Metic

Nymphs

Table of Contents THE NYMPHS. The graceful beings called the Nymphs were the presiding deities of the woods, grottoes, streams, meadows, etc. These divinities were supposed to be beautiful maidens of fairy-like form, and robed in more or less shadowy…
Read more: Nymphs
Nyx (Nox)

Nyx, the daughter of Chaos, being the personification of Night, was, according to the poetic ideas of the Greeks, considered to be the mother of everything mysterious and inexplicable, such as death, sleep, dreams, etc. She became united to Erebus,…
Read more: Nyx (Nox)
Oceanus

Oceanus was the son of Uranus and Gæa. He was the personification of the ever-flowing stream, which, according to the primitive notions of the early Greeks, encircled the world, and from which sprang all the rivers and streams that watered…
Read more: Oceanus
Origins of Man

From the Earth Table of Contents The first natural belief of the Greek people was that man had sprung from the earth. They saw the tender plants and flowers force their way through the ground in the early spring of…
Read more: Origins of Man
Minoan Culture

Language The first written scripts of the Minoans resemble egyptian hieroglyphs. The Phaistos Disk which dates back to 1700 BC, is an example of such script. Later the emergence of a syllable based script we call Linear A permeates the island. Numerous…
Read more: Minoan Culture
Pan

God of Fertility Table of Contents Pan (or Panas) was the god of fertility, and the special patron of shepherds and huntsmen; he presided over all rural occupations, was chief of the Satyrs, and head of all rural divinities. According…
Read more: Pan
Pegasus

Pegasus was a beautiful winged horse who sprang from the body of Medusa when she was slain by the hero Perseus, the son of Zeus and Danaë. Spreading out his wings he immediately flew to the top of Mount Olympus,…
Read more: Pegasus
Phorcys and Ceto

Phorcys and Ceto personified more especially the hidden perils and terrors of the ocean. They were the parents of the Gorgons, the Græa, and the Dragon which guarded the golden apples of the Hesperides. From: Berens, E.M. The Myths and Legends…
Read more: Phorcys and Ceto
Plutus

Plutus, the son of Demeter and a mortal called Iasion, was the god of wealth, and is represented as being lame when he makes his appearance, and winged when he takes his departure. He was supposed to be both blind…
Read more: Plutus
Poseidon

God of the Sea Table of Contents Poseidon was the son of Kronos and Rhea, and the brother of Zeus. He was god of the sea, more particularly of the Mediterranean, and, like the element over which he presided, was…
Read more: Poseidon