The idea of the worldview of the ancient peoples of Greece has to be compiled as a mosaic, from individual mythological episodes in texts of later periods. So, presumably even according to the beliefs of the Pelasgians, the world was initially ruled by Mist, from which Chaos emerged, the embodiment of Primordial Destruction and the first king of All That Is. In Chaos, the beginning and the end coincide, this is continuous formation, life and death. The essence of Chaos is emptiness and nothingness, which contains and gives birth to everything.
First generation
The first generation of gods of Ancient Greece are the elemental gods who arose from Chaos. They had the appearance of those natural elements that personified:
- - infinite universal space that existed at the beginning of the world
- - gloomy emptiness, a product and part of Chaos
- (Eros) - the driving and generating force that originated in Chaos
- Erebus (Darkness) - a primeval fog that arose from the movements of Tartarus under the influence of Eros
- (Nyukta) - goddess personification of the Night, born from Chaos
- - the primary light born from Erebus by the power of Eros
- Hemera - the divine personification of Day, generated by Erebus and Nikto
- — The Earth that emerged from Chaos
- - the god of Heaven born by Gaia, the first king of the older generation of gods
- Pontus - The Inland Sea, as well as his personification as a god, son of Gaia
Second generation - Titans
The Titans are the second generation of gods, the ruling clan that replaced the rule of the elemental gods, the children of Gaia and Uranus. They are also called the elder gods. There are only 12 Titans - six brothers and six sisters:
| Titans | Titanides |
| Crius, Iapetus, Hyperion, | Tethys (Tethys), Phoebe, Theia, Mnemosyne (Mnemosyne), Themis, Rhea |
The youngest of the Titans, Kronos, on the advice of his mother Gaia, castrated Uranus with a sickle to stop his endless fertility, and took the place of the supreme god of the Titans.
In addition to the titans, many less significant gods appeared, some appeared later, some earlier. In fact, the second generation of gods is gradual transition from elemental gods to creature gods: Gods take on the external characteristics of certain creatures, becoming like animals, half-animals, half-humans and humans. In addition to titans, these include:
- Nikta's daughter:
- Apata
Children of Nyx and Erebus:
- (Fair retribution)
- (Discord)
- (Carrier of Souls)
- (Mockery, slander, stupidity)
- (Dream)
son of Gaia:
- (or Delphinium)
Children of Gaia and Uranus:
- (Egeon, Kott and Gies)
Children of Gaia and Tartarus:
- Typhon
- Echidna (Echidna)
- Children of Gaia and Pontus(children of the Sea):
- Nereus
- Tavmant
- Phorky (Forkis)
- Eurybia
- Telkhines (volcanic deities of the deep sea)
Third generation - Olympians
The Olympian gods are the third generation of gods, replacing the two previous ruling clans: the elemental gods and the titans. Having defeated the Titans, the younger gods, led by Zeus, settled on Mount Olympus. The Olympians originally included the children of Kronos and Rhea - Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades (Hades), Poseidon and Zeus, as well as their descendants - Hephaestus, Hermes, Persephone, Aphrodite, Dionysus, Athena, Apollo and Artemis.
Then the main Olympian gods began to include 12 representatives of both generations of Olympians: Zeus, Hera, Hestia (later given way to Dionysus), Hades (later Aphrodite), Poseidon, Demeter, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Hermes and Hephaestus.
Of course, during the time of the Olympians there were other gods who did not live on Olympus. For example, the younger generation of titans, the children of Typhon and Echidna, the offspring of Phorcys and Keto, Thaumanta and Electra, and a number of other gods and deities. There are also old gods, for example, Ocean. Without participating in the Olympians' war, he retained their honor and respect as an elderly parent. Some of them are gradually disappearing from the pages of myths, mostly these are all kinds of monsters that are destroyed by heroes.
Among the gods of the third generation, in addition to the Olympians, a group of the younger generation of titans can be especially distinguished:
Junior Titans
- Prometheus
- Atlas
- Helios (personification of the sun)
- Menetius
- Asterius
- Selena (personification of the moon)
- Electra
- Eos (personification of dawn)
- Epimetheus
- Ichthyony
as well as a group of the last emerging monsters: after them, all the gods that appeared were, if not beautiful, then at least had a humanoid appearance:
- children of Typhon and Echidna:
- Kerberus (Cerberus among the Romans)
- Nemean lion
- Lernaean Hydra
- Chimera
- Sphinx
Children of Phorkia and Keto:
- Grai Pemphredo, Dino and Enyo
- Gorgons Stheno, Euryale and Medusa
- Scylla (Scylla) - daughter of Phorcys and Hecate
- children of Thaumant and Electra:
- harpies (Podarga, Aella, Okipeta, Kelaino, Aellope)
They were very fertile and gave birth to huge offspring; Zeus alone had more than a hundred children and grandchildren, among whom were gods and demigods and even mortals. Poseidon also has enormous offspring. Among the new gods, Pan, the god of forests, Asclepius, the god of healing, and Hymen, the god of marriage, were especially popular.
