Hierarchy of Greek gods diagram. Gods of ancient Greece. And often walks in magical verses

We offer a list of the most famous ancient Greek gods with brief descriptions and links to full articles with illustrations.

• Hades is the god - ruler of the kingdom of the dead, as well as the kingdom itself. One of the elder Olympian gods, brother of Zeus, Hera, Demeter, Poseidon and Hestia, son of Kronos and Rhea. Husband of the fertility goddess Persephone
• - hero of myths, giant, son of Poseidon and the Earth of Gaia. The earth gave its son strength, thanks to which no one could control him. But Hercules defeated Antaeus, tearing him away from the Earth and depriving him of the help of Gaia.
• - god of sunlight. The Greeks depicted him as a beautiful young man. Apollo (other epithets - Phoebus, Musaget) - son of Zeus and the goddess Leto, brother of Artemis. He had the gift of foreseeing the future and was considered the patron of all arts. In late antiquity, Apollo was identified with the sun god Helios.
• - god of treacherous war, son of Zeus and Hera. The Greeks portrayed him as a strong young man.
• - twin sister of Apollo, goddess of hunting and nature, was believed to facilitate childbirth. She was sometimes considered a moon goddess and identified with Selene. The center of the cult of Artemis was in the city of Ephesus, where a grandiose temple was erected in her honor - one of the seven wonders of the world.
• - god of medical art, son of Apollo and the nymph Coronis. To the Greeks he was represented as a bearded man with a staff in his hand. The staff was entwined with a snake, which later became one of the symbols of the medical profession. Asclepius was killed by Zeus for trying to resurrect the dead with his art. In the Roman pantheon, Asclepius corresponds to the god Aesculapius.
• Atropos(“inevitable”) - one of the three moiras, cutting the thread of fate and ending a human life.
• - the daughter of Zeus and Metis, born from his head in full military armor. Goddess of just war and wisdom, patroness of knowledge. Athena taught people many crafts, established laws on earth, and gave musical instruments to mortals. The center of veneration of Athena was in Athens. The Romans identified Athena with the goddess Minerva.
• (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, hence her title Anadyomene, “foam-born”). Aphrodite corresponds to the Sumerian Inanna and the Babylonian Ishtar, the Egyptian Isis and the Great Mother of the Gods, and finally, the Roman Venus.
• - god of the 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.
• - in mythology, sometimes called Dionysus by the Greeks, and Liber by the Romans, was originally a Thracian or Phrygian god, whose cult was adopted by the Greeks very early. Bacchus, according to some legends, is considered the son of the daughter of the Theban king, Semele, and Zeus. According to others, he is the son of Zeus and Demeter or Persephone.
• (Hebea) - daughter of Zeus and Hera, goddess of youth. Sister of Ares and Ilithyia. She served the Olympian gods at feasts, bringing them nectar and ambrosia. In Roman mythology, Hebe corresponds to the goddess Juventa.
• - goddess of darkness, night visions and sorcery, patroness of sorcerers. Hecate was often considered the goddess of the moon and was identified with Artemis. Hecate's Greek nickname "Triodita" and her Latin name "Trivia" originate from the legend that this goddess dwells at crossroads.
• - hundred-armed, fifty-headed giants, the personification of the elements, sons of Uranus (Heaven) and the goddess Gaia (Earth).
• (Helium) - god of the Sun, brother of Selene (Moon) and Eos (dawn). In late antiquity he was identified with Apollo. According to Greek myths, Helios travels around the sky every day in a chariot drawn by four fiery horses. The main center of the cult was located on the island of Rhodes, where a giant statue was erected in his honor, considered one of the seven wonders of the world (the Colossus of Rhodes).
• Gemera- goddess of daylight, personification of the day, born of Nikta and Erebus. Often identified with Eos.
• - 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. From Zeus she gave birth to Ares, Hebe, Hephaestus and Ilithyia (the goddess of women in childbirth, with whom Hera herself was often identified.
• - son of Zeus and Maya, one of the most significant Greek gods. Patron of wanderers, crafts, trade, thieves. Possessing the gift of eloquence, Hermes patronized schools and speakers. He played the role of messenger of the gods and guide of the souls of the dead. He was usually depicted as a young man in a simple hat and winged sandals, with a magic staff in his hands. In Roman mythology it was identified with Mercury.
• - goddess of the hearth and fire, eldest daughter of Kronos and Gaia, sister of Hades, Hera, Demeter, Zeus and Poseidon. In Roman mythology, she corresponded to the goddess Vesta.
• - son of Zeus and Hera, god of fire and blacksmithing. He was considered the patron saint of artisans (especially blacksmiths). The Greeks portrayed Hephaestus as a broad-shouldered, short and lame man, working in a forge where he forges weapons for the Olympian gods and heroes.
• - mother earth, foremother of all gods and people. Coming out of Chaos, Gaia gave birth to Uranus-Sky, and from her marriage with him gave birth to titans and monsters. The Roman mother goddess corresponding to Gaia is Tellus.
• - god of sleep, son of Nyx and Erebus, younger twin brother of the god of death Thanatos, favorite of the muses. Lives in Tartarus.
• - goddess of fertility and agriculture. The daughter of Kronos and Rhea, she is one of the elder Olympian gods. Mother of the goddess Kore-Persephone and the god of wealth Plutos.
