THE PANTHEON GREEK AND ROMAN

GODS

SOURCES of GREEK MYTHS

• parallels between Greco-Roman myths and near Eastern Myths

• HOMER: (750BC) the blind poet • author: Iliad and

Odyssey• Homeric Hymns

• HESIOD: (700 BC)• author: Theogony,

Works and Days

THE CREATION MYTHCHAOS (“yawning void”)

IGAIA (“Mother Earth”/ feminine)

IGaia — URANUS (cosmos and sky/ masculine)

IHechatoncheries

CyclopsTitans

• Prophecy that Uranus’ children would depose him… and youngest son Cronus did… Age of the Titans

Who Are the Titans?• first generation of gods, offspring of Gaia

and Uranus• personification of creative elements and

natural forces (opposite of Olympian gods, which personify human traits)• Chaos (great void), Uranus (heaven),

Helios (sun)• did not have temples built in their honor,

not significant roles in epics/myths • Oceanus, Prometheus, Atlas, Sisyphus,

Selene

The AGE of the OLYMPIANS

• Cronus and Rhea’s children= Olympian gods

• 2nd prophecy- Cronus and Rhea’s children would depose him as well… Cronus “swallowed” his children

• Rhea’s switched youngest child… Zeus- switched him with swaddled rock, hid him in cave on remote island of Crete

• Zeus’ return as cupbearer to Cronus, “Regurgitation” of his siblings (Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Demeter, Hestia)

• Battle between the Titans and the Olympians, lasts 10 years, Titans imprisoned in Tartarus and Atlas condemned to hold up the sky

MT. OLYMPUS• Residence of gods

• Zeus’ palace at center

• Natural defense against intruders

• No mortals permitted

• Ambrosia and nectar

THE UNDERWORLD• all souls of the dead went to the

underworld

• guarded heavily, surrounded by the River Styx

• ritual of coin in the mouth of the dead as payment to Charon to ferry across the River Styx

• souls of the good went to Elysian Fields

• Tartarus was for the evil souls or those sent to purgatory

ZEUS / JUPITER• KING OF THE GODS, THE HEAVENS AND EARTH

• Symbol: thunderbolt, eagle, oak tree

• Parentage: Cronus and Rhea

• Spouse: Hera

• Power greater than all other gods combined

• gave moral order to the universe- justice and virtue

• Very promiscuous (*43 affairs, 89 children)

LOVES OF ZEUS• Metis= Athena (headache)

• Themis= The Fates, The Hours

• Mnemosyne= The Muses

• Hera= Ares, Ilithia, Hebe

• Demeter= Persephone

• Europa= many powerful sons (white bull)

• Io (white bull, Argus)

• Semele= Dionysis• Callisto= Arcas• Leto= Artemis and

Apollo• Leda= Helen of Troy• Alcmene=

Heracles/Hercules• Maia= Hermes

POSEIDON / NEPTUNE

• GOD OF SEA AND EARTHQUAKES

• Symbol: trident, horse

• Parentage: Cronus and Rhea

• Spouse: Amphitrite

• “angry” god- at Zeus, “abnormal” children

• 2nd in power to brother Zeus

• stern, rough, and “unkept”

• Father of cyclops, Theseus, Orion, Pegasus

• antagonist in the Odyssey

TEMPLE OF POSEIDON

HADES / PLUTO• GOD OF THE DEAD AND THE

UNDERWORLD

• Symbol: cypress tree

• Parentage: Cronus and Rhea

• Spouse: Persephone (kidnapped her)

• Rarely emerged from underworld

• terrifying, but not evil; very just

• Only direct contact with Hermes

• ***NOT god of death (Thanatos), just King of the Dead

APHRODITE / VENUS• GODDESS OF LOVE, BEAUTY,

AND FERTILITY

• Symbol: dove, rose

• Parentage: Born from sea-foam (or Cronus?)

