Proserpine In Greek And Roman Mythology example essay topic

3 Fates Fates (fat), in Greek mythology, three goddesses who controlled human life; also called the Moe rae or Moirai. They were: Clotho, who spun the web of life; Lachesis, who measured its length; and Atropos, who cut it. The Roman Fates were the Parcae; the Germanic Fates were the NO RNS. Adonis Adonis, in Greek mythology, beautiful youth loved by APHRODITE and PERSEPHONE.

When he was killed by a boar, both goddesses claimed him. ZEUS decreed that he spend half the year above the ground with Aphrodite, the other half in the underworld with Persephone. His death and resurrection, symbolic of the seasonal cycle, were celebrated at the festival Adonis. Andromeda Andromeda, in Greek myth, princess of Ethiopia; daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopeia. POSEIDON, angered by her mother's claim that her beauty outshone that of the nereids, sent a sea monster that could be appeased only by her sacrifice. She was rescued by PERSEUS, who slew the monster and married her.

Andromeda and her parents became constellations. Apollo Apollo, in Greek mythology, one of the most important OLYMPIAN gods; son of ZEUS and Leto, twin brother of ARTEMIS. He was concerned with prophecy, medicine (he was the father of ASCLEPIUS), music and poetry (he was also the father of ORPHEUS and the patron of the MUSES), and the pastoral arts. A moral god of high civilization, he was associated with law, philosophy, and the arts. He was widely known as a god of light, Phoebus Apollo; after the 5th cent. B.C. he was often identified with the sun god HELIOS. Apollo's oracles had great authority; his chief shrine was at DELPHI, where he was primarily a god of purification.

In art he was portrayed as the perfection of youth and beauty. The most celebrated statue o him is the Apollo Belvedere, a marble copy of the original Greek bronze, now in the Vatican in Rome. Ares Ares (arez) (arez), in Greek mythology, OLYMPIAN god of war; son of ZEUS and HERA. The Romans identified him with MARS. Ariadne Ariadne (are-a dne), in Greek mythology, Cretan princess; daughter of MINOS and Pasiphae.

With her help THESEUS killed the MINOTAUR and escaped from the Labyrinth. He left with her but deserted her at Naxos. There she married DIONYSUS, who is said to have set her bridal crown among the stars. Artemis Artemis (arte-mis), in Greek mythology, goddess of the hunt. She was the daughter of ZEUS and Leto and the twin sister of APOLLO. Artemis is associated with chastity, marriage, children, wildlife, and, as a complement to the sun god Apollo, with the moon.

The Romans identified her with DIANA. Atalanta Atalanta (ate-late), in Greek mythology, fleet huntress who joined the Calydonian boar hunt (see MELEAGER). She demanded that each of her suitors race her, the winner to be rewarded with marriage, the losers to die. Hippomenes finally won her by dropping three golden apples that she stopped to retrieve. Athena Athena (e-there) or Pallas Athena, in Greek mythology, one of the most important OLYMPIAN deities, sprung from the forehead of ZEUS.

She was the goddess of war and peace, a patron of arts and crafts, a guardian of cities (notably Athens), and the goddess of wisdom. Her most important temple was the PARTHENON and her primary festival the Panathenaea. A virgin goddess, Athena is represented in art as a stately figure, armored, and wielding her breastplate, the aegis. The Romans identified her with MINERVA. Atlas Atlas (atlas), in Greek mythology, a TITAN. After the defeat of the Titans by the OLYMPIANS, he was condemned to hold the sky upon his shoulders for all eternity.

Cerberus Cerberus (sr beres), in Greek mythology, many-headed dog with a mane and a tail of snakes; guardian of HADES. One of the 12 labors of HERCULES was to capture him. Chaos Chaos (kaos), in Greek mythology, the vacant, unfathomable space from which everything arose. In the OLYMPIAN myth GAEA sprang from Chaos and became the mother of all things. Cronus Cronus (kroner) or Kronos, in Greek myth, the youngest TITAN; son of URANUS and GAEA. He led the Titans in a revolt against Uranus and ruled the world.

By his sister RHEA, he fathered the great gods ZEUS, POSEIDON, DEMETER, HERA, HADES, and HESTIA. Fated to be overthrown by one of his children, he tried unsuccessfully to destroy them. Zeus later led the OLYMPIAN gods in defeating him in a battle, described by HESIOD, called the Titanomachy. Cronus is equated with the Roman god SATURN. Cybele Cybele (site-le), in ancient Asiatic religion, GREAT MOTHER OF THE GODS. The chief centers of her early worship were Phrygia and Lydia.

