The Poem of Aqhat - found in Ugarit Syria, Baal and El allow Danel and Danatiya to have son Aqhat;
Koshar-wa-Khasis gives him a bow intended for goddess Anat, whose henchman Yatpan kills him;
Aqhat's sister Paghat avenges him
The Poem of Baal - dragon sea god Yam and irrigation god Ashtar battle for earth; sun goddess Shapash
warns Ashtar; rain god Ball, son of chief god El defeats Yam with help of two thunderbolts made by
Koshar-wa-Khasis; war goddess Anat helps Baal win approval of palace from mother of gods Asherat;
Baal destroys Yam and allows windows in his palace; Baal has relations with a heifer and goes to
underworld to fight death god Mot; Ashtar took Baal's throne on earth; Anat and sun god Shapash
rescue Baal
Tuatha De Danann Group ("peoples of the goddess Danu") : defeated older deities but were overrun by the
Milesians, forerunners of the Irish
Dagda : Irish "good god"; had never-empty cauldron, never-barren fruit tree, two pigs,
and self-playing harp
Gobniu
Lug : identified with Mercury; sole survivor of triplets; father of Ulster hero Cu Chulainn
Matronae : the three mothers
Festivals
Samain : new years; November 1; celebrated marriage of Dagda to Morrigan (queen of demons) or
Boann (Boyne)
Beltire : May 1; fires burned for Belenus, god of sheep and cattle
Brigit : Dagda's daughter; identified with Minerva; goddess of poetry, crafts, prophesy, and fertility
Esus : "master" god of Gaul
Druids : Celtic priests
Ulster Cycle (sagas about
Deirdre [daughter of King Conchobar's storyteller Felim destined to be beautiful and bring death;
she is raised by Lavarcham in woods; falls in love with Conchobar's nephew Naisi and flees to
Alba with his brothers; they are persuaded to return and Usnech's sons are killed and Deirdre
commits suicide],
Cu Chulainn [son of sun god Lugh, Cu Chulainn kills hound but takes its place until owner gets
new one; trained by woman warrior Scathach; subdues Aoife and has son Conlaoch by her;
Conlaoch returns later and kills many but is killed by Cu; Cu fights army of Queen Maeve;
seduced by sea god Mananaan's wife Fand; Queen Medb of Cruachain creates imaginary
host whom Cu fights to exhaustion and dies tied to pillar; wife Emer dies with him],
King Conchobar, Medb and Ailill, Fergus, Cu Roi, Finnabair, Noisi, Emer, Bricriu Poison-tongue,
Cathbad the Druid, Etain, Da Derga, Mac Datho, Conaire, and Conall Cernach;
Cattle-Raid of Cooley [Cu Chulainn deters army of Queen Maeve while Red Branch warriors of
Ulster awaken; duels and kills foster brother Ferdiad])
Set murdered his brother King Osiris, but Horus, the hawk-headed son of Osiris and his sister-wife Isis,
took power back from his usurping uncle; Isis and her sister Nephthys buried all 14 pieces of Osiris
except the phallus; pharaohs ruled on earth as Horus and would rule in Underworld as Osiris
Anubis was the jackal-headed protector of the dead, and weighed the hearts of the dead on a balance
against a feather
Heliopolitan Ennead
Atum : merged with Re as Re-Atum; creator; lived in Nun (primordial waters of chaos); appears as
Khepri at dawn and Re at noon
Osiris : god of fertility; embodiment of the dead; resurrected king
Set : brother of Osiris; murdered Osiris but was defeated by Horace
Isis : sister and wife of Osiris
Nephthys : sister of Isis and Osiris
Shu : god of the air; created by Atum alone
Tefnut : goddess of moisture; sister and wife of Shu
Nut : goddess of the sky; daughter of Shu and Tefnut
Geb : god of the earth; son of Shu and Tefnut
Four couples of Hermopolis
Nu and Naunet : depth
Huh and Hauhet : infinity
Kuk and Kauket : darkness
Amon and Amaunet : invisibility
Regional development
Buto, Lower Egypt : Horus, Hather
Ombus, Upper Egypt : Set
Heliopolis : Ra
Memphis : Ptah
Thebes : Amon-Re
Abydos : Osiris
Theban Triad
Amon-Re : king of the gods; means "The Hidden One"; painted blue to indicate invisibility; Amon
cult suppressed by Akhenaton
Mut : a goddess
Khons : a youthful god
New Kingdom Triad : Amon, Ptah, and Re
Apis : holy bull of Osiris
Onurus : warrior god
The 27-day Feast of Opet was the greatest feast in Egypt
The Gods
Titans
Cronus (Saturn) - chief, Zeus's father
Ocean - river encircling Earth
Tethys - Ocean's wife
Hyperion - father of sun, moon, dawn
Mnemosyne - Memory
Themis - Justice
Iapetus - father of Atlas (who holds Earth on shoulders)
Prometheus - gave man fire
12 Gods of Olympus (eat ambrosia, drink nectar)
Zeus (Jupiter) - chief, sky god, Rain-god, cloud-gatherer, used thunderbolt, not
omnipotent, many affairs, used aegis breastplate, eagle and oak sacred to him
Hera (Juno) - Zeus's wife and sister, protector of marriage, jealous, punished those who
had affairs with Zeus, daughter Hithyia (protects childbirth), city was Argos,
cow and peacock sacred to her
Artemis (Diana) - daughter of Zeus and Leta, Apollo's twin, chief huntress, goddess of
nature, harvest and childbirth, protector of youth, moon goddess
Poseidon (Neptune) - god of sea, Zeus's brother, wife was Amphitrite, gave horse to man,
Earth-shaker
Hades (Pluto) - underworld, god of wealth and precious metals, helmet made him
invisible, terrible but just, abducted Persephone (Proserpine) as wife, death itself is
Thanatos (Orcus)
Pallas Athena (Minerva) - sprang from Zeus's head, goddess of Battle, the City,
handicrafts, and agriculture, invented bridle, carried aegis and thunderbolt as Zeus's
favorite child, "gray-eyed", the Maiden, temple was the Parthenon, goddess of wisdom,
city was Athens, olive and owl sacred to her
Phoebus Apollo - son of Zeus and Leto (Latona), born in Delos, lyre musician, Archer-
god, Healer, god of light and truth, oracle at Delphi priestess on tripod answered
questions, killed Python, Mouse-god, sun god is Helios (Hyperion's son), laurel and
dolphin and crow sacred to him
Aphrodite (Venus) - goddess of love, beauty, and laughter, daughter of Zeus and Dione
or born of sea foam at Cythera near Cyprus, wife of Hephaestus, myrtle and dove
sacred to her
Hermes (Mercury) - son of Zeus and Maia (daughter of Atlas), messenger, had winged
sandles and Caduceus magic wand, Master Thief, stole Apollo's cattle at age one day,
god of commerce, Divine Herald, guides dead to underworld, gave Apollo lyre
Ares (Mars) - son of Zeus and Hera who both hated him, god of War, coward in Greek
myths, sister Eris and nephew Strife, born in Thrace, vulture and dog sacred to him
Hephaestus (Vulcan and Mulciber) - god of fire, son of Hera and possibly Zeus, ugly
and lame, thrown out of Olympus, later popular on Earth and Olympus, forges weapons,
furnishings, houses, works under volcanos, wife Aphrodite or Aglaia (a Grace), god of
smiths and handicrafts, important in city
Hestia (Vesta) - Zeus's sister, goddess of Hearth, meal offerings to her, each city had a
public Hearth with eternal fire, Rome's Hearth cared for by 6 vestals (priestesses)
Lesser Gods of Olympus
Eros (Cupid) - love god, Aprodite's son or companion, mischievious, blindfolded,
attended by Anteros (slighted love), Himeros (longing), and Hymen (wedding feast)
Hebe - Youth, daughter of Hera and Zeus, cupbearer, Trojan prince Ganymede abducted
by Zeus's eagle was also a cupbearer
Iris - rainbow, messenger
Graces - Aglaia (Splendor), Euphrosyne (Mirth), Thalia (Good Cheer), daughters of Zeus
and Eurynome (daughter of Ocean ), queens of song, dance to Apollo's lyre
Muses - daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne (Memory), born at Mount Pierus in Pieria,
inspired men, dance to lyre
Clio - history
Urania - astronomy
Melpomene - tragedy
Thalia - comedy
Terpsichore - dance
Calliope - epic poetry
Erato - love poetry
Polyhymnia - songs to gods
Euterpe - lyric poetry
Zeus's attendants
Themis - divine justice
Dike - human justice
Nemesis - righteous anger
Aidos - shame
Lesser Gods of the Sea
Nereus - Old Man of the Sea, wife Doris and 50 nymph daughters (Nereids) incl.
