Ancient Greek god of nature. Greek gods and goddesses

Greece is inconceivable without mythology. When we talk about this state, the name Olympus itself comes to mind - the sacred mountain where Zeus and other supreme deities ruled. Almighty Gods of Ancient Greece- they are immortal, capricious, endowed with the advantages and disadvantages of people. They sin, they love, they take revenge, like mere mortals, but at the same time they are formidable, cruel, being and magnanimous.

Legends and myths of Olympus: list and description of 12 gods

The legends of the Olympic gods have been passed down from generation to generation and have had a huge impact on world culture. Plots from ancient Greek mythology were present in literature, poetry, painting, sculpture, and music. They "influenced" almost all spheres of human life, as they reflected people's ideas about the structure of the world.

The information that has come down to our times about the legends and tales of Ancient Greece came from the works of Homer, Ovid, Nonnus, Euripides. So, by the “Olympic” period of the development of society, all myths were associated with Mount Olympus, where 12 deities headed by Zeus sat (although their number does not always coincide).

According to ancient Greek myths, before the "central" Gods ascended to Olympus, Chaos existed on Earth, which gave rise to Eternal Gloom and dark Night. From them came Eternal Light and bright Day. So, night began to replace day, and day - night, forever and ever.

The mighty Goddess Gaia (Earth), also arising from Chaos, gave birth to the Sky (Uranus), Mountains and the Sea. And then Uranus took Gaia as his wife. From this union were born six Titans and six Daughters. From their connection with each other, rivers, winds, stars, rains, the moon appeared in the world.

In addition, Gaia gave birth to three cyclops and three giants, each of which had 50 heads and 100 arms. Uranus saw these monsters and hated them, because they were with a violent character and mighty strength. Uranus imprisoned them in the bowels of the Earth, but she secretly rescued them and persuaded them to rebel against their father. Only one, the youngest of the brothers named Kronos, managed to take power from Uranus.

Then the goddess Night gave birth to death, discord, deceit, a nightmare, destruction and revenge. Kronos began to rule in a world where struggle, horror and misfortune reigned. So the Night punished the cunning Kronos.

Most of all, he was afraid that his children could finish him off at any moment, just like he did with his father. And then he called his wife Rhea to him, and ordered her to bring the children that were born. All of them - Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades and Poseidon - merciless Kronos swallowed. But there was also a sixth child - Zeus. Instead, Rhea gave her husband a stone wrapped in cloth, as if it were a baby in swaddling clothes. And she, secretly from her ruthless husband, went to the island of Crete, where she gave birth to a baby in a dark cave.

Zeus

Kronos, the king of the Titans, found out about the forgery and began to look for his son all over the Earth. The boy was protected by Kurets - according to one version, these creatures were born from the tears of little Zeus. They made an incredible noise when he cried, for with his loud voice he could attract the attention of an abusive parent.

Zeus grew up, went to war with his father, overthrew him from the throne and imprisoned him in Tartarus - an abyss from which it is impossible to exit. But first he made him vomit up all the swallowed children, made his brothers and sisters Gods and reigned over the world, sitting on Olympus.

Zeus is the supreme God, the patron of Heaven, Thunder and Lightning. Artists depict him as a strong and powerful man in years, with rich hair and a gray beard. He sits on a throne and holds a shield and a labrys (double-sided ax) in his hands. Hera was the wife of the Thunderer.

Zeus is often portrayed as punishing and cruel, but he "arranged" people's lives, gave them fate, law, conscience and goodness, and in contrast to them - evil and shamelessness. He is the defender of the offended and humiliated, the patron of kings, the formidable guardian of traditions, order in the world and family.

Hera

Wife of Zeus, chief of the Goddesses of Olympus. She patronizes family ties, keeps family relationships, helps women during childbirth.

Hera is also the daughter of Kronos and Rhea. When she was still a girl, Zeus fell in love with her, and in order for her to pay attention to him, he turned into a cuckoo, and Hera caught her. However, in family life, she experienced excruciating jealousy for her husband, who quenched his sexual hunger with both goddesses and earthly women. She constantly sent disasters and misfortunes to her husband's mistresses.

Hera is the beauty of beauties. Every year she bathed in magical springs to become a virgin again. They depicted the Goddess as a stately and noble lady, with a diadem or crown on her head, with a cuckoo or a peacock, sometimes with a horse's head.

Poseidon

God of the water element, son of Kronos and Rhea, brother of Zeus, patron of fishermen and horse breeders. In character and appearance, Poseidon was like his thunder brother. In painting and sculpture, he was depicted as a powerful man with strong arms and legs, with a powerful torso.

