Apollodorus

Helen - Birth. According to later Greek mythology, Leda bore Helen and Polydeuces, children of Zeus while at the same time bearing Castor and Clytemnestra, children of her husband Tyndareus, the King of Sparta. As the story goes, Zeus took the form of a swan and had sexual relations with Leda on the same night as her husband, King Tyndareus. To Zeus, she gave birth to Helen and Polydeuces, and to Tyndareus: Clytemnestra and Castor. In some versions, she laid two eggs from which the children hatched. In other versions, Helen is a daughter of Nemesis, the goddess who personified the disaster that ...

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Helen, Helen - Etymology, Helen - Helen in Greek mythology, Helen - Birth, Helen - Marriage to Menelaus, Helen - Seduction by Paris, Helen - Fall of Troy, Helen - Fate, Helen - Helen in modern literature, Helen - Timeline, Helen - Sources

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A major factor in the well-known tragedies surrounding Heracles stem from the hatred the goddess Hera, wife of Zeus, had for him. Heracles was a son of Zeus and Alcmene, and so his very existence proved at least one of Zeus's many illicit affairs. Hera often conspired against Zeus's mortal offspring, as revenge for her husband's infidelities. Heracles was a product of the affair Zeus had with the mortal woman Alcmene. Zeus coupled with her after disguising himself as her husband, Amphitryon, home early from war. Amphitryon did return ...

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Heracles, Heracles - Birth and childhood, Heracles - Adulthood, Heracles - The Twelve Labours, Heracles - Omphale, Heracles - Hylas, Heracles - Iole, Heracles - Killing various giants, Heracles - Laomedon/Tros, Heracles - Other adventures, Heracles - Marriage affairs and death, Heracles - Acca Larentia, Heracles - Heracles' male lovers, Heracles - Modern and ancient interpretations, Heracles - Spoken-word myths – audio files

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The scope of Greek mythology is enormous. It extends from the horrific crimes of the early gods and the bloody wars of Troy and Thebes, to the childhood pranks of Hermes and the touching grief of Demeter for Persephone. The legions of gods, goddesses, heroes, heroines, monsters, daemons, nymphs, satyrs, and centaurs that one encounters in traversing this vast landscape are beyond count. Greek mythology has an approximate internal chronology. While contradictions in the material make an absolute timeline impossible, it breaks down roug ...

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Greek mythology, Greek mythology - Nature and sources of Greek mythology, Greek mythology - An overview, Greek mythology - The age of gods, Greek mythology - The age of gods and men, Greek mythology - The age of heroes, Greek mythology - Theories of origin, Greek mythology - Did the Greeks believe their myths?, Greek mythology - Hellenistic rationalism, Greek mythology - Syncretizing trends, Greek mythology - Belles and Beaus of Greek Mythology, Greek mythology - Modern interpreters, Greek mythology - Greek cosmology, Greek mythology - Related subjects, Greek mythology - Sources

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Pelops' father was Tantalus, king at Mount Sipylus in Anatolia. Wanting to make an offering to the Olympians, Tantalus cut Pelops into pieces and made his flesh into a stew, then served it to the gods. Demeter, deep in grief after the abduction of her daughter Persephone by Hades, absentmindedly accepted the offering and ate the left shoulder. The other gods however sensed the plot and held off from eating of the boy's body and brought Pelops back to life, his shoulder replaced with one made of ivory made for him by Hephaestus. After his res ...

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Pelops, Pelops - Story of Pelops, Pelops - Apocrypha, Pelops - Spoken-word myths - audio files, Pelops - Sources, Pelops - External link

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The concept of the gorgon is at least as old in mythology as Perseus and Zeus. The name is good Greek, being from gorgos, "terrible." There are a few cognates: Old Irish garg, "wild", Armenian karcr, "hard". Hoffman's suggested root is *gragnis; Boisacq's, *greg-. The root would not be a commonly used one. The name of the most senior "terrible one", Medusa, is better Greek, being the feminine present participle of medein, "to rule over." The masculine, Medon, "ruler", is a Homeric name. The Indo-european root, *me-, "measure", ...