Achille's mom Thetis and Posidon's wife Amphitrite
Triton - shell trumpeter
Natads - water nymphs
Underworld
Erebus - upper level
Tartarus - lower level
Rivers
Acheron - woe
Cocytus - lamentation
Lethe - forgetfulness
Phlegethon - fire
Styx - unbreakable oath
Charon - old boatman, ferries dead to gates of Tartarus
Cerberus - 3-headed dog who lets no one leave
Judges - Rhadamanthus, Minos, Aeacus
Elysian Fields - where the good are rewarded
Erinyes (Furies) - pursue sinners, inexorable but just, Tisiphone, Megaera, Alecto
Sleep and Death - brothers, send true dreams via horn gate and false via ivory gate
Lesser Gods of the Earth
Demeter (Ceres) - goddess of corn, daughter of Cronus and Rhea
Dionysus (Bacchus) - god of the vine
Pan - Hermes's son, part goat, lived in wild thickets and forests, ugly
Silenius - son or brother of Pan, always drunk
Castor - son of Leda and King Tyndareus of Sparta as was Clytemnestra
(Agamemnon's wife)
Pollux - son of Zeus and Leda as was Helen of Troy, Castor was killed by Idas,
avenged by Pollux, brothers shared immortality even though only
Pollux was immortal, protect sailors
Sileni - part horse, part man
Satyrs - part goat, part man
Aeolus - King of Winds, lived at Aeolia, Boreas (North), Zephyr (West), Nortus
(South), Eurus (East)
Centaurs - part horse, part man, Chiron was wisest
Gorgons - dragonlike, look turned men to stone
Graiae - 3 gray sisters with total of one eye
Sirens - voices lured sailors to death
Fates - (Greek Moirae, Roman Parcae)
Clotho - spinner
Lachesis - disposer of lots
Atropos - cut thread of life at death
Additional Roman Gods
The Numina - the Will-Powers
Lares - spirits of ancestors
Penates - gods of storehouses
Saturn - protector of sowers and seed
Ops - Saturn's wife, Harvest Helper
Janus - two-faced, good beginnings and endings, January
Faunus - like Pan, Saturn's grandson
Fauns - Roman satyrs
Quinirus - Romulus as a god
Manes - spirits of good dead in Hades
Lemures - spirits of bad dead in Hades
Camenae - goddesses of springs, cured disease, foretell, became like Muses
Lucina - childbirth
Pomona and Vertumnus - loved each other
Man's Best Friends - Demeter (corn) and Bacchus (wine)
Demeter
temple and secret festival at Eleusis
daughter Persephone abducted by Hades
Demeter's sadness caused famine
tried to make Metaneira's son immortal but stopped in anger when spied upon
Zeus ordered Hades to return Persephone
Persephone ate a pomegranate seed so had to return to Hades 4 monthes/year
when Demeter is sad (winter)
Dionysus (Bacchus)
drama festivals in his honor
born in Thebes to Zeus and Semele
only god with a mortal parent
mom asked to see Zeus as a god which killed her
Dionysus rescued by Zeus and taken to nymphs of Nysa by Hermes
captured by pirates for ransom but turned into lion and killed all except a
helmsman who recognized him as a god
went to underworld and brought dead mom to Olympus
caused mom of King Pentheus of Thebes, who mocked him, to go mad and tear
him to pieces
like wine, Bacchus could bring happiness or madness
Creation
Chaos's children - Night and Erebus
Love born, then Earth formed
Mother Earth (Gaea) and Father Heaven (Ouranos)'s children - monsters, 3 with 100
hands and 50 heads, 3 Cyclopses (one eye), lastly Titans (some good)
Ouranos imprisoned monsters, Gaea convinced Titan Cronus to oppose father
Cronus injured Ouranos and Giants sprung up from blood as did Erinyes (Furies)
Monsters driven from Earth but Erinyes remain until sin gone
Cronus and sister-queen Rhea ruled
Cronus ate 5 children to keep them from overthrowing him but Rhea saved Zeus,
replacing him with a stone
Zeus and Gaea made Cronus disgorge 5 kids who, with Titan Prometheus, battled Cronus
and the other Titans and won, punishing the losers
Zeus opposed by Gaea's last son Typhon monster and rebellion of the Giants but Zeus
with Hercules's help won
Earth a disk divided by Mediterranean and Black (Axine or Unfriendly, later Euxine or
Friendly) Seas and Ocean River
Creation of man
Story 1 - Epimetheus gave all good gifts to animals so brother Prometheus gave
fire to man
Story 2 - gods created golden race, then silver, brass, another, iron, each inferior
to previous and each generation declining
Creation of woman
Zeus angered when Prometheus tricked him into choosing bad part of sacrifice
Story 1 - gods created Pandora, beautiful but evil to men
Story 2 - gods gave Pandora box of plagues which she opened out of curiosity,
Hope only good thing in box
Punishment of Prometheus - tied to rock for befriending man, wouldn't tell Hermes who
would be mom of child that would overthrow Zeus so an eagle ate his liver daily, finally rescued
by either Chiron the Centaur's death in exchange or by Hercules
Deluge Story - Zeus sent flood to destroy Iron Race but Prometheus saved his family
(Deucalion and wife Pyrrha) in chest on Mt. Parnassus, created more men by throwing stones
Prometheus and Io
Io in form of a heifer talked to Prometheus at Caucasus about woes by Zeus, Zeus had
sent dreams about loving him, then went down under cover of cloud
Hera went to Earth and found him, Zeus turned her to heifer which Hera requested and
put under guard of 100-eyed Argus
Hermes put all 100 eyes to sleep with tale of Pan and Syrinx and killed him
Hera sent gad-fly to torment her
Io wandered for years but reached Nile and restored to human form by Zeus
Had son Epaphus and descendant Hercules, Ionian Sea named for her
Europa
Europa, daughter of King of Sidon, had dream of Asia and nameless continent arguing for her
Zeus in form of beautiful bull got her to ride him while she was picking flowers
went to Crete and had sons Minos and Rhadamanthus (judges)
Cyclops Polyphemus
Odysseus and 12 men returning from Trojan War landed on Polyphemus's island and went to cave
Cyclopses had one eye, forged thunderbolts, herded goats and sheep
Polyphemos ate 6 men (2 per meal) and closed giant boulder door
Odysseus blinded him with sharpened wooden log and escaped by hanging on belly of rams
in other stories Polyphemus loved sea nymph Galatea but not loved back
Galatea talked to Doris and married prince Acis whom Polyphemus killed in jealousy but became
a river-god
Narcissus
scorned love of maidens
Hera had unjustly punished Echo by only letting her echo others
Echo was ignored by handsome Narcissus
a maiden prayed that Narcissus fall in love with himself and he did
stared at own reflection in pool until death
narcissus flower sprung up in place of body
Hyacinthus - killed accidentally by discus thrown by sorrowful Apollo (possibly blown by jealous west
wind Zephyr) and hyacinth flower sprung up
Adonis
handsome Adonis loved by Aphrodite and Persephone
Zeus awarded him to Aphrodite spring/summer, Persephone autumn/winter
while hunting with Aphrodite was killed by boar
crimson flower sprung up
Cupid and Psyche
Psyche, 1 of 3 sisters, admired for beauty more than was Venus
jealous Venus asked son Cupid to make her fall in love with an ugly man
Cupid fell in love with her instead and no man fell in love with her
Oracle at Delphi told parents to leave her on cliff
Cupid took her to a mansion as his wife but wouldn't let her see him
despite warnings, Psyche saw her sisters who convinced her to take lamp at night and see if
husband was monster
falling wax awoke Cupid and he left
after searching long for Cupid, Psyche went to Venus and became her servant
animals helped her in impossible tasks Venus gave her: ants in sorting seeds, reed in gathering
wool, eagle in filling vase with river water
Cupid escaped his room and took Psyche to Olympus
Jupiter made Psyche immortal which pleased Venus
Pyramus and Thisbe
talked to each other through wall that divided their houses
agreed to meet at night at Tomb of Ninus
Pyramus saw lioness with Thisbe's cloak, thought her dead, and killed himself with his sword
Thisbe saw Pyramus dying and fell on his sword also
Orpheus and Eurydice
Orpheus was greatest musician and loved Eurydice
she was bitten by viper and died just after marriage
he went to underworld and sang so beautifully Pluto returned her
he looked back too soon and she was snatched back to underworld
Orpheus roamed in sadness until Maenads tore him to pieces
Ceyx and Alcyone
Ceyx (Thessaly king, son of Lucifer) left wife Alcyone (daughter of Aelous) to visit Oracle
died in hurricane as she feared
Juno sent Iris to tell Somnus to tell Alcyone in dream that Ceyx was dead
body washed up to Alcyone on shore
gods turned both to birds
7 days/year sea is peaceful (Halcyon days)
Pygmalion and Galatea
Pygmalion hated women but fell in love with his statue of perfect woman
Venus granted his prayer and turned statue to life
their son Paphos was namesake of Venus's favorite city
Baucis and Philemon
only old Baucis and Philemon showed hospitality to Mercury and Jupiter, disguised as poor
wayfarers
all neighbors were swallowed by water but their hut was turned into a temple and they lived long
and died together, turning into an oak and a linden tree from same trunk in Phrygia
Endymion - shepherd Endymion loved by Selene (Moon) who put him in immortal sleep forever so she can
caress him at night
Daphne
Apollo chased Daphne, who prefered to be a maiden
as he was about to catch her, her father river-god Peneus turned her into a laurel, which became
Apollo's sacred tree
Alpheus and Arethusa
Arethusa of Ortygia (Syracuse, Sicily) was maiden huntress like Artemis
bathed in spring
river-god Alpheus chased her until Artemis changed her into a spring of water
tunnel created between Greece and Sicily
Arethusa's well in Sicily
Alpheus changed back to river and waters mingled with hers
