This is due to the fact that the gods constantly interfered in the lives of ordinary people - a god could fall in love with a woman, and a goddess could give birth to a child from a simple Greek. As a result of such love unions, Greeks were born who were called heroes.

Features of Greek heroes

The heroes lived among other people, but their fate was different from the usual; dangers and difficulties constantly arose on their way. Heroes helped people by defeating monsters that could attack them, and could also teach people something new and unusual.

Some heroes subsequently their exploits were accepted on Olympus and became immortal, and some continued their earthly life. Many myths about such heroes were kept in the memory of the Greeks and other peoples, their fame became immortal, their exploits were sung in songs and poems. The most famous and powerful heroes are Hercules and Perseus.

Myths about Hercules

The life story of the hero Hercules begins with the fact that he was born from the god Zeus and the earthly woman Alcmene. Zeus's wife Hades hated him from birth, because she did not want to forgive his mother for her love for Zeus and for the fact that her husband fell in love with Alcmene.

When the hero was still very young, Hera sent snakes that were supposed to kill him. When the snakes attacked him, Hercules woke up and strangled them. Soon everyone learned that the tiny son of Alcmene managed to defeat two deadly snakes.

Twelve Labors of Hercules

Hercules is famous for his twelve labors, all of which were very difficult and dangerous for his life. Thus, Hercules had to free the cowardly king Eurystheus, his relative.

First, he had to fight a lion, a huge monster that was devastating the surroundings of the city of Nemea. Hercules struck him with his club, and when the lion fell to the ground, he strangled him.

Then Hercules had to defeat the Lernaean hydra, which had nine heads and the body of a snake. The next feat of Hercules was helping the son of the sun god - Augeas. The hero managed to clear the king's barnyard, where there were a hundred bulls, he broke the walls of the yard and let the water of two rivers flow into the gap.

He also managed to subjugate the guardian of the underworld - the dog Cerberus, and brought Eurystheus to his king. But the twelve labors of Hercules are considered the most famous and difficult. His task was to get three golden apples from the gardens of Atlas, who held the vault of heaven on his shoulders.

He fought with Antaeus, the son of the goddess Gaia and the god of the seas Poseidon. During the battle, Hercules' powers were constantly drained when Antaeus constantly renewed his strength from his mother - the earth. But Hercules still managed to defeat his opponent, lifting him above the Earth.

His participation in the battle of the gods with the giants, in which the hero managed to save the gods from death, is also considered a great feat. So he became an immortal god and settled on Olympus.

Hero Perseus

Perseus was also the son of Zeus and the mortal woman Danae. The adventures of Perseus began when he was still small, as his grandfather was predicted that he would die at the hands of his grandson.

Danae's father threw Perseus and his mother into the sea, locking them in a wooden box. Thanks to the strength of Persian, he and Danae managed to escape.

The hero grew into a powerful and strong warrior. Polydectes wanted to destroy him, and therefore sent him to the ends of the earth, where the gorgons lived.

PREFACE

Many, many centuries ago, a people settled on the Balkan Peninsula who later became known as the Greeks. Unlike modern Greeks, we call that people by the ancient Greeks, or Hellenes, and their country Hellas.

The Hellenes left a rich legacy to the peoples of the world: majestic buildings that are still considered the most beautiful in the world, beautiful marble and bronze statues and great works of literature that people still read today, although they were written in a language that no one has spoken on earth for a long time. . These are the “Iliad” and “Odyssey” - heroic poems about how the Greeks besieged the city of Troy, and about the wanderings and adventures of one of the participants in this war - Odysseus. These poems were sung by wandering singers, and they were created about three thousand years ago.

The ancient Greeks left us with their legends, their ancient tales - myths.

The Greeks have come a long way in history; it took centuries before they became the most educated, most cultured people of the ancient world. Their ideas about the structure of the world, their attempts to explain everything that happens in nature and in human society are reflected in myths.

Myths were created when the Hellenes did not yet know how to read and write; developed gradually over several centuries, passed on from mouth to mouth, from generation to generation, and were never written down as a single, solid book. We already know them from the works of the ancient poets Hesiod and Homer, the great Greek playwrights Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides and writers of later eras.

This is why the myths of the ancient Greeks have to be collected from a variety of sources and retold.

Based on individual myths, it is possible to recreate a picture of the world as the ancient Greeks imagined it. Myths tell that at first the world was inhabited by monsters and giants: giants with huge snakes writhing instead of legs; hundred-armed, huge as mountains; the ferocious Cyclopes, or Cyclops, with one sparkling eye in the middle of the forehead; formidable children of Earth and Sky - mighty titans. In the images of giants and titans, the ancient Greeks personified the elemental powerful forces of nature. Myths say that subsequently these elemental forces of nature were curbed and subdued by Zeus - the deity of the sky, the Thunderer and the Cloudbreaker, who established order in the world and became the ruler of the universe. The Titans were replaced by the kingdom of Zeus.