When they talk about the stages of development of Greek mythology, the following periods are distinguished: pre-Olympic, Olympic, late heroism.
Known to many since childhood. Some were seriously fascinated by the myths of ancient Greece, while others were instilled with a love of ancient culture at school. It would seem strange to transfer this knowledge into adulthood, because all this is actually a myth.
Brief introduction:
However, the ancient Greek gods and the events that happen to them are reflected in many works of literature and cinema; almost all modern plots are taken precisely from antiquity.
Knowledge of the gods of ancient Greece- a necessary condition for understanding many philosophical issues. That is why every person is simply obliged to know as much as possible about the famous gods from Olympus.
Generations of gods of ancient Grtions
- Distinguish several generations ancient Greek gods.
- At first there was only darkness, from which Chaos was formed. Having united together, darkness and chaos gave birth to Erob, who personified darkness, Nyukta, or as she is also callednight, Uranus - the sky, Eros - love, Gaia - mother earth and Tartarus, which is the abyss.
I generation of gods
- All heavenly gods appeared thanks to the union of Gaia and Uranus, the sea deities originated from Pontos, the union with Tartas led to the emergence of giants, while earthly creatures are the flesh of Gaia herself.
- In principle, all the ancient Greek gods originated from her; she came up with the names, giving life.
- Usually the goddess of the earth was depicted as a rather large woman who towers half over the planet.
- Uranus was the ruler of the universe. If it was depicted, it was only in the form of an all-encompassing bronze dome covering the entire world.
- Together with Gaia they gave birth to several titan gods:
- The ocean (all the world's waters, represented a horned bull with a fish tail),
- Tethys (also titanide), Thea, Rhea, Themis, Mnemosyne like the goddess of memory,
- Crius (this titan had the ability to freeze), Kronos.
- In addition to the Titans, the Cyclopes are considered children of Uranus and Gaia. Hated by their father, they were sent down to Tartarus for a long time.
- For a long time, the power of Uranus was beyond comparison; he single-handedly controlled his children, until one of them, Kronos, otherwise called Chronos, decided to overthrow his father from his pedestal.
- The Time Lord managed to depose his father Uranus by killing him with a sickle. As a result of the death of Uranus, the great titans and titanides appeared on earth, who became the first inhabitants of the planet. Gaia also played a certain role in this; she could not forgive her husband for expelling the firstborn of the Cyclops to Tartarus. From the blood of Uranus appeared the Erinyes, creatures who patronized blood feuds. Kronos thus achieved unprecedented power, but the expulsion of his father did not go unnoticed by his own personality.
- Kronos's wife was his sister, the Titanide Rhea. When Kronos became a father, he was madly afraid that one of his children would also turn out to be a traitor. According to thisTitan devoured his offspring as soon as they were born. Kronos's fears were justified by one of his sons, the great Zeus, who sent his father into the darkness of Tartarus.
II generation of gods
- The Titans and Titanides are the second generation of ancient Greek gods.
III generation of gods
- The most famous and familiar to modern man is third generation.
- As is already clear, the main one among them was Zeus, he was the unconditional leader, all life on earth strictly obeyed him.
- Besides Zeus t third generation of gods Ancient Greece has 11 more Olympian gods.
- Their wide popularity is justified by the fact that thesethe gods, as the legends say, came down to people and participated in their lives, while the titans always remained on the sidelines, living their own lives, each performing their functions separately.
- All 12 gods lived , based on myths, on Mount Olympus. Each of the gods performed its own specific function and had its own talents. Each had a unique character, which was often the cause of people's sorrows or, conversely, joys.
And now about the most famous gods in more detail in a brief summary...
Zeus
Poseidon
The rest of the gods
- Each of the gods described was incredibly powerful and very revered in ancient Greece, but they were not the only ones who made up the third, most famous generation.
- The descendants of Zeus also joined him. Among them are the common children of the Thunderer and Hera.
- For example, Ares personified masculinity and was often called the god of war. Ares never appeared alone anywhere; he was always accompanied by two faithful companions: Eris, the goddess of discord, and Enyo, the goddess of war.
