Myths a nd le g e nds o f G re e c e

HERCULES Hercules is a hero of ancient

Greek mythology. It was obvious he would be extremely strong since he was very young. He was just an infant when he strangled two huge snakes in his cradle. He was an expert at variety of technical and other skills. He was …

a great coachman, very good at arms training,

wrestling, using the bow, music and science as well

able to choose the easy way through life, the way of Malice. However,

He preferred the way of Virtue, the hard one.

He was sentenced to serve the king of Troizina, Eurustheus, for twelve years by the oracle at Delphi, in order to expiate a hideous crime: he murdered his three children in a moment of insanity that Hera caused to him. She wanted to pay her husband, Zeus, out for cheating on her. White he was serving Eurustheus, he achieved twelve labors, which nobody else could ever bring off. The twelve labors of Hercules were:

• He killed Nemea’s lion

• He chocked Lernaia Hydra

• He killed the wild doer of Erymanthos

• He cleaned up Augeias stalls

• He caught the deer of Keryneia

• He caught the will bull of Crete

• He killed the hens of Stymfalis (actually he chased them out)

• He stole Diomidis’ will horses

• He took the belt of Amazon’s queen, Ippolyti

• He brought Giryonis’oxes to Eurustheus

• He stole the apples of Esperides

• He went down, to Adis’ and brought Kerberos, Adis dog and guard, to Earth

Ancient Greeks thought and portrayed Hercules as a giant man, vigorous and young, who wore a lion’s hid and carried a cudgel. In addition to his labours, Greeks know wishes till nowadays, he has achieved other legendary exploits that glorified him and robustness. Moreover, he is said to be the founder of the Olympic Games.

Socrates(470 BC-399 BC)

Athenian philosopher

At first he was a sculptor, following in his father’s footsteps. He met the philosopher Archelaos when he was it and followed the path of philosophy. He considered his passion with philosophy as a living mandate as he believed that an inner impulse, a voice didacted his actions.He discussed a wide range of issues

namely, social, political and philosophical in the market and streets of the city. He had a large circle of followers most of which were young men. He taught in his peculiar way without a fee in contrast to other philosophers of his time

O ne o f the m o s t influe ntia l p e rs o n o f the He lle nic c iv iliz a tio n

a nd o f we s te rn philo s o phy .

His life

Soon he had become acquainted with the notable intellectuals and politicians. He didn’t support any political party despite being involved in politics. He loved his country and has always willing to serve it.

WORKS

Socrates left no written work. Whatever we know about his work is based on other philosophers, especially Plato.

The essence of his philosophy was the meaning of good, virtue and wisdom. He always remained consistent to his beliefs and proved it in his daily life.

Σωκράτης ο δημιουργός

S o m e o f S o c r a t

e s’ sayings

“Nobody is evil on purpose”

“The only fact I know is that I do not know anything’’

“Wise men’s opinions enrich virtue”

“When man is ornated in education, he is the most divine of creatures” “Under no

circumstances should anybody be unfair, nor should they be unfair in revenge”

ALEXANDER THE GREAT(356 B.C. – 323 B.C.)

Omiros w as his favor it e poet . In Iliada he found his

absolut e idol in Achilleas, w hom Alexander w ant ed t o

equal and out do.

Due t o cer t ain cir cum st ances, Alexander ascended

t he t hr one at a ver y young age.

A lexander ’s per sonalit y and achievem ent s had

becom e a r eal legend ever since he w as st ill alive. He w as

bor n dur ing a t er r ible aut um n st or m , in a day w hen ver y

im por t ant t hings t ook place. These event s w er e a sign of

his lat er br illiant car eer .

He w as t he king of Macedonia, one of t he gr eat est off icer s

of t he ancient t im es. He w as gif t ed w it h r ar e st am ina

and st r engt h and even r ar er spir it . He loved history and poetry. His t eacher w as Aristotelis, t he philosopher .

Alexander with his teacher Aristotelis

LEGENDS

A l ex an d er ’s per son al i ty an d ach i evem en ts cr eated a l ot of

l egen d s, som e of w h i ch ar e th e fol l ow i n g:

• Wh en h e w as st i l l a baby i n h i s cr i b h e str an gl ed a b i g

sn ak e.

• Wh en h e w as 1 2 year s ol d h e tam ed a w i l d h or se. Th i s

h or se h ad a w h i te m ar k on i ts for eh ead an d an oth er on e

w h i ch l ook ed l i k e a bu l l an d th at ’s w h y i t w as cal l ed

“ bu l l h ead ed ” . A l ex an d er n ot i ced th at th i s h or se w as

af r ai d of i ts ow n sh ad ow so h e tu r n ed i ts h ead tow ar d s

th e su n an d ver y sw i f t l y h e got on i t an d h el d on i t

t i gh t l y .

Alexander is taming the horse he called “bullheaded”.

He looked for the immortal water at the end of the world. The spring, though, was guarded by a big dragon with a hundred eyes around its head. When the dragon closed half of them the other half were left wide open to watch around. No one had managed to kill it. Alexander riding his horse arrived at the spring, quickly pulled his sword and killed the dragon.

The Gordian knot. In 333BC Alexander and his army arrived in the Gordian of Asia. In front of Gordian’s palace there was a chariot which had a tight knot made from dry tree bark and having no end or beginning. Legend had it that whoever managed to untie that knot would become the king of Asia. Alexander managed to do it by removing the part that held the knot.

There is also a legend concerning Alexander’s “sisters”. One of them was called “ The Mermaid” It was a beautiful woman who was sitting on a sea beast.

the mermaid

Digenis AkritasHis name denotes his double origin. His mother was the daughter of a Byzantine general while his father was Syrian.

He had exhibited amazing abilities since he was very young. For example when he was 12 he strangled two bears and killed a lion.

A whole epic poem has been written for Digenis Akritas to glorify his strength, his intelligence, his virtue and his great military skills.

He was so unique and bold that his achievements are well-known all over the world. Digenis Akritas became a legend and people thought he had supernatural powers.

Before his death he gathered all his comrades and talked to them about his achievements.

Finally, it is also said that he was ambushed by “Death” .

Dig e nis is p la y ing with the ta il o f a lio n.

His death caused people’s grief. No one could believe that the most fearless man on Earth had died.

It is believed that he strangled his wife just before his death so that no one else could marry her.

It is also mentioned that he didn’t die in his palace but after a fight he had with “Death”.

Lots of legends surround his death

St Georgios

He was born in Cappadocia and he went throught a lot of tortures due to his religious beliefs. At the same tim ea lot of legends and traditions were written around his name.

St Georgios is one of the most popular Greek saints

St G e o rg io s is killing the dra g o n

One of the most well-known legends is that of the killing of a dragon for the sake of a queen. Legend has it that this dragon guarded a spring of water and used to eat all those going there to take water. St Georgios saved the queen by killing the dragon.

Another legend says that a woman wanted to send to Rome a column to be used for the building of St Georgios church. In her dream she saw that St Georgios lifted the column together with her and they dropped it in the sea. The column was found in Rome.

St Georgios went through a lot of persecution and tortures. However, he was always saved. Once a Roman emperor ordered his soldiers to dig a big hole with water and and drop inside St Georgios for 3 days and nights so that his bones would disintegrate. Three days later the soldiers were ordered to open the hole and they found St Georgios standing and praying.

Legend also has it that in Paflagonia St Georgios was greatly honored and the families there used to name their sons after him.

The name George is very common and every Greek family has got at least a member with this name.