In the minds of the ancient Greeks, the gods were similar to people and the relationships between them resembled the relationships between people. The Greek gods quarreled and made peace, constantly interfered in people's lives, and took part in wars. Each of the gods was engaged in some kind of business, “in charge” of a certain “economy” in the world. The Hellenes endowed their gods with human characters and inclinations. The Greek gods differed from people - “mortals” only in their immortality.

Just as each Greek tribe had its own leader, military leader, judge and master, so among the gods the Greeks considered Zeus to be the leader. According to the beliefs of the Greeks, the family of Zeus - his brothers, wife and children shared power over the world with him. Zeus's wife, Hera, was considered the guardian of the family, marriage, and home. Zeus' brother, Poseidon, ruled the seas; Hades, or Hades, ruled the underworld of the dead; Demeter, sister of Zeus, goddess of agriculture, was in charge of the harvest. Zeus had children: Apollo - the god of light, patron of sciences and arts, Artemis - goddess of forests and hunting, Pallas Athena, born from the head of Zeus, - goddess of wisdom, patroness of crafts and knowledge, lame Hephaestus - god of the blacksmith and mechanic, Aphrodite - goddess love and beauty, Ares - the god of war, Hermes - the messenger of the gods, the closest assistant and confidant of Zeus, the patron of trade and navigation. Myths say that these gods lived on Mount Olympus, always hidden from the eyes of people by clouds, ate the “food of the gods” - nectar and ambrosia, and decided all matters at feasts with Zeus.

People on earth turned to the gods - to each according to his “specialty”, erected separate temples for them and, in order to appease them, brought gifts - sacrifices.

Myths say that, in addition to these main gods, the entire earth was inhabited by gods and goddesses who personified the forces of nature.

The nymphs Naiads lived in rivers and streams, Nereids lived in the sea, Dryads and Satyrs with goat legs and horns on their heads lived in the forests; The nymph Echo lived in the mountains.

Helios reigned in the sky - the sun, who every day traveled around the whole world on his golden chariot drawn by fire-breathing horses; in the morning his departure was announced by the ruddy Eos - dawn; At night, Selena, the moon, was sad above the earth. The winds were personified by different gods: the menacing northern wind was Boreas, the warm and soft wind was Zephyr. Human life was controlled by three goddesses of fate - the Moiras, who spun the thread of human life from birth to death and could break it whenever they wanted.

In addition to myths about gods, the ancient Greeks had myths about heroes. Ancient Greece was not a single state; it all consisted of small city-states, which often fought among themselves, and sometimes entered into an alliance against a common enemy. Every city, every region had its own hero. The hero of Athens was Theseus, a brave young man who defended his hometown from conquerors and defeated the monstrous bull Minotaur in a duel, to which the Athenian boys and girls were devoured. The hero of Thrace was the famous singer Orpheus. Among the Argives, the hero was Perseus, who killed Medusa, whose one glance turned a person to stone.

Then, when the unification of the Greek tribes gradually took place and the Greeks began to recognize themselves as a single people - the Hellenes, the hero of all Greece appeared - Hercules. A myth was created about a journey in which heroes of different Greek cities and regions participated - about the campaign of the Argonauts.

The Greeks have been seafarers since ancient times. The sea washing the shores of Greece (Aegean) was convenient for swimming - it is dotted with islands, calm most of the year, and the Greeks quickly mastered it. Moving from island to island, the ancient Greeks soon reached Asia Minor. Gradually, Greek sailors began to explore the lands that lay north of Greece.

The myth of the Argonauts is based on memories of many attempts by Greek sailors to get into the Black Sea. Stormy and without a single island on the way, the Black Sea frightened Greek sailors for a long time.

The myth about the campaign of the Argonauts is also interesting for us because it talks about the Caucasus, Colchis; the river Phasis is the present-day Rion, and gold was actually found there in ancient times.

Myths say that together with the Argonauts, the great hero of Greece, Hercules, went on a campaign for the Golden Fleece.

Hercules is the image of a folk hero. In the myths about the twelve labors of Hercules, the ancient Greeks talk about the heroic struggle of man against the hostile forces of nature, about the liberation of the earth from the terrible domination of the elements, about the pacification of the country. The embodiment of indestructible physical strength, Hercules is at the same time a model of courage, fearlessness, and military courage.

In the myths about the Argonauts and Hercules, we are confronted with the heroes of Hellas - brave sailors, discoverers of new paths and new lands, fighters liberating the earth from the monsters with which the primitive mind populated it. The images of these heroes express the ideals of the ancient world.

