Introduction to Classics
Mythology
The Greek view of the World
• The world was flat and circular
• Greece (Hellas) was at the centre – Delphi, or Mt Olympus, was the centre
point
• The Mediterranean Sea divided the world into equal parts – east and west
• Around the Earth flowed the river Ocean, a steady flow and never stormy
• In the North lived the Hyperboreans – living happily ever after behind the
mountains from which came the cold north winds. These people suffered
no disease, old age, toil or warfare
• In the South lived the Ethiopians – as happy and virtuous as the
Hyperboreans. They were favoured by the gods with visits
• In the West lay the Elysian Plains. Mortals favoured by the gods were
taken there to enjoy immortal bliss without tasting death
• In the east were the barbarians. These were in many cases the only real
people with whom the Greeks came into contact.
The Greek view of the World
• The Greek gods (Zeus et al) originated from
turmoil in ‘heaven’ involving Uranus. Gaia and 2
of their children, Cronos and Rhea who were
Titans.
• For those unlucky enough not to go to the Elysian
Fields, there was the prospect of the Underworld,
the kingdom of Hades. To get into Hades’
kingdom, one had to cross the river Styx, using
the services of the boatman Charon and get past
the 3-headed guard dog Cerberus
The Greek view of the World
• Believed in magic and that they could manipulate the
outside world through rituals and spells
• Believed that the world was inhabited by sprits, the
ghosts of the dead
• Distinctions between the animal world and the human
world were not necessary. Animals may have human
qualities (eg. speech) and a human may be born not of
woman, but of something in the natural world (eg. a
tree).
• The supernatural world mixed with the human. A
human could be born of a god or spirit (eg. Achilles’
mother was a sea-nymph)
Greek gods and goddesses
Aphrodite (Venus)
• Goddess of love, beauty and fertility
• Married to Hephaistos, but bore children by several
other gods, including Dionysus and Ares
• Often depicted nude, with long flowing hair, rising from
the sea
• Birth myth – when the Titan Cronos cut off the penis of
his father Uranus, he cast the immortal member into
the sea, where it floated amid white foam. Inside the
penis Aphrodite grew and was then washed up at
Paphos on Cyprus
• Constant companion was Eros (Cupid) – ‘love or desire’
Aphrodite (Venus)
The birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli, c. 1482.
Aphrodite (Venus)
Venus and Mars, Piero di Sosimo, 1498
Apollo
• Son of Zeus and Titaness Leto, twin brother of the
goddess Artemis, the virgin huntress
• God of prophecy, archery and music
• Had an interest in healing, and his son Asclepius was
also identified with healing.
• His role in prophecy was especially associated with the
oracular shrine to him at Delphi – the Delphic Oracle
• Skilled lyre player
• Commonly depicted with the lyre in art, beardless and
youthful.
Apollo
Apollo
Ares (Mars)
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Son of Zeus and Hera
God of war
Had 3 children by Aphrodite
Depicted in mythology as an
instigator of violence, a
tempestuous and passionate
lover and an unscrupulous
friend
Artemis (Diana)
• Daughter of Titaness Leto and
Zeus, twin sister of Apollo
• Goddess of the wild
• Liked to roam the mountains
with a companion of nymphs
• A virgin goddess who resented
any kind of intrusion into her
domain or any harm done to
her favourite animals
Artemis (Diana)
Diana and Actaeon by Titian, 1556-59
Athena (Minerva)
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Daughter of Zeus and Titaness Metis
Goddess of war and crafts
A fierce virgin like Artemis
Was a city goddess (at Athens)
Athena’s symbols were the wise owl, which
featured on Athenian coins, and the olive tree
which she gave to Athens
• Sometimes depicted with a snake
Athena (Minerva)
• In classical times she was the protector of all
cities (although she had her favourites) and of the
crafts and arts that city life makes possible, never
more so than in Athens. In this sense she was the
goddess of wisdom – the know-how needed to
run a city properly. She protects especially the
women’s craft of weaving, but also the male craft
of carpentry
• Always represented in armour, wearing a helmet,
often carrying a spear, and usually holding a
shield.
Athena (Minerva)
Demeter (Ceres)
• Daughter of Cronos and
Rhea
• Goddess of vegetation
and fruitfulness,
especially associated
with corn
• Possessed mysterious
powers of growth and
even resurrection
Dionysus (Bacchus)
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Son of Zeus and Semele (a Theban princess)
A youthful god of vegetation, wine and ecstasy
God of fertility (Demeter’s male equivalent)
Originally associated with Demeter’s role as
mother-earth, his cult developed into one of
personal salvation, especially for women
worshippers who were known as maenads .