His face is never calm, but angry and formidable. The invariable attribute of Poseidon is a trident. By waving it, the ruler of the seas could cause a storm or, conversely, make the water element calm down in an instant. Poseidon moves across the sea in a chariot with white horses. His wife is Amphitrite.

Hades

Hades, the god of the underworld, was the eldest son of Kronos and Rhea. At the same time, he was revered as the patron saint of the harvest, because everything that grows comes from the bowels of the earth. Hades was called "hospitable" because he "waited" and "welcomed" every mortal in his kingdom. Hades was one of the 3 main gods, along with the brothers Zeus and Poseidon, who defeated the Titans.

The god of the underworld was rarely portrayed. If the image took place, then it looked like this: a gloomy man of mature age in dark clothes, powerful, on a golden throne, with a three-headed dog Cerberus at his feet, guarding the entrance to the kingdom of the dead. Next to Hades was his beautiful wife, the daughter of Demeter and the queen of the dead, Persephone, whom he once stole from a flowering meadow. Hades held a bident in his hands (sometimes it was a rod or a cornucopia).

Demeter

The beginning of Spring was associated with her, the goddess of prosperity and fertility. Demeter's parents Zeus and Rhea. Demeter has a beautiful appearance and light thick curls. Basically, she was revered as the guardian of life and the goddess of agriculture. She was depicted with a basket full of fruits, a cornucopia and a poppy.

The most famous legend is about Demeter and her daughter Persephone, who was kidnapped by Hades. Mother left Olympus and wandered the Earth in search of her disappeared daughter. Demeter grieved greatly for Persephone, even the harvest stopped growing. Hunger set in and people began to die. The gods were surprised why people stopped offering sacrifices to them, and complained about this to Zeus. Then he sent for Demeter to Earth to be found and returned to Olympus. But she did not want to return to the Gods. Then Zeus ordered Hades to present his daughter to Demeter.

Hades could not disobey his formidable brother, but he came up with a trick so that Persephone would return back to him, pouring pomegranate seeds into her. Demeter, seeing her daughter, rejoiced. Zeus ordered Persephone to visit his mother for a third of the year, and the rest of the time - with his spouse. Mourning for the Mother ended forever, and she decorated her head with a cornflower blue wreath. In honor of the joyful event, the Goddess taught people to sow cereals and cultivate wheat. In painting, Demeter was portrayed as a girl with a wreath of ears or a grieving mother.

Apollo

The most beautiful god of Olympus Apollo was the son of Zeus and the Titanides Leto. He was incredibly revered in Greece, because he was the patron of art, muses and healing. He is an excellent shooter and a virtuoso musician, which is why he was depicted with a bow and lyre.

Apollo is young, beautiful and strong: at the Olympic Games he won a fist fight against Ares himself (God of War). He had no wife, and more than 70 children. Mythology ascribes to him numerous connections with goddesses, mortal women, and even with young men.

Athena

On Olympus there was also the goddess of war - Athena. She personified faith in victory, wisdom and the power of military strategy. Athena patronized arts, crafts, science and knowledge.

Due to her unusual appearance, the goddess of war is easy to distinguish in paintings and sculptures. Her clothes are a linen dress, armor, a helmet. In the hands - always a spear, near her - a chariot. Athena has a strong-willed face, a clear look and gray expressive eyes, blond long hair. Her appearance expresses calmness and determination.

Who are Athena's parents is not entirely clear. According to one version, he was Zeus, who gave birth to her alone.

Hermes

Even the gods of Olympus were not interested in deceit and deceit. One very nice, judging by the ancient images, a god named Hermes was known as a famous rogue and thief. He was born to the Pleiades Maya from Zeus. Being quite a baby, Hermes committed his first theft - he stole 50 cows from Apollo. After a good "bashing" from dad, the kid pointed out where he hid the cattle. True, later Zeus more than once turned to a smart child to carry out his orders. Once he asked Hermes to steal a cow from Hera: Io, the beloved of the Thunderer, turned into her.

Hermes is very inventive: he invented writing, patronizes trade and banking, astrology, alchemy and magic. He conveys "important" messages to people from the gods through dreams. Hermes is young and quick. He showed signs of attention to Aphrodite, but she rejected him. Hermes has many children, as well as lovers, but no wife. In fine art and sculpture, he was depicted wearing a winged hat and winged sandals.