The ancient Greek myths depict the “childhood of human society,” which in Hellas, according to Karl Marx, “developed most beautifully and has an eternal charm for us.” In their myths, the Hellenes showed a remarkable sense of beauty, an artistic understanding of nature and history. The myths of Ancient Greece have inspired poets and artists around the world for many centuries. In the poems of Pushkin and Tyutchev and even in the fables of Krylov we will more than once find images from the myths of Hellas. If we did not know the ancient Greek myths, much in the art of the past - in sculpture, painting, poetry - would be incomprehensible to us.

The images of ancient Greek myths have been preserved in our language. We do not believe now that there ever existed mighty giants, whom the ancient Greeks called titans and giants, but we still call great things gigantic. We say: “the torment of Tantalus”, “the labor of Sisyphean” - and without knowledge of Greek myths these words are incomprehensible.

Before talking about the Heroes of Greece, it is necessary to decide who they are and how they differ from Genghis Khan, Napoleon and other heroes known in various historical eras. In addition to strength, resourcefulness, and intelligence, one of the differences between ancient Greek heroes is the duality of their birth. One of the parents was a deity, and the other was a mortal.

Famous heroes of the myths of Ancient Greece

The description of the Heroes of Ancient Greece should begin with Hercules (Hercules), who was born from the love affair of the mortal Alcmene and the main god of the ancient Greek pantheon, Zeus. According to myths that have come down from the depths of centuries, for completing a dozen labors, Hercules was elevated by the goddess Athena - Pallas to Olympus, where his father, Zeus, granted his son immortality. The exploits of Hercules are widely known and many have become part of fairy tales and sayings. This hero cleared the stables of Augeas from manure, defeated the Nemean lion, and killed the hydra. In ancient times, the Strait of Gibraltar was named in honor of Zeus - the Pillars of Hercules. According to one legend, Hercules was too lazy to overcome the Atlas Mountains, and he made a passage through them that connected the waters of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic.
Another illegitimate one is Perseus. Perseus's mother is Princess Danae, daughter of the Argive king Acrisius. The exploits of Perseus would have been impossible without the victory over the Gorgon Medusa. This mythical monster turned all living things into stone with its gaze. Having killed the Gorgon, Perseus attached her head to his shield. Wanting to win the favor of Andromeda, the Ethiopian princess, daughter of Cassiopeia and King Kepheus, this hero killed her fiancé and rescued her from the clutches of a sea monster that was going to satisfy Andromeda’s hunger.
Theseus, famous for killing the Minotaur and finding a way out of the Cretan labyrinth, was born from the god of the seas, Poseidon. In mythology he is revered as the founder of Athens.
The ancient Greek heroes Odysseus and Jason cannot boast of their divine origins. King Odysseus of Ithaca is famous for inventing the Trojan horse, thanks to which the Greeks destroyed. Returning to his homeland, he deprived the cyclops Polyphemus of his only eye, navigated his ship between the rocks where the monsters Scylla and Charybdis lived, and did not succumb to the magical charm of the sweet-voiced sirens. However, a significant share of Odysseus’s fame was given to him by his wife, Penelope, who, while waiting for her husband, remained faithful to him, refusing 108 suitors.
Most of the exploits of the ancient Greek Heroes have survived to this day as narrated by the poet-storyteller Homer, who wrote the famous epic poems “The Odyssey and the Iliad.”

Olympic heroes of ancient Greece

The winner's ribbon in the Olympic Games has been issued since 752 BC. Heroes wore purple ribbons and were revered in society. The winner of the Games three times received a statue in Altis as a gift.
From the history of Ancient Greece, the names of Korebus from Elis, who won a running competition in 776 BC, became known.
The strongest during the entire period of the festival in ancient times was Milo from Croton; he won six strength competitions. It is believed that he was a student

Thanks to them, we recognize with exceptional joy the names and exploits of Hercules, Oedipus, Theseus, Achilles, Odysseus or Hector. In The Death of Heroes, recently edited by Turner, Carlos García Gual recounts the deaths of 25 heroes. This is a lapidary book: it talks about her vicissitudes and, above all, how they died, the beginning of their glory as immortal. And although no hero masters his destiny, they all participate in their superhuman actions: there are those who seek glory in battle, others in conquest, others in travel and adventure, and there are those who already choose to defend their community . to his family.

Ajax- the name of two participants in the Trojan War; both fought at Troy as suitors for Helen's hand. In the Iliad they often appear hand in hand and are compared to two mighty lions or bulls.

Bellerophon- one of the main characters of the older generation, the son of the Corinthian king Glaucus (according to other sources, the god Poseidon), the grandson of Sisyphus. Bellerophon's original name was Hipponou.

