautiful and intelligent woman. After her creation, he was given to Epimetheus, Promtheus’s younger brother, who had a reputation for being a little foolish. The pair married and for one of their wedding gifts, Pandora was given a special box. When Pandora opened the box to see what was inside, she unleashed a host of evil spirits, which essentially brought evil and negativity into the world. For Zeus, this was considered to be the ultimate revenge for what Prometheus had done. Not only that, but the tale explains how evil came into the world.

The story of Pandora and the box was looked at as a cautionary tale that showed people how disastrous it could be if they are too curious. Pandora’s curiosity opened the box, which released sin and other undesirable actions and emotions into the world. The story also served to explain where this negativity originated and also served as a reminder as to what happens if the gods are angered. Zeus essentially wanted Pandora to torment mankind because Prometheus stole fire from the gods.

Source:

Wikipedia – Pandora

Theoi.com – Pandora

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Part of what drove Cronus to take the actions that he did, which ultimately led to the “Clash of the Titans”, where the Olympian gods and goddesses dethroned the Titans, was the way that Uranus had treated him. However, the story of what happened between Cronus and Zeus is fairly well known. To understand that, we need to know what happened between Uranus and Cronus.

Cronus and His Descendants

Cronus was one of the Greek gods and the personification of the sky. He was the husband and son of Gaia or the Earth Mother. Gaia conceived Uranus alone and the belief is he was born from Hemera and Aether or Nyx. Uranus and Gaia belonged to the first Titan generation and became the ancestors of the majority of Greek gods.

Once Uranus and Gaia mated, she birthed the twelve Titans, Coeus, Hyperion, Theia, Themis, Phoebe, Cronus, Oceanus, Crius, Iapetus, Rhea, Mnemosyne and Tethys. Gaia also birthed the Cyclops Arges, Steropes and Brontes in addition to the Hecatoncheires Gyges, Briareus and Cottus. After Uranus was castrated by Cronus, his blood splattered on the earth and the Meliae, Giants and Furies were created.

The severed genitals were thrown into the sea by Cronus. A white foam then emerged and expanded until it became the goddess Aphrodite. According to Greek mythology, Aphrodite was the daughter of Dione and Zeus.

Story of Uranus Versus Cronus

According to Greek mythology, Cronus was the son of heaven and earth and the youngest Titan. He separated heaven and earth by using a harpe to castrate his father on the advice provided by his mother and became king of the Titans. His sister Rhea became his consort and birthed Hestia, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter and Hades. Due to a warning from his parents his child would overthrow him, he swallowed all of his children.

Rhea hid Zeus after his birth in Crete and Cronus was tricked into swallowing a stone. When Zeus was grown, his brothers and sisters were disgorged by Cronus by force. War was then waged on Cronus and he lost the battle. There were different versions of the story after this resulting in Cronus either becoming king of Elysium or a prisoner in Tartarus.

First Generation of Gods and Goddesses

Greeks believed that there was an original generation of gods and goddesses, known as the Primordial gods and goddesses today. It was believed that the original two were Uranus and Gaia.  They birthed the first Titans and became great-grandparents to the majority of gods. Gaia slept with Uranus every night and he placed a cover on her. Uranus had a deep hatred for all of his children and did not want to see them. According to the myths, his children were either imprisoned in Tartarus or Gaia.

Gaia was so hurt she created a giant sickle from stone. She then urged her children to castrate their father Uranus. The only child willing to rise against him was the youngest, Cronus. He accepted his mother’s offer due to his ambition. He ambushed Uranus, severed his genitals and flung them into the sea. The next generation rose from the foam including the ash tree nymphs.

After Cronus had taken the throne, he wed his sister Rhea, the Titan. This was the beginning of the Golden Age of Greek mythology. During this time, immortality did not exist. Laws were unnecessary since all of the humans and gods made the right choices on their own. Both gods and mortals prospered and lived in peace.

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Although much more myth than man, several dynasties, such as the royal houses of Sparta in ancient Greece and the Argeads of Macedonia, claimed to descend from Hercules. According to the parable, “The Choice of Heracles”, when Hercules was young he was visited by two nymphs—Pleasure and Virtue—who offered him a choice between a pleasant and easy life, or a severe but glorious life: he chose the glory.

