Mythology

1. Mythology

2. Norse mythology • The Norse gods were the gods of the Vikings. • They were warring gods and fought constantly with their enemies the Giants. • They resided in the Halls of Asgard

3. Key Terms and places within Norse mythology • Asgard- the great hall where the Norse gods resided. • Valhalla- this was where the bravest warriors were taken when they fell in battle. • Valkaries- mythical women who rode down on winged chariots and took the souls of fallen warriors to Valhalla. • Ragnarok- according to the Norse religion, the end of the world and time. • Rainbow Bridge (Bifrost)- the entrance to Asgard.

4. Major Norse Gods • Odin (Woden)- the king of the Norse gods and the ruler of everything. He was the son of giants. Along with his brothers Ve and Vili, he created the universe. Wednesday is named after him. (Wodensday) • Thor- the son of Odin, and the most popular of the Norse gods. He was given a magical hammer, which always returned to him after he threw it. Thursday was named after him. (Thorsday) • Tyr- the god of war, and the son of Odin and Frigga. One of the bravest gods. Tuesday is named for him. (Tyrsday) • Loki- the son of giants. Known as a trickster. As time goes on, becomes more evil. Ends up leading the army against the gods at Ragnarok.

5. Greek/ Roman Mythology • In the beginning there was Chaos • From Chaos came Gaea (sometimes Gaia) Mother Earth. • From Gaea came Uranus (sky) • From Gaea and Uranus came three sets of beings. • The twelve Titans • The Cyclopes • The hundred-handed monster

6. The Titans • There were twelve Titans • Ocean- the unending stream of water encircling the world. Together with his wife Tethys they produced the rivers and the three thousand ocean nymphs. • Tethys- wife of Oceanus Hyperion • Theia- • Mnemosyne- the Titan of memory, and the mother of the muses • Phoebe- Titan of the moon. Mother of Leto • Coeus- Titan of intelligence. Father of Leto • Rhea- the wife of Cronus. Saved her son Zeus by tricking Cronus • Cronus(Saturn)-the ruling Titan who overthrew his father and came into power. He and his wife Rhea created the first of the Olympians. Because of a fear that one of his children would become more powerful than him, he ate each of his children as they were born. Until Rhea tricked him into eating a rock instead of Zeus. Zeus grew up to defeat the Titans, and banish them to Tartarus in the underworld. Cronus managed to escape to Italy, where he ruled. • Themis- the Titan of justice and order. She was the mother of the Fates and the Seasons. • Iapetus- the father of Prometheus, Epimetheus, and Atlas • Hyperion- the Titan of light, the father of the sun, the moon, and the dawn. • Crius

7. Lesser Titans • Prometheus- the wisest of the Titans. The son of Iapetus. When Zeus revolted against Cronus, Prometheus deserted all of the other Titans and fought on Zeus’s side. By some accounts, he and his brother Epimetheus created man. Prometheus gave man a number of gifts including fire. He also tricked Zeus into allowing man to keep the best part of the animals sacrificed to the gods and to give the gods the worst parts. For this Zeus punished Prometheus by having him chained to a rock with an eagle tearing at his liver. He was eventually rescued by Hercules. • Epitmethus- a stupid Titan. Son of Iapetus. He accepted the gift of Pandora from Zeus. • Atlas- the son of Iapetus. Led the Titans in the battle against the gods. Zeus punished him by making him hold the world on his back.

8. The Olympians • Zeus (Jupiter)- The king of the gods. Son of Cronus and Rhea. Leads the war against the Titans. Known for his numerous affairs. • Hera (Juno)- Queen of the gods. Wife and sister of Zeus. Jealous of his many affairs. Her bird was the peacock • Poseidon (Neptune)- became Lord of the sea. Created the first horse to impress Demeter. His weapon is the trident which can shake the earth and shatter any object. • Hades (Pluto)-brother of Zeus. Became lord of the underworld ruling over the dead. Also the god of wealth. He has a helmet that makes him invisible. His wife is Persephone, whom he abducted. • Hestia (Vesta)- sister of Zeus. Goddess of the hearth. The virgin goddess. • Ares (Mars)- son of Zeus and Hera. God of war. Was not liked by either of his parents. Generally regarded as a coward. • Athena (Minerva)- daughter of Zeus. She sprang full grown in armor from his forehead. She is considered the goddess of wisdom, and Zeus favorite child. Her bird was the owl.

