Greek/Roman Mythology

Antigone

Greek mythology: Antigone was the daughter of Oedipus & Jocasta. After Oedipus left the throne, his two sons, Eteocles and Polynices, agreed to rule Thebes in alternate years. However, Eteocles, reneged on the agreement and refused to step down. Polynices then raised an army of traditional enemies of Thebes and led them against his city. The battle ends with the defeat of the invading army, but Eteocles and Polynices are both dead, but Eteocles' body will be properly buried, while Polynices, because he attacked the city, will be left unburied on the battlefield. Antigone argues that a law of man which violates religious law is no law at all. She performs a ceremonial burial, but is apprehended by the guards, and taken before Creon, who decrees that she will herself be buried by being sealed in a cave. Creon's son, Haemon, however, is betrothed to Antigone, and protests her sentence and lectures his father on wise leadership. Creon refuses to change his mind. When the prophet Tiresias informs Creon that the gods are angry with his pronouncement concerning Polynices, he finally relents, but when the cave is opened to retrieve Antigone, she has already hung herself. The Antigone is much admired for being the first and most enduring statement of the conflict between the need for social order and the feeling that on occasion higher law may supersede human law"

Aphrodite // Venus

Greek mythology: Aphrodite is the goddess of love, beauty & sexual rapture. According to Hesiod, she was born when Uranus (father of the gods) was castrated by his son, Cronus, who then threw his genitals into the ocean. From the aphros ("sea foam") arose Aphrodite, and the sea carried her to Cyprus/Cythera. Homer calls her a daughter of Zeus and Dione. Zeus was afraid that the gods would fight over Aphrodite's hand in marriage so he married her off to the smith god Hephaestus, the steadiest of the gods. He could hardly believe his good luck and used all his skills to make the most lavish jewels for her. That was not very wise of him, for when she wore her magic girdle NO ONE could resist her. Thus, Aphrodite had multiple lovers, both gods and mortals alike. Roman mythology: Venus is the goddess of love and beauty and Cupid is love's messenger.

Arachne

Greek mythology: Arachne was a young woman/weaver from Lydia who proclaimed that Athena herself could not weave better than her. Athena came to Arachne disguised as an old woman and warned her to be careful not to offend the gods, lest she incur their wrath. But Arachne told the old woman to save her breath and welcomed a contest with Athena. The goddess accepted the challenge and revealed her true form. The contest began. When it was over Athena herself was forced to admit that Arachne's work was flawless. Angered at Arachne's challenge, as well as the presumptuousness of her choice of subjects, Athena tore the tapestry to pieces and destroyed the loom. Then she touched Arachne's forehead, making sure that she felt full guilt for her actions. Arachne was ashamed, but the guilt was far too deep for her poor, mortal mind. Depressed, she hanged herself. Athena took pity on Arachne. She brought her back to life, but as a spider, so that she and her descendants were to forever hang from threads and to be great weavers.

Atalanta

Greek mythology: Atalanta is the female athlete. When Atalanta was born, her father (unknown) exposed her on a hill were she was suckled by a she bear, until a group of hunters found her and raised her to womanhood. Atalanta is best known for participation in male activities while at the same time having an aura of sexuality surrounding her. One male activity Atalanta definitely participated in was the Calydonian Boar Hunt. Other male members of the hunt objected to her presence, but consumed with lust, Meleager insisted that Atalanta be allowed to join. During the hunt, centaurs Hylaeus and Rhaecus tried to rape Atalanta. Atalanta killed both of them, thus the first bloodshed of the Calydonian Boar Hunt was human. Atalanta shot the first arrow to pierce the boar. Because of this, Meleager gave Atalanta the boar's pelt. This resulted in even more human bloodshed, Meleager's two uncles protested to Atalanta receiving the pelt, so Meleager killed them. When Meleager's mother heard that Meleager had killed her brothers, she threw an enchanted log on the fire, once the log finished burning Meleager would die. Since Atalanta was now a princess, Iasus wanted Atalanta to marry. Atalanta had been warned not to marry by the Oracle. Atalanta came up with a witty plan that would stop her from having to marry. She would race the suitors, the one who beat her in the foot race would be the lucky man to marry her, but if she won, she could kill the manOne day a racer, Melanion or to some sources Hippomenes, fell in love with Atalanta and wanted to marry her, so he called on Aphrodite, the love goddess, for assistance of Aphrodite, who provided Melanion with three golden apples to entice Atalanta. Atalanta's frequent stops gave Melanion the advantage he needed and he won the race and Atalanta's hand in marriage. Once married, it seems that Atalanta could not contain her inhibitions any longer, and she allowed Melanion to seduce her in the temple of Zeus. Zeus was so angered that he turned them into lions.