These maenads carried the thyrus, a staff wound
with ivy leaves crowned with a pine cone.
• The cult of Dionysus was associated with wild,
orgiastic rites
Dionysus (Bacchus)
• Thick, luscious ivy was a sign of his presence.
He wore a leopard skin and panthers pulled
his chariot. The phallus and the horns of a bull
were his emblems.
• Male followers of Dionysus were satyrs, halfhuman creatures with erect phalli, sometimes
of enormous size, and the tails and ears of
horses; later they acquired goat-like legs
Dionysus (Bacchus)
Dionysus (Bacchus)
Hades (Pluto)
• Hades = the unseen one
• Pluto = the enricher,
because from beneath the
earth comes mineral and
agricultural wealth
• Greek god of the
underworld, the realm of
the dead
• Not thought of as an evil
force like Satan in
Christianity, but seen as
grim and implacable
Hephaistos (Vulcan)
• Son of Zeus and Hera
• Greek smith god – patron of those who works
with their hands to form metals into useful or
beautiful objects
• Was lame as a result of having interfered in a
quarrel between his parents – in anger Zeus flung
his son from the top of Mt Olympus and let him
fall heavily on the volcanic island of Lemnos in
the northern part of the Aegean Sea
Hephaistos (Vulcan)
• Another story tells how Hera tried to drown her
imperfect son, only to be thwarted by seanymphs who took him to a beach. The smith god
then took revenge on his mother by making her a
golden throne which was actually a trap. None of
the gods could release Hera, so Hephaistos was
invited to return permanently to Mt Olympus.
There, under the influence of drink, he was
persuaded by Dionysus to unlock the device and
let his mother escape.
Hephaistos (Vulcan)
The return of Hephaistos to Olympus
Hephaistos (Vulcan)
The Forge of Vulcan by Diego Velaquez, 1630
Hera (Juno)
• Daughter of Cronos and Rhea
• Wife of Zeus
• Her status as Zeus’ wife is often
symbolised by a crown and veil
• Chiefly a goddess of marriage
and of women’s sexuality and
fertility
• Vindictively persecutes Zeus’
many mistresses and
illegitimate children, especially
the hero Heracles
Hermes (Mercury)
• Messenger god
• Son of Zeus and Maia
• It was believed that he guided the dead into the realm of
Hades, the underworld
• Hermes is usually depicted as a young man with a widebrimmed hat and winged sandals, carrying a herald’s staff
crowned with 2 snakes. In ancient Greece this staff assured
the messenger safe passage even during time of war.
• Protector of travellers
- protects thieves (for thieves travel through the night,
taking what they want through intelligence and stealth)
- protects merchants, who must travel to bring their goods
to market
Hermes (Mercury)
Poseidon (Neptune)
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Son of Cronos and Rhea
Greek god of the sea
Particularly associated with horses and bulls
After the overthrow of Cronos, his 3 sons divided the world
between them: Zeus took over the sky, Hades the
underworld and Poseidon the sea, while the land was ruled
by all three.
• Possibly because his element was the tempestuous sea,
Poseidon was thought to be an unruly god. Earthquakes
were attributed to his anger
• Commonly pictured riding the sea in a chariot pulled by
golden sea horses. He held a mighty trident, a weapon
capable of stirring the waters to fury.
Poseidon (Neptune)
Neptune and his horses, by E K Birce, c. 1880
Poseidon (Neptune)
Zeus (Jupiter)
• Supreme deity in Greek mythology – the all powerful sky god
• Son of the Titans Cronos and Rhea
• Had numerous mortal and immortal lovers (115!). Father of
many gods and heroes.
• Although he makes every final decision, he can be won over
by flattery, charm, bribery and deception
• Identified with the sky in general, but more particularly with
the weather
• His natural home is on the top of mountains, where the dark
clouds gather before a storm
• Most outstanding attribute is his irresistible strength
• The thunderbolt is Zeus’ weapon
Zeus (Jupiter)
• The aegis, “goat skin” was an emblem of Zeus’ power, a
magical object that inspired terror in all who beheld it.
In art it is shown as a shield with snake-headed tassels.