In the 5th cent. B.C. her cult spread to Greece and later to Rome. She was primarily a nature goddess, responsible for maintaining and reproducing the wild things of the earth. Her annual spring festival celebrated the death and resurrection of her beloved Attis, a vegetation god. Cyclops Cyclops plural of Cyclopes (sik lopez), in Greek mythology, immense one-eyed beings. According to HESIOD, they were smiths, sons of URANUS and GAEA, who gave ZEUS the lightning bolts that helped him defeat CRONUS.

In HOMER, they were a barbarous people, one of whom (POLYPHEMUS) was encountered by ODYSSEUS in his wanderings. Daphne Daphne (dane), in Greek mythology, a nymph loved by APOLLO. When she was pursued by him, she prayed for rescue and was transformed by GAEA into a laurel tree. Delphi Delphi (dlf y) (delay), town in Phocis, GREECE, near the foot of Mt. Parnassus. It was the seat of the Delphic ORACLE, the most famous and powerful oracle of ancient Greece.

The oracle, which originated in the worship of an earth-goddess, possibly GAEA, was the principal shrine of APOLLO. It was housed in a temple built in the 6th cent. B.C. The oracular messages were spoken by a priestess in a frenzied trance and interpreted by a priest, who usually spoke in verse. The oracle's influence prevailed throughout Greece until Hellenistic times. Delphi was the meeting place of the Amphictyonic League and the site of the PYTHIAN GAMES. It was later pillaged by the Romans, and the sanctuary fell into decay. Demeter Demeter (dimeter), in Greek mythology, goddess of harvest and fertility; daughter of CRONUS and RHEA; mother of PERSEPHONE by ZEUS.

She and her daughter were the chief figures in the ELEUSINIAN MYSTERIES, and her primary festival was the Athenian Thesmophoria. The Romans identified her with CERES. Dionysus Dionysus (die-noises) (dienises), in Greek mythology, god of fertility and wine, later considered a patron of the arts. Probably of Thracian origin, Dionysus was one of the most important Greek gods and the subject of profuse and contradictory legends. He was thought to be the son of either ZEUS and PERSEPHONE or of Zeus and Semele.

Dionysus was attended by a carousing band of SATYRS, MAENADS, and NYMPHS. He taught humans viticulture but was capable of dreadful revenge upon those (e. g., ORPHEUS and Pentheus) who denied his divinity. His worship was characteristically drunken and orgiastic. The chief figure in the ORPHIC MYSTERIES and other cults, Dionysus had many festivals in his honor. From the music, singing, and dancing of the Greater Dionysia in Athens developed the dithyramb and, ultimately, Greek drama. The Romans identified him with Liber and BACCHUS, who was more properly the wine god.

Echo Echo, in Greek mythology, mountain NYMPH. She incurred HERA's wrath with her chatter and, as punishment, could only repeat the last words said by others. In unrequited love for NARCISSUS, she pined away until her voice alone remained. Eos Eos (eos), in Greek mythology, goddess of dawn. Daughter of Hyperion and Theia, she was the sister of the sun god HELIOS, and the mother of the winds. The Romans called her Aurora.

Eros Eros (eros), in Greek mythology, god of love in all its manifestations. According to some legends, he was one of the oldest of the gods, born from CHAOS but personifying harmony. In most stories he was the son of APHRODITE and ARES and was represented as a winged youth armed with bow and arrows. In Roman myth, under the name Cupid or Amor, he was the naked infant son and companion of VENUS. Furies Furies (lyre) or Erin yes (erin e-ez), in Greek mythology, goddesses of vengeance. Born from the blood of URANUS, they punished wrongs committed against blood relatives regardless of the motivation, as in the case of ORESTES.

Named Megaera, Tisiphone, and Alecto, they were usually represented as crones with bats' wings, dogs' heads, and snakes for hair. Gaea Gaea (jee), in Greek mythology, the earth; daughter of CHAOS, mother and wife of both URANUS (the sky) and Pontus (the sea). She was mother, by Uranus, of the CYCLOPES, the TITANS, and others, and, by Pontus, of five sea deities. She helped cause the overthrow of Uranus by the Titans and was worshiped as the primal goddess, the mother of all things. giants giant (jie nt), in mythology, manlike being of great size and strength; a brutish power of nature, lacking the stature of gods and the civilization of humanity. In many cultures, e. g., Greek, Scandinavian, and Native American, giants were believed to be the first race of people that inhabited the earth. Great Mother of the Gods Great Mother of the Gods, in ancient Middle Eastern religion (and later in Greece, Rome, and W Asia), mother goddess, the great symbol of the earth's fertility.

