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Deities inancient Greece were seen as immortal,anthropomorphic, and powerful.[2] They were conceived of as individual persons, rather than abstract concepts or ideas,[3] and were described as being similar to humans in appearance, though they were considered larger and more beautiful.[4] Though typically found inmythology andreligion in an anthropomorphic visage, the gods were also capable of taking on the form of various animals.[5] The emotions and actions of deities were largely the same as those of humans;[6] they frequently engaged in sexual activity,[7] and were fickle and amoral.[8] Deities were considered far more knowledgeable than humans,[9] and it was believed that they conversed in a language of their own.[10] Their immortality, the most defining marker of their divinity,[2] meant that, after having grown to a certain point, they did not age any further.[12] In place of blood, their veins flowed withichor, a substance which was a product of their diet,[13] and conferred upon them their immortality.[14] Divine power allowed the gods to intervene in mortal affairs in various ways; they could cause natural events such as rain, wind, the growing of crops, or epidemics, and were able to dictate the outcomes of complex human events, such as battles or political situations.[15]
Ancient Greek religion waspolytheistic,[16] and a multiplicity of gods were venerated by the same groups and individuals.[17] The identity of a deity is demarcated primarily by their name, though this name can also be accompanied by anepithet (or surname),[18] which may refer to a specific function of the god, to an association with another deity, or to a local form of the divinity.[19] Worship was the means by which the Greeks honoured their gods, as they believed deities had the power to bring to their lives various positive outcomes which were beyond their own control.[20] Greekcult, or religious practice, consisted of activities such sacrifices, prayers,libations, festivals, and the building oftemples.[21] By the 8th century BC, most deities were honoured in sanctuaries (temenē), sacred areas which often included a temple and dining room,[22] and which were typically dedicated to a single deity.[23] The cult a of deity contributed to how they were viewed, based upon the kinds of sacrifices made in their honour, the relation of their rituals to the social order, and the location of their sanctuaries.[24]
In addition to their name and cult, a god's character was determined by their mythology (the collection of stories told about them), and their iconography (how they were depicted inancient Greek art).[25] Mythological stories about a deity told of their deeds (which may have related to their functions) and linked them, through genealogical connections, to other gods with similar functions.[18] The most important surviving accounts of Greek mythology can be found inHomeric epic, which tells of encounters between gods and mortals, andHesiod'sTheogony, which explicates a genealogy of the gods.[26] Some myths attempted to explain the origins of certain cult practices,[27] while others may have arisen from rituals;[28] myths known throughout Greece can also have differing local versions.[29] Artistic representations allow us to understand how deities were depicted over time from the earlyarchaic period, and works such as vase paintings can significantly predate literary sources.[30] Art contributed to how the Greeks conceived of the gods, and depictions would often assign them certain symbols, such as the thunderbolt ofZeus or the trident ofPoseidon.[18]
The principal gods of the Greek pantheon were thetwelve Olympians,[31] who lived onMount Olympus,[32] and were connected to each other as part of a single family.[33] Zeus was the chief god of the pantheon, thoughAthena andApollo were honoured in a greater number of sanctuaries in major cities, andDionysus is the deity who has received the most attention from modern scholars.[34] Beyond the central divinities of the pantheon, the Greek gods were numerous.[35] Some parts of the natural world, such as the earth, sea, or sun, were held as divine throughout Greece, though other natural deities, such the variousnymphs andriver gods, were primarily of local significance.[36] Personifications of abstract concepts appeared frequently in Greek art and poetry,[37] though many were also venerated in cult, with some being worshipped as early as the 6th century BC.[38] Groups or societies of deities could be purely mythological in importance, such as theTitans, or they could be the subject of significant worship, such as theMuses orCharites.[39]
The following section is structured afterWalter Burkert'sGreek Religion, particularly his section "Chapter III: The Gods".[40]
| Name | Image | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Aphrodite Ἀφροδίτη |  | Goddess of sexual love and beauty.[41] InHesiod'sTheogony she is born from the castrated genitals ofUranus, while in theIliad she is the child ofZeus andDione.[42] She was worshipped throughout the Hellenic world, and her best-known cults were located on the island ofCyprus.[43] A number of scholars believe she wasNear-Eastern in origin, though others argue she was derived from a Cypriot goddess who contained indigenous elements.[44] In theOdyssey, she is married toHephaestus, though she fornicates withAres, and the two are caught in sexual embrace by an invisible net crafted by her husband.[45] She also had affairs with mortals such asAdonis andAnchises, and would provide help to mortal lovers while punishing those who spurned love.[46] In art, she was represented from the 7th century BC as a robed figure, though in the Hellenistic period various nude and semi-nude depictions were produced;[47] among her symbols were various birds, especially doves.[48] Her Roman counterpart isVenus.[49] |
| Apollo Ἀπόλλων |  | Son ofZeus andLeto, and twin brother ofArtemis.[50] His various functions and associations include healing, music, archery and prophecy,[51] and he has often been characterised as the "most Greek" of the gods.[52] Apollo's cult existed throughout Greece, having been this widespread by the beginning of the 7th century BC,[53] and was likely been brought to Greece during theGreek Dark Ages.[54] By the 5th century BC, his worship had been introduced into Rome, where he was revered primarily as a god of healing.[55] In mythology, he was said to have slain the dragonPython, who guarded an oracle ofThemis atDelphi, before taking over the shrine for himself.[56] He had numerous love affairs with nymphs and women such asDaphne andCyrene, as well as with males such asHyacinth,[57] though he was often unsuccessful in his amorous pursuits.[58] In art, he is depicted as a youth, usually without a beard,[59] and can be found portrayed as a lyre player or archer.[60] From the 5th century BC, he was often equated with the sun.[61] |
| Ares Ἄρης |  | God of war.[62] He is the son ofZeus andHera,[63] and the lover ofAphrodite,[64] by whom, in theTheogony, he is the father ofDeimos,Phobos andHarmonia.[65] His cult was relatively limited,[66] and his temples were located mostly onCrete and in thePeloponnese;[67] he also often appeared alongsideAphrodite in cult.[68] In theIliad, he is depicted in a largely negative manner, as a brash and wild warrior;[67] he supports the Trojan side of the war, and is frequently presented in opposition toAthena.[69] In ancient art, he was depicted early on as a warrior, bearded and with a spear and shield, though from the classical period he can found as a beardless and more youthful figure.[70] In Rome, his counterpart wasMars.[71] |
