Wade.’s Synopsis of & Random Thoughts on the Greek Myths, Gods, & Heroes

To what extent the Classical Greeks (or their Ancient forbears) of varying places & times actually believed the following is an open question. These accounts nevertheless come to us through the millennia from a plethora of literary sources. A quick description of the most significant sources follows.

Please note: this page is not intended to be a comprehensive discussion of Greek history, politics, technology, geography, language, philosophy, or literature. However, insofar as the former topics relate to mythology, certain aspects of the aforementioned disciplines may be mentioned strictly in this connection.

Furthermore, while this index covers all of the major figures & many of the minor ones from Greek myth, it is neither exhaustive nor definitive. I have attempted to address some of the more important misconceptions & changed traditions. Many versions of the myths conflict in many ways. In these cases, I have tried to include the variation to which the preponderance of sources agree or, in the case of little to no agreement, then I have attempted to determine the earliest version.

Literary Sources

Homer

Greek epic poet circa 800 BC who wrote the Iliad & the Odyssey—the oldest extant works of Western literature. These epic poems are written in dactylic hexameter.

Hesiod

Greek epic poet circa 800 BC. Author of Works & Days & Theogony. Hesiod & Homer are sometimes called pre-classical authors.

Pindar

Greek lyric poet circa 500 BC. Only collections of his victory odes survive in their entirety. While written to commemorate an athletic victory, these poems often deal with mythological themes.

Aeschylus

Greek. The father of tragedy circa 500 BC. Only seven of his estimated 70 plays survive. Most famous are the Oresteia (Agamemnon trilogy).

Sophocles

Greek tragic dramatist circa 450 BC. Only seven of his estimated 120 plays survive. Most famous are the so-called Theban plays concerning Oedipus & Antigone.

Euripides

Greek tragic dramatist circa 450 BC. 18 of his 95 plays survive. Most famous is Medea.

Aristophanes

Greek comic dramatist circa 400 BC. 11 of his 40 plays survive. Most famous are Lysistrata, The Clouds, & The Birds.

Apollonius of Rhodes

Greek epic poet, librarian, & scholar circa 300 BC. Author of Argonautica.

Apollodorus of Athens

Greek historian & mythographer circa 180 BC. Author of Chronicle & On the Gods.

Hyginus (Gaius Julius)

Roman author, librarian, & student circa 60 BC. Author of Fabulae. Generally considered by modern scholars to have been semi-literate with respect to Greek. Nevertheless, Fabulae is important because of the information contained therein, particularly the references to lost works.

Pausanias

Ovid

Descriptions of Selected Greek Gods

Zeus

King of the Gods upon deposing of his father, the Titan Kronos. God of the Sky & Thunder. Chief Olympian. Led the gods to victory over the Titans & the Giants. Personally defeated Typhon (with some help from Hermes) & Kampe. Wields the Aegis & thunderbolt. Son of Kronos & Rhea. Brother of Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Demeter, & Hestia. Husband of Hera. Infamous for his extramarital liaisons. Father of many gods, heroes, & kings, including Apollo, Athene, Hermes, Ares, Hephaistos, Artemis, Aphrodite (some accounts), Dionysos, Herakles, the Muses, the Charites, Persephone, Hebe, Eris, Perseus, Helen, Poydeuces, Minos, Sarpedon (of Crete), Rhadamanthys, & Sarpedon (of Lycia). Latin: Jupiter, Jove.

Poseidon

God of the Sea. Olympian. Wields the trident. Created the horse & responsible for earthquakes. Son of Kronos & Rhea. Brother of Zeus, Hades, Hera, Demeter, & Hestia. Husband of Amphitrite. Father of Triton, Theseus (according to some), Orion (according to some), Antaeus, Charybdis, Arion, Khrysaor, Pegasos, Procrustes, Proteus (according to some), & Polyphemus. Latin: Neptune.

Hades

God of the Underworld (also called Hades). Not usually counted an Olympian. Wields the Helm of Darkness, which renders its wearer invisible. Son of Kronos & Rhea. Brother of Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Demeter, & Hestia. Husband of Persephone. Latin: Pluto.

Apollo

God of Light, Medicine & Disease, Music, Archery, & Prophecy. Olympian. Personally defeated Python. Wields the bow & lyre. Son of Zeus & Leto. Twin brother of Artemis. Most celebrated sons are Asklepios & Orpheus (by some accounts). Bachelor. Latin: Apollo, Phoebus.

Athene

Goddess of Wisdom, War (or, rather, the craft & strategy of war), & the Crafts. Olympian. Wears armor, wields the Aegis. Often called Pallas. Daughter of Zeus & Metis. Born from Zeus’ head. One of three maiden Olympian goddesses. Latin: Minerva.

Hermes

Messenger of the Gods. Patron of travelers, thieves, shepherds, poets, literature, measures, commerce, & invention. Olympian. Slew Argus Panoptes. Bears talaria (winged sandals), a winged cap, & the herald’s staff (caduceus). Invented the lyre & fire. Son of Zeus & Maia. Father of Tyche & Autolycus & sometimes credited as the father of Pan. Bachelor. Latin: Mercury.

Aphrodite

Goddess of Love, Beauty, & Sexuality. Olympian. Daughter of Zeus & Dione, according to Homer. (According to Hesiod, however, she was born from sea-foam & is actually the daughter of Ouranos.) Wife of Hephaistos. Carried on long-standing affair with Ares. Mother of Eros, Phobos, & Deimos by Ares, as well as Tyche, Priapus, & Aeneas. Latin: Venus.

Hera

Queen of the Gods. Goddess of Marriage & Motherhood. Olympian. Symbol: peacock feather. Daughter of Kronos & Rhea. Sister of Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Demeter, & Hestia. Wife of Zeus. Mother of Ares, Hephaistos, Hebe, & Eris. Latin: Juno.