Hephaestus

With this god, everything is not easy. There are several versions of his birth, one of which says that Hera, the wife of Zeus, gave birth to him from her thigh. And she became pregnant herself, not from her husband. So she wanted to take revenge on him for the birth of Athena. However, the baby was born frail, weak and lame. Then Hera, in desperation, threw the boy into the abyss of the sea, where the sea goddess Thetis sheltered him.

Hephaestus loved to forge since childhood: his metal products had no equal either on Earth or on Olympus. Hephaestus is the god of fire and blacksmithing. The most famous legend is about him and about Prometheus, who had to be chained to a rock by the best blacksmith on the orders of Zeus. The wives of Hephaestus were Aglaya and Aphrodite.

Aphrodite

As you know, the goddess of love, beauty and fertility was born from sea foam near the island of Cythera, but was transported by the winds to the shores of the island of Cyprus. One tradition says that Aphrodite was conceived by Zeus and Dione, another and more popular that she was born from the seed of castrated Uranus.

Aphrodite is the patroness of family ties and childbirth. She was obliged to create love and severely punished those who rejected her. The all-powerful Hera could not forgive Aphrodite for her incomparable beauty and made the ugly Hephaestus become her husband. However, the goddess has cheated on her husband more than once. The most sensational story about Aphrodite was her love for the earthly hunter Adonis.

Aphrodite is a "popular" mythological character in the works of ancient sculptors and artists. She is almost never alone in them, for her beauty captivated not only people and gods, but birds and animals. Her companions are nymphs, Eros, Charites, dolphins and Oras. Either she was portrayed as a naked prude, then as a flirtatious girl, then as a passionate woman.

Ares

The god of war Ares is distinguished by treachery and deceit. If he fought, then for the sake of war, than for justice and honor. Hera and Zeus are considered his parents, although according to one version, Hera gave birth to him without the participation of her husband, but with the help of the power of a magical flower.

Zeus did not have paternal feelings for Ares and even hated him. On the sacred Olympus, he had to hardly "break through" his authority. Ares participated in the Trojan War, but the fair Athena defeated him.

In art, he was portrayed as a young and strong man. Ares was accompanied by dogs and a kite, and in his hands he held a spear and a torch with fire. Ares' wife is Aphrodite.

Artemis

12th place belongs to the goddess of hunting Artemis. She was the protector of virgins, and she herself was innocent, but she patronized those who are married, helped women during childbirth. Artemis was also considered the goddess of fertility and everything that grows on Earth.

Artemis was born from the relationship of Zeus with the titanides Leto. She was served by oceanids and nymphs. Despite the fact that she was the patroness of childbearing, Artemis herself was unmarried and childless. Artists and sculptors depicted her as young, dressed in a chiton convenient for hunting, with a spear in her hand, with a bow and a quiver behind her back. When Artemis appeared naked on Houdon's canvas, a real scandal erupted. It was the end of the 18th century.

According to some sources, the list of 12 gods of Olympus was somewhat different: it included Hestia (goddess of the hearth), Dionysus (god of winemaking and fun), Persephone (goddess of Spring, she is also the queen of the Kingdom of the Dead).

Especially for Lilia-Travel.RU - Anna Lazareva

Rhea, christened by Kron, bore him light children, - the Virgin - Hestia, Demeter and the golden-shod Hera, the glorious power of Hades, who lives under the earth, And the providence - Zeus, the father of both immortals and mortals, whose thunders tremble the wide earth. Hesiod "Theogony"

Greek literature originated from mythology. Myth- this is the idea of ​​​​an ancient person about the world around him. Myths were created at a very early stage in the development of society in various areas of Greece. Later, all these myths merged into a single system.

With the help of myths, the ancient Greeks tried to explain all natural phenomena, presenting them in the form of living beings. At first, experiencing a strong fear of the elements, people portrayed the gods in a terrible animal form (Chimera, Gorgon Medusa, Sphinx, Lernean Hydra).

Later, however, the gods become anthropomorphic, that is, they have a human appearance and they have a variety of human qualities (jealousy, generosity, envy, generosity). The main difference between the gods and people was their immortality, but with all their greatness, the gods communicated with mere mortals and even often entered into love relationships with them in order to give birth to a whole tribe of heroes on earth.

There are 2 types of ancient Greek mythology:

1. cosmogonic (cosmogony - the origin of the world) - ends with the birth of Kronos
2. theogonic (theogony - the origin of gods and deities)

The mythology of Ancient Greece went through 3 main stages in its development:

1. pre-Olympic- this is basically a cosmogonic mythology. This stage begins with the idea of ​​the ancient Greeks that everything came from Chaos, and ends with the murder of Kron and the division of the world between the gods.
2. Olympic(early classic) - Zeus becomes the supreme deity and with a retinue of 12 gods settles on Olympus.
3. late heroism- heroes are born from the gods and mortals, who help the gods in establishing order and in the destruction of monsters.