The Quest of the Golden Fleece
generation before Odysseus
King Athamus put away wife Nephele and married Princess Ino (daughter of King Cadmus of Thebes)
Ino caused famine and tricked messenger to say oracle demanded sacrifice of Nehele's son Phrixus
Hermes sent a ram to rescue Phrixus and sister Helle
Helle fell to death but Phrixus made it to Colchis
sacrificed ram and gave its Golden Fleece to King Aertes
Phrixus's Uncle Pelias had usurped throne and Pelias's nephew (rightful heir) Jason came to claim throne
Jason wore one sandal as in profphesy of doom to Pelias
Pelias offered throne if Jason could bring back the Golden Fleece
Hercules, Orpheus, Castor and Pollux, Peleus (Achille's dad), and others joined quest
all-women island (had killed all men except Hypsipyle's dad) friendly to Argonauts
Hercule's armor-bearer Hylas abducted by water nymph and Hercules left searching for him
sons of North wind Boreas saved old prophet from bird-like Harpies who had eaten his food (a
punishment from Zeus for foretelling his plans)
on prophet's advice Jason sent dove through Clashing Rocks Symplegades first and was safe so
boat followed
ship passed country of fearsome Amazon women, daughters of Harmony and Ares
Hera asked Aphrodite to make son Cupid make Aertes's magical daughter Medea fall in love with
Jason, which he did on bribe of gold ball
Argonauts reached Aertes who disliked foreigners
required Jason to plow field with fire-breathing bulls and sow corn that turned into armed men and
to kill them, as he had done
Medea, partly on request of a prince Jason had saved, gave Jason one-day invincible powder
Jason completed task and Medea lulled guardian serpent to sleep as Jason took fleece and fled
with her and Argonauts
Medea's brother Apsyrtus or Aertes pursued them but they escaped because Medea killed her brother
Hera helped cross Scylla rock and Charybdis whirlpool
returned to Greece
Pelias had killed Jason's father, mom died of grief
Medea tricked Pelias's daughters into thinking they could make Pelias young by chopping him up
had 2 sons in Corinth, Medea may have restored Jason's dad and given Jason youth
Jason married daughter of King of Corinth for ambition
Medea cursed her and was exiled by the King of Corinth
Jason blamed exile on Medea's foolishness but she felt forsaken
Medea sent her sons to kill Jason's wife with poisoned coat
she then killed her kids who would have been unsafe in exile and she was carried away by dragon chariot
Phaethon
Phaethon, son of mortal Clymene and the Sun, came to Sun's palace to ask if he was Sun's son
Sun said yes and swore by Styx to give him anything
wanted to ride Sun's chariot across sky one day
Sun knew danger and tried to disuade but had to agree
Phaethon rode chariot but horses went wild
caught Earth on fire and River Nile hid its head
Zeus saved Earth by killing Phaethon with thunderbolt
fell into river Eridanus and mourned by naiads and Heliades sisters
Pegasus and Bellerophon
King Glaucus of Ephyre (Corinth), son of Sisyphus (who had to roll stone up hill in Hades forever
as Zeus's punishment) fed horses humans to make them fierce but gods caused horses to
eat him
Bellerophon, son of Eurynome and Glaucus or Poseidon, wanted Pegasus, winged horse who had
sprung from Gorgon's blood when Perseus slew her
Athena sent dream and golden bridle
Pegasus accepted Bellerophon and bridle
accidentally killed brother and fled to King Proetus of Argos whose wife falsely accused him
Proetus sent him to King Lycia of Asia with note saying to kill him
fearing Zeus's wrath for inhospitality, Lycia instead sent him on dangerous mission to slay
lion/goat/snake Chimaeva but he did slay it with help of Pegasus
returned to Proetus who made him battle Solymi and the Amazons, finally befriended him
Bellerophon became arrogant and tried to fly to Olympus but Pegasus threw him and made him
wander on foot
Pegasus went to Zeus's stables and delivers thunderbolt
Otus and Ephialtes
twin giants Otus and Ephialtes, sons of Poseidon and Iphimedia or Canace, imprisoned Ares but
Hermes helped him escape
Zeus wanted to kill them but Poseidon promised to keep them in line
Otus wanted Hera but decided first to pursue Artemis for Ephialtes
Artemis turned into hind in woods of Naxos island and tricked them into throwing weapons at
each other, each slaying his beloved brother
Daedalus
Daedalus designed Labyrinth for Minotaur in Crete
Minos suspected he helped Athenians escape so imprisoned him in Labyrinth
built wings for him and son Icarus to fly out
despite warnings son flew too high and fell into water
Daedalus arrived in Sicily
Minos found him by offering contest of passing thread through intricate shell, knowing only
Daedalus could (by using ant to crawl through it), but Minos was killed
Perseus
King Acrisius of Argos feared daughter Danae and later her son Perseus because oracle said his
grandson would kill him, so he shut them in underground bronze house and then sent them to
sea in a chest
fisherman Dictys on island opened chest and let them live with him and his wife
King Polydectes later wanted Danae but to get rid of Perseus
Polydectes told Perseus how much he wanted head of Gorgon Medusa, and Perseus promised to
get it as wedding present
Medusa only mortal of 3 sisters, looking at her turns one to stone
oracle told him to go to Selli in land of acorns who told him only that gods protected him
Hermes took Perseus to Gray Women who told him where nymphs of North were when he
kidnapped their one shared eye
Hermes gave him sword and Athena gave a mirror shield
Athena told which was Medusa and Perseus looked in mirror-shield, cut off her head, and put it in
magic wallet
Queen Cassiopeia had been arrogant towards gods so daughter Andromeda was required as
sacrifice to be eaten by serpent
Perseus slew serpent and took Andromeda as wife and returned to island
Dictys's wife was dead, Dictys and Danae hid in temple
Perseus went to Polydectes's banquet and showed Medusa's head, turning all to stone
returned to Greece to reconcile with Acrisius, who had been driven from his city
Perseus's discus in athletic contest of King of Larissa in North accidentally hit and killed Acrisius
Perseus's son Electryon was Hercules's granddad
Athena given Medusa's head and bore it on aegis
Theseus
son of King Aegeus of Athens but raised by mom until old enough to roll away stone to get dad's
sword and go to Athens
went by land because more dangerous and wanted to be hero like cousin Hercules
killed bandits as they killed others: kicked Sciron into sea, Sinis fastened to pine trees, Procrustes
fit to table length
Aegeus didn't know Theseus was son so gave him Medea's poison but found out just in time and
dashed cup away before Theseus drank
Aegeus had sent Minos of Crete's son Androgeus on fatal expedition against a bull and Mino
captured Athens and demanded 7 maidens and 7 youths every 9 years to feed Minotaur
bull/man
Poseidon had given Minos the Minotaur to sacrifice but instead kept it in Daedalus-designed
Labyrinth, Poseidon punished him by making the Minotaur's mom Pasiphae fall in love
with him
Theseus volunteered to be sacrifice but planned to kill Minotaur
Minos's daughter Ariadne fell in love with Theseus and told him to string thread from entrance to
retrace steps and escape, in exchange he would marry her
Theseus killed Minotaur with his fists
on way back he either deserted Ariadne on island or she died accidentally
forgot to give sign of his success by replacing black sail with white so sad Aegeus jumped into
sea, now named Aegean Sea
Theseus became king and established democracy
victorious Thebans of the Seven Against Thebes refused to bury enemy so Theseus made them
only Theseus received outcast Oedipus and protected his daughters
fought Amazons and took one back, Antiope or Hippolyta, and had son Hippolyta
Amazons invaded Attica near Athens but were defeated
went on Argo with Jason and on the Calydonian boar hunt
saved rash friend Piritheus's life, who had stolen his cattle but surrendered, many times, Piritheus
was King of Lapithae
helped defeat drunk Centaur horse/men at Piritheus's wedding
after wife died Piritheus wanted to abduct Persephone
Theseus kidnapped young Helen but later she was rescued by her brothers Caster and Pollux
went to Hades with Piritheus but Hades put them in Chair of Forgetfulness and later Hercules
could rescue only Theseus
Hippolytus was raised in same region dad was and avoided women
Theseus married Ariadne's sister Phaedra who fell in love with stepson Hippolytus who refused
her nurses's pleas to love her
Phaedra committed suicide but left note accusing Hippolytus of violence
Theseus banished son and son was killed when chariot crashed after Poseidon fulfilled dad's curse
by sending a sea monster to attack chariot
Artemis told Theseus his son was not guilty but it was Aphrodite's fault
son brought back and died in his arms
King Lycomedes later killed Theseus for some reason
Athens honored Theseus and his tomb is sanctuary for poor and helpless
Hercules
brave and strong but not smart
helped gods defeat Giants
threatened to steal oracle's tripod when it didn't answer him said he would fight Apollo
strong emotions, deserted Argonauts in grief when his armor-bearer Hylas killed
born to Zeus and Alcides, Amphitryon's wife, with half-brother Iphicles
two snakes attacked brothers in crib before they were a year old but Hercules strangled them,
snakes had been sent by Hera
Teiresias (blind prophet) said he would be famous
unintentionally killed his music teacher
at 18 killed Thespian lion in Cithaeron woods and wore its skin thereafter