| Artemis Ἄρτεμις |  | Daughter ofZeus andLeto, and twin sister ofApollo.[72] She presided over transitions,[73] and was associated with hunting and the wild.[74] Her cult was the most far-reaching of any goddess,[75] and she presided over female (as well as male) initiation rites.[76] She is among the oldest of the Greek gods, and is closely linked with Asia Minor.[77] InHomeric epic, she is described as a talented hunter who traverses theArcadian mountains, accompanied by a retinue ofnymphs.[78] She remained a young maiden and virgin indefinitely,[79] and men who attempted to violate her chastity generally faced severe consequences.[80] She dispatches swift punishment against mortals who display arrogance towards her, or fail to honour her properly,[81] and is also known for unexpectedly and suddenly killing mortal women.[82] In art, she is often depicted as a hunter carrying a bow and arrow, and wearing a dress, though from the 7th century BC there exist depictions of her asPotnia Theron.[83] Her Roman counterpart isDiana.[80] |
| Athena Ἀθηνᾶ |  | Daughter ofZeus, who is born from his head after he swallows her mother,Metis.[84] She was originally aMinoan orMycenaean goddess, and her name is likely derived from that ofAthens.[85] Throughout Greece she was the foremostpolis deity, and in Greek cities her temple was typically located on thecitadel;[86] the nexus of her worship was theAthenian Acropolis, upon which there was temple to her by the 8th or 7th century BC.[87] She is both a virgin goddess and a warrior,[88] and is the patroness of all forms of craftmanship.[89] In mythology, she competes withPoseidon for the patronage of Athens, besting him by offering its inhabitants the olive tree.[90] She is described as a provider of aid to maleheroes,[91] helping figures such asHeracles,Perseus, andBellerophon in their quests.[92] In the earliest known artistic depictions of Athena, she wears a helmet and carries a spear and lance, and around the early 6th century BC there begin appearing representations including theaegis and a shield adorned with agorgoneion.[93] Her Roman counterpart isMinerva.[94] |
| Demeter Δημήτηρ |  | Goddess of agriculture.[95] She is the daughter ofCronus andRhea, and the mother ofPersephone byZeus.[96] She and her daughter were intimately connected in cult,[97] and the two goddesses were honoured in theThesmophoria festival, which included only women.[98] Demeter presided over the growing of grain, and she was responsible for the lives of married women.[99] Her most important myth is that of her daughter's abduction, in which Persephone is stolen byHades and taken into theunderworld;[100] hearing the cries of her daughter as she is taken, Demeter traverses the earth looking for her, and local versions of the story tell of her interactions with mortals during her search.[101] This myth, which is first narrated in theHomeric Hymn to Demeter,[102] was central to theEleusinian Mysteries,[98] the most ancient of the Greekmystery religions.[103] In art, Demeter is typically depicted as a clothed figure, and features of her representations include thepolos,calathus, sheaf, and torch.[104] Her Roman counterpart isCeres.[105] |
| Dionysus Διόνυσος |  | Son ofZeus and the mortal womanSemele.[106] He is the "most versatile and elusive" Greek deity,[107] and is the god who has received the greatest attention in modern scholarship.[108] He is the god of wine, intoxication, and ecstasy,[109] and is associated with theatre, eroticism, masks, and madness.[110] His name is attested inMycenaean Greece,[111] and there is evidence of him having been worshipped continuously from the 15th century BC.[112]His cult was more far-reaching than that of any other Greek god;[113] his festivals, which could be found across the Greek world, often featured drunkenness and revelry,[114] and included theAnthesteria, theAgrionia, theRural Dionysia, and theCity Dionysia.[115] His pregnant mother dies upon seeing Zeus in the form in which he appears toHera, and Zeus stitches the unborn god into his thigh, from which he is then born.[116] He is accompanied by a retinue ofsatyrs,maenads, andsilenoi, and is said to have travelled with his followers to locations such as Egypt and India.[117] His artistic depictions are more numerous than those of any other god; prior to 430 BC, he is portrayed as a bearded and clothed adult, often adorned with an animal skin, while later representations depict him as a beardless, effeminate youth.[114] |
| Hephaestus Ἥφαιστος |  | God of fire and metalworking.[118] He is the son ofHera, either on her own or byZeus.[119] He is non-Greek in origin,[120] and his cult was likely imported fromAsia Minor.[121] He was worshipped on the island ofLemnos, and more famously atAthens, where he was linked withAthena.[122] InHomeric epic he is the smith of the gods, who produces creations such as the shield ofAchilles;[123] he has crippled feet, and is an outcast among the Olympians.[124] He is said to have been hurled fromOlympus as an infant, either by Zeus, landing on Lemnos, or by Hera, landing in the sea.[125] His wife isAglaea, one of theCharites, or the unfaithfulAphrodite.[119] In art, he is depicted wearing apilos from the 5th century BC, and can be found holding an axe or hammer.[126] His Roman counterpart isVulcan.[127] |
| Hera Ἥρα |  | Wife ofZeus, and daughter ofCronus andRhea.[128] She is associated with marriage in particular,[129] and is the queen of the gods.[130] She likely descends from a goddess who was worshipped inMycenaean Greece.[131] She has some of the oldest sanctuaries, which often contain immense temples,[132] and her two most important locations of worship were theHeraion of Argos andSamos;[130] she was venerated in her role as the wife of Zeus, and as a city goddess.[131] By her husband she is the mother ofAres,Hebe, andEileithyia,[133] and in myth she is a jealous wife who torments Zeus's mistresses and other children.[134] In artistic depictions of groups, she can sometimes be distinguished as a figure in bride's attire, accompanying Zeus, and in scenes ofhieros gamos she is portrayed as a matronly figure; features of her depictions include clothing being pulled around her head like a veil, thepatera, the sceptre, and pomegranate.[135] Her Roman counterpart isJuno.[136] |
| Hermes Ἑρμῆς |  | Son ofZeus and the nymphMaia.[137] He is the messenger and herald of the gods,[138] the god of boundaries and their crossing,[139] and atrickster deity.[140] He is likely derived from a god which existed inMycenaean Greece, and the most ancient location of his cult was the region ofArcadia, where his worship was especially prevalent;[141] his cult was spread through thePeloponnese, and existed in a particularly ancient in Athens.[142] He was closely linked withherms, stone statues which marked various boundaries, and was the patron of shepherds, especially young men whose job it was to protect crops from cattle.[143] He is said to have stolen the cattle ofApollo as a new-born, receiving the herd from the god by gifting him the lyre, which he had created from a tortoise's shell.[144] In art, his symbols include thecaduceus, thepetasos (orpilos), and hiswinged sandals; he is a bearded figure prior to the 4th century BC, after which beardless begin appearing.[145] His Roman counterpart isMercury.[146] |
