Adonis is the deity of dying and resurrecting nature, borrowed from Phenicia in the 5th century. BC e. At the request of Zeus, Adonis had to spend a third of the year with Aphrodiges, a third of the year with Persephone.

Hades is one of the main greek gods, lord of the kingdom of the dead and everything underworld. Brother of Zeus, Poseidon and Demeter.

Amphitrite is a sea goddess, wife of Poseidon, mistress of the seas.

Apollo (Phoebus) is one of the main Greek gods, the son of Zeus, brother of Artemis. Deity of the sun, sunlight, enlightenment, patron of art, personified by 9 muses, agriculture, guardian of herds, roads, travelers, sailors, warrior god, healer god and diviner god. The most important centers of the cult of Apollo in Greece were Delphi with its famous oracle, the islet of Delos and Didyma near Miletus.

Ares (or Ares) - god of war, military art, son of Zeus and Hera. One of the main Olympic deities.

Artemis is one of the main goddesses, part of the family of 12 Olympic deities, patroness of forests, forest vegetation, animals, natural fertility, including childbirth, daughter of Zeus, twin sister of Apollo.

Asclepius is the god of healing and medical art, son of Apollo.

Athena is one of the main goddesses of the Greek pantheon, was part of the family of 12 Olympian gods, the patroness of wisdom, science, crafts, victorious war and peaceful prosperity, the main goddess of Athens and Attica. Born in an unusual way: Athena came out of the head of Zeus.

Aphrodite is one of the main goddesses of Greece, part of the family of 12 Olympian deities, daughter of Zeus; according to another version, was born from sea ​​foam, goddess of beauty, sensual love, female fertility and love charm.

Hebe is the goddess of youth, daughter of Zeus and Hera. On Olympus she offered ambrosia and nectar to the gods.

Hecate is one of the goddesses of the underworld, the mistress of shadows in the underworld, the goddess of ghosts and nightmares, magic and spells. Like Artemis, she was considered the mistress of beasts. Daughter of Zeus.

The hecatomb is the main sacrifice at temples of a hundred animals or more.

Helios is one of the main Greek gods, especially in the Hellenistic era. The sun god was often identified with Apollo. Son of the titan Hyperion.

Hera is one of the main Greek goddesses, a member of the family of 12 Olympian gods, the sister and wife of Zeus, the mother of Hebe, Hephaestus and Areya, the queen on Olympus. As the female hypostasis of Zeus - the mistress of lightning and thunder, clouds and storms, another function of Hera is the patroness of marriage and conjugal love, guardian of family foundations, assistant to pregnant women and parents.

Hercules is a Greek hero, awarded immortality and ranked among the host of Olympian gods for his exploits. The 12 main labors of Hercules are known: 1) strangled the Nemean lion, 2) killed Lernaean hydra, 3) caught the Erymanthian boar that was devastating Arcadia, 4) captured the fleet-footed Cerynean hind, 5) killed the Stymphalian bird-monsters with copper beaks, claws and wings, 6) obtained the belt of Hippolyta, the cruel queen of the warlike Amazons, 7) cleared the stables of King Augeas, 8) pacified the Cretan bull spitting fire, 9) defeated King Diomedes, who threw strangers to be torn to pieces by his cannibal mares, 10) stole the cows of the three-headed giant Geryon, 11) got the golden apples of the Hesperides, which were brought to him by Atlas, the giant who supports firmament. When Atlas went for apples, Hercules held the firmament for him, 12) caught and brought him to sunlight the formidable guardian of the underworld - the dog Kerberus. In addition, Hercules defeated the giant Antaeus, tearing him away from mother earth, who gave him strength, and strangled him in his arms. As a baby, he strangled a snake in a cradle, took part in the campaign of the Argonauts, in the Calydonian hunt, etc.

Hermes (Ermius) - a member of the Olympic family, one of the main Greek gods, was the messenger and messenger of the gods, fulfilling their will, but at the same time performed numerous functions, was the patron of heralds, gymnastic competitions of youth, trade and associated wealth, cunning, dexterity, deception and theft, travel, roads and crossroads. Son of Zeus and Maya. He accompanied the souls of the dead to the kingdom of Hades.

Hestia is a member of the Olympian family, the goddess of the hearth, the sister of Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades.

Hephaestus is a member of the Olympic family, patron of fire and blacksmithing, son of Zeus and Hera, husband of Aphrodite.

Gaia is one of the oldest and most important goddesses of the Greek pantheon, the personification of the earth, the ancestor of gods, titans, giants, and all people.

The giants are the sons of Gaia (earth) and Uranus (sky) - divine giants, the first generation of gods, which were replaced by a new generation of Olympian gods led by Zeus. According to myth, the giants were exterminated by the Olympian gods in a fierce battle.

Hymen is the god of marriage and marriage rites, the son of Apollo.

Demeter is a member of the Olympic family, one of the main Greek goddesses, the deity of agriculture and earthly fertility, germinating grain; was also revered as the patroness and organizer of the economy separate family, sister of Zeus.

Demons are a special group of minor divine beings - spirits with unclear functions; they did not have any image, they were the personification of everything unclear, miraculous and fatal in nature and the life of an individual person.

Dike is the deity of truth, the personification of justice, the daughter of Zeus.

