Intorduction
The ancient Greek spiritual beliefs, religion, and oral tradition are all reflected and formulated through rich myths and legends that besides entertainment provided an articulation of Greek culture’s moral fiber.
Taken as a whole, what we call “mythology” today represents the bulk of what we know as pagan religion mixed in with the ancients’ heritage (the concept of “History” was born later in the 5th c. BCE). As such, it was later suppressed in favor of other religions. But it was so interwoven in Greek culture, and it’s so rich in literary and moral value that it survived over the centuries in bits and pieces embedded in literature and art for centuries. With its original religious meaning defused, it reemerge in the last few hundred years under a safe title: “mythology”.
These stories and characters appear often in all cultural activities, from art and architecture, to theater and the written texts. The pages herein are a mere point of reference to provide “color” and context to the rich history and culture of Ancient Greece.
Gods, Heroes & Legends
Alcmene • Ananke • Antiope • Aphrodite • Apollo • Ares (Mars) • Asclepius • Artemis • Ate • Athena
Eros & Psyche • Europa • Eurynome
Ganymedes • Ge • Gigantomachy • Glaucus • Gorgons • Graeae
Hades (Pluto) • Harpies • Hebe • Hecate • Helios (Sol) • Hephestus • Hera • Hermes (Mercury) • Hesperides • Hestia • Horae • Hymen
Io • Iris • Ker • Leda • Leto • Leucothea
Metis • Minotaur • Mnemosyne • Momus • Morpheus • Muses • Myrae • Nemesis • Nereus • Nike • Nymphs • Nyx
Pan • Pegasus • Phorcys & Ceto • Plutus • Poseidon • Priapus • Proteus
Satyrs • Selene • Semele • Sirens • Sphinx
Thanatos & Hypnus • Thaumas • Themis • Theseus and the Minotaur • Themis • Triton • Tyche
From: Berens, E.M. The Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome. New York: Maynard, Merril, & Co., 1880. Text in the public domain.
