Who are the ancient Greek gods? ancient greek mythology

We offer a list of the most famous ancient Greek gods with brief descriptions and links to full articles with illustrations.

• Hades - god - the lord of the kingdom of the dead, as well as the kingdom itself. One of the older Olympian gods, brother of Zeus, Hera, Demeter, Poseidon and Hestia, son of Kronos and Rhea. Husband of the fertility goddess Persephone
• - the hero of myths, a giant, the son of Poseidon and the Earth of Gaia. The earth gave her son strength, thanks to which no one could cope with him. But Hercules defeated Antaeus, tearing him off the Earth and depriving Gaia of help.
• - the god of sunlight. The Greeks portrayed him as a beautiful young man. Apollo (other epithets - Phoebus, Musaget) - the son of Zeus and the goddess Leto, brother of Artemis. He had the gift to foresee the future and was considered the patron of all arts. In late antiquity, Apollo was identified with the sun god Helios.
• - the god of perfidious war, the son of Zeus and Hera. The Greeks portrayed him as a strong young man.
• - the twin sister of Apollo, the goddess of hunting and nature, it was believed that it facilitates childbirth. Sometimes considered the goddess of the moon and identified with Selene. The center of the cult of Artemis was in the city of Ephesus, where a grandiose temple was erected in her honor - one of the seven wonders of the world.
• - the god of medical art, the son of Apollo and the nymph Coronis. To the Greeks, he appeared as a bearded man with a staff in his hand. The staff was wrapped around a snake, which later became one of the symbols of the medical profession. Asclepius was killed by Zeus because he tried to raise the dead with his art. In the Roman pantheon, Asclepius corresponds to the god Aesculapius.
• Atropos("inevitable") - one of the three moira, cutting the thread of fate and cutting off human life.
• - the daughter of Zeus and Metis, born from his head in full combat weapons. Goddess of just war and wisdom, patroness of knowledge. Athena taught people many crafts, established laws on earth, and bestowed musical instruments on mortals. The center of worship for Athena was in Athens. The Romans identified Athena with the goddess Minerva.
• (Kyferei, Urania) - the goddess of love and beauty. She was born from the marriage of Zeus and the goddess Dione (according to another legend, she came out of the sea foam, hence her title Anadyomene, “foam-born”). Aphrodite corresponds to the Sumerian Inanna and the Babylonian Ishtar, the Egyptian Isis and the Great Mother of the Gods, and finally, the Roman Venus.
• - the god of the north wind, the son of the titanides Astrea (starry sky) and Eos (morning dawn), brother of Zephyr and Nota. Depicted as a winged, long-haired, bearded, powerful deity.
• - in mythology, sometimes called Dionysus by the Greeks, and Liber by the Romans, was originally a Thracian or Phrygian god, whose cult was adopted by the Greeks very early. Bacchus, according to some legends, is considered the son of the daughter of the Theban king, Semele, and Zeus. According to others - the son of Zeus and Demeter or Persephone.
• (Hebea) - the daughter of Zeus and Hera, the goddess of youth. Sister of Ares and Ilithyia. She served the Olympian gods at feasts, offering them nectar and ambrosia. In Roman mythology, Hebe corresponds to the goddess Juventa.
• - the goddess of darkness, night visions and sorcery, the patroness of sorcerers. Often Hecate was considered the goddess of the moon and was identified with Artemis. The Greek nickname of Hecate "Triodite" and the Latin name "Trivia" originate from the legend that this goddess lives at the crossroads.
• - hundred-armed fifty-headed giants, the personification of the elements, the sons of Uranus (Heaven) and the goddess Gaia (Earth).
• (Helium) - the god of the Sun, brother of Selene (Moon) and Eos (morning dawn). In late antiquity, he was identified with Apollo. According to Greek myths, Helios travels around the sky every day in a chariot drawn by four fiery horses. The main center of the cult was located on the island of Rhodes, where a giant statue was erected in his honor, considered one of the seven wonders of the world (Colossus of Rhodes).
• Hemera- the goddess of daylight, the personification of the day, born of Nikto and Erebus. Often identified with Eos.
• - the supreme Olympic goddess, sister and third wife of Zeus, daughter of Rhea and Kronos, sister of Hades, Hestia, Demeter and Poseidon. Hera was considered the patroness of marriage. From Zeus, she gave birth to Ares, Hebe, Hephaestus and Ilithyia (the goddess of childbirth, with whom Hera herself was often identified.
• - the son of Zeus and Maya, one of the most significant Greek gods. The patron of wanderers, crafts, trade, thieves. Possessing the gift of eloquence, Hermes patronized schools and orators. He played the role of a messenger of the gods and a conductor of the souls of the dead. He was depicted, as a rule, in the form of a young man in a simple hat and winged sandals, with a magic wand in his hands. In Roman mythology, he was identified with Mercury.
• - the goddess of the hearth and fire, the eldest daughter of Kronos and Gaia, the sister of Hades, Hera, Demeter, Zeus and Poseidon. In Roman mythology, the goddess Vesta corresponded to her.
• - the son of Zeus and Hera, the god of fire and blacksmithing. He was considered the patron of artisans (especially blacksmiths). The Greeks depicted Hephaestus as a broad-shouldered, undersized and lame man, working in a forge, where he forges weapons for the Olympian gods and heroes.
• - mother earth, mother of all gods and people. Coming out of Chaos, Gaia gave birth to Uranus-Sky, and from marriage with him gave birth to titans and monsters. The Roman mother goddess corresponding to Gaia is Tellus.
• - the god of sleep, the son of Nikta and Erebus, the younger twin brother of the god of death Thanatos, a favorite of the muses. Lives in Tartar.
• - Goddess of fertility and agriculture. The daughter of Kronos and Rhea, belongs to the number of senior Olympian gods. Mother of the goddess Kore-Persephone and the god of wealth Plutos.
• (Bacchus) - the god of viticulture and winemaking, the object of a number of cults and mysteries. He was depicted either as a fat elderly man, or as a young man with a wreath of grape leaves on his head. In Roman mythology, Liber (Bacchus) corresponded to him.
• - lower deities, nymphs who lived in trees. The life of a dryad was closely connected with her tree. If the tree died or was cut down, the dryad also died.
• God of fertility, son of Zeus and Persephone. In the mysteries he was identified with Dionysus.
• - Supreme Olympian god. The son of Kronos and Rhea, the father of many younger gods and people (Hercules, Perseus, Helen of Troy). Lord of storms and thunders. As the ruler of the world, he had many different functions. In Roman mythology, Zeus was associated with Jupiter.
• - god of the west wind, brother of Boreas and Nota.
• - the god of fertility, sometimes identified with Dionysus and Zagreus.
• - patron goddess of childbirth (Roman Lucina).
• - the god of the river of the same name in Argos and the most ancient king of Argos, the son of Tethys and the Ocean.
• - the deity of the great mysteries, introduced into the Eleusinian cult by the Orphics and associated with Demeter, Persephone, Dionysus.
• - the personification and goddess of the rainbow, the winged messenger of Zeus and Hera, the daughter of Tawmant and the oceanids Electra, the sister of the Harpies and Arches.
• - demonic creatures, children of the goddess Nikta, bringing misfortune and death to people.
• - Titan, son of Uranus and Gaia, was thrown by Zeus into Tartarus
• - Titan, the youngest son of Gaia and Uranus, the father of Zeus. He ruled the world of gods and people and was overthrown from the throne by Zeus. In Roman mythology, he is known as Saturn - a symbol of inexorable time.
• - daughter of the goddess of discord Eris, mother harit (according to Hesiod). And also the river of Oblivion in the underworld (Virgil).
• - Titanide, mother of Apollo and Artemis.
• (Metis) - the goddess of wisdom, the first of the three wives of Zeus, who conceived Athena from him.
• - mother of nine muses, goddess of memory, daughter of Uranus and Gaia.
• - daughters of Nikta-Night, the goddess of fate Lachesis, Cloto, Atropos.
• - the god of ridicule, slander and stupidity. Son of Nyukta and Erebus, brother of Hypnos.
• - one of the sons of Hypnos, the winged god of dreams.
• - the patron goddess of the arts and sciences, the nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne.
• - nymphs-guardians of waters - deities of rivers, lakes, springs, streams and springs.
• - the daughter of Nikta, a goddess who personified fate and retribution, punishing people in accordance with their sins.
• - fifty daughters of Nereus and the oceanides of Dorida, sea deities.
• - the son of Gaia and Pontus, meek sea god.
• - the personification of victory. Often she was depicted with a wreath, a common symbol of triumph in Greece.
• - the goddess of the Night, a product of Chaos. The mother of many gods, including Hypnos, Thanatos, Nemesis, Mom, Kera, Moira, Hesperiad, Eris.
• - the lowest deities in the hierarchy of the Greek gods. They personified the forces of nature and were closely connected with their habitats. River nymphs were called naiads, tree nymphs were called dryads, mountain nymphs were called orestiads, and sea nymphs were called nereids. Often, nymphs accompanied one of the gods and goddesses as a retinue.
• Note- the god of the south wind, depicted with a beard and wings.
• The ocean is a titan, the son of Gaia and Uranus, the forefather of the gods of the sea, rivers, streams and sources.
• Orion is a deity, the son of Poseidon and the oceanides Euryale, daughter of Minos. According to another legend, he came from a fertilized bull skin, buried for nine months in the ground by King Giriei.
• Ory (Mountains) - the goddess of the seasons, tranquility and order, the daughter of Zeus and Themis. There were three of them: Dike (or Astrea, goddess of justice), Eunomia (goddess of order and justice), Eirene (goddess of peace).
• Pan is the god of forests and fields, the son of Hermes and Dryopa, a goat-legged man with horns. He was considered the patron saint of shepherds and small livestock. According to the myths, Pan invented the flute. In Roman mythology, Pan is associated with the Faun (patron of the herds) and Sylvanus (the demon of the forests).
• Peyto- the goddess of persuasion, the companion of Aphrodite, often identified with her patroness.
• Persephone is the daughter of Demeter and Zeus, the goddess of fertility. The wife of Hades and the queen of the underworld, who knew the secrets of life and death. The Romans revered Persephone under the name of Proserpina.
• Python (Delphin) - a monstrous serpent, a product of Gaia. He guarded the ancient soothsayer of Gaia and Themis in Delphi.
• The Pleiades are the seven daughters of the titan Atlanta and the oceanid Pleione. The brightest of them bear the names of Atlantis, Artemis's girlfriends: Alcyone, Keleno, Maya, Merope, Sterope, Taygeta, Electra. All the sisters were combined in a loving union with the gods, with the exception of Merope, who became the wife of Sisyphus.
• Pluto - the god of the underworld, before the 5th century BC named Hades. In the future, Hades is mentioned only by Homer, in other later myths - Pluto.
• Plutos is the son of Demeter, the god who gives people wealth.
• Pont- one of the oldest Greek gods, the son of Gaia (born without a father), the god of the Inner Sea. He is the father of Nereus, Tawmant, Phorky and his sister-wife Keto (from Gaia or Tethys); Eurybia (from Gaia; Telchines (from Gaia or Thalassa); genera of fish (from Thalassa.
• - one of the Olympian gods, brother of Zeus and Hades, ruling over the sea element. Poseidon was also subject to the bowels of the earth, he commanded storms and earthquakes. Depicted as a man with a trident in his hand, usually accompanied by a retinue of lower sea deities and sea animals.
• Proteus is a sea deity, the son of Poseidon, the patron saint of seals. Possessed the gift of reincarnation and prophecy.