Dionysus is one of the oldest and most popular gods of Ancient Greece, the personification of dying and resurrecting nature, the patron of vegetation, the productive forces of nature, viticulture and winemaking, folk festivals, poetic inspiration and theatrical arts. Son of Zeus.

Zeus is the supreme god and king of the gods who are part of the Olympian family. The deity of the sky, celestial space, the lord and master of everything that happens in nature, the lives of gods and people, the future and destiny are open to him. As the god of the sky, Zeus commands thunder and lightning, gathers and disperses clouds. Zeus is the father of most members of the Olympian family of gods. One of the main centers of his cult was the town of Olympia in Elis, where the Olympic Games were held in his honor.

Ilithyia is the goddess of childbirth, daughter of Zeus and Hera.

Iris is the goddess of the rainbow. Since the rainbow connects heaven and earth, Iris was considered a mediator between gods and people, conveying the will of the gods.

Cabirs are minor deities who did not have any image, patrons of land fertility, underground fire, and saved from sea storms.

Kekrop is an ancient Attic deity of the earth, the son of Gaia, one of the patrons of Attica and Athens. His cult is closely related to the cult of Athena.

Kronos (Kronos) is one of the most ancient Greek deities, the son of Uranus and Gaia, one of the titans of the first generation of Greek gods. The father of Zeus was cast into Tartarus by Zeus.

Latona (Leto) is the divine mother of Apollo and Artemis. Independent meaning she had no cult; she was revered along with her popular children.

Moira - goddess of human destiny, daughter of Zeus. Depicted as old women spinning thread human life. Three Moirai are known: Clotho begins to spin the thread, Lachesis leads the thread of human life, and Atropa cuts the thread.

Morpheus is the deity of dreams, the son of the god of sleep Hypnos.

The Muses, goddesses of poetry, art and science, companions of Apollo, lived on Mount Helicon and Parnassus. There were nine muses: Clio - the muse of history, Euterpe - the muse of lyricism, Thalia - the muse of comedy, Melpomene - the muse of tragedy, Terpsichore - the muse of dance and choral singing, Erato - the muse of erotic poetry, Polyhymnia - the muse of solemn chants and pantomime, Urania - the muse of astronomy, Calliope - the elder muse, the patroness of epic poetry.

Naiads are deities, patroness of waters, springs, streams and rivers, forces of nature favorable to people, animals and plants.

Nemesis is the goddess of fair and inevitable retribution, punishing for violation established order things, punishing both too much happiness and too much pride.

Nereus - ancient sea deity, father of the Nereids, personification calm sea. Like the changeable sea, Nereus could take on different images and had the gift of transformation.

Nereids - nymphs of the sea, daughters of Nereus. They help sailors in danger.

Nike is the daughter of Zeus, the personification of victory both in military battle and in sports competition.

Nymphs are semi-divine creatures (since they were considered mortal), the personification of various forces and natural phenomena. Nymphs differed sea ​​waters(oceans, nereids), river waters and springs (naiads), mountains (oreads), valleys (napeys), meadows (limoniads), trees (dryads), there were nymphs of certain places (dodons, nisas), islands (Calypso, Kirka) . They were considered patrons of poets and carefree, happy pastimes.

Ocean is one of the oldest Greek sea deities, the son of Uranus and Gaia. He lived alone in an underwater palace and did not appear in the meetings of the gods. In classical times, his functions were transferred to Poseidon.

Olympus is the sacred mountain of the Greeks in Northern Thessaly, the permanent residence of twelve main deities: Zeus, Poseidon and Hades (brother gods, lords of the sky, sea and underworld), their wives and children: Hera, Demeter, Hestia, Athena, Aphrodite, Apollo , Artemis, Hephaestus and Ares. Here live the messengers of their will, Hermes and Iris, as well as those serving the gods “Femvda and Hebe.”

Omphalus is a sacred stone (usually a meteorite). The most famous is the omphalos, kept in the temple of Apollo at Delphi, considered the center of the world.

An oracle is a place of communication between gods and people, where you can find out the will of the deity. The most famous oracle was the oracle of Apollo in Delphi, where the deity’s prophecies were transmitted through the priestess Pythia; in Dodona, the will of Zeus was manifested in the rustling of the leaves of the sacred oak tree; on Delos, in the leaves of the sacred laurel. The transmitted will of the gods was interpreted by a special priestly board.

Ora - goddesses who were in charge of the change of seasons, order in nature, guardians of order and law in society, companions of Aphrodite. The most famous are the three Oras: Eunoia (legality), Dika (justice), Eirene (peace).

Palladium is an image of an armed deity, usually the oldest wooden statue, considered the guardian of the city. Apollo, Aphrodite, but most often Athena, from whose nickname “Pallas” the name came, had such palladiums.

Pan is the Arcadian god of forests and groves, the son of Hermes, one of the companions of Dionysus. Patron of shepherds, hunters, beekeepers and fishermen. Pan had the gift of instilling uncontrollable, so-called “panic” fear in people.

Panacea is a healing goddess, daughter of Asclepius.

Pegasus is a magical winged horse that delivered thunder and lightning by order of Zeus. In the Hellenistic era it became a symbol of poetic inspiration.