On the basis of mythology, poems were created, tragedies were written, and lyricists dedicated their odes and hymns to the gods.

There were two main groups of gods in Ancient Greece:

1. titans - gods of the second generation (six brothers - Oceanus, Kei, Crius, Gipperion, Iapetus, Kronos and six sisters - Thetis, Phoebe, Mnemosyne, Teia, Themis, Rhea)
2. olympic gods - Olympians - gods of the third generation. The Olympians included the children of Kronos and Rhea - Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, Poseidon and Zeus, as well as their descendants - Hephaestus, Hermes, Persephone, Aphrodite, Dionysus, Athena, Apollo and Artemis. The supreme god was Zeus, who deprived the power of his father Kronos (the god of time).

The Greek pantheon of the Olympian gods traditionally included 12 gods, but the composition of the pantheon was not very stable and sometimes consisted of 14-15 gods. Usually they were: Zeus, Hera, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Poseidon, Aphrodite, Demeter, Hestia, Ares, Hermes, Hephaestus, Dionysus, Hades. The Olympic gods lived on the sacred Mount Olympus ( Olympos) in Olympia, off the coast of the Aegean Sea.

Translated from ancient Greek, the word pantheon means "all gods". Greeks

divided the deities into three groups:

• Pantheon (great Olympian gods)
• Inferior deities
• monsters

Heroes occupied a special place in Greek mythology. The most famous of them:

v Odysseus

Supreme gods of Olympus

Minor Greek gods

In addition to Olympus, in Greece there was a sacred mountain Parnassus, where muses - 9 sisters, Greek deities who personified poetic and musical inspiration, patrons of the arts and sciences.

Greek Muses

Inferior deities in Greek mythology, these are satyrs, nymphs and ororas.

satires - (Greek satyroi) - these are forest deities (the same as in Russia goblin), demons fertility, retinue of Dionysus. They were depicted as goat-legged, hairy, with horse tails and small horns. Satyrs are indifferent to people, mischievous and cheerful, they were interested in hunting, wine, pursued forest nymphs. Their other hobby is music, but they only played wind instruments that make sharp, piercing sounds - flutes and pipes. In mythology, they personified a rough, base beginning in nature and man, therefore they were represented with ugly faces - with blunt, wide noses, swollen nostrils, disheveled hair.

nymphs - (the name means "source", among the Romans - "bride") the personification of living elemental forces, noticed in the murmur of a stream, in the growth of trees, in the wild charms of mountains and forests, spirits of the earth's surface, manifestations of natural forces acting in addition to man in the solitude of grottoes , valleys, forests, away from cultural centers. They were portrayed as beautiful young girls with wonderful hair, with a dress of wreaths and flowers, sometimes in a dancing pose, with bare legs and arms, with loose hair. They are engaged in yarn, weaving, sing songs, dance in the meadows to the flute of Pan, hunt with Artemis, participate in the noisy orgies of Dionysus, and are constantly fighting with annoying satyrs. In the view of the ancient Greeks, the world of nymphs was very extensive.

The azure pond was full of flying nymphs,
Dryads animated the garden,
And the bright water spring was sparkling from the urn
Laughing naiads.

F. Schiller

Nymphs of the mountains oreads,

nymphs of forests and trees - dryads,

spring nymphs - naiads,

nymphs of the oceans oceanides,

nymphs of the sea nerids,

nymphs of the valleys sing,

meadow nymphs - limeades.

Ory - the goddess of the seasons, they were in charge of order in nature. Guardians of Olympus, now opening, then closing its cloudy gates. They are called gatekeepers of heaven. Harness the horses of Helios.

In many mythologies, there are numerous monsters. In ancient Greek mythology, there were also many of them: Chimera, Sphinx, Lernean Hydra, Echidna and many others.

In the same vestibule, the shadows of monsters crowd around:

Scylla biform here and herds of centaurs live,

Here Briares the hundred-handed lives, and the dragon from Lerna

The swamp hisses, and the Chimera intimidates enemies with fire,

Harpies fly in a flock around the three-bodied giants ...

Virgil, "Aeneid"

Harpies - these are evil kidnappers of children and human souls, suddenly flying in and just as suddenly disappearing like the wind, terrifying people. Their number ranges from two to five; depicted as wild, half-female, half-birds of a hideous appearance with wings and paws of a vulture, with long sharp claws, but with the head and chest of a woman.