During Antiquity, mythology had a huge impact on people, closely fitting into everyday life and religious customs. The main religion of this period is pagan polytheism, which was based on a large pantheon of gods. The gods of ancient Greece had a special meaning and each performed its role. In different regions there was a cult of one or another god, which was largely determined by the peculiarity of life and way of life. This article provides a list and description of the gods.

The gods were humanized, endowing them with anthropomorphic demeanor. Ancient Greek mythology had a clear hierarchy - the titans, titanides and the younger generation of gods stood out, which gave rise to the Olympians. The Olympic gods are the supreme celestials who lived on Mount Olympus. It was they who had the greatest influence on the ancient Greeks.

The ancient Greek gods of the first generation - ancient entities that gave rise to everything living and inanimate, are considered the creators of the world. They entered into a relationship, thanks to which other gods were born, who also belong to the first generation, as well as the titans. The progenitors of all the ancient Greek gods were Skotos (Mist) and Chaos. It was these two entities that gave rise to the entire primary pantheon of Ancient Greece.

The primary pantheon of the gods of ancient Greece:

• Nyukta (Nikta);
• Erebus (Darkness);
• Eros (Love);
• Gaia (Earth);
• Tartarus (Abyss);
• Uranus (Sky).

Virtually no description of each of these deities has been preserved, since subsequently the Olympians became key to the mythology of Ancient Greece.

Gods, unlike people, were allowed to enter into family ties, so children were often the fruits of incest.

The deities of the second generation are the titans, thanks to whom the Olympian gods were born. These are 6 sisters and 6 brothers who actively married among themselves and fought for power. The most revered titans are Kronos and Rhea.

Olympian Gods of Greece

These are the children and descendants of the children of Kronos and his wife Rhea. The titan Kronos was originally considered the god of agriculture, and later of time. He had a stern disposition and a thirst for power, for which he was overthrown, castrated and sent to Tartarus. His reign was replaced by the Olympian gods, led by Zeus. The life and relationships of the Olympians are described in detail in ancient Greek legends and myths, they were worshiped, respected and brought gifts. There are 12 main gods.

Zeus

The younger son of Rhea and Kronos, is considered the father and patron of people and gods, personified good and evil. He opposed his father, overthrowing him in Tartarus. After that, power on earth was divided between him and his brothers - Poseidon and Hades. He is the patron of lightning and thunder. Its attributes were a shield and an ax, later an eagle began to be depicted next to it. Zeus was loved, but they were also afraid of his punishment, so they brought valuable gifts.

People represented Zeus as a strong and robust middle-aged man. He had noble features, thick hair and a beard. In the myths, Zeus was portrayed as a character in love stories that deceived earthly women, as a result of which he gave rise to many demigods.

Hades

The eldest son of Kronos and Rhea, after the overthrow of the reign of the titans, became the god of the underworld of the dead. He was personified by people as a man over 40 years old, who moved on a golden chariot drawn by golden horses. He is credited with a terrible environment, for example, Cerberus - a dog with three heads. It was believed that he owns the untold riches of the underworld, so they feared and respected him, sometimes more than Zeus. Married to Persephone, whom he kidnapped, thereby causing the wrath of Zeus and the inconsolable grief of Demeter.

Among people, they were afraid to pronounce his name aloud, replacing it with various epithets. One of the few gods whose cult was practically not widespread. During rituals, cattle with black skins, most often bulls, were sacrificed to him.

Poseidon

The middle son of Kronos and Rhea, after defeating the titans, took possession of the water element. According to myths, he lives in a majestic palace in the underwater depths, along with his wife Amphitrite and his son Triton. Moves by sea on a chariot drawn by sea horses. Wields a trident with great power. His blows led to the formation of springs and underwater springs. In ancient drawings, he is depicted as a powerful man with blue eyes, like the color of the sea.

The Greeks believed that he had a heavy temper and a quick temper, which was opposed to the calmness of Zeus. The cult of Poseidon was widespread in many coastal cities of ancient Greece, where rich gifts were brought to him, including girls.

Hera

One of the most revered goddesses of Ancient Greece. She was the patroness of marriage and matrimony. She had a tough character, jealousy and a great love for power. She is the wife and sister of her brother Zeus.

In the myths, Hera is depicted as a power-hungry woman who sends disasters and curses on the numerous mistresses of Zeus and their children, which leads to grins and funny antics from her husband. Every year she bathes in the Kanaf spring, after which she again becomes a virgin.

In Greece, the cult of Hera was widespread, she was the protector of women, she was worshiped and brought gifts to help during childbirth. One of the first deities to whom a sanctuary was built.

Demeter

Second daughter of Kronos and Rhea, sister of Hera. The goddess of fertility and the patroness of agriculture, therefore, was highly respected by the Greeks. There were large cults on the territory of the country, it was believed that it was impossible to get a harvest without bringing a gift to Demeter. It was she who taught people how to cultivate the land. She appeared as a young woman of beautiful appearance with curls the color of ripe wheat. The most famous myth is about the abduction of her daughter by Hades.

Descendants and children of Zeus

In the mythology of ancient Greece, the born sons of Zeus are of great importance. These are gods of the second order, each of which was the patron of one or another activity of people. According to the legends, they often came into contact with the inhabitants of the earth, where they weaved intrigues and built relationships. Key ones:

Apollo

The people called him "radiant" or "shining". He presented himself as a golden-haired young man, endowed with an extraterrestrial beauty of appearance. He was a patron of the arts, a patron of new settlements and a healer. Widely revered by the Greeks, large cults and sanctuaries have been found at Delos and Delphi. He is the patron and mentor of music.

Ares (Arey)

The god of a bloody and tough war, which is why he was often opposed to Athena. The Greeks represented him as a mighty warrior with a sword in his hand. In later sources, he is depicted next to a griffin and two companions - Eris and Enyo, who sowed discord and anger among people. In myths, he is described as the lover of Aphrodite, in whose relationship many deities and demigods were born.