Persephone is the daughter of Demeter, the wife of Hades, one of the main goddesses of the Greek pantheon, the mistress of the underworld, the personification of the growth of cereals and earthly fertility. Persephone symbolizes the annual dying and awakening of vegetation, the burial and rebirth of grain sown in the ground.

Plutos is the god of wealth as one of the manifestations of agricultural labor and peaceful life.

A pomp is a solemn procession of a religious nature associated with the presentation of gifts to the temple of the main deity of the polis, for example during the celebration of the Panathenaia in honor of Athena, the Eleusinian mysteries in honor of Demeter, etc.

Poseidon is one of the main Olympic gods, the brother of Zeus, the deity of sea moisture, the ruler of numerous sea deities and at the same time the patron of horse breeding.

Prometheus is one of the titans, that is, the gods of the first generation from Gaia and Uranus, the patron saint of people and civilized life; gave people fire and introduced it to its use, taught people reading, writing, navigation, sciences and crafts. He aroused the wrath of Zeus, who chained him to a rock in the Caucasus, where an eagle that flew in every day pecked out his liver.

Proteus, a sea deity subordinate to Poseidon, had the ability to take on any form.

Rhadamanthus is one of the three judges of the underworld, the son of Zeus.

Rhea is a mother goddess, daughter of Uranus and Gaia, wife of Kronos, mother of Zeus and other Olympian Kronid gods.

Sabazius was originally a Phrygian deity, who later merged with Dionysus.

Satyrs, minor forest deities personifying fertility, were in the retinue of Dionysus. They were depicted as half-humans, half-goats.

Selene - goddess of the Moon, wife of Helios, was often identified with Artemis.

Sarapis is one of the most important gods of Hellenistic Egypt and the peoples of the Eastern Mediterranean, a syncretic deity that combines the functions of the ancient Egyptian gods Osiris, Isis, Apis and the Greek gods Apollo, Hades, Asclepius.

Silenus - the demon, son of Hermes, teacher of Dionysus, was depicted in the form of a thick, wine skin, constantly drunk, cheerful, bald old man.

Sirens are half-birds, half-women. to his in a magical voice they lured sailors onto the rocks and then devoured them.

The Sphinx is a monster depicted as a winged lion with the head of a woman. The monster lived near Thebes and killed people who could not guess its riddles.

Titans are gods of the first generation, children of Uranus and Gaia, they are often identified with giants. The giant titans were defeated by the next generation of Olympian gods and cast down into Tartarus; in other myths, they moved to the islands of the blessed.

Typhon is an evil deity, depicted as a monster with a hundred snake heads spewing flame, the son of Gaia and Tartarus, born after the victory of the Olympians over the Titans.

Tyche is the goddess of fate and chance; her cult gained particular popularity in the Hellenistic era.

Triton is a minor sea deity, son of Poseidon.

Uranus, the primordial supreme deity, the personification of the primary masculine principle, was considered the god of Heaven, which united with the primary feminine principle, the goddess Gaia (earth). From this marriage titans, giants and other deities were born.

Phaeton is the lowest solar deity, the son of Helios.

Phoenix is ​​a mythical character, depicted as a bird (an eagle with golden feathers), which, having reached old age (at 500, 1461, 7006 years), burned itself and was reborn from the ashes young and renewed.

Themis is the goddess of law, legality, established order and predictions. She was depicted with a cornucopia, scales in her hands and a blindfold.

Chaos is the primary uncertainty that exists before the creation of the world. The first creatures of Chaos were the deities Gaia, Tartarus, Eros (love), Erebus (darkness), and Night.

Charites are deities of fertility, beauty, joy, the personification of blooming femininity, the daughter of Zeus.

Charon is the deity of the underworld, the carrier of the souls of the dead across the river of the underworld Acheron.

Chimera is a monster with the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and the tail of a dragon.

Elysia ( Champs Elysees) - fields of the blessed, part of the afterlife, where the chosen ones of the gods live. According to the ideas of the ancient Greeks, people end up in Elysia not so much for a righteous life, but rather by the grace of the gods.

Eris is the goddess of discord, sister and companion of the god of war Ares, daughter of Night, mother of disasters, quarrels and hunger.

Erinnyes are three goddesses of vengeance living in Hades (Tisiphone, Allecto and Megaera). They punish crimes of oath, violation of customs of hospitality, and murder. A person pursued by Erinnyes loses his mind.

Eros - one of the primary Greek gods, a product of Chaos, personified the elemental connecting principle in nature, later the deity of love, the son of Aphrodite and Ares.

Ether is a deity personifying the upper radiant layer of air, where the king of the gods Zeus usually resided.



Hades
Brother of Zeus, Poseidon and Hera, ruler of the underworld and the kingdom of the dead (shadows). He rode a golden chariot drawn by black horses, and he himself guarded his kingdom. He was fabulously rich because he owned everything precious stones and ores in the bowels of the earth. He was considered a terrible god: people were afraid to say his name out loud.

Apollo
One of the main Greek gods, son of Zeus. Deity of the sun, light, enlightenment, healer and soothsayer. He patronized the arts and was himself an excellent musician. The twin brother of Artemis, he cared for his mother and sister tenderly. He killed the dragon-monster Python, who guarded Delphi, during which he spent 8 years in exile, and later founded his own oracle in the city. Its symbol is the laurel.