9. Olympians (cont) • Apollo-the son of Zeus and Leto. Twin brother of Artemis. The god of healing who taught man medicine. One of Apollo’s daily tasks is to harness his chariot with four horses and drive the sun across the sky. • Aphrodite (Venus)- the goddess of love desire and beauty. She is the wife of Hephaestus The are two accounts of her birth. One says that she is the daughter of Zeus and Dione. The other says that when Uranus was castrated and his genitals cast in the sea, Aphrodite arose from the sea foam. • Hermes (Mercury)- the son of Zeus and Maia. He is the messenger of the gods. He wears a winged helmet and wingned sandals. God of theieves and commerce. Also the guide for the dead to go to the underworld. Carries the cadeus. • Artemis (Diana)- the daughter of Zeus and Leto. Goddess of the hunt, chastity and protector of the young. Often times, she is associated with the moon. • Hephaestus (Vulcan)- son of Zeus and Hera. The only god to be known as physically ugly. He is the blacksmith and armor maker of the gods.

10. The Lesser gods • Demeter (Ceres)- Demeter is the goddess of corn, grain, and the harvest. She is the daughter of Cronus and Rhea. It is Demeter that makes the crops grow each year. Demeter is intimately associated with the seasons. Her daughter Persephone was abducted by Hades to be his wife in the underworld. • Persephone (Proserpina)- daughter of Zeus and Demeter. After being kidnapped by Hades, she becomes his wife. • Dionysus (Bacchus)- god of the vine. Invented wine. The son of Zeus and Semele. The only god to have a mortal parent. • Eros (Cupid)- god of love. Also he son of Aphrodite. Uses magical arrows to cause people to fall in love. • Hebe-the daughter of Zeus and Hera. The goddess of youth. She marries Hercules. • Helios (Sol)- the sun god. • Thanatos- god of death. • Pan (Faunus)- the god of goathearders and shepherds. The son of Hermes. He is mostly human in appearance, but has goat horns and goat feet. He is know for playing the pipes and chasing nymphs.

11. Lesser gods (cont) • Nemesis- the gods of revenge. • The Graces (Charities)- the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne. The three graces are Aglaia (Spelndor), Euphrosyne (Mirth), and Thalia (good cheer) • The Muses- The daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne. They are responsible for all inspiration. There are nine Muses, each with her own speciality: Clio (history), Urania (astronomy), Melpomene (tragedy), Thalia (comedy), Terpsichore (dance), Calliope (epic poetry), Erato (love poetry), Polyhymnia (songs to the gods), Euterpe (lyric poetry). • The Erinnyes (Furiae)- Are responsible for, punishing crime. There are three: Tisiphone, Magera, and Alecto. • The Fates- Together, they decide man’s destiny. They assign man to good or evil. There are three Fates: Clotho, the spinner, who spins the thread of life. Lachesis, the measurer, who choses the lot in life one will have and measures off how long it will be, and Atropos, who cuts the thread of life. • Phosphor (Lucifer)- Light bringer, Star that brings in the day.

12. Creatures • Cerebus-the three headed dog with the tail of a dragon that guards the entrance to the underworld. • Medusa- a gorgon who was given a hideous appearance as a punishment. Perseus later defeats her. • Pegasus- the winged horse which spring from the neck of Medusa after she is beheaded. • Hydra- the three headed monster, which grows two heads from every one that is cut off.

13. Heroes • Heracles (Hercules) • Achillies • Perseus • Bellerophon • Theseus • Atalanta • Odysseus • Meleager