Ares

God of War (the violent, bloodthirsty aspect). Olympian. Symbols: helmet, spear, dog, & vulture. Characterized by the Greeks as cowardly & malicious. The Romans, however, held Ares (Mars) in greater esteem. Son of Zeus & Hera. Brother of Hephaistos, Hebe, & Eris. Carried on long-standing affair with Aphrodite. Father of Eros, Phobos, Deimos, the Dragon of Thebes (slain by Kadmos), the Amazons—Hippolyte, Antiope, Melanippe, & Penthesilea—King Diomedes of Thrace (slain by Herakles during the Eighth Labor), & Meleagros (according to some sources). Latin: Mars.

Demeter

Goddess of the Harvest. Olympian. Symbol: poppy. Daughter of Kronos & Rhea. Sister of Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, & Hestia. Never married. Mother of Persephone (Kore) & Arion. Latin: Ceres.

Artemis

Goddess of the Hunt, Animals, & Forest. Olympian. Symbols: deer, hunting dog, asphodel, & cypress. Wields the bow & has several great hunting dogs (a gift from Pan) & a chariot pulled by four gold-horned hinds (Elaphoi Khrysokeroi). Daughter of Zeus & Leto. Twin sister of Apollo. One of three Olympian goddesses to remain chaste. Latin: Diana.

Hephaistos

God of Smiths, Metallurgy, & Fire. Only Olympian who is either lame or ugly. Symbols: anvil, hammer, & tongs. Son of Zeus & Hera. Brother of Ares, Hebe, & Eris. Husband of Aphrodite. Latin: Vulcan.

Hestia

Goddess of the Hearth. Olympian, but resigned when Dionysos joined to avoid having 13 Olympians & reinstated when Herakles ascended for the same reason. Daughter of Kronos & Rhea. Sister of Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, & Demeter. One of three Olympian goddesses to remain a virgin. Latin: Vesta.

Dionysos

God of Wine. Olympian. Conferred the Midas touch on King Midas. Bears thyrsos (a staff of fennel topped with a pine cone). Attended by Maenads & Satyrs. Often portrayed riding a leopard, wearing leopard skin, or driving a panther-drawn chariot. Son of Zeus & Semele. Because Semele was destroyed while Dionysos was still gestating, Zeus sewed the semi-divine fetus into one of his calves, from which Dionysos was born. Father of Priapus & Deianeira (according to some). Husband of Ariadne. Latin: Bacchus. [Modern philosophy tends to pose Dionysos (& his cult & religions based on similar ideals) as the opposite of Apollo & Apollonian faiths.]

Herakles

Paragon of demigods & heroes. King of Argos. Olympian god after his death. Bears a lion skin & wild-olive club. Son of Zeus & Alkmene. Twin brother of Iphikles, whose father was Amphitryon, Alkmene’s mortal husband. Performed the Twelve Labors in penance for slaying Megara & her children in a berserk frenzy. Herakles’ companion & charioteer was his nephew Iolaus. For a time, Hylas served as Herakles’ shield-bearer. Herakles personally slew the Nemean Lion, the Hydra, the Stymphalian Birds, Geryon, Orthos, Antaeus, the eagle that tortured Prometheus, & six of the Gigantes (Alkyoneus, Damysos, Ephialtes, Peloros, Porphyrion, & Theodamas). Husband of Megara, Omphale, Deianeira (sister of Meleagros), & Hebe. Latin: Hercules.

Pan

God of Satyrs, Shepherds, Flocks, Forests, Fields, & Music. Pan is alternately reported as the son of Kronos, Zeus, Hermes, or Dionysos. His mother is usually claimed as a nymph. Latin: Faunus.

Hekate

Goddess of Magic & Crossroads. Daughter of second-generation Titans Perses & Asteria. Latin: Hecate.

Gaia

Primordial Goddess of Earth. Daughter of Chaos. Sister of Tartaros, Erebos, & Nyx. Mother of Ouranos, Pontos, Ourea (mountains), the Titans, the Cyclopes (original), the Hekatonkheires, the Gigantes, the Erinyes (Furies), the Meliai, Nereus, Thaumas, Phorkys, Keto, Eurybia, Typhon, Antaeus, Charybdis, &, possibly, Echidna. Latin: Terra.

Ouranos

Primordial God of Sky. Son of Gaia. Brother of Pontos & Ourea. Banished his ugly children, the Cyclopes & the Hekatonkheires, to the depths of Tartaros, which proved to be his undoing. Father of the Titans, the Cyclopes (original), the Hekatonkheires, the Gigantes, the Erinyes (Furies), & the Meliae. Latin: Caelus.

Tartaros

Abyss within & below Hades in which the wicked are punished. Also the primordial deity of this place. Son of Chaos. Brother of Gaia, Erebos, & Nyx. Father of Typhon (& Echidna, by some accounts). Latin: Tartarus.

Kronos

King of the Titans upon castrating his father, Ouranos. Titan. Ousted from power by his own children aided by his brothers, the Cyclopes & the Hekatonkheires. Banished to Tartaros with most of the Titans. Wields a sickle. Son of Ouranos & Gaia. Brother of the other Titans, the Cyclopes (original), the Hekatonkheires, the Gigantes, the Erinyes (Furies), & the Meliae. Husband of Titaness Rhea. Father of Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Demeter, Hestia, Chiron, &, by some accounts, Pan. Latin: Saturn.

Prometheus

Forethought. Second-generation Titan. By some accounts, the creator of mankind & by all accounts the being who gave culture, technology, & civilization to humanity by way of fire & various arts & sciences. For theft of the fire of the gods, Zeus sentenced Prometheus to be eternally chained to a rock in the Caucasus, where his liver is eaten out daily by a monstrous eagle. Herakles eventually freed Prometheus. Son of Titan Iapetos & Oceanid Klymene (or Asia). Brother of Atlas, Epimetheus, and Menoetius. Latin: Prometheus.