conquered Minyans who plagued Thebans and was given Princess Megara as wife
Hera made him go mad and he killed his wife and 3 sons
Amphitryon told him what happened, cousin Theseus saved him from suicide
oracle at Delphi told him to be purified by performing labors for King Eurystheus of Mycenae
12 Labors of Hercules
killed lion of Nemea
killed 9-headed Hydra of Lerna (1 immortal head buried, other 8 grew 2 when 1 cut off
but used nephew Iolaus's brand on severed necks)
captured golden horned stag in Cerynitia sacred to Artemis
captured great boar on Mt. Erymanthus
cleaned Augean stables in a day by diverting 2 rivers
drove away Stymphalus birds, helped by Athena
captured Minos's bull in Crete
stole man-eating mares of King Diomedes of Thrace
captured girdle of Hippolyta the Amazon
stole cattle of 3-bodied monster in Erythia, set up Gibraltar and Ceuta pillars as memorial
tricked Atlas into getting Golden Apples of his sons the Hesperides
captured Cerberus from underworld and freed Theseus from Chair of Forgetfulness
killed Giant wrestler Antaeus, immortal on ground, by lifting and strangling him
fought river-god Achelous (in form of bull) for Deianira (his daughter) as wife, broke off his horn
King Laomedon had cheated Apollo and Poseidon of wages for building walls of Troy so a
monster was sent to devous his daughter, Hercules rescued her in return for Zeus's horses owned
by Laomedon but he wouldn't give them to Hercules so Hercules conquered the city, killed the king,
and gave the daughter to his friend Telamon of Salamis
freed Prometheus on way to Atlas
carelessly killed servant boy and exiled self as punishment
killed son of King Eurytus, who had insulted him, as penance was slave of Queen Omphale of
Lydia who made him do women's work
Apollo, a slave of Admetus as punishment for kiling Zeus's Cyclopses in revenge for death of his
son Aesculaplus, told Admetus he could get a substitute to die for him, and his wife Alcestis agreed
Admetus told Hercules when he came to visit that no one important had died, Hercules got drunk
but was ashamed when he learned Admetus's wife died
to make amends, Hercules wrestled Death and brought Alcestis back from dead
Hercules killed King Eurytus and sent captured maidens, including beleved Iole (Eurytus's
daughter) to wife Deianira
Deianira sent him a coat with what she thought was a love potion from the blood of a ferryman
Hercules had slain (Centaur Nessus)
was actually poison and nearly killed Hercules but he killed the one who had delivered it, Deianira
killed herself when she found out, and finally Hercules killed himself in a pyre, giving box and arrows
to Philoctetes
taken to heaven, reconciled with Hera, married Hera's daughter Hebe
Atalanta
Atalanta's dad, wanting a son, left her in mountains, raised by bear and later by kindly hunters
Artemis punished King Oeneus by sending terrible bear, King called for heros to hunt it
in Calydonian boar hunt, Oeneus's son Meleager fell in love with Atalanta and insisted she be
allowed on hunt
3 men killed, then Atalanta's arrow hit boar and Meleager killed it but gave prize skin to Atalanta
Meleager's chauvinist uncles complained but he killed them
upset at brothers' deathes, Meleager's mom Althea threw a log in fire that fates had said would kill
Meleager, and he did die, mom then hanged self
at Pelias's funeral Atalanta outwrestled Achille's dad Peleus
Atalanta's dad accepted her back
she didn't want to marry and disposed of suitors by beating them in a footrace
Melanion (or Hippomenes) beat her by dropping Aphrodite's irrestible golden apples, which she
had to stop and pick up
they married and had son Parthenopaeus (one of the Seven Against Thebes) before they were
turned into lions
Trojan War
at marriage of King Peleus and sea nymph Thetis shunned Eris (goddess of Discord) threw in
golden apple "for the fairest"
Zeus sent 3 goddesses to be judged by Prince Paris (son of King Priam of Troy) who was herding sheep
Paris chose Aphrodite's bribe of most beautiful woman in world over Hera's of being lord over
Europe and Asia and Athena's of leading Troy over the Greeks
Helen was most beautiful, daughter of Zeus and Leda, King Tyndareus made all suiters promise to
help her future husband if any wrong done
gave Helen to Menelaus, Agamemnon's brother, and made him King of Sparta
Paris visited Menelaus but kidnapped Helen when Menelaus was gone
all Greek chieftans bound to help attack Troy
Odysseus tried to feign madness by sowing field with salt but didn't run over his son with plow so
messenger knew he was sane and made him go
Achilles's mom sent him to King Lycomedus and disguised him as girl but Odysseus found he
preferred weapons not girls' trinckets, and he confessed and agreed to go
Agamemnon was told by soothsayer Calchas he had to sacrifice daughter Iphigenia to Artemis
(upset about a slain hare) to get favorable winds), and he did this
at Troy Protesilaus was first ashore, brave because it was prophesied that first to shore would be
first to die
King Priam and Queen Hecuba ruled Troy, Achilles (Greek) and Hector (Troy) fated to die
9 years of battle
Greeks carried off Chryseis, daughter of Apollo's priest, for Agamemnon, Apollo shot arrows at
Greeks, Calchus told Greeks to return her, Agamemnon did but took Achilles's Briseis instead
gods divide
for Greeks: Hera, Athena, Poseidon
for Trojans: Aphrodite, Ares, Apollo, Zeus
Achilles's mom Thetis mad and asked Zeus to help Troy
Zeus sent false dream telling Agamemnon to fight without Achilles
Menelaus and Paris fought alone, Paris lost and fled
Troy would have returned Helen and ended war but Hera and Athena made Lycian archer
Pandarus break the truce and war started again
Greeks Ajax and Diomedes killed many, Diomedes wounded Aeneas, his mom Aphrodite tried to
save him but was wounded herself, Apollo then saved Aeneas
Greeks feared Ares with Hector but Hera helped Diomedes wound Ares and he returned whining
to Olympus
Hector's mom prayed to Athena but was denied
Hector bid farewell to wife Andromache and son Astyanax
Achilles, upset at wrongful stealing of Briseis by Agamemnon, stayed in tent
wise Nestor told Agamemnon to appease Achilles but sending Briseis back along with many
treasures would not appease him
Hera put Zeus to sleep and helped Greeks advance, Ajax threw down Hector but Aeneas saved him
Zeus awoke but Hera blamed Poseidon
Apollo and Hector led Tory on advance
Achilles's beloved friend Patroclus borrowed his armor and fought to help his countrymen despite
Agamemnon's wrong, led Achiles's men (the Myrmidons), Hector slew Patroclus and took
Achilles's armor
Nestor's son Antilochus told Achilles Patroclus was slain
Achilles vowed to avenge but mom warned that he was fated to die right after Hector, but she
brought him arms made by Hephaestus
river Scamander tried to drown Achilles
Athena took form of Hector's brother Deiphobus to trick him
Achilles pursued Hector 3 times around Troy
Achilles slew Hector with spear into hole in armor at throat
dragged body behind his chariot around Troy
Zeus sent Iris to Priam and told him to ransom Hector's body back
Achilles agreed and declared a 9-day truce for mourning Hector in Troy
burned Hector on big pyre and buried his bones in urn
Fall of Troy
Achilles killed Prince Memnon of Ethiopia who fought with Troy
Paris's arrow hit Achilles in the heel, only vulnerable spot because mom Thetis had held him by
heel when dipping in Styx to make him invincible, Achilles died, put in urn with Patroclus
Greeks voted on whether Odysseus or Ajax would get Achilles's armor, Odysseus won, in anger
Ajax came to kill Agamemnon and Menelaus but Athena made him go mad and he slaughtered
cattle and rams, thinking they were Greeks, then became sane and killed self
Calchas told Greeks to ask Trojan prophet Helenus, Odysseus captured him and he said Greeks
must use Hercules's bow and arrow, which Philoctetes, who had been bitten by serpent on way
to Troy and abandoned on an island, owned
Odysseus retrieved Philoctetes and physician healed him, he then shot Paris who went to magical
nymph Oenone (his first wife) for healing but she refused because he had left her for Helen, and
Paris and Oenone died
Greeks had to steal Troy's image of Athena before it would fall so Diomedes, with Odysseus, did
so at night
Odysseus devised plan of wooden horse to sneak army into city, all afraid except Achilles's son
Neoptalemus
Trojans found Greeks' ships gone, camps deserted, and a big horse at Troy's gates
Sinon, only visible Greek, told story that Athena was upset her image was stolen and demanded a
sacrifice and he was chosen but escaped and wanted to be a Trojan now, said horse was gift to
Athena and Greeks wanted Trojans to burn it and incur Athena's wrath, not bring it in city and
bring her favor
priest Laocoon and 2 sons doubted the story but Poseidon sent 2 serpents to strangle them and
Trojans took this to mean story was true
took horse inside gates, at night Greeks got out, opened city gates to let returned army in, and
butchered sleeping Trojans and burned Troy
vicious fighting in streets, Achilles's son killed Priam
only Aphrodite's son Aeneas, with her help, escaped, along with his father and son
Helen returned to Menelaus
women captives included Queen Hecuba and Hector's wife Andromache
Hecuba's daughter Polyxena killed on Achilles's grave and Hector's son Astyanax thrown from
wall to death
Adventures of Odysseus
gods mad at Greeks for forgetting to honor gods in victory over Troy
a lesser Ajax committed sacrilege of dragging Cassandra, whom Apollo had given power to