Heroes, except Orpheus, do not sing: they are sung and remembered in epic, tragedy and Greek lyric poetry. Carlos García Guala's book declares that the youth's andrea in battle forms a vital part of the warrior-hero's profile and yet does not delineate a heroic death. It's not enough to be brave, as you can see between its pages. There are several cases of heroes who deserve a “beautiful death.” Pathos controls the life and death of heroes over the hills, glory. From this strange state tragedy draws its raw material: the hero suffers from a hybrid that exalts triumphs and strengthens character, but also immobilizes the hero in the face of inevitable agony.

Hector- one of the main heroes of the Trojan War. The hero was the son of Hecuba and Priam, the king of Troy. According to legend, he killed the first Greek to set foot on the soil of Troy.

Hercules- national hero of the Greeks. Son of Zeus and the mortal woman Alcmene. Gifted with mighty strength, he performed the most difficult work on earth and accomplished great feats. Having atoned for his sins, he ascended Olympus and achieved immortality.

Thus, García Gual reveals the fragile and ambivalent state of the heroes. On the one hand, power is in the hands, and on the other, a sealed fate. Only the gods know the exact moment of death. There was deep sorrow that day. Patroclus cries profusely as Achilles. Hector, a horse tamer and man-killer, claims his father after desecrating his corpse.

Achilles is killed by an arrow launched by Paris. Peter Paul Rubens and his workshop “The Death of Achilles”. Professor García Guala's talent, humanism and vision are so broad that he recreates myths and deaths of heroes from the most traditional versions of themes that are more anecdotal. Stories about mythical heroes are not always extracted from primary sources; in some cases the author refers to later texts.

Diomedes- the son of the Aetolian king Tydeus and the daughter of Adrasta Deipila. Together with Adrastus, he took part in the campaign and destruction of Thebes. As one of Helen's suitors, Diomedes subsequently fought at Troy, leading a militia on 80 ships.

Meleager- hero of Aetolia, son of the Calydonian king Oeneus and Althea, husband of Cleopatra. Participant of the Argonauts' campaign. Meleager's greatest fame came from his participation in the Calydonian hunt.

The accounting of their deaths is unusual: Oedipus dies, according to Sophocles' version, a victim of exile, blind and miserable, to contemplate the death of Jocasta, his wife and mother. Hercules dies throwing himself on the pyre of the llamas, after putting on the tunic that his dear Deyaira sent him with the blood of the centaur Neso. Perseus dies, pointing the Gorgon's head to himself. Orpheus, who goes to Hades in search of Eurydice, has succumbed to the Bacchanians. Jason was crushed by the mast of the Argo ship and died instantly. Alcmaeon dies from family intrigue. Theseus, the hero of Athenian democracy, reaches his destination by stumbling and falling from a ravine.

Menelaus- king of Sparta, son of Atreus and Aeropa, husband of Helen, younger brother of Agamemnon. Menelaus, with the help of Agamemnon, gathered friendly kings for the Ilion campaign, and he himself deployed sixty ships.

Odysseus- “angry”, king of the island of Ithaca, son of Laertes and Anticlea, husband of Penelope. Odysseus is a famous hero of the Trojan War, also famous for his wanderings and adventures.

March of the Seven against Thebes

Sisyphus suffers one of the gods' three never-ending punishments: forever pushing a stone up a mountain only to see it fall again and again. Belerophon falls from the mountain of Pegasus, his winged horse, in an attempt to join the assembly of the gods and goes to his death.

On the other hand, the Homeric world experiences blood, tears and the smells of death. There is not a song in the Iliad that does not talk about the death of some warrior. The myth says that Agamemnon, king of Mycenaeus, brother of Menelaus, husband of Helen, sacrifices his daughter Iphigenia before going to Ilion. His wife, Clytemnestra, will take part in this scene. Together with Egisto, he plotted to kill Agamemnon with a double-edged axe. The tragic story of this family ends with the death of Clytemnestra at the hands of his son, the vengeful Orestes.

Orpheus- the famous singer of the Thracians, the son of the river god Eager and the muse Calliope, the husband of the nymph Eurydice, who set trees and rocks in motion with his songs.

Patroclus- the son of one of the Argonauts Menetius, a relative and comrade-in-arms of Achilles in the Trojan War. As a boy, he killed his friend while playing dice, for which his father sent him to Peleus in Phthia, where he was raised with Achilles.

Achilles dies, according to each version, by ambush, arrow or spear. His fate is different from the fate of other heroes who come to the Trojan War. Son of the Titanide Tethys and the mortal Peleus, he knows that when he goes to Troy, his death will be safe. He is a cruel, angry and majestic warrior who decides to go to war because the glory will be great and he knows that his glory will make him immortal.