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Gorgon, Gorgon - Classical tradition, Gorgon - Perseus and Medusa, Gorgon - Protective and healing powers, Gorgon - Origins, Gorgon - Gorgons in modern culture

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A political interpretation of the myth tells that Talos is the Minoan fleet armed with metallic weapons. When the Greeks from the Argo defeat him, the power of Crete vanishes. E. Pottier, who does not dispute the historical personality of Minos, in view of the story of Phalaris considers it probable that in Crete (where a bull-cult may have existed by the side of that of the double axe) victims were tortured by being shut up in the belly of a red-hot brazen bull. That would be also ...

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Talos, Talos - Interpretation

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Tantalus is known for having been welcomed to Zeus' table in Olympus. There he stole nectar and ambrosia, brought them back to his people, and revealed the secrets of the gods. He also offered up his son, Pelops as a sacrifice to the gods, an archetypal story of shamanic initiation in which he cut Pelops up, boiled him, and served him up as food for the gods. The gods were said to be aware of his plan for their feast, so they didn't touch the offering; only Demeter, disturbed by the rape of her daughter Persephone, "did not realize wh ...

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Tantalus, Tantalus - Story of Tantalus, Tantalus - Related terms, Tantalus - Spoken-word myths - audio files, Tantalus - Other Possible Wives, Tantalus - Sources

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Symposium Plato dialogue - Start of the discussion. The beginning of the discussion is dominated by very light-hearted banter and ribbing among the attendees, but as the evening progresses talk turns to the deep subject of Eros. Socratic irony notwithstanding, Plato is not known for using much hilarity in his dialogues. But now even Eros is subjected by most, including Socrates. A challenge is presented, and Phaedrus, Pausanias, Eryximachus, Aristophanes, and Agathon all make speeches of praise pursuant to the chal ...

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Symposium Plato dialogue, Symposium Plato dialogue - Setting, Symposium Plato dialogue - Dramatis Personæ, Symposium Plato dialogue - Summary, Symposium Plato dialogue - Start of the discussion, Symposium Plato dialogue - Climax and Counterpoint, Symposium Plato dialogue - Interpretations

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In Homer's Iliad the Leleges are allies of the Trojans (10.429), though they do not occur in the formal catalogue of allies in Book II of the Iliad, and their homeland is not specified. They are distinguished from the Carians, with whom some later writers confused them; they have a king, Altes, and a city Pedasus which was sacked by Achilles. The topographical name "Pedasus" occurs in several ancient places: near Cyzicus, in the Troad on the Satnioeis river, in Caria, as well as in Messenia, according to Encyclopaedia BritannicaSee also:

Leleges, Leleges - Leleges in Anatolia, Leleges - Leleges in Greece and the Aegean

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Luigi Cherubini composed the opera Médée in 1797 and it is Cherubini's best known work, but better known by its Italian title, Medea. Darius Milhaud composed the opera Médée in 1939, text by Madeleine Milhaud (his wife and cousin). ...

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Medea, Medea - Medea in music, Medea - Medea in literature, Medea - Medea on film

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Dionysus is a god of mystery religious rites, such as those practiced in honor of Demeter and Persephone at Eleusis near Athens. In the Thracian mysteries, he wears the "bassaris" or fox-skin, symbolizing new life. His own rites the Dionysian Mysteries were the most secretive of all (See also Maenads) Many scholars believe that Dionysus is a syncretism of a local Greek nature deity and a more powerful god from ...

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Dionysus, Dionysus - Worship, Dionysus - Bacchanalia, Dionysus - Appellations, Dionysus - Birth, Dionysus - Childhood, Dionysus - Midas, Dionysus - Other stories, Dionysus - Consorts/Children, Dionysus - Parallels with Christianity, Dionysus - Modern interpretations, Dionysus - Dionysus in Neopaganism, Dionysus - names with the origin Dionysus, Dionysus - Bibliography

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Ganymede was kidnapped by Zeus from Mount Ida in Phrygia, the setting for more than one myth-element bearing on the early mythic history of Troy. Ganymede was there, passing the time of exile many heros undergo in their youth, by tending a flock of sheep or, alternatively, during the chthonic or rustic aspect of his education, while gathering among his friends and tutors. Zeus saw him and fell in love with him instantly, either sending an eagle or assuming his own eagle nature to tr ...

