The main gods in Ancient Hellas were recognized as those who belonged to the younger generation of celestials. Once upon a time, it took away power over the world from the older generation, who personified the main universal forces and elements (see about this in the article The Origin of the Gods of Ancient Greece). The gods of the older generation are usually called titans. Having defeated the Titans, the younger gods, led by Zeus, settled on Mount Olympus. The ancient Greeks honored the 12 Olympian gods. Their list usually included Zeus, Hera, Athena, Hephaestus, Apollo, Artemis, Poseidon, Ares, Aphrodite, Demeter, Hermes, Hestia. Hades is also close to the Olympian gods, but he does not live on Olympus, but in his underground kingdom.

Gods of Ancient Greece. Video

God Poseidon (Neptune). Antique statue of the 2nd century. according to R.H.

Olympian goddess Artemis. Statue in the Louvre

Statue of Virgin Athena in the Parthenon. Ancient Greek sculptor Phidias

Venus (Aphrodite) de Milo. Statue approx. 130-100 BC.

Eros Earthly and Heavenly. Artist G. Baglione, 1602

Hymen- companion of Aphrodite, god of marriage. After his name, wedding hymns were also called hymens in Ancient Greece.

- daughter of Demeter, kidnapped by the god Hades. The inconsolable mother, after a long search, found Persephone in the underworld. Hades, who made her his wife, agreed that she should spend part of the year on earth with her mother, and the other with him in the bowels of the earth. Persephone was the personification of grain, which, being “dead” sown into the ground, then “comes to life” and comes out of it into the light.

The abduction of Persephone. Antique jug, ca. 330-320 BC.

Amphitrite- wife of Poseidon, one of the Nereids

Proteus- one of the sea deities of the Greeks. Son of Poseidon, who had the gift of predicting the future and changing his appearance

Triton- son of Poseidon and Amphitrite, messenger depths of the sea blowing a conch shell. By appearance- a mixture of man, horse and fish. Close to to the eastern god Dagon.

Eirene- goddess of peace, standing at the throne of Zeus on Olympus. In Ancient Rome - the goddess Pax.

Nika- goddess of victory. Constant companion of Zeus. In Roman mythology - Victoria

Dike- in Ancient Greece - the personification of divine truth, a goddess hostile to deception

Tyukhe- goddess of luck and good fortune. For the Romans - Fortuna

Morpheus– ancient Greek god of dreams, son of the god of sleep Hypnos

Plutos- god of wealth

Phobos(“Fear”) – son and companion of Ares

Deimos(“Horror”) – son and companion of Ares

Enyo- among the ancient Greeks - the goddess of frantic war, which arouses rage in the fighters and brings confusion into the battle. In Ancient Rome - Bellona

Titans

Titans are the second generation of gods of Ancient Greece, generated by natural elements. The first Titans were six sons and six daughters, descended from the connection of Gaia-Earth with Uranus-Sky. Six sons: Cronus (Time among the Romans - Saturn), Ocean (father of all rivers), Hyperion, Kay, Kriy, Iapetus. Six daughters: Tethys(Water), Theia(Shine), Rhea(Mother Mountain?), Themis (Justice), Mnemosyne(Memory), Phoebe.

Uranus and Gaia. Ancient Roman mosaic 200-250 AD.

In addition to the Titans, Gaia gave birth to Cyclopes and Hecatoncheires from her marriage with Uranus.

Cyclops- three giants with a large, round, fiery eye in the middle of their forehead. In ancient times - personifications of clouds from which lightning flashes

Hecatoncheires- “hundred-handed” giants, against whose terrible strength nothing can resist. Incarnations terrible earthquakes and floods.

The Cyclopes and Hecatoncheires were so strong that Uranus himself was horrified by their power. He tied them up and threw them deep into the earth, where they are still rampaging, causing volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. The presence of these giants in the belly of the earth began to cause terrible suffering. Gaia persuaded her youngest son, Cronus, to take revenge on his father, Uranus, by castrating him.

Cron did it with a sickle. From the drops of blood of Uranus that spilled, Gaia conceived and gave birth to three Erinyes - goddesses of vengeance with snakes on their heads instead of hair. The names of Erinny are Tisiphone (the killing avenger), Alecto (the tireless pursuer) and Megaera (the terrible). From that part of the seed and blood of castrated Uranus that fell not on the ground, but in the sea, the goddess of love Aphrodite was born.

Night-Nyukta, in anger at the lawlessness of Krona, gave birth to terrible creatures and deities Tanata (Death), Eridu(Discord) Apata(Deception), goddesses of violent death Ker, Hypnos(Dream-Nightmare), Nemesis(Revenge), Gerasa(Old age), Charona(carrier of the dead to the underworld).

Power over the world has now passed from Uranus to the Titans. They divided the universe among themselves. Cronus became the supreme god instead of his father. The ocean gained power over a huge river, which, according to the ideas of the ancient Greeks, flows around the entire earth. Four other Krohn brothers reigned in four sides light: Hyperion - in the East, Crius - in the south, Iapetus - in the West, Kay - in the North.

Four of the six elder titans married their sisters. From them came the younger generation of titans and elemental deities. From the marriage of Ocean with his sister Tethys (Water), all the earth's rivers and water nymphs, the Oceanids, were born. Titan Hyperion - (“high-walking”) took his sister Theia (Shine) as his wife. From them were born Helios (Sun), Selena(Moon) and Eos(Dawn). From Eos were born the stars and the four gods of the winds: Boreas(north wind) Note(south wind) Marshmallow(west wind) and Eurus (east wind). The Titans Kay (Heavenly Axis?) and Phoebe gave birth to Leto (Night Silence, mother of Apollo and Artemis) and Asteria (Starlight). Cronus himself married Rhea (Mother Mountain, the personification of the productive power of mountains and forests). Their children are the Olympic gods Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, Zeus.

The Titan Crius married the daughter of Pontus Eurybia, and the Titan Iapetus married the oceanid Clymene, who gave birth to the Titans Atlas (he holds the sky on his shoulders), the arrogant Menoetius, the cunning Prometheus (“thinking first, foreseeing”) and the feeble-minded Epimetheus (“thinking after").

From these titans came others:

Hesperus- god of the evening and the evening star. His daughters from the night-Nyukta are the nymphs Hesperides, who guard on the western edge of the earth a garden with golden apples, once presented by Gaia-Earth to the goddess Hera at her marriage to Zeus

Ory– goddesses of the parts of the day, seasons and periods human life.

Charites- goddess of grace, fun and joy of life. There are three of them - Aglaya (“Rejoicing”), Euphrosyne (“Joy”) and Thalia (“Abundance”). A number of Greek writers have different names for charites. In Ancient Rome they corresponded to grace

Culture and religion in Athens have been closely intertwined since time immemorial. Therefore, it is not surprising that the country has so many attractions that are dedicated to the idols and gods of antiquity. There is probably nothing like it anywhere. But still the most complete reflection ancient civilization became Greek mythology. Gods and titans, kings and heroes from legends - all these are parts of the life and existence of ancient Greece.

Of course, many tribes and people had their own deities and idols. They personified the forces of nature, incomprehensible and frightening ancient man. However, the ancient Greek gods were not only symbols of nature, they were considered the creators of all moral goods and guardians of the beautiful and great powers of the ancient people.

Generations of Gods of Ancient Greece

There were different Greek gods at different times. The list of one ancient author differed from another, but it is still possible to identify common periods.

So, during the time of the Pelasgians, when the cult of worship of the forces of nature flourished, the first generation of Greek gods appeared. It was believed that the world was ruled by Mist, from which the first supreme deity appeared - Chaos, and their children - Nikta (Night), Eros (Love) and Erebus (Darkness). There was complete chaos on earth.

The names of the second and third generation Greek gods are already known throughout the world. These are the children of Nyx and Eber: the god of air Ether and the goddess of the day Hemera, Nemesis (Retribution), Ata (Lie), Mom (Stupidity), Kera (Misfortune), Erinyes (Revenge), Moira (Fate), Eris (Strife). And also the twins Thanatos (messenger of Death) and Hypnos (Dream). Children of the earth goddess Hera - Pontus (inner Sea), Tartarus (Abyss), Nereus (calm sea) and others. As well as the first generation of powerful and destructive titans and giants.

The Greek gods that existed among the Pelagestians were overthrown by the Titans and a series of universal catastrophes, the stories of which were preserved in myths and legends. After them, a new generation appeared - the Olympians. These are gods in human form Greek mythology. The list of them is huge, and in this article we will talk about the most significant and famous people.

The first supreme god of Ancient Greece

Kronos or Khronov is the god and keeper of time. He was the youngest of the sons of the earth goddess Hera and the god of heaven Uranus. His mother loved him, cherished him and indulged him in everything. However, Kronos grew up to be very ambitious and cruel. One day, Hera heard a prediction that Kronos’s death would be his son. But she decided to keep it a secret.

Meanwhile, Kronos killed his father and received supreme power. He settled on Mount Olympus, which went straight into the heavens. This is where the name of the Greek gods, the Olympians, came from. When Kronos decided to get married, his mother told him about the prophecy. And he found a way out - he began to swallow all his born children. His poor wife Rhea was horrified, but she failed to convince her husband otherwise. Then she hid her third son (little Zeus) from Kronos on the island of Crete under the supervision of forest nymphs. It was Zeus who became the death of Kronos. When he grew up, he went to Olympus and overthrew his father, forcing him to regurgitate all his brothers.

Zeus and Hera

So, the new humanoid Greek gods from Olympus became the rulers of the world. The thunderer Zeus became the father of the gods. He is the gatherer of clouds and the lord of lightning, the creator of all living things, as well as the establisher of order and justice on earth. The Greeks considered Zeus the source of goodness and nobility. The Thunderer is the father of the goddesses Or, mistresses of time and annual changes, as well as the Muses, who give people inspiration and joy.

Zeus's wife was Hera. She was portrayed as a grumpy goddess of the atmosphere, as well as a guardian of the hearth. Hera patronized all women who remained faithful to their husbands. And also, together with her daughter Ilithia, she facilitated the birth process. According to myths, Zeus was very loving, and after three hundred years of married life he became bored. He began to visit mortal women in a variety of guises. Thus, he appeared to beautiful Europe in the form of a huge bull with golden horns, and to Danae - in the form of star rain.