• Spouse: Hephaestus, affair with Ares

• overwhelmingly beautiful, no one could resist her

• Major role in the beginnings of the Trojan War

• mother of Eros (arrows would make people fall in love)

APOLLO•GOD OF TRUTH, LIGHT, ARCHERY, MUSIC, MEDICINE/HEALING

•Symbol: lyre, dolphin, sun•Parentage: Zeus and Leto, twin to Artemis• Spouse: Never married but great lover• Often referred to as the Greek ideal- beauty and physique• Protector of cities and civil institutions• Gifted athlete• Guided the oracles at Delphi • Helped Paris shoot arrow that killed Achilles

APOLLO’s TEMPLE AT DELPHI

ARTEMIS / DIANA• GODDESS OF HUNTING, WILDERNESS, MOON,

CHILDBIRTH

• Symbol: moon, deer

• Spouse: none! Virgin goddess

• Parentage: Zeus and Leto, twin to Apollo

• Born first, helped deliver twin Apollo

• Sought revenge on anyone who hurt her mother

• Protectress of young girls and the Amazons tribe

ARES / MARS• GOD OF WAR AND HATRED

• Symbol: spear, vulture, dog

• Parentage: Zeus and Hera

• Spouse: Lover of Aphrodite

• More important to Romans than Greeks

• Father of Romulus and Remus

• Prolonged wars by fighting for both sides

ATHENA / MINERVA• GODDESS OF WISDOM and REASON,

COURAGE, WAR, ARTS and CRAFTS

• Symbol: owl, olive tree, Medusa’s head on her shield

• Parentage: Zeus’ headache (Metis), fully grown in armor

• Zeus’ favorite child

• Spouse: none! Virgin goddess

• Protectress of Athens (olive tree)- authority over laws/order of cities

• Protectress of heroes

• skilled in strategy and tactics of war

THE PARTHENON (on the Acropolis)

DEMETER / CERES • GODDESS OF AGRICULTURE,

FERTILITY OF THE EARTH

• Symbol: wheat, cornucopia

• Parentage: Cronus and Rhea• Spouse:

• Daughter was kidnapped by Hades, so Demeter’s sadness caused the earth to suffer (fall and winter)

DIONYSIS / BACCHUS

• GOD OF WINE AND DRAMA

• Symbol: grape, vine

• Parentage: Zeus and Semele

• Spouse: none

• “Torn to Pieces” by Hera, brought back to life by Rhea (dies and reborn)

• Granted Midas the golden touch

• Helped souls to the underworld

HEPHAESTUS / VULCAN

• GOD OF FIRE, VOLCANOS, AND METALWORKING

• Symbol: anvil

• Parentage: Son of Hera (retaliation for Athena)

• Spouse: Aphrodite (caught her with Ares)

• Made armor for Achilles

• Cyclops were his assistants

HERA / JUNO• GODDESS OF MARRIAGE, WOMEN

• Symbol: peacock, cow

• Parentage: Cronus and Rhea

• Spouse: to Zeus (resisted his love for many years; in form of cuckoo)

• Vestige of “The Great Goddess”

• Violent and vindictive to Zeus’ lovers and their children

HERMES / MERCURY• MESSENGER GOD, GOD OF TRAVEL, THEFT, AND

TRADE

• Symbol: winged sandals and hat

• Parentage: Zeus and Maia

• Spouse: none

• Prankster, Stole cattle from Apollo

• Guided dead to the underworld

• appears most often in myths

HESTIA / VESTA • GODDESS OF HEARTH, HOME

AND FAMILY

• Symbol: hearth, fireplace

• Spouse: none! Virgin Goddess

• Parentage: Cronus and Rhea (oldest)

• goddess of chastity, protectress of the Vestal Virgins

• not in many myths, mainly because she was connected to the home

OTHER MINOR DEITIES…

THE MUSESPresided over the arts

and sciences

THE FATESControlled destiny of everyone (birth, life,

death)

OTHER MINOR DEITIES…The Furies

Bring vengeance and torment

The GracesBestowed beauty

and charm

CREATURESCYCLOPS

1-eyed giantsHECATONCHEIRES50 heads, 100 hands

CREATURESGORGONS

Women who could turn anyone to stone who

looked at them

AMAZONSTribe of warrior women

CREATURESCERBERUS

3-headed watchdog who guards the

underworld

PEGASUS Winged horse (child of Poseidon and Medusa)