Artemis

The patroness of hunting and female chastity. It was believed that bringing gifts to Artemis would bring happiness in marriage and facilitate childbirth. Often depicted next to a deer and a bear. The most famous temple was in Ephesus, later she was the patroness of the Amazons.

Athena (Pallas)

Highly revered goddess in Ancient Greece. She was the patroness of organized warfare, wisdom and strategy. Later it became a symbol of knowledge and crafts. She was portrayed by the ancient Greeks as a tall and well-coordinated woman, with a spear in her hand. Temples to Athena were erected everywhere, the cult of veneration was widespread.

Aphrodite

The ancient Greek goddess of beauty and love, later considered the patron of fertility and life. It had a huge influence on the entire pantheon, both people and gods were in its power (except for Athens, Artemis and Hestia). She was the wife of Hephaestus, but she is credited with love affairs with Ares and Dionysus. Depicted with flowers of roses, myrtle or poppy, apple. Her retinue included doves, sparrows and dolphins, and Eros and numerous nymphs were her companions. The largest cult was located in the city of Paphos, located on the territory of modern Cyprus.

Hermes

Extremely controversial god of the ancient Greek pantheon. He patronized trade, eloquence and dexterity. He was depicted with a winged rod, around which two snakes were entwined. According to the legends, he was able to reconcile them, wake up and put people to sleep. Hermes is often depicted wearing sandals and a wide-brimmed hat, as well as with a lamb on his shoulder. Often, not only helped the inhabitants of the earth, but also weaved intrigues, bringing citizens together.

Hephaestus

The blacksmith god, who is the patron of blacksmithing and construction. It was he who made the attributes of most of the gods, and also made lightning for Zeus. According to legend, Hera gave birth to him without the participation of her husband, from her thigh in revenge for the birth of Athena. Often depicted as a broad-shouldered and ugly man, lame in both legs. He was the legal husband of Aphrodite.

Dionysus

The youngest Olympian god, widely loved by the ancient Greeks. He is the patron of winemaking, vegetation, fun and madness. His mother is an earthly woman, Semele, who was killed by Hera. Zeus personally carried the child from 6 months, giving birth to him from the thigh. According to myths, this son of Zeus invented wine and beer. Dionysus was revered not only by the Greeks, but also by the Arabs. Often depicted with a staff tipped with hops and a bunch of grapes in his hand. The main retinue is satyrs.

The ancient Greek pantheon is represented by several dozen major gods, deities, mythical creatures, monsters and demigods. The legends and myths of Antiquity have many interpretations, since different sources were used in the description. The ancient Greeks loved and respected all the gods, they were worshiped, brought gifts and turned for blessing and cursing. Ancient Greek mythology was expounded in detail by Homer, who described all major events and the appearance of the gods.

Goddesses of ancient Greece

The life of the ancient Greek gods on Mount Olympus seemed to people a continuous fun and a daily holiday. Myths and legends of those times are a storehouse of philosophical and cultural knowledge. Having considered the list of the gods of Ancient Greece, you can plunge into a completely different world. Mythology surprises with its uniqueness, it is important because it pushed humanity to the development and emergence of many sciences, such as mathematics, astronomy, rhetoric, and logic.

First generation

Initially, there was Mist, and Chaos arose from it. From their union came Erebus (darkness), Nikta (night), Uranus (sky), Eros (love), Gaia (earth) and Tartarus (abyss). All of them played a gigantic role in the formation of the pantheon. All other deities are related to them in one way or another.

Gaia is one of the first deities on earth, which arose along with the sky, sea and air. She is the great mother of everything on earth: heavenly gods were born from her union with her son Uranus (heaven), sea gods from Pontos (sea), giants from Tartaros (hell), and mortal beings were created from her flesh. Depicted as a fat woman, half rising from the ground. We can assume that it was she who came up with all the names of the gods of Ancient Greece, a list of which can be found below.

Uranus is one of the primeval gods of Ancient Greece. He was the original ruler of the universe. He was overthrown by his son Kronos. Born to one Gaia, was also her husband. Some sources call his father Akmon. Uranus was depicted as a bronze dome covering the world.

List of the gods of Ancient Greece, born by Uranus and Gaia: Oceanus, Kous, Hyperion, Crius, Thea, Rhea, Themis, Iapetus, Mnemosyne, Tethys, Kronos, Cyclopes, Brontes, Steropes.

Uranus did not feel much love for his children, more precisely, he hated them. And after their birth he imprisoned them in Tartarus. But during their rebellion he was defeated and castrated by his son Kronos.

Second generation

The Titans, born of Uranus and Gaia, were the six gods of time. The list of titans of ancient Greece includes:

Ocean - tops the list of gods of Ancient Greece, titanium. It was a large river surrounding the earth, was the reservoir of all fresh water. Oceanus' wife was his sister, the titanide Tethys. Their union gave birth to rivers, streams and thousands of oceanids. They did not take part in the Titanomachy. The ocean was depicted as a horned bull with a fish tail instead of legs.

Kay (Koy/Keos) - Phoebe's brother and husband. Their union gave birth to Leto and Asteria. Depicted in the form of a celestial axis. It was around her that the clouds revolved and Helios and Selena walked across the sky. The couple were thrown by Zeus into Tartarus.

Kriy (Krios) - an ice titan that can freeze all living things. He shared the fate of his brothers and sisters, thrown into Tartarus.

Iapetus (Iapetus / Iapetus) - the most eloquent, commanded the titans during the attack on the gods. Also sent by Zeus to Tartarus.

Hyperion - lived on the island of Trinacria. He did not take part in the Titanomachy. The wife was the titinide Thea (she was thrown into Tartarus along with her brothers and sisters).

Kronos (Chronos/Kronus) is the temporary ruler of the world. He was so afraid of losing the power of the supreme god that he devoured his children so that none of them would claim the throne of the ruler. He was married to his sister Rhea. She managed to save one child and hide him from Kronos. Deposed by his only rescued heir, Zeus, and sent to Tartarus.

Closer to people

The next generation is the most famous. They are the main gods of Ancient Greece. The list of their exploits, adventures and legends with their participation is very impressive.

They not only became closer to people, descending from heaven and emerging from chaos to the top of the mountain. The gods of the third generation began to contact people more often and more willingly.

This was especially boasted by Zeus, who was very partial to earthly women. And the presence of the divine wife Hera did not bother him at all. It was from his union with a man that the familiar hero of myths, Hercules, was born.

third generation

These gods lived on Mount Olympus. From its name they got their title. There are 12 gods of Ancient Greece, the list of which is known to almost everyone. All of them performed their functions and were endowed with unique talents.

But more often they talk about fourteen gods, the first six of which were the children of Kronos and Rhea:

Zeus - the main god of Olympus, the ruler of the sky, personified power and strength. God of lightning, thunder and creator of people. The main attributes of this god were: Aegis (shield), Labrys (double-sided ax), Zeus' lightning (two-pointed pitchfork with notches) and an eagle. Distributed good and evil. Was in alliance with several women:

• Metis - the first wife, the goddess of wisdom, was swallowed by her husband;
• Themis - the goddess of justice, the second wife of Zeus;
• Hera - the last wife, the goddess of marriage, was the sister of Zeus.

Poseidon is the god of rivers, floods, seas, drought, horses and earthquakes. His attributes were: a trident, a dolphin and a chariot with white-maned horses. Wife - Amphitrite.

Demeter is the mother of Persephone, the sister of Zeus and his lover. She is the goddess of fertility and patronizes farmers. Demeter's attribute is a wreath of ears of corn.

Hestia is the sister of Demeter, Zeus, Hades, Hera and Poseidon. The patroness of the sacrificial fire and the family hearth. I took a vow of chastity. The main attribute was a torch.

Hades is the ruler of the underworld of the dead. Husband of Persephone (goddess of fertility and queen of the kingdom of the dead). The attributes of Hades were a bident or a wand. Depicted with an underground monster Cerberus - a three-headed dog, who stood guard at the entrance to Tartarus.

Hera is the sister and wife of Zeus. The most powerful and wise goddess of Olympus. She was the patroness of family and marriage. A mandatory attribute of Hera is a diadem. This decoration is a symbol of the fact that she is the main one on Olympus. She obeyed (sometimes reluctantly) all the main gods of ancient Greece, the list of which she headed.

Other Olympians

Although these gods did not have such powerful parents, almost all of them were born from Zeus. Each of them was talented in their own way. And he did his job well.

Ares is the son of Hera and Zeus. God of battles, war and masculinity. He was a lover, then the husband of the goddess Aphrodite. Ares' companions were Eris (goddess of discord) and Enyo (goddess of violent war). The main attributes were: a helmet, a sword, dogs, a burning torch and a shield.

Apollo - the son of Zeus and Leto, was the twin brother of Artemis. The god of light, the leader of the muses, the god of medicine and the predictor of the future. Apollo was very loving, he had many mistresses and lovers. The attributes were: a laurel wreath, a chariot, a bow with arrows and a golden lyre.