prophesy but no one to believe her, out of Athena's sanctuary
Ajax drowned by Poseidon when he bragged to sea
many suitors came to apparently widowed Penelope (Odysseus's wife), and lived arrogantly and
recklessly in their house
Penelope wouldn't marry until wove a shroud for father-in-law Laertes, but she unwove it every
night until suitors discovered the trick
after 10 years of wandering gods, especially Athena but not Poseidon, took mercy on Odysseus
when Poseidon was away in Ethiopia Athena convinced gods to free Odysseus from Calypso, a
nymph who loved him and kept him on her isle
Athena disguised as a seafarer told Odysseus's son Telemachus to go to Nestor and Menelaus to
get info on dad
Athena disguised as trusted Mentor went with Telemachus on voyage to Pylos home of Nestor
after suitors refused to help
Nestor told Telmachus to go to Menelaus, who on return from Troy had been blown off course to
Egypt, before returning to Sparta
Telemachus and Nestor's son went to Menelaus, who received them with great hospitality and told
how he had been trapped on Pharos by bad weather but with help of sea-goddess captured her
dad sea-god Proteus on seal beach who told how to get home and that Odysseus was on
Calypso's isle
Zeus sent Hermes to tell Calypso to free Odysseus, and she sadly helped him build sturdy raft with
20 trees for 5 days
on 18th day on sea Odysseus saw mountain but Poseidon returned and sent fierce winds, goddess
Ino helped him swim to shore in 2 days, slept under dry trees
was in land of kind Phaeacians with King Alcinous and wise Queen Arete
king's daughter Nausicaa went to river to wash clothes and bathe, found naked Odysseus and
kindly agreed to bring him to palace
Odysseus asked Arete for mercy and was given good hospitality
asked next day to tell Phaeacians of his journey returning from Troy
landed at land of Lotus-eaters, those who ate lost desire to go home and had to be chained
to ships
lost several men to Cyclops Polyphemus (see above)
came to King Aeolus of the winds, given bag with all bad winds so would sail peacefully
but sailors opened it and storms hit
finally saw land but all ships except Odysseus's destroyed by cannibalistic giants the
Laestrygens
came to Aeaea, realm of Circe, who turned men to swine, Hermes gave Odysseus herb to
protect him from Circe's magic, she was amazed her powers failed on him and fell in love
with Odysseus, turned swine back to men and treated them very well for a year
as Circe told them they had to do, Odysseus went to entrance to Hades at Erebus and
filled trench with sheep blood to lure spirits of the dead and ask ghost of Teiresias of
Thebes for help
Teiresias warned not to hurt the Sun's oxen and that Odysseus would be safe, other spirits
talked with Odysseus
to pass Sirens, who lured men to deaths with beautiful songs, Odysseus was tied to mast
and all others put wax in their ears
passed Scylla monster and Charybdis whirlpool although Scylla killed several
landed at Island of the Sun and men foolishly killed and ate oxen, mad Sun shattered ship
with thunderbolt and all but Odysseus drowned
Odysseus drifted to Calypso's island, then after many years made it to Phaeacian's land
Alcinous sent Odysseus back to Ithaca on one of his ships with many gifts
Athena disguised as shepherd met Odysseus and he, cautious, told false story of self, she then
revealed self and they made plans, disguised him as beggar
disguised Odysseus given hospitality by loyal swineherd Eumaeus
Telemachus returned and Odysseus revealed himself, agreed to hide all weapons from suitors
old dog Argos recognized Odysseus, then died
suitors mocked beggar but Penelope was kind, beggar told story of seeing Odysseus, but didn't
reveal self, old nurse Eurycleia when washing his feet noticed Odysseus's scar from boyhood hunt,
promised not to tell anyone
Penelope asked suitors for costly gifts which they gave her, then told them that whoever could
string Odysseus's bow and shoot arrow through 12 rings would be new husband but no one could
string it
beggar was mocked but Telemachus let him try feat which he did with ease, then Eumaeus closed
women's quarters, cattle keeper shut gates of court, Telemachus with spear guarded exit, Athena
protected Odysseus from attack, and Odysseus killed suitors with arrows
suitors' priest prayed for mercy but was killed with sword, bard was spared
Penelope didn't believe when Eurycleia told her Odysseus returned but went down and found him
still wasn't sure it was him but had 2 ways to know
Adventures of Aeneas
escaped from Troy with dad and son, sailed with other Trojans
started several cities but gave up because of bad omens
dream told him to build in Hesperia (Western Country, Italy), left from Crete
driven away by Harpies
met Hector's wife Andromache who had been given to Neoptalemus (Achilles's son) who left her
for Helen's daughter and then died, then she married Trojan prophet Helenus and ruled this land
Helenus told Aeneas to land on west coast of Italy and avoid Scylla and Charybdis between Italy
and Sicily
landed in southern Sicily but warned by one of Odysseus's abandoned men that Cyclopses were
there, escaped just in time as Polyphemus waded out to sea
Juno caused storm with waves from ocean floor to start, Juno knew Fates had said Aeneas's
descendants would conquer her beloved Carthage, asked Aeolus to send winds, but Neptune
calmed sea and reprimanded Aeolus, Aeneas landed near Carthage
Juno wanted Dido, Carthage's founder, and Aeneas to fall in love, but Venus made Jupiter promise
to foil plan, sent Cupid to make Dido love Aeneas but not Aeneas to love her
Aeneas and friend Achates explored land and told by Venus disguised as huntress to go to Queen
at Carthage
saw carvings of Trojan War and were encouraged
Dido loved Aeneas and made him co-ruler and gave him and his men many gifts
after a while of living happily Jupiter sent Mercury to tell him to go found city
Aeneas was sad to leave Dido but had to on Jupiter's orders, left at night, Dido killed herself
trusty pilot Palinurus died at sea
landed in western Italy and found wise Sibyl of Cumae as Helenus had said to, she guided
Achilles and Achates to underworld to speak to Achilles's dad Anchises
killed 4 black bullocks for Night Goddess Hecate, then went down past Disease, Hunger, Discord,
etc. on way to underworld
gave a golden bough to Charon to ferry them across (ususally only took dead who had been given
proper burial, others had to wander for 100 years), gave cake to Cerberus
saw Dido in Fields of Mourning for suicide lovers but she didn't respond
to left Rhadamanthus punished the bad, to right were Elysian Fields where dad was
Anchises showed Aeneas future descendants, the great Romans, at the River of Forgetfulness for
reincarnation
Aeneas returned to Italy
Latinus (great-grandson of Saturn) of Latium told by spirit of dad Faunus to marry daughter
Lavinia only to foreigner whose descendants would rule world
Latinus thought Aeneas was this man but Juno made Fury Alecto make Queen Amato oppose
marriage and jealous suiter King Turnus of Rutulians attack, Latinus hid and let events unfold
Juno opened doors of her war temple
Mezentius helped the Rutulians, was so cruel the Etruscans had overthrown him, Camilla, who
killed cranes and swans and led marriage-hating maiden army, also fought with them
Father Tiber told Aeneas to go to King Evander of what would later be Rome, he received Aeneas
kindly, told how Saturn led Golden Age in town followed by tyrants before he came from Arcady
in Greece and became king naming city Arcady also, gave Aeneas son Pallas and horses and sent
to much stronger Etruria who hated Mezentius (who had killed people by linking them with
corpses) for help
Trojans without Aeneas defended selves but took no offensive, as Aeneas had instructed
veteran Nisus decided to go through enemy lines to send message to Aeneas, friend Euryalus
insisted on going also, Ascanius said he would treat Euryalus's mom as his own if he was killed,
Nisus and Euryalus killed many silently in enemy lines but at daylight troopers caught Euryalus
and killed him, Nisus died trying to rescue him
fierce battle, all enemies and many with Aeneas including Pallas were killed
superhuman Aeneas killed Turnus, married Lavinia, and founded Roman race
The House of Atreus
Tantalus, son of Zeus, ate with gods and was honored by gods but played evil trick: when gods
gave him honor of dining at his palace he fed them his son Pelops, gods realized this and punished
him by putting him near pool and fruit trees in Hades that disappeared when he tried to eat or drink,
Pelops restored to life but had to have ivory shoulder because Demeter had accidentally eaten his
Pelops won chariot race against Hippodamia's dad who had beaten and killed many others with his
horses from Ares, was helped by Hippodamia, horses from Poseidon, and King's charioteer Myrtilus
(whom he later killed), Pelops married Hippodamia
Tantalus's daughter Niobe became great with husband Amphion who played music so well stones
followed him to help brother Zethus (both sons of Zeus) build walls of Thebes, ruled Thebes and
had 14 great kids but in arrogance Niobe made Leto's temple her own, Leto's children Apollo and
Artemis killed all her kids with arrows and she turned into a crying stone
Pelops's son Atreus killed brother Thyestes's 2 kids and made Thyestes eat them because he had
affair with Atreus's wife
Odysseus heard spirit of Agamemnon tell of his wretched death: wife Clytemnestra killed
Cassandra and Clytemnestra's lover Aegisthus killed him
Alternate story of Agamemnon's death