Atlas

Second-generation Titan & perhaps the strongest & most vicious. After the victory of the Olympians in the Titanomachy, Zeus reserved a special punishment for Atlas, i.e. that he would be forever condemned to hold the sky apart from Earth. (This role is often misrepresented as holding the Earth on his shoulders.) Son of Titan Iapetos & Oceanid Klymene (or Asia). Brother of Prometheus, Epimetheus, and Menoetius. Father of the Hesperides, the Pleiades (including Maia), the Hyades, & Calypso. Latin: Atlas.

Okeanos

Titan of the world-girdling river-ocean. Did not side with his brothers in the Titanomachy, nor did he aid Kronos against Ouranos. Son of Ouranos & Gaia. Brother of the other Titans, the Cyclopes (original), the Hekatonkheires, the Gigantes, the Erinyes (Furies), & the Meliae. Husband of Titaness Tethys. Father of the 3,000 Oceanides (nymphs of streams, breezes, clouds, & rain—including Metis & Dione), the Potamoi (river-gods), & Kerkopes (monkeys). Latin: Oceanus.

Persephone

Queen of the Underworld. Daughter of Zeus & Demeter. Wife of Hades. Latin: Proserpina.

Helios

Second-generation Titan of the sun. Son of Titans Hyperion & Theia. Brother of Selene (the Moon) & Eos (the Dawn). Father of Circe, Aeetes, Pasiphae, Phaethon, & Augeas (whose stables Herakles cleaned during the Fifth Labor). Latin: Sol (Invictus).

Eos

Second-generation Titaness of dawn. Daughter of Titans Hyperion & Theia. Sister of Helios & Selene. Consorted with a youth named Tithonos, whom Eos petitioned the gods for immortality, which he was granted. However, Eos forgot to request eternal youth; so Tithonos, once young, vital, & virile, with time diminished into a shrunken & shriveled grasshopper. Mother of the Anemoi (Boreas, Zephyros, Notos, & Euros) & the Astra. Latin: Aurora.

Nereus

God of the Aegean Sea. Son of Pontos & Gaia. Brother of Thaumas, Phorkys, Keto, & Eurybia. Husband of Oceanid nymph Doris. Father of the 50 Nereides (sea-nymphs, including Thetis & Amphitrite). Latin: Nereus.

Thetis

Nereid. Daughter of Nereus & Doris. Sister of the 49 other Nereides, including Amphitrite. Because Thetis was destined to give birth to a son greater than his father, neither Zeus nor Poseidon wished to marry her. Eris threw a golden apple inscribed “to the fairest” into the crowd at the wedding of Peleus & Thetis. This apple was the ultimate cause of the Trojan War. Wife of Peleus. Mother of Achilles. Latin: Thetis.

Leto

Second-generation Titaness. Daughter of Titans Koios & Phoibe. Sister of Asteria. Mother of Apollo & Artemis. Latin: Latona.

Metis

Oceanid daughter of Titans Okeanos & Tethys. Sister of the 3,000 other Oceanides (including Dione), the Potamoi (river-gods), & Kerkopes (monkeys). Mother of Athene. Latin: Metis.

Dione

Oceanid daughter of Titans Okeanos & Tethys. Sister of the 3,000 other Oceanides (including Metis), the Potamoi (river-gods), & Kerkopes (monkeys). Mother of Aphrodite. Latin: Dione.

Maia

Eldest of the Pleiades, the seven daughters of Atlas & Pleione. Daughter of Titan Atlas & Oceanid Pleione. Sister of the six other Pleiades. Mother of Hermes.

Eris

Goddess of Strife & Discord. Daughter of Zeus & Hera. Sister of Hephaistos, Ares, & Hebe. Often accompanies Ares over the battlefields. Eris threw a golden apple inscribed “to the fairest” into the crowd at the wedding of Peleus & Thetis, which led to the Judgment of Paris, &, ultimately, the Trojan War. Latin: Discordia.

*

Eros

Mythological Groups & Events

Titans

Elder gods. First-generation Titans were the six sons & six daughters of Gaia & Ouranos—Kronos, Hyperion, Okeanos, Iapetos, Koios, Krios, Rhea, Theia, Tethys, Phoibe, Mnemosyne, & Themis. The conflict between the younger Olympian gods & the Titans for supremacy of the Universe is called the Titanomachy. A later war between the Olympians & a different group of children of Gaia & Ouranos—the Gigantes—is known as the Gigantomachy. Conflation of the Titanomachy with the Gigantomachy has led to the widespread misperception of the Titans as gigantic in stature. The second-generation Titans consist of the children of Hyperion & Theia (Eos, Helios, & Selene), the sons of Iapetos (Atlas, Prometheus, Epimetheus, & Menoetius), the daughters of Koios & Phoibe (Leto & Asteria), & the sons of Krios (Astraios, Pallas, & Perses). Latin: Titans.

Fates (Moirai)

Three goddesses who spin, measure, & cut the threads of destiny for all. Some sources posit Zeus & Titaness Themis as their parents, while others claim them children of Nyx alone. Clotho is the spinner, while Lakhesis measures & Atropos cuts. The Fates assisted the Olympians in the Gigantomachy, actually killing two of the Gigantes. Latin: Parcae or Fatae (Nona, Decima, & Morta).

