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)

4. All was black, empty,
silent, endless.”

5. When suddenly, mysteriously, Love was born of darkness and death.

6. When suddenly, mysteriously, Love was born of darkness and death.

7. And then... When Love was born, order and beauty began to flourish.
Love created Light and Day.

8. Her name was Gaia. Earth was created.
She was the solid ground, but also a personality.
Her name was Gaia.

9. The Earth bore Heaven to cover her and be a home for the gods.
He was called Uranus

10. They Were The First Parents
They had three kinds of children:
Three monsters with 100 hands and 50 heads
Hecatonchires

11. Three cyclopes

12. And 12 Titans- 6 Males and 6 Females

13. Some of The Titans (The Elder Gods)
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)

14. These were the first characters that had the appearance of life, although it was unlike any life known to man.

15. For some reason Uranus wasn’t very fond of his children.
Especially the Hecatonchires and Cyclopes

16. Seriously,
Who could blame him ?

17. So he buried them deep inside of the Earth.
Wait, the Earth is a person. Do you think Gaia was happy to have those big monsters shoved back inside her?

18. She wasn’t!
So she asked her children to help her take care of their father, but only one of them agreed to help her- Cronos.

19. Well something kind of important.
She made him a very special sickle and asked him to cut off his father’s . . .
Well something kind of important.

20. After that, for some reason, I guess Uranus didn’t want to be with Gaia, and the Sky separated from the Earth
Cronos took over and ruled with his wife (and sister) Rhea.
I know, gross right?

21. Under Cronos and Rhea, though, the world had complete peace.
T here were no wars
no crime
no injustice!
Even the animals lived in peace!

22. It was called

23. But Chronos had been told that one of his children would depose him:
So, he ate them!

24. Except for Zeus
His Grandmother (Gaia) helped Rhea to hide Zeus and fed Cronos a blanket-wrapped rock instead.

25. They hid Zeus in a cave where he was cared for by a goat until he was old enough to come back and fix things.
He came home and made his
father barf up his brothers
and sisters.

26. The children divided the kingdom between them.
Zeus (Roman name Jupiter) became the supreme ruler of Mount Olympus

27. Poseidon (Roman name Neptune) became the god of the seas

28. Hades (Roman name Pluto) is the god of the Underworld
With his three-headed dog.

29. Demeter (Roman name Ceres) is the goddess of the earth and fertility.
She gives us winter every year since her daughter was
Kidnapped by . . .,
But, I guess that
is a different story

30. Hera
Who is the
jealous (very)
Protector of
Marriage

31. And Hestia (Roman name Vesta)
Goddess of
Home

32. Other Olympians include
Athena (Minerva)
Ares (Mars)
Hebe (Juventas)
Hephaestus (Vulcan)
Apollo (Apollo)
Artemis (Diana)
Hermes (Mercury)
Aphrodite (Venus)
Dionysus (Bacchus)
Persephone

33. The Olympians

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

49. 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.

50. 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.

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

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

53. Sources
Graphics in this presentation were taken from the following web sites:
C Golden’s
This presentation is for educational purposes only; it has not been and should not be sold or used as a vehicle to make money.