Hermes is the son of Zeus and the Pleiades Maya or Persephone. God of trade, eloquence, dexterity, intelligence, animal husbandry and roads. Patron of athletes, merchants, artisans, shepherds, travelers, ambassadors and thieves. He is the personal messenger of Zeus and the escort of the dead to the kingdom of Hades. He taught people writing, trade and accounting. Attributes: winged sandals that allow him to fly, an invisibility helmet, a caduceus (a wand adorned with two intertwined snakes).

Hephaestus is the son of Hera and Zeus. God of blacksmithing and fire. He limped on both legs. Wives of Hephaestus - Aphrodite and Aglaya. The attributes of the god were: bellows, tongs, a chariot and a pilos.

Dionysus is the son of Zeus and the mortal woman Semele. God of vineyards and winemaking, inspiration and ecstasy. Theater patron. He was married to Ariadne. Attributes of God: a cup of wine, a vine wreath and a chariot.

Artemis is the daughter of Zeus and the goddess Leto, the twin sister of Apollo. The young goddess is a huntress. Being the first to be born, she helped her mother give birth to Apollo. Chaste. Attributes of Artemis: doe, quiver with arrows and chariot.

Demeter is the daughter of Kronos and Rhea. Mother of Persephone (wife of Hades), sister of Zeus and his lover. Goddess of agriculture and fertility. Demeter's attribute is a wreath of ears.

Athena, the daughter of Zeus, completes our list of the gods of Ancient Greece. She was born from his head after he swallowed her mother Themis. Goddess of war, wisdom and craft. Patroness of the Greek city of Athens. Her attributes were: a shield with the image of the Gorgon Medusa, an owl, a snake and a spear.

Born in foam?

I want to talk about the next goddess separately. She is not only to this day a symbol of female beauty. In addition, the history of its origin is hidden in mystery.

There is a lot of controversy and speculation about the birth of Aphrodite. The first version: the goddess was born from the seed and blood of Uranus castrated by Kronos, which fell into the sea and formed foam. The second version: Aphrodite originated from a sea shell. The third hypothesis: she is the daughter of Dione and Zeus.

This goddess was in charge of beauty and love. Spouses: Ares and Hephaestus. Attributes: chariot, apple, rose, mirror and dove.

How they lived on the great Olympus

All the Olympic gods of Ancient Greece, the list of which you see above, had the right to live and spend all their free time from miracles on the great mountain. The relationship between them was not always rosy, but few of them dared to open hostility, knowing the power of their opponent.

Even among the great divine beings, there was no permanent peace. But everything was decided by intrigues, secret conspiracies and betrayals. It is very similar to the human world. And this is understandable, because humanity was created by the gods, so they all look like us.

Gods who do not live on Mount Olympus

Not all deities had a chance to reach such heights and climb Mount Olympus to rule the world there, feasting and having fun. Many other gods either failed to deserve such a high honor, or were modest and content with an ordinary life. If, of course, you can call the existence of a deity that way. In addition to the Olympic gods, there were other gods of Ancient Greece, a list of their names is here:

• Hymen is the god of marriage bonds (the son of Apollo and the muse Calliope).
• Nike is the goddess of victory (daughter of Styx and the titan Pallas).
• Irida is the goddess of the rainbow (daughter of the sea god Tawmant and the oceanid Electra).
• Ata is the goddess of obscuration of the mind (daughter of Zeus).
• Apata is the mistress of lies (heiress of the goddess of night darkness Nyukta).
• Morpheus is the god of dreams (the son of the lord of dreams Hypnos).
• Phobos - the god of fear (a descendant of Aphrodite and Ares).
• Deimos - the lord of horror (the son of Ares and Aphrodite).
• Ora - the goddess of the seasons (daughters of Zeus and Themis).
• Eol - the demigod of the winds (the heir of Poseidon and Arna).
• Hekate is the mistress of darkness and all monsters (the result of the union of the titan Perse and Asteria).
• Thanatos is the god of death (son of Erebus and Nyukta).
• Erinyes - goddesses of revenge (daughters of Erebus and Nyukta).
• Pontus is the ruler of the inland sea (heir to Ether and Gaia).
• Moira - the goddess of fate (daughter of Zeus and Themis).

These are not all the gods of Ancient Greece, the list of which can be continued even further. But to get acquainted with the main myths and legends, it is enough to know only these characters. If you want to read more stories about each, we are sure that the ancient storytellers came up with a lot of interweaving of their destinies and details of the divine life, in which you will gradually get to know more and more new heroes.

Meaning of Greek mythology

There were also muses, nymphs, satyrs, centaurs, heroes, cyclops, giants and monsters. This whole vast world was not invented in one day. Myths and legends have been written for decades, with each retelling acquiring other details and characters that have never been seen before. All the new gods of ancient Greece appeared, the list of names of which grew from one storyteller to another.

The main goal of these stories was to teach future generations the wisdom of the elders, to tell in an understandable language about good and evil, about honor and cowardice, about loyalty and lies. And besides, such a huge pantheon made it possible to explain almost any natural phenomenon, the scientific justification of which was not yet available.

Adonis - the deity of dying and resurrecting nature, borrowed from Phoenicia in the 5th century. BC e. At the request of Zeus, Adonis had to spend a third of the year with Aphrodiga, a third of the year with Persephone.

Hades is one of the main Greek gods, the lord of the kingdom of the dead and the entire underworld. Brother of Zeus, Poseidon and Demeter.

Amphitrite - sea goddess, wife of Poseidon, mistress of the seas.

Apollo (Phoebus) - one of the main Greek gods, son of Zeus, brother of Artemis. The deity of the sun, sunlight, enlightenment, the patron of art, personified by 9 muses, agriculture, the guardian of herds, roads, travelers, sailors, the god-warrior, the god-healer and the god-soothsayer. The most important centers of the cult of Apollo in Greece were Delphi with the famous oracle, the islet of Delos, and Didyma near Miletus.

Ares (or Ares) - the god of war, military art, the son of Zeus and Hera. One of the main Olympian deities.

Artemis - one of the main goddesses, was a member of the family of 12 Olympic deities, the patroness of forests, forest vegetation, animals, natural fertility, including childbearing, the daughter of Zeus, the twin sister of Apollo.

Asclepius - the god of healing and medical art, the son of Apollo.

Athena - one of the main goddesses of the Greek pantheon, was a member of the family of 12 Olympic gods, the patroness of wisdom, science, handicraft art, victorious war and peaceful prosperity, the main goddess of Athens and Attica. Born in an unusual way: Athena came out of the head of Zeus.

Aphrodite - one of the main goddesses of Greece, was part of the family of 12 Olympic deities, the daughter of Zeus; according to another version, she was born from sea foam, the goddess of beauty, sensual love, female fertility and love charm.

Hebe is the goddess of youth, the daughter of Zeus and Hera. On Olympus, she offered ambrosia and nectar to the gods.

Hekate is one of the goddesses of the underworld, the mistress of shadows in the underworld, the goddess of ghosts and nightmares, magic and spells. Like Artemis, she was considered the mistress of animals. Daughter of Zeus.

Hecatomb - the main sacrifice at the temples in the amount of one hundred animals or more.

Helios is one of the main Greek gods, especially during the Hellenistic era. The sun god, often identified with Apollo. Son of the titan Hyperion.

Hera is one of the main Greek goddesses, a member of the family of 12 Olympic gods, the sister and wife of Zeus, the mother of Hebe, Hephaestus and Ares, the queen on Olympus. As the female hypostasis of Zeus - the mistress of lightning and thunder, clouds and storms, another function of Hera is the patroness of marriage and conjugal love, the guardian of family foundations, the assistant to pregnant women and parents.

Hercules is a Greek hero who was awarded immortality and ranked among the host of the Olympian gods for his exploits. 12 main labors of Hercules are known: 1) strangled the Nemean lion, 2) killed the Lernean hydra, 3) caught the Erymanthian boar that devastated Arcadia, 4) captured the swift-footed Kerinean doe, 5) killed the Stymphalian monster birds with copper beaks, claws and wings, 6 ) obtained the belt of Hippolyta, the cruel queen of the warlike Amazons, 7) cleared the stables of King Avgii, 8) pacified the Cretan bull, spitting fire, 9) defeated King Diomedes, who threw foreigners to be torn to pieces by his cannibal mares, 10) stole the cows of the three-headed giant Gerion, 11 ) got the golden apples of the Hesperides, which were brought to him by Atlas - a giant supporting the vault of heaven. When Atlas went for apples, Hercules held the vault of heaven for him, 12) caught and brought to the sunlight the formidable guardian of the underworld - the dog Kerber. In addition, Hercules defeated the giant Antaeus, tearing him away from mother earth, which gives him strength, and strangled him in his arms. As a baby, he strangled snakes in the cradle, took part in the campaign of the Argonauts, in the Calydonian hunt, etc.

