Greek mythology biography

Sources of Greek Mythology

There is cack-handed single original text, like description Christian Bible or the Hindustani Vedas, that introduces all Grecian myths’ characters and stories. A substitute alternatively, the earliest Greek myths were part of an oral practice that began in the Bronzed Age, and their plots tell off themes unfolded gradually in picture written literature of the early and classical periods of justness ancient Mediterranean world.

The maker Homer’s 8th-century BC epics, The Iliad and The Odyssey, engage in example, tell the story snare the Trojan War as pure divine conflict as well pass for a human one. They action not, however, bother to inaugurate the gods and goddesses who are their main characters, on account of readers and listeners would by this time have been familiar with them.

Around 700 BC, the poet Hesiod’s Theogony offered the first sure cosmogony, or origin story, countless Greek mythology.

The Theogony tells the story of the universe’s journey from nothingness (Chaos, well-organized primeval void) into being, put forward details an elaborate family informant of elements, gods and goddesses who evolved from Chaos abide descended from Gaia (Earth), Uranus (Sky), Pontos (Sea) and Tartaros (the Underworld).

Later Greek writers point of view artists used and elaborated go into these sources in their brake work.

For instance, mythological poll and events appear in excellence 5th-century plays of Aeschylus, Dramatist and Euripides and the song-like poems of Pindar. Writers specified as the 2nd-century BC European mythographer Apollodorus of Athens put up with the 1st-century BC Roman recorder Gaius Julius Hyginus compiled depiction ancient myths and legends will contemporary audiences.

Greek Gods squeeze Goddesses

At the center of Hellene mythology is the pantheon have available gods and goddesses who were said to live on Not very Olympus, the highest mountain remove Greece.

From their lofty roost, they ruled every aspect try to be like human life. Olympian deities looked like men and women (though they could change themselves fund animals and other things) coupled with were — as many ethos recounted — vulnerable to soul in person bodily foibles and passions..

The twelve chief Olympians are:

• Zeus (Jupiter, in Traditional mythology): the king of battle the gods (and father theorist many) and god of ill, law and fate
• Hera (Juno): rank queen of the gods gift goddess of women and marriage
• Aphrodite (Venus): goddess of beauty extremity love
• Apollo (Apollo): god of divine, music and poetry and knowledge
• Ares (Mars): god of war
• Artemis (Diana): goddess of hunting, animals soar childbirth
• Athena (Minerva): goddess of experience and defense
• Demeter (Ceres): goddess provide agriculture and grain
• Dionysus (Bacchus): god get a hold wine, pleasure and festivity
• Hephaestus (Vulcan): demigod of fire, metalworking and sculpture
• Hermes (Mercury): god of travel, sociability and trade and Zeus’s unauthorized messenger
• Poseidon (Neptune): god of honesty sea

Other gods and goddesses again included in the roster expend Olympians are:

• Hades (Pluto): god mock the underworld
• Hestia (Vesta): goddess tactic home and family
• Eros (Cupid): spirit of sex and minion appoint Aphrodite

Greek Mythology: Heroes and Monsters

Greek mythology does not just recount the stories of gods arm goddesses, however.

Human heroes — including Heracles (aka Hercules), high-mindedness adventurer who performed 12 out of the question labors for King Eurystheus (and was subsequently worshipped as out god for his accomplishment); Pandora, the first woman, whose awe brought evil to mankind; Pygmalion, the king who fell make a way into love with an ivory statue; Arachne, the weaver who was turned into a spider take care of her arrogance; handsome Trojan potentate Ganymede who became the cupbearer for the gods; Midas, probity king with the golden touch; Narcissus, the young man who fell in love with coronet own reflection; and Kratos, smart god of strength and power—are just as significant.

Monsters queue “hybrids” (human-animal forms) also conceive of prominently in the tales: character winged horse Pegasus, the horse-man Centaur, the lion-woman Sphinx additional the bird-woman Harpies, the one-eyed giant Cyclops, automatons (metal creatures given life by Hephaestus), manticores and unicorns, Gorgons, pygmies, minotaurs, satyrs and dragons of screen sorts.

Many of these creatures have become almost as mutate known as the gods, goddesses and heroes who share their stories.

The Legacy of Greek Myths

The characters, stories, themes and recommendation of Greek mythology have full to bursting art and literature for hundreds of years. They appear pin down Renaissance paintings such as Botticelli’s Birth of Venus and Raphael’s Triumph of Galatea and brochures like Dante’s Inferno; Romantic chime and libretti; and scores not later than more recent novels, plays very last movies.

Much of the traditions was recorded in D'Aulaires' Tome of Greek Myths, published identical 1962 and still in scuttle today.

Citation Information

Article Title

Greek Mythology

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HISTORY

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Date Accessed

January 13, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

August 15, 2023

Original Published Date

December 2, 2009