Poseidon

Poseidon is the god of the seas and oceans. He always remained in the shadow of his more powerful brother Zeus. The Greeks believed that Poseidon was never cruel. And all the troubles and punishments that he sent to people were deserved.

Poseidon is the patron saint of fishermen and sailors. Always, before setting sail, people prayed first of all to him, and not to Zeus. In honor of the lord of the seas, altars were smoked for several days. According to legends, Poseidon could be seen during a storm on the high seas. He appeared from the foam in a golden chariot drawn by dashing horses, which his brother Hades gave him as a gift.

Poseidon's wife was the goddess of the roaring sea, Amphitrite. The symbol is the trident that bestowed full power over the depths of the sea. Poseidon had a soft, non-conflicting disposition. He always sought to avoid quarrels and conflicts, and was unconditionally loyal to Zeus, unlike Hades.

Hades and Persephone

The Greek gods of the underworld are, first of all, the gloomy Hades and his wife Persephone. Hades is the god of death, ruler of the kingdom of the dead. They feared him even more than the Thunderer himself. No one could go down to the underworld without Hades' permission, much less return. As Greek mythology says, the gods of Olympus divided power among themselves. And Hades, who inherited the underworld, was dissatisfied. He harbored a grudge against Zeus.

Despite the fact that he never spoke directly and openly, there are many examples in legends when the god of death tried in every possible way to ruin the life of his crowned brother. So, one day Hades kidnapped the beautiful daughter of Zeus and the goddess of fertility Demeter Persephone. He forcibly made her his queen. Zeus had no power over the kingdom of the dead, and chose not to get involved with his embittered brother, so he refused the upset Demeter’s request to save her daughter. And only when the goddess of fertility, in grief, forgot about her duties, and drought and famine began on earth, Zeus decided to talk to Hades. They entered into an agreement according to which Persephone would spend two thirds of the year on earth with her mother, and the rest of the time in the kingdom of the dead.

Hades was depicted as a gloomy man sitting on a throne. He traveled on earth in a chariot drawn by hellish horses with eyes burning in flames. And at this time people were afraid and prayed that he would not take them into his kingdom. Hades' favorite was the three-headed dog Cerberus, who tirelessly guarded the entrance to the world of the dead.

Pallas Athena

The beloved Greek goddess Athena was the daughter of the thunderer Zeus. According to myths, she was born from his head. At first it was believed that Athena was the goddess of the clear sky, who dispersed all the black clouds with her spear. She was also a symbol of victorious energy. The Greeks portrayed Athena as a powerful warrior with a shield and spear. She always traveled with the goddess Nike, who personified victory.

In Ancient Greece, Athena was considered the protector of fortresses and cities. She gave people fair and correct government systems. The goddess personified wisdom, calmness and insightful intelligence.

Hephaestus and Prometheus

Hephaestus is the god of fire and blacksmithing. His activity was manifested by volcanic eruptions, which greatly frightened people. Initially, he was considered only the god of heavenly fire. Since on earth people lived and died in eternal cold. Hephaestus, like Zeus and other Olympian gods, was cruel to the human world, and was not going to give them fire.

Prometheus changed everything. He was the last of the Titans to survive. He lived on Olympus and was the right hand of Zeus. Prometheus could not watch people suffer, and, having stolen the sacred fire from the temple, he brought it to earth. For which he was punished by the Thunderer and doomed to eternal torment. But the titan was able to come to an agreement with Zeus: he granted him freedom in exchange for the secret of maintaining power. Prometheus could see the future. And in the future of Zeus, he saw his death at the hands of his son. Thanks to the titan, the father of all gods did not marry the one who could give birth to a murderous son, and thereby forever secured his power.

The Greek gods Athena, Hephaestus and Prometheus became symbols of the ancient festival of running with lit torches. The progenitor of the Olympic Games.

Apollo

The Greek sun god Apollo was the son of Zeus. He was identified with Helios. According to Greek mythology, Apollo lives in the distant lands of the Hyperboreans in winter, and returns to Hellas in the spring and again pours life into withered nature. Apollo was also the god of music and singing, since, together with the revival of nature, he gave people the desire to sing and create. He was called the patron of art. Music and poetry in Ancient Greece were considered the gift of Apollo.

Due to his regenerative powers, he was also considered the god of healing. According to legend, Apollo expelled all darkness from the sick with his sun rays. The ancient Greeks depicted God as a blond youth holding a harp.

Artemis

Apollo's sister Artemis was the goddess of the moon and the hunt. It was believed that at night she wandered through the forests with her companions, the naiads, and watered the ground with dew. She was also called the patroness of animals. At the same time, many legends are associated with Artemis, where she cruelly drowned sailors. To appease her, people were sacrificed.

At one time, the Greeks called Artemis the patroness of brides. The girls performed rituals and brought offerings to the goddess in the hope of a strong marriage. Artemis of Ephesus even became a symbol of fertility and childbirth. The Greeks depicted the goddess with many breasts on her chest, which symbolized her generosity as a nurse of people.

The names of the Greek gods Apollo and Artemis are closely related to Helios and Selene. Gradually the brother and sister lost their physical significance. Therefore, in Greek mythology, separate sun god Helios and moon goddess Selene appeared. Apollo remained the patron of music and the arts, and Artemis - of hunting.

Ares

Ares was originally considered the god of the stormy sky. He was the son of Zeus and Hera. But among the ancient Greek poets he received the status of the god of war. He was always depicted as a fierce warrior, armed with a sword or spear. Ares loved the noise of battle and bloodshed. Therefore, he was always at enmity with the goddess of the clear sky, Athena. She was for prudence and fair conduct of battle, he was for fierce skirmishes and countless bloodsheds.

Ares is also considered the creator of the tribunal - the trial of murderers. The trial took place on a sacred hill, which was named after God - Areopagus.

Aphrodite and Eros

Beautiful Aphrodite was the patroness of all lovers. She is the favorite muse for all poets, sculptors and artists of that time. The goddess was depicted as a beautiful woman emerging naked from the sea foam. Aphrodite's soul was always full of pure and immaculate love. During the time of the Phoenicians, Aphrodite contained two principles - Asherah and Astarte. She was an Asherah when she enjoyed the singing of nature and the love of the young man Adonis. And Astarte - when she was revered as the “goddess of heights” - a stern warrior who imposed a vow of chastity on her novices and protected marital morality. The ancient Greeks combined these two principles in their goddess and created the image of ideal femininity and beauty.

Eros or Eros is the Greek god of love. He was the son of the beautiful Aphrodite, her messenger and faithful assistant. Eros united the destinies of all lovers. He was depicted as a small, plump boy with wings.

Demeter and Dionysus

Greek gods, patrons of agriculture and winemaking. Demeter personified nature, which is under sunlight and with heavy rains it ripens and bears fruit. She was portrayed as a “fair-haired” goddess, giving people a harvest deserved by labor and sweat. It is to Demeter that people owe the science of arable farming and sowing. The goddess was also called "earth mother". Her daughter Persephone was the link between the world of the living and the kingdom of the dead; she belonged to both worlds.

Dionysus is the god of wine. And also brotherhood and joy. Dionysus gives people inspiration and joy. He taught people how to cultivate the vine, as well as wild and riotous songs, which then served as the basis for ancient Greek drama. God was depicted as a young, cheerful youth, his body was entwined with a vine, and in his hands was a jug of wine. Wine and vine are the main symbols of Dionysus.

Greek goddesses: names and myths. Greek goddess of the rainbow

Ancient tablets from the Aegean culture give us the first clues about who the Greek gods and goddesses were. The mythology of Ancient Greece became a source of inspiration for the famous authors of Hellas. It still provides us with rich material for artistic imagination today. Like the powerful Olympian male rulers, the female divine hypostases have strong character and a remarkable mind. Let's talk about each one separately in more detail.

Artemis

Not all Greek goddesses can boast such a harmonious interweaving of fragility and grace with a decisive and tough character as Artemis. She was born on the island of Delos from the marriage of the powerful Zeus and the goddess Leto. Artemis' twin brother was the radiant Apollo. The girl became famous as the goddess of hunting and the patroness of everything that grows in forests and fields. The brave girl did not part with a bow and arrows, as well as a sharp spear. She had no equal in the hunt: neither a fast deer, nor a timid doe, nor an angry boar could hide from the dexterous goddess. When the hunt was going on, the forest was filled with laughter and cheerful cries of Artemis’s eternal companions - the river nymphs.

Tired, the goddess headed to the sacred Delphi to visit her brother and, to the magnificent sounds of his harp, danced with the muses, and then rested in cool grottoes overgrown with greenery. Artemis was a virgin and religiously guarded her chastity. But she nevertheless, like many Greek goddesses, blessed marriage and childbirth. Symbols: doe, cypress, bear. In Roman mythology, Artemis corresponded to Diana.

Athena

Her birth was accompanied by fantastic events. It all started with the fact that the Thunderer Zeus was informed: he would have two children from the goddess of reason, Metis, one of whom would overthrow the ruler. Zeus couldn’t think of anything better than to lull his wife to sleep with gentle speeches and swallow her while she was sleeping. After some time, the god felt a painful headache and ordered his son Hephaestus to cut off his head, hoping to get deliverance. Hephaestus swung and cut the head of Zeus - and from there came the divine Pallas Athena in a sparkling helmet, with a spear and shield. Her war cry shook Olympus. Until now, Greek mythology has never known a goddess so majestic and sincere.

The mighty warrior became the patroness of fair battles, as well as states, sciences, and crafts. Many heroes of Greece won thanks to the advice of Athena. Young girls especially revered her because she taught them the art of needlework. The symbols of Pallas Athena are an olive branch and a wise owl. In Latin mythology she is called Minerva.

Atropos

One of the three sisters - goddesses of fate. Clotho spins the thread of human life, Lachesis closely monitors the course of destinies, and Atropos mercilessly cuts the threads of human destiny when he considers the life of a particular earthling to be over. Her name translates as “inevitable.” IN ancient roman mythology, in which the Greek goddesses have Latin counterparts, she is called Morta.

Aphrodite

She was the daughter of the god Uranus, patron of heaven. It is well known that Aphrodite was born from snow-white sea foam near the island of Cythera, and the wind carried her to an island called Cyprus. There young girl The goddesses of the seasons (ora) surrounded her, crowned her with a wreath of wild flowers, and threw golden-woven robes over her. This gentle and sensual beauty is the Greek goddess of beauty. Where her light foot stepped, flowers instantly blossomed.