Gorgon Medusa - a monster with a woman's face and snakes instead of hair, whose gaze turned a person to stone. According to legend, she was a beautiful girl with beautiful hair. Poseidon, seeing Medusa and falling in love, seduced her in the temple of Athena, for which the goddess of wisdom in anger turned the hair of the Gorgon Medusa into snakes. The Gorgon Medusa was defeated by Perseus, and her head was placed on the auspices of Athena.

Minotaur - a monster with a human body and a bull's head. He was born from the unnatural love of Pasiphae (wife of King Minos) and a bull. Minos hid the monster in the labyrinth of Knossos. Every eight years, 7 boys and 7 girls descended into the labyrinth, intended for the Minotaur as victims. Theseus defeated the Minotaur, and with the help of Ariadne, who gave him a ball of thread, got out of the labyrinth.

Cerberus (Cerberus) - this is a three-headed dog with a snake tail and snake heads on its back, guarding the exit from the kingdom of Hades, not allowing the dead to return to the kingdom of the living. He was defeated by Hercules during one of the labors.

Scylla and Charybdis - These are sea monsters located at the distance of an arrow flight from each other. Charybdis is a sea whirlpool that absorbs and spews water three times a day. Scylla ("barking") - a monster in the form of a woman, whose lower body was turned into 6 dog heads. When the ship passed the rock where Scylla lived, the monster, opening all its mouths, abducted 6 people from the ship at once. The narrow strait between Scylla and Charybdis was a mortal danger to all who sailed through it.

Also in ancient Greece, there were other mythical characters.

Pegasus - a winged horse, a favorite of the muses. Flying at the speed of the wind. To ride a Pegasus meant to receive poetic inspiration. He was born at the origins of the Ocean, therefore he was named Pegasus (from the Greek "stormy current"). According to one version, he jumped out of the body of the Gorgon Medusa after Perseus cut off her head. Pegasus delivered thunder and lightning to Zeus on Olympus from Hephaestus, who made them.

From the foam of the sea, from the azure wave,

Faster than an arrow and more beautiful than a string,

An amazing fairytale horse is flying

And easily catches heavenly fire!

He likes to splash in colored clouds,

And often walks in magic verses.

So that the ray of inspiration in the soul does not go out,

I saddle you, snow-white Pegasus!

Unicorn - a mythical creature symbolizing chastity. Usually depicted as a horse with one horn coming out of his forehead. The Greeks believed that the unicorn belonged to Artemis, the goddess of the hunt. Subsequently, in medieval legends, there was a version that only a virgin could tame him. Having caught a unicorn, it can only be held by a golden bridle.

centaurs - wild mortal creatures with the head and torso of a man on the body of a horse, inhabitants of mountains and forest thickets, accompany Dionysus and are distinguished by their violent temper and intemperance. Presumably, centaurs were originally the embodiment of mountain rivers and turbulent streams. In heroic myths, centaurs are the educators of heroes. For example, Achilles and Jason were raised by the centaur Chiron.

Religion played an important role in the daily life of the ancient Greeks. The main gods were considered the younger generation of celestials, who defeated their predecessors, the titans, who personified the universal forces. After the victory, they settled on the sacred Mount Olympus. Only Hades, the ruler of the kingdom of the dead, lived underground in his domain. The gods were immortal, but very similar to people - they were characterized by human features: they quarreled and reconciled, committed meanness and weaved intrigues, loved and cunning. A huge number of myths that have survived to this day, exciting and fascinating, are associated with the pantheon of Greek gods. Each god played his own role, occupied a certain place in a complex hierarchy and performed the function assigned to him.

The supreme god of the Greek pantheon is the king of all gods. He commanded thunder, lightning, the sky and the whole world. Son of Kronos and Rhea, brother of Hades, Demeter and Poseidon. Zeus had a difficult childhood - his father, the titan Kronos, fearing competition, devoured his children immediately after birth. However, thanks to his mother Rhea, Zeus managed to survive. Strengthened, Zeus threw his father from Olympus to Tartarus and received unlimited power over people and gods. He was very revered - the best sacrifices were brought to him. The life of every Greek from infancy was saturated with the praise of Zeus.

One of the three main gods of the ancient Greek pantheon. Son of Kronos and Rhea, brother of Zeus and Hades. He was subject to the water element, which he got after the victory over the titans. He personified courage and a quick temper - he could be appeased with generous gifts .. but not for long. The Greeks blamed it for earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. He was the patron saint of fishermen and sailors. The invariable attribute of Poseidon was a trident - with it he could cause storms and break rocks.