Atreus's son Menelaus lived happily with Helen after returning from Troy via Egypt
Agamemnon returned without trouble and received as hero but old men worried because
they knew curse of House of Atreus and that Agamemnon had sacrificed daughter
Queen Clytemnestra did not send Aegisthus away, only Agamemnon didn't know of her
infidelity, she greeted Agamemnon lovingly in public
Cassandra, war captive who prophesied correctly but no one believed her, told old men
that two, including her, would die that night because of curse of House of Atreus, men
tried to keep her from going into house but she refused
heard Agamemnon cry out and blood-stained Clytemnestra emerged and told all she
had executed husband for sacrificing daughter
Aegisthus son of Thyestes helped to avenge wrong Agamemnon's dad Atreus had done to
Thyestes
Agamemnon's son Orestes was away with trusted friend, daughter Electra was mistreated
and hoped only for brother's return
Orestes asked oracle's help to decide if it was right to kill mom to avenge dad, Apollo
told him to kill her
Orestes and friend Pylades came to Electra, proving identity with cloak she made, and
planned to pretend to be messenger with good news that Orestes was dead
Orestes killed Aegisthus and mom despite her pleas, was plagued by visions of black
women with snake hair, wandered and suffered for many years, purifying self
asked Athena for purification and Apollo helped him, tormenting Furies the Erinyes
became Benignant Ones the Eumenides to protect suppliants, curse of the House of
Atreus ended
Iphigenia Among Taurians
later Greeks, despising human sacrifice story, changed story of Agamemnon sacrificing
Iphigenia to Artemis because it slandered goddess as bloodthirsty
on altar Artemis made Iphigenia disappear and provided deer instead, good news sent to
mom via messenger
Iphigenia taken to Tauria (now Crimea) and made priestess at Artemis's temple, job was
to prepare captured Greeks for sacrifice
after a few years Orestes, with Pylades, landed there to bring image of Artemis to Greece
to purify self from mom's murder, but was very dangerous
were captured and taken to Iphigenia for sacrifice, she asked about their home in
Mycenae and asked Orestes (unrecognized) to take message but he told Pylades to take
it and be saved, message was to Orestes to come rescue her, delivered immediately,
Orestes told her details of home and she knew it was him
she devised plan to tell King Thoas that Artemis said the Greeks were impure from
killing mom and had to take them alone to sea to purify, and he allowed it
set out to sea but winds blew them back, Thoas was about to kill them but Athena
appeared in air and told him not to, so he stopped, and Poseidon calmed sea and they
sailed away
Royal House of Thebes
Cadmus
Europa's dad sent brothers to look for her, brother Cadmus asked oracle for help, told to
found city where a cow rested, there established Thebes in Boeotia (heifer's land), slew
dragons at nearby springs, Athena told him to sow dragons' teeth, armed men grew up
and killed each other except 5 who helped Cadmus build Thebes
introduced alphabet, married Harmonia, daughter of Ares and Aphrodite (who gave them
necklace made by Hephaestus)
4 daughters and 1 son
Semele mom of Dionysus was killed by seeing Zeus in his glory
Ino step-mom of Phrixus, her husband went mad and killed son Melicertes and
she jumped into sea, but she was made into a sea-goddess and later saved
Odysseus, in later myths renamed Leucothea and her son Palaemon
Dionysus made Agave go mad and he killed son Pentheus thinking he was a lion
Autonoe had to watch innocent son die because he accidentally saw Artemis
naked and was turned to stag and killed by dogs
Cadmus and Harmonia fled from Thebes and were unjustly turned into serpents
Oedipus
Laius (great-grandson of Cadmus), king of Thebes with wife Jocasta queen, told by
oracle his son would kill him, sent baby son to mountain to die, then he and 3
attendants were killed, 1 who survived told Thebes that robbers had attacked them
lion/woman Sphinx killed wayfarers who couldn't answer her riddle: what animal walks
on 4 feet in morning, 2 at noon, and 3 in the evening?
Oedipus fled Corinth because oracle said he would kill dad, who he thought was King
Polybus, and marry mom
answered Sphinx's riddle (man) and it killed itself
grateful Thebes made him king, married Jocasta
famine came and Oedipus sent Jocasta's brother Creon to oracle, told to punish murderer
of Laius, Oedipus glad but prophet Teiresias, upon threats and accusations, finally told
him he was the murderer but Oedipus thought Teiresias had gone mad
Jocasta told how robbers killed Laius on road, Oedipus told how he had attacked and
killed rude travellers on way to Thebes
messenger said Polybus was dead but Oedipus wasn't his son, Oedipus had been given to
messenger as baby by shepherd who then appeared and was recognized and finally
confessed
Oedipus realized he had killed dad Laius and married mom, Jocasta then killed self,
Oedipus blinded self
Antigone
Jocasta's brother Creon ruled Thebes, all treated Oedipus well but after several years
banished him with consent of sons Polyneices and Eteocles, daughter Antigone traveled
with him and daughter Ismene stayed in Thebes to send him news
younger Eteocles took throne, Polyneices went to Argos to raise an army
Oedipus cared for by Benignant Goddesses and Theseus of Athens, died happy with
daughters by side
Polyneices with 6 chieftans including King Adrastus of Argos and his brother-in-law
Amphiaraus (unwillingly, knowing only Adrastus would survive, but made to come by
bribed wife Eriphyle whom he had sworn could decide disputes between him and
Adrastus), attacked Thebes, sisters couldn't take sides
Teiresias said Thebes would fall unless Eteocles's son Menoeceus died, dad refused but
selfless son fought and died when dad went to get gold to send him away
armies agreed to let brothers fight it out alone, both killed each other
armies fought on, attackers driven away
Creon declared Eteocles should be buried but not Polyneices, Thebes agreed
Antigone upset because unburied wouldn't be ferried by Charon and so she buried him
during dust storm
a guard told Creon Antigone had disobeyed his order, sister Ismene said she helped but
hadn't actually, Antigone led to death
Seven Against Thebes
5 chieftains remained unburied, moms and sons came to Theseus for help, Theseus's mom
Aethra convinced him to put matter to vote, Athens voted to demand burial but Creon
refused
Athens attacked and won but didn't destroy city or kill citizens
Theseus buried Capaneus, Eteocles, Hippomedon, Parthenopaeus (Atalanta's son), and
Tydeus, Adrastus spoke last words for each
Capaneus's wife Evadne leaped into pyre to kill self
sons of dead chieftans vowed vengeance on Thebes, 10 years later they destroyed
Thebes, Harmonia's necklace taken to Delphi, despite success they were known as
"After-Born"
Tydeus's son Diomedes was hero at Troy
Royal House of Athens
Cecrops
first king of Attica was dragon/man Cecrops
Poseidon wanted to be Athen's benefactor and made salt water flow from Acropolis but
Athena also wanted this and made prized olive tree for Athens
Athena won
Story 1: arbiter Cecrops chose Athena, mad Poseidon sent flood
Story 2: all men voted for Poseidon, women for Athena, 1 more woman so
Athena won, mad men took vote away from women
some said Cecrops was normal human, great-granddad of Theseus, Demeter began
agriculture in reign of Theseus's dad King Erechtheus's
Procne and Philomela
Procne was daughter of Erechtheus, married Tereus of Thrace, son of Ares
when son Itys was 5 Procne asked him to let her sister visit
Tereus escorted her sister Philomela but fell in love with her, told her that Procne was
dead, pretended marriage to her, she later found out and threatened to tell on
him, he cut out her tongue and left her guarded, told Procne she had died on journey
Philomela wove her story into tapestry, old woman took it to Procne who was outraged
and went to sister, killed son Itys and served him to Tereus for dinner
when she told him what he had eaten he chased her, near Daulis he almost caught her but
all were turned into birds: Procne nightengale, Tereus hawk, and Philomela swallow
(can't sing)
Romans mixed up sisters: Philomela a nightengale (despite having no tongue)
Procris and Cephalus
Procris, niece of Procne and Philomela, married Cephalus, grandson of Aeolus
few days later Aurora (Dawn) carried off Cephalus whom she saw hunt at dawn and fell
in love with him, he refused her and she returned him but hinted that Procris might be
unfaithful
to test wife he disguised self as stranger and tried many days to have affair, one day she
paused in her refusals and he revealed self and accused her of treachery, she fled
he realized he was wrong and begged forgiveness when he found her, she finally forgave
on hunt together they separated and he threw javelin which never missed at moving
thicket and killed Procris accidentally
Orithyia and Boreas
Procris's sister Orithyia was courted by North Wind Boreas but all feared those from
North because Tereus was from North
Boreas carried her away from river bank, had sons Zetes and Calais, who both went on
Quest of the Golden Fleece
Creusa and Ion
another of Procris's sisters, Creusa, was kidnapped when young by Apollo, taken to cave
in shame she left her son in same cave to die so no one would know
her dad King Erechtheus gave her as wife to Greek foreigner Xuthus who had helped him
in war, Xuthus wanted son but didn't have one, went to oracle for help