García Gual is seduced by Hector's death. He is the heir of Priam, loves his wife Andromache; love your son, Astinact; loves his community and fulfills his duty to protect the land of Troy. Homer sings his death with the same glory as the Hellenic victory. The Trojan hero dies, pierced by a spear in battle with the veil, and, unfortunately, his body is dragged between the stones. However, despite the damage, his corpse will never lose its beauty. The gods love him and support him even in death.

Peleus- son of the Aeginean king Eak and Endeida, husband of Antigone. For the murder of his half-brother Phocus, who defeated Peleus in athletic exercises, he was expelled by his father and retired to Phthia.

Pelop- king and national hero of Phrygia, and then the Peloponnese. Son of Tantalus and the nymph Euryanassa. Pelops grew up on Olympus in the company of the gods and was the favorite of Poseidon.

The Trojan War - a brief retelling

García Gual thus chooses the deaths of the characters and treats them with special care. Like a ripe fruit that refuses to fall, before concluding the book, the author devotes several pages to three heroines of the Greek world: Clytemnestra, Cassandra and Antigone. All three were punished for showing insomnia and for women's freedom.

Come from Greece, Rome or any other culture, myths inhabit our lives. From cinemas to comics, passing through literature. Cover: “Gods and Heroes of Greek Mythology.” The action takes place in a distant time, in Greece and the regions bordering the Mediterranean Sea. And we will find the following characters: the gods of Olympus and heroes.

Perseus- the son of Zeus and Danae, daughter of the Argive king Acrisius. The winner of the Gorgon Medusa and the savior of Andromeda from the claims of the dragon.

Talfibiy- the messenger, a Spartan, together with Eurybates, was Agamemnon’s herald, carrying out his instructions. Talthybius, together with Odysseus and Menelaus, gathered an army for the Trojan War.

Teucer- the son of Telamon and the daughter of the Trojan king Hesione. The best archer in the Greek army at Troy, where over thirty defenders of Ilion fell at his hands.

The book opens with a prologue by the author, which talks about the appeal and validity of myths. Let us remember that a myth is a traditional story that tells about unusual events committed by characters of a divine or heroic nature. For the people who conceived them turn out to be sacred narratives, since they are part of their religion, the value system and beliefs proposed by certain behavior patterns.

It should be noted that a myth can perform different functions: to explain the appearance of certain elements; answer basic questions about the functioning of man and the world around him and in this sense provide peace in the face of existence; and finally to legitimize certain social structures and actions.

Theseus- son of the Athenian king Aeneas and Ethera. He became famous for a number of exploits, like Hercules; kidnapped Elena along with Peirifoy.

Trophonius- originally a chthonic deity, identical with Zeus Underground. According to popular belief, Trophonius was the son of Apollo or Zeus, the brother of Agamedes, and the pet of the earth goddess Demeter.

Phoroney- founder of the Argive state, son of the river god Inach and the hamadryad Melia. He was revered as a national hero; Sacrifices were performed at his grave.

Thrasymedes- the son of the Pylos king Nestor, who arrived with his father and brother Antilochus near Ilion. He commanded fifteen ships and took part in many battles.

Oedipus- son of the Finnish king Laius and Jocasta. Killed his father and married his mother without knowing it. When the crime was discovered, Jocasta hanged herself, and Oedipus blinded himself. Died pursued by the Erinyes.

Aeneas- son of Anchises and Aphrodite, relative of Priam, hero of the Trojan War. Aeneas, like Achilles among the Greeks, is the son of a beautiful goddess, the favorite of the gods; in battles he was protected by Aphrodite and Apollo.

Jason- the son of Aison, on behalf of Pelias, set out from Thessaly for the golden fleece to Colchis, for which he equipped the expedition of the Argonauts.

Kronos, in ancient Greek mythology, was one of the Titans, born from the marriage of the sky god Uranus and the earth goddess Gaia. He succumbed to his mother’s persuasion and castrated his father Uranus in order to stop the endless births of his children.

To avoid repeating the fate of his father, Kronos began to swallow all his offspring. But in the end, his wife could not stand such an attitude towards their offspring and gave him a stone to swallow instead of the newborn.

Rhea hid her son, Zeus, on the island of Crete, where he grew up, suckled by the divine goat Amalthea. He was guarded by the Kuretes - warriors who drowned out the crying of Zeus by striking their shields so that Kronos would not hear.

Having matured, Zeus overthrew his father from the throne, forced him to tear his brothers and sisters out of his womb and, after a long war, took his place on bright Olympus, among the host of gods. Thus Kronos was punished for his betrayal.

