1. Greek and Roman Mythology
A Review of
The Principal Gods and Goddesses

2. What is a myth?
A traditional story rooted in primitive folk beliefs of cultures
Uses the supernatural to interpret natural events
Explains the culture’s view of the universe and the nature of humanity

3. In the beginning... …was Chaos (shapeless nothingness)
Chaos had two children:
Night (darkness)
Erebus (death)
“All was black, empty, silent, endless.”
Mysteriously, Love was born of darkness and death.

4. And then... When Love was born, order and beauty began to flourish.
Love created Light and Day.
Earth was created.
She was the solid ground, but also a personality.
The Earth bore Heaven to cover her and be a home for the gods.

5. The First Parents Mother Earth = Gaea (Gaia)
Father Heaven = Ouranos (Uranus)
They had three kinds of children:
Three monsters with 100 hands and 50 heads
Three cyclopes
The titans
These were the first characters that had the appearance of life, although it was unlike any life known to man.

6. The Titans (The Elder Gods)
There were many of them.
Enormous size, incredible strength
Cronos (Saturn): Ruler of the titans
Rhea: Wife of Cronos
Ocean: River that encircled the world
Iapetus: Father of Prometheus, Epimetheus, and Atlas (also titans)

7. The Principal Gods Cronos and Rhea were parents of
Zeus (Jupiter, Jove)
Poseidon (Neptune)
Hades (Pluto)
Hera (Juno)
Hestia (Vesta)
Demeter (Ceres)
Other Olympians include
Athena (Minerva)
Ares (Mars)
Hebe (Juventas)
Hephaestus (Vulcan)
Apollo (Apollo)
Artemis (Diana)
Hermes (Mercury)
Aphrodite (Venus)
Dionysus (Bacchus)
Persephone

8. The Olympians

9. Zeus Roman Name: Jupiter (also Jove) Supreme god of the Olympians.
Fathered many characters in mythology

10. Zeus

11. Hera Roman Name: Juno Zeus’s sister and wife
Jealous protector of marriage
Punished the women Zeus fell in love with

12. Poseidon Roman Name: Neptune God of the Seas and Waters
“The Earthshaker”

13. Hades Roman Name: Pluto God of the Underworld/ Dead
Kidnapped Persephone

14. Hestia
Roman Name: Vesta
Goddess of Home
Powerful Protector

15. Ares Roman Name: Mars God of War Son of Zeus and Hera
Bloodthirsty and merciless

16. Hephaestus Roman Name: Vulcan (Mulciber) God of Fire/Forge
Son of Zeus and Hera
Kind, unlike his brother

17. Demeter Roman Name: Ceres Goddess of the Harvest
A Goddess of the Earth

18. Athena Roman Name: Minerva Goddess of Wisdom and War
Sprang from Zeus’s head

19. Apollo Roman Name: Apollo God of Light/Sun and Music
Brother of Artemis

20. Persephone Roman Name: Proserpina Goddess of the Underworld
Daughter of Zeus and Demeter
Abducted by Hades

21. The Centaurs Half man, half horse Savage creatures (except Chiron)
Followers of Dionysus

22. The Muses Goddesses who presided over the arts and sciences
“He is happy whom the muses love.”
Nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne
Inspired artists of all kinds
Clio, Urania, Thalia, Melpomene, Erato, Calliope, Euterpe, Terpsichore, Polyhymnia

23. The Gorgons Three snake-haired monsters Medusa is most well-known
Their look turns men to stone.

24. The Satyrs Gods of the woods and mountains “Shepherd gods”
Goat men (like Pan)
Companions of Dionysus
They like to drink, dance, and chase nymphs.

25. CERBERUS
Pronounced (ˈkerberos) in Greek and Roman mythology, is a multi-headed hound (usually three-headed- which guards the gates of Hades, to prevent those who have crossed the river Styx from ever escaping.

26. YOUR TURN On pg 154, answer the Pre reading questions!
READ “PERSEPHONE”
SPRINGBOARD PG
Questions

28. Artemis
Roman Name: Diana
Goddess of the Moon/ Hunt
Sister to Apollo

29. Hermes Roman Name: Mercury Messenger of the Gods
Appears in more myths than any other character

30. Dionysus Roman Name: Bacchus God of Wine Patron god of the Greek stage
A God of the Earth

31. Hebe Roman Name: Juventas Goddess of Youth Cupbearer to the Gods
Restored youth to the aged

32. Eros Roman Name: Cupid Young God of Love
Son of Aphrodite and Hephaestus

33. Aphrodite Roman Name: Venus Goddess of Love and Beauty
Sprang from the ocean foam

34. Iris Goddess of the Rainbow Messenger for Zeus and Hera
Daughter of the titan Thaumus and the nymph Electra

35. The Graces Three Goddesses of Grace and Beauty
“They give life its bloom.”
Aglaia (Splendor)
Euphrosyne (Mirth)
Thalia (Good Cheer)

36. The Erinnyes (The Furies)
Roman Name: Furiae or Dirae (The Furies)
Three Goddesses of Vengeance
Tisiphone
Alecto
Megaera
They punish evildoers.

37. The Fates Roman Name: Parcae, Moirae Three sisters
Clotho (“The Spinner”)
Lachesis (“The disposer of lots”)
Atropos (“The cutter”)
They weave, measure, and cut the thread of life for humans.

38. Sources
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