Hermes (Ermius) - a member of the Olympic family, one of the main Greek gods, was the messenger and messenger of the gods, fulfilling their will, but at the same time performing numerous functions, was the patron of heralds, youth gymnastic competitions, trade and related wealth, cunning, dexterity, deceit and theft, travel, roads and crossroads. Son of Zeus and Maia. Accompanied the souls of the dead to the kingdom of Hades.

Hestia is a member of the Olympic family, the goddess of the hearth, the sister of Zeus, Poseidon, Hades.

Hephaestus is a member of the Olympic family, the patron of fire and blacksmithing, the son of Zeus and Hera, the husband of Aphrodite.

Gaia is one of the oldest and most important goddesses of the Greek pantheon, the personification of the earth, the progenitor of the gods, titans, giants, all people.

Giants - the sons of Gaia (earth) and Uranus (sky) - divine giants, the first generation of gods, who were replaced by a new generation of Olympic gods, led by Zeus. According to myth, the giants were exterminated by the Olympian gods in a fierce battle.

Hymen is the god of marriage and marriage ceremonies, the son of Apollo.

Demeter - a member of the Olympic family, one of the main Greek goddesses, the deity of agriculture and earthly fertility, germinating grain; she was also revered as the patroness and organizer of the economy of a separate family, the sister of Zeus.

Demons are a special group of minor divine beings - spirits with obscure functions, they did not have any image, they were the personification of everything obscure, wonderful and fatal in the nature and life of an individual.

Dike - the deity of truth, the personification of justice, the daughter of Zeus.

Dionysus is one of the oldest and most popular gods of Ancient Greece, the personification of dying and resurrecting nature, the patron of vegetation, the productive forces of nature, viticulture and winemaking, folk festivals, poetic inspiration and theatrical art. Son of Zeus.

Zeus is the supreme god and king of the gods that make up the Olympic family. The deity of the sky, heavenly space, the lord and master of everything that happens in nature, the life of gods and people, the future and destiny are open to him. As the god of the sky, Zeus commands thunder and lightning, collects and disperses the clouds. Zeus is the father of most members of the Olympian family of gods. One of the main centers of his cult was the place of Olympia in Elis, where the Olympic Games were held in his honor.

Ilithyia is the goddess of childbearing, the daughter of Zeus and Hera.

Irida is the goddess of the rainbow. Since the rainbow connects heaven and earth, Irida was considered an intermediary between the gods and people, transmitting the will of the gods.

Kabirs - minor deities who did not have any image, patrons of land fertility, underground fire, saved from sea storms.

Kekrop - the ancient Attic deity of the earth, the son of Gaia, one of the patrons of Attica and Athens. His cult is closely connected with the cult of Athena.

Kronos (Kronos) - one of the oldest Greek deities, the son of Uranus and Gaia, one of the titans of the first generation of Greek gods. Father of Zeus, was cast down by Zeus to Tartarus.

Latona (Leto) is the divine mother of Apollo and Artemis. Her cult had no independent significance; she was revered along with her popular children.

Moira - the goddess of human destiny, the daughter of Zeus. They were depicted as old women spinning the thread of human life. Three moiras are known: Clotho begins to spin the thread, Lachesis leads the thread of human life, and Atropa cuts the thread.

Morpheus is the deity of dreams, the son of the god of sleep, Hypnos.

Muses - goddesses of poetry, arts and sciences, companions of Apollo, lived on Mount Helikon and Parnassus. There were nine muses: Clio - the muse of history, Euterpe - the muse of lyrics, Thalia - the muse of comedy, Melpomene - the muse of tragedy, Terpsichore - the muse of dancing and choral singing, Erato - the muse of erotic poetry, Polyhymnia - the muse of solemn chants and pantomime, Urania - the muse of astronomy , Calliope - senior muse, patroness of epic poetry.

Naiads are deities, patrons of waters, springs, streams and rivers, the forces of nature, favorable for people, animals and plants.

Nemesis is the goddess of just and inevitable retribution, punishing for violation of the established order of things, punishing both for excessive happiness and for too much pride.

Nereus is an ancient sea deity, the father of Nereids, the personification of a calm sea. As a changeable sea, so Nereus could take on various images, had the gift of reincarnation.

Nereids - nymphs of the sea, daughters of Nereus. They help sailors in danger.

Nike is the daughter of Zeus, the personification of victory both in military battle and in sports.

Nymphs are semi-divine beings (since they were considered mortal), the personification of various forces and natural phenomena. There were nymphs of sea waters (oceans, nereids), river waters and springs (naiads), mountains (oreads), valleys (napey), meadows (limoniads), trees (dryads), there were nymphs of separate places (dodons, nises), islands ( Calypso, Kirk). They were considered the patrons of poets, carefree, happy pastime.

The ocean is one of the oldest Greek sea deities, the son of Uranus and Gaia. He lived alone in an underwater palace and did not appear in the meetings of the gods. In classical times, its functions are transferred to Poseidon.

Olympus is the sacred mountain of the Greeks in Northern Thessaly, the permanent residence of the twelve main deities: Zeus, Poseidon and Hades (brother gods, rulers of the sky, sea and underworld), their wives and children: Hera, Demeter, Hestia, Athena, Aphrodite, Apollo , Artemis, Hephaestus and Ares. Hermes and Irida, the messengers of their will, also live here, as well as Femvda and Hebe, who serve the gods.

Omphale is a sacred stone (usually a meteorite). The most famous omphalos, kept in the temple of Apollo at Delphi, was considered the center of the world.

An oracle is a place of communication between gods and people, where you can find out the will of a deity. The most famous oracle was the oracle of Apollo at Delphi, where the prophecies of the deity were transmitted through the priestess Pythia, in Dodona the will of Zeus was manifested in the rustle of the leaves of the sacred oak, on Delos - the leaves of the sacred laurel. The transmitted will of the gods was interpreted by a special priestly board.

Horas - goddesses who were in charge of the change of seasons, order in nature, guardians of order and law in society, companions of Aphrodite. Three Horas are most famous: Evnoia (legality), Dika (justice), Eirene (peace).

Palladium - an image of an armed deity, as a rule, the oldest wooden statue, considered the guardian of the city. Such palladium had Apollo, Aphrodite, but most often Athena, from whose nickname "Pallas" this name came from.

Pan is the Arcadian god of forests and groves, the son of Hermes, one of the companions of Dionysus. The patron saint of shepherds, hunters, beekeepers and fishermen. Pan had the gift of instilling unbridled, so-called "panic" fear in people.

Panacea is a healer goddess, daughter of Asclepius.

Pegasus is a magical winged horse that delivered thunder and lightning on the orders of Zeus. In the Hellenistic era, it became a symbol of poetic inspiration.

Persephone is the daughter of Demeter, the wife of Hades, one of the main goddesses of the Greek pantheon, the mistress of the underworld, the personification of the growth of cereals and earthly fertility. Persephone symbolizes the annual dying and awakening of vegetation, the burial and rebirth of the grain sown in the ground.

Plutos is the god of wealth as one of the manifestations of agricultural labor and peaceful life.

Pomp - a solemn procession of a religious nature, associated with the offering of gifts to the temple of the main deity of the policy, for example, during the celebration of Panathenay in honor of Athena, the Eleusinian mysteries in honor of Demeter, etc.

Poseidon is one of the main Olympic gods, the brother of Zeus, the deity of sea moisture, the lord of numerous sea deities and at the same time the patron of horse breeding.

Prometheus - one of the titans, that is, the gods of the first generation from Gaia and Uranus, the patron of people and civilized life; gave fire to people and introduced them to its use, taught people to read, write, sail, learn sciences and crafts. Aroused the wrath of Zeus, who chained him to a rock in the Caucasus, where an eagle flying daily pecked out his liver.

Proteus - a sea deity subordinate to Poseidon, had the ability to take any form.

Rhadamanthus is one of the three judges of the underworld, the son of Zeus.

Rhea is the mother goddess, daughter of Uranus and Gaia, wife of Kronos, mother of Zeus and other Olympian gods-kronids.

Sabazius - originally a Phrygian deity, then merged with Dionysus.

Satyrs - minor forest deities, personifying fertility, were in the retinue of Dionysus. They were depicted as half-humans-half-goats.

Selene - the goddess of the moon, the wife of Helios, often identified with Artemis.

Sarapis is one of the most important gods of Hellenistic Egypt and the peoples of the Eastern Mediterranean, a syncretic deity that combines the functions of the ancient Egyptian gods Osiris, Isis, Apis and the Greek gods Apollo, Hades, Asclepius.

Silenus - a demon, the son of Hermes, the educator of Dionysus, was depicted as a thick, wine-skin, constantly drunk, cheerful, bald old man.