| Hestia Ἑστία |  | Goddess of the hearth.[147] She is the daughter ofCronus andRhea.[148] Her role in mythology is minimal,[149] and she is never fully anthropomorphic.[35] In cultic activity, she is always the deity who receives the first offering or prayer, and she was venerated in each city's communal hearth, orprytaneion.[150] She is a virgin goddess, who forever retains her chastity, and rejects the advances of male deities such asApollo andPoseidon.[151] Her Roman counterpart isVesta.[152] |
| Poseidon Ποσειδῶν |  | God of the sea, earthquakes, and horses.[153] He is the son ofCronus andRhea, and the brother ofZeus andHades.[154] He was an important deity inMycenaean Greece, and through thearchaic period his position receded.[155] He had sanctuaries in many coastal locations, though he was also worshipped in inland areas, where he was associated with bodies of water such as pools and streams.[156] Hisepithets includeHippios (relating to horses), "Earth-Shaker", and "Embracer of Earth".[157] In theIliad, he and his brothers split the cosmos between themselves, with Poseidon receiving the sea.[158] His wife isAmphitrite, with whom he lives below the ocean, though he has affairs with numerous women, producing sometimes dangerous or monstrous children.[159] From the 7th century BC, Corinthianvotive tablets show him withhis trident in hand, wearing a diadem andchiton; it can be difficult to tell apart him apart fromZeus, and only from theHellenistic period is he found in a chariot pulled byhippocampi.[160] His Roman counterpart isNeptune.[161] |
| Zeus Ζεύς |  | Chief god of the Greek pantheon.[162] He is the king of the gods,[163] and the most powerful deity.[164] He is the son of theTitansCronus andRhea, and the husband ofHera.[165] He is the only Greek god who is unquestionablyIndo-European in origin,[166] and he is attested already inMycenaean Greece.[167] His numerous functions and domains are more varied than those of any other god, and over 1000 of hisepithets survive.[168] According toHesiod'sTheogony, he attains his power by overthrowing his father and the other Titans in a ten-year war known as theTitanomachy.[169] Through his innumerable sexual exploits with mortal women, he was the father of variousheroes and progenitors of well-known family lines.[170] Among his symbols are thethunderbolt, the sceptre, and the eagle.[171] In art from the 6th century BC onwards, he was often shown sitting on a throne, or as an upright figure wielding a lightning bolt; Zeus's lusting after women is also frequently found on vase paintings from the 5th century BC.[172] His Roman counterpart isJupiter, also referred to as Jove.[173] |
| Name | Image | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Hades Ἅιδης |  | Ruler of theunderworld and the dead.[174] He is the child ofCronus andRhea, and the consort ofPersephone.[175] In theIliad, Hades and his brothers,Poseidon andZeus, split the world between themselves, with Hades receiving the underworld.[176] He was referred to under names such asPlouton and "chthonian Zeus", and his epithets included Clymenus ('Renowned') and Eubouleus ('Good Counsellor').[177] In his best-known myth, he kidnaps Persephone, after receiving Zeus's assent, and takes her into the underworld; while there, she consumes some of his food, forcing her to henceforth spend part of each year in the underworld.[178] He had virtually no role in cult, and was worshipped instead as Plouton, throughout Greece.[179] In artistic depictions he often holds a sceptre or key, with his appearance being similar to that of Zeus.[180] His name can also be used to denote to the underworld itself.[181] |
| Persephone Περσεφόνη |  | Daughter ofZeus andDemeter.[182] She is the wife ofHades, and queen of theunderworld.[183] In her central myth, first narrated in theHomeric Hymn to Demeter, she is seized byHades while frolicking in a meadow, and carried her into the underworld;[184] Zeus asks for her return, but Persephone, having consumed pomengranate seeds during her stay, is forced to from then on spend a part of each year there.[185] She is frequently found alongside her mother in cult, and the two are honoured in theThesmophoria festival,[186] as well as theEleusinian Mysteries;[187] she can also be found closely linked in cult with Hades.[188] She also appears in myth as the queen of the underworld, a realm over which she wields significant power, with her being described as helping certain mortals who visit.[189] |
| Plouton Πλούτων |  | A name for the ruler of the underworld, who is also known asHades.[190] Plouton is attested from around 500 BC,[191] before which he was a distinct deity from Hades;[179] the name is a euphemistic title, which alludes to the riches that exist beneath the earth.[190] Plouton appears in cult linked with Persephone and Demeter, and his worship is attested almost exclusively in Attica prior to theHellenistic period, in relation toEleusinian cult in particular.[192] In art, he is depicted with a beard (which is sometimes white), and carrying acornucopia or sceptre.[193] |
| Name | Image | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Eileithyia Εἰλείθυια |  | Goddess associated with birth.[35] In theTheogony, she is the daughter ofZeus andHera.[194] She is attested in theBronze Age,[195] and was worshipped at a cave inAmnisos onCrete as early as theMiddle Minoan period.[196] She was venerated mostly by women,[197] and in thearchaic period her worship was found most prominently on Crete, in thePeloponnese, and in theCyclades;[198] she is also worshipped in a number of locations as an aspect ofArtemis.[199] |
| Enyalius Ἐνυάλιος | A war god.[200] He is associated in particular with close-quarters fighting, though the degree to which he is a separate deity fromAres has been debated since antiquity.[201] He is mentioned as early as theMycenaean period,[202] and his worship is most clearly attested in thePeloponnese; he possessed a significant cult atSparta, where there sat a statue of him bound in chains.[203] In literature, he is little more than an epithet or byname for Ares.[204] | |
| Hecate Ἑκάτη |  | A goddess associated with ghosts and magic.[205] In theTheogony, she is the daughter ofPerses andAsteria.[206] She was likely originally fromCaria inAsia Minor, and her worship seems to have been taken up by the Greeks during thearchaic period.[207] She is attested inAthens in the sixth century BC, and statues of her stood guard throughout the city by theClassical period.[208] She is absent fromHomeric epic, andHesiod celebrates her in a section of hisTheogony, treating her as a mighty goddess who helps various members of society.[209] She was said to have been accompanied by the ghosts of maidens and women who died childless, and was linked with dogs and their sacrifice.[210] Beginning in the 5th century BC, she was assimilated withArtemis.[197] In art, she is depicted with either one or three faces (and sometimes three bodies), and is frequently found wearing apolos and carrying torches.[211] |
| Pan Πάν |  | God of shepherds and goatherds.[212] He comes from the region ofArcadia, and was conceived of as partly human and partly goat.[213] During the 5th century BC, his worship spread toAthens from Arcadia, before being dispersed across the Greek world;[214] he was venerated in caves, sometimes in conjunction withHermes and thenymphs.[213] There were numerous conflicting versions of his parentage,[215] and in myth he is a figure who roams the mountains and plays thesyrinx;[216] he is a lecherous figure who lusts after both nymphs and young men,[217] though he is typically met with little success in his lustful pursuits.[218] In art, he is portrayed as anithyphallic figure.[219] |