• (Bacchus) - the god of viticulture and winemaking, the object of a number of cults and mysteries. He was depicted either as an obese elderly man or as a young man with a wreath of grape leaves on his head. In Roman mythology, he corresponded to Liber (Bacchus).
• - lower deities, nymphs who lived in trees. The dryad's life was closely connected with her tree. If the tree died or was cut down, the dryad also died.
• - god of fertility, son of Zeus and Persephone. In the Mysteries he was identified with Dionysus.
• - the supreme Olympian god. Son of Kronos and Rhea, father of many younger gods and people (Hercules, Perseus, Helen of Troy). Lord of thunderstorms and thunder. As the ruler of the world, he had many different functions. In Roman mythology, Zeus corresponded to Jupiter.
• - god of the west wind, brother of Boreas and Note.
• - god of fertility, sometimes identified with Dionysus and Zagreus.
• - patron goddess of women in labor (Roman Lucina).
• - the god of the river of the same name in Argos and the most ancient Argive king, the son of Tethys and Oceanus.
• - the deity of the great mysteries, introduced into the Eleusinian cult by the Orphics and associated with Demeter, Persephone, Dionysus.
• - personification and goddess of the rainbow, winged messenger of Zeus and Hera, daughter of Thaumant and the oceanid Electra, sister of the Harpies and Arches.
• - demonic creatures, children of the goddess Nikta, bringing troubles and death to people.
• - Titan, the son of Uranus and Gaia, was thrown into Tartarus by Zeus
• - Titan, youngest son of Gaia and Uranus, father of Zeus. He ruled the world of gods and people and was dethroned by Zeus. In Roman mythology, it is known as Saturn, a symbol of inexorable time.
• - daughter of the goddess of discord Eris, mother of the Harites (according to Hesiod). And also the River of Oblivion in the underworld (Virgil).
• - Titanide, mother of Apollo and Artemis.
• (Metis) - the goddess of wisdom, the first of the three wives of Zeus, who conceived Athena from him.
• - mother of nine muses, goddess of memory, daughter of Uranus and Gaia.
• - daughters of Nikta-Night, goddess of fate Lachesis, Clotho, Atropos.
• - god of ridicule, slander and stupidity. Son of Nyukta and Erebus, brother of Hypnos.
• - one of the sons of Hypnos, the winged god of dreams.
• - patron goddess of the arts and sciences, nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne.
• - nymphs-guardians of waters - deities of rivers, lakes, springs, streams and springs.
• - daughter of Nikta, a goddess who personified fate and retribution, punishing people in accordance with their sins.
• - fifty daughters of Nereus and the oceanids Doris, sea deities.
• - son of Gaia and Pontus, meek sea god.
• - personification of victory. She was often depicted wearing a wreath, a common symbol of triumph in Greece.
• - goddess of the Night, product of Chaos. The mother of many gods, including Hypnos, Thanatos, Nemesis, Mom, Kera, Moira, Hesperiad, Eris.
• - lower deities in the hierarchy of Greek gods. They personified the forces of nature and were closely connected with their habitats. River nymphs were called naiads, tree nymphs were called dryads, mountain nymphs were called orestiads, and sea nymphs were called nereids. Often, nymphs accompanied one of the gods and goddesses as a retinue.
• Note- the god of the south wind, depicted with a beard and wings.
• Ocean is a titan, the son of Gaia and Uranus, the forefather of the gods of the sea, rivers, streams and springs.
• Orion is a deity, the son of Poseidon and the Oceanid Euryale, daughter of Minos. According to another legend, he came from a fertilized bull skin, buried for nine months in the ground by King Girieus.
• Ora (Mountains) - goddesses of the seasons, peace and order, daughters of Zeus and Themis. There were three of them in total: Dike (or Astraea, goddess of justice), Eunomia (goddess of order and justice), Eirene (goddess of peace).
• Pan is the god of forests and fields, the son of Hermes and Dryope, a goat-footed man with horns. He was considered the patron saint of shepherds and small livestock. According to myths, Pan invented the pipe. In Roman mythology, Pan corresponds to Faun (the patron of herds) and Silvanus (the demon of the forests).
• Peyto- goddess of persuasion, companion of Aphrodite, 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. The Romans revered Persephone under the name Proserpina.
• Python (Dolphinus) is a monstrous serpent, the offspring of Gaia. Guarded the ancient oracle of Gaia and Themis in Delphi.
• The Pleiades are the seven daughters of the titan Atlas and the oceanids Pleione. The most striking of them bear the names of Atlantis, friends of Artemis: Alcyone, Keleno, Maya, Merope, Sterope, Taygeta, Electra. All the sisters were combined in a love union with the gods, with the exception of Merope, who became the wife of Sisyphus.
• Pluto - god of the underworld, until the 5th century BC. named Hades. Later, Hades is mentioned only by Homer, in other later myths - Pluto.
• Plutos is the son of Demeter, a god who gives wealth to people.
• Pont- one of the most ancient Greek gods, the son of Gaia (born without a father), god of the Inner Sea. He is the father of Nereus, Thaumantas, Phorcys and his sister-wife Keto (from Gaia or Tethys); Eurybia (from Gaia; Telkhines (from Gaia or Thalassa); genera of fish (from Thalassa.
• - one of the Olympian gods, brother of Zeus and Hades, who rules over the sea elements. Poseidon also had power over the bowels of the earth; he commanded storms and earthquakes. He was depicted as a man with a trident in his hand, usually accompanied by a retinue of lower sea deities and sea animals.
• Proteus is a sea deity, son of Poseidon, patron of seals. He had the gift of reincarnation and prophecy.