In Roman mythology, Kronos (Chroos - "time") is known as Saturn - a symbol of inexorable time. In Ancient Rome, festivals were dedicated to the god Kronos - Saturnalia, during which all rich people exchanged duties with their servants and fun began, accompanied by copious libations. In Roman mythology, Kronos (Chroos - "time") is known as Saturn - a symbol of inexorable time. In Ancient Rome, festivals were dedicated to the god Kronos - Saturnalia, during which all rich people exchanged duties with their servants and fun began, accompanied by copious libations.

Rhea(“Ρέα”), in ancient mythology, a Greek goddess, one of the Titanides, daughter of Uranus and Gaia, wife of Kronos and mother of the Olympian deities: Zeus, Hades, Poseidon, Hestia, Demeter and Hera (Hesiod, Theogony, 135). Kronos, afraid, that one of his children would deprive him of power, devouring them immediately after birth. Rhea, on the advice of her parents, saved Zeus instead of her born son, she placed a swaddled stone, which Kronos swallowed, and Rhea sent her son to Crete, on the mountain, in secret from his father. Dicta. When Zeus grew up, Rhea assigned her son as a cupbearer to Kronos and he was able to mix an emetic potion into his father’s cup, freeing his brothers and sisters. According to one version of the myth, Rhea deceived Kronos and at the birth of Poseidon, She hid her son among the grazing sheep. Kronos was given a foal to swallow, citing the fact that she gave birth to him (Pausanias, VIII 8, 2).

The cult of Rhea was considered one of the most ancient, but was not widespread in Greece itself. In Crete and Asia Minor she mixed with the Asian goddess of nature and fertility Cybele, and her worship came to a more prominent level. The legend about the birth of Zeus in the grotto of Mount Ida, which enjoyed special veneration, was localized especially in Crete, as evidenced by the large number of dedications, some of them very ancient, found in it. The tomb of Zeus was also shown on Crete. The priests of Rhea were called here Curetes and were identified with the Corybantes, the priests of the great Phrygian mother Cybele. Rhea entrusted them with the preservation of the infant Zeus; By banging their weapons, the Kuretes muffled his crying so that Kronos could not hear the child. Rhea was depicted in a matronly type, usually with a crown from the city walls on her head, or in a veil, mostly sitting on a throne, near which sit lions dedicated to her. Its attribute was the tympanum (an ancient musical percussion instrument, the predecessor of the timpani). During late antiquity, Rhea was identified with the Phrygian Great Mother of the Gods and received the name Rhea-Cybele, whose cult was distinguished by its orgiastic character.

Zeus, Diy ("bright sky"), in Greek mythology the supreme deity, the son of the titans Kronos and Rhea. The almighty father of the gods, the ruler of the winds and clouds, rain, thunder and lightning, caused storms and hurricanes with a blow of the scepter, but could also calm the forces of nature and clear the sky of clouds. Kronos, fearing to be overthrown by his children, swallowed all the older brothers and sisters of Zeus immediately after their birth, but Rhea, instead of her youngest son, gave Kropos a stone wrapped in swaddling clothes, and the baby was secretly taken out and raised on the island of Crete.

The matured Zeus sought to settle accounts with his father. His first wife, the wise Metis (“thought”), daughter of Ocean, advised him to give his father a potion that would make him vomit all the children he had swallowed. Having defeated Kronos, who gave birth to them, Zeus and the brothers divided the world among themselves. Zeus chose the sky, Hades - the underground kingdom of the dead, and Poseidon - the sea. They decided to consider the earth and Mount Olympus, where the palace of the gods was located, to be common. Over time, the world of the Olympians changes and becomes less cruel. The Oras, daughters of Zeus from Themis, his second wife, brought order to the lives of gods and people, and the Charites, daughters from Eurynome, the former mistress of Olympus, brought joy and grace; The goddess Mnemosyne gave birth to 9 muses to Zeus. Thus, law, science, art and morality took their place in human society. Zeus was also the father of famous heroes - Hercules, Dioscuri, Perseus, Sarpedon, glorious kings and sages - Minos, Radamanthos and Aeacus. True, Zeus’s love affairs with both mortal women and immortal goddesses, which formed the basis of many myths, caused constant antagonism between him and his third wife Hera, the goddess of legal marriage. Some of Zeus' children born out of wedlock, such as Hercules, were severely persecuted by the goddess. In Roman mythology, Zeus corresponds to the omnipotent Jupiter.