| Prometheus Προμηθεύς |  | Son of theTitanIapetus.[220] He was credited with the creation of mankind, producing the first human from a lump of clay.[221] He was said to have brought fire to humanity, having covertly stolen it from Olympus; this action earned him the punishment ofZeus, who had him bound to a rock face in theCaucasus Mountains, where an eagle would tear apart his liver each day, before it regenerated over the following night.[222] He is later set free from his punishment byHeracles.[223] The image of his punishment is found in art as early as the 7th century BC, and he is typically found as a bearded figure with an unclothed body and arms bound, while the eagle hovers overhead.[224] |
| Leto Λητώ | .jpg) | Mother ofApollo andArtemis byZeus.[225] She is the daughter of theTitansCoeus andPhoebe.[226] When pregnant with her children, she travels to find somewhere give birth, but is rebuffed in each location (in some accounts due to the efforts of a jealousHera), before arriving atDelos, where she eventually delivers both children (though in an early version Artemis is born instead onOrtygia).[227] In cult, she was frequently linked with her children,[228] though inAsia Minor she was more important as an individual, and from the 6th century BC she was worshipped at theLetoon inLycia.[229] |
| Leucothea Λευκοθέα |  | A sea goddess.[230] In myth, she was originally a mortal women namedIno, who fled from her frenzied husband with her young son,Melicertes, in her arms; she jumped into the sea, taking her son with her, and the two were deified, becoming Leucothea and Palaemon, respectively.[231] Leucothea was venerated across the Mediterranean world,[232] and was linked with initiation rites, a connection which is likely responsible for her identification with Ino.[233] |
| Thetis Θέτις |  | The mother of Achilles.[234] She is one of theNereids, the daughters ofNereus andDoris.[235] She is courted byPoseidon andZeus until they hear of a prophecy that any son she bears will overthrow his father, prompting Zeus to wed Thetis to the heroPeleus.[236] Prior to their marriage, her future husband pursues her, with her transforming into different shapes as she flees.[237] After the birth of Achilles, she burns her son in an attempt to make him immortal, an action which led to the end of her marriage.[238] Her cult existed inThessaly andSparta,[232] and she was a popular subject in vase paintings, particularly in the 6th and 5th centuries BC.[239] |
| Name | Image | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Achelous Ἀχελώϊος |  | One of theriver gods, sons ofOceanus andTethys.[240] He was the god of theAchelous River,[241] the largest river inGreece.[242] The oracle ofZeus atDodona helped to spread his worship,[243] and he was often venerated alongside thenymphs,[244] though his cult began to recede in the 4th century BC.[243] In myth, he fights the heroHeracles for the hand ofDeianeira, assuming multiple forms in the battle, including that of a bull; he is beaten when Heracles snaps one of his horns from his head.[245] |
| Anemoi Άνεμοι |  | Personifications of the winds.[246] They are typically four in number –Zephyrus (West Wind),Boreas (North Wind),Notus (South Wind), andEurus (East Wind)[247] – though Hesiod, who describes them as children ofEos andAstraeus, omits Eurus.[248] There survives a reference to a "Priestess of the Winds" from theMycenaean period, and major deities, especiallyZeus, were connected with winds.[249] In myth, Boreas was said to have kidnapped the Athenian princessOrithyia.[250] |
| Gaia Γαῖα |  | Personification and goddess of the earth.[251] InHesiod'sTheogony, she is one of the earliest beings in existence, and the progenitor of an extensive genealogy,[252] producing figures such asUranus andPontus on her own, and theTitans,Cyclopes, andHecatoncheires by Uranus.[253] She has the ability of prophecy, and was believed to have precededApollo at theoracle of Delphi.[254] In cult, she is more commonly referred to as Ge, and is often venerated alongsideZeus;[203] her worship existed primarily outside of thepolis,[255] though GēKourotrophos was venerated inAthens.[256] |
| Helios Ἥλιος |  | The sun and its god.[257] He is the son of theTitansHyperion andTheia.[258] It was believed that he travelled through the sky each day in a horse-pulled chariot, making his way from east to west; each night he drifted back to the east in a bowl, throughOceanus (the river which wrapped around the earth).[259] Though the sun was universally viewed as divine inClassical Greece, it received relatively little worship;[260] the most significant location of Helios's cult was the island ofRhodes, where he was the subject of theColossus of Rhodes.[261] He was commonly called upon in oaths, as it was believed he could witness everything across the earth.[262] He was assimilated with Apollo by the 5th century BC, though their equation was not established until later on.[263] |
| River gods ποταμοί |  | The 3000 male offspring ofOceanus andTethys, and brothers of theOceanids.[264] River gods were often locally venerated in Greek cities, and they were seen as representations of a city's identity.[265] Their worship was developed by the time ofHomer;[266] river gods were given a sanctuary in their city, and were given sacrifices of youths' hair.[39] The only river god worshipped throughout Greece wasAchelous.[244] Their iconography includes the melding of the human form with bull-like features.[267] Other river gods includeEridanos,Alpheus, andScamander.[268] |
| Name | Image | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Asclepius Ἀσκληπιός | _Bust_of_Asclepius_in_Correr_Museum.jpg) | God of healing and medicine.[269] In mythology, he is described as a mortalhero,[270] with the usual tradition calling him the son ofApollo andCoronis;[271] while pregnant, Coronis weds the mortalIschys, which leads Apollo to kill her, and he rescues the infant in the process.[272] Asclepius grows up to become a skilled healer, capable even of bringing the deceased back to life, an activity which leadsZeus to strike him down with lightning.[273] During thearchaic era, his worship was likely centred inTricca andMessenia, and towards the end of the period his cult seemingly spread further abroad.[274] His veneration atEpidauros started around 500 BC, and in the late 5th century BC he possessed two sanctuaries in Athens;[275] he was worshipped alongside family members, such asHygieia,Machaon, andPodalirius.[276] Artistic depictions of Asclepius often portray him as a figure sitting on a throne, or an upright figure holding a staff laden with a snake.[277] |
| Cabeiri Κάβειροι |  | A group of divinities venerated inmysteries.[278] Evidence of their worship is known primarily from the island ofLemnos and fromThebes,[279] though they are attested through the northernAegean, inThrace, and atAnthedon.[280] They originated from outside of Greece, though there is evidence of their worship in Thebes as early as the 7th century BC.[281] The gods of theSamothracian mysteries are called Cabeiri by some sources, though in epigraphic evidence from the island there is mention only of Megaloi Theoi ('Great Gods') or Theoi ('Gods').[282] The Cabeiri are commonly associated with other groups of divinities – such as theKouretes,Corybantes, andIdaean Dactyls[283] – and their number varies according to the source.[284] Some authors call them the offspring ofHephaestus.[285] |