Ares
The formidable god of war and military art, one of the main Olympic gods. He was a young, strong and handsome lover. He was depicted as a mighty warrior wearing a helmet. His symbols are a burning torch, a spear, dogs and vultures.

Asclepius
God of healing, son of Apollo and Coronis. A mortal, he was considered such a skilled physician that he was capable of raising the dead. For this, the angry Zeus struck him with lightning, but he did not descend to Hades, but became the god of medicine.

Hermes
Energetic and mischievous, like a child, he stole cows from Apollo, but achieved his forgiveness when he invented and gave him the lyre. By the will of Zeus, he became the messenger of the gods and the patron of travelers and traders, as well as deception, dexterity and competition. He wore a hat with wings and held a staff in his hands.

Hephaestus
The patron of fire and blacksmiths, kind and hardworking, but life was not kind to him. Born lame, his quarrelsome mother Hera threw him from Olympus. He was found and raised by the sea goddesses. Returning to Olympus, he made a chariot for Helios and a shield for Achilles.

Dionysus
He was considered the son of Zeus and Ssmsla. The personification of dying and resurrecting nature, the patron of winemaking, folk festivals, poetic inspiration and theatrical art. He traveled throughout the East and Greece and taught people everywhere about viticulture, satyrs accompanied him everywhere, they drank wine and played musical instruments.

Zeus
The supreme ruler of the gods, the god of the sky, thunder and lightning, distributes good and evil on earth. The son of the titans Kronos and Rhea, he was married to his sister Hera, from whom he had Ares, Hebe, Hephaestus and Ilithyia, but often cheated on her with mortal women and other goddesses. He appeared before them in different guises: a bull, a swan or a golden shower. Its symbols are thunder, eagle and oak.

Known to many since childhood. Some people were seriously fascinated by the myths of ancient Greece, while others loved ancient culture vaccinated at school. It would seem strange to transfer this knowledge into adulthood, because all this is actually a myth.

Brief introduction:

However, the ancient Greek gods and the events that happen to them are reflected in many works of literature and cinema; almost all modern plots are taken precisely from antiquity.

Knowledge of the gods of ancient Greece- a necessary condition for understanding many philosophical issues. That is why every person is simply obliged to know as much as possible about the famous gods from Olympus.

Generations of gods of ancient Grtions

• Distinguish several generations ancient Greek gods.

• At first there was only darkness, from which Chaos was formed. Having united together, darkness and chaos gave birth to Erob, who personified darkness, Nyukta, or as she is also callednight, Uranus - the sky, Eros - love, Gaia - mother earth and Tartarus, which is the abyss.

I generation of gods

• All heavenly gods appeared thanks to the union of Gaia and Uranus, the sea deities originated from Pontos, the union with Tartas led to the emergence of giants, while earthly creatures are the flesh of Gaia herself.

• In principle, all the ancient Greek gods originated from her; she came up with the names, giving life.

• Usually the earth goddess was depicted as pretty big women, which rises halfway above the planet..

• Uranus was the ruler of the universe. If it was depicted, it was only in the form of an all-encompassing bronze dome covering the entire world.

• Together with Gaia they gave birth to several titan gods:
• The ocean (all the world's waters, was horned bull with a fish tail)
• Tethys (also titanide), Thea, Rhea, Themis, Mnemosyne like the goddess of memory,
• Crius (this titan had the ability to freeze), Kronos.
• In addition to the Titans, the Cyclopes are considered children of Uranus and Gaia. Hated by their father, they were sent down to Tartarus for a long time.
• For a long time, the power of Uranus was beyond comparison; he single-handedly controlled his children, until one of them, Kronos, otherwise called Chronos, decided to overthrow his father from his pedestal.

• The Time Lord managed to depose his father Uranus by killing him with a sickle. As a result of the death of Uranus, the great titans and titanides appeared on earth, who became the first inhabitants of the planet. Gaia also played a certain role in this; she could not forgive her husband for expelling the firstborn of the Cyclops to Tartarus. From the blood of Uranus, the Erinyes emerged, creatures who patronized blood feuds. Kronos thus achieved unprecedented power, but his father’s expulsion did not go unnoticed by his own personality.

• Kronos's wife was his Native sister Titanide Rhea.. When Kronos became a father, he was madly afraid that one of his children would also turn out to be a traitor. According to thisTitan devoured his offspring as soon as they were born. Kronos's fears were justified by one of his sons, the great Zeus, who sent his father into the darkness of Tartarus.

II generation of gods

• The Titans and Titanides are the second generation of ancient Greek gods.

III generation of gods

• The most famous and familiar to modern man is third generation.

• As is already clear, the main one among them was Zeus, he was the unconditional leader, all life on earth strictly obeyed him.

• Besides Zeus t third generation of gods Ancient Greece has 11 more Olympian gods.

• Their wide popularity is justified by the fact that thesethe gods, as the legends say, came down to people and participated in their lives, while the titans always remained on the sidelines, living their own lives, each performing their functions separately.

• All 12 gods lived , based on myths, on Mount Olympus. Each of the gods performed its own specific function and had its own talents. Each had a unique character, which was often the cause of people's sorrows or, conversely, joys.

And now about the most famous gods in more detail in a brief summary...