The twelve labors of Hercules (Heracles is Greek mythology), also known as the dodekathlon, are how Hercules gained much of his mythological fame as a demi-god. Those twelve labors took him around the known world, performing impossible tasks that no one but the son of Zeus could have ever completed. But the twelve labors were not active acts of fame seeking. They were, in fact, his penance for killing his wife Megara and six children after being driven mad by the goddess Hera, wife of Zeus and Hercules’ father. Hera had one before unsuccessfully tried to kill Hercules, proof of her husband’s infidelity, when he was 8 months old by sending two snakes to poison him. Hercules strangled them in his crib, saving both his own life and the life of his twin brother Iphicles (whose father was a mortal, the husband of Hercules’ mother whom Zeus seduced.)

After regaining his sanity Hercules went to the oracle at Delphi to learn how he could atone for his actions. The oracle commanded Hercules to serve King Eurystheus of Tyrins for twelve years. In return for his service, Hercules would be rewarded with immortality.

During his time working for King Eurystheus, Hercules initially performed ten labors, but after completing them, Eurythesus declared he had cheated on two of them by getting help from others and added two more, resulting in the final Twelve Labors of Heracles.

A traditional order of the labors found in the Bibliotheca, a compendium of myths and heroic legends from the first and second century AD, includes Hercules’s successful attempts to:

• Slay the Nemean Lion.
• Slay the nine-headed Lernaean Hydra.
• Capture the Golden Hind of Artemis.
• Capture the Erymanthian Boar.
• Clean the Augean stables in a single day.
• Slay the Stymphalian Birds.
• Capture the Cretan Bull.
• Steal the Mares of Diomedes.
• Obtain the girdle of Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons.
• Obtain the cattle of the monster Geryon.
• Steal the apples of the Hesperides
• Capture and bring back Cerberus.

The twelve labors are only the beginning of a very impressive list of deeds and tales that Hercules completed over his life. He also traveled with Jason and the Argonauts in search of the Golden Fleece, was tricked into holding up the world by Atlas, freed the titan Prometheus from his bonds (bound by Zeus for giving fire to man), and more.

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Chaos and the Coming of Gaia

According to Hesiod’s Theogany, the Greek creation myth begins with Chaos, a deity usually depicted as a formless void. While not a malicious god, Chaos nonetheless had no interest in expanding creation. The land remained devoid of life and beauty with no rivers, mountains, or even the sky. Soon after, Chaos created Nyx, a goddess sometimes depicted as a large black bird.

Nyx mated with Chaos, giving birth to Erebus. Erebus and Nyx later married, bringing Aether and Hemera into the world. The union of Aether and Hemera led to the birth of Gaia and the other three primordial deities: Tartarus, Pontus, and Eros.

Of the four primordial deities, Gaia is regarded as the most important to the Greek creation myth. Gaia, sometimes known as Mother Earth, created Uranus, the Sky, without a male partner. In their ensuing union, Gaia and Uranus brought forth the Titans, the next generation of gods.

Titans and the Reign of Cronos

Gaia and Uranus had twelve Titan children, six boys and six girls. Uranus soon grew to regard his children as abominations and hid them away within Gaia herself. Resenting the terrible way Uranus treated her children, Gaia hatched a plan of revenge with Cronos, her youngest and bravest son. Gaia fashioned a sickle for Cronos and led Uranus into a trap. When Uranus was at his most vulnerable, Cronos sliced off his genitals and assumed leadership of the gods.

Cronos married his sister Rhea and the two had several children. Fearing that his offspring would usurp his position in a similar way to his own conquest of Uranus’s throne, Cronos ate his children soon after their birth. Just like Gaia before her, Rhea was determined to help her children, disguising her last born son, Zeus, as a rock and tricking Cronos into eating it.