- His brother Hephaestus was worshiped by all blacksmiths, and he was also the master of fire.
- He was unloved by his father because he was very ugly in appearance and had a limp.
- Despite this, he had a total of two wives, Aglaya, and the beautiful Aphrodite.
Aphrodite
Hera was the last, but not the only wife of Zeus. His second wife Themis was consumed by the Thunderer even before Athena was born, but this did not prevent the birth of one of the great goddesses.
Athena was born from her father, Zeus himself, and came out of his head. It personifies war, but not only. She is also known as the embodiment of wisdom and crafts. All the ancient Greeks turned to her, but especially the residents of the city of Athena, since the young goddess was considered the patroness of this locality.
Less known in wide circles is the other daughter of Zeus and Themis, Ora, who personified the seasons. In addition, the three goddesses Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos, who together were simply called Moira, are also credited as daughters of Zeus and Themis.
First, Clotho spun the threads of life, Lachesis determined human destiny, and Anthropos personified death. However, not all sources of information call the Moiras daughters of Zeus; there is another version, according to which they were daughters of the night.
One way or another, all three sisters were constantly close to the supreme god, helping him keep track of people, and predetermining many different destinies.
This is where the children of Zeus, born in a legal marriage, end, and a whole galaxy of illegitimate, but no less revered and respected descendants begins. These are the twin brother and sister Apollo, who was the patron of music and a predictor of the future, and Artemis, the goddess of the hunt.
They appeared to Zeus after his relationship with Leto. Artemis was born earlier. Speaking about her, not only the image of a huntress pops up in my head, but also a pure and immaculate maiden, since Artemis embodied chastity, was not loving, or more precisely, there is not a single confirmation of her possible romances.
But Apollo, on the contrary, is known not only as a golden-haired youth and the embodiment of light, but also for his numerous love affairs. One of the love stories became very symbolic for the young god, leaving an eternal reminder of himself in the form of a laurel wreath crowning the head of Apollo.
Another illegitimate son, Hermes, was born from the galaxy of Maya. He patronized merchants, speakers, gymnasiums and sciences, and was also the god of livestock. During life, the ancient Greeks asked Hermes for the gift of eloquence, and after death they relied on him as a faithful guide on their final journey. It was Hermes who accompanied the souls of the dead to the kingdom of Hades. Widely known thanks, among other things, to his constant attributes: winged sandals and an invisibility helmet and a staff decorated with metal weave in the form of snakes.
In addition, it is also known about the illegitimate daughter of Zeus Persephone, born from the goddess Demeter, as well as about the son Dionysus, who was born by a mere mortal woman Semele. Dionysus, nevertheless, was a full-fledged god, the patron of the theater.
Ariadne became his wife, which brought Dionysus even closer to greatness, making him also one of the most famous gods of ancient Greece. There are other known children of Zeus born from mortal women. This is, for example, Perseus, who was born by the Argive princess Danae, the famous Helen, also the daughter of Zeus, her mother was the Spartan queen Leda, the Phoenician princess gave the Thunderer another descendant of Minos.
All the Olympian gods led a calm, measured lifestyle, succumbing to hobbies, mortal passions, and fleeting amusements, without forgetting to fulfill their direct duties. Life on Olympus was not so simple, due to numerous feuds and intrigues between various gods. Each sought to prove their power without encroaching on the other’s responsibilities, so sooner or later a compromise was reached. But not all the gods of ancient Greece were lucky enough to live on Mount Olympus; some of them lived in other, less well-known places. These are all those who, for whatever reason, fell out of favor with Zeus or simply did not deserve his recognition.
In addition to the Olympian gods, there were others. For example, Hymen, who was the patron saint of marriage. Born thanks to the union of Apollo and the muse Calliope. The goddess of victory Nike was the daughter of the titan Pallatus, Iris, personifying the rainbow, was born of one of the oceanids, Electra. Ata can also be distinguished as the goddess of the gloomy mind; her father was the famous Zeus. The child of Aphrodite and Ares Phobos, the god of fear, lived separately from his parents, just like his brother Deimos, the lord of horror.
In addition to the gods, ancient Greek mythology also includes muses, nymphs, satyrs and monsters. Each character is thoughtful and individual, carrying some idea. Everyone has a certain type of behavior and thinking, perhaps it is because of this that the world of myths is so much more multifaceted and arouses special interest in childhood.
In conclusion I must say...