As the creative force in nature she was worshiped under many names, including ASTARTE (Syria), CERES (Rome), CYBELE (Phrygia), DEMETER (Greece), ISHTAR (Babylon), and ISIS (Egypt). The later forms of her cult involved the worship of a male deity (her son or lover, e. g., ADONIS, OSIRIS), whose death and resurrection symbolized the regenerative power of the earth. Hades Hades (hades), in Greek mythology. 1 The ruler of the underworld, commonly called PLUTO.

2 The world of the dead, ruled by Pluto and PERSEPHONE. Guarded by CERBERUS, it was either underground or in the far west, and was separated from the land of the living by five rivers. One of these was the STYX, across which the dead were ferried. Three judges decided the fate of souls; heroes went to the ELYSIAN FIELDS, evildoers to TARTARUS. Hecate Hecate (here-te), in Greek mythology, goddess of ghosts and witchcraft. An attendant of PERSEPHONE, she was a spirit of black magic, able to conjure up dreams and the spirits of the dead.

She haunted graveyards and crossroads. Helios Helios (hele-os) (helios), in Greek mythology, the sun god; son of the TITANS Hyperion and Theia; father of PHAETHON. Each morning he left a palace in the east and crossed the sky in a golden chariot, then returned along the river Oceanus. He was a national god in Rhodes, where a COLOSSUS represented him. In Rome, he was known as Sol and was an important god.

Hera Hera (hire), in Greek mythology, queen of OLYMPIAN gods; daughters of CRONUS and RHEA; wife and sister of ZEUS; mother of ARES and HEPHAESTUS. A jealous wife, she plagued Zeus, his mistresses, and his progeny, e. g., HERCULES. Hera was powerful and widely worshiped as the protectress of women, marriage, and childbirth. The Romans identified her with JUNO. Hercules, Heracles Hercules, Heracles or Herakles, most popular Greek hero, famous for strength and courage. The son of Alcmene and ZEUS, he was hated by HERA, who sent serpents to his cradle; he strangled them.

Later Hera drove Hercules mad and he slew his wife and children. He sought purification at the court of King Eurystheus, who set him 12 mighty labors: killing the Nemean lion and HYDRA; driving off the Stymphalian birds; cleaning the Augean stables; capturing the Cerynean hind, Cretan bull, mares of Doomed, Erymanthian boar, cattle of Geryon, and CERBERUS; and procuring the girdle of Hippolyte and the golden apples of the Hesperides. He was later involved in the Calydonian hunt (see MELEAGER) and the Argonaut expedition (see JASON). At his death he rose to OLYMPUS, where he was reconciled with Hera and married HEBE. Represented as a powerful man with lion's skin and club, he was widely worshiped. He is the hero of plays by SOPHOCLES, EURIPIDES, and SENECA.

Hermes Hermes (hur mez), in Greek mythology, son of ZEUS and Maia; messenger of the gods and conductor of souls to HADES. He was also the god of travelers, of luck, music, eloquence, commerce, young men, cheats, and thieves. He was said to have invented the lyre and flute. The riotous Herm aea festival was celebrated in his honor. Hermes was represented with winged hat and sandals, carrying the CADUCEUS. He is equated with the Roman MERCURY.

Hestia Hestia (he ste-e), in Greek mythology, goddess of the hearth; daughter of CRONUS and RHEA. Widely worshiped, she was a kind deity who represented personal and communal security and happiness. The Romans identified her with VESTA. Meleager Meleager (meleager), hero of Greek mythology. At his birth a prophecy said that he would die when a certain log in the fire burned. His mother hid the log, and Meleager grew to be a famous warrior.

When ARTEMIS sent a huge boar to ravage his land, Meleager led a band of heroes, including CASTOR AND POLLUX, THESEUS, and JASON, in the Calydonian hunt, and killed the boar. Meleager gave its pelt to the huntress ATALANTA, and when his uncles tried to take it he killed them. In revenge his mother burned the hidden log, and Meleager died. Midas Midas (midas), in Greek mythology, king of Phrygia.