• As ruler of the world, Zeus presided over law and
justice. To ancient Greeks, law and justice referred to
what had always been done and was therefore right –
in other words, to custom. Zeus upheld the customary
ways of Greek society. Those who acted illegally or
unjustly – that is, against custom – also acted against
Zeus
Zeus (Jupiter)
• Above all, Zeus
protected the custom
called xenia, roughly
translated as “a formal
institution of
friendship”. Xenia
enabled Greeks to
travel safely to distant
lands where other
Greeks lived and bonds
of reciprocal hospitality
were formed
Zeus (Jupiter)
Zeus (Jupiter)
Greek Heroes
Greek Heroes
• The myths of all cultures contain inspiring
individuals who express ideal traits and
talents, such as courage, strength and
endurance. These heroes have to overcome
obstacles and win through despite all odds.
They are not immortal, but are often helped,
and sometimes hindered by the gods.
Heracles (Hercules)
• The greatest of all Greek heroes
• Son of Zeus and Alcmene
• Zeus fathered Heracles so he could help him in the
battle between the gods and Giants.
• Zeus intended Heracles to be ruler of Mycenae or
Tiryns, but Hera prevented this and he became the
slave of Eurystheus, King of Tiryns. Hera struck
Heracles with a fit of madness, in the course of which
he killed his wife and their 3 sons. To atone for this
terrible deed he had to become Eurystheus’ slave and
undertook his famous 12 labours.
Heracles’ Twelve Labours
1. The killing of the Nemean lion
- could not be harmed by arrows, had to fight it with his bare
hands and wooden club
- after overcoming the lion he wore its skin as a trophy
2. The Lernaean Hydra
- 9-headed serpent, sacred to Hera
- every head he cut off his his sword 2 new ones grew in its place
- his nephew helped him – burned the stumps of the necks as
soon as Heracles severed each head
3. The Ceryneian Deer
- a deer sacred to Artemis, goddess of the wild
4. The Erymanthian Boar
- trapped it with a net
Heracles’ Twelve Labours
5. The Augean stables
- to be cleanses (several feet in dung)
- achieved by diverting a nearby river through the stables
6. The Stymphalian birds
- to be removed from the Pelopnnese
- were frightened away by the noise of a rattle which the
goddess Athena had especially made for Heracles
7. The Cretan Bull
- Minos had failed to sacrifice a bull to Poseidon. The bull
mated with Minos’ wife, who then gave birth to the
minotaur (bull-headed man).
- Heracles captured Poseidon’s bull alive and later set it free
Heracles’ Twelve Labours
8. The Horses of Diomedes
- man-eating horses, which he subdued after
feeding them on their master’s flesh
9. The Girdle of Hippolyta
- had to obtain the girdle of the Queen of the
fierce Amazons
10. The Cattle of Geryon
- had to capture the cattle of Geryon, a western
king who had 3 heads, 3 bodies and 6 hands
Heracles’ Twelve Labours
11. The apples of the Hesperides
- had to bring back the apples from this magical tree
that Zeus had given to Hera as a wedding present.
Because the Hesperides like to pilfer from the tree,
Hera set a ferocious hundred-headed serpent to guard
over it
12. Cerberus
- this required a descent into the underworld to bring
back the 3-headed guard dog Cerberus
As a result of this labour, Heracles attained immortality
for himself. No other hero gained this honour.
1. The killing of the Nemean lion
2. The Lernaean Hydra
3. The Ceryneian Deer
4. The Erymanthian Boar
5. The Augean stables
6. The Stymphalian birds
7. The Cretan Bull
8. The Horses of Diomedes
9. The Girdle of Hippolyta
10. The Cattle of Geryon
11. The apples of the Hesperides
12. Cerberus
Achilles
• The greatest of the Greek warriors
• Hero of the Trojan War
• Son of King Peleus of Thessaly and the sea-nymph
Thetis.
• Zeus and Poseidon wanted a son by Thetis, but
Prometheus, the fire god, had warned them that
their offspring would be greater than its father. In
order to avoid the emergence of a power
superior to themselves, the gods carefully
arranged the marriage of Thetis to a mortal.
Achilles
• Thetis tried to make her son immortal by
various means. One way was dipping the newborn baby in the Styx, the river that ran
through the underworld. Since Thetis had to
hold him by the heel, this one spot was left
vulnerable and at Troy brought about Achilles
death from a poisoned arrow shot from the
bow of Paris.
Achilles