Athena // Minerva

Greek mythology: Athena is the goddess of wisdom, war, the arts, industry, justice and skill. She was the favorite child of Zeus. When her mother was Metis, goddess of wisdom and Zeus' first wife, was pregnant, Zeus swallowed her in fear that Metis would bear a son mightier than himself. The hammering of the helmet caused Zeus great pain in the form of headaches and he cried out in agony. Skilled Hephaestus ran to his father and split his skull open and from it emerged Athena, fully grown and wearing her mother's robe and helmet. Athena and uncle Poseidon were both very fond of a certain city in Greece and decided that the one that could give the finest gift should have it. Poseidon struck the side of the cliff with his trident and a spring welled up. The people marveled, but the water was as salty as Poseidon's sea and it was not very useful. Athena's gift was an olive tree, which was better because it gave the people food, oil and wood. Athena named her city Athens. Roman mythology: Minerva is the daughter of Jupiter and the goddess of wisdom, medicine, the arts, dyeing, science and trade, but also of war. She is the patroness of physicians and inventor of numbers and musical instruments.

Atlas

Greek mythology: Atlas is a scion of the Titans and the son of Iapetus and the nymph Clymene. In the revolt of the Titans against the gods of the Olympic, Atlas stormed the heavens and Zeus punished him for this deed by condemning him to forever bear the heavens upon his shoulders. To complete the eleventh of his twelve labors, Heracles had to obtain the golden apples of the Hesperides, and he asked Atlas for help. Heracles offered to bear Atlas's burden in his absence, when he went to retrieve the apples. Atlas agreed to perform the task readily enough, since he did not plan on ever bearing that burden again. When Atlas returned with the apples, Heracles requested him to assume the load for a moment, saying he needed to adjust the pad to ease the pressure on his shoulders. After Atlas bore the heavens again, Heracles walked off with the golden apples. When Atlas refused to give shelter to Perseus, the latter changed Atlas into stone, using Medusa's head.

Calypso

Greek mythology: Calypso was a nymph, the daughter of the Titan Atlas. She lived on the island of Ogygia. After the last of Odysseus' men had perished at sea, Odysseus himself was washed ashore on Ogygia, where Calypso became enamored of him, taking him as her lover and promising him immortality if he would stay with her. Odysseus refused her offer, wishing to return home to Ithaca and to his wife, Penelope. But Calypso refused to let him leave, and held him prisoner for seven years. Eventually, Zeus sent Hermes to Ogygia to order Calypso to set Odysseus free. Calypso complied reluctantly, allowing Odysseus to construct a small boat and set sail from the island.

Cassandra

Greek mythology: Cassandra was the most beautiful of the daughters of Priam and Hecuba, the king and queen of Troy. She was given the gift of prophecy by Apollo, who wished to seduce her; when she accepted his gift but refused his sexual advances, he deprived her prophecies of the power to persuade. At the end of the Trojan War, Cassandra foresaw the danger posed by the Trojan horse; the people of Troy ignored her warnings and the Greek soldiers hiding inside the horse were able to capture the city. During the sack of Troy, Cassandra was raped by the Locrian Ajax, and was then given as a war prize to Agamemnon. She returned to Greece with Agamemnon, and tried to warn him of the danger which awaited him there; once again her prophecy was ignored, and both she and Agamemnon were murdered by Clytemnestra and Aegisthus.

Centaurs

Greek mythology: The centaurs are creatures that are part human and part horse. They are usually portrayed with the torso and head of a human, and the body of a horse. Centaurs are the followers of the wine god Dionysus and are well known for drunkenness and carrying off helpless young maidens.

Artemis // Diana

Greek mythology: The daughter of Leto and Zeus, and the twin of Apollo. Artemis is the goddess of the wilderness, the hunt and wild animals, and fertility. Artemis was one of the Olympians and a virgin goddess. Her main vocation was to roam mountain forests and uncultivated land with her nymphs in attendance hunting for lions, panthers, hinds and stags. Contradictory to the later, she helped in protecting and seeing to their well-being, also their safety and reproduction. She would show her wrath on anyone who disobeyed her wishes, especially against her sacred animals. Roman mythology: Diana was originally a goddess of nature, fertility, childbirth, and Latin commonwealth. Under Greek influence she was equated with Artemis and assumed many of her aspects. Her name is possibly derived from 'diviana' ("the shining one").