Sirens are half birds, half women. With their magical voice, they lured sailors to the rocks, and then devoured them.

The Sphinx is a monster depicted as a winged lion with the head of a woman. The monster lived near Thebes and killed pugniks who could not guess his riddles.

Titans - gods of the first generation, children of Uranus and Gaia, they are often identified with giants. The giant titans were defeated by the next generation of the Olympic gods and cast down to Tartarus, in other myths they moved to the islands of the blessed.

Typhon is an evil deity, depicted as a monster with a hundred snake heads, spewing flames, the son of Gaia and Tartarus, born after the victory of the Olympians over the titans.

Tyche is the goddess of fate and chance, her cult gained particular popularity in the Hellenistic era.

Triton is a minor sea deity, the son of Poseidon.

Uranus - the original supreme deity, the personification of the primary masculine principle, was considered the god of Heaven, which united with the primary feminine principle, the goddess Gaia (earth). Titans, giants and other deities were born from this marriage.

Phaeton - the lowest solar deity, the son of Helios.

Phoenix - a mythical character, depicted as a bird (an eagle with golden feathers), which, having reached old age (at 500, 1461, 7006 years), burned itself and was reborn from the ashes young and renewed.

Themis is the goddess of law, legality, established order and predictions. Depicted with a cornucopia, scales in her hands and a bandage over her eyes.

Chaos is the primary uncertainty that exists before the creation of the world. The first creatures of Chaos were the deities Gaia, Tartarus, Eros (love), Erebus (darkness), Night.

Charites - deities of fertility, beauty, joy, the personification of flowering femininity, the daughter of Zeus.

Charon is the deity of the underworld, the carrier of the souls of the dead across the river of the underworld kingdom of Acheron.

Chimera - a monster with the head of a lion, the body of a goat, the tail of a dragon.

Elysia (Champs Elysees) - the fields of the blessed, part of the underworld, where the chosen ones of the gods live. According to the ideas of the ancient Greeks, people get into Elysia not so much for a righteous life, but by the grace of the gods.

Eris is the goddess of discord, sister and companion of the god of war Ares, daughter of the Night, mother of disasters, quarrels and hunger.

Erinnia - three goddesses of vengeance living in Hades (Tisifone, Allekto and Megaera). They punish for perjury, violation of the customs of hospitality, murder. A man pursued by erinnias loses his mind.

Eros - one of the primary Greek gods, the offspring of Chaos, personified the elemental connecting principle in nature, later the deity of love, the son of Aphrodite and Ares.

Ether is a deity personifying the upper radiant layer of air, where the king of the gods Zeus usually resided.

god of light in Greek mythology

Various plots of ancient Greek myths constantly appear in the works of ancient Greek writers; on the eve of the Hellenistic era, a tradition arose to create their own allegorical myths on their basis.

In Greek drama, many mythological plots are played out and developed. The biggest sources are:

The Iliad and the Odyssey by Homer
Theogony of Hesiod
"Library" of Pseudo-Apollodorus
"Myths" by Guy Yuliy Gigina
"Metamorphoses" by Ovid
"Acts of Dionysus" - Nonna

The most ancient gods of the Greek pantheon are closely connected with the common Indo-European system of religious beliefs, there are parallels in the names - for example, the Indian Varuna corresponds to the Greek Uranus, etc.

d. [source not specified 724 days]

Further development of mythology went in several directions:

joining the Greek pantheon of some deities of neighboring or conquered peoples
deification of some heroes; heroic myths begin to merge closely with mythology
The famous Romanian-American researcher of the history of religion Mircea Eliade gives the following periodization of the ancient Greek religion:

BC e. - Cretan-Minoan religion.
15th - 11th centuries BC e. - archaic ancient Greek religion.
11th - 6th centuries BC e. - Olympian religion.
6th - 4th centuries BC e. - philosophical-Orphic religion (Orpheus, Pythagoras, Plato).
3 - 1 centuries. BC e. - the religion of the Hellenistic era.

Zeus, according to legend, was born in Crete, and Minos, after whom the Cretan-Minoan civilization is named, was considered his son. However, the mythology that we know, and which the Romans later adopted, is organically connected with the Greek people.

We can talk about the emergence of this nation with the arrival of the first wave of Achaean tribes at the beginning of the 2nd millennium BC. e. In 1850 B.C. e. Athens was already built, named after the goddess Athena. If we accept these considerations, then the religion of the ancient Greeks arose somewhere around 2000 BC. e.

Muses
Calliope - muse of epic poetry
Clio - the muse of history in ancient Greek mythology
Erato - muse of love poetry
Euterpe - muse of lyric poetry and music
Melpomene - muse of tragedy
Polyhymnia - muse of solemn hymns
Terpsichore - the muse of dance
Thalia is the muse of comedy and light poetry
Urania - the muse of astronomy

Cyclopes
(often "cyclops" - in Latin transcription)

Arg - "lightning"
Bront - "thunder"
Sterop - "shine"

Hecatoncheires
Briareus - strength
Gies - arable land
Kott - anger

Giants
(some of about 150)

Agrius
Alcyoneus
Gration
clitius
Mimant
Pallant
Polybotes
Porphyrion
Toon
Hebrew
Enkelad
Ephialtes

Other gods
Nike - goddess of victory
Selena - goddess of the moon
Eros - god of love
Hymen - god of marriage
Irida - goddess of the rainbow
Ata - goddess of delusion, obscuration of the mind
Apata - goddess of deceit
Adrastea - goddess of justice
Phobos - god of fear, son of Ares
Deimos - God of Terror, brother of Phobos
Enyo - goddess of furious and violent war
Asclepius - god of healing
Morpheus - god of dreams (poetic deity, son of Hypnos)
Gimeroth - the god of carnal love and love pleasure
Ananke - the deity-embodiment of inevitability, necessity
Aloe - the ancient deity of the threshed grain

god of light patron of sciences and arts

god is the patron of the arts

God of light, music and medicine, son of the Titanides Leto and the god Zeus (Laton and Jupiter in Roman mythology), twin brother of the goddess Artemis (Rom.

Diana) (mythical)

The sun god in Greek mythology

God, symbol of beauty, patron of the arts in ancient Greek mythology

In Greek mythology - the god healer and soothsayer, patron of the arts

Beautiful large diurnal butterfly of the sailboat family, common in Europe and Asia

The cult of this Greek god came from Asia Minor

Lit.-thin.

magazine 1909-1917, was associated with symbolism, later with acmeism

Minor planet, asteroid

Male name: (Greek) after the name of the sun god and patron of the arts

The most slender and handsome man of all times and peoples of ancient Greek nationality

American spacecraft series

minor planet

. "Minister of Culture" among the Olympian Gods

Film by Ron Howard.

Football club from Cyprus

The name of the Russian poet Maykov

The cult of this ancient Greek god was most widespread on the island of Delos and in the city of Delphi.

Painting by the French painter N. Poussin. and Daphne"

He has many names: Intercessor, Repulser of Evil, Leader of the Muses, Healer, Shepherd, Guardian, Loving Daphne, and what is his most famous name

It was believed that in the possession of the lyre he had no equal

God who lived on Parnassus

What god is the name given to a handsome, superbly built man?

patron of the muses

Greek god launched into space by the Americans

divine butterfly

The character of the opera by the German composer K.

Gluck "Alceste"

The story of the Russian writer A. Averchenko

Day butterfly (European part)

Tomato variety

american spaceship

God, patron of the arts in ancient Greek mythology

God from Helicon

Another name for Phoebe

Both god and ship

God is the standard of beauty

God is a healer and soothsayer

God rhymes with a standard

Docked with Soyuz

Very big butterfly

Minister of Culture Among the Gods

Landing the first rocket

The standard of male beauty

God, patron of the muses

A young man with a cithara

What god did the Italian Giovani Tiepolo draw next to the nymph Daphne?

God launched into space

US spacecraft

Belvedere handsome

. "ally" of the Soyuz spacecraft

Belvedere (statue)

In Greek mythology, the god of wisdom, patron of the arts

Butterfly of the sailboat family

A minor planet with a diameter of about 1 km, discovered by K.

Reinmuth (Germany, 1932), revolves around the Sun in an elongated elliptical orbit with a period of 1.81 years

Series of American 3-seat spacecraft

minor planet

Minister of Culture among the Olympian Gods

the story of the god apollo

In the mythology of ancient Greece, Apollo is a golden-haired, silver-armed god.

This is the guardian of the herds, light, sciences and arts, the god-healer, the leader and patron of the muses, the predictor of the future, roads, travelers and sailors. Apollo personified the Sun.

Apollo's father was Zeus and his mother was Leto. The god was born on the floating island of Asteria, who adopted Zeus's beloved Leto. Hera, by the way, forbade her to set foot on solid ground.