| Charites Χάριτες |  | Goddesses who embody beauty, charm, and grace.[286] In theTheogony there are three Charites –Aglaea,Euphrosyne, andThalia – who are the offspring ofZeus andEurynome.[287] They were associated withAphrodite, and were said to be her attendants.[288] The most famous location of their worship wasOrchomenus,[289] where they were venerated in the form of three stones;[290] they were also worshipped in Athens and on the island ofParos.[195] In theIliad, the CharisPasithea is the wife ofHypnos, while in theTheogony Aglaea is married toHephaestus.[291] |
| TheDioscuri Διόσκουροι |  | A pair of divine twins named Castor and Polydeuces.[292] TheIliad placesHelen of Troy as their sister andTyndareus as their father, while in later sources Polydeuces is the son of Zeus.[293] They are generally consideredIndo-European in origin,[294] and were venerated across Greece;Sparta was regarded as the primary location of their worship, though their cult was also very prominent inAttica.[293] In myth, they are often described as being involved in disputes with other pairs of mythical figures, including battlingLynceus andIdas after stealing their wives;[295] they were also said to have retrieved a kidnapped Helen from Attica.[296] Artistic representations depict them with symbols such as horses,piloi, and stars.[297] |
| Heracles Ἡρακλῆς |  | The mightiest of the Greek heroes.[298] He is the son ofZeus andAlcmene,[299] and was considered both a hero and a god.[300] He was worshipped throughout the Greek world (though he received little veneration inCrete), and his cult resembled those of the gods.[301] His cult on the island ofThasos was among his oldest, he was worshipped in numerous locations inAttica,[302] and inThebes his cult existed as early as the time ofHomer.[303] He was said to have completedtwelve labours on the command ofEurystheus,[304] though the canonical set of labours was established only by the early 5th century BC; most of these tasks involve him fighting monstrous beasts or humanoid creatures.[305] In art, scenes from his labours can be found from the 8th century BC,[306] and his attributes include his cape (made from theNemean lion's fur), a club, and a bow.[307] |
| Muses Μούσαι | %2c_National_Archaeological_Museum_of_Athens_(21_June_2018).jpg) | Goddesses who were responsible for inspiring poets and other creative and intellectual figures.[308] In theTheogony, they are the nine daughters ofZeus and theTitanMnemosyne.[309] Their earliest site of worship was onMount Olympus,[310] and they possessed a sanctuary at the foot ofMount Helicon.[311] There were different sets of Muses said to come from different locations,[312] and particular areas of creative activity were believed to have been governed by individual Muses.[313] As a group, they are commonly associated withApollo.[314] |
| Name | Image | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Adonis Άδωνις |  | A figure ofLevantine origin.[315] He is born of the incestuous union between aPhoenician king and his daughter,Myrrha.[316] Though this genealogy places him as a mortal, in cult he was considered a god.[317] He is known to have been worshipped onLesbos by the beginning of the 6th century BC,[318] and in Athens by the 5th century BC;[317] he was venerated primarily by women, who were the participants in theAdonia festival.[319] In myth, he is a young man of great beauty, who is loved byAphrodite; becausePersephone is also enchanted by his beauty,Zeus decrees he spend parts of the year with each goddess.[320] |
| Ammon Ἄμμων | .jpg) | The principal deity of theEgyptian pantheon.[321] Due to his position in the pantheon, he was equated by the Greeks withZeus.[322] He was worshipped at theSiwa Oasis from at least the 6th century BC,[323] and his oracle began to be broadly known in that century.[324] Greek attention towards Ammon was due primarily to the Greek colony ofCyrene in Libya,[324] and by the 4th century BC he was venerated in Athens.[325] |
| Cybele Κυβέλη |  | A mother goddess fromAsia Minor.[326] She is the Anatolian form of the Great Mother, and in Greece she was typically referred to asMeter.[327] During the 6th century BC, her worship proliferated through the Greek world, and in the same century she was introduced in Athens.[328] Upon the spread of her cult, she was identified with the Greek goddessRhea, the mother of the first generation ofOlympians, as well as other goddesses such asGaia andDemeter;[329] she may have also been equated with an indigenous mother goddess.[330] In artistic depictions, she is found seated on a throne, accompanied by lions and holding a tambourine.[330] Her cult was officially introduced in Rome around the end of the 3rd century AD.[326] |
| Isis Ἶσις | .jpg) | AnEgyptian goddess.[331] InEgyptian mythology, she was the wife ofOsiris, and the mother ofHorus.[332] She was known to the Greeks as early as thearchaic period, and possessed a temple in Athens by the 4th century BC.[333] In the Graeco-Roman world, she was a goddess who presided over the family,[332] and was a healer and protective figure.[334]Herodotus equates her withDemeter.[335] |
| Men Μήν | .jpg) | A deity from westernAsia Minor.[336] He was a moon god, and his worship is most clearly documented inLydia andPhrygia.[337] He is attested from the 4th century BC, with the earliest evidence in theHellenistic period originating from Greece, particularlyAttica.[338] In art, he is often found with crescent moons extending up from his shoulders, wearing aPhrygian cap and sleeved clothes, and holding a sceptre or rod.[339] |
| Sabazios Σαβάζιος |  | A god fromPhrygia inAsia Minor.[340] His earliest literary attestion is from the 5th century BC,[341] and his worship inAttica is mentioned in the 4th century BC.[342] He was identified withDionysus, and anOrphic myth of Dionysus's birth toZeus and his daughter,Persephone, was linked with themysteries of Sabazios.[343] In artistic depictions, he is portrayed as a bearded figure in Phrygian garb, or as having the iconography of Zeus-Jupiter; there also existvotive hands dedicated to him, which hold objects such as snakes or pine cones.[344] |
| Serapis Σέραπις |  | A god derived from the syncretic Egyptian figureOsiris-Apis.[345] This Egyptian antecedent had a cult inMemphis, where he was a sacred bull figure.[346] This cult was adapted by the Greeks into that of Serapis;[347] the first threePtolemies had aSerapeum constructed inAlexandria,[348] andPtolemy I Soter was said to have brought to the city a statue ofPluto, which was given the name of Serapis.[349] The god was identified with Greeks deities such asDionysus, Pluto, andZeus,[350] and in art he was depicted wearing acalathus atop his head.[351] His worship propagated in the Mediterranean, and he possessed temples in Athens andCorinth.[352] |
This section is structured after the chapter "1. The Early Gods" inTimothy Gantz'sEarly Greek Myth: A Guide to Literary and Artistic Sources.[353]
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| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Aether | Personification of the brightness present in the upper sky.[354] In theTheogony, he is the offspring ofNyx andErebus, and the brother ofHemera.[355] He appears a number of other early cosmogonies,[356] while in anOrphic theogony, he is produced byChronos, alongsideChaos and Erebus.[357] |