young priest Ion at Delphi said priestess Pythoness had found him as baby and he was
happy to serve gods
she told him her story but said it was about a friend
Xuthus came and said Apollo had told him Ion was his son
priestess gave swaddling clothes to Ion and Creusa recognized them, proved she was his
mother by describing embroidery and golden serpents on clothes
Athena, sent by Apollo, told them Ion was her son and had been rescued by Apollo and
that Ion was worthy to rule kingdom
Less Important Myths
Midas
King Midas of Phrygia entertained drunk Silenus, whom servants had found and tied up
with roses, for 10 days
took him back to Bacchus who was so delighted he promised any gift
Midas asked that all he touched turn to gold, couldn't eat or drink, asked to take gift back,
Bacchus said to wash in source of river Pactolus, this is why gold is found in river's banks
Midas foolishly chose Pan over Apollo to win music contest (mountain-god Tmolus
chose Apollo) and was punished by getting donkey ears
wore hat so only his hair-cutter knew about ears, he whispered secret into ground and
when reeds grew and stirred by wind they repeated secret
Aesculapius
maiden Coronis of Thessaly loved mortal not Apollo who loved her
Apollo's white raven told of her unfaithfulness and Apollo turned it black in anger
either Apollo killed Coronis or got sister Artemis to shoot her
in grief he took baby to be raised by wise Centaur Chiron on Mt. Pelion
son Aesculapius learned art of healing and helped all who came
once paid much to bring Theseus's son Hippolytus back to life who became immortal
Virbius worshipped in Italy
Zeus slew Aesculapius with thunderbolt because a mortal should not have power over death
Apollo, upset at son's death, shot Zeus's Cyclopses or their sons
Zeus condemned Apollo to be slave of King Admetus for 1-9 years
sick went to Aesculopius's temples where his spirit told them what to do, often using snakes
The Danaids
50 daughters of Danaus (descendants of Io) lived by Nile and didn't want to marry their
50 cousins, sons of Aegyptus
fled with dad to city of Argos which vowed to protect them
all did marry cousins but dad gave them daggers and that night all killed husbands except
Hypermnestra who had mercy on Lynceus who fled
dad threw Hypermnestra into prison for treachery, Lynceus rescued her and lived happily
together, son Abas was great-granddad of Perseus
49 sisters sent to Hades and had to try forever to carry water in leaky jars
Glaucus, Scylla, and Circe
fisherman Glaucus saw his fish go back to sea and he wanted to also
sea-gods made Ocean and Tethys make him into a sea-god with green hair and fish tail
loved nymph Scylla but she fled
asked Circe for help, she fell in love with him but he would only love Scylla, Circe gave
Glaucus poison instead of love potion and turned Scylla into beast with heads of serpents
and dogs, in misery ate passing sailors
Erysichton
Erysichthon chopped down tallest oak in Ceres's sacred grove, she punished him by
giving him a hunger no food could satisfy
to get money for food sold daughter but she had power to change into different forms,
owners didn't know where she had gone, she returned to dad who sold her over and
over to get money
finally he ate himself
Pomona and Vertumnus (Roman only)
Pomona, only nymph who hated wild woodland, also hated men
Vertumnus courted her but was refused
he disguised himself as an old woman and told her to accept man who loved garden like
her and loved her and to fear Venus who opposed maidens who wouldn't marry (e.g. in
story of Anaxarete who refused Iphis and was turned into a stone)
he then revealed himself and she accepted him
Brief Myths
Amalthea
goat (or nymph who owned it) named Amalthea gave milk to baby Zeus
horn always full of food, known as Cornucopia (Horn of Plenty)
Latins said Cornucopia was from horn of river-god Achelous which Hercules broke off
Amazons
Amazons were men-hating women warriors
lived in Caucasus, main city was Themiscyra
beaten by Bellerophon in Lycia and Theseus in Attica, invaded Phrygia when Priam was young
Achilles killed Queen Penthesilca who fought with Troy
Amymone
Poseidon saved Amymone, one of the Danaids, from a satyr who chased her and made a
spring with his trident in her honor
Antiope
Thebes Princess Antiope left her sons (fathered by Zeus) Zethus and Amphion on
mountain in shame but were raised by herdsman
later found sons in cottage and together with friends killed King Lycus and Queen Dirce,
who had been cruel to her, by tying hair to bull
brothers threw body into spring named for her
Arachne
Arachne claimed she weaved better than Minerva, challenged by Minerva to contest and won
Minerva attacked girl and Arachne hanged herself
guilty Minerva turned her into spider with same great weaving power
Arion
poet Arion won music prize
sailors wanted to steal prize but he asked to play one last song, as Apollo in dream had
told him to do, and then jumped in ocean, rescued by dolphins drawn by music
Aristaeus
Aristaeus, son of Apollo and nymph Cyrene, kept bees but they died
mom told him to capture sea-god Proteus who changed forms but finally told him to
leave sacrificed carcasses for 9 days
he did and then found swarm of bees in a carcass and never again were his bees hurt by disease
Aurora and Tithonus
Aurora (Dawn) asked Zeus to make husband Tithonus (dad of Memnon of Ethiopia who
died at Troy) immortal and he agreed
Tithonus got old and miserable but couldn't die
Aurora finally turned wretched old man into grasshopper
statue to Memnon in Thebes makes harp sound when struck by dawn
Biton and Cleobis
Hera's priestess Cydippe wanted to see Polyclitus's statue of Hera but had no horses
sons Biton and Cleobis pulled her car to statue in Argos but then died from exhaustion
Callisto
Callisto was daughter of King Lycaon of Arcadia who had served Zeus human flesh and
was turned into wolf as punishment
hunted with Artemis
she had son with Zeus but jealous Hera turned her into a bear hoping her son would shoot her
Zeus placed her and son Arcas in sky as Great and Lesser Bear
Hera persuaded god of sea not to let them descend into sea like other constellations
Chiron
good wise Centaur entrusted to teach many including Achilles, physician Aesculapius,
and hunter Actaeon
Hercules convinced Centaur Pholus to give him wine from jar belonging to all Centaurs
many Centaurs attacked but defeated by Hercules
innocent Chiron accidentally injured, hurt so badly Zeus let him die even though immortal
Clytie
maiden Clytie loved Sun-god but not loved back, watched him move across sky daily
turned into sunflower which follows sun
Dryope
Dryope with sister Iole went to pool, plucked blossoms of lotus tree which bled because it
was nymph Latis who had become a tree to flee a pursuer
as punishment Dryope was turned into a tree while her dad and son watched, she warned
son not to pluck flowers as it could be a goddess
Epimenides
while looking for lost sheep Epimenides fell asleep for 57 years
sent by oracle to purify Athens from plague, only asked for Athens-Cnossus (his
hometown in Crete) friendship as his reward
Ericthonius (Erechtheus)
serpent/man son of Hephaestus, Erichthonius was reared by Athena who put him in box
and gave it to 3 daughters of Cecrops with warning not to open
they did open it, Athena made them go mad and jump from Acropolis to deaths
Ericthonius later became king of Athens
Hero and Leander
every night Leander of Abydus swam to Hero (priestess of Aphrodite) in Sestus guided
by lighthouse or torch
one night wind blew out light, he died, she committed suicide
The Hyades
6 daughters of Atlas, the Hyades, were rainy stars, bringing rain May - November
Zeus entrusted baby Dionysus to them, rewarded them by setting them among stars
Ibycus and the Cranes
Ibycus attacked by robbers, as dying told cranes to avenge him
during a play in Corinth cranes appeared and robber panicked, crowd put him and other
robbers to death
Leto (Latona)
Leto, daughter of Titans Phoebe and Coeus, pregnant by Zeus, was rejected by all lands,
who feared Hera
finally welcomed by floating island Delos, had kids Apollo and Artemis, pillars formed
to anchor island
formerly barren Delos now known as "heaven-built isle"
Linus
Linus, son of Apollo and Psamathe, was abandoned , raised by shepherds, killed by dogs
"ailion" (woe for Linus) means "alas"
another Linus taught music to Orpheus and Hercules, who killed him
Marpessa
Zeus made Marpessa choose between Apollo and Idas (a hero of Calydonian Hunt and an
Argonaut) for husband
afraid a god would be unfaithful, chose mortal Idas
Marsyas
Athena invented flute but gave to Apollo
Marsyas, a satyr, challenged Apollo to flute contest but lost, punished by flaying
Melampus
kept 2 snakes as pets (servants had killed parent snakes) who taught him language of
animals, making him a great soothsayer
when enemies captured him worms told him roof would fall, he warned captors, when
roof fell they freed him
Merope
Merope's husband King Cresphontes of Messenia (son of Hercules) killed in rebellion
next King Polyphontes took her as wife
she hid 3rd son Aepytus in Arcadia, who returned claiming to be slayer of Aepytus
Aepytus and Merope killed Polyphontes and Aepytus became king
The Myrmidons
Zeus loved Aegina whose son Aeacus was king of Aegina island, Hera sent pestilence
Aeacus prayed to Zeus who turned an army of ants into people for desolated city
brave industrious people from ants called Myrmidons
Nisus and Scylla
Minos of Crete laid siege to Megara but King Nisus was safe as long as he had his purple
lock of hair on his head
