Greek Mythology

## **Summary**

Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends that belong to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world they lived in, and the origins and significances of their own cult and ritual practices. It was a part of the religion in ancient Greece.

Greek mythology is represented in a large collection of narratives and arts. Greek myths attempt to explain the origins of the world, and details the lives and adventures of a wide variety of gods, goddesses, heroes, heroines and other mythological creatures. They were originally an oral tradition, however were eventually written out in literary form. The oldest known literary sources are Homer's epic poems Iliad and Odyssey. They focus on the Trojan War and its aftermath. Two poems by Hesiod, the Theogony and the Works and Days, contain accounts of the genesis of the world, the succession of rulers, the succession of human ages, the origin of human woes, and the origin of sacrificial practices.

Myths are also found in the Homeric Hymns, in fragments of epic poems of the Epic Cycle, in lyric poems, in the works of tragedians of the fifth century BC, in writings of scholars and poets of the Hellenistic Age, and in texts from teh time of the Roman Empire by writers such as Plutarch and Pausanias.

Archaeological findings provide a principle source of detail about Greek mythology, with gods and heroes featured prominently in the decoration of many artifacts. Geometric designs on pottery of the eighth century BC depict scenes from the Trojan cycle as well as the adventures of Heracles. In the succeeding Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic periods, Homeric and other mythological scenes appear, supplementing the existing literary evidence.

There are three clear periods of mythological times:

1. They Myths of Origin: myths about the origins of the world, the gods, and the human race.
2. The Age of Gods and Mortals: stories of the early interactions between gods, demigods and mortals.
3. The Age of Heroes: This was a period where divine interaction with mortals was more limited.

## **Creation Myth**

In the beginning, there was only Chaos , a yawning nothingness. Out of this void emerged Gaia (the Earth), Eros (Love), the Abyss (Tartarus), and Erebus (Darkness). Without male assistance, Gaia gave birth to Uranus (the Sky) who then mated with her. From that union came the first Titans - six males: Coeus, Crius, Cronus, Hyperion, Iapetus, and Oceanus; and six females: Mnemosyne, Phoebe, Rhea, Theia, Themis, and Tethys.

After Cronus was born, Gaia and Uranus decreed no more Titans were to be born. They were followed by the one-eyed Cyclopes and the Hecatonchires (Hundred-Handed Ones), who were both thrown into Tartarus by Uranus. This made Gaia furious. Cronus was convinced by his mother, Gaia, to castrate his father. He did this, and became the ruler of the Titans with his sister-wife Rhea as his consort, and the other Titans became his court.

Each time Rhea gave birth, Cronus ate the child because he feared his own children would grow up to do the same to him as he had done to his own father. Rhea hated this and tricked him by hiding Zeus until he was full grown. She tricked Cronus into eating a blanket-wrapped stone. Once Zeus was grown, he fed Cronus a drugged drink which caused him to vomit and thus expel all of Rhea's children that he had eaten. Zeus then challenged Cronus to war for kingship over the gods. Zeus and his siblings, with help from the Cyclopes, were victorious in their battle against Cronus. Cronus and the other Titans were then imprisoned in Tartarus.

In turn, Zeus feared his own children would repeat what he'd done to his father, and what his father had done before him. A prophecy that the offspring of his first wife, Metis, would give birth to a god 'greater than he', caused Zeus to swallow his wife. She was already carrying Athena, however, who burst forth from his head fully grown and dressed for war.

## **Greek Pantheon**

The above creation story outlines the main gods and goddesses from the old pantheon. The new pantheon of gods and goddesses came into effect after the Titans were overthrown by the Olympians. The Olympians resided on Mount Olympus and were led by Zeus. Besides the Olympians, there were several other gods and goddesses worshiped throughout the land. There were also Nymphs, Naiads, Dryads, Nereids, river gods, Satyrs, and others. There were also dark powers of the underworld such as the Erinyes (Furies).

## **The Age of Gods and Mortals**

During the early days of the world gods frequently visited mortals and intervened on their behalf. Other times, they punished humans for misdeeds. At times, relationships between gods and mortals produced heroic children. Cults were formed around these heroes and they became the centre of local group identity. Individuals such as Heracles, Perseus, Deucalion, Theseus and Bellerophon are all considered Greek heroes.