Gigantes

100 enormous sons Gaia & Ouranos. The Gigantes named in ancient sources are Alkyoneus (the leader), Porphyrion (second-in-command), Enkelados, Agrios, Klytios, Damysos, Ephialtes, Eurytos, Gration, Hippolytos, Mimas, Otos, Pallas, Peloros, Polybotes, Theodamas, Thoon, Aigaion, Emphytos, Rhoikos, Theomises, Eurymedon, Khthonion, Pankrates, Oranion, Euphorbos, Euboios, Euryalos, Hyperbios, & Agasthenes. Gaia, angry over the Olympians’ imprisonment of the Titans incited the Gigantes into the rebellion known as the Gigantomachy. A prophecy proclaimed that the Olympians would not prevail without the assistance of Herakles in this war. Herakles slew six of the Gigantes, granting the Olympians victory. Latin: Gigantes.

Cyclopes

Three enormous, one-eyed sons of Gaia & Ouranos—Brontes, Steropes, & Arges—who helped Kronos overthrow Ouranos &, in turn assisted Zeus & the Olympians in overthrowing the Titans. The Cyclopes fashioned the thunderbolt for Zeus, as well as Poseidon’s trident, & Hades’ Helm of Darkness. Odysseus encountered a younger group of Cyclopes. These monsters were led by Polyphemos, the son of Poseidon & the Nereid Thoosa. Latin: Cyclopes.

Mousai

Nine goddesses of music, art, & science. Daughters of Zeus & Titaness Mnemosyne. The Muses were Calliope (epic poetry), Clio (history), Erato (lyric poetry), Euterpe (music & elegiac poetry), Melpomene (tragedy), Polyhymnia (religious poetry), Terpsichore (dance), Thalia (comedy), & Urania (astronomy). Latin: Musae.

Hekatonkheires

Three enormous, 100-handed, 50-headed sons of Gaia & Ouranos—Briareos, Kottos, & Gyges. As he did with his monstrous children, the Cyclopes, so Ouranos also imprisoned the still more bizarre Hekatonkheires within the bowels of Tartaros. Unlike their brothers, the Cyclopes, the Hekatonkheires did not assist Kronos in his ascendency, but the 100-Handed Ones did help Zeus oust the former regime. Latin: Hecatoncheires.

Erinyes

Three winged daughters of Gaia & Ouranos. By name, Alekto, Megaira, & Tisiphone, the Erinyes (or Eumenides) punished conspicuous breeches of morality, i.e. homicide, perjury, & children mistreating their parents. Latin: Furiae (Furies) or Dirae.

Dryades

Tree nymphs. Many types of Dryades existed in Greek myth—Hamadryades (oak & poplar), Oreiades (mountain forests, especially pines), Meliai (ash), Daphnaie (laurel), Aigeiroi (black poplar), Ampeloi (grape vine), Balanis (ilex), Karyai (hazel-nut), Kraneiai (cherry-tree), Moreai (mulberry), Pteleai (elm), Sykei (fig), Alseides (sacred groves), Aulonides (glens), Napaiai (vales), & Epimeliad (apple). Latin: Dryades.

Meliai

Ash-tree nymphs. Daughters of Gaia & Ouranos. Meliai nursed Zeus when he was an infant. Latin: Meliae.

Oceanides

Nymphs of springs & fountains (Naiades), cloud-nymphs (Nephelai), breeze-nymphs (Aurai), pasture nymphs (Leimonides), & flower nymphs (Anthousai). The 3,000 Oceanides were the daughters of Titans Okeanos & Tethys & included Metis, Dione, & Pleione. Latin: Oceanides.

Nereides

Sea-nymphs (Haliades), especially the Aegean Sea. The 50 Nereides were the daughters of Nereus & Oceanid nymph Doris & included Thetis & Amphitrite. Latin: Nereids.

Hesperides

Goddesses of the evening (or Western Maidens). Three daughters of Titan Atlas & Hesperis named Aigle, Erytheia, & Hesperia. The Hesperides tended an orchard belonging to Hera, later identified as the Garden of the Hesperides, which contained golden apples of immortality. Herakles secured some apples of the Hesperides as part of his Eleventh Labor. Latin: Hesperides.

Pleiades

Seven companions of Artemis. Daughters of Titan Atlas & Oceanid Pleione named Maia, Elektra, Taygete, Alcyone, Celaeno, Sterope, & Merope. Latin: Vergiliae.

Hyades

Five daughters of Titan Atlas & Oceanid Pleione named Aesyle, Ambrosia, Kleeia, Koronis, Eudore, Pedile, Phaio, Phyto, & Polyxo. Like their sisters, the Pleiades, the Hyades also became a constellation. Latin: Suculae.

Centauroi

Savage race of monsters with the torso & arms of a man & the body (minus the head & neck) of a horse. The Centauroi were the progeny of Ixion & Nephele, except the wise teacher of heroes, Chiron, who was the son of Titan Kronos & Oceanid Philyra. Herakles, Theseus, & Meleagros all had celebrated battles with Centauroi. Latin: Centauri.

Satyroi

Rustic wilderness spirits who looked like bestial men & kept company with rustic gods, such as Dionysos, Pan, & Hermes. Originally, Greek Satyrs had the appearance of men with pointed ears, full beards, upturned, flat noses, & the tails of donkeys. Later conflation with Pan & Roman fauns gave the incorrect, modern version of the Satyr as half-man, half-goat. Silenus, the wisest of the Satyroi, was the constant companion & tutor of Dionysos. Classical sources differ as to the parentage of the Satyroi, alternately claiming Hermes, Pan, or Silenus as their sire. Latin: Fauni.

Gorgons

Three monstrous sisters—Stheno, Euryale, & Medusa—with golden wings, brazen claws, the tusks of boars, & venomous snakes for hair, whose gaze turned men to stone. Of the three, only Medusa was mortal (& slain by the demigod Perseus). Some sources posit the Gorgons as always monstrous, while some claim their appearance as a curse from Athene for Medusa’s copulation with Poseidon in the goddess’ temple. Daughters of Phorkys & Keto. Sisters of the Graiai & Echidna. Medusa was the mother of Pegasos & Khrysaor. Latin: Gorgons.