Because he befriended SILENUS, DIONYSUS granted him the power to turn everything he touched into gold. When even his food became gold, he washed away his power in the Pac tolus River. Minos Minos (mines) (minos, nes), in Greek mythology, king of CRETE, son of ZEUS and Europa. The wealthiest ruler in the Mediterranean area, he was presumably an actual ancient Cretan king for whom the MINOAN CIVILIZATION is named. In legend, he was the husband of Pasiphae and the father of Androgens, Glaucus, ARIADNE, and PHAEDRA. Narcissus Narcissus, in Greek mythology, beautiful youth who refused all love, including ECHO's.

As punishment for his indifference, he was made to fall in love with his own image in a pool, whereupon he pined away, and turned into a flower. nymph nymph (n imf), in Greek mythology, female divinity, immortal or long-lived, associated with various natural objects or places. Some represented specific localities, e. g., the acheloids of the River Achelous; others were identified with more general physiographic features, e. g., or eads with mountains, naiads with bodies of fresh water, nereids with the Mediterranean, oceanids with the ocean, dryads with trees; and some were associated with a function of nature, e. g., hamadryads, who lived and died with a particular tree. Nymphs were regarded as young, beautiful, musical, and amorous. Olympian Olympian (o-limp e-en), in Greek myth, one of the 12 gods who ruled the universe from their home on Mt. Olympus. Led by ZEUS, they were: HERA, his sister and wife; POSEIDON and PLUTO (HADES), his brothers; HESTIA, his sister; and his children, ARES, HERMES, APOLLO, HEPHAESTUS, ATHENA, APHRODITE, and ARTEMIS.

Similar to humans in appearance and character, the Olympians are known to us mainly from the works of HOMER and HESIOD. oracle oracle (re-kel), in Greek religion, priest or priestess who imparted a god's response to a human questioner; also the response itself and the shrine. Methods of divination included interpretation of dreams, observation of signs, and interpretation of the actions of entranced persons. Among the famous oracles were those of ZEUS at Dodona and of APOLLO at DELPHI. Orpheus Orpheus (orfees, orfys) (or fe-es) (orfees, orfys), in Greek mythology, Thracian musician; son of the MUSE Calliope by APOLLO or by Oea grus, a king of Thrace. He is said to have played the lyre so beautifully that he charmed the beasts, trees, and rivers. He married the nymph Eurydice, and when she died he descended to HADES to search for her.

He was allowed to return with her on condition that he not look back at her, but he disobeyed and lost her forever. Grief- stricken, he wandered for years. In one legend, he worshiped Apollo above DIONYSUS, who caused the Thracians to tear him to pieces. Orpheus was celebrated in the ORPHIC MYSTERIES. Pan Pan (pan), in Greek mythology, pastoral god of fertility; worshiped principally in ARCADIA. He was depicted as a merry, ugly man with a goat's horns, ears, and legs.

All his myths deal with his amorous affairs. He came to be associated with the Greek DIONYSUS and the Roman FAUNUS, both fertility gods. Pandora Pandora, in Greek mythology, first woman on earth. ZEUS ordered her creation as vengeance on man and his benefactor, PROMETHEUS, to whose brother Epimethius he sent her. Zeus gave her a box that he forbade her to open.

She disobeyed and let out all the world's evils. Only hope remained in the box. Persephone Persephone (persefene) or Proserpine (prosurpene), in Greek and Roman mythology, goddess of fertility, queen of the underworld; daughter of ZEUS and DEMETER. She was abducted by PLUTO, who held her captive in HADES. Demeter persuaded the gods to let her return to earth for eight months a year. Her story, celebrated in the ELEUSINIAN MYSTERIES, symbolized the vegetative cycle.

When she left the earth, life withered; when she returned, it blossomed anew. Perseus Perseus (purse-es), in Greek mythology, son of ZEUS and Danae. Told by an oracle that Perseus would kill him, his grandfather Acrisius set him and Danae afloat in a chest, from which they were rescued by King Polydectes. Later, seeing Perseus as an obstacle to his love for Danae, the king sent him to fetch the head of the GORGON Medusa. The gods aided Perseus, and he slew Medusa. Fleeing from the other Gorgons, Perseus was refused aid by ATLAS, who was turned into a stone mountain by Medusa's head.