Hera(Hera), in Greek mythology, the queen of the gods, goddess of air, patroness of family and marriage. Hera, the eldest daughter of Kronos and Rhea, raised in the house of Oceanus and Tethys, is the sister and wife of Zeus, with whom she, according to Samian legend, lived in a secret marriage for 300 years until he openly declared her his wife and queen of the gods. Zeus honors her highly and communicates his plans to her, although he keeps her on occasion within the limits of her subordinate position. Hera, mother of Ares, Hebe, Hephaestus, Ilithyia. He is distinguished by his power, cruelty and jealous disposition. Especially in the Iliad, Hera shows grumpiness, stubbornness and jealousy - character traits that passed into the Iliad, probably from the most ancient songs glorifying Hercules. Hera hates and persecutes Hercules, as well as all the favorites and children of Zeus from other goddesses, nymphs and mortal women. When Hercules was returning by ship from Troy, she, with the help of the god of sleep Hypnos, put Zeus to sleep and, through the storm she raised, almost killed the hero. As punishment, Zeus tied the treacherous goddess to the ether with strong golden chains and hung two heavy anvils at her feet. But this does not prevent the goddess from constantly resorting to cunning when she needs to achieve something from Zeus, against whom she cannot do anything by force.

In the struggle for Ilion, she patronizes her beloved Achaeans; the Achaean cities of Argos, Mycenae, Sparta are her favorite places; She hates the Trojans for the trial of Paris. The marriage of Hera with Zeus, which initially had a spontaneous meaning - a connection between heaven and earth, then receives a relation to the civil institution of marriage. As the only legal wife on Olympus, Hera is the patroness of marriage and childbirth. A pomegranate apple, a symbol of marital love, and a cuckoo, the messenger of spring, the season of love, were dedicated to her. In addition, the peacock and crow were considered her birds.

The chief place of her cult was Argos, where stood her colossal statue, made of gold and ivory by Polycletus, and where the so-called Heraea were celebrated in her honor every five years. In addition to Argos, Hera was also honored in Mycenae, Corinth, Sparta, Samos, Plataea, Sikyon and other cities. Art represents Hera as a tall, slender woman, with majestic posture, mature beauty, a rounded face bearing an important expression, a beautiful forehead, thick hair, large, wide-open “ox-like” eyes. The most remarkable image of her was the above-mentioned statue of Polykleitos in Argos: here Hera sat on a throne with a crown on her head, with a pomegranate apple in one hand, with a scepter in the other; at the top of the scepter is a cuckoo. On top of the long chiton, which left only the neck and arms uncovered, there is a himation thrown around the waist. In Roman mythology, Hera corresponds to Juno.

Demeter(Δημήτηρ), in Greek mythology the goddess of fertility and agriculture, civil order and marriage, daughter of Kronos and Rhea, sister and wife of Zeus, from whom she gave birth to Persephone (Hesiod, Theogony, 453, 912-914). One of the most revered Olympic deities. The ancient chthonic origin of Demeter is attested to by her name (literally, “earth mother”). Cult appeals to Demeter: Chloe ("greens", "sowing"), Carpophora ("giver of fruits"), Thesmophora ("legislator", "organizer"), Sieve ("bread", "flour") indicate the functions of Demeter as goddess of fertility. She is a goddess who is kind to people, of beautiful appearance with hair the color of ripe wheat, and an assistant in peasant labors (Homer, Iliad, V 499-501). She fills the farmer's barns with supplies (Hesiod, Opp. 300, 465). They call on Demeter so that the grains come out full-bodied and so that the plowing is successful. Demeter taught people plowing and sowing, combining in a sacred marriage on a thrice-plowed field on the island of Crete with the Cretan god of agriculture Iasion, and the fruit of this marriage was Plutos, the god of wealth and abundance (Hesiod, Theogony, 969-974).

Hestia-goddess virgin of the hearth, eldest daughter of Kronos and Rhea, patroness of unquenchable fire, uniting gods and people. Hestia never responded to advances. Apollo and Poseidon asked for her hand in marriage, but she vowed to remain a virgin forever. One day, the drunken god of gardens and fields, Priapus, tried to dishonor her, who was sleeping, at a festival where all the gods were present. However, at that moment, when the patron saint of voluptuousness and sensual pleasures, Priapus, was preparing to commit his dirty deed, the donkey cried loudly, Hestia woke up, called on the gods for help, and Priapus fled in fear.

Poseidon, in ancient Greek mythology, the god of the underwater kingdom. Poseidon was considered the ruler of the seas and oceans. The underwater king was born from the marriage of the earth goddess Rhea and the titan Kronos and immediately after birth he, along with his brothers and sisters, was swallowed by his father, who was afraid that they would take away his power over the world. Zeus subsequently freed them all.

Poseidon lived in an underwater palace, among a host of gods obedient to him. Among them were his son Triton, the Nereids, the sisters of Amphitrite and many others. The god of the seas was equal in beauty to Zeus himself. He traveled along the sea in a chariot harnessed to marvelous horses.

With the help of a magic trident, Poseidon controlled the depths of the sea: if there was a storm at sea, then as soon as he stretched out the trident in front of him, the furious sea calmed down.

