The main god of ancient Greece. Which Greek god are you? Closer to people

23.09.2019

This is a list of Gods of ancient Greece for general development :)

Hades God is the ruler of the realm of the dead.

Antey- the hero of myths, a giant, the son of Poseidon and the Earth of Gaia. The earth gave her son strength, thanks to which no one could cope with him.

Apollo- the god of sunlight. The Greeks portrayed him as a beautiful young man.

Ares- god of perfidious war, son of Zeus and Hera

Asclepius- the god of medical art, the son of Apollo and the nymph Coronis

Boreas- God north wind, son of the Titanides Astrea (starry sky) and Eos (morning dawn), brother of Zephyr and Not. Depicted as a winged, long-haired, bearded, powerful deity.

Bacchus One of the names of Dionysus.

Helios (Helium)- the god of the Sun, brother of Selene (goddess of the moon) and Eos (morning dawn). In late antiquity, he was identified with Apollo, the god of sunlight.

Hermes- the son of Zeus and Maya, one of the most ambiguous Greek gods. The patron of wanderers, crafts, trade, thieves. Possessing the gift of eloquence.

Hephaestus- the son of Zeus and Hera, the god of fire and blacksmithing. He was considered the patron saint of artisans.

Hypnos- deity of sleep, son of Nikta (Night). He was depicted as a winged youth.

Dionysus (Bacchus)- the god of viticulture and winemaking, the object of a number of cults and mysteries. He was depicted either as a fat elderly man, or as a young man with a wreath of grape leaves on his head.

Zagreus- god of fertility, son of Zeus and Persephone.

Zeus- the supreme god, the king of gods and people.

Zephyr- God west wind.

Iacchus- the god of fertility.

Kronos— titanium, younger son Gaia and Ouranos, father of Zeus. He ruled the world of gods and people and was overthrown from the throne by Zeus ..

Mom- the son of the goddess of the Night, the god of slander.

Morpheus- one of the sons of Hypnos, the god of dreams.

Nereus- the son of Gaia and Pontus, meek sea god.

Note- God south wind, depicted with a beard and wings.

Ocean- Titan, son of Gaia and Uranus, brother and husband of Tethys and father of all the rivers of the world.

Olympians- the supreme gods of the younger generation of Greek gods, led by Zeus, who lived on the top of Mount Olympus.

Pan- the forest god, the son of Hermes and Dryopa, a goat-legged man with horns. He was considered the patron saint of shepherds and small livestock.

Pluto- the god of the underworld, often identified with Hades, but unlike him, who owned not the souls of the dead, but riches underworld.

Plutus- the son of Demeter, the god who gives people wealth.

Pont- one of the older Greek deities, the offspring of Gaia, the god of the sea, the father of many titans and gods.

Poseidon- one of the Olympian gods, brother of Zeus and Hades, ruling over the sea element. Poseidon was also subject to the bowels of the earth,
he commanded storms and earthquakes.

Proteus- sea deity, son of Poseidon, patron of seals. Possessed the gift of reincarnation and prophecy.

satires- goat-legged creatures, demons of fertility.

Thanatos- the personification of death, the twin brother of Hypnos.

Titans- the generation of the Greek gods, the ancestors of the Olympians.

Typhon- a hundred-headed dragon, born of Gaia or a Hero. During the battle of the Olympians and the Titans, he was defeated by Zeus and imprisoned under the volcano Etna in Sicily.

Triton- the son of Poseidon, one of the sea deities, a man with a fish tail instead of legs, holding a trident and a twisted shell - a horn.

Chaos- an endless empty space from which at the beginning of time arose the most ancient gods of the Greek religion - Nikta and Erebus.

Chthonic gods - deities of the underworld and fertility, relatives of the Olympians. These included Hades, Hecate, Hermes, Gaia, Demeter, Dionysus, and Persephone.

cyclops- giants with one eye in the middle of the forehead, children of Uranus and Gaia.

Evre (Eur)- god of the southeast wind.

aeolus- lord of the winds

Erebus- the personification of the darkness of the underworld, the son of Chaos and the brother of the Night.

Eros (Eros) God of love, son of Aphrodite and Ares. AT ancient myths- a self-arisen force that contributed to the ordering of the world. Depicted as a winged youth (in the Hellenistic era - a boy) with arrows, accompanying his mother.

Ether- deity of the sky

Goddesses of ancient Greece

Artemis- Goddess of hunting and nature.

Atropos- one of the three moira, cutting the thread of fate and cutting off human life.

