Greek mythology is the mythology of the ancient Greeks who inhabited the Attica Peninsula and nearby islands. Greek mythology focuses more on the gods and heroes than on spirits and demons. Mythological creatures are also present. Derived from Pre-Indo-European mythology, possibly with an admixture of Minoan. In its recognizable form appeared already in the Middle Ages, when various authors gathered everything into one canon. Before that, there was no single canon, and each city had its own opinion about certain events. Some evidence suggests that the myths were not in principle perceived as a religious canon, but were simply amusing stories for recreational purposes. For example, Cicero argues that no one (not even old women and boys) is foolish enough to believe in the horrors of Hades or the existence of Scylla, Centaurs, or other complex fictional beings (but, on the other hand, the speaker elsewhere complains about the superstitious and gullible nature of people. De Natura Deorum is the most complete statement of Cicero's line of thought).
Here are abridged versions of the most important canonical myths about the creation of the world and the gods, but they may not correspond to the worldview of Greeks elsewhere
According to legend, in the beginning there was the Mud. Out of it came Chaos. From them were born Nicta, goddess of night, Ereb, god of night, and Eros, god of love. Following them were born Uranus, god of the sky and Gaia, goddess of the earth. These were the gods of the first generation. From them came the gods of the second generation. From Uranus and Gaia were born titans, evil giants who played an important role in Greek mythology.
Seeing his sons, Uranus imprisoned them in Tartarus. Gaia became furious about this. Kronos, the youngest, most cunning, and most terrible of all the titans, convinced Gaia to kill Uranus. Having done so, Gaia released the titans. And Cronus became the new ruler of the world with his wife, Rhea.
Cronus and Rhea had six children. After Cronus heard a prediction that one of his children would overthrow him in the future, Cronus began to devour his children. However, his wife, Rhea, decided to save one child, and gave Cronus a stone wrapped in diapers. His name was Zeus. He grew up on the island of Crete. When Zeus grew up, he learned the fate of his brothers and sisters. Zeus asked Metide, goddess of wisdom, to make a potion that would make Cronus vomit up his children. Metida complied with his request, and one day while Cronus was asleep, Zeus poured this potion into his mouth and killed him.
Zeus decided to attack all the titans. The titans, however, did not give in. There was clearly no winner in the war. The sides were equal. However, Zeus decided to free the Cyclopes and Hecatonchires from Tartarus. With their help, the gods finally held on to victory and imprisoned the titans in Tartarus.
An allusion is a casual or passing reference to a famous historical or fictional character. In poetry, allusions are often used to help reinforce a point or characterize the speaker or the addressee. In the case of Margaret Atwood’s poems, “Helen of Troy Does Countertop …
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In Greece and Asia Minor around 2000 B. C. there existed a common belief in a group of deities. Of this group of deities were twelve Olympians who were immortal. From that group of Olympians came the most dominant and commanding God known to immortals …
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The words myths and legends tend to be used interchangeably, but usually myths have a religious purpose whereas legends are the stories of heroes. Creation myths have commonalities, because they are all seeking to explain the same things. (more…)
Greek mythology started over 2000 years ago and it is still influencing our world of today. Traveling the world or just being more conscious of the area that you live in you will be seeing many names or things and guess what, many of those …
In this paper, I suggest that the themes of justice and vengeance are reflected in a progressive movement throughout the trilogy. The never-ending cycle of revenge and vengeance was between not only mortals like Clytaemnestra and Orestes but also between gods for example Apollo and …
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Apollo, sometimes known as Phoebus Apollo, was a major god in ancient Greek mythology and was one of the Twelve Olympians. He was the god of music, poetry, archery, healing, the sun, and prophecy, as well as patron of the arts and the oracle. During …
The Diverging Commonalities of Creation Myth’s Long ago, people wanted to acquire a better understanding of the beginning of the universe which ultimately resulted in the establishment of religions, beliefs and most pertinent, creation myths. Mythology provides explanations for the worlds mysteries especially in regards …
Greek Mythology is a group of teachings and myths that were originated by the ancient Greeks, when they were trying to understand the origin of things in the sky and on earth. This myth was a big part of the religion of the Greeks. Hesiod …
The role of women in ancient Greek life was insignificant compared to that of Greek men. A woman’s job was to take care of the children and to cook and clean unless she had servants or slaves that would do it for her. Yet, in …
The Greek god, Morpheus, also known as ‘He who forms’, is the Greek god of dreams. The Greeks believed that he shaped and formed dreams for mortals. Morpheus played an important role as a god; he was the leader of the Oneriroi tribe. The tribe …
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This essay is an attempt to address the marble sculpture commonly known as Laocoon and His Sons, and why exactly I believe it to be a work of high art, of great value and significance to the species. Laocoon and His Sons is a marble …
Ancient Greeks lived a very unique lifestyle in their times. They knew no one of Greece. This helped them to live by their own ways and not follow anything that happened outside of Greece because they simply could not. In parts of Greek mythology gods …
One of the most well known places in Greece would be the Athenian Acropolis, where the Parthenon resides. Built in dedication to the Greek Goddess Athena, the current temple was constructed after the original temple was destroyed in the Second Persian Invasion in 480 B. …
Oceanic Mythology Two classical cultures, Rome and Greece, both are well known to the world. Their mythology especially, because elements of their folk tales shape modern society. But, what about mythology originating in other parts of the world? Why are Roman and Greek culture such …
Zeus, the Supreme Greek God In Greek mythology Zeus is king of the gods, ruler of Mt. Olympus, and controlled sky and thunder. In Homer’s The Iliad, Zeus was the supreme god of gods and the overseer of all events that took place during the …
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The culture of Greek mythology has impacted modern culture. The first ever written origin story of greek mythology took place around 700 B.C. (Athena) Greek mythology impacted modern culture by the way people live and even design houses today. The religion of greek culture is …
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In Greek mythology, Hades was an Olympian God, regarded as the ‘God of the Dead’ or the ‘Lord of the Underworld’. He was born to Cronus, the leader of the Titans, who ruled during the legendary Golden Age, and his wife Rhea, on the island …
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It is difficult to know when Greek mythology started, as it is believed to have stemmed from centuries of oral tradition. It is likely that Greek myths evolved from stories told in the Minoan civilization of Crete, which flourished from about 3000 to 1100 BCE.
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