Classical Mythology 1020

myth

Traditional story about gods or heroes; from Greek mythos ("story")

pantheon

"All the gods"; the complete group of gods in a religion

Hesiod

8th-century BC Greek poet who wrote Theogony and Works and Days

Theogony

"Birth of the Gods"; Hesiod's account of the origins and genealogy of the gods

Works and Days

Hesiod's poem about farming, justice, work, and daily life

anthropomorphism

Describing gods or nonhuman beings as having human form or characteristics

9 Muses

Daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne; goddesses of inspiration for the arts and learning

Pierides

Another name for the 9 Muses

Mt. Helicon

Mountain associated with the Muses

3 Graces

Goddesses of beauty, charm, and grace

Chaos

"Chasm" or "Void"; the primordial state at the beginning of creation

Cosmos

"Order"; the organized universe

Ge/Gaia

Goddess/personification of Earth

Tartarus

Primordial region beneath the Underworld

Eros

Primordial god of love and sexual attraction

Erebus

Primordial god/personification of Darkness

Night/Nyx

Primordial goddess/personification of Night

Aether

Bright upper air or heavenly light

Day/Hemera

Primordial goddess/personification of Day

Ouranos/Uranus

God/personification of Heaven and the sky

12 Titans

Children of Gaia and Ouranos who ruled before the Olympian gods

Cyclopes

Three one-eyed beings known as "Round-eyed"; sons of Gaia and Ouranos

Hundred-Handers

Three giants with 100 hands and 50 heads; also called Hecatoncheires

adamant

Extremely hard or unbreakable material

Aphrodite

Goddess of love and beauty; born from sea foam in Hesiod

Cyprogenes

"Cyprus-born"; epithet of Aphrodite

Cytherea

Epithet of Aphrodite referring to the island of Cythera

Nemesis

Goddess/personification of resentment and retribution

Nereus

Old Man of the Sea; father of the Nereids

Nereids

Sea nymphs; daughters of Nereus

Amphitrite

Nereid who became wife of Poseidon

Thetis

Nereid and mother of Achilles

Iris

Goddess/personification of the rainbow

Hecate

Goddess associated with magic, crossroads, and the moon

Rhea

Titan goddess; wife of Cronus and mother of several Olympians

Cronus/Kronos

Titan ruler who overthrew Ouranos; father of Zeus and other major gods

Metis

Titan/Oceanid associated with wisdom and cunning; first wife of Zeus

Leto

Mother of Apollo and Artemis

Maia

Mother of Hermes

Atlas

Titan condemned to hold up the heavens

Prometheus

"Forethought"; Titan who gave fire to humanity

Epimetheus

"Afterthought"; Titan and brother of Prometheus

Pandora

"All gifts"; first woman created by the gods

River Styx

River of the Underworld; gods swore oaths by it

Titanomachy

"War of the Titans"; war between the Olympian gods and Titans

Typhoeus/Typhon/Typhaon

Monstrous offspring of Gaia; defeated by Zeus

Themis

Titan goddess of "Established Custom"; associated with divine law and order

Horai

"Seasons"; goddesses who guard the gates of Olympus

3 Fates

Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos; goddesses who control destiny

Clotho

Fate who spins the thread of life

Lachesis

Fate who measures the thread of life

Atropos

Fate who cuts the thread of life

Persephone/Korê

Daughter of Demeter; queen of the Underworld

Proserpina

Roman name for Persephone

Hebe

Goddess of youth

Eileithyia

Goddess of childbirth

parthenogenesis

"Virgin birth"; reproduction without sexual fertilization

chthonic

Relating to the underground or Underworld

Triton

Sea god; son and herald of Poseidon

Helios

God/personification of the Sun

Asclepius

God of medicine and healing

caduceus

Staff associated with Hermes; has two snakes and wings

Olympians

Major Greek gods who ruled from Mount Olympus

Zeus

God of the sky, lightning, and supreme authority; Roman Jupiter/Jove

Poseidon

God of the sea, earthquakes, and horses; Roman Neptune

Hades

God and ruler of the Underworld; "Unseen"; Roman Pluto

Pluto

Roman name meaning "Wealthy"; associated with Hades

Hera

Goddess of women and marriage; wife of Zeus; Roman Juno

Demeter

Goddess of grain and agriculture; Roman Ceres

Hestia

Goddess of the hearth and home; Roman Vesta

Aphrodite

Goddess of love, beauty, and sexuality; Roman Venus

Ares

God of war and violence; Roman Mars

Athena

Goddess of wisdom, military strategy, and handicrafts; Roman Minerva

Apollo

God of prophecy, music, poetry, wisdom, and archery

Artemis

Goddess of hunting and virginity; Roman Diana

Hephaestus

God of fire and the forge; Roman Vulcan

Hermes

Messenger god; associated with travelers, commerce, thieves, and the Underworld

Dionysus

God of wine and theater; Roman Bacchus

Zeus symbols

Eagle, oak, lightning, sky

Poseidon symbols

Trident, horses, sea

Hades symbols

Underworld, death, wealth

Hera symbols

Peacock, marriage, women

Demeter symbols

Grain, agriculture

Hestia symbols

Hearth and home

Aphrodite symbols

Myrtle, dove, love, beauty

Ares symbols

War, violence, vulture

Athena symbols

Owl, aegis, weaving, military strategy

Apollo symbols

Bow, lyre, raven, bay laurel

Artemis symbols

Bow, stag, moon

Hephaestus symbols

Fire, forge, volcanoes

Hermes symbols

Winged hat, winged sandals, caduceus

Dionysus symbols

Wine and theater

Olympia

City/site associated with Zeus and the Olympic Games

Corinth

City associated with Poseidon and the Isthmian Games

Delphi

Sanctuary associated with Apollo and the Pythian Games

Eleusis

Site associated with Demeter and the Eleusinian Mysteries

Argos

City especially associated with Hera

Athens

City especially associated with Athena

Parthenon

Temple in Athens dedicated to Athena

Palladium

Sacred image of Athena believed to protect Troy