Zeus’s Rebellion and the Rise of the Olympic Gods

After growing into a strong and powerful warrior, Zeus set out to challenge Cronos for leadership of the gods. The young Zeus forced his father to regurgitate his siblings and then allied himself with the Cyclops, who were also offspring of Cronos. The Cyclops gifted the deities powerful weapons, including Zeus’s famed lightning and thunderbolts. So armed, Zeus led his siblings to battle against the Titans, ending Cronos’s reign and establishing their kingdom on Mount Olympus.

Zeus and the Olympic gods brought life to Gaia and created the stars in the sky. The last things created were men and animals, who were forged by Prometheus and Epimetheus, respectively. To aid mankind, Prometheus gifted men fire, an element meant only for the gods. Upon hearing of what Prometheus did, Zeus punished him by having his liver torn out each day by a vulture. Zeus also got his revenge against mankind by tricking the beautiful woman Pandora into opening the famous Pandora’s box, which unleashed countless evils upon the world. In a moment of benevolence, Zeus also let Pandora release hope from the box.

In all, the Greek creation myth is a powerful story of family strife. Although the Greek pantheon created the world, they nonetheless engaged in countless disputes and battles. These quarrels established the foundation of the Greek world and served as the basis of religious and civil life in ancient Greece.

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Early Life of Helen of Troy

According to Homer in the Iliad and the Odyssey, Helen was the daughter of Zeus, the king of the gods, and Leda, who was the daughter of the King of Sparta, Menalaus. In the stories, it is said that Zeus took the form of a swan and when he was chased by an eagle, he sought refuge with Leda. Leda admired the swan’s beauty, and the two mated. When the two were paired together, they created the beautiful daughter, Helen. However, other stories have a different version of her birth story. In these version, Helen is actually the daughter of Zeus, the king of the gods, and Nemesis, a goddess.

Helen’s Many Suitors

One of the most intriguing things about Helen of Troy is that her beauty is said to have been legendary. Not only did she have many suitors, but it is her beauty that appears to have caused the Trojan War. When Helen became of an age to marry, suitors from all over the ancient world came to her in an effort to win her affections. Even the hero Theseus was captivated by her beauty! In one version of her story, she was abducted by Helen when she was only a child. When she got older, she had a lot more suitors including Ajax, Alephanor, Menalaus, who became her husband, Odysseus, and Protesilaus. Once she was already married, we do know that Paris from Troy also took a liking to her.

Paris Decides to Seduce Helen

Not only did Helen have several suitors, but her beauty was legendary throughout the ancient world, even amongst those who weren’t trying to win her affections. When Paris, a Trojan prince, learned about her, he knew that he wanted to seduce her and make her his own. So, he traveled to Sparta where she lived with her husband, King Menalaus, so that he could do just that. Paris was young and good looking, and he enlisted the gods for help in wooing her. However, his mission was to be ill-fated. Because he declared that Aphrodite was the most beautiful goddess when he acted as judge during a contest (she had promised him Helen to bribe him), this angered the rest of the goddesses. When Paris took Helen away from Sparta and back to Troy, this started the Trojan War where ultimately, the Greeks were victorious.

Sources:

Wikipedia – Helen of Troy

Wikipedia – Troy

Wikipedia – Paris (mythology)

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Herodotus May Have Mentioned the Fountain of Youth

Herodotus, known as the “Father of History”, wrote about a group of people called the Macrobians, who were believed to have lived in modern-day Africa and were known for their longevity and youthfulness. Alive between 484 B.C. and 425 B.C., the fact that Herodotus mentioned them shows that the Ancient Greeks were concerned with issues of longevity and youthfulness. In his writings, he also spoke of a mysterious pool of water that the Macrobians used regularly that he speculates may have held some of the power of their youth. Here is what he said in one of his books:

When the Ichthyophagi showed wonder at the number of the years, he led them to a fountain, wherein when they had washed, they found their flesh all glossy and sleek, as if they had bathed in oil- and a scent came from the spring like that of violets. The water was so weak, they said, that nothing would float in it, neither wood, nor any lighter substance, but all went to the bottom. If the account of this fountain be true, it would be their constant use of the water from it which makes them so long-lived.

There are those who believe that the myth of the Fountain of Youth originated with this factual account of the Macrobian people.

