Greek mythology is the set of stories, legends and myths that belonged to the imagination of ancient Greek civilization, featuring countless gods, legendary heroes and fantastic creatures, as well as supposed justifications for the emergence of the Universe and life.
Greek mythology is believed to have emerged around the 8th century BC. C, being based mainly on the telling of fantastic stories described in a series of narratives recorded mainly by Hesiod and homer (Greek poets).
The Greek myths would have originated from the unification of a series of ancient stories and mythologies, with emphasis on those of Doric and Mycenaean origin.
the ancient greeks were polytheists, that is, they believed in the existence of several gods. In fact, the Greek deities are one of the most striking features of this mythology.
Greek mythology is very rich in supernatural characters and creatures, which represent inherent characteristics of human personality and the forces of nature. Some of the main Greek mythological beings are:
- Gods: entities of superior power and immortals, but endowed with several characteristics typical of human beings, such as jealousy, envy, sexual desire, among others.
- Nymphs: they are predominantly female beings who inhabited the fields. They were famous for their beauty and joy.
- Heroes: most of the heroes present in Greek mythology are "demigods", that is, children of gods with human beings. Unlike the gods, heroes are mortal and star in a large part of the narratives about Ancient Greece.
- Centaurs: legendary creatures that live in the forests, known to be half human and half horse.
- Jellyfish: a sorceress with snakes for hair. Legends say that if one looks directly at a jellyfish, they are turned into a stone statue.
- Mermaids: marine creatures known to be half female and half fish. The legends about the mermaids tell of the magical song that lured sailors to the sea.
- Minotaurs: fierce creatures that had the body of a man and the head of a bull. The legend of the Labyrinth of the Minotaur is one of the most popular stories about this mythological being.
There are a number of other fantastic beings that fill many traditional legends and stories from Greek mythology.
Greek gods
There are several gods and goddesses in Greek mythology, however, the most powerful were those who supposedly inhabited the region of Mount Olympus and, for this reason, were known as the olympic gods.
There are 12 Olympic gods:
- Zeus: god of gods and ruler of Mount Olympus (home of the higher gods). He is also considered the god of rain, sky and storms.
- Ivy: goddess of marriage, childbirth and the family. She is the companion of Zeus and queen of Olympus.
- aphrodite: goddess of love, beauty and sex. Considered the most beautiful goddess of all.
- Apollo: god of sun and light, but he was also regarded as a god of music and poetry. Known for driving a chariot that transports the sun.
- Athena: wisdom goddess. Daughter of Zeus and Metia (his first companion).
- Ares: God of War. Son of Zeus and Hera.
- Poseidon: god of oceans and seas. Elder brother of Zeus and Hades.
- Hephaestus: god of fire and forge. Considered the “architect of Olympus” and responsible for the volcanic eruptions. He is the son of Zeus and Hera, but was abandoned by his mother because he was born too weak and ugly.
- Artemis: goddess of hunting, wildlife and moonlit nights. She is also considered the protective goddess of animals.
- Hestia: fire goddess. Daughter of Rhea and Cronos.
- Hermes: messenger of the gods, protector of travelers and merchants. He is son of Zeus with Maia, daughter of Atlas.
- Demeter: goddess of plants, seasons and cultivated land. She is the daughter of Cronos and Rhea.
In some texts, Dionysus (god of wine, feast and pleasure) also appears as an official member of the pantheon, replacing the goddess Hestia.
Hades, the god of the underworld and hell, is also considered one of the main gods of Greek mythology, in the However, she does not have a guaranteed place on Mount Olympus, as she spends most of her time in the world of dead.
And, according to the legends and stories that make up Greek mythology, there were still other lesser deities who were servants or descendants of the supreme gods. Among them, the following stand out: Themis (goddess of laws), Eros (God of love), we are (God of the Dawn), Pan (god of wild nature), dione (goddess of nymphs), Nemesis (goddess of revenge), nice (goddess of victory), Hecate (goddess of magic, witchcraft and spells), among others.
greek heroes
Some of the main Greek heroes who star in the most famous legends and stories of mythology are:
theseus
Known for winning the Minotaur in the labyrinth created by King Minos in Crete. With the victory, Athens began to get rid of the cruel impositions made by Minos (offer annually 14 young Athenians – 7 boys and 7 girls – to be devoured by the minotaur).
Already are
Protagonist of the story that narrates the hero's adventure in the company of the Argonauts in search of the “golden fleece”. In the narrative, Jason and his companions had to face several monsters and mythological beings, in addition to the wrath of some gods.
bellerophon
He was known for having defeated the Chimera– hybrid mystical creature – and dominated the legendary Pegasus, thanks to the golden rein offered by the goddess Athena, as a symbol of gratitude for having destroyed the Chimera.
Perseus
Perseus managed to defeat Medusa, cutting off her head and preventing her from turning into a stone statue.
heracles
Popularly best known for Hercules (name given in Roman mythology), this demigod (son of Zeus) is known for the story of his 12 impossible works.
- Kill the Nemean lion;
- Kill Lerna's hydra, a nine-headed creature;
- Capture the Crinea Doe;
- Capture the wild boar from Erimanto;
- Clean the stables of King Augeas (where more than three thousand animals lived);
- Killing the birds of prey in Lake Styphalia;
- Capture the bull from Crete;
- Capture the wild horses of Diomedes;
- Get the Hippolyta belt (Queen of the Amazons);
- Capture the Gerião oxen;
- Take the golden apples of the Hesperides;
- Beat Cerberus, the guard of hell.
Greek Mythology and Roman Mythology
Most of the legends and deities of Roman mythology are based on Greek mythology, with only the change in the name of the gods, for example. But the Romans were also influenced by the beliefs of the Etruscans, in addition to syncretism with Egyptian and Phoenician mythology, among others.
roman gods
Below are the main gods of Roman mythology and their counterparts in Greek mythology:
- Jupiter (Zeus) - god of the gods, the sky and the Universe;
- Juno (Hera) - goddess of gods and vital force;
- Neptune (Poseidon) - god of the seas and oceans;
- Vesta (Hestia) - goddess of fire;
- Ceres (Demeter) - goddess of agriculture;
- Phoebus (Apollo) - god of music and poetry;
- Mars (Ares) - god of arms, war and virility;
- Diana (Artemis) - goddess of hunting and wild animals;
- Mercury (Hermes) - god of commerce and eloquence;
- Pluto (Hades) - god of the underworld and the dead;
- Minerva (Athena) - goddess of wisdom;
- Venus (Aphrodite) - goddess of beauty and love;
- Spleen (Dionysius) - god of parties, pleasure and wine.
Learn more about the meaning of Mythology and meet the Narcissus Myth.