| Chaos | The first being to exist inHesiod'sTheogony.[358] The word means 'yawning' or 'gap', though the location of Chaos, or what it sits between, is not specified.[359] After Chaos there cameGaia,Tartarus, andEros, and from Chaos itself was bornErebus andNyx.[360] |
| Erebus | Personification of darkness.[361] In theTheogony, he is the offspring ofChaos, and the brother ofNyx, with whom he producesAether andHemera.[362] In anOrphic theogony, he is produced byChronos.[363] The word is often also used to refer to theunderworld.[364] |
| Eros | God of love.[365] He is typically considered the son ofAphrodite,[366] though in theTheogony he is among the earliest beings to exist.[367] In other cosmogonies, he is similarly conceived of as a primordial figure, a depiction which can also be found inOrphic literature.[368] He is absent fromHomeric epic, andlyric poets of thearchaic era present him as a representation of the subjective experience of love.[369] He features as part ofAphrodite's retinue alongside figures such asHimeros andPothos.[370] InThespiai, he was venerated in the form of a stone,[371] and in cult he typically appears alongside Aphrodite.[372] The Romans referred to him asCupid or Amor.[373] |
| Gaia | See§ Nature deities. |
| Hemera | The personification and goddess of the day.[374] In theTheogony, she is the offspring ofNyx andErebus, and the sister ofAether.[375] Hemera andEos are frequently identified in later works.[376] |
| Nyx | The goddess and personification of the night.[377] In theTheogony, she the is offspring ofChaos, and the sister ofErebus, by whom she becomes the mother ofAether andHemera.[378] Without the help of a father, she gives rise to a dismal brood of negative personifications.[379] She is said to live at the extremes of the earth or in theunderworld, and to drive a horse-pulled chariot.[380] In theIliad, evenZeus fears to upset her,[381] and she figures prominently in early cosmogonies.[356] In the oldest knownOrphic theogonies, Nyx appears to have been the first deity,[382] while in the OrphicRhapsodies she is a ruler who supplantsPhanes.[383] |
| Tartarus | A region which sat far below theunderworld,[384] and its personification.[385] In theTheogony, he is one of the first beings to come into existence, appearing afterGaia and prior toEros.[386] By Gaia, he becomes the father of the monstrous offspringTyphon and (in later sources)Echidna.[387] |
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Aphrodite | See§ Twelve Olympians. |
| Erinyes | Figures that punish those who commit serious offences, particularly against family members.[388] Their names areAlecto,Megaera, andTisiphone.[389] In theTheogony, they are produced from blood spilling onto the earth whenUranus is castrated by his son,Cronus;[390] elsewhere they are offspring ofNyx.[391] They are said to be inhabitants of theunderworld, and to be capable of cursing mortals, or driving them mad.[392] Erinys (the singular from of "Erinyes") was assimilated toDemeter inArcadia, and was considered the mother ofArion byPoseidon.[393] The Roman counterparts of the Erinyes are theFuries.[394] |
| Meliae | Considered by most scholars to benymphs ofash trees.[395] According to theHesiod, they are born from drops of blood which are spilt whenUranus's genitals are severed.[396] |
| Ourea | The mountains.[397] In theTheogony, they are produced byGaia without the aid of a father.[398] |
| Pontus | Personification of the sea.[399] In theTheogony, he is the offspring of theGaia, who produces him without a father.[400] By Gaia, he fathersEurybia,Nereus,Thaumas,Phorcys, andCeto.[401] |
| Uranus | Personification of the sky.[402] He is the offspring ofGaia, who produces him without the help of a partner.[403] By Gaia, he fathers theTitans, theCyclopes, and theHecatoncheires;[404] he imprisons his offspring within the earth, leading his Titan son Cronus to castrate him.[405] He hurls the severed genitals into the ocean, and the blood spilt onto the earth in time produces theErinyes,Giants, andMeliae.[406] |
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Anemoi | See§ Nature deities. |
| Astraeus | Son ofCrius andEurybia.[407] He is the husband ofEos, by whom he becomes the father of thewinds –Boreas,Zephyrus, andNotus – as well as the stars, includingEosphorus.[408] |
| Ceto | Daughter ofGaia andPontus.[401] She is the wife of the sea godPhorcys, by whom she produces a brood of monstrous creatures, including theGorgons, theGraeae, andEchidna.[409] |
| Eosphorus | The morning star.[410] He is one of the children ofEos andAstraeus,[411] and his offspring across different sources includeStilbe,Philonis, andLeuconoe.[412] His Roman counterpart isLucifer.[413] |
| Eurybia | Daughter ofGaia andPontus.[414] She is the wife of theTitanCrius, by whom she becomes the mother ofAstraeus,Pallas, andPerses.[415] |
| Hecate | See§ Lesser deities. |
| Iris | Messenger of the gods and the personification of the rainbow.[416] She is considered the daughter ofThaumas andElectra, and at times the wife ofZephyrus.[417] In theIliad, as divine messenger she acts mostly upon the orders ofZeus, though she also acts independently in some instances;[418] in later works, she instead servesHera.[419] She sometimes transforms into another figure during a task, and her epithets in theIliad emphasise her swiftness.[416] In artistic depictions, she is commonly portrayed as a winged figure who carries a staff, and is often found accompanying more important deities.[420] |
| Nereus | A sea god, and son ofGaia andPontus.[421] He is the husband ofDoris, by whom he becomes the father of the fiftyNereids, who live with him beneath the sea.[422] He is one of the deities referred to as an "Old Man of the Sea", and is described as having prophetic abilities and being capable of shapeshifting.[423] He was said to battled the heroHeracles, changing himself into numerous forms during the struggle; this myth is a common subject in vase painting, with him having the tail of a fish in the earliest depictions, and having legs in later works.[424] |
| Nereids | Sea nymphs, who are the fifty daughters ofNereus andDoris.[425] Different enumerations of Nereids are given by different authors,[426] and only a handful – such asThetis,Galateia,Amphitrite, andPsamathe – have any meaningful role in myth.[422] They live with their father at the bottom of the sea, and were said to partake in song and dance.[427] In art, they are often found riding marine animals, accompanying a sea deity such asPoseidon; from the 4th century BC, they can be found partially or fully naked, and are occasionally found with fishtails.[427] |
| Pallas | ATitan.[428] In theTheogony he is the husband ofStyx, and the father ofZelus,Nike,Kratos, andBia.[429] ElsewhereEos is given as his daughter.[430] |
| Perses | Son ofCrius andEurybia.[431] WithAsteria, he produces the goddessHecate.[432] Hesiod states that he is exceptionally wise.[433] |
| Phorcys | An early sea god.[434] He is most often considered the offspring ofGaia andPontus.[435] His wife isCeto, with whom he produces a series of monsters, such as theGorgons, theGraeae, andEchidna.[436] He is referred to as an "Old Man of the Sea" in theOdyssey, and called the father ofThoosa;[437] figures elsewhere given as his offspring include theSirens, theHesperides, andScylla.[438] |