Hebe and the Fountain of Youth

Hebe was the Greek mythological goddess who represented youth, and she was also the cupbearer of the gods on Mount Olympus. Since she is the goddess of youth, she is also associated with early tales concerning a water source that some believe is the fabled Fountain of Youth. However, any references to this water source concerning Hebe were not overtly referred to as this fabled fountain. The myth seemed to have grown much later.

Alexander Searches for the Fountain of Youth

Between the writings of Herodotus and the idea of there being a goddess, Hebe, who represented youth, the myth of the Fountain of Youth grew. Alexander the Great, who was born in 356 B.C. and died in 323 B.C., is also said to have searched for it. Intrigued by the writings of Herodotus and the idea that Hebe was associated with a youthful water source, Alexander the Great was eager to see if such a source actually existed. According to the legends, he didn’t find it.

The Fountain of Youth is one of those ideas that people have grasped onto throughout the centuries, and it seems to have had a presence in Greek mythology.

Source:

Wikipedia – Fountain of Youth

Wikipedia – The Third Book

Wikipedia – Hebe

Wikipedia – Alexander the Great

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Background of the Story

The daughter of Schoeneus of Arcadia, Atalanta was left by her father in the woods. Artemis, the Greek Goddess of the Hunt and Moon, favored Atalanta and sent a she-bear to suckle the young child until being found by a group of hunters. As she grew into womanhood, she vowed to remain a virgin and was said to have kill two Centaurs that had tried to take her virginity in an open glade.

When Jason of the Argonauts enlisted the help of his fifty-hero crew of the Argo, Atalanta join and defeated Peleus in a wrestling contest at the funeral games of King Pelias. Atalanta also answered when King Oeneus called for heroes to kill the Calydonian Boar and was first to draw blood before Meleager killed the wild beast. Meleager was in love with Atalanta and offered her the hide of the boar but his uncles attempted to take it back. Due to his love for her, he killed the uncles but was himself killed by their sister who was also his mother.

Atalanta’s Footrace

Atalanta was reunited with her father who was eager to see her married, however, she had vowed to remain a virgin. She eventually agreed but told her father that she would only marry a suitor that could best her in a foot race but if they lost, they would be put to death. Many had tried to beat her and all were subsequently killed until Hippomenes, a student of Chiron, the wise Centaur, challenged her to the race.

Hippomenes could not resist the impossible challenge and appealed to Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, for help. Aphrodite gave Hippomenes three golden apples to throw in front of Atalanta every time she moved ahead of him in the race. She could not resist the apples and stopped to pick them up letting Hippomenes move ahead and eventually win the race and winning Atalanta’s hand in marriage.

Atalanta’s Marriage

Atalanta welcomed the marriage to Hippomenes and was heading to his home when their passion for one another overtook them in the temple of the Goddess Cybele, the Mistress of Wild Nature. Legend has it that Aphrodite caused their sudden passion as punishment because Hippomenes failed to pay his dues for receiving the three golden apples. Their act in Cybele’s temple angered the goddess and she turned both into lions to pull her chariot.

Atalanta and Hippomenes would forever endure being at each other’s side pulling Cybele’s chariot but would never be able to be together. Worse is that Atalanta would forever be held back by the husband that she could never have.

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In many Greek myths and legends, it is often the weapons that are the most memorable. Sure, the gods and goddesses who wield them certainly stand out. However, it is the weapons that often decide the ending of a story. Here is an overview of the famous weapons that make it into the various Greek myths and legends.

Zeus’s Thunderbolts

Zeus is most well known for his explosive temper. The thunderbolt was the perfect weapon for his temperament. As his temper flared, he could produce a thunderbolt that was capable of destroying anything in its path. When he was particularly angry he would produce multiple thunderbolts as part of a large storm. The thunderbolt goes well beyond mere lightening bolts. Thunderbolts are more powerful and are accompanied by loud claps of thunder.