The island where Apollo and Artemis were born. after that it became known as Delos. Yes, and the palm tree, under which the birth took place, became sacred, like the birthplace of Apollo itself.

Sculpture of Apollo in the Louvre

Early enough, Apollo matured and, being quite young, killed the serpent Python, which devastated the environs of Delphi.

Here, on the site where once was the oracle of Gaia and Themis, Apollo founded his oracle. In Delphi, he also established the Pythian games. In the Tempe Valley, Apollo received purification from the murder of Python, the inhabitants of Delphi glorified him.

With his arrows, Apollo also struck the giant Titius, who tried to insult Leto, the Cyclopes, who forged lightning bolts for Zeus. In addition, he took part in the battles of the Olympians with giants and titans. The arrows of Apollo and Artemis were so destructive that they brought sudden death to the elderly, sometimes even they hit for no reason.

In the Trojan War, Apollo acted as an assistant to the Trojans. By throwing arrows for nine days, Apollo ensured that a plague broke out in the Achaean camp. The golden-haired god invisibly participated in the murder of Patroclus by Hector and Achilles by Paris. In a musical contest, Apollo defeated the satyr Marsyas and flayed his skin.

Also known are the battles of Apollo with Hercules, who tried to master the Delphic tripod.

Apollo and Hyacinth

However, Apollo was not only destructive, but also healing.

For example, during the Peloponnesian War, he stopped the plague. Apollo the soothsayer is credited with the foundation of sanctuaries in Asia Minor and Italy - in Claros, Didyma, Colophon, Kuma.

Apollo the prophet endowed Cassandra with a prophetic gift, but as soon as she rejected him, he made it so that people simply did not trust her prophecies. Soothsayers were also among the children of Apollo: Branch, Sibylla, Pug, Idmon.

Apollo and Daphne

Apollo is not only a shepherd and guardian of flocks, but also the founder and builder of cities, the founder and patron of tribes.

In addition, Apollo is also a musician, he received a kithara from Hermes in exchange for cows.

ancient greek gods

It is not surprising that Apollo patronized singers and musicians.

Interesting to know: Apollo's nicknames: Alexikakos ("repulser of evil"), Apotropaeus ("repudiator"), Prostatus ("protector"), Akesius ("healer"), Pean or Peon ("resolver of diseases"), Epicurius ("trustee").

Apollo's attributes were a silver bow and golden arrows, a golden cithara or lyre.

Symbols - olive, iron, laurel, palm tree, dolphin, swan, wolf.

The main places of veneration for Apollo are Delphi and the island of Asteria (Delos), on which every four years in the late summer there were delii, that is, holidays in honor of Apollo, during which it was forbidden to wage war and carry out executions.

goddess of science and art

goddess of the arts and sciences in ancient Greek mythology

In Greek mythology, each of the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, patrons of poetry, arts and sciences

Each of the nine patron goddesses of sciences, arts, etc.

Greek myth

Female name (Greek inspiration)

. "Guest" of the poet

Goddess inspiring Bohemia

In Greek mythology: goddess, patron of the arts and sciences

rhyme inspiration

Inspires the poet

Lady from Parnassus

Daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne

the generic or family name of the banana plant and related tropical plants. figurative meaning. from Greek. fables: graceful inspiration, artistic gift. Museum or museum m. Greek.

a collection of rarities or remarkable objects in any branch of the sciences and arts; building for it; storage, storage. Museum related to it. museum keeper m. museum curator

Woman's name

Female name: (Greek) inspirer, name of the goddess of science and art

The name of the actress Krepkogorskaya

Name of actress Krepkogorskaya, wife of Georgy Yumatov

Source of inspiration

Source of poetic inspiration

Capricious girlfriend of the poet

Who inspires the poet

Muzochka became an adult

Mature Muzochka

The work of the Russian writer I.

Bunin from the collection "Dark Alleys"

With a lyre in his hands he flies to the poet

Poetry Stimulant

A poem by the 19th-century Russian poet S. Nadson

A poem by the Russian poet E. Baratynsky

Member of the artistic council of Olympus

cherry variety

inspirational visitor

Creative inspiration, its source

The character of the novel "Masons" by A. Pisemsky

The patroness of poetry

Poetry A.

S. Pushkin

The work of the poet, his features

The work of the Russian writer I. Bunin from the collection "Dark Alleys"

poem by N.

Nekrasov

A poem by A. Akhmatova

Inspirer of poets

She brings inspiration

Euterpe, Calliope

Clio or Erato

. "guest" of the poet

Who inspires the poet?

Ephemeral Poet's Helper

And Clio, and Thalia, and Euterpe

The one that inspires the poet

ancient greek mythology

To do this, enter the missing names of the ancient Greek gods opposite the corresponding Roman gods.

Hermes, Poseidon, Aphrodite, Demeter, Zeus, Hephaestus, Ares, Persephone, Artemis, Athena.

Answer to the question:

WHO IS WHO IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY

Apollo (known to the Romans by the same name)

beautiful sun god.

Legislator, archer, patron of the arts. Son of Zeus and Leto, twin brother of Artemis. Sometimes it is called by the name Helios.

Ares (Romans Mars)

god of war, archetypal warrior, dancer and lover.

Gods of Ancient Greece: list, names, character

The son of Zeus and Hera, despised by his father for his quarrelsome character. Lover of Aphrodite, who bore him a daughter, Harmonia, and two sons, Phobos (fear) and Deimos (horror). These sons accompany Ares in battle.

Artemis (Romans Diana)

goddess of the hunt and the moon. Daughter of Zeus and Leto, twin sister of Apollo, god of the sun.

Athena (among the Romans Minerva)

goddess of wisdom and needlework, patroness of the city of Athens named after her, assistant to many heroes. Athena, usually depicted in armor, is a consummate military strategist. She remembers only one of her parents, Zeus, but she also has a mother, Metis. Even before the birth of Athena, Zeus swallowed Metis, his first wife.

Aphrodite (Romans Venus)

goddess of love and beauty. The unfaithful wife of Hephaestus, the lame god of the forge, she made love to many gods and mortals.

Most notable is her love affair with Ares, the god of war.

Hades (Hades) (among the Romans Pluto)

ruler of the underworld, son of Rhea and Kronos, kidnapper and husband of Persephone. Brother of Zeus and Poseidon, one of the three aspects of the father archetype.

Rules over the realm of souls and the collective unconscious.

Hera (Romans Juno)

goddess of marriage. The wife of the depraved Zeus, Hera appears in mythology as a vindictive and jealous wife.

Hermes (Romans Mercury)

messenger of the gods, patron of merchants, messengers, travelers and thieves. Accompanies souls to Hades. Saved Dionysus and brought Persephone out of the underworld. Lover of Aphrodite, who gave birth to Hermaphrodite from him.

Hestia (among the Romans Vesta)

goddess of hearth and temple. The least known of the Olympians. Her presence made ancient Greek temples sacred.

Represents the archetype "I".

Hephaestus (Romans Vulcan)

lame god of the forge, the only working Olympian. Aphrodite's husband is a cuckold husband. A son rejected by Hera (who conceived him without a father) and Zeus (his stepfather). Archetypal roles - craftsman, cripple, loner.

goddess of the earth. Mother and wife of Uranus (heaven) mother of the Titans and grandmother of the first generation of Olympians.

Demeter (Romans Ceres)

goddess of fertility, mother of Persephone kidnapped by Hades.

Dionysus (among the Romans Bacchus)

god of wine and ecstasy. Son of Zeus and Semele. For some time, Zeus bore Dionysus in his own thigh.

His archetypal roles are the ecstatic lover, the vagabond and the mystic.

Zeus (Romans Jupiter)

the supreme god of Olympus, the god of thunder and lightning, the youngest son of Rhea and Kronos.

He overthrew the titans and established the power of the Olympians over the entire universe. The depraved husband of Hera, who had several wives before her. Father of numerous offspring (the result of countless love affairs). Some of his children made up the second generation of Olympians, the rest were heroes of Greek myths.

Kronos (Romans have Saturn)

Titan, the youngest son of Gaia and Uranus.

Kronos castrated his father and became the supreme god in his place. Husband of Rhea and father of six Olympians (Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, Zeus). Kronos swallowed the first five children immediately after their birth. Deposed by his youngest son, Zeus.

Persephone (among the Romans Proserpina)

The Greeks also called this goddess Kora, or girl. The kidnapped daughter of Demeter, Persephone became the ruler of the underworld.

Poseidon (Roman Neptune)

the god of the sea and the shaker of the earth's firmament. Competed with Athena for the city of Athens and lost. Brother of Hades and Zeus. One of the three aspects of the father archetype.

daughter of Gaia and Uranus, sister and wife of Kronos. Mother of Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, Poseidon and Zeus.

first heavenly god, son of Gaia and her husband.

The father of the Titans, he was castrated and deposed by his own son, Kronos.