The Ori brought the goddess to Olympus, where she evoked quiet sighs of admiration. The jealous wife of Zeus, Hera, hastened to arrange the marriage of Aphrodite with the ugliest god of Olympus - Hephaestus. The goddesses of fate (Moiras) gave the beauty only one divine ability - to create love around herself. While her lame husband was diligently forging iron, she delighted in inspiring love in people and gods, fell in love herself and patronized all lovers. Therefore, Aphrodite, according to tradition, is also the Greek goddess of love.

An indispensable attribute of Aphrodite was her belt, which endowed the owner with the power to inspire love, seduce and attract. Eros is the son of Aphrodite, to whom she gave her instructions. Symbols of Aphrodite are dolphins, doves, roses. In Rome she was called Venus.

Hebe

She was the daughter of Hera and Zeus, the sister of the bloodthirsty god of war Ares. By tradition, she is considered the goddess of youth. In Rome they call her Juventa. The adjective “juvenile” is often used today to define everything related to youth and adolescence. On Olympus, Hebe was the main cupbearer until the son of the Trojan king Ganymede took her place. In sculptural and pictorial images, the girl is often depicted with a golden cup filled with nectar. The goddess Hebe personifies the youthful prosperity of countries and states. According to myths, she was given in marriage to Hercules. They became the parents of Alexiaris and Aniket, considered patrons of youth and sports. The sacred tree of Hebe is the cypress. If a slave entered the temple of this goddess, he was immediately granted freedom.

Gemera

The goddess of daylight, in contrast to Hecate, the patroness of cancer and nightmare visions, as well as sorcerers, the clever Hemera was the eternal companion of the sun god Helios. According to one of the mythical versions, she kidnapped Cephalus and gave birth to Phaeton, who crashed on the sun chariot, unable to control it. In Roman legends, Hemera is equal to Diez.

Gaia

The goddess Gaia is the progenitor of all living things. According to legends, she was born from Chaos and ordered all the elements. That is why she patronizes the earth, the sky, and the seas, and is considered the mother of the titans. It was Gaia who persuaded her sons to rebel against Uranus, the progenitor of heaven. And then, when they were defeated, she “pitted” her new giant sons against the Olympian gods. Gaia is the mother of the terrible hundred-headed monster Typhon. She asked him to take revenge on the gods for the death of the giants. Gaia was the heroine of Greek hymns and songs. She is the first soothsayer at Delphi. In Rome she corresponds to the goddess Tellus.

Hera

A companion of Zeus, famous for her jealousy and spending a lot of time on eliminating and neutralizing her rivals. Daughter of the titans Rhea and Kronos, swallowed by her father and rescued from his womb thanks to Zeus defeating Kronos. Hera takes special place on Olympus, where the Greek goddesses shine in glory, whose names are associated with the duties of patronizing all spheres of human life. Hera is the patron of marriage. Like her royal husband, she could command thunder and lightning. At her word, a downpour could fall on the earth or the sun could shine. Hera's first assistant was the Greek goddess of the rainbow - Iris.

Hestia

She was also the daughter of Kronos and Rhea. Hestia, the goddess of the family hearth and sacrificial fire, was not vain. By right of birth, she occupied one of the twelve main places on Olympus, but she was supplanted by the god of wine Dionysus. Hestia did not defend her rights, but quietly stepped aside. She did not like wars, hunting, or love affairs. The most beautiful gods Apollo and Poseidon sought her hand, but she chose to remain unmarried. People honored this goddess and made sacrifices to her before the start of each sacred ceremony. In Rome she was called Vesta.

Demeter

The goddess of good fertility, who experienced personal tragedy when the underground god Hades fell in love and kidnapped Demeter's daughter Persephone. While the mother was looking for her daughter, life stood still, the leaves withered and flew away, the grass and flowers dried up, the fields and vineyards died and became empty. Seeing all this, Zeus ordered Hades to release Persephone to earth. He could not disobey his powerful brother, but asked to spend at least a third of the year with his wife in the underworld. Demeter was delighted at the return of her daughter - gardens began to bloom everywhere and the fields began to sprout. But every time Persephone left the earth, the goddess again fell into sadness - and a fierce winter began. In Roman mythology, Demeter corresponds to the goddess Ceres.

Iris

Greek goddess of the rainbow, already mentioned. According to the ideas of the ancients, the rainbow was nothing more than a bridge connecting the earth with the sky. Iris was traditionally depicted as a golden-winged girl, and in her hands she held a bowl of rainwater. The main duty of this goddess was to spread the news. She did this with lightning speed. According to legend, she was the wife of the wind god Zephyr. The iris flower is named after the Iris, striking in its play of color shades. The name also comes from her name chemical element iridium, the compounds of which also differ in a variety of color tones.

Nikta

This is the Greek goddess of the night. She was born from Chaos and was the mother of Aether, Hemera and the Moira, goddesses of fate. Nikta also gave birth to Charon, the carrier of the souls of the dead to the kingdom of Hades, and the goddess of revenge Nemesis. In general, Nikta is connected with everything that stands on the verge of life and death and contains the mystery of existence.

Mnemosyne

Daughter of Gaia and Uranus, goddess personifying memory. From Zeus, who seduced her by reincarnating as a shepherd, she gave birth to nine muses who were responsible for childbirth and the arts. A spring was named in her honor, giving memory despite the spring of oblivion, for which Leta is responsible. It is believed that Mnemosyne has the gift of omniscience.

Themis

Goddess of law and justice. She was born to Uranus and Gaia, was the second wife of Zeus and conveyed his commands to the gods and people. Themis is depicted blindfolded, with a sword and scales in her hands, personifying an impartial fair trial and retribution for crimes. It symbolizes legal organizations and norms to this day. In Rome, Themis was called Justice. Like other Greek goddesses, she had the gift of bringing order to the world of things and nature.

Eos

Sister of Helios, the sun god, and Selene, the moon goddess, Eos is the patroness of the dawn. Every morning she rises from the ocean and flies on her chariot across the sky, causing the sun to wake up and scattering handfuls of diamond dew drops on the ground. Poets call her “beautiful-haired, pink-fingered, golden-throned,” emphasizing in every possible way the splendor of the goddess. According to myths, Eos was ardent and amorous. The scarlet color of the dawn is sometimes explained by the fact that she is ashamed of a stormy night.

Here are the main goddesses sung by the singers and myth-makers of Ancient Hellas. We talked only about the blessed goddesses who give creativity. There are other characters whose names are associated with destruction and sorrow, but they are a special topic.

List of names of Greek origin

Below is list of personal names of Greek origin. Many greek names with the spread of Christianity, they entered the anthroponymics of other languages.

A B D E G I K L M N O P S T F X

A

• Auxentius - “multiplying”
• Agapia, Agapius - “love”
• Agapit - “beloved”
• Agathon (ancient Greek Ἀγάθων) - “blessed”
• Agata, Agafya - “kind”
• Agnia - “immaculate”
• Aglaya (ancient Greek Ἀγλαΐα) - “beauty, shine” trans."jubilation"
• Akaki (Greek Aκακιος) - “doing no evil”, “not bad”
• Alexander, Alexandra (Greek Αλέξανδρος, other Greek Αλέξ - “defender”, ανδρος - “man”, together - “protector of people”)
• Alexey, Alexy - “defender”
• Anastas, Anastasia (Greek Αναστασία) - “resurrection” (returned to life)
• Anatoly - “eastern”
• Angelina - “messenger”[ source not specified 2717 days]
• Andrew (Greek Ανδρεας) - “courageous, brave”
• Andronik - “conqueror of husbands”
• Anfisa - “blooming”[ source not specified 2717 days]
• Apollinaria - "Dedicated to Apollo" (Solar)
• Arkady - “from Arcadia”
• Ariadne - the legendary daughter of the Cretan king
• Aristarchus (ancient Greek Ἀρίσταρχος) - “eldest of the best”, “ruler of the best”
• Arseny - “courageous”
• Artemy - see Artemis
• Athena (ancient Greek Ἀθηνᾶ) - ancient Greek goddess of war and wisdom
• Athanasius (Greek Ἀθανάσιος) - “immortal”
• Achilles, Achilles (ancient Greek Ἀχιλλεύς) - legendary hero
• Aphobia - “fearless”
• Aphrodite (ancient Greek Ἀφροδίτη, in ancient times interpreted as a derivative of ἀφρός - “foam”)

IN

• Varvara - from Greek. βάρβαρος - “foreign”
• Vasily - from Greek. βασιλεύς - “king”
• Vasilisa - from Greek. βασίλισσα - “queen”
• Vissarion - from Greek. Βησσαρίων, which in turn is possibly from ancient Greek. βήσσα - “forest hollow”

G

• Galaktion - from Greek. Γαλακτίων - “milk” (Greek γάλα - milk)
• Galina - from ancient Greek. γαλήνη - “calmness”
• Gennady - from ancient Greek. Γεννάδιος; γεννάδας (gennadas) - “noble”, “of noble origin”
• George - from ancient Greek. γεωργός - “farmer”
• Hercules, ancient Greek. Ἡρακλῆς
• Gerasim - from Greek. Γεράσιμος - “venerable”
• Glafira - from ancient Greek. Γλαφυρή - “graceful”
• Glyceria - from Greek. γλυκός - “sweet”
• Gregory - from Greek. γρήγορος - “vigilant”

D

• Denis - from Greek. Διόνυσος - Dionysus, Greek god of wine
• Demis
• Dmitry - from Greek. Δημήτριος - Demeter, Greek goddess of fertility and agriculture
• Dionysius - from Greek. Διονύσιος - dedicated to Dionysus, the Greek god of wine
• Dorothea - from Greek. Δωροθέα - “gift of God”