Athena (Pallas, Parthenos)- the daughter of Zeus, born from his head in full combat weapons. One of the most revered Greek goddesses, the goddess of just war and wisdom, the patroness of knowledge.

Aphrodite (Kythera, Urania)- Goddess of love and beauty. She was born from the marriage of Zeus and the goddess Dione (according to another legend, she came out of the sea foam)

Hebe- daughter of Zeus and Hera, goddess of youth. Sister of Ares and Ilithyia. She served the Olympian gods at feasts.

Hecate- the goddess of darkness, night visions and sorcery, the patroness of sorcerers.

Hemera- the goddess of daylight, the personification of the day, born of Nikto and Erebus. Often identified with Eos.

Hera- the supreme Olympic goddess, sister and third wife of Zeus, daughter of Rhea and Kronos, sister of Hades, Hestia, Demeter and Poseidon. Hera was considered the patroness of marriage.

Hestia Goddess of the hearth and fire.

Gaia- mother earth, mother of all gods and people.

Demeter- Goddess of fertility and agriculture.

Dryads- lower deities, nymphs who lived in trees.

Ilithyia- patron goddess of childbirth.

Irida- winged goddess, assistant to Hera, messenger of the gods.

calliope- the muse of epic poetry and science.

Kera- demonic creatures, children of the goddess Nikta, bringing misfortune and death to people.

Clio- one of the nine muses, the muse of history.

Clotho ("spinner")- one of the moira, spinning the thread of human life.

Lachesis- one of the three moira sisters, who determines the fate of each person even before birth.

Summer Titanide, mother of Apollo and Artemis.

Mayan- a mountain nymph, the eldest of the seven pleiades - the daughters of Atlanta, the beloved of Zeus, from whom Hermes was born.

Melpomene the muse of tragedy.

Metis- the goddess of wisdom, the first of the three wives of Zeus, who conceived Athena from him.

Mnemosyne- mother of nine muses, goddess of memory.

moira- the goddess of fate, the daughter of Zeus and Themis.

Muses- patron goddess of the arts and sciences.

naiads- nymphs-guardians of waters.

Nemesis- the daughter of Nikta, a goddess personifying fate and retribution, punishing people in accordance with their sins.

Nereids- fifty daughters of Nereus and the oceanides of Dorida, sea deities.

Nika is the personification of victory. Often she was depicted with a wreath, a common symbol of triumph in Greece.

nymphs- the lowest deities in the hierarchy of the Greek gods. They personified the forces of nature.

Nikta- one of the first Greek deities, the goddess - the personification of the primordial Night

Orestiades- mountain nymphs.

Ory- the goddess of the seasons, tranquility and order, the daughter of Zeus and Themis.

Peyto- the goddess of persuasion, the companion of Aphrodite, often identified with her patroness.

Persephone- daughter of Demeter and Zeus, goddess of fertility. The wife of Hades and the queen of the underworld, who knew the secrets of life and death.

polyhymnia- the muse of serious hymn poetry.

Tethys- the daughter of Gaia and Uranus, the wife of the Ocean and the mother of the Nereids and Oceanids.

Rhea mother of the Olympian gods.

Sirens- female demons, half-woman, half-bird, capable of changing the weather at sea.

Waist- the muse of comedy.

Terpsichore- the muse of dance art.

Tisiphone- one of the Erinyes.

quiet- the goddess of fate and chance among the Greeks, companion of Persephone. She was depicted as a winged woman standing on a wheel and holding a cornucopia and ship's steering wheel in her hands.

Urania- one of the nine muses, the patroness of astronomy.

Themis- Titanide, goddess of justice and law, second wife of Zeus, mother of mountains and moira.

Charites— goddesses female beauty, the embodiment of a kind, joyful and eternally young beginning of life.

Eumenides- another hypostasis of the Erinyes, revered as goddesses of benevolence, preventing misfortunes.

Eris- daughter of Nikta, sister of Ares, goddess of discord.

Erinyes- goddesses of vengeance, creatures of the underworld, who punished injustice and crimes.

Erato- Muse of lyrical and erotic poetry.

Eos- Goddess of the dawn, sister of Helios and Selena. The Greeks called it "pink-fingered".

Euterpe- the muse of lyrical chant. Depicted with a double flute in her hand.

And finally, a test to find out what kind of God you are

tests.ukr.net

Which Greek god are you?