Zeus

Poseidon

The rest of the gods

• Each of the gods described was incredibly powerful and very revered in ancient Greece, but they were not the only ones who made up the third, most famous generation.
• The descendants of Zeus also joined him. Among them are the common children of the Thunderer and Hera.
• For example, Ares personified masculinity and was often called the god of war. Ares never appeared alone anywhere; he was always accompanied by two faithful companions: Eris, the goddess of discord, and Enyo, the goddess of war.
• His brother Hephaestus was worshiped by all blacksmiths, and he was also the master of fire.
• He was unloved by his father because he was very ugly in appearance and had a limp.
• Despite this, he had a total of two wives, Aglaya, and the beautiful Aphrodite.

Aphrodite

Hera was the last, but not the only wife of Zeus. His second wife Themis was consumed by the Thunderer even before Athena was born, but this did not prevent the birth of one of the great goddesses.

Athena was born from her father, Zeus himself, and came out of his head. It personifies war, but not only. She is also known as the embodiment of wisdom and crafts. All the ancient Greeks turned to her, but especially the residents of the city of Athena, since the young goddess was considered the patroness of this locality.

Less known in wide circles another daughter of Zeus and Themis, Ora, who personified the seasons. In addition, the three goddesses Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos, who together were simply called Moira, are also credited as daughters of Zeus and Themis.

First, Clotho spun the threads of life, Lachesis determined human destiny, and Anthropos personified death. However, not all sources of information call the Moiras daughters of Zeus; there is another version, according to which they were daughters of the night.

One way or another, all three sisters were constantly close to the supreme god, helping him keep track of people, and predetermining many different destinies.

This is where the children of Zeus, born in a legal marriage, end, and a whole galaxy of illegitimate, but no less revered and respected descendants begins. These are the twin brother and sister Apollo, who was the patron of music and a predictor of the future, and Artemis, the goddess of the hunt.

They appeared to Zeus after his relationship with Leto. Artemis was born earlier. Speaking about her, not only the image of a huntress pops up in my head, but also a pure and virgin virgin, since Artemis embodied chastity, was not loving, or more precisely, there is not a single confirmation of her possible romances.

But Apollo, on the contrary, is known not only as a golden-haired youth and the embodiment of light, but also for his numerous love affairs. One of love stories became very symbolic for the young god, leaving an eternal reminder of himself in the form of a laurel wreath crowning the head of Apollo.

Another illegitimate son, Hermes, was born from the galaxy of Maya. He patronized merchants, speakers, gymnasiums and sciences, and was also the god of livestock. During life, the ancient Greeks asked Hermes for the gift of eloquence, and after death they relied on him as a faithful guide in last way. It was Hermes who accompanied the souls of the dead to the kingdom of Hades. Widely known thanks, among other things, to his constant attributes: winged sandals and an invisibility helmet and a staff decorated with metal weave in the form of snakes.

In addition, it is also known about illegitimate daughter Zeus to Persephone, born from the goddess Demeter, as well as about the son Dionysus, who was born by a mere mortal woman Semele. Dionysus, nevertheless, was a full-fledged god, the patron of the theater.

Ariadne became his wife, which brought Dionysus even closer to greatness, making him also one of the most famous gods of ancient Greece. There are other known children of Zeus born from mortal women. This is, for example, Perseus, who was born by the Argive princess Danae, the famous Helen, also the daughter of Zeus, her mother was the Spartan queen Leda, the Phoenician princess gave the Thunderer another descendant of Minos.

All the Olympian gods led a calm, measured lifestyle, succumbing to hobbies, mortal passions, and fleeting amusements, without forgetting to fulfill their direct duties. Life on Olympus was not so simple, due to numerous feuds and intrigues between various gods. Each sought to prove their power without encroaching on the other’s responsibilities, so sooner or later a compromise was reached. But not all the gods of ancient Greece were lucky enough to live on Mount Olympus; some of them lived in other, less well-known places. These are all those who, for whatever reason, fell out of favor with Zeus or simply did not deserve his recognition.

Besides Olympic gods there were others too. For example, Hymen, who was the patron saint of marriage. Born thanks to the union of Apollo and the muse Calliope. The goddess of victory Nike was the daughter of the titan Pallatus, Iris, personifying the rainbow, was born of one of the oceanids, Electra. Ata can also be distinguished as the goddess of the gloomy mind; her father was the famous Zeus. The child of Aphrodite and Ares, Phobos, the god of fear, lived separately from his parents, just like his brother Deimos, the lord of horror.

Besides the gods in ancient greek mythology There are also muses, nymphs, satyrs and monsters. Each character is thoughtful and individual, carrying some kind of idea. Everyone has a certain type of behavior and thinking, perhaps it is because of this that the world of myths is so much more multifaceted and arouses special interest in childhood.

In conclusion I must say...

The gods described above are only short version. Naturally, this list of gods cannot be called complete. Hundreds of books are not enough to tell about all the gods of ancient Greece without exception, but everyone must know about the existence of the ones described above. If for the inhabitants of ancient Greece the pantheon of gods served as a justification for all kinds of objects and phenomena, then for modern people the images themselves are curious.

It is not their material environment and not the reasons that prompted the birth of such heroes, but precisely the allegories that they evoke. Otherwise, it will be impossible to understand all the ancient Greek myths and legends. Almost any text written in antiquity has references to one or more of the main gods of both the first, second and third generations.