Calliope

Greek mythology: The eldest and most distinguished of the nine Muses. She is the Muse of eloquence and epic or heroic poetry. Calliope ("beautiful voice") is the mother of Orpheus and Linus with Apollo. She was the arbitress in the argument over Adonis between Persephone and Aphrodite.

Apollo

Greek mythology: The son of Zeus and Leto, and the twin brother of Artemis. Apollo was the god of music prophecy, colonization, medicine, archery, poetry, dance, intellectual inquiry and the carer of herds and flocks. He was also a god of light, plague and the destroyer of rats and locust. According to Homer's Iliad, Apollo shot arrows of plague into the Greek camp. Apollo being the god of religious healing would give those guilty of murder and other immoral deeds a ritual purification. His most famous attribute is the tripod, the symbol of his prophetic powers. Apollo's first achievement was to rid Pytho (Delphi) of the serpent (or dragon) Python. This monstrous beast protected the sanctuary of Pytho from its lair beside the Castalian Spring. There it stood guard while the "Sibyl" gave out her prophecies as she inhaled the trance inducing vapors from an open chasm. Apollo killed Python with his bow and arrows (Homer wrote "he killed the fearsome dragon Python, piercing it with his darts"). Apollo not only took charge of the oracle but rid the neighboring countryside of widespread destruction, as Python had destroyed crops, sacked villages and polluted streams and springs. However, to make amends for killing Python, as the fearsome beast was the son of Gaia, Apollo had to serve king Admetus for nine years as a cowherd. This he did, and when he returned to Pytho he came in the guise of a dolphin bringing with him priests from Crete. After killing Python and taking possession of the oracle, the god of light (Phobus) became known as "Pythian Apollo". He dedicated a bronze tripod to the sanctuary and bestowed divine powers on one of the priestesses, and she became known as the "Pythia". It was she who inhaled the hallucinating vapors from the fissure in the temple floor, while she sat on a tripod chewing laurel leaves. After she mumbled her answer, a male priest would translate it for the supplicant. Delphi became the most important oracle center of Apollo.

Bellerophon

Greek mythology: When he turned sixteen, Bellerophon longed for adventure, and set out to find it. Along his journey he met Proteus, who feigned friendship to Bellerophon. In truth, Proteus was insanely jealous of Bellerophon, and sought to cause his death. Proteus was the son-in-law of Iobates, the King of Lycia. Feigning goodwill, Proteus gave Bellerophon a sealed message to carry to the King. When Iobates read the letter Bellerophon had delivered, he found that Proteus requested Bellerophon be put to death. He knew that an outright execution would risk war against the Corinthians, so he slyly sent Bellerophon to slay the Chimera, a monster with the head of a lion and the tail of a dragon, swept down upon the valley and carried off women, children, and livestock, sure that he would never return alive. Before he set out on his quest, Bellerophon sought the advice of Polyidus, the wisest man in Lycia. Polyidus told him of the legendary Pegasus. He advised him to spend a night in Athena's temple, and offer her many gifts. In return, the goddess may help him obtain the horse. Athena appeared to him that night in a dream. She gave him a golden bridle and instructions as to where to find the well from which the Pegasus drank. After capturing Pegasus, Bellerophon set out to the ledge where the Chimera dwelt. Armed with a long spear, he charged the Chimera and drove the spear through the Chimera's heart. The Kingdom rejoiced. The people admired his bravery, and the wonderful winged horse which he rode. King Iobates gave his willing daughter to Bellerophon as a bride. Craving more adventure, he decided to ride up to Mount Olympus to visit the gods. Mounting his steed, he urged Pegasus skyward, and Zeus, displeased, sent a gadfly to punish the mortal for daring to ascend to the home of gods. The fly stung Pegasus, and so startled the horse that he suddenly reared, and Bellerophon was hurled off of his back. He plummeted to the ground. Athena spared his life by causing him to land on soft ground. But for the rest of his life, Bellerophon traveled, lonely and crippled, in search of his wonderful steed.

Ares // Mars

Greek mythology: god of war and battle and the instigator of violence, a son of Zeus and Hera. Because of his cruel and war-like nature he was despised by all the gods, even his own father disliked him. Ares could be bloody, merciless, fearful and cowardly and possessed no moral attributes. On the battlefield Ares was accompanied by Phobos ("Fear") and Deimos ("Terror"), two lesser divinities who are sometimes given as his sons. He was furthermore attended by the goddesses Eris ("Strife") and Enyo ("Horror"). Ares is also the father of Harmonia, the goddess of harmony, and of the Amazonian queens Penthesileia and Hippolyte. During the Trojan War, Ares favored the Trojans although he had little regard for the justice of the cause of the conflict he was backing. Ares often helped non-Greek peoples, such as the Trojans and the Amazons. Roman mythology: equated them with Mars and their war-god was of much more significance than Ares.