Brother of Zeus and Poseidon, closing the top three most influential gods of the ancient Greek pantheon. Immediately after birth, he was swallowed by his father Kronos, but was subsequently released from the womb of the latter by Zeus. He ruled the underground kingdom of the dead, inhabited by the gloomy shadows of the dead and demons. One could only enter this kingdom - there was no turning back. One mention of Hades caused awe among the Greeks, because the touch of this invisible cold god meant death for a person. Fertility also depended on Hades, giving a harvest from the depths of the earth. He commanded the underground riches.

Wife and sister of Zeus. According to legend, they kept their marriage a secret for 300 years. The most powerful of all the goddesses of Olympus. The patroness of marriage and conjugal love. Protected mothers during childbirth. She was distinguished by her amazing beauty and ... monstrous character - she was vicious, cruel, quick-tempered and jealous, often sending attacks on the earth and people. Despite its character, it was revered by the ancient Greeks almost on a par with Zeus.

God of unjust war and bloodshed. Son of Zeus and Hera. Zeus hated his son and tolerated it only because of his close relationship. Ares was distinguished by cunning and treachery, starting a war only for the sake of bloodshed. He had an impulsive, irascible character. He was married to the goddess Aphrodite, from her he had eight children, to whom he was very attached. All images of Ares contain military paraphernalia: a shield, helmet, sword or spear, sometimes armor.

Daughter of Zeus and the goddess Dione. Goddess of love and beauty. Personifying love, she was a very unfaithful wife, easily falling in love with others. In addition, she was the embodiment of eternal spring, life and fertility. The cult of Aphrodite was very revered in ancient Greece - magnificent temples were dedicated to her and great sacrifices were made. An invariable attribute of the goddess's attire was a magical belt (the belt of Venus), which made those who wore it unusually attractive.

Goddess of just war and wisdom. She was born from the head of Zeus .. without the participation of a woman. Born in full combat gear. Depicted as a virgin warrior. She patronized knowledge, crafts and arts, sciences and inventions. She is credited with inventing the flute. She was a favorite of the Greeks. Her images invariably accompanied the attributes (or at least one attribute) of a warrior: armor, spear, sword and shield.

Daughter of Kronos and Rhea. Goddess of fertility and agriculture. As a child, she repeated the fate of her brother Hades and was devoured by her father, but then she was saved by being taken out of his womb. She was the lover of her brother Zeus. From a relationship with him, she had a daughter, Persephone. According to legend, Persephone was kidnapped by Hades, and Demeter wandered the earth for a long time in search of her daughter. During her wanderings, the land was struck by crop failure, which caused famine and death of people. People stopped bringing gifts to the gods, and Zeus ordered Hades to return the mother's daughter.

Son of Zeus and Semele. The youngest of the inhabitants of Olympus. The god of winemaking (he was credited with the invention of wine and beer), vegetation, the productive forces of nature, inspiration and religious ecstasy. The cult of Dionysus was distinguished by uncontrollable dancing, bewitching music and immoderate drunkenness. According to legend, Hera, the wife of Zeus, who hated the illegitimate child of the Thunderer, sent madness to Dionysus. He himself was credited with the ability to drive people crazy. Dionysus wandered all his life and even visited Hades, from where he rescued his mother Semele. Once every three years, the Greeks held Bacchic festivities in memory of the campaign of Dionysus against India.

Daughter of the Thunderer Zeus and the goddess Leto. She was born at the same time as her twin brother, the golden-haired Apollo. Virgin goddess of hunting, fertility, female chastity. The patroness of women in childbirth, bestowing happiness in marriage. Being a protector during childbirth, she was often depicted as having many breasts. In honor of her, a temple was built in Ephesus, which was one of the seven wonders of the world. Often depicted with a golden bow and a quiver over her shoulders.

God of fire, patron of blacksmiths. Son of Zeus and Hera, brother of Ares and Athena. However, the paternity of Zeus was questioned by the Greeks. Various versions have been put forward. One of them - the obstinate Hera gave birth to Hephaestus from her thigh without male participation, in revenge on Zeus for the birth of Athena. The child was born weak and lame. Hera refused him and threw him off Olympus into the sea. However, Hephaestus did not die and found shelter with the sea goddess Thetis. The thirst for revenge tormented Hephaestus, rejected by his parents, and in the end he had a chance to take revenge. Being a skilled blacksmith, he forged a golden throne of incredible beauty, which he sent as a gift to Olympus. The delighted Hera sat on him and immediately found herself bound by previously invisible fetters. No persuasion and even the order of Zeus had no effect on the blacksmith god - he refused to release his mother. Only Dionysus was able to cope with the shrew, having drunk him.