The ancient Greeks greatly revered this deity and, in order to achieve his favor, made many sacrifices to the underwater ruler, throwing them into the sea. This was very important for the inhabitants of Greece, since their well-being depended on whether merchant ships would pass through the sea. Therefore, before going to sea, travelers threw a sacrifice to Poseidon into the water. In Roman mythology, it corresponds to Neptune.

Hades, Hades, Pluto (“invisible”, “terrible”), in Greek mythology the god of the kingdom of the dead, as well as the kingdom itself. Son of Kronos and Rhea, brother of Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Demeter and Hestia. During the division of the world after the overthrow of his father, Zeus took the sky, Poseidon the sea, and Hades the underworld; The brothers agreed to rule the land together. Hades' second name was Polydegmon ("recipient of many gifts"), which is associated with the countless shadows of the dead living in his domain.

The messenger of the gods, Hermes, conveyed the souls of the dead to the ferryman Charon, who transported across the underground river Styx only those who could pay for the crossing. The entrance to the underground kingdom of the dead was guarded by the three-headed dog Kerberus (Cerberus), who did not allow anyone to return to the world of the living.

Like the ancient Egyptians, the Greeks believed that the kingdom of the dead was located in the bowels of the earth, and the entrance to it was in the far west (west, sunset - symbols of dying), beyond the Ocean River, which washes the earth. The most popular myth about Hades is associated with his abduction of Persephone, daughter of Zeus and the fertility goddess Demeter. Zeus promised him his beautiful daughter without asking her mother's consent. When Hades forcibly took the bride away, Demeter almost lost her mind from grief, forgot about her duties, and hunger gripped the earth.

The dispute between Hades and Demeter over the fate of Persephone was resolved by Zeus. She must spend two thirds of the year with her mother and one third with her husband. This is how the alternation of seasons arose. One day, Hades fell in love with the nymph Minta or Mint, who was associated with the water of the kingdom of the dead. Having learned about this, Persephone, in a fit of jealousy, turned the nymph into a fragrant plant.

The mythology of Ancient Greece is built on myths about the pantheon of gods, about the life of titans and giants, as well as about the exploits of heroes. In the myths of Ancient Greece, the main active force was the Earth, which generates everything and gives everything its beginning.

What happened first

So she gave birth to monsters personifying dark power, titans, cyclopes, hecatoncheires - hundred-armed monsters, the multi-headed serpent Typhon, the terrible goddesses Erinnia, the bloodthirsty dog ​​Cerberus and the Lernaean hydra and three-headed chimeras.

Society developed and these monsters were replaced by the heroes of Ancient Greece. Most of the heroes had parents who were gods, but they were also people. Part of the culture of Greece is the myths about the exploits of these heroes, and some of the names of the heroes of Ancient Greece are well known.

Hercules

Hercules - popular, strong, courageous - was the son of the god Zeus and Alcmene, a simple, earthly woman. He became famous for his twelve labors performed throughout his life. For this, Zeus gave him immortality.

Odysseus

Odysseus is the king of Ithaca, he became famous for his deadly risky journeys from Troy to his homeland. Homer described these exploits in his poem “Odyssey”. Odysseus was smart, cunning and strong. He managed to escape not only from the nymph Calypso, but also from the sorceress Kirka.

He managed to defeat the Cyclops, blinding him, he survived a lightning strike, and when he returned to his homeland, he punished all the “suitors” of his wife Penelope.

Perseus

It is impossible not to remember Perseus if we talk about the names of the heroes of Ancient Greece. The son of Queen Danae and Zeus is Perseus. He accomplished a feat by killing Medusa the Gorgon, a winged monster whose gaze turned everything around to stone. He accomplished his next feat when he freed Princess Andromeda from the clutches of the monster.

Achilles

Achilles became famous in the Trojan War. He was the son of the nymph Thetis and King Peleus. When he was a baby, his mother bought him from the waters of the river of the dead. From then on, he was invulnerable to enemies, with the exception of his heel. Paris, the son of the Trojan king, hit him in the heel with an arrow.

Jason

The ancient Greek hero Jason became famous in Colchis. Jason went for the Golden Fleece to distant Colchis on the ship "Argo" with a team of brave Argonauts, and married Medea, the daughter of the king of this country. They had two sons. Medea killed him and her two sons when Jason was about to marry for the second time.

Theseus

The ancient Greek hero Theseus was the son of the sea king Poseidon. He became famous for killing the monster that lived in the Cretan labyrinth - the Minotaur. He got out of the labyrinth thanks to Ariadne, who gave him a ball of thread. In Greece, this hero is considered the founder of Athens.

The names of the heroes of Ancient Greece are also not forgotten thanks to the animated and feature films produced.

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