| Thaumas | He is the offspring ofGaia andPontus.[439] His wife isElectra, by whom he becomes the father of the goddessIris and theHarpies.[440] |
.jpg)
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Asteria | Daughter ofCoeus andPhoebe.[441] In theTheogony, she marriesPerses, and the two give rise toHecate.[442] It was said that whenZeus chased lustfully she ended up falling into sea, and was transformed into a quail; in the place she landed would rise the island, sometimes called Asteria, on which her sisterLeto would later give birth.[443] |
| Atlas | The offspring of theTitanIapetus and anOceanid, eitherClymene orAsia.[444] He was said to stand at the edge of the earth (in the far west or far north), and hold up the sky;[445] the earliest sources for the punishment give no explicit reason as to why he was given this burden,[446] though later authors believed it was due to his role in theTitanomachy.[433] A story from theMetamorphoses tells thatPerseus encounters Atlas and caused him to become a mountain, using the severed head ofMedusa; it was also said that he was approached byHeracles, who tricked Atlas and stole the golden apples from the nearby garden of theHesperides.[447] |
| Coeus | One of theTitans, children ofUranus andGaia.[448] He marriesPhoebe, with whom he producesLeto, the mother ofArtemis andApollo, andAsteria.[449] |
| Crius | One of theTitans, offspring ofUranus andGaia.[450] His wife isEurybia, by whom he becomes the father ofAstraeus,Pallas, andPerses.[451] |
| Cronus | The youngest of theTitans, the offspring ofUranus andGaia.[452] He was chief among the Titans, and was the ruler prior to Zeus.[453] He is said to have castrated his father with a sickle, overthrowing him, and becoming a tyrant; he swallows each child he has by his sisterRhea, until she hands him a stone to swallow in place of their final child,Zeus.[454] Once grown, Zeus forces Cronus to disgorge his other children, who side with Zeus in a battle against the Titans, with Cronus and his siblings being defeated and banished toTartarus.[455] InHesiod'sWorks and Days, Cronus's reign is contrastingly described as an idyllic age in which a golden race of humans lived.[456] He was honoured in theKronia festival, which was associated with the harvest, and he possessed a temple inOlympia.[457] His Roman counterpart isSaturn.[458] |
| Dione | A consort ofZeus in some sources.[268] In theBibliotheca of Apollodorus, she is one of theTitans.[459]Homer places her as the mother ofAphrodite (presumably by Zeus), and in theTheogony she is listed as one of theOceanids.[460] She was possibly the wife of Zeus prior to theMycenaean era, by which point Hera existed in this role.[461] Dione was venerated as his consort at the oracle ofDodona, and the name "Dione" is a feminine version of "Zeus".[462] |
| Eos | Goddess of the dawn.[463] She is the daughter ofHyperion andTheia.[464] WIthAstraeus, she produces thewinds –Boreas,Zephyrus, andNotus – as well as the stars, includingEosphorus.[465] She is said to drive a chariot up from the horizon at the beginning of each day.[466] In myth, she steals away a number of young mortal men with amarous intent, as in the stories ofTithonus,Orion, andCleitus; she lived with Tithonus, who Zeus granted immortality (but not eternal youth), and the couple produced two children –Emathion andMemnon – before Tithonus slowly began to deteriorate.[467] She is found in art from the 6th century BC, and is typically portrayed as a winged figure.[468] |
| Epimetheus | Son ofIapetus andClymene orAsia.[469] His brother,Prometheus, cautions him to refuse all gifts fromZeus, but when the gods createPandora, the first woman, and Zeus has her sent to Epimetheus, Prometheus's foolhardy brother accepts her; the two are married, and as a result she is brought among mortals, allowing her to unleash upon them the evils fromher jar.[470] |
| Helios | See§ Nature deities. |
| Hyperion | One of theTitans, the offspring ofUranus andGaia.[471] His consort isTheia, by whom he becomes the father ofHelios,Selene, andEos.[472] He was frequently equated with Helios, andHomer uses "Hyperion" as anepithet of the god.[473] |
| Iapetus | One of theTitan offspring ofUranus andGaia.[474] In theIliad, he is mentioned as a Titan whoZeus banishes toTartarus.[475] InHesiod'sTheogony, he is the fatherPrometheus,Epimetheus,Atlas, andMenoetius, and the husband ofClymene, though other sources give his consort asAsia.[476] |
| Leto | See§ Lesser deities. |
| Menoetius | Son ofIapetus and eitherClyemene orAsia.[477] Due to his hubris, he is struck with lightning byZeus, and hurled down toTartarus.[478] |
| Metis | One of theOceanids, offspring ofOceanus andTethys.[479] In theTheogony, she is the first goddessZeus marries;[480] when he hears that she is destined to bear a child who will overthrow him, he swallows her.[481] Metis, pregnant withAthena, births her daughter inside Zeus, with her emerging from his head; Metis exists within him permanently, a position from which she provides him counsel.[482] InApollodorus's account, she aids Zeus against his father,Cronus, by delivering the latter an emetic, which frees Zeus's siblings from his father's stomach.[483] |
| Mnemosyne | Personification of memory.[484] She is the one of theTitan daughters ofUranus andGaia.[485] In theTheogony, she lies withZeus for nine consecutive nights, resulting in the birth of the nineMuses.[486] She had some existence in cult, and is known to have been venerated in conjunction with the Muses in particular.[487] |
| Oceanids | Oceannymphs, the 3000 female offspring ofOceanus andTethys.[488] The forty-one oldest Oceanids are enumerated in theTheogony, and other lists are given in later works.[489] They are said to be protectors of the young,[490] and a group of them features in the retinue ofArtemis, while others are mentioned as companions ofPersephone before her abduction.[491] Individual Oceanids includeStyx,Doris,Metis, andPeitho.[492] |
| Oceanus | God of the river believed to encompass the earth and give rise to all other water bodies.[493] He is one of theTitans, the offspring ofGaia andUranus.[494] His wife isTethys, by whom he is the father of the 3000Oceanids and the 3000river gods.[495]Homer appears to call him the forefather of the gods.[496] A number of peoples and monsters were said to existed next to Oceanus, at the far extent of the world.[497] Artistic depictions portray him as being part human and part marine creature.[498] |
| Phoebe | A femaleTitan, one of the offspring ofUranus andGaia.[499] Her husband is her brotherCoeus, by whom she becomes the mother ofLeto andAsteria,[500] and thereby the grandparent ofApollo andArtemis.[501] In some accounts, she is credited as the founder of theDelphic oracle, who passes it on to Apollo.[499] |
| Prometheus | See§ Lesser deities. |
| Rhea | One of the femaleTitans, daughters ofUranus andGaia.[502] She was the wife ofCronus, and the mother ofHestia,Demeter,Hera,Hades,Poseidon, andZeus.[503] Her husband swallows each child upon their birth, until Rhea hides away their final child, Zeus, instead delivering Cronus a stone to consume; once grown, Zeus wages war against Cronus, during which Rhea hasOceanus andTethys look afterHera.[504] As early as the 5th century BC, Rhea was identified withCybele.[505] |
| River gods | See§ Nature deities. |