Son of Zeus and Pleiades Maya. God of trade, profit, eloquence, agility and athleticism. He patronized merchants, helping them to get generous profits. In addition, he was the patron of travelers, ambassadors, shepherds, astrologers and magicians. He also had another honorary function - he accompanied the souls of the dead to Hades. He was credited with the invention of writing and numbers. From infancy, Hermes was distinguished by a penchant for theft. According to legend, he even managed to steal the scepter from Zeus. He did it as a joke ... as a baby. The invariable attributes of Hermes were: a winged rod capable of reconciling enemies, a wide-brimmed hat and winged sandals.

The mythology of Ancient Greece was of great importance for mankind and, first of all, for the development of culture. For ancient peoples, polytheism, that is, polytheism, is characteristic. The Greek gods were like ordinary people, because they did not have immortality and had vices. They lived on the highest Mount Olympus, where ordinary people could not get. In mythology, there are many gods who had their own purpose and significance for man.

Important gods of Greek mythology

The most important on Mount Olympus was Zeus, who was considered the all-powerful father of the gods. He was the patron of wind, thunder, lightning and other natural phenomena. He had a scepter, thanks to which he could call storms and also calm them. Other important deities:

1. Greek Helios could see everything that happens in the Universe, so he was often called the all-seeing. The Greeks turned to him to find out important information. Helios was portrayed as a young guy, in one hand he had a ball, and in the other a cornucopia. One of the ancient seven wonders of the world is the Colossus of Rhodes, which is a statue of Helios. Every morning, the sun god, in his chariot drawn by four winged horses, rode into the sky and gave light to people.
2. Greek God Apollo was the patron of many areas: medicine, archery, creativity, but most often he was called the god of light. Its invariable attributes are: lyre, larve and plectrum. As for animals, swans, wolves and dolphins were considered sacred to Apollo. This god was portrayed as a young guy, in whose hands there was always a bow, since he was an excellent shooter, and a lyre. Various holidays and festivals were held in honor of this god.
3. God of dreams in Greek mythology - Morpheus. He had the ability to penetrate people's dreams, and in the form of any person. The god of sleep, thanks to his powers, thoroughly copied his voice, habits and other qualities. Morpheus was represented as a slender young man who had wings on his temples. There are a small number of images of this god in the form of an old man with a poppy in his hands. It was this flower that was the invariable attribute of Morpheus, since it had lulling properties. The emblem of this god was a double gate to the world of dreams. One half was made of ivory and it opened the entrance to untruthful dreams, and the other half of the horns was responsible for true dreams.
4. God of healing in Greek mythology - Asclepius. In many images, he is represented by an old man with a large beard. His attribute is a staff wrapped around a snake, symbolizing the eternal rebirth of life. The image of the staff is still considered a symbol of medicine. He knew all the medicinal properties of plants, discovered antidotes for bites, and also developed surgery. In honor of Asclepius, many temples were created, where there was certainly a hospital.
5. Greek god of fire - Hephaestus. He was considered the patron of blacksmithing. He made various products that were used by other gods of Olympus. Hephaestus was born a sick and lame child. That is why his mother Hera threw him off Olympus. Products of Hephaestus were not only durable, but also beautiful and as plausible as possible. They depicted the god of fire as an ugly, but at the same time broad-shouldered man.
6. Greek was the ruler of the underworld. People did not consider him evil and portrayed him as a powerful, aged man. He had a big beard. In general, he was very similar to his brother Zeus. This god had several attributes. The main was considered a helmet that gives invisibility. In his hands, Hades held a two-pronged pitchfork or a scepter with the heads of three dogs. Wild tulips were considered a symbol of the god of the underworld. As a sacrifice, the Greeks brought black bulls to Hades.

The main gods in Ancient Hellas were those that belonged to the younger generation of celestials. Once upon a time, it took power over the world from the older generation, which 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 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 underworld.

- the main deity of ancient Greek mythology, the king of all other gods, the personification of the boundless sky, the lord of lightning. In Roman religions Jupiter corresponded to him.

Poseidon - the god of the seas, among the ancient Greeks - the second deity in importance after Zeus. like olithe creation of a changeable and stormy water element Poseidon was closely associated with earthquakes and volcanic activity. In Roman mythology, he was identified with Neptune.