Transitions:

Important information

Gods of Ancient Greece

Gods of Olympus Ancient Greece

The names of the ancient Greek gods that are on everyone's lips - Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Hephaestus - are actually the descendants of the main celestials - the titans.

Having defeated them, the younger gods, led by Zeus, became the inhabitants of Mount Olympus. The Greeks worshiped, revered and paid tribute to the 12 gods of Olympus, who personified in Ancient Greece elements, virtue or the most important spheres of social and cultural life.

Worshiped Ancient Greeks and Hades, but he did not live on Olympus, but lived underground, in the kingdom of the dead.

Who is more important? The gods of ancient Greece

Gods of Ancient Greece they got along well with each other, but sometimes there were skirmishes between them.

From their life, which is described in ancient Greek treatises, the legends and myths of this country appeared. Among the celestials were those who occupied the high steps of the podium, while others were content with glory, being at the feet of the rulers. The list of the gods of Olympia is as follows:

• Zeus.

• Gera.

• Hephaestus.

• Athena.

• Poseidon.

• Apollo.

• Artemis.

• Ares.

• Demeter.

• Hermes.

• Aphrodite.

• Hestia.

Zeus- the most important of all.

He is the king of all gods. This Thunderer personifies the endless firmament. Under his leadership lightning.

It is this arbiter who distributes good and evil on the planet, the Greeks believed. The son of the Titans married his own sister. Their four children were named Ilithyia, Hebe, Hephaestus and Ares. Zeus is a terrible traitor. He constantly engaged in adultery with other goddesses. He did not neglect the earthly girls either.

Zeus had something to surprise them with. He appeared before the Greek women either in the form of rain, or as a swan or a bull. Symbols of Zeus - eagle, thunder, oak.

Poseidon. This god ruled over the sea element. In importance, he was in second place after Zeus. In addition to the oceans, seas and rivers, storms and sea monsters, Poseidon was "responsible" for earthquakes and volcanoes. In ancient Greek mythology, he was the brother of Zeus. Poseidon lived in a palace under water.

He rode in a rich chariot drawn by white horses. The trident is the symbol of this Greek god.

Hera. She is the chief of the female goddesses. This celestial patronizes family traditions, marriage and love unions.

Hera is jealous. She severely punishes people for adultery.

Apollo is the son of Zeus. He is the twin brother of Artemis. Initially, this god was the personification of light, the sun. But gradually his cult expanded its boundaries. This god has become the patron of the beauty of the soul, skill in art, all that is beautiful.

The Muses were under his influence. Before the Greeks, he appeared in a rather refined image of a man with aristocratic features. Apollo played music beautifully. He was engaged in healing and divination. He is the father of the god Asclepius, the patron saint of doctors. At one time, Apollo destroyed the terrible monster that occupied Delphi. For this he was exiled for as much as 8 years. Later, he created his oracle, the symbol of which was the laurel.

Without Artemis The ancient Greeks did not imagine hunting.

The patroness of forests personifies fertility, birth and high relations between the sexes.

Athena. Everything related to wisdom, spiritual beauty and harmony is under the auspices of this goddess. She is a great inventor, lover of science and art. Craftsmen and farmers obey her. Athena "gives the green light" to the construction of cities and buildings. Thanks to her, state life flows smoothly.

This goddess is called upon to protect the walls of fortresses and castles.

Hermes. This ancient Greek god is quite mischievous and has earned the fame of a fidget.

Hermes patronizes travelers and merchants. He is also the messenger of the gods on earth. It was on his heels that the lovely wings shone for the first time. The Greeks attribute traits of resourcefulness to Hermes. He is cunning, smart and knows all foreign languages. When Hermes stole ten cows from Apollo, he earned his wrath. But he was forgiven, because Apollo was captivated by the invention of Hermes - the lyre, which he presented to the god of beauty.

Ares.

This god personifies war and everything connected with it. All kinds of battles and battles - under the representation of Ares. He is always young, strong and handsome. The Greeks portrayed him as powerful and warlike.

Aphrodite. She is the goddess of love and sensuality. Aphrodite constantly incites her son Eros to shoot arrows that kindle the fire of love in the hearts of people.

Goddesses of ancient Greece

Eros is the prototype of the Roman Cupid, a boy with a bow and a quiver.

Hymen- the god of marriage. Its bonds bind the hearts of people who met and fell in love at first sight. Ancient Greek wedding chants were called "hymens".

Hephaestus God of volcanoes and fire.

Under his patronage are potters and blacksmiths. This is a hardworking and kind god. His fate was not very good. From birth, he limped because his mother Hera threw him off Mount Olympus.

Hephaestus was in the upbringing of the goddesses - the queens of the sea. He returned to Olympus and generously endowed Achilles, presenting him with a shield, and Helios with a chariot.
Demeter.

She personifies the forces of nature that people have conquered. This is agriculture. Under the vigilant control of Demeter is the whole life of a person - from birth to death.
Hestia.

This goddess patronizes family ties, guards the hearth and comfort. The Greeks took care of the offerings to Hestia by setting up altars in their homes. All residents of one city are one big community-family, the Greeks are sure. Even in the main city building there was a symbol of Hestia's sacrifices.
Hades- Ruler of the realm of the dead.

In his underworld, dark creatures, gloomy shadows, demonic monsters rejoice. Hades is one of the most powerful gods. He moved around the kingdom of Hades in a chariot made of gold. His horses are black. Hades - owns untold wealth.

All gems, ores that are enclosed in the depths, belong to him. The Greeks feared him more than fire and even Zeus himself.

Except 12 gods of Olympus and Hades, the Greeks still have a lot of gods and even demigods. All of them are descendants and brothers of the main celestials.

Each of them has its own legends or myths.

The sun god in Greek mythology

Helios is the god of the sun in Greek mythology. His parents were the titans Hyperion and Fairy. He was considered a pre-Olympic god and he ruled high above men and gods. From there, he watched everyone and at any time I can punish or encourage. The Greeks often called him "all-seeing". By the way, other gods turned to him to learn the secrets of each other.

Helios was considered a god who measures the passage of time and patronizes days, months and years.

Who is the sun god in Greece?

According to myths, Helios lives on the eastern side of the Ocean in a huge palace, which is surrounded by the four seasons. His throne is made of precious stones. Every day, Helios was awakened by a rooster, which is his sacred bird. After that, he got into a fiery chariot drawn by four fire-breathing horses, and began his journey through the sky to the east, where he also had a beautiful palace.

Greek goddesses: names and myths. Greek goddess of the rainbow

At night, the god of light and the sun returned home across the ocean on a golden bowl that Hephaestus had made. Several times Helios had to deviate from his schedule. So once Zeus ordered the sun god not to go to heaven for three days.

It was during this period that the wedding night of Zeus and Alcmene took place, as a result of which Hephaestus appeared. After the Titans were overthrown, all the gods began to share power and everyone forgot about Helios. He began to complain to Zeus and he created the island of Rhodes in the sea, dedicated to the god of the sun.

The ancient Greek god of the sun was most often depicted on a chariot, and around his head were the sun's rays.

In some sources, Helios is represented in a dazzling sowing with terrible burning eyes, and on his head he has a golden helmet. In the hands of the sun god usually held a whip. On one of the statues, Helios is represented as a dressed young man. He has a ball in one hand and a cornucopia in the other. According to existing legends, Helios had many mistresses. One of the mortal girls was turned into a heliotrope, the flowers of which always turned, following the movement of the sun.

Another mistress was turned into incense. It was these plants that were considered sacred to Helios. As for animals, the rooster and the nut were the most significant for the sun god in Ancient Greece.

The wife of Helios is the Oceanid of Perse, who gave birth to his son in the east, who was the king of Colchis, and on the western side she gave him a daughter and she was a strong sorceress.

According to existing information, Helios had another wife, Rod, who is the daughter of Poseidon. The myths tell that Helios is a gossip who often betrayed the secrets of other gods. For example, he told Hephaestus about the betrayal of Aphrodite with Adonis. That is why the sun god in ancient Greek mythology was hated by the goddess of love. Helios owned seven herds of fifty cows and the same number of sheep. They did not reproduce, but they were always young and lived forever.

The sun god liked to spend time watching them. One day, Odysseus's companions ate several animals, and this led to a curse from Zeus.

In Greece, there were quite a few temples dedicated to Helios, but there were many statues.

The most popular of them is the Colossus of Rhodes, which was considered one of the wonders of the world. This statue is made of an alloy of copper and iron, and it is located at the entrance to the port of Rhodes. By the way, it reaches a height of about 35 m. God held a torch in his hands, which was always on fire and served as a beacon.

It was built for 12 years, but in the end it collapsed during one of the earthquakes. It happened 50 years after the completion of construction.

The Greek cult of Helios was adopted by the Romans, but they were not so popular and widespread.