And since all literature and theater of our time are in any case built on ancient ideals, every self-respecting person is obliged to know these ideals. The images of Zeus, Hera, Athena, Apollo have long become household names; today they are very archetypal, and, oddly enough, understandable to everyone.

Just because you don’t have to get seriously involved Greek mythology in order to know famous story about the Apple of Discord. And there are many such examples. Therefore, the gods of ancient Greece are not just passing characters from childhood, this is something that absolutely every educated adult should know.

Goddesses of ancient Greece

Artemis– Goddess of the moon and hunting, forests, animals, fertility and childbirth. She was never married, diligently guarded her chastity, and if she took revenge, she knew no pity. Her silver arrows spread plague and death, but she also had the ability to heal. She protected young girls and pregnant women. Her symbols are cypress, deer and bears.

Atropos- one of the three moiras, cutting the thread of fate and ending human life.

Athena(Pallada, Parthenos) - daughter of Zeus, born from his head in full military armor. One of the most revered Greek goddesses, the goddess of just war and wisdom, the patroness of knowledge.

Athena. Statue. Hermitage Museum. Athena Hall.

Description:

Athena is the goddess of wisdom, just war and patroness of crafts.

Statue of Athena made by Roman craftsmen of the 2nd century. Based on a Greek original from the late 5th century. BC e. Entered the Hermitage in 1862. Previously it was in the collection of the Marquis Campana in Rome. It is one of the most interesting exhibits in the Athena Hall.

Everything about Athena, starting from her birth, was amazing. Other goddesses had divine mothers, Athena - one father, Zeus, who met with the daughter of Ocean Metis. Zeus swallowed his pregnant wife because she predicted that after her daughter she would give birth to a son who would become the ruler of heaven and deprive him of power. Soon Zeus had an unbearable headache. He became gloomy, and seeing this, the gods hastened to leave, for they knew from experience what Zeus was like when he was in a bad mood. The pain did not go away. The Lord of Olympus could not find a place for himself. Zeus asked Hephaestus to hit him on the head with a blacksmith's hammer. From the split head of Zeus, announcing Olympus with a war cry, an adult maiden jumped out in full warrior clothes and with a spear in her hand and stood next to her parent. The eyes of the young, beautiful and majestic goddess shone with wisdom.

Aphrodite(Kytherea, Urania) - goddess of love and beauty. She was born from the marriage of Zeus and the goddess Dione (according to another legend, she came out of the sea foam)

Aphrodite (Venus Tauride)

Description:

According to Hesiod’s “Theogony,” Aphrodite was born near the island of Cythera from the seed and blood of Uranus castrated by Kronos, which fell into the sea and formed snow-white foam (hence the nickname “foam-born”). The breeze brought her to the island of Cyprus (or she sailed there herself, since she did not like Cythera), where she, emerging from sea ​​waves, and met Ora.

The statue of Aphrodite (Venus of Tauride) dates back to the 3rd century BC. e., now it is in the Hermitage and is considered his most famous statue. The sculpture became the first in Russia antique statue naked woman Life-size marble statue of bathing Venus (height 167 cm), modeled after the Aphrodite of Cnidus or the Capitoline Venus. The hands of the statue and a fragment of the nose are lost. Before entering State Hermitage Museum it decorated the garden of the Tauride Palace, hence the name. In the past, “Venus Tauride” was intended to decorate the park. However, the statue was delivered to Russia much earlier, even under Peter I and thanks to his efforts. The inscription made on the bronze ring of the pedestal recalls that Venus was given by Clement XI to Peter I (as a result of an exchange for the relics of St. Brigid, sent to the Pope by Peter I). The statue was discovered in 1718 during excavations in Rome. Unknown sculptor of the 3rd century. BC. depicted the naked goddess of love and beauty Venus. A slender figure, rounded, smooth lines of the silhouette, softly modeled body shapes - everything speaks of a healthy and chaste perception of female beauty. Along with calm restraint (posture, facial expression), a generalized manner, alien to fractionality and fine detail, as well as a number of other features characteristic of the art of the classics (V - IV centuries BC), the creator of Venus embodied in her his idea of beauty, associated with the ideals of the 3rd century BC. e. (graceful proportions - high waist, somewhat elongated legs, thin neck, small head - tilt of the figure, rotation of the body and head).

Aphrodite (Venus). Statue. Hermitage

Description:

Statue of Aphrodite - goddess of beauty and love

Roman copy based on a Greek original from the 3rd - 2nd centuries. BC.

In 1851, through the Venetian antiquarian A. Sanquirico, the Hermitage received a beautiful statue of Aphrodite, which had previously been part of the collection of the Venetian Nani family. In a rare publication from the era of the Napoleonic Wars - "Collection of all antiquities stored in the Venetian Museum of Nani" - we read about this sculpture: "It lay prostrate for a long time in neglect ... but was recalled from oblivion when Mr. Jacopo Nani saw it and placed it in his famous museum, presenting it to the judgment of the famous Canova, who strongly praised the new acquisition." The statue of Aphrodite is distinguished by the complexity of body movement and exquisite harmony of proportions. It reflects the trends of Hellenistic art, characteristic of the art of the Antonine dynasty (96-193).

Aphrodite (Venus) and Cupid

Description:

Aphrodite (Venus) and Cupid.