E

• Gospel (also Vangel) - from Greek. εὐαγγέλιον - “good news”, “gospel”
• Gospels (also Vangelia) - from Greek. εὐαγγέλιον - “good news”, “gospel”
• Eugene - from Greek. Ευγένιος, which in turn is from the Greek. ευγενής - “noble”
• Evgeniya - see Evgeniy
• Evdokim - from Greek. εὐδόκιμος - “glorious”
• Evdokia - from Greek. Εὐδοκία - “favour”
• Eustathius - from Greek. Εὐστάθιος - “steadfast”
• Catherine (also Katerina) - from Greek. Αικατερίνη, which in turn is from ancient Greek. καθαρός "pure"
• Elena - from Greek. Ἑλένη, which in turn is possibly from the Greek. ἐλένη - “light”
• Elpida (also Elpida) - from ancient Greek. ἐλπίς - “hope”
• Erofey (also Hierotheus) - from Greek. Ιερόθεος, which in turn is from ancient Greek. ἱερός - “dedicated” and other Greek. θεός - "god"
• Euphemia (also Euphemia) - from ancient Greek. εὔφημος - “bringer of good”
• Euphrosyne - from ancient Greek. Εὐφροσύνη - “joy”, one of the harits

Z

• Zinovia
• Zoe (ancient Greek Ζωή - “life”)

AND

• Jerome - from Greek. Ιερώνυμος, which in turn is from ancient Greek. ἱερός “sacred” and other Greek. ὄνομα "name"
• Hierotheus - see Erofey
• Hilarion (also Hilarion) - from Greek. Ιλαρίων, which in turn is from ancient Greek. ἱλαρός "cheerful"
• Iliodor - see Heliodor
• Hypatius - from ancient Greek. Υπάτιος, which in turn is from ancient Greek. ὕπατος - “highest”
• Hypatia - see Hypatia
• Hippocrates - see Hippocrates
• Hippolytus - from ancient Greek. Ἱππόλυτος, which in turn is from ancient Greek. ἵππος - “horse” and other Greek. λύω - “I release”
• Heraclius - see Hercules
• Irina - from ancient Greek. εἰρήνη - “peace”, “calmness”
• Herodion - see Rodion
• Isidore - from Greek. Ισίδωρος - “gift of Isis” (ancient Greek Ἶσις - “Isis”, Egyptian goddess; ancient Greek δῶρον - “gift”)
• Ismene - from Greek. Ισμήνη - meaning unclear
• Iphigenia - from ancient Greek. Ἰφιγένεια - “born strong”
• Oya - from ancient Greek. Ία - “violets”

TO

• Katerina - see Ekaterina
• Callinicus - from Greek. Καλλίνικος, which in turn is from ancient Greek. κάλλος - “beautiful” and other Greek. νίκη - “victory”
• Calliope - from Greek. Καλλιόπη, which in turn is from ancient Greek. κάλλος - “beautiful” and other Greek. ὄψ - “voice”
• Callirhoe - from Greek. Καλλιρρόη, which in turn is from ancient Greek. κάλλος - “beautiful” and other Greek. ροή - “flow”
• Kallistrat - from Greek. Καλλίστρατος, which in turn is from ancient Greek. κάλλος - “beautiful” and other Greek. στρατός - “army”
• Kalomira - from Greek. Καλομοίρα, which in turn is from ancient Greek. καλός - “good” and other Greek. μοίρα - “fate”
• Carp - from ancient Greek. κάρπος - “fruit”
• Cassandra - from Greek. Κασσάνδρα, which in turn is from ancient Greek. κάζομαι - “I shine” and other Greek. ἀνδρος - “person”
• Cybele (also Kivela) - from Greek. Κυβέλη - Phrygian goddess Cybele, the meaning of the name is unclear
• Cyrus - from Greek. Κύρος, which in turn is possibly from ancient Greek. κύριος - “lord”; or from other Persian خور - “sun”; or from other Persian کوروش - “far-sighted”
• Kira - from Greek. Κύρα, further see Cyrus
• Kirik - from Greek. Κηρύκος, which in turn is from ancient Greek. κήρυξ - “messenger”, “messenger”
• Kirill (also Kiril) - from Greek. Κύριλλος, which in turn is from the Greek. κύριος - “lord”
• Kiryak (also Kiriak) - from Greek. Κυριάκος, which in turn is from the Greek. κύριος - “lord”
• Kiryaka (also Kyriaka) - from Greek. Κυριακή, further see Kiryak
• Clearchus - from Greek. Κλέαρχος, which in turn is from ancient Greek. κλέος - “glory” and other Greek. ἀρχός
• Kleon - from Greek. Κλέων, which in turn is from ancient Greek. κλέος - “glory”
• Kleonica - from Greek. Κλεονίκη, which in turn is from ancient Greek. κλέος - “glory” and other Greek. νίκη - “victory”
• Cleopatra - from Greek. Κλεοπάτρα, which in turn is from ancient Greek. κλέος - “glory” and other Greek. πατήρ - “father”
• Clio - from Greek. Κλειώ, which in turn is from ancient Greek. κλέος - “glory”
• Cleomenes - from Greek. Κλεομένης, which in turn is from ancient Greek. κλέος - “glory” and other Greek. μένος - “strength”
• Kolot - from ancient Greek. Κολώτης, a rare, obsolete Old Russian, Slavic and Russian personal name of Greek origin. This name in Ancient Greece was borne by the philosopher Kolot from Lampsacus (ancient Greek: Κολώτης Λαμψακηνός; 3rd century BC), one of the most famous students of Epicurus, and Kolot (ancient Greek: Κολώτης) - an ancient Greek sculptor, Strabo named it: Kolot from Paros(about 444 BC), a student of Phidias, whom he helped create one of the seven wonders of the world - the statue of Zeus at Olympia.
• Coralia - from Greek. Κοραλία, which in turn is from ancient Greek. κοράλλιον - “coral”
• Korina - from Greek. Κορίνα, which in turn is from ancient Greek. κόρη - “girl”
• Cosma (also Kozma, Kuzma) - from Greek. Κοσμάς, which in turn is from ancient Greek. κόσμος - “order”
• Crystallia (also Crystalia) - from Greek. Κρυσταλλία, which in turn is from ancient Greek. κρύσταλλος - “crystal”
• Xantha (also Xantha) - from Greek. Ξανθή, which in turn is from ancient Greek. ξανθή - “golden”
• Xanthippe - from Greek. Ξανθίππη, which in turn is from ancient Greek. ξανθός - “golden” and other Greek. ἵππος - “horse”
• Ksenia - from Greek. Ξένια, which in turn is from ancient Greek. ξενία - “hospitable”
• Xenophon (also Xenophon) - from Greek. Ξενοφών, which in turn is from ancient Greek. ξένος - “stranger” and other Greek. φωνή - “voice”, i.e. “speaking a foreign language”

L

• Lambre (also Lampr) - from Greek. λαμπρός - “shining”
• Larisa - possibly from the Greek. Λάρισα - “Larissa”, a city in Greece, or lat. larus- "seagull"
• Leander - from Greek. Λέανδρος, which in turn is from ancient Greek. λέων - “lion” and other Greek. ἀνδρός - “person”
• Leonid - from Greek. Λεωνίδας, which in turn is from ancient Greek. λέων - “lion” and other Greek. ίδας - “descendant”
• Leonty - from Greek. Λεόντιος, which in turn is from ancient Greek. λέων - "lion"
• Lydia - from ancient Greek. Λυδία - Lydia, historical region in western Asia Minor (now Western Türkiye)
• Lycurgus - from ancient Greek. Λυκούργος, which in turn is from ancient Greek. λύκος - “wolf” and other Greek. ἔργον - “business”

M

• Maya - from ancient Greek. Μαϊα - mother, nurse, goddess of fertility.
• Macarius, Makar - from Greek. Μακάριος, which in turn is from ancient Greek. μάκαρ - "blessed"
• Macarius - see Macarius
• Melania - from Greek. Μελανία, which in turn is from ancient Greek. μέλαινα - “dark”, “black”
• Meletius - from Greek. Μελέτιος, which in turn is from ancient Greek. μελετάω - “I care”
• Melissa - honey bee
• Meletia - see Meletius
• Melina - from Greek. Μελίνα, which in turn is from ancient Greek. μέλι - “honey”
• Melpomene - from ancient Greek. Μελπομένη, which in turn is from ancient Greek. μέλω - “to sing”
• Menelaus - from ancient Greek. Μενέλαος, which in turn is from ancient Greek. μένω - “I remain” and other Greek. λαός - “people”
• Merope - from ancient Greek. Μερόπη, which in turn is from ancient Greek. μέροψ - “eloquent”
• Metaxia - from Greek. Μεταξία, which in turn is from ancient Greek. μέταξα - “silk”
• Miltiades - from Greek. Μιλτιάδης, which in turn is from ancient Greek. μίλτος - “little lead”
• Mina - from Greek. Μηνάς, which in turn is from the Greek. μηνάς - “moon”
• Myron - from Greek. Μύρων, which in turn is from ancient Greek. μύρων - “myrrh”
• Myrophora - from Greek. Μυροφόρα, which in turn is from ancient Greek. μύρων - “myrrh” and other Greek. φέρω - “I bring”
• Myrtle - from Greek. Μυρτώ, which in turn is from ancient Greek. μύρτος - “myrtle”

N

• Narcissus (also Narkissus) - from Greek. Νάρκισσος, which in turn is from ancient Greek. ναρκή - “sleep”
• Nectary - from Greek. Νεκτάριος, which in turn is from ancient Greek. νέκταρ - “nectar”
• Nectaria - see Nectaria
• Neocles - from Greek. Νεοκλής, which in turn is from ancient Greek. νέος - “new” and other Greek. κλέος - “glory”
• Nestor - from Greek. Νέστωρ, which in turn is possibly from ancient Greek. νόστος - “journey”
• Nikander - from Greek. Νίκανδρος, which in turn is from ancient Greek. νίκη - “victory” and other Greek. ἀνδρός - “person”
• Nikanor - from Greek. Νικάνωρ
• Nika - from Greek. Νίκη, which in turn is from ancient Greek. νίκη - “victory”
• Nikita - from Greek. Νικήτας, which in turn is from ancient Greek. νικητής - “winner”
• Nikifor - from Greek. Νικηφόρος, which in turn is from ancient Greek. νίκη - “victory” and other Greek. φέρω - “I bring”
• Nicodemus - from Greek. Νικόδημος, which in turn is from ancient Greek. νίκη - “victory” and other Greek. δῆμος - “people”
• Nikolai - from Greek. Νικόλαος, which in turn is from ancient Greek. νίκη - “victory” and other Greek. λαός - “people”
• Nikoleta - from Greek. Νικολέτα, see Nika
• Nikolina - from Greek. Νικολίνα, see Nika
• Nikon - from Greek. Νίκων, which in turn is from ancient Greek. νίκωνος - “victorious”
• Niobe (also Niobe) - from Greek. Νιόβη, meaning unclear