Graiai

Three mysterious, gray sisters—Deino, Enyo, & Pemphredo—with a single eye & tooth to share among them. The demigod Perseus confronted the Graiai to obtain the location of Medusa. Daughters of Phorkys & Keto. Sisters of the Gorgons & Echidna. Latin: Graeae.

Sirens

Three bird-women whose voices were magically compelling. The Sirens— Thelxinoe, Molpe, Aglaophonos—lived on the rocky, flowered isle of Anthemoessa. Sailors passing by heard their enchanting songs & met their demise on the rocks trying to reach the source of the melody. The Argonauts & Odysseus both encountered the Sirens. The creatures committed suicide after Odysseus succeeded in passing them. Daughters of river-god Akheloios & Muse Melpomene. Sirens were later conflated with Naiads & mermaids so that the originally avian monsters became aquatic & fishlike. Latin: Sireni.

Harpies

Three bird-women who personified storm winds & plagued people by snatching them & their possessions away, particularly food. The Argonauts encountered & banished the Harpies—Aello, Podarge, & Okypete—while in Thrace. Daughters of Thaumas & Oceanid Elektra. Sisters of Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow. Latin: Harpiae.

Charites

Three goddesses of grace, beauty, dance, & song. Daughters of Zeus & Oceanid Eurynome. The Charites—Aglaia, Euphrosyne, & Thaleia— were attendants of Aphrodite & Hera. Latin: Gratiae (Graces).

Horai

Three goddesses of the seasons, agriculture, justice, order, &, sometimes, guardians of the gates of Olympos. Daughters of Zeus & Titaness Themis. The Horai were Eunomia (Good Order), Eirene (Peace, Spring), and Dike (Justice). Latin: Horae.

Amazons

Race of warrior women living on the island of Themiscyra. Principal queens were the sisters Hippolyte, Antiope, Melanippe, & Penthesilea, daughters of Ares & Otrera. Herakles obtained the magic girdle of Hippolyte for his Ninth Labor. Theseus accompanied Herakles & married either Hippolyte or Antiope afterward.

Argonauts

Band of Greek heroes led by Jason who sailed in the Argo to the island of Colchis to retrieve the Golden Fleece. Lists usually include Asklepios, Atalanta, Castor & Polydeuces, Herakles, Hylas, Iolaus, Laertes, Meleagros, Neleus, Nestor, Orpheus, Peleus, Telamon, Theseus, Zetes, & Calais.

Calydonian Boar Hunt

Band of Greek heroes led by Meleagros (Prince of Calydon) who united to kill the Calydonian Boar which ravaged the regions around Calydon. Lists usually include Asklepios, Atalanta, Castor & Polydeuces, Iolaus, Laertes, Nestor, Peleus, Telamon, & Theseus.

(Twelve) Labors of Herakles

Herakles performed the Twelve Labors in penance for slaying Megara & her children in a berserk frenzy induced by Hera. The Delphic Oracle advised him to serve his cousin, King Eurystheus, for 12 years during which Eurystheus set 10 Labors for him. Eurystheus found a pretext for not accepting two of the Labors, which required an additional two of Herakles. These are the Twelve Labors: 1) Slaying the Nemean Lion, 2) Slaying the nine-headed Lernaean Hydra, 3) Capturing the Golden Hind of Artemis, 4) Capturing the Erymanthian Boar, 5) Cleaning the Augean stables in a single day, 6) Slaying the Stymphalian Birds, 7) Capturing the Cretan Bull, 8) Stealing the Mares of Diomedes, 9) Obtaining the girdle of Hippolyte, Queen of the Amazons, 10) Obtaining the cattle of the monster Geryon, 11) Stealing the apples of the Hesperides, 12) Capturing & bringing back Cerberus.

Greek Heroes

Theseus

Hero or demigod. King of Athens. Second only to Herakles as a pre-Trojan War hero. Son of Aegeus (Poseidon, by some accounts) & Aethra. Abducted young Helen with Pirithous. Rescued from Hades by Herakles. Undertook an expedition to the Amazons with Herakles. Participated in the Quest for the Golden Fleece & the Calydonian Boar Hunt. Theseus personally slew the Minotaur, Sinis (Pityokamptes), the Crommyonian Sow, Sciron, Cercyon, & Procrustes. Husband of Ariadne, Hippolyte (or Antiope), & Phaedra. Latin: Theseus.

Perseus

Demigod. Founder & King of Mycenae. Son of Zeus & Danae. Athene & Hermes assisted Perseus in slaying Medusa by helping him to obtain Hades’ Helm of Darkness, Hermes’ winged sandals (talaria), a magic sword, & a polished shield. Perseus also slew Ketos (the sea-monster of Ethiopia). By some accounts, turned Atlas to stone. Great-grandfather of Herakles. Husband of Andromeda. Latin: Perseus.

Jason

Hero. King of Iolchus. Son of Aeson & Alcimede. Mentored by Chiron. Led the Argonauts on an expedition to recover the Golden Fleece from Colchis. In accordance with King Aeetes’ requirements, Jason plowed a field with the Khalkotauroi (two brazen, fire-breathing bulls), sowed the field with dragon’s teeth, defeated the men (Spartoi) grown from the teeth, & slew the dragon guarding the Golden Fleece. Husband of Medea. Latin: Jason.

Bellerophontes

Hero or demigod. King of Lycia. Son of Glaucus (Poseidon, according to some) & Eurymede. Tamed & rode the winged horse, Pegasos, slew the Chimaira, & subdued the Amazons. Grandfather of Sarpedon (of Lycia). Husband of Philonoe. Latin: Bellerophon.

