Greek Mythology: Titans, Olympians, and Ocean Deities (Notes)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from the notes on Greek mythology, including Titans, Olympians, ocean deities, and related places and figures.

Lethe

River of forgetfulness in the Underworld; souls drink from Lethe to forget past lives.

Parthenogenesis

Virgin birth; birth without fertilization; in myths, a mythopoeic birth mechanism (sometimes noted as involving incest).

Pontos

Primordial sea god; father of the Nereids (per the notes).

Nereids

Sea-nymph daughters of Pontos (as per notes); a group of sea deities associated with the sea.

Ceto

Sea monster in Greek myth; mother of various sea creatures.

Oceanus

Titan personifying the world-ocean; with Tethys, father of many rivers and seas.

Tethys

Sea goddess; wife of Oceanus; mother of numerous rivers and seas.

Oceanids

Sea-nymph daughters of Oceanus and Tethys; associated with bodies of water.

Styx

River in the Underworld; gods swear by Styx; its mythic offspring include Nike, Kratos, and Bia.

Nike

Goddess of victory; child of Styx (per notes).

Kratos

Personification of strength or power; child of Styx (per notes).

Bia

Goddess or personification of force; child of Styx (per notes).

Kronos (Cronus)

Titan who overthrew Ouranos; swallowed his children to prevent overthrow; later defeated by Zeus.

Rhea

Wife of Kronos; mother of the Olympian gods; helped save Zeus by giving Kronos a rock to swallow instead.

Zeus

King of the gods; leader of the Olympians; wields the thunderbolt; overthrew Kronos.

Ouranos (Uranus)

Primordial sky father; first ruler of the cosmos; dethroned by Kronos.

Titanomachy

War between the Olympian gods led by Zeus and the Titans led by Kronos; Olympians victors.

Cyclopes

One-eyed giants who forged Zeus's thunderbolt (associated with aiding Zeus in the Titanomachy).

Omphalos

Navel or center-stone of the earth; placed at Delphi; linked to Zeus’s infancy myth when Kronos swallowed a rock instead.

Diktean Cave (Dictaean Cave)

Cave in Crete where Zeus was hidden and raised.

Delphi

Ancient Greek site sacred to Apollo; home to the Omphalos and the Oracle; considered the center of the earth in myth.

Astraios

Titan associated with stars; husband of Eos; father of the Anemoi (winds).

Eos

Goddess of the dawn; sister to Helios and Selene; with Astraios, mother of the winds.

Helios

Personification of the Sun.

Selene

Goddess of the Moon.

Zephyr

West wind; one of the Anemoi; son of Astraios and Eos.

Boreas

North wind; one of the Anemoi; son of Astraios and Eos.

Notos

South wind; one of the Anemoi; son of Astraios and Eos.

Pausanias

Ancient Greek traveler and geographer who described places and myths; author of Description of Greece.