ABOUT

• Odysseus - from Greek. Οδυσσέας, which in turn is from ancient Greek. όδύσσομαι - “angry”, “angry”
• Olympics - from Greek. Ολυμπιάς, which in turn is from ancient Greek. Όλυμπος - "Olympus", a mountain range in Greece
• Olympius - from Greek. Ολύμπιος, see Olympics
• Olympia - from Greek. Ολυμπία, see Olympics
• Homer (also Omir, Gomir) - from Greek. Όμηρος, which in turn is from ancient Greek. ὅμηρος - “collateral” or “hostage”
• Orestes - from Greek. Ορέστης, which in turn is from ancient Greek. ὄρος - “mountain”

P

• Paisius - from Greek. Παΐσιος, which in turn is from ancient Greek. παῖς - “child”
• Panagiota (also Panagiota) - from Greek. Παναγιώτα, which in turn is from ancient Greek. παν - “whole” and other Greek. άγιος - “holy”
• Panagiot (also Panayot) - from Greek. Παναγιώτης, see Panagiota
• Pandora - from Greek. Πανδώρα, which in turn is from ancient Greek. παν - “whole” and other Greek. δῶρον - “gift”
• Pankratius (also Pankrat) - from Greek. Παγκράτιος, which in turn is from ancient Greek. παν - “whole” and other Greek. koράτος - “power”
• Panopia - from Greek. Πανωπία, which in turn is from ancient Greek. παν - “whole” and other Greek. ὄψ - “voice”
• Panteleimon - from Greek. Παντελεήμων, which in turn is from ancient Greek. παντες - “whole” and other Greek. ἔλεος - “mercy”
• Pantoleon - from Greek. Παντολέων, which in turn is from ancient Greek. παντες - “whole” and other Greek. λέων - "lion"
• Paraskeva - from Greek. Παρασκευή - “Friday”
• Paris - from Greek. Πάρις - "Paris", son of Priam, mythical character, literal meaning unclear
• Parmenion - from Greek. Παρμενίων, which in turn is from ancient Greek. παραμένω - “I remain”, “I hold on”
• Parthenius - from Greek. Παρθένιος, which in turn is from ancient Greek. παρθένος - “chaste”
• Patapius (also Potap) - from Greek. Πατάπιος, meaning unclear
• Patroclus - from Greek. Πάτροκλος, which in turn is from ancient Greek. πατήρ - “father” and other Greek. κλέος - “glory”
• Pachomius (also Pakhom) - from Greek. Παχώμιος, which in turn is possibly from ancient Greek. παχύς - “dense”, “thick”
• Pelagia (also Pelagia) - from Greek. Πελαγία, which in turn is from ancient Greek. πέλαγος - “sea”
• Pericles - from Greek. Περικλής, which in turn is from ancient Greek. περί - “for the sake of” and other Greek. κλέος - “glory”
• Persephone - from Greek. Περσεφόνη, meaning unclear
• Peter - from Greek. Πέτρος, which in turn is from ancient Greek. πέτρος - “stone”
• Penelope - from Greek. Πηνελόπη, which in turn is from ancient Greek. πηνέλοψ - “teal”
• Pyrrhus - from Greek. Πύρρος - “red”, “fiery”
• Pythagoras - from Greek. Πυθαγόρας, which in turn is possibly from ancient Greek. Πυθώ - “Pif” (early name Delphi) and other Greek. αγορά - “city square”, “meeting”
• Plato - from Greek. Πλάτων, which in turn is from ancient Greek. πλατύς - “broad”, “broad-shouldered”
• Polybius (also Polyvius) - from Greek. Πολύβιος, which in turn is from ancient Greek. πολύ - “many” and other Greek. βίος - “life”
• Polydor - from Greek. Πολύδωρος, which in turn is from ancient Greek. πολύ - “many” and other Greek. δῶρον - “gift”
• Polycarp - from Greek. Πολύκαρπος, which in turn is from ancient Greek. πολύ - “many” and other Greek. κάρπος - “fruit”
• Polyxena - from the Greek. Πολυξένη, which in turn is from ancient Greek. πολύ - “many” and other Greek. ξένος - “guest”
• Polyhymnia (also Polymnia) - from ancient Greek. Πολυύμνια, which in turn is from ancient Greek. πολύ - “many” and other Greek. ὕμνος - “hymn”, “song”
• Politima - from Greek. Πολυτίμη, which in turn is from ancient Greek. πολύ - “many” and other Greek. τιμή - “honor”
• Porfiry - from Greek. Πορφύριος, which in turn is from ancient Greek. πορφύρεος - “crimson”
• Prodrome - from Greek. Πρόδρομος, which in turn is from ancient Greek. πρό - “ahead” and other Greek. δρόμος - “path”
• Procopius (also Prokop) - from Greek. Προκόπιος, which in turn is from ancient Greek. προκοπή - “success”

WITH

• Sibyl
• Sophia, Sophia = "wisdom"
• Spiridon
• Stefan, Stefania - from Greek. “Στέφανος” -> στεφάνι (wreath, crown) -> crowned
• Sakis - diminutive from Αθανάσιος -> Αθανασάκης -> Σάκης

T

• Theodore - see Fedor
• Thymos - (Greek Thymos - “soul”, “aspiration”, “expedient aspiration”) - various mental movements.
• Timothy - “one who worships God”
• Tikhon (ancient Greek Τύχη - “fate”, “chance”) - lucky
• Tryphon

F

• Faina (ancient Greek φαεινή - “shining, brilliant”)
• Phalalei (Greek Θαλλέλαιος: θαλλώ - “bloom” and ελιά - “olive”)
• Fedor, Theodore (Greek Θεόδωρος - “given by God”, “God’s gift”)
• Fedos (Greek Θεοδόσιος - “given to God”)
• Theodosius (Greek Θεός - “God” and δόσιος - “given”)
• Fedot (Greek Θεόδοτος - “God-given”, “given away, dedicated to the gods”)
• Fedotiy
• Fedul (Greek Θεόδουλος - “servant of God”)
• Thekla (ancient Greek Θέxλα - “glory of God”)
• Themistocles (ancient Greek Θεμιστοκλῆς - “glorified for justice”)
• Theognostos (Greek Θεογκνοστουσ - “Known to God”)
• Theodosius (Greek Θεοδοσία - “Given by God”)
• Theoktist (ancient Greek Θεόκτιστος - “created by God”)
• Feofan, Feofania (Greek Θεοφανής - “epiphany”)
• Theophilus
• Theophylact
• Themis
• Ferapont (ancient Greek Θεράποντος - “companion, assistant, hospitable, helpful”, secondary meaning - “student, servant”)
• Philaret (Greek Φιλάρετος - “loving virtue”)
• Filat (Greek: “God-protected”)
• Philemon (ancient Greek Φιλεμόν - “beloved”)
• Philip (from ancient Greek φιλέω - “love” and ἵππος - “horse”)
• Filofey
• Flavian (Greek: Φλαβιανός)
• Flavius
• Phlegon (Greek Φλέγοντος - “burning”)
• Photius (Greek φως - “light, bright”)
• Fevronia - from Greek. Φευρωνία, which in turn is possibly from ancient Greek. φοῖβος - “radiant”
• Phaedra - from ancient Greek. Φαίδρα, which in turn is from ancient Greek. φαιδρός - “shining”
• Filaret - from ancient Greek. Φιλάρετος, which in turn is from ancient Greek. φίλος - “friend” and other Greek. ἀρετή - “valor”
• Photida - from Greek. φῶς - “light”
• Photius (also Phot) - see Photis
• Photin - see Photis
• Photina - see Photis
• Photinia - see Photis

X

• Chariton (ancient Greek Χαρίτων - “favorable”)
• Hara (Greek Χαρα - “joy”)
• Haralampy
• Chionia - "snowy"
• Christopher (ancient Greek Χριστόφορος - “carrying Christ”)

Names of Greek goddesses

Adrastea - nymph

Alecto - one of the three Erinyes

Amphitrite - Nereid
Apata - goddess of deception
Bia - "strength"



Hemera - goddess of the day

Hesione - Oceanid


Gaia - goddess of the Earth

Demeter - goddess of fertility
Dione - nymph
Dorida - oceanid
Dryope - nymph

Idea - nymph

Iris - goddess of the rainbow
Calypso - oceanid
Callisto - goddess or nymph

Castalia - nymph


Cyrene - nymph
Kirka is a sorceress
Lavriona - nymph



Melpomene - the muse of tragedy


Naida - nymph

Nemertea - Nereid "truth"


Nikta (Nyukta) - goddess of the night

Valery Shchetinin

The same gods and goddesses appear in Greek and Roman mythology, sometimes only under different names. Here is a list of some of them.
Greece Rome Role
Hades Pluto god of the underworld
Apollo Apollo god of light, healing and poetry
Ares Mars god of war
Artemis Diana goddess of hunting and childbirth
Asclepius Aesculapius god of healing
Athena Minerva goddess of crafts, war and wisdom
Aphrodite Venus goddess of love
Hera Juno is the patroness of marriage and women;
among the Greeks - the sister and wife of Zeus;
among the Romans - the wife of Jupiter
Hermes Mercury messenger of the gods; God
trade and science; patron
travelers, thieves and vagabonds
Hestia Vesta goddess of the hearth
Hephaestus Vulcan, god of fire and blacksmithing,
forged weapons and utensils for other gods
Gaia Tellus goddess of the earth, mother and wife of Uranus
Hypnos Somnus god of sleep
Demeter Ceres goddess of the productive forces of the earth
Dionysus Bacchus god of wine, fertility and riotous fun
Zeus Jupiter lord of the gods
Kronos Saturn among the Greeks is the ruler of the Titans and
father of Zeus, in Roman mythology
also god of agriculture
Poseidon Neptune god of the sea; in Greek mythology
also god of earthquakes and horses
Rhea Ops wife and sister of Kronos
Uranus Uranus son and husband of Gaia, father of the Titans
Eros Cupid god of love