Hades - the lord of the gloomy underground kingdom of the dead, inhabited by the incorporeal shadows of the dead and terrible demonic creatures. Hades (Hades), Zeus and Poseidon made up the triad of the most powerful gods of Ancient Hellas. As ruler of the depths of the earth, Hades was also associated with agricultural cults, with whom his wife, Persephone, was closely associated. The Romans called it Pluto.

Hera - the sister and wife of Zeus, the main female goddess of the Greeks. The patroness of marriage and conjugal love. Jealous Hera severely punishes the violation of marriage bonds. The Romans corresponded to Juno.

Apollo - originally the god of sunlight, whose cult then received a wider meaning and connection with the ideas of spiritual purity, artistic beauty, medical healing, retribution for sins. As a patron of creative activity, he is considered the head of the nine muses, as a healer - the father of the god of doctors Asclepius. The image of Apollo among the ancient Greeks was formed under the strong influence of Eastern cults (the Asia Minor god Apelun) and carried refined, aristocratic features. Apollo was also called Phoebus. Under the same names, he was revered in ancient Rome.

Artemis - sister of Apollo, virgin goddess of forests and hunting. Like the cult of Apollo, the veneration of Artemis was brought to Greece from the East (the Asia Minor goddess Rtemis). The close connection of Artemis with forests comes from her ancient function as the patroness of vegetation and fertility in general. The virginity of Artemis also contains a dull echo of the ideas of birth and sexual relations. In ancient Rome, she was revered in the person of the goddess Diana.

Athena is the goddess of spiritual harmony and wisdom. She was considered the inventor and patroness of most of the sciences, arts, spiritual pursuits, agriculture, and crafts. With the blessing of Pallas Athena, cities are being built and state life is going on. The image of Athena as a defender of the fortress walls, a warrior, a goddess who, at her very birth, came out of the head of her father, Zeus, armed, is closely connected with the patronage functions of cities and the state. Among the Romans, Athena corresponded to the goddess Minerva.

Hermes is the most ancient pre-Greek god of roads and field boundaries, all borders separating one from the other. Because of his primordial connection with the roads, Hermes was later revered as a messenger of the gods with wings on his heels, the patron of travel, merchants and trade. His cult was also associated with ideas about resourcefulness, cunning, subtle mental activity (skillful differentiation of concepts), knowledge of foreign languages. The Romans have Mercury.

Ares is the wild god of war and battle. In ancient Rome, Mars.

Aphrodite is the ancient Greek goddess of sensual love and beauty. Her type is very close to the Semitic-Egyptian veneration of the productive forces of nature in the form of Astarte (Ishtar) and Isis. The famous legend about Aphrodite and Adonis was inspired by the most ancient oriental myths about Ishtar and Tammuz, Isis and Osiris. The ancient Romans identified with Venus.

Eros - the son of Aphrodite, a divine boy with a quiver and a bow. At the request of his mother, he shoots well-aimed arrows that kindle incurable love in the hearts of people and gods. In Rome - Cupid.

Hymen Companion of Aphrodite, god of marriage. According to his name, wedding hymns were also called hymens in ancient Greece.

Hephaestus - a god whose cult in the era of hoary antiquity was associated with volcanic activity - fire and roar. Later, thanks to the same properties, Hephaestus became the patron of all crafts associated with fire: blacksmithing, pottery, etc. In Rome, the god Vulcan corresponded to him.

Demeter - in Ancient Greece personified the productive force of nature, but not wild, as Artemis once did, but “ordered”, “civilized”, the one that manifests itself in regular rhythms. Demeter was considered the goddess of agriculture, who rules the annual natural cycle of renewal and decay. She also led the cycle of human life - from birth to death. This last aspect of the cult of Demeter was the content of the Eleusinian mysteries.

Persephone 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 would 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 the grain, which, being "dead" sown in the ground, then "comes to life" and comes out of it into the light.

Hestia - patron goddess of the hearth, family and community ties. Altars to Hestia stood in every ancient Greek house and in the main public building of the city, all citizens of which were considered one big family.

Dionysus - the god of winemaking and those violent natural forces that bring a person to insane delight. Dionysus was not one of the 12 "Olympic" gods of Ancient Greece. His orgiastic cult was adopted comparatively late from Asia Minor. The popular veneration of Dionysus was opposed to the aristocratic service of Apollo. From frenzied dances and songs at the feasts of Dionysus later came the ancient Greek tragedy and comedy.