Ariadne

Originally Ariadne was a vegetation goddess in Crete Greek mythology: Ariadne was the daughter of the Cretan king Minos and his wife Pasiphae. She leaves Crete and she suffered terrible sorrow. In the Odyssey is told that Ariadne was abducted and taken to the island of Dia where she died, because Artemis put her to death. According to the myth which was the most known, she fell in love with the Athenian hero Theseus, who was coming to Crete to kill the Minotaur and to rescue the Athenian youth. In the older version of the myth she was already the loved one of Dionysus, when Theseus came to Crete. Thus Ariadne helped Theseus by promising her to take her to Athens as his wife. She gave him two special gifts -- a sword and a clue of thread -- to find a way back from the Cnossian Labyrinth after killing the Minotaur. As promised, she left Crete with Theseus and with the Athenian youth and they stopped on the island of Naxos. While Ariadne was asleep, in her dream the god Dionysus appeared on her and gave her a divine command to stay in Naxos, because he wanted to marry her. Ariadne in the meantime felt extremely unhappy, when Dionysus came to save her in Naxos. So, trying to make her feel better he put on her head a golden crown of Thetis, a work of Hephaestus. Nevertheless we have to mention that in the other version of the Ariadne-myth, she received this crown from Theseus (and not from Dionysus) as a gift of Amphitrite. After this gift Dionysus immediately married her. Short while after Ariadne gave birth to many famous children -- first of all to Staphylus, Thoas and Oenopion. The last two became the kings of the islands Lemnos and Chios and in some other versions of the myth they are represented as the sons of Theseus. Ariadne represenst a tragic heroine figure in all the different versions of her myth. Therefore we can also understand that she was suffering from a terrible dilemma, namely between her wish for happiness and the obligation to obey to a divine command

Bacchus

Roman mythology: The god of wine and intoxication, equated with the Greek Dionysus. His infamous celebrations, notorious for their sexual and criminal character, became so out of hand that they were forbidden by the Roman Senate in 186 BCE. Bacchus is also identified with the old-Italian god Liber.

Argonauts

The Argonauts were the heroes who sailed with Jason on the Argo, in quest of the Golden Fleece. These men who sailed along side with Jason included the some of the more famous name: Orpheus (the greatest musician of the ancient world); Heracles (the son of Zeus, famous for his Twelve Labors); Hylas (Heracles' companion); Telamon (the father of Ajax); Peleus (the father of Achilles and the brother of Telamon); Argos (the builder of the Argo); Polydeuces and Castor (or Pollux and Castor -- known as the Dioscuri, they were the sons of Leda and Zeus, and the brothers of Helen of Troy); Meleager (who killed the Calydonian boar); Zetes and Calais (the Boreads); Theseus (who killed the Minotaur and the hero of a number of other legends); Laertes (father of Odysseus); Autolycus (son of Hermes and a master thief); Atalanta (a great huntress who was the first to wound the Calydonian boar and was beloved by Meleager)

Castor and Pollux

The Disocuri were Castor and Polydeuces (or Pollux), the twin sons of Leda and Zeus and the brothers of Helen of Troy. Because Zeus came to Leda in the form of a swan, they are sometimes presented as having been born from an egg. Pollux was a formidable boxer, and Castor was a great horseman. Together, they were the "Heavenly Twins," often associated with the constellation Gemini. After Theseus kidnapped their sister Helen and carried her off to Aphidnae, Castor and Pollux rescued her; they also abducted Theseus' mother, Aethra. Later, the twins accompanied Jason on the Argo; during the voyage, Pollux distinguished himself by killing the belligerent king Amycus, who challenged him to a boxing match. When Peleus attacked and laid waste to Iolcus, in revenge for the evils done to him by its queen, Astydameia, the Dioscuri assisted him. Castor and Pollux also abducted and married Phoebe and Hilaeira, the daughters of Leucippus; Castor was then killed in a battle with the nephews of Leucippus, Idas and Lynceus. Pollux was granted immortality by Zeus, but he persuaded Zeus to allow him to share the gift with Castor. As a result, the two spend alternate days on Olympus (as gods) and in Hades (as deceased mortals).