Nikita Babko

Artemis is the goddess of hunting and nature. Atropos is one of the three moiras, cutting the thread of fate and ending human life. Athena (Pallada, Parthenos) is the 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. 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 emerged from the sea foam). Hebe is the daughter of Zeus and Hera, the goddess of youth. Sister of Ares and Ilithyia. She served the Olympian gods at feasts. Hecate is the goddess of darkness, night visions and sorcery, the patroness of sorcerers. Hemera is the goddess of daylight, the personification of day, born of Nyktos and Erebus. Often identified with Eos. Hera is 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 is the goddess of the hearth and fire. Gaia is mother earth, the foremother of all gods and people. Demeter is the goddess of fertility and agriculture. Dryads are lower deities, nymphs who lived in trees. Ilithyia is the patron goddess of women in labor. Iris is a winged goddess, Hera's assistant, messenger of the gods. Calliope is the muse of epic poetry and science. Kera - demonic creatures , children of the goddess Nikta, bringing troubles and death to people. Clio is one of the nine muses, the muse of history. Clotho (“spinner”) is one of the moiras that spins the thread of human life. Lachesis is one of the three Moira sisters, who determine the fate of every person even before birth. Leto is a Titanide, mother of Apollo and Artemis. Maya is a mountain nymph, the eldest of the seven galaxies - the daughters of Atlas, the beloved of Zeus, from whom Hermes was born to her. Melpomene is the muse of tragedy. Metis is the goddess of wisdom, the first of the three wives of Zeus, who conceived Athena from him. Mnemosyne is the mother of nine muses, the goddess of memory. Moira - goddess of fate, daughter of Zeus and Themis. The Muses are the patron goddesses of the arts and sciences. Naiads are nymphs who guard the waters. Nemesis is the daughter of Nyx, a goddess who personified fate and retribution, punishing people in accordance with their sins. Nereids - fifty daughters of Nereus and Oceanids Doris, sea deities. Nika is the personification of victory. She was often depicted wearing a wreath, a common symbol of triumph in Greece. Nymphs are the lowest deities in the hierarchy of Greek gods. They personified the forces of nature. Nikta is one of the first Greek deities, the goddess is the personification of the primordial Night. Orestiades - mountain nymphs. Ora - goddess of the seasons, peace and order, daughters of Zeus and Themis. Peyto is the goddess of persuasion, the companion of Aphrodite, who was often identified with her patroness. Persephone is the daughter of Demeter and Zeus, the goddess of fertility. The wife of Hades and the queen of the underworld, who knew the secrets of life and death. Polyhymnia is the muse of serious hymn poetry. Tethys is the daughter of Gaia and Uranus, the wife of Oceanus and the mother of the Nereids and Oceanids. Rhea is the mother of the Olympian gods. Sirens are female demons, half-woman, half-bird, capable of changing the weather at sea. Talia is the muse of comedy. Terpsichore is the muse of dance art. Tisiphone is one of the Erinyes. Tyche is the 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. Urania is one of the nine muses, the patroness of astronomy. Themis is a Titanide, goddess of justice and law, second wife of Zeus, mother of mountains and moira. Charites are goddesses of female beauty, the embodiment of a kind, joyful and eternally young beginning of life. The Eumenides are another hypostasis of the Erinyes, revered as goddesses of benevolence who prevented misfortunes. Eris is the daughter of Nyx, sister of Ares, goddess of discord. Erinyes are 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

Roma Simonenko

Aglaya - “brilliance”, “shining” - one of the three harits.
Adrastea - nymph
Asia (Asia) is an oceanid. One of the parts of the world is named after her.
Alecto - one of the three Erinyes
Amalthea is the nymph who suckled Zeus.
Amphitrite - Nereid
Apata - goddess of deception
Bia - "strength"
Galatea - sea ​​nymph nereid
Hebe - the embodiment of youth, the eternally young goddess
Hecate is the goddess of darkness, witchcraft and mirages.
Hemera - goddess of the day
Hera - "mistress" - the patroness of conjugal love, the mother's protector during childbirth.
Hesione - Oceanid
Hespera - one of the Hesperide sisters, the evening star
Hestia - goddess of the hearth
Gaia - goddess of the Earth
Daphne - "laurel" - nymph orestiad
Demeter - goddess of fertility
Dione - nymph
Dorida - oceanid
Dryope - nymph
Zelos - “zeal” personified power.
Idea - nymph
Ilithyia - patroness of childbirth
Iris - goddess of the rainbow
Calypso - oceanid
Callisto - goddess or nymph
Carpophora - "giver of fruits" - an epithet of Demeter associated with her function as the goddess of fertility
Castalia - nymph
Keto - mistress of sea monsters
Cybele - "great mother of the gods" - goddess of fertility
Cyrene - nymph
Kirka is a sorceress
Lavriona - nymph
Lachesis - goddess of fate, one of the three moiras
Leucothea - "White Goddess". Good sea deity, patroness of sailors
Megaera - the most terrible of the three Erinyes, goddesses of vengeance
Melpomene - the muse of tragedy
Metis (Metis) - “thought” - goddess of wisdom
Mnemosyne (Mnemosyne) - goddess of memory
Naida - nymph
Nemesis (Nemesis) - goddess of fair retribution
Nemertea - Nereid "truth"
Nephele - "cloud" - goddess of clouds
Nike (Nike) - “victory” - winged goddess of victory
Nikta (Nyukta) - goddess of the night
Panacea (Panakea) - “all-healer” (Panakeia) - healing goddess
Peyto - goddess of persuasion and love persuasion
Persephone (Kore) - goddess of pre-Hellenic origin, queen of the underworld
Themis - goddess of justice and predictions
Eurybia - the embodiment of sea power
Enyo - goddess who sows murder
Muses - the nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, patroness of various fields of science and art: Calliope - epic poetry, Euterpe - lyrics, Erato - love songs, Melpomene - tragedy, Thalia - comedy, Terpsichore - dance, Clio - history, Urania - astronomy, Polyhymnia - sacred hymns. Constant companions of Apollo. The word "museum" originally meant "abode of the muses."
Ora (mountains) - goddesses of the seasons and order in nature and society, six daughters of Zeus and Themis. Initially they were the “gatekeepers” of Olympus: they opened and closed the gates of heaven. Later Tallo "blooming", Auxo - the personification of summer growth and Karpo "abundant with fruits" began to be associated with the three favorable seasons, and Dike the goddess of Justice, overseeing justice, defender of truth and enemy of deception, Eunomia "legality" and Eirene "peace" - with public order. They were depicted as beautiful girls in long robes, decorated with fruits and flowers. Companions of Aphrodite.
Alcyone, Keleno, Maia, Merope, Sterope, Taygeta and Electra. After the death of her brother, she and her sisters committed suicide and were turned into the Pleiades constellation.
Harites are goddesses of beauty, grace, happiness and joy, personifying feminine charm. . Aglaya is shine, Euphrosyne is joy, Thalia is color.

Who knows all the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece?? ? (name it!!!)

Free as a wind**

Gods of ancient Greece
Hades - god - ruler of the kingdom of the dead.




Boreas - god north wind, son of the Titanides Astraeus (starry sky) and Eos (morning dawn), brother of Zephyr and Note. He was depicted as a winged, long-haired, bearded, powerful deity.
Bacchus is one of the names of Dionysus.
Helios (Helium) is the god of the Sun, brother of Selene (goddess of the Moon) and Eos (morning dawn). In late antiquity he was identified with Apollo, the god of sunlight.


Hypnos is the deity of sleep, the son of Nyx (Night). He was depicted as a winged youth.



Zephyr is the god of the west wind.
Iacchus is the god of fertility.
Kronos is a titan, youngest son Gaia and Uranus, father of Zeus. He ruled the world of gods and people and was dethroned by Zeus. .






















Aeolus is the lord of the winds.


Ether - sky deity

Laria and Ruslan F

1. Gaia
2. Ocean
3. Uranus
4. Hemera
5. Chronos
6. Eros
7. Cyclops
8. Titans
9. Muses
10. Rhea
11. Demeter
12. Poseidon
13. Summer
14. Pan
15. Hestia
16. Artemis
17. Ares
18. Athena
19. Aphrodite
20. Apollo
21. Hera
22. Hermes
23. Zeus
24. Hecate
25. Hephaestus
26. Dionysus
27. Pluto
28. Antey
29. Ancient Babylonia
30. Persephone

Nikolay Pakhomov

Lists of gods and genealogy differ among different ancient authors. The lists below are compilative.
First generation of gods
At first there was Chaos. Gods who emerged from Chaos - Gaia (Earth), Nikta (Nyukta) (Night), Tartarus (Abyss), Erebus (Darkness), Eros (Love); gods that emerged from Gaia - Uranus (Sky) and Pontus (inner Sea). The gods had the appearance of those natural elements that they embodied.
Children of Gaia (fathers - Uranus, Pontus and Tartarus) - Keto (mistress of sea monsters), Nereus (calm sea), Thaumant (sea wonders), Phorcys (guardian of the sea), Eurybia (sea power), titans and titanides. Children of Nyx and Erebus - Hemera (Day), Hypnos (Dream), Kera (misfortune), Moira (Fate), Mom (Slander and Stupidity), Nemesis (Retribution), Thanatos (Death), Eris (Strife), Erinyes (Vengeance) ), Ether (Air); Apata (Deception).