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Ganymede, Ganymede - Story, Ganymede - Ganymede in ancient arts, Ganymede - Renaissance and Baroque Ganymede, Ganymede - Audio file of the myth, Ganymede - Moon, Ganymede - Ancient sources, Ganymede - Modern sources

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Symposium Plato dialogue - Start of the discussion. Due to the excesses of the previous night's drinking, it is decided that no one will be forced to drink more than he desires and the flute-girl will be sent away, the night to be spent in conversation rather than than reveling (176). Eryximachus, spurred on by a previous discussion he had with Phaedrus, proposes that everyone give "as good a speech in praise of love (Eros) as he is capable of giving" (176e-177d). Socrates agrees, stating that the only thing ...

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Symposium Plato dialogue, Symposium Plato dialogue - Setting, Symposium Plato dialogue - Dramatis Personæ, Symposium Plato dialogue - Summary, Symposium Plato dialogue - Start of the discussion, Symposium Plato dialogue - Speeches, Symposium Plato dialogue - Conclusion, Symposium Plato dialogue - Interpretations

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The span of stories and characters in Greek mythology is incredibly far-reaching. Events ranging from the atrocities of the early gods to the brutal wars of Troy and Thebes, from the youthful pranks of Hermes to the heartfelt grief of Demeter for Persephone are related in detail. The number of gods, goddesses, heroes, heroines, monsters, daemons, nymphs, satyrs, and centaurs waiting to be discovered by anyone interested enough to delve into the myths ...

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Greek mythology, Greek mythology - Nature and sources of Greek mythology, Greek mythology - An overview, Greek mythology - The age of gods, Greek mythology - The age of gods and men, Greek mythology - The age of heroes, Greek mythology - Theories of origin, Greek mythology - Did the Greeks believe their myths?, Greek mythology - Hellenistic rationalism, Greek mythology - Syncretizing trends, Greek mythology - Modern interpreters, Greek mythology - Greek cosmology, Greek mythology - Related subjects, Greek mythology - Sources

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Athena has no Greek etymology, and probably was already a goddess in the Aegean before the coming of the Greeks, although her name is not attested in Eteocretan. She has been compared to Anatolian mother goddesses like Cybele, her name possibly of Lydian origin (G. Neumann, Kadmos 6, 1967), and her byname Pallas has been compared to Hittite palahh, a divine raiment [1]. In Mycenaean Greek, A-ta-na-po-ti-ni-ja /Athana potniya/ (Mistress Athena) is referred to in the Knossos Linear B text V 2. and A-ta-no- ...

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Athena, Athena - History, Athena - Athena in art, Athena - Appellations, Athena - Episodes, Athena - Erichthonius, Athena - Athens, Athena - Arachne, Athena - Perseus and Medusa, Athena - Heracles, Athena - Tiresias and Chariclo, Athena - Miscellaneous

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Adonis' birth is shrouded in confusion for those who require a single, authoritative version. The resolutely patriarchal Hellenes sought a father for the god, and found him in Byblos and Cyprus, faithful indicators of the direction from which his cult had come. Walter Burkert questions whether Adonis had not from the very beginning come to Greece with Aphrodite (Burkert 1985, p. 177). Multiple versions of the birth of Adonis exist: The most commonly accepted version is that Aphrodite urged Myrrha to commit incest with her father, Thei ...