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, Greek mythology became the most complete reflection of ancient civilization. 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 to 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

At different times there were different Lists 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 the human-shaped gods of 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 gained 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 a trident, which granted complete 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 an 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 under sunlight and heavy rains 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.

The gods of Ancient Greece were different from other divine entities presented in any other religion of that time. They were divided into three generations, but the names of the second and third generations of the gods of Olympus are more familiar to the ears of modern people: Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Demeter, Hestia.

According to legend, since the beginning of time, power belonged to the supreme god Chaos. As the name implies, there was no order in the world and then the goddess of the Earth Gaia married Uranus, the father of Heaven, and the first generation of powerful titans was born.

Kronos - the first supreme god of Greece

Kronos, according to some sources Chronos (keeper of time), was the last of the six sons of Gaia. The mother doted on her son, but Kronos was a very capricious and ambitious god. One day, Gaia received a prophecy that one of Kronos’ children would kill him. But for the time being, she also kept in her depths a fortuneteller: a blind half-breed Titanide and the secret itself. Over time, Gaia's mother got tired of constant childbirth and then Kronos castrated his father and overthrew him from heaven.

From this moment a new era began: the era of the Olympian gods. Olympus, whose peaks reach into the sky, became home to generations of gods. When Kronos decided to get married, his mother told him about the prediction. Not wanting to part with the power of the supreme god, Kronos began to swallow all the children. His wife, meek Rhea, was horrified by this, but could not break her husband’s will. Then she decided to cheat. Little Zeus, immediately after birth, was secretly transferred to the forest nymphs in wild Crete, where the gaze of his cruel father never fell. Having reached adulthood, Zeus overthrew his father and forced him to regurgitate all the children he had swallowed.