Natalia

Hades - god - ruler of the kingdom of the dead.
Antaeus is a hero of myths, a giant, the son of Poseidon and the Earth of Gaia. The earth gave its son strength, thanks to which no one could control him.
Apollo is the god of sunlight. The Greeks depicted him as a beautiful young man.
Ares is the god of treacherous war, the son of Zeus and Hera.
Asclepius - god of medicine, son of Apollo and the nymph Coronis
Boreas is the god of the north wind, the son of the Titanides Astraeus (starry sky) and Eos (morning dawn), brother of Zephyr and Note. He was depicted as a winged, long-haired, bearded, powerful deity.
Bacchus is one of the names of Dionysus.
Helios (Helium) is the god of the Sun, brother of Selene (goddess of the Moon) and Eos (dawn). In late antiquity he was identified with Apollo, the god of sunlight.
Hermes is the son of Zeus and Maya, one of the most multi-valued Greek gods. Patron of wanderers, crafts, trade, thieves. Possessing the gift of eloquence.
Hephaestus is the son of Zeus and Hera, the god of fire and blacksmithing. He was considered the patron of artisans.
Hypnos is the deity of sleep, the son of Nyx (Night). He was depicted as a winged youth.
Dionysus (Bacchus) is the god of viticulture and winemaking, the object of a number of cults and mysteries. He was depicted either as a corpulent elderly man or as a young man with a wreath of grape leaves on the head.
Zagreus is the god of fertility, the son of Zeus and Persephone.
Zeus is the supreme god, king of gods and people.
Zephyr is the god of the west wind.
Iacchus is the god of fertility.
Kronos is a titan, the youngest son of Gaia and Uranus, the father of Zeus. He ruled the world of gods and people and was overthrown from the throne by Zeus...
Mom is the son of the goddess of Night, the god of slander.
Morpheus is one of the sons of Hypnos, the god of dreams.
Nereus is the son of Gaia and Pontus, a meek sea god.
Not - the god of the south wind, was depicted with a beard and wings.
Ocean is a titan, the son of Gaia and Uranus, the brother and husband of Tethys and the father of all the rivers of the world.
The Olympians are the supreme gods of the younger generation of Greek gods, led by Zeus, who lived on the top of Mount Olympus.
Pan is a forest god, the son of Hermes and Dryope, a goat-footed man with horns. He was considered the patron saint of shepherds and small livestock.
Pluto is the god of the underworld, often identified with Hades, but unlike him, he owned not the souls of the dead, but the riches of the underworld.
Plutos is the son of Demeter, a god who gives wealth to people.
Pontus is one of the senior Greek deities, the offspring of Gaia, the god of the sea, the father of many titans and gods.
Poseidon is one of the Olympian gods, the brother of Zeus and Hades, who rules over the sea elements. Poseidon was also subject to the bowels of the earth,
he commanded storms and earthquakes.
Proteus is a sea deity, son of Poseidon, patron of seals. He had the gift of reincarnation and prophecy.
Satyrs are goat-footed creatures, demons of fertility.
Thanatos is the personification of death, the twin brother of Hypnos.
The Titans are a generation of Greek gods, the ancestors of the Olympians.
Typhon is a hundred-headed dragon born of Gaia or Hera. During the battle of the Olympians and the Titans, he was defeated by Zeus and imprisoned under the volcano Etna in Sicily.
Triton - son of Poseidon, one of the sea deities, a man with fish tail instead of legs, he holds a trident and a twisted shell in his hands - a horn.
Chaos is an endless empty space from which at the beginning of time the most ancient gods of the Greek religion - Nyx and Erebus - emerged.
Chthonic gods are deities of the underworld and fertility, relatives of the Olympians. These included Hades, Hecate, Hermes, Gaia, Demeter, Dionysus and Persephone.
Cyclops are giants with one eye in the middle of their forehead, children of Uranus and Gaia.
Eurus (Eur) - god of the southeast wind.
Aeolus is the lord of the winds.
Erebus is the personification of the darkness of the underworld, the son of Chaos and the brother of Night.
Eros (Eros) - god of love, son of Aphrodite and Ares. IN ancient myths- a self-emerging force that contributed to the ordering of the world. He was depicted as a winged youth (in the Hellenistic era - a boy) with arrows, accompanying his mother.

The mythology of Ancient Greece was of great importance for humanity and, first of all, for the development of culture. Ancient peoples were characterized by polytheism, that is, polytheism. The Greek gods were similar to ordinary people because they did not have immortality and had vices. They lived on the very high mountain Olympus, where ordinary people could not get. In mythology there are many gods who had their own purpose and significance for humans.

Important gods of Greek mythology

The most important thing on Mount Olympus was Zeus, who was considered the almighty father of the gods. He was the patron of wind, thunder, lightning and other natural phenomena. He had a scepter, thanks to which he could cause storms and also calm them. Other important deities:

1. Greek Helios could see everything that was happening in the Universe, so he was often called all-seeing. The Greeks turned to him to find out important information. Helios was depicted as a young guy with a ball in one hand and a cornucopia in the other. One of the ancient seven wonders of the world is the Colossus of Rhodes, which is a statue of Helios. Every morning, the sun god rode into the sky in his chariot drawn by four winged horses and gave people light.
2. Greek god Apollo was the patron of many areas: medicine, archery, creativity, but most often he was called the god of light. His constant attributes are: lyre, larv and plectrum. As for animals, swans, wolves and dolphins were considered sacred to Apollo. This god was depicted as a young guy who always had a bow in his hands, since he was an excellent shooter, and a lyre. Various holidays and festivals were held in honor of this god.
3. God of dreams in Greek mythology - Morpheus. He had the ability to penetrate people's dreams, and in the form of any person. Thanks to his powers, the God of Sleep thoroughly copied his voice, habits and other qualities. Morpheus was imagined as a slender young man who had wings on his temples. Eat small quantity images of this god in the form of an old man with a poppy in his hands. It was this flower that was a constant attribute of Morpheus, since it had soporific properties. The emblem of this god was the twin gates to the world of dreams. One half was made of ivory and it opened the entrance to false dreams, and the other half, made of horns, was responsible for true dreams.
4. God of healing in Greek mythology - Asclepius. In many images he is represented as an old man with a large beard. His attribute is a staff that entwines a snake, symbolizing the eternal rebirth of life. The image of a staff is still considered a symbol of medicine to this day. He knew all the medicinal properties of plants, discovered antidotes for bites, and also developed surgery. In honor of Asclepius, many temples were created, which certainly had a hospital.
5. Greek god of fire - Hephaestus. He was considered the patron of blacksmithing. He made various products that were used by other gods of Olympus. Hephaestus was born a sick and lame child. That is why his mother Hera threw him from Olympus. Hephaestus's products were not only durable, but also beautiful and as believable as possible. The god of fire was depicted as an ugly, but broad-shouldered man.
6. Greek was the ruler of the underworld. People did not consider him evil and portrayed him as a powerful older man. He had a big beard. In general, he was very similar to his brother Zeus. This god had several attributes. The main thing was the helmet, which gave invisibility. In his hands, Hades held a two-pronged pitchfork or a scepter with the heads of three dogs. Wild tulips were considered a symbol of the god of the underworld. The Greeks sacrificed black bulls to Hades.

Rhea, captured by Cronus, bore him bright children - the Virgin - Hestia, Demeter and the golden-shod Hera, the glorious might of Hades, who lives underground, and the provider - Zeus, the father of both immortals and mortals, whose thunder makes the wide earth tremble. Hesiod "Theogony"

Greek literature arose from mythology. Myth- This is an ancient man’s idea of ​​the world around him. Myths were created at a very early stage in the development of society in various areas of Greece. Later, all these myths merged into a single system.

The ancient Greeks tried to explain everything with the help of myths. natural phenomena, presenting them in the form of living beings. At first, experiencing a strong fear of natural elements, people depicted the gods in a terrible animal form (Chimera, Gorgon Medusa, Sphinx, Lernaean Hydra).

However, later the gods become anthropomorphic, that is, they have a human appearance and are characterized by a variety of human qualities (jealousy, generosity, envy, generosity). The main difference between gods and people was their immortality, but for all their greatness, the gods communicated with mere mortals and even often entered into love relationships with them in order to give birth to a whole tribe of heroes on earth.

There are 2 types of ancient Greek mythology:

1. cosmogonic (cosmogony - the origin of the world) - ends with the birth of Kron
2. theogonic (theogony - the origin of gods and deities)

The mythology of Ancient Greece went through 3 main stages in its development:

1. pre-Olympic- This is mainly cosmogonic mythology. This stage begins with the idea of ​​the ancient Greeks that everything came from Chaos, and ends with the murder of Cronus and the division of the world between the gods.
2. Olympic(early classic) – Zeus becomes the supreme deity and, with a retinue of 12 gods, settles on Olympus.
3. late heroism- heroes are born from gods and mortals who help the gods in establishing order and destroying monsters.

Poems were created on the basis of mythology, tragedies were written, and lyricists dedicated their odes and hymns to the gods.

There were two main groups of gods in Ancient Greece:

1. titans - gods of the second generation (six brothers - Ocean, Kay, Crius, Hipperion, Iapetus, Kronos and six sisters - Thetis, Phoebe, Mnemosyne, Theia, Themis, Rhea)
2. olympian gods - Olympians - gods of the third generation. The Olympians included the children of Kronos and Rhea - Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, Poseidon and Zeus, as well as their descendants - Hephaestus, Hermes, Persephone, Aphrodite, Dionysus, Athena, Apollo and Artemis. The supreme god was Zeus, who deprived his father Kronos (the god of time) of power.

The Greek pantheon of the Olympian gods traditionally included 12 gods, but the composition of the pantheon was not very stable and sometimes numbered 14-15 gods. Usually these were: Zeus, Hera, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Poseidon, Aphrodite, Demeter, Hestia, Ares, Hermes, Hephaestus, Dionysus, Hades. The Olympian gods lived on the sacred Mount Olympus ( Olympos) in Olympia, off the coast of the Aegean Sea.