Meleagros

Hero or demigod. Prince of Calydon. Son of Oineus (or Ares) & Althaea. Leader of the Calydonian Boar Hunt & ultimate slayer of the Calydonian Boar. Also slew two Centaurs as well as one of his own brothers & an uncle during the Hunt. Had a brief affair with Atalanta. Brother of Deianeira & half-brother of Tydeus, & thus, uncle of Diomedes. Husband of Cleopatra. Latin: Meleager.

Atalanta

Heroine. Princess of Boeotia (or Arcadia, according to some). Daughter of Schoeneus. Exposed at birth, suckled by a bear, & raised by hunters. Slew two Centaurs who attempted to outrage her. Participated in the Quest for the Golden Fleece (according to some) & the Calydonian Boar Hunt. First to wound the Calydonian Boar & awarded the prize by Meleagros (with whom some say she slept by way of thanks). Swore only to marry a man who could beat her in a footrace. Eventually, Melanion (or Hippomenes) won this race by distracting Atalanta with three golden apples (given to him by Aphrodite) thrown at her feet. Mother of Parthenopaios. Wife of Melanion. Latin: Atalanta.

Kadmos

Hero. Founder & King of Thebes. Son of Agenor & Telephassa. Personally slew the Dragon of Thebes (a son of Ares). Brother of Europa & Phoenix. Father of Semele & grandfather of Dionysos. Husband of Harmonia. Latin: Cadmus.

Orpheus

Demigod. Son of Oeagrus & the Muse Calliope. Taught by Apollo to sing & play the lyre. As an Argonaut, instrumental in the band’s success in passing the Sirens. When Euridice died, Orpheus travelled to Hades to plead with Hades & Persephone for his wife’s life. The gods consented, but Orpheus proved faithless, & turning to ensure Eurdice was behind him, lost her forever. Husband of Euridice. Latin: Orpheus.

Orion

Demigod. Son of Poseidon and Euryale (daughter of King Minos). Blinded by King Oenopion (a son of Theseus) for the rape of his daughter, Merope. Aided by Hephaistos, & finally healed by Asklepios or Helios. Comrade or lover of Artemis and/or Eos. Killed by giant scorpion sent by Artemis or Gaia. Latin: Orion.

Achilles

Demigod. Prince of the Myrmidons. Son of Peleus & Thetis. At the wedding of his parents, the goddess Eris threw a golden apple inscribed “to the fairest” into the crowd, which led to the Judgment of Paris, &, ultimately, the Trojan War. Greatest of the Greek warriors assembled against Troy. Raised by immortal Centaur Chiron. Possessed armor forged by Hephaistos. Aias committed suicide for losing a contest for this armor to Odysseus. Personally slew Hector, Penthesilea, Troilus, Memnon (son of Eos & Tithonos). Slain by Alexandros (Paris). According to much later tradition, invulnerable except for his heel. Nephew of Telamon. Cousin of Aias. Father of Neoptolemus. Latin: Achilles.

Odysseus

Hero. King of Ithaca. Son of Laertes (some say Sisyphus) & Anticlea. One of the greatest Greek warriors assembled against Troy (along with Achilles, Aias, & Diomedes), & probably the wisest. Won Achilles’ armor at the hero’s funeral games. Joined with Diomedes to conduct several crucial missions during the Trojan War. Conceived of the Trojan Horse, which finally brought an end to the 10 years’ war. Spent 10 more years wandering at sea before reaching Ithaca, losing all of his surviving men in the process. Blinded the cyclops Polyphemos & navigated by the Sirens & Scylla & Charybdis. Slew the suitors of Penelope before reuniting with his wife & reclaiming his throne. Had long affairs with Calypso (seven years) & Circe (one year). Grandson of Autolycus. Great-grandson of Olympian Hermes. Father of Telemachos & Telegonus. Husband of Penelope. Latin: Ulysses.

Hector

Hero. Prince of Troy. Son of Priam & Hecuba. Greatest of the warriors on the side of Troy. Fought Aias to a stalemate & presented his sword to the Greek as a gift. Slew Achilles’ comrade Patroclus, who was wearing Achilles’ armor at the time, in return for the slaying of Sarpedon (of Lycia). Slain by Achilles & dragged round the walls of Troy in revenge. Brother of Troilus, Alexandros (Paris), Cassandra, Deiphobos, & Helenus. Husband of Andromache. Latin: Hector.

Diomedes

Hero. King of Argos. Son of Tydeus (half-brother of Meleagros) & Deipyle. One of the four greatest Greek warriors assembled against Troy. Defeated Aias, Hector, & Aeneas in non-lethal combat. Attacked & wounded Aphrodite, Apollo, & Ares with impunity. Frequently paired with Odysseus on essential, clandestine war missions & raids. Slew Pandarus & Xanthus. Nephew of both Meleagros & Deianeira. Latin: Diomedes.

Aeneas

Demigod. Dardanian Prince. Son of Anchises & Aphrodite. Probably the second best warrior of those who defended Troy. According to Virgil’s Aenied, the founder of Rome. Cousin of both Priam & Hector. Husband of Creusa & Lavinia. Latin: Aeneas.

Aias

Hero. King of Salamis. Son of Telemon & Periboea. One of the four greatest warriors arrayed against Troy & generally acknowledged to be the strongest. Raised by immortal Centaur Chiron. Committed suicide for losing to Odysseus a contest for Achilles’ armor, which was forged by Hephaistos. Cousin of Achilles. Half-brother of Teucer. Latin: Ajax.

Monsters

Typhon

Immortal, winged storm-giant with a human torso, 100 serpent heads, & 100 serpent tails for feet. Son of Gaia & Tartaros. Sent by Gaia to exact revenge on Zeus for imprisonment of the Titans & Gigantes. Typhon was victorious at first, removing & hiding Zeus’ sinews, setting a dragon (Delphyne) to guard them, & incapacitating the god. But Hermes restored his father’s sinews, & Zeus responded by trapping Typhon beneath Mt Etna. Father of Kerberos, Orthos, Chimaira, Nemean Lion, Hydra, & the Sphinx. Husband of Echidna. Latin: Typhon.