Thunderer Zeus, father of the gods

But Rhea knew: Zeus’s power is not endless and he, like his father, is also destined to die at the hands of his son. She also knew that the titans, imprisoned by Zeus in gloomy Tartarus, would soon be freed and it was they who would take part in the overthrow of Zeus, the father of the Olympian gods. Only one survivor of the Titans could help Zeus maintain power and not become like Kronos: Prometheus. The Titan had the gift of seeing the future, but he did not hate Zeus for his cruelty towards people.

In Greece, it is believed that before Prometheus, people lived in permanent frost and were like wild creatures without reason or intelligence. Not only the Greeks know that according to legend, Prometheus brought fire to earth, stealing it from the temple of Olympus. As a result, the Thunderer chained the titan and doomed him to eternal torment. Prometheus had the only way out: an agreement with Zeus - the secret of maintaining power for the Thunderer was revealed. Zeus avoided marriage with the one who could bear him a son capable of becoming the leader of the Titans. Power was forever assigned to Zeus; no one and nothing dared to encroach on the throne.

A little later, Zeus took a liking to the gentle Hera, the goddess of marriage and guardian of the family. The goddess was unapproachable and the supreme god had to marry her. But after three hundred years, as the chronicles say, this is the period of the gods’ honeymoon, Zeus became bored. From that moment on, his adventures are described quite interestingly: the Thunderer penetrated mortal girls in a variety of forms. For example, to Danae in the form of a dazzling rain of gold, to Europe, the most beautiful of all, in the form of a thoroughbred bull with golden horns.

The image of the father of the gods has always been unchanged: surrounded by a strong thunderstorm, in the mighty hands of lightning.

He was revered and constant sacrifices were made. When describing the character of the Thunderer, special mention is always made of his steadfastness and severity.

Read also: Goddesses of ancient Greece

Poseidon, god of the seas and oceans

Little is said about Poseidon: the brother of the formidable Zeus occupies a place in the shadow of the supreme god. It is believed that Poseidon was not distinguished by cruelty; the punishments that the god of the seas sent to people were always deserved. The most eloquent of the legends associated with the lord of water is the legend of Andromeda.

Poseidon sent storms, but at the same time fishermen and sailors more often prayed to him than to the father of the gods. Before traveling by sea, not a single warrior would risk leaving the harbor without praying in the temple. The altars were usually smoked for several days in honor of the lord of the seas. According to legends, Poseidon could be seen in the foam of the raging ocean, in a golden chariot drawn by horses of a special color. The gloomy Hades gave these horses to his brother; they were indomitable.

His symbol was the trident, which gives unlimited power to Poseidon in the vastness of the oceans and seas. But it is noted that God had a non-conflict character and tried to avoid quarrels and squabbles. He was always devoted to Zeus, did not strive for power, which cannot be said about the third brother - Hades.

Hades, ruler of the kingdom of the dead

Gloomy Hades is an unusual god and character. He was feared and revered almost more than the ruler of existence, Zeus himself. The Thunderer himself experienced a feeling of strange fear, as soon as he saw his brother’s sparkling chariot, drawn by horses with demonic fire in his eyes. No one dared to step into the depths of the kingdom of Hades until there was such a will from the ruler of the underworld. The Greeks were afraid to pronounce his name, especially if there was a sick person nearby. Some records kept in the library of Alexandria say that before death people always hear the terrible, piercing howl of the keeper of the gates of hell. The two-headed, or according to some notes three-headed, dog Cerberus was an inexorable guardian of the gates of hell and the favorite of the formidable Hades.

It is believed that when Zeus shared power, he offended Hades by giving him the kingdom of the dead. Time passed, the gloomy Hades did not lay claim to the throne of Olympus, but legends often describe that the ruler of the dead was constantly looking for ways to ruin the life of the father of the gods. Hades is portrayed by character as a vindictive and cruel person. It was precisely man, even in the chronicles of that era, that Hades was endowed with human traits more than others.

Hades - God is the ruler of the kingdom of the dead.

Antey- hero of myths, giant, son of Poseidon and the Earth of Gaia. The earth gave its son strength, thanks to which no one could control him.

Apollo- god of sunlight. The Greeks depicted him as a beautiful young man.

Ares- god of treacherous war, son of Zeus and Hera

Asclepius- god of healing arts, son of Apollo and the nymph Coronis

Boreas- god of the 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- one of the names of Dionysus.