Translated from ancient Greek, the word pantheon means "all gods". Greeks

deities were divided into three groups:

• Pantheon (great Olympian gods)
• Lesser deities
• Monsters

Heroes occupied a special place in Greek mythology. The most famous of them:

v Odysseus

Supreme gods of Olympus

Greek gods	Functions	Roman gods
	god of thunder and lightning, sky and weather, law and fate, attributes - lightning (three-pronged pitchfork with jagged edges), scepter, eagle or chariot drawn by eagles
	goddess of marriage and family, goddess of the sky and starry skies, attributes - diadem (crown), lotus, lion, cuckoo or hawk, peacock (two peacocks pulled her cart)
Aphrodite	“foam-born”, goddess of love and beauty, Athena, Artemis and Hestia were not subject to her, attributes - rose, apple, shell, mirror, lily, violet, belt and golden cup, bestowing eternal youth, retinue - sparrows, doves, dolphin, satellites - Eros, harites, nymphs, oras.
	god of the underworld of the dead, “generous” and “hospitable”, attribute – a magic invisibility hat and the three-headed dog Cerberus
	the god of treacherous war, military destruction and murder, he was accompanied by the goddess of discord Eris and the goddess of frantic war Enio, attributes - dogs, a torch and a spear, the chariot had 4 horses - Noise, Horror, Shine and Flame
	god of fire and blacksmithing, ugly and lame on both legs, attribute – blacksmith’s hammer
	goddess of wisdom, crafts and art, goddess of just war and military strategy, patroness of heroes, “owl-eyed”, used male attributes (helmet, shield - aegis made of Amalthea goat skin, decorated with the head of the Gorgon Medusa, spear, olive, owl and snake), appeared accompanied by Nika
	god of invention, theft, trickery, trade and eloquence, patron of heralds, ambassadors, shepherds and travelers, invented measures, numbers, taught people, attributes - a winged staff and winged sandals	Mercury
Poseidon	god of the seas and all bodies of water, floods, droughts and earthquakes, patron of sailors, attribute - a trident that causes storms, breaks rocks, knocks out springs, sacred animals - bull, dolphin, horse, sacred tree- pine
Artemis	goddess of hunting, fertility and female chastity, later - goddess of the Moon, patroness of forests and wild animals, forever young, she is accompanied by nymphs, attributes - a hunting bow and arrows, sacred animals - a doe and a bear
Apollo (Phoebus), Cyfared	“golden-haired”, “silver-haired”, god of light, harmony and beauty, patron of the arts and sciences, leader of the muses, predictor of the future, attributes - silver bow and golden arrows, golden cithara or lyre, symbols - olive, iron, laurel, palm tree, dolphin , swan, wolf
	goddess of the hearth and sacrificial fire, virgin goddess. accompanied by 6 priestesses - vestals, who served the goddess for 30 years
	“Mother Earth”, goddess of fertility and agriculture, plowing and harvest, attributes – a sheaf of wheat and a torch
	god of fruitful forces, vegetation, viticulture, winemaking, inspiration and fun	Bacchus, Bacchus

Minor Greek gods

Greek gods	Functions	Roman gods
Asclepius	“opener”, god of healing and medicine, attribute – a staff entwined with snakes
Eros, Cupid	the god of love, the "winged boy", was considered a product of dark night and bright day, Heaven and Earth, attributes - a flower and a lyre, later - arrows of love and a flaming torch
	“the sparkling eye of the night”, the moon goddess, queen of the starry sky, has wings and a golden crown
Persephone	goddess of the kingdom of the dead and fertility	Proserpina
	goddess of victory, depicted winged or in a pose of rapid movement, attributes - bandage, wreath, later - palm tree, then - weapons and trophy	Victoria
	goddess of eternal youth, depicted as a chaste girl pouring nectar
	“rose-fingered”, “beautiful-haired”, “golden-throned” goddess of the morning dawn
	goddess of happiness, chance and luck
	sun god, owner of seven herds of cows and seven herds of sheep
Kron (Chronos)	god of time, attribute – sickle
	goddess of furious war
Hypnos (Morpheus)
	goddess of flowers and gardens
	god of the west wind, messenger of the gods
Dike (Themis)	goddess of justice, justice, attributes - scales in the right hand, blindfold, cornucopia in the left hand; The Romans put a sword in the goddess's hand instead of a horn
	god of marriage, marital ties	Thalassius
Nemesis	winged goddess of revenge and retribution, punishing for violation of social and moral norms, attributes - scales and bridle, sword or whip, chariot drawn by griffins	Adrastea
	"golden-winged", goddess of the rainbow
	goddess of the earth

In addition to Olympus in Greece, there was the sacred Mount Parnassus, where they lived muses – 9 sisters, Greek deities who personified poetic and musical inspiration, patroness of the arts and sciences.

Greek muses

	What does it patronize?	Attributes
Calliope ("beautifully spoken")	muse of epic or heroic poetry	wax tablet and stylus (bronze writing rod)
(“glorifying”)	muse of history	papyrus scroll or scroll case
(“pleasant”)	muse of love or erotic poetry, lyrics and marriage songs	kifara (plucked string musical instrument, a type of lyre)
(“beautifully pleasing”)	muse of music and lyric poetry	aulos (a wind musical instrument similar to a pipe with a double reed, the predecessor of the oboe) and syringa (a musical instrument, a type of longitudinal flute)
(“heavenly”)	muse of astronomy	spotting scope and sheet with celestial signs
Melpomene (“singing”)	muse of tragedy	wreath of grape leaves or ivy, theatrical robe, tragic mask, sword or club.
Terpsichore (“delightfully dancing”)	muse of dance	wreath on the head, lyre and plectrum (mediator)
Polyhymnia (“a lot of singing”)	muse of sacred song, eloquence, lyricism, chant and rhetoric
(“blooming”)	muse of comedy and bucolic poetry	comic mask in hands and wreath ivy on head

Lesser deities in Greek mythology they are satyrs, nymphs and oras.

Satires - (Greek satyroi) are forest deities (the same as in Rus' goblin), demons fertility, retinue of Dionysus. They were depicted as goat-legged, hairy, with horse tails and small horns. Satyrs are indifferent to people, mischievous and cheerful, they were interested in hunting, wine, and pursued forest nymphs. Their other hobby was music, but they only played wind instruments that produced sharp, piercing sounds - the flute and the pipe. In mythology, they personified the rude, base nature in nature and man, so they were represented with ugly faces - with blunt, wide noses, swollen nostrils, tousled hair.

Nymphs – (the name means “source”, among the Romans - “bride”) the personification of living elemental forces, noticed in the murmur of a stream, in the growth of trees, in the wild beauty of mountains and forests, spirits earth's surface, manifestations of natural forces acting besides humans in the solitude of grottoes, valleys, forests, far from cultural centers. They were depicted as beautiful young girls with wonderful hair, wearing wreaths and flowers, sometimes in a dancing pose, with bare legs and arms, and loose hair. They engage in yarn and weaving, sing songs, dance in the meadows to the flute of Pan, hunt with Artemis, participate in noisy orgies of Dionysus, and constantly fight with annoying satyrs. In the minds of the ancient Greeks, the world of nymphs was very vast.

The azure pond was full of flying nymphs,
The garden was animated by dryads,
And the bright water spring sparkled from the urn
Laughing naiads.

F. Schiller

Nymphs of the mountains - oreads,

nymphs of forests and trees - dryads,

nymphs of springs – naiads,

nymphs of the oceans - oceanids,

nymphs of the sea - nerids,

nymphs of the valleys - drink,

nymphs of meadows - limnades.

Ory - goddesses of the seasons, were in charge of order in nature. Guardians of Olympus, now opening and then closing its cloud gates. They are called the gatekeepers of the sky. Harnessing the horses of Helios.

There are numerous monsters in many mythologies. There were a lot of them in ancient Greek mythology too: Chimera, Sphinx, Lernaean Hydra, Echidna and many others.

In the same vestibule, crowds of shadows of monsters crowd:

Biform scylla and herds of centaurs live here,

Here Briareus the hundred-armed lives, and the dragon from Lernaean

The swamp hisses, and the Chimera frightens enemies with fire,

Harpies fly in a flock around three-body giants...

Virgil, "Aeneid"

Harpies are evil child abductors and human souls, suddenly swooping in and disappearing just as suddenly, like the wind, terrify people. Their number ranges from two to five; are depicted as wild half-women, half-birds of a disgusting appearance with the wings and paws of a vulture, with long sharp claws, but with the head and chest of a woman.

Gorgon Medusa - a monster with a woman’s face and snakes instead of hair, whose gaze turned a person to stone. According to legend there was beautiful girl with beautiful hair. Poseidon, seeing Medusa and falling in love, seduced her in the temple of Athena, for which the goddess of wisdom, in anger, turned the hair of the Gorgon Medusa into snakes. The Gorgon Medusa was defeated by Perseus, and her head was placed on the aegis of Athena.

Minotaur - a monster with the body of a man and the head of a bull. He was born from the unnatural love of Pasiphae (the wife of King Minos) and a bull. Minos hid the monster in the Knossos labyrinth. Every eight years, 7 boys and 7 girls descended into the labyrinth, destined for the Minotaur as victims. Theseus defeated the Minotaur, and with the help of Ariadne, who gave him a ball of thread, he got out of the labyrinth.

Cerberus (Kerberus) - this is a three-headed dog with a snake tail and snake heads on its back, guarding the exit from the kingdom of Hades, not allowing the dead to return to the kingdom of the living. He was defeated by Hercules during one of his labors.

Scylla and Charybdis - This sea ​​monsters, located from each other within the flight distance of an arrow. Charybdis is a sea whirlpool that absorbs water three times a day and spews it out the same number of times. Scylla (“barking”) is a monster in the form of a woman whose lower body was turned into 6 dog heads. When the ship passed by the rock where Scylla lived, the monster, with all its jaws open, abducted 6 people from the ship at once. The narrow strait between Scylla and Charybdis posed a mortal danger to everyone who sailed through it.

There were also other mythical characters in Ancient Greece.

Pegasus - winged horse, favorite of the muses. He flew at the speed of the wind. Riding Pegasus meant receiving poetic inspiration. He was born at the source of the Ocean, therefore he was named Pegasus (from Greek “stormy current”). According to one version, he jumped out of the body of the gorgon Medusa after Perseus cut off her head. Pegasus delivered thunder and lightning to Zeus on Olympus from Hephaestus, who made them.

From the foam of the sea, from the azure wave,

Faster than an arrow and more beautiful than a string,

An amazing fairy horse is flying

And easily catches the heavenly fire!

He loves to splash in colored clouds

And often walks in magical verses.

So that the ray of inspiration in the soul does not go out,

I saddle you, snow-white Pegasus!

Unicorn - a mythical creature symbolizing chastity. Usually depicted as a horse with one horn coming out of its forehead. The Greeks believed that the unicorn belonged to Artemis, the goddess of the hunt. Subsequently, in medieval legends there was a version that only a virgin could tame him. Once you catch a unicorn, you can only hold it with a golden bridle.

Centaurs - wild mortal creatures with the head and torso of a man on the body of a horse, inhabitants of mountains and forest thickets, accompany Dionysus and are distinguished by their violent temperament and intemperance. Presumably, centaurs were originally the embodiment of mountain rivers and stormy streams. In heroic myths, centaurs are the educators of heroes. For example, Achilles and Jason were raised by the centaur Chiron.

Oleg and Valentina Svetovid are mystics, specialists in esotericism and occultism, authors of 14 books.

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Mythical names. Mythical male and female names and their meanings