The gods described above are just a short version. Naturally, this list of gods cannot be called complete. Hundreds of books are not enough to tell about all the gods of ancient Greece without exception, but everyone must know about the existence of the ones described above. If for the inhabitants of ancient Greece the pantheon of gods served as a justification for all sorts of objects and phenomena, then for modern people the images themselves are curious.
It is not their material environment and not the reasons that prompted the birth of such heroes, but precisely the allegories that they evoke. Otherwise, it will be impossible to understand all the ancient Greek myths and legends. Almost any text written in antiquity has references to one or more of the main gods of both the first, second and third generations.
And since all literature and theater of our time are in any case built on ancient ideals, every self-respecting person is obliged to know these ideals. The images of Zeus, Hera, Athena, Apollo have long become household names; today they are very archetypal, and, oddly enough, understandable to everyone.
Simply because you don’t have to be seriously interested in Greek mythology in order to know the famous story about the Apple of Discord. And there are many such examples. Therefore, the gods of ancient Greece are not just passing characters from childhood, this is something that absolutely every educated adult should know.
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- Titan, 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 him, he 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 also had power over 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. Demeter- goddess of fertility and agriculture. Dryads- lower deities, nymphs who lived in trees. Ilithia- 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.Artemis– Goddess of the moon and hunting, forests, animals, fertility and childbirth. She was never married, diligently guarded her chastity, and if she took revenge, she knew no pity. Her silver arrows spread plague and death, but she also had the ability to heal. She protected young girls and pregnant women. Her symbols are cypress, deer and bears.
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.
Athena. Statue. Hermitage Museum. Athena Hall.
Description:
Athena is the goddess of wisdom, just war and patroness of crafts.
Statue of Athena made by Roman craftsmen of the 2nd century. Based on a Greek original from the late 5th century. BC e. Entered the Hermitage in 1862. Previously it was in the collection of the Marquis Campana in Rome. It is one of the most interesting exhibits in the Athena Hall.
Everything about Athena, starting from her birth, was amazing. Other goddesses had divine mothers, Athena - one father, Zeus, who met with the daughter of Ocean Metis. Zeus swallowed his pregnant wife because she predicted that after her daughter she would give birth to a son who would become the ruler of heaven and deprive him of power. Soon Zeus had an unbearable headache. He became gloomy, and seeing this, the gods hastened to leave, for they knew from experience what Zeus was like when he was in a bad mood. The pain did not go away. The Lord of Olympus could not find a place for himself. Zeus asked Hephaestus to hit him on the head with a blacksmith's hammer. From the split head of Zeus, announcing Olympus with a war cry, an adult maiden jumped out in full warrior clothes and with a spear in her hand and stood next to her parent. The eyes of the young, beautiful and majestic goddess shone with wisdom.
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 came out of the sea foam)
Aphrodite (Venus Tauride)
Description:
According to Hesiod’s “Theogony,” Aphrodite was born near the island of Cythera from the seed and blood of Uranus castrated by Kronos, which fell into the sea and formed snow-white foam (hence the nickname “foam-born”). The breeze brought her to the island of Cyprus (or she sailed there herself, since she did not like Cythera), where she, emerging from the sea waves, was met by the Ora.
The statue of Aphrodite (Venus of Tauride) dates back to the 3rd century BC. e., now it is in the Hermitage and is considered his most famous statue. The sculpture became the first antique statue of a naked woman in Russia. Life-size marble statue of bathing Venus (height 167 cm), modeled after the Aphrodite of Cnidus or the Capitoline Venus. The hands of the statue and a fragment of the nose are missing. Before entering the State Hermitage, she decorated the garden of the Tauride Palace, hence the name. In the past, “Venus Tauride” was intended to decorate the park. However, the statue was delivered to Russia much earlier, even under Peter I and thanks to his efforts. The inscription made on the bronze ring of the pedestal recalls that Venus was given by Clement XI to Peter I (as a result of an exchange for the relics of St. Brigid sent to the Pope by Peter I). The statue was discovered in 1718 during excavations in Rome. Unknown sculptor of the 3rd century. BC. depicted the naked goddess of love and beauty Venus. A slender figure, rounded, smooth lines of the silhouette, softly modeled body shapes - everything speaks of a healthy and chaste perception of female beauty. Along with calm restraint (posture, facial expression), a generalized manner, alien to fractionality and fine detail, as well as a number of other features characteristic of the art of the classics (V - IV centuries BC), the creator of Venus embodied in her his idea of beauty, associated with the ideals of the 3rd century BC. e. (graceful proportions - high waist, somewhat elongated legs, thin neck, small head - tilt of the figure, rotation of the body and head).
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