Echidna

Half-nymph, half-serpent. Daughter of Phorkys & Keto. Mother of Kerberos, Orthos, Chimaira, Nemean Lion, Hydra, & the Sphinx. Wife of Typhon. Latin: Echidna.

Minotaur

Man-eating monster with the head of a bull & the body of a man. Son of Pasiphae (Minos’ wife) & the Cretan Bull. Imprisoned by Minos & Daedalus in the Labyrinth. Slain by Theseus.

Ladon

Dragon which guarded the golden apples on the tree in the Garden of the Hesperides. Son of Phorkys & Keto. Slain by Herakles. Latin: Ladon.

Kampe

Dragon which guarded the Hekatonkheires & Cyclopes in Tartaros. Slain by Zeus. Latin: Campe.

Delphyne

Dragon set by Typhon to guard Zeus’ sinews.

Argos Panoptes

100-eyed giant set by Hera to guard the naiad Io, whom Zeus had transformed into a cow. Son of Arestor. Slew Echidna. Slain by Hermes. Latin: Argus.

Geryon

Three-bodied, four-winged giant who owned a fabulous herd of red cattle guarded by the hound Orthos. Son of Khrysaor & Callirrhoe. Nephew of Pegasos. Grandson of Medusa & Poseidon. Slain by Herakles during his 10th Labor. Latin: Geryon.

Chiron

Immortal Centaur of surpassing wisdom who trained & tutored many Greek heroes in their youth, including Asklepios, Aias, Aeneas, Theseus, Achilles, Jason, Peleus, Telamon, & Perseus. Son of Kronos & Oceanid Philyra. Herakles accidentally wounded the Centaur with a Hydra-blood-treated arrow, & Chiron, in agony, volunteered to trade his immortality for the life of Prometheus. Father of Hippe, Endeis, Ocyrhoe, and Carystus. Husband of naiad Chariclo. Latin: Chiron.

Nessos

Centaur slain by Herakles for attempting to violate Deianeira. Son of Centauros. Before dying, Nessos persuaded the demigod’s wife that Nessos’ blood�now tainted with that of the Hydra�would keep Herakles’ fidelity. One day, Deianeira gave Herakles a tunic with Nessos’ blood to wear. Upon donning the shirt, the Hydra’s blood burned & tormented Herakles so much that he asked Zeus to end his immortal life. Zeus brought his son to Olympos as a god. Latin: Nessus.

Pegasos

Winged horse. Son of Poseidon & Medusa. Born from Medusa’s body when Perseus severed her head. Tamed & ridden by Bellerophon in his assault on the Chimaira. Brother of Khrysaor. Latin: Pegasus.

Python

Dragon which harried Leto (at Hera’s behest) while she was in labor with Apollo & Artemis. Son of Gaia. Slain by Apollo. Latin: Python.

Charon

Underworld deity who ferries the dead across the Acheron river to Hades in his skiff. Son of Erebos & Nyx. Latin: Charon.

Polyphemos

Lesser Cyclops. Son of Poseidon & Thoosa. Blinded by Odysseus. Latin: Polyphemus.

Talos

Gigantic, bronze mechanical man who guarded the shores of Crete. Forged by Hephaistos (some say Daedalus). Deactivated by Medea. Latin: Talos.

Lamia

Child-devouring monster. Queen of Libya. Daughter of Belos. Had an affair with Zeus. When Hera murdered her children by the King of the Gods, Lamia went insane, eating her other offspring & other children as well. Sometimes said to have the lower body of a snake & to have qualities of vampires or succubi. Granddaughter of Posiedon. Latin: Lamia.

Stymphalian Birds

Flock of man-eating birds with bronze beaks & metallic feathers which they flung at those they attacked. Lived near Lake Stymphalis in Arcadia. Herakles shot them with his bow as his Sixth Labor. Latin: Ornithes Stymphalides.

Other People

Helen

Demigod. Princess of Sparta/Troy. Daughter of Zeus & Leda. Zeus visited Leda as a swan. Leda conceived & bore two eggs, one containing Zeus’ children�Helen & Polydeuces�and one containing King Tyndareus’ offspring�Castor & Clytemnestra. Theseus abducted Helen as a child, but her brothers rescued her. As a young woman, Helen had a host of royal suitors. Not wishing to offend any, her foster father, King Tyndareus, under advisement of Odysseus, had each suitor swear to uphold Tyndareus’ selection under force of arms. Tyndareus then chose Menelaos & further supported Odysseus in his suit for Penelope’s hand. Later, Alexandros (Paris), a Prince of Troy, abducted Helen & brought her to Troy, because Aphrodite had promised Helen to him in exchange for Alexandros’ judgment of Aphrodite as more beautiful than Hera or Athene. This resulted in the Trojan War, as Helen’s suitors complied with their oath to Tyndareus. Sister of Polydeuces. Half-sister of Castor & Clytemnestra. Mother of Hermione. Wife of Menelaos.

Medea

Enchantress, Princess of Colchis, & Priestess of Hekate. Daughter of King Aeetes & Oceanid Eidyia. Assisted Jason in plowing a field with the Khalkotauroi (two brazen, fire-breathing bulls), sowing the field with dragon’s teeth, defeating the men (Spartoi) grown from the teeth, & slaying the dragon guarding the Golden Fleece. Further assisted the Argonauts in their escape from Colchis by murdering her own brother & cutting him to bits. Assisted the Argonauts in passing Crete by defeating the island’s guardian, the bronze giant, Talos, by contriving to cause him to bleed to death. Tricked Pelias’ daughters into slaying their father. When scorned by Jason for a Corinthian princess, killed the princess as well as Medea’s own two sons by Jason. Flew to Athens in a gold chariot driven by dragons & attempted to poison Theseus upon his arrival. Granddaughter of Titans Okeanos, Tethys, & Helios. Granddaughter of Oceanid Perseis. Sister of Absyrtus. Niece of Circe & Pasiphae. Wife of Jason & Aegeus.