Nisus's daughter Scylla fell in love with Minos and cut dad's lock and took it to Minos
who sent her away, disgusted with her treachery
Cretans conquered city, Scylla seized rudder of Minos's boat, her dad (changed into an
eagle) swooped down, but she was changed into a bird also
Orion
hunter Orion loved daughter of King Oenopion of Chios, cleared land of beasts and he
promised to let him marry his daughter but put it off
Orion once insulted Oenopion's daughter Aero or Merope, and Oenopion blinded him in
his sleep with the help of Dionysus
Orion went to Lemnos in the east and rising sun's rays healed his eyes as oracle had said
Orion couldn't find Oenopion to get vengeance so became hunter with Artemis in Crete
killed by Artemis either in jealousy because Dawn loved him or because he had angered
Apollo
placed in sky as constellation
Phineus
Blind soothsayer tormented by Harpies, who carried away his meals
Rescued by Argonauts
The Pleiades
7 daughters of Atlas: Electra, Meia, Taygete, Alcyone, Merope, Celaeno, Sterope,
known as the Pleiades
pursued unsuccessfully but persistently by Orion
Zeus placed them in sky but Orion still chases them
Maia was mom of Hercules, Electra of Dardanus (founder of Trojan race)
only 6 of 7 clearly visible
Rhoecus
Rhoecus saved oak, actually a dryad in disguise, from falling, and asked only for her love
as reward, and she agreed
he forgot her and injured her messenger bee
dryad blinded him in anger
Salmoneus
on Zeus's festival day Salmoneus foolishly drove chariot in city pretending to be Zeus,
perhaps mad or trying to bring rain
struck dead by Zeus's lightning
Sisyphus
King Sisyphus of Corinth told river-god Asopus that he had seen an eagle carrying
Asopus's daughter to an island
Zeus, who had carried her off, punished Sisyphus by making him forever roll a rock
uphill in Hades
Zeus drove Asopus away with thunderbolt
island named Aegina for the maiden, her son Aeacus was Achilles's granddad
Tyro
Tyro, daughter of Salmoneus, had sons Pelias and Neleus by Poseidon but abandoned
them in shame, found and raised by Salmoneus's horsekeeper
Tyro's husband Cretheus found out later and put her away and married her cruel maid
Sidero
when Cretheus died foster-mom told kids that Tyro was their mom
Pelias slew Sidero in Hera's temple
Pelias's half-brother was dad of Jason whom he sent after Golden Fleece but Pelias was
killed by his daughters under the direction of Jason's wife Medea, as punishment
from Hera
Gods
Shiva : appears in male (linga) or female (yoni) forms
Parvati / Uma : wife of Shiva
Vishnu : two main incarnations (avators)
Rama-Chandra, hero of the Ramayana
Krishna, hero of the Bhagavad Gita
Lakshmi : wife of Vishnu; goddess of prosperity; incarnated as milkmaid Radha
Skanda : god of war; son of Shiva and Parvati
Ganesha : elephant-headed god who removes obstacles; son of Shiva and Parvati
Shakti : universal mother; worship of Shakti is a form of Tantrism, which can be left-handed or
right-handed
Brahma : monistic god worshipped by those who have reached the peak of Hinduism
Caste System (called jati, meaning "group by rebirth")
Brahmans : priests and scholars
Kshatriyas : temporal rulers
Vaishyas : commoners
Sudras : servants
Panchamas / Fifths / Pariahs / Outcastes / Harijan : lowest
Terms
dvija : Brahmans, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas are "twice-born"
karma : rebirth
samsara : cycle of rebirth
dharma : man's duty
ahinsa : nonviolence
pralaya : dissolution of the universe
pratisarga : recreation
prakrti : matter, including goodness (sattval), passion (rajas), and darkness (tanas)
purusa : spirit
Vedas
Rig Veda : written around 1000 BC; 1028 hymns written by rsi sages
Asura : superhumans
Indra : chief god
Sat and asat lands
Vritra : evil serpent from whose belly (cut open by Indra) the world was created
Agni : god of fire sacrifices
Yama : the first man
Sabala and Syama : dogs of heaven
Yajur Veda : rituals in prose
Sama Veda : chants
Atharva Veda : household religions
Upanishads : 108 texts which expand on the Vedas; concerned with philosophy rather than mythology;
contrast the atman (human soul) and brahman (universal soul)
Two great Sanskrit epics
Mahabharata : traditionally by Vyasa; divided in to 18 parvans; tells of feud between cousins;
Kauravas and Pandavas; aided by Krishna (Vishnu), the Pandavas defeat the Kauravas at
Kuruksetra in 1302 BC; Bhagavad Gita ("Song of the Lord") section relates Krishna's
instructions to Arjuna, the army commander
Ramayana : by Valmiki; shorter than the Mahabharata; Rama won Sita as his wife by bending
Shiva's bow; the demon Ravana kidnapped Sita, but Rama rescued her with help from
monkey-king Sugriva and monkey-general Hanuman; Sita banished for suspicion of adultery;
Sita returned after birth of her two sons but requested to be swallowed by the earth
Other works
Puranas tell about cosmology; Mahatmya tells about local religions; Sutras were the old law
books; Shastras are the new law books
Signy and Sigmund - Signy's husband fed her dad Volsung and all her brothers, except Sigmund whom she
rescued, to wolves, but Signy and Sigmund, with help of their incest son Sinfiotli, killed his kids and burned
him in his home, Signy chose to die with him in burning house
Brynhild and Sigurd - Brynhild put to sleep by Odin in Ring of fire until a hero would wake her, Sigurd
woke her but later put her back and was made to marry Gudrun and to wake Brynhild again to
give her to Gunnar, a friend of Gudurn's dad, Brynhild found out in quarrel with Gunnar and vowed revenge,
Gunnar got Gudrun to kill Sigurd and Brynhild killed self
Norse gods
doomed to be conquered by evil Giants
live in Asgard and heros live in Valhalla Hall (Val means "slain") but all will eventually lose to Giants
Odin sky-father, informed of world happenings by ravens Thought (Hugin) and Memory (Munin),
trys to postpone Rognarok (day of doom), lost eyes to Mimir to gain knowledge of the
Well of Wisdom, suffered also to learn from the Ruses, took skaldic mead (which makes men into
poets) from the Giants, was man's benefactor in many ways, attended by Valkyries, maidens who
carried slain warriors to Valhalla
Balder was most beloved god, Loki (mischievious son of a Giant whom Odin had inexplicably
sworn brotherhood with) tricked Balder's brother into killing Balder with mistletoe despite mom
Frigga's (Odin's wife) efforts to protect him, Hela goddess of Niflheim (land of dead) promised to
restore Balder to life if all mourned for him but one giantess refused to, Loki punished by dropping
serpent's venom on his face in cavern although his wife Sigyn usually catches venom in cup
Thor - thunder-god, strongest of Aesir
Freyr - cared for the fruits of the earth
Heimdall - warder of Bifrost (rainbow bridge to Asgard)
Tyr - god of war
Frigga - Odin's wife, wise but silent, works at spinning wheel using gold thread
Freya - goddess of love and beauty, claimed half of those slain in battle
Hela - goddess of dead
Midgard - battlefield of men
days with Norse names
Tuesday - Tyr, Wednesday - Odin (Woden), Thursday - Thor, Friday - Freya
Creation
first creatures were frost maidens and Giant Ymir (Odin's granddad), Odin and 2 brothers
killed Ymir, made sea from his blood, Earth from his body, and heavens from his skull
man created from ash tree, woman from elm tree, dwarfs and elves also on Earth
ash tree Yggdrasil supported universe, none could drink from holy Urda's Well
universe will end when serpent gnaws through root of tree near Niflheim
Frost Giants and Mountain Giants of Jotunheim enemies of all good
all are eventually doomed
Norse Wisdom in Elder Edda - based on common sense, similar to Proverbs but not nearly as
profound, includes humor, shrewd knowledge of human nature, some cheerfulness, tolerance, and
sometimes depth of understanding and wisdom, "the mind knows only what lies near the heart"
Big 4 gods
An - Heaven
Ki - Earth
Enlil - Lord Air
Enki - Lord of the Deep (water and wisdom)
Me is the universal law
Stories
Enlil was banished to the Nether World and was accompanied by his beloved Ninlil
Enki brought man civilization and saved him from the Flood but ate of the forbidden fruit in
Dilmun, paradise of the gods
Dumuzi took the place of his cruel wife Inanna who had gone to the Nether World despite laws
forbidding it
Epic of Gilgamesh
Goddess Aruru made hairy wild man Enkidu out of clay to oppose oppressive King Gilgamesh of
Erech; Enkidu protected the beasts; Gilgamesh sent a woman to seduce him; Enkidu defeated Gilgamesh in
wrestling, and they became friends; Gilgamesh and Enkidu cut down a cedar in the sacred woods and
beheaded the one-eyed monster Humbaba with the help of Gigamesh's mom Ninsun; Ishtar tried to seduce
Gilgamesh but he knew how she had treated others such as Tammuz and refused; Enkidu died because he
killed the storm bull of heaven; Gilgamesh consulted Utnapishtim, who had been warned of a flood by
wisdom god Ea and survived by building an arc; got herb of youth from bottom of sea but stolen by a snake
War of the Gods
"Enuma elish"; fresh water Apsu and salt water wife Tiamat had kids gods of the deep
Lahmu and Lahamu who had Anshar and Kishar, parents of sky Anu, father of wisdom god Ea; Ea drugged
and killed Apsu and dwarf counselor Mummu; Tiamat took Kingu as consort; Ea and Damkina had storm
god Marduk; Tiamat warred with principals gods who supported Marduk; Marduk destroyed Tiamat and
formed firmament and earth foundations from her body; Anu rules area above firmament, Enlil between
firmament and earth, and Ea waters below earth; Kingu killed to make man puppet; gods built Babylon as
shrine for Marduk