The sculpture perhaps talks about a tragic moment. The rose, a flower sacred to Venus, was originally white, but according to one traditional view, at the moment when Venus was hurrying to her lover, a thorn dug into her leg and drops of blood fell on the white petals, staining them. While they were pulling out the splinter, a wild boar killed her beloved Adonis - the young beautiful god of spring, personifying the annual dying and revival of nature.. Venus is usually depicted sitting, she is trying to remove the splinter from her leg, Cupid helps her.

Aphrodite on a dolphin. Sculpture. Hermitage

Description:

Aphrodite, as the goddess of love, was dedicated to myrtle, rose, poppy and apple; as the goddess of fertility - a sparrow and a dove; as a sea goddess - a dolphin; The swallow and the linden tree were dedicated to her. According to legend, the secret of her charm was hidden in a magic belt.

Venus in the shell. Sculpture. Hermitage Museum.

Description:

Venus in the shell.

Sculpture by Carlo Finelli (Finelli, 1782-1853) - Italian sculptor, one of the most gifted followers of the classical movement.

Aphrodite (Greek) - Venus (Roman)

Classical Aphrodite emerged naked from the airy sea foam. The breeze on the shell brought it to the shores of Cyprus.

Hebe- daughter of Zeus and Hera, goddess of youth. Sister of Ares and Ilithyia. She served the Olympian gods at feasts.

Hecate- goddess of darkness, night visions and sorcery, patroness of sorcerers.

Gemera- goddess of daylight, personification of the day, born of Nikta and Erebus. Often identified with Eos.

Hera- the supreme Olympian goddess, sister and third wife of Zeus, daughter of Rhea and Kronos, sister of Hades, Hestia, Demeter and Poseidon. Hera was considered the patroness of marriage.

Hestia- goddess of the hearth and fire.

Gaia- mother earth, foremother of all gods and people.

Demeter- goddess of fertility and agriculture.

Dryads- lower deities, nymphs who lived in trees.

Ilithia- patron goddess of women in labor.

Iris- winged goddess, assistant of Hera, messenger of the gods.

Calliope- muse of epic poetry and science.

Kera- demonic creatures, children of the goddess Nikta, bringing troubles and death to people.

Clio- one of the nine muses, the muse of history.

Clio. Muse of History

Description:

Clio is the muse of history in ancient Greek mythology. Depicted with a papyrus scroll or a case for scrolls. Daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne - goddess of memory. According to Diodorus, it received its name from the fact that chanting in poetry gives great glory to those praised (kleos).

Clotho(“spinner”) - one of the moiras that spins the thread of human life.

Lachesis- one of the three Moira sisters, who determine the fate of every person even before birth.

Summer- Titanide, mother of Apollo and Artemis.

Mayan- a mountain nymph, the eldest of the seven Pleiades - the daughters of Atlas, the beloved of Zeus, from whom Hermes was born to her.

Melpomene- muse of tragedy.

Melpomene (Muse of Tragedy)

Description:

Statue of Melpomene. Roman copy according to the Greek model of the 2nd century. BC e.

In ancient Greek mythology, the muse of tragedy (Greek: “singing”). At first, Melpomene was considered the muse of song, then of sad song, and later she became the patroness of theater in general, the personification of tragic stage art. Daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne, mother of the terrible sirens.

She was depicted as a woman with a bandage on her head and a wreath of grape or ivy leaves, in a theatrical robe, with a tragic mask in one hand and a sword or club in the other (a symbol of the inevitability of punishment for a person who violates the will of the gods).

Metis- goddess of wisdom, the first of the three wives of Zeus, who conceived Athena from him.

Mnemosyne- mother of nine muses, goddess of memory.

Moira- goddess of fate, daughter of Zeus and Themis.

Muses- patron goddess of the arts and sciences.

Naiads- nymphs-guardians of waters.

Nemesis- daughter of Nikta, a goddess who personified fate and retribution, punishing people in accordance with their sins.

Nereids- fifty daughters of Nereus and the oceanids Doris, sea deities.

Nika- personification of victory. She was often depicted wearing a wreath, a common symbol of triumph in Greece.

Nymphs- lower deities in the hierarchy of Greek gods. They personified the forces of nature.

Nikta- one of the first Greek deities, the goddess is the personification of the primordial Night.

Orestiades- mountain nymphs.

Ory- goddess of the seasons, peace and order, daughter of Zeus and Themis.

Peyto- goddess of persuasion, companion of Aphrodite, often identified with her patroness.

Persephone- daughter of Demeter and Zeus, goddess of fertility. The wife of Hades and the queen of the underworld, who knew the secrets of life and death.

Polyhymnia- the muse of serious hymn poetry.

Tethys- daughter of Gaia and Uranus, wife of Ocean and mother of the Nereids and Oceanids.

Rhea- mother of the Olympian gods.

Sirens- female demons, half-woman, half-bird, capable of changing the weather at sea.

Waist- the muse of comedy.

Terpsichore- muse of dance art.

Terpsichore. Muse of dancing

Description:

The statue of "Terpsichore" is a Roman copy of a Greek original from the 3rd - 2nd centuries. BC.

Terpsichore was considered the muse of choral singing and dance, and was depicted as a young woman in the pose of a dancer, with a smile on her face. She had a wreath on her head, in one hand she held a lyre, and in the other a plectrum. She is “enjoying round dances.”