The Caduceus

The Caduceus is a staff that is most often carried by Hermes but it has also been associated with other heralds such as Iris, Hera’s personal messenger. It is a short staff that is interwoven by two serpents and often has two small wings at its top. In Ancient Greece, the intertwining snakes on the staff represented the nervous system, which pointed to Hermes’ adaptability. Snakes also represented science and healing. These are all things that Hermes is often associated with.

Medusa’s Head

The grotesque image of using Medusa’s decapitated head as a weapon is a part of Greek mythology. Prior to her beheading, Medusa was capable of turning people into stone if they gazed into her eyes. The Greek hero, Perseus, decapitated her and gave her head to Athena to place on her shield. Even in death, Medusa’s gaze was still capable of turning people into stone.

Poseidon’s Trident

Poseidon’s three-pronged trident is one of the most memorable weapons featured in Greek mythology because he is rarely seen without it. As the brother of Zeus, the King of the Gods, Poseidon was powerful in his own right. Hephaestus forged his trident with Cyclops’s help. When Poseidon struck the ground with his trident, he was capable of bringing water sources to land and also causing earthquakes. So, it was capable of producing life-giving water and causing destruction by earthquakes.

The Aegis

Another weapon that Hephaestus, the blacksmith of the gods, created was the Aegis. This mythological weapon was a polished shield of brass that was also referred to as a “brass” and a “mirror”. It not only protected the bearer but could also be used as a weapon. Zeus, Perseus, and especially Athena used the Aegis at one time or another. After Perseus beheaded Medusa, her head was forged on the Aegis to make it even more powerful.

As you can see, there were many famous weapons in Greek mythology. These weapons were often associated with certain gods and goddesses. For example, Poseidon would not be complete without his trident. The weapons were also a big part of certain stories. For example, the tale of Perseus wouldn’t be complete without talking about the Aegis or Medusa’s head. These weapons are as much a part of the stories as the gods and goddesses themselves.

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Demeter Loves Her Daughter Persephone

Demeter is one of those goddesses who lived on Mount Olympus. Since she was the goddess of the harvest, however, she would often come down from where she lived in order to check on the progress of the crops on the earth. She loved her daughter, Persephone, so much that she couldn’t bear being separated from her. When she came down from the mountain, she would bring her daughter with her.

Persephone Was Known for Her Beauty

Persephone was especially known for her beauty and was also described to be a particularly happy and carefree child. One legend states that wherever she walked, flowers would grow in her path. She could often be found picking bundles of the very flowers she caused to grow in order to present it to her mother, Demeter, as a gift. She was always portrayed as happy and in harmony with every living creature.

Hades Sees Persephone and Wants to Be With Her

On one of the trips that Persephone took with her mother, Hades caught a glimpse of the beautiful girl as she was in a field picking flowers. Hades was the brother of Zeus and Poseidon and the ruler of the underworld, and he was constantly surrounded by images of death. The fact that Perseophone was not only beautiful, but also ful of life, was especially appealing to him.  Not only that, but he was incredibly lonely. He wanted to make Persephone his queen.

Hades Kidnaps Persphone and Demeter Becomes Depressed

When hades saw Persephone picking flowers in the field, Demeter was nowhere to be found. Persephone had strayed from her mother’s side in order to pick a particularly beautiful flower for her. Hades used this opportunity to grab her and take her down to the underworld. She became his queen by force, and Demeter had no idea what happened. She just knew that her daughter was gone. In her grief and depression, all the crops died and the harvest was ruined.

Zeus Strikes a Deal With Hades

Because the relationship between Hades and Zeus is a complicated one, Zeus didn’t initially want to get involved with the conflict. However, Demeter’s depression was affecting every living thing and according to some sources, led to a famine that lasted a full year. At first, Zeus tried talking to Demeter about the problem, but she said that she wouldn’t end the famine until her daughter came back to her.

Zeus had no choice – he struck a deal with Hades that would allow Persephone to be by her mother’s side for six months out of the year. Thus, the four seasons were born. During spring and summer, Persephone was by Demeter’s side and the harvest was allowed to thrive. In fall and winter, Persephone was with Hades, which would cause Demeter to become depressed.

Sources:

Wikipedia – Demeter

Wikipedia – Persephone

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