On his way home, Perseus rescued ANDROMEDA and married her. Later, while competing in a discus contest, Perseus accidentally killed Acrisius, thus fulfilling the prophecy. Phaedra Phaedra (fUd re), in Greek mythology, daughter of MINOS and Pasiphae, wife of THESEUS. When her stepson, Hippolytus, rejected her love, she accused him of rape, then hanged herself. The legend was dramatized by EURIPIDES, SENECA, and RACINE. Phaethon Phaethon (fae-thon) (fae then) or Phaeton (fasten), in Greek myth, son of HELIOS.

He lost control of his father's golden chariot, which in falling dried the Libyan Desert. ZEUS avoided the universe's destruction only by killing Phaethon. Phrygia Phrygia, ancient region, central Asia Minor (now central Turkey). The Phrygians, apparently Indo-Europeans, entered (c. 1200 B.C.) the area from the Balkans. The kingdom of Phrygia (fl.

8th 6th cent. B.C.) is associated in Greek legend with MIDAS and GORDIUS. Phrygia was later dominated in turn by Lydia, the Gauls, Pergamum, and Rome. Poseidon Poseidon (po-sign) (po siden), in Greek religion, god of the sea, protector of all waters. Powerful, violent, and vengeful, he carried the trident, with which he caused earthquakes. He was the husband of Amphitrite and the father of many sons, most either brutal men (e. g., ORION) or monsters (e. g., POLYPHEMUS). He was also important as Hippies, god of horses, and was the father of PEGASUS.

The Romans identified him with NEPTUNE. Pygmalion Pygmalion (pig-mayen), in Greek mythology, king of Cyprus, sculptor of a beautiful statue of a woman. When he prayed to APHRODITE for a wife like it, she brought the statue (Galatea) to life, and Pygmalion married her. Rhea Rhea (ree), in Greek mythology, a TITAN; wife and sister of CRONUS; mother of ZEUS, POSEIDON, PLUTO, HESTIA, HERA, and DEMETER. She aided Zeus in the overthrow of Cronus. Associated with fertility, her worship was prominent in CRETE.

In Rome Rhea was worshiped as Magna Mater and identified with Ops. silenus silenus, in Greek mythology, part bestial, part human creature of forests and mountains. Followers of DIONYSUS, the sileni are usually represented as aged SATYRS. In some legends Silenus is the oldest satyr, the son of HERMES or PAN, and the companion, adviser, or tutor of Dionysus. Styx Styx (s tks), in Greek mythology, sacred river in HADES crossed by the souls of the dead, who were ferried by Charon. Tartarus Tartarus (tarter-es), in Greek mythology, lowest region of HADES, where the wicked, e. g., SISYPHUS, TANTALUS, were punished. Theseus Theseus, Athenian hero; son of King Aegeus.

Of his many adventures the most famous was the slaying of the MINOTAUR, which he accomplished with the help of ARIADNE, daughter of King MINOS of Crete. As king of Athens he instituted several reforms, notably the federalization of the Attic communities. In the land of the AMAZONS he abducted Antiope, who bore him Hippolytus. When a vengeful Amazon army invaded Athens Theseus defeated it. Antiope was killed, and Theseus later married PHAEDRA. When he and his friend Pirithos attempted to take PERSEPHONE from HADES, they were imprisoned there until HERCULES rescued Theseus.

When Theseus returned to Athens he found it corrupt and rebellious. He sailed to Skyros, where he was murdered by King Lycomedes. Uranus Uranus (are-nes), in Greek mythology, the heavens, first ruler of the universe; son and husband of GAEA; father of TITANS, CYCLOPS, and Hundred-handed Ones. Uranus was castrated and dethroned by CRONUS. His blood, falling onto Earth, produced the vengeful FURIES; from his discarded flesh and the sea APHRODITE arose. Zeus Zeus (zs), in Greek religion, supreme god; son of CRONUS, whom he succeeded, and RHEA; brother and husband of HERA.

After the overthrow of the TITANS, when lots were cast to divide the universe, the underworld went to HADES, the sea to POSEIDON, and the heavens and earth to Zeus. An amorous god, he loved goddesses, nymphs, and mortals, and fathered many children. Ruling from his court on Mt. Olympus, Zeus was the symbol of power, rule, and law; the re warder of good; and the punisher of evil. Also the god of weather (his most famous weapon was the thunderbolt) and fertility, he was worshiped in connection with almost every aspect of life. The Romans equated Zeus with their own supreme god, JUPITER..