Aeetes

King of Colchis. Son of Titan Helios & Oceanid Perseis. Agreed to grant Jason the Golden Fleece if he succeeded in plowing a field with the Khalkotauroi (two brazen, fire-breathing bulls), sowing the field with dragon’s teeth, defeating the men (Spartoi) grown from the teeth, & slaying the dragon guarding the Golden Fleece. Grandson of Titans Okeanos, Tethys, Hyperion & Theia. Father of Absyrtus & Medea. Brother of Circe & Pasiphae. Husband of Oceanid Eidyia.

Circe

Goddess/sorceress ruler of Aeaea. Daughter of Titan Helios & Oceanid Perseis. In the habit of transforming people into lions, wolves, & pigs. Became Odysseus’ lover for one year, after he persuaded her to change his men back into their original form. Granddaughter of Titans Okeanos, Tethys, Hyperion & Theia. Aunt of Absyrtus & Medea. Sister of Aeetes. Mother of Telegonus.

Minos

Demigod. King of Crete. Son of Zeus & Europa. Required King Aegeus to send seven youths & seven maids every nine years to be placed in the Labyrinth as food for the Minotaur. Upon his death became, along with Aeacus & his brother Rhadamanthys one of the judges of the dead in Hades. Father of Ariadne & Phaedra. Brother of Sarpedon (of Crete), & Rhadamanthys. Nephew of Kadmos. Husband of Pasiphae. Brother-in-law of King Aeetes.

Ariadne

Princess of Crete. Daughter of King Minos & Pasiphae. With the help of Daedalus, assisted Theseus in slaying the Minotaur & escaping the Labyrinth. Abandoned by Theseus on Naxos where Dionysos found & wed her. Mother of Oenopion, Staphylus, & Thoas. Sister of Phaedra. Half-sister of the Minotaur. Wife of Dionysos.

Daedalus

Athenian inventor, craftsman, & engineer. Son of Metion & Alcippe. Constructed the Labyrinth for King Minos in order to imprison the Minotaur. By some accounts, also constructed the bronze giant Talos, the guardian of Crete. Imprisoned by Minos after giving Ariadne a ball of string for Theseus to use in navigating the Labyrinth. Crafted wings of feathers & wax for himself & his son, Icarus to escape Crete. Icarus flew too close to the sun, the wax in his wings melted, & the youth plunged into the sea. Father of Icarus.

Agamemnon

King of Mycenae. Son of King Atreus & Queen Aerope. Leader of the Achaian army during the siege of Troy. Father of Electra & Orestes. Brother of Menelaos. Husband of Clytemnestra.

Alexandros

Prince of Troy. Son of Priam & Hecuba. Awarded the golden apple inscribed “to the fairest” to Aphrodite in exchange for Helen, precipitating the Trojan War. (In the process, Alexandros declined the land & power offered by Hera & wisdom & skill proffered by Athene.) Slew Achilles with bow & arrow. Slain by Philoctetes. Brother of Hector, Troilus, Cassandra, Deiphobos, & Helenus. Husband of Oenone. Latin: Paris.

Calypso

Nymph who dwelt on the island of Ogygia. Daughter of Atlas. Odysseus stayed with her for the final seven years of his 10-year wanderings from Troy to Ithaca after losing all of his men & ships.

Melampus

Seer, Healer, & King of Argos. Son of Amythaon. His ears were licked clean by serpents, bestowing the comprehension of the speech of animals, which therefore allowed him to foretell the future & concoct various cures & remedies. Brother of Bias.

Asklepios

Demigod & Healer. Son of Apollo & Koronis. Slain by Zeus either for charging a fee to resurrect the dead or because Hades feared that he would gain too few new subjects. Some sources claim Zeus later resurrected him as a god. Father of Hygieia, Iaso, Aceso, Aigle, Panacea, & Machaon. Husband of Epione. Latin: Aesculapius.

Tiresias

Blind Seer. Son of Everes & nymph Chariclo. Given power of prophecy by Athene who had stricken him with blindness for seeing the goddess naked. Transformed into a woman by Hera for striking a pair of mating snakes. Counselor to Kadmos, Oedipus, &, as a shade in Hades, to Odysseus.

Oedipus

King of Thebes. Son of King Laius & Queen Jocasta. Unknowingly killed his father on the road while traveling to Thebes. Continuing, encountered the Sphinx, solved her riddle (whereafter she killed herself), & was proclaimed king of Thebes out of gratitude. As king, given Jocasta in marriage. An oracle had foretold before Oedipus’ birth that he would kill his father & marry his mother. Father (and half-brother) of Eteocles, Polynices, Antigone, & Ismene. Husband of Jocasta.

Midas

King of Phrygia. Son of Gordias. Given the gift of the golden touch by Dionysos in return for aiding the Satyr Silenus. Stripped of the gift by Dionysos, upon request, when the king realized he would starve to death. Called upon to act as one of the judges in a contest of musical skill between Apollo & Pan. Given the ears of an ass by Apollo in punishment for being the single dissenting vote against the Olympian.

Adonis

Son of Phoenix & Alphesiboea. Beautiful youth loved by both Aphrodite & Persephone. Killed by a wild boar sent by either Artemis or Ares.

Niobe

Queen of Thebes. Daughter of Tantalus & Dione. Bragged that she was greater than Leto, because Niobe had fourteen children, whereas Leto had only two. Subsequently, Leto’s two children, Apollo & Artemis, slew all 14 of Niobe’s offspring & transformed the proud queen into a rock. Wife of Amphion.

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