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Adonis, Adonis - Origin of the cult, Adonis - Life of Adonis, Adonis - Modern metaphorical use of the name

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In Hesiod's Theogony the twelve Titans follow the Hundred-handers and Cyclopes as children of Ouranos, heaven, and Gaia, the Earth: "Afterwards she lay with Heaven and bore deep-swirling Oceanus, Coeus and Crius and Hyperion and Iapetus, Theia and Rhea, Themis and Mnemosyne and gold-crowned Phoebe and lovely Tethys. After them was born Cronus the wily, youngest and most terrib ...

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Titan mythology, Titan mythology - The Titans in Hesiod, Titan mythology - The Titans in other Greek sources, Titan mythology - The Titans in the twentieth century, Titan mythology - Titans in Neopaganism, Titan mythology - Titans in Modern Literature

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In ancient times the island was sacred to Hephaestus, who as the legend tells fell on Lemnos when his father Zeus hurled him headlong out of Olympus. There he was cared for by the Sinties, according to Iliad I:590ff or by Thetis (Apollodorus, Library I:3.5), and there with a Thracian nymph Cabiro (a daughter of Proteus) he fathered a tribe called the Cabiroides. Sacred rites dedicat ...

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Lemnos, Lemnos - Mythic Lemnos, Lemnos - Historical Lemnos, Lemnos - Modern Lemnos, Lemnos - Climate, Lemnos - Municipalities, Lemnos - Communities, Lemnos - Reference

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The story is set in the royal household of Aethiopia (not to be confused with Ethiopia, the modern name of Axum). King Cepheus (Greek for gardener), and queen Cassiopeia (Greek for cassia juice), had promised their daughter Andromeda (Greek for ruler of men) to the nobleman Phineus. Cassiopeia, having boasted herself equal in beauty to the Nereids, drew down the vengeance of Poseidon, who sent an inundation on the land and a whale-like sea-monster, the Cetus, (whom some modern writers and filmmakers replaced with the Scan ...

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Boast of Cassiopeia, Boast of Cassiopeia - The Myth, Boast of Cassiopeia - Origin of the Myth, Boast of Cassiopeia - The Myth in Art, Boast of Cassiopeia - The Myth in Film, Boast of Cassiopeia - Sources

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The armchair anthropologist and writer Robert Graves speculated that the Centaurs of Greek myth were a dimly-remembered, pre-Hellenic fraternal earth cult who had the horse as a totem. A similar theory was incorporated into Mary Renault's The Bull from the Sea. Other sources speculate that the idea of centaurs came from the first reaction of a non-riding culture, as in the Minoan Aegean world, to nomads who were mounted on horses. The theory goes that such riders would appear as half-man, half-animal. Horse taming and horseback culture evolved first in the southern steppe grasslands of Central Asi ...

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Centaur, Centaur - Theories of origin, Centaur - Centaurs in modern fiction

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Adonis' birth is shrouded in confusion for those who require a single, authoritative version. The resolutely patriarchal Hellenes sought a father for the god, and found him in Byblos and Cyprus, faithful indicators of the direction from which his cult had come. Walter Burkert questions whether Adonis had not from the very beginning come to Greece with Aphrodite (Burkert 1985, p. 177). Multiple versions of the birth of Adonis exist: The most commonly accepted version is that Aphrodite urged Myrrha to commit incest with her father, Thei ...

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Adonis, Adonis - Origin of the cult, Adonis - Birth of Adonis, Adonis - Modern metaphorical use of the name

Read more here: » Adonis: Encyclopedia II - Adonis - Birth of Adonis

Pelias, king of Iolcus in Thessaly (near the modern city of Volos), had been warned to be on his guard against a man with one shoe and, one day, upon seeing his nephew Jason with only one sandal (the other having been lost in crossing a stream), bade him to go and fetch the Golden Fleece, hoping that he would be killed in the attempt. Jason was accompanied by some of the principal heroes of ancient Greece. The number of Argonauts varies but usually totals between 40 and 55 – traditional versions of ...

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Argonauts, Argonauts - Story, Argonauts - Spoken-word myths — audio files, Argonauts - The Argonauts on film, Argonauts - Sources

Read more here: » Argonauts: Encyclopedia II - Argonauts - Story