| Selene | Goddess and personification of the moon.[506] In theTheogony, she is the offspring ofHyperion andTheia.[507] She is said to have fallen for the beautifulEndymion, who slept permanently, and the two produced fifty daughters.[508] She also has an affair withPan, and birthsPandia andErsa toZeus.[509] She is found in art from the early 5th century BC, and is depicted flying her horse-pulled (or oxen-pulled) chariot through the sky, though she can also be found on horseback.[510] |
| Styx | The goddess of the riverStyx, the primary river of theunderworld.[511] She is the oldest of theOceanids, the daughters ofOceanus andTethys,[512] and is the wife ofPallas, with whom she producesZelus,Nike,Kratos, andBia.[513] She aidsZeus and the younger gods in theTitanomachy, for which Zeus makes swearing upon her waters the highest oath of the gods.[514] She was said to reside in the underworld,[515] and the river said to encircle that realm.[516] |
| Tethys | One of theTitans, offspring ofUranus andGaia.[517] She is the wife of her brotherOceanus, by whom she becomes the mother of the 3000river gods and 3000Oceanids.[500] In theIliad, she and her husband are mentioned as progenitors of the gods.[518] DuringZeus's battle against the Titans,Hera is sent to stay in the abode of Oceanus and Tethys at the far extremes of the earth; the couple, who had become alienated, were brought together again by Hera.[519] |
| Theia | One of the femaleTitans, offspring ofUranus andGaia.[520] She is the wife ofHyperion, by whom she becomes the mother ofHelios,Selene, andEos.[521] |
| Themis | One of theTitans, a daughter ofUranus andGaia.[522]Hesiod names her as the second goddess married byZeus, with their union producing the threeHorae and threeMoirai.[523] She is the goddess who presides over "sacred ancient law",[524] and is the figure who provides counsel to Zeus.[525]Aeschylus names her as the mother ofPrometheus, and equates her withGaia.[526] She possessed the power of prophecy, and delivers oracles (including that which stops Zeus from wedding Thetis); she is also said to been an owner of theDelphic oracle prior toApollo.[527] She was worshipped in a number of locations, including atRhamnous, where she was venerated in conjunction withNemesis.[528] |
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Cabeiri | See§ Other deities in cult. |
| Charites | See§ Other deities in cult. |
| Dactyls | Figures described as companions ofRhea (or at timesCybele) whose name translates as 'fingers'.[529] In thePhoronis, they are three in number, and are companions ofAdrasteia who originate fromIda.[285] Elsewhere they are more numerous, with other souces describing them as ten or 100 in number.[530] They are variously described as metal-workers or magicians,[531] and are at times equated with theKouretes and considered protectors of the youngZeus.[532] |
| Horae | The Seasons,[533] daughters ofZeus andThemis.[534] They are three or four in number,[535] withHesiod naming them asEunomia,Dike, andEirene;[536] inAthens, they instead called Thallo, Auxo, and Carpo.[537] They are connected with plant life, and with order,[538] andHomer states that they stand guard outside the entrance toOlympus.[539] There is attestion of a cult belonging to the Horae, including a sanctuary inAttica; in art, it is often impossible to tell them apart from thenymphs andCharites.[540] |
| Korybantes | Figures who accompanyCybele.[541] They were commonly equated with theKouretes, and are similarly described as dancers who clang their spears upon their shields.[542] They are ascribed numerous parentages in different sources, withApollo orRhea frequently being named as one of their parents.[543] |
| Kouretes | Figures who protect the youngZeus, by producing a din with their spears and shields, so that the child's crying cannot be heard by his father,Cronus.[544] When their number is specified, it is at times given as two or nine.[545] The location in which they protect Zeus is usually said to beMount Dicte inCrete, though sometimes it is given asMount Ida.[546] Afragment ofHesiod calls them offspring of the daughters ofDorus,[547] and they were often conflated with the Korybantes.[548] Their cult was spread across Crete, and existed in locations such asOlympia,Ephesus, andMessenia, with the island ofThera being an early location of worship.[549] |
| Maenads | Female figures in the retinue ofDionysus, who followed him in his travels.[550] Artistic depictions portray them as nude or scantily clad women, shown holdingthyrsi orkantharoi, or musical instruments such as flutes or tambourines.[551] The nymphs who nursed the young Dionsyus were said to have become the first Maenads.[552] The term is also used to refer to the historical women who took inspiration from the mythical Maenads.[553] |
| Muses | See§ Other deities in cult. |
| Nymphs | Female divinities connected with nature, and conceived of as human women.[554] There are a number of types of nymphs, some of which are connected to certain habitats – such as thedryads (tree nymphs),Oreads (mountain nymphs), orMeliae (ash tree nymphs) – while others are of a specific parentage, such as with theNereids (daughters of Nereus) orOceanids (daughters ofOceanus).[555] They are mortal, and are typically found in groups, with nymphs frequently being included as part of a nature-dwelling god's retinue.[556] Their cult is attested by the time ofHomer, and their worship was connected with caves in particular, and with the veneration of theriver gods.[557] The term was sometimes used more generally to refer to young women.[558] |
| Satyrs | Male figures who live in the wilderness.[559] They are first found around the start of the 6th century BC, and are among the figures inDionysus's retinue.[560] They are depicted as part-human and part-animal,ithyphallic, and tailed;[561] while early representations show them with horse-like features, they gradually become closer to humans, before becoming more goat-like during theHellenistic era.[562] They are generally shown as nude, bald, and snub-nosed, with their equine features extending to their ears and tail, as well (less often) their feet.[563] They are first mentioned in literature in afragment ofHesiod, which calls them offspring of daughters ofDorus, as well as "worthless" and "good-for-nothing".[564] In myth, they are often found lusting afternymphs.[565] Their Roman counterparts are thefauns.[566] |
| Silenoi | Companions ofDionysus, who live in the wild.[567] They are first mentioned in theHomeric Hymn toAphrodite, where they are said to be sexual partners of the mountainnymphs.[568] In art, they seem to be identical in appearance to thesatyrs;[560] they are perhaps the same figures as the satyrs, though they may have initially been separate.[569] |
| Telchines | Magical figures from the island ofRhodes.[570] They were believed to be the original inhabitants of a number of islands in theAegean Sea, especially Rhodes.[571] They are said to be magicians and shapeshifters, and in art are portrayed as amphibious creatures who are part-fish or part-snake.[572] They were sometimes said to have invented metal-working, and different authors credit them with the creation of objects such as theTrident of Poseidon, or the sickle ofCronus.[573] |
| Thriae | Prophetesses who are be offspring ofZeus.[574] They are nymphs belonging toMount Parnassus, and are three in number; they are said to among the first to practice divination, doing so through the use of pebbles.[575] |
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Leonhard Schmitz (1870)."Epidotes". InSmith, William (ed.).Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.
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