Tisiphone- one of the Erinyes.

Quiet- goddess of fate and chance among the Greeks, companion of Persephone. She was depicted as a winged woman standing on a wheel and holding a cornucopia and a ship's rudder in her hands.

Urania- one of the nine muses, patroness of astronomy.

Themis- Titanide, goddess of justice and law, second wife of Zeus, mother of mountains and moira.

Charites- goddess of female beauty, the embodiment of a kind, joyful and eternally young beginning of life.

Eumenides- another hypostasis of the Erinyes, revered as goddesses of benevolence, who prevented misfortunes.

Eris- daughter of Nikta, sister of Ares, goddess of discord.

Erinyes- goddesses of vengeance, creatures of the underworld, who punished injustice and crimes.

Erato- Muse of lyrical and erotic poetry.

Eos- goddess of the dawn, sister of Helios and Selene. The Greeks called it “rose-fingered.”

Euterpe- muse of lyrical chant. Depicted with a double flute in her hand.

Gods of Ancient Greece

Olympian gods

Olympian gods(Olympians) in ancient Greek mythology - gods of the second generation (after the original gods and titans - gods of the first generation), the highest beings who lived on Mount Olympus. Olympus (Olumpoz) is a mountain in Thessaly where, according to ancient Greek myths, the gods live. The name Olympus is of pre-Greek origin (a possible connection with the Indo-European root ulu / uelu, “to rotate,” i.e., an indication of the roundness of the peaks) and belongs to a number of mountains of Greece and Asia Minor. On Olympus are the palaces of Zeus and other gods, built and decorated by Hephaestus. The gates of Olympus are opened and closed by the Oras as they ride out in golden chariots. Olympus is thought of as a symbol of the supreme power of the new generation of Olympian gods who defeated the Titans.

Zeus- the god of the sky, thunder and lightning, in charge of the whole world. Chief of the Olympian gods, third son of the Titan Kronos and Rhea.

Poseidon- god of the seas. Son of Kronos and Rhea. Considering himself equal to his brother Zeus, he opposed him along with Hera and Aphrodite, but was defeated and was saved by Thetis. When the world was divided, he got the sea.

Hades (Hades)- the god of the underworld of the dead (and the name of the kingdom of the dead itself), the first son of Kronos and Rhea, brother of Zeus, Poseidon and Demeter. Husband of Persephone, revered and invoked with him. After the division of the world between three brothers (Zeus, Poseidon and Hades), after the victory over the Titans, Hades inherited the underworld and power over the shadows of the dead.

Hestia- goddess of the family hearth and sacrificial fire in Ancient Greece. Eldest daughter Kronos and Rhea.

Hera- goddess, patroness of marriage, protecting the mother during childbirth. Hera, the third daughter of Cronus and Rhea, is the wife of Zeus, her brother.

Ares- god of insidious, treacherous war, war for the sake of war, son of Zeus and Hera.

Athena- goddess of just war and wisdom, knowledge, arts and crafts; warrior maiden, patroness of cities and states, sciences and crafts, intelligence, dexterity, and ingenuity. Daughter of Zeus and Hera.

Apollo (Phoebus)- god of the sun, light, art, god-healer, leader and patron of the muses, patron of the sciences and arts, son of the goddess Latona and Zeus.

Aphrodite- goddess of beauty and love, personification eternal youth, patroness of navigation.

Hermes- the god of trade, profit, intelligence, dexterity, deception, theft and eloquence, giving wealth and income in trade, the god of gymnastics. Patron of heralds, ambassadors, shepherds and travelers; patron of magic and astrology. Messenger of the gods and guide of the souls of the dead to the underworld of Hades. The son of Zeus and the Pleiades Maya (in ancient Greek mythology - the daughter of the Titan Atlas and the Oceanid Pleione).

Artemis- always the young goddess of the hunt, the goddess of fertility, the goddess of female chastity, the patroness of all life on earth, giving happiness in marriage and assistance during childbirth, later the goddess of the Moon (her brother Apollo was the personification of the Sun). Daughter of Zeus and the goddess Latona.

Hephaestus- the god of fire, the patron of blacksmithing and a skilled blacksmith himself. Son of Zeus and Hera.

Demeter- second daughter of Kronos and Rhea, goddess of fertility and agriculture. It was Demeter, according to myths, who taught people agriculture.

Dionysus- the god of winemaking, the productive forces of nature, inspiration and religious ecstasy.

Nika (Nike)- goddess of victory, accompanied Zeus in his fight against the titans and giants.

Pan- son of the god Hermes, originally revered as the patron of shepherds, the god of flocks; subsequently as the patron of all nature. He was depicted as a man with horns, goat legs and a goat beard.

Eos- goddess of the dawn, sister of Helios (sun) and Selene (moon). The Greeks imagined her as a beautiful young woman, whose fingers and clothes shone with a golden-pink sheen as she rode her chariot to heaven in the morning.

Eros (Eros)- the god of love, the personification of love attraction, ensuring the continuation of life on earth.

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The art of ancient Greece and ancient Rome Aphrodite. 1st–2nd centuries Attic kouros Around 600 BC. e. Marble. Height 193.4 Kouros are statues of young athletes or young warriors, common in the archaic art of Greece. They were installed in honor of the winners, as well as on