Helios (Helium ) - 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.

Hermes- the son of Zeus and Maya, one of the most polysemantic Greek gods. Patron of wanderers, crafts, trade, thieves. Possessing the gift of eloquence.

Hephaestus- son of Zeus and Hera, god of fire and blacksmithing. He was considered the patron of artisans.

Hypnos- deity of sleep, son of Nikta (Night). He was depicted as a winged youth.

Dionysus (Bacchus) - the god of viticulture and winemaking, the object of a number of cults and mysteries. He was depicted either as an obese elderly man or as a young man with a wreath of grape leaves on his head.

Zagreus- god of fertility, son of Zeus and Persephone.

Zeus- supreme god, king of gods and people.

Marshmallow- god of the west wind.

Iacchus- god of fertility.

Kronos - titan , youngest son of Gaia and Uranus, father of Zeus. He ruled the world of gods and people and was overthrown from the throne by Zeus...

Mom- son of the goddess of Night, god of slander.

Morpheus- one of the sons of Hypnos, god of dreams.

Nereus- son of Gaia and Pontus, meek sea god.

Note- the god of the south wind, depicted with a beard and wings.

Ocean is titanium , son of Gaia and Uranus, brother and husband of Tethys and father of all the rivers of the world.

Olympians- the supreme gods of the younger generation of Greek gods, led by Zeus, who lived on the top of Mount Olympus.

Pan- forest god, son of Hermes and Dryope, goat-footed man with horns. He was considered the patron saint of shepherds and small livestock.

Pluto- the god of the underworld, often identified with Hades, but unlike from him, who owned not the souls of the dead, but the riches of the underworld.

Plutos- son of Demeter, god who gives wealth to people.

Pont- one of the senior Greek deities, the offspring of Gaia, the god of the sea, the father of many titans and gods.

Poseidon- one of the Olympian gods, 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- sea deity, son of Poseidon, patron of seals. He had the gift of reincarnation and prophecy.

Satires- goat-footed creatures, demons of fertility.

Thanatos- personification of death, twin brother of Hypnos.

Titans- generation of Greek gods, ancestors of the Olympians.

Typhon- 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 a fish tail instead of legs, holding a trident and a twisted shell - a horn.

Chaos- 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 - deities of the underworld and fertility, relatives of the Olympians. These included Hades, Hecate, Hermes, Gaia, Demeter, Dionysus and Persephone.

Cyclops - giants with one eye in the middle of the forehead, children of Uranus and Gaia.

Eurus (Eur)- god of the southeast wind.

Aeolus- lord of the winds.

Erebus- personification of the darkness of the underworld, son of Chaos and brother of Night.

Eros (Eros)- god of love, son of Aphrodite and Ares. In the most 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.

Ether- deity of the sky

Goddesses of ancient Greece

Artemis- goddess of hunting and nature.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hestia- goddess of the hearth and fire.

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

Demitra- goddess of fertility and agriculture.

Dryads- lower deities, nymphs who lived in trees.

Diana-goddess of the hunt

Ilithiya- patron goddess of women in labor.

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

Calliope- muse of epic poetry and science.

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

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

Clotho ("spinner") - one of the moiras that spin the thread of human life.

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

Summer- Titanide, mother of Apollo and Artemis.

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

Melpomene- muse of tragedy.

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

Mnemosyne- mother of nine muses, goddess of memory.

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

Muses- patron goddess of the arts and sciences.

Naiads- nymphs-guardians of waters.

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

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

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

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

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

Orestiades- mountain nymphs.

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

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

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

Polyhymnia- the muse of serious hymn poetry.

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

Rhea- mother of the Olympian gods.

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

Waist- the muse of comedy.

Terpsichore- muse of dance art.

Tisiphone- one of the Erinyes.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Erato- Muse of lyrical and erotic poetry.

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

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

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.

Legends and myths of Ancient Greece. Cartoon

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

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- the son of Poseidon and Amphitrite, a messenger of the deep sea, blowing a shell. In appearance it is a mixture of a man, a horse and a fish. Close 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, who 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 of 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 brothers of Cronos reigned in the four cardinal directions: 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 Oceanus with his sister Tethys (Water), all the earth's rivers and Oceanid water nymphs 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(Eastern 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 parts of the day, seasons and periods of 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