Vulcan - god of fire

In a world where there are so many deceivers, you are a true treasure. You may not be very attractive in appearance, but kind heart attracts any woman to you. There is a true maturity in you that all women so much want to see and so rarely find in men. Intelligence and charm make you the kind of man many ladies would like to marry. As for the bed, here you shine with many talents. Your passion is a true volcano that is just waiting in the wings to erupt. With you is a woman - a violin in the hands of a master. The main thing is not to overdo it, otherwise the partner can go crazy with happiness! One night with you is enough to say - you are the god of sex.

The religion of Ancient Greece refers to pagan polytheism. The gods played important roles in the structure of the world, each performing its own function. The immortal deities were like people and behaved quite humanly: they were sad and happy, quarreled and reconciled, betrayed and sacrificed their interests, were cunning and were sincere, loved and hated, forgave and avenged, punished and pardoned.

The behavior, as well as the commands of the gods and goddesses, the ancient Greeks explained natural phenomena, the origin of man, moral foundations, social relations. Mythology reflected the ideas of the Greeks about the world around them. Myths originated in different parts of Hellas and eventually merged into an ordered system of beliefs.

Ancient Greek gods and goddesses

The main gods and goddesses belonging to the younger generation were considered. The older generation, who embodied the forces of the universe and natural elements, lost dominance over the world, unable to resist the onslaught of the younger ones. having won, the young gods chose Mount Olympus as their home. The ancient Greeks singled out 12 main Olympic gods from all the deities. So, the gods of Ancient Greece, the list and description:

Zeus - God of Ancient Greece- in mythology it is called the father of the gods, Zeus the Thunderer, the lord of lightning and clouds. It is he who has the mighty power to create life, to resist chaos, to establish order and a fair trial on earth. Legends tell about the deity as a noble and kind being. The Lord of Lightning gave birth to the goddesses Or and Muses. Or govern the time and seasons of the year. Music brings inspiration and joy to people.

Hera was the wife of the Thunderer. The Greeks considered her the absurd goddess of the atmosphere. Hera is the guardian of the house, the patroness of wives who are faithful to their husbands. With her daughter Ilithia, Hera relieved the pains of childbirth. Zeus was famous for his passion. After a three-hundred-year marriage, the lord of lightning began to visit ordinary women who gave birth to heroes from him - demigods. Zeus appeared to his chosen ones in different guises. Before the beautiful Europe, the father of the gods stood like a bull with golden horns. Zeus visited Danae as a golden shower.

Poseidon

Sea god - lord of the oceans and seas, patron saint of sailors and fishermen. The Greeks considered Poseidon a just god, all punishments of which were sent to people deservedly. Preparing for the voyage, the sailors offered prayers not to Zeus, but to the lord of the seas. Before going out to sea, incense was offered on altars to please the sea deity.

The Greeks believed that Poseidon could be seen strong storm In the open sea. His magnificent golden chariot emerged from the sea foam, drawn by swift horses. The lord of the ocean received dashing horses as a gift from his brother Hades. The wife of Poseidon is the goddess of the noisy sea, Amphrita. The trident - a symbol of power, gave the deity absolute power over the depths of the sea. Poseidon was distinguished by a gentle character, sought to avoid quarrels. His loyalty to Zeus was not questioned - unlike Hades, the ruler of the seas did not dispute the primacy of the thunderer.

Hades

Lord of the underworld. Hades and his wife Persephone ruled over the kingdom of the dead. The inhabitants of Hellas feared Hades more than Zeus himself. It is impossible to get into the underworld - and even more so, to return - without the will of a gloomy deity. Hades traveled the surface of the earth in a chariot drawn by horses. The eyes of the horses blazed with hellish fire. People in fear prayed that the gloomy god would not take them to their abode. A favorite of Hades, the three-headed dog Cerberus guarded the entrance to the realm of the dead.

According to the legends, when the gods shared power and Hades got dominion over the kingdom of the dead, the celestial was dissatisfied. He considered himself humiliated and held a grudge against Zeus. Hades never openly opposed the power of the Thunderer, but constantly tried to harm the father of the gods as much as possible.

Hades kidnapped the beautiful Persephone, the daughter of Zeus and the goddess of fertility Demeter, by force making her his wife and ruler of the underworld. Zeus had no power over the realm of the dead, so he refused Demeter's request to return her daughter to Olympus. The distressed goddess of fertility stopped taking care of the earth, drought came, then famine came. The lord of thunder and lightning had to conclude an agreement with Hades, according to which Persephone would spend two-thirds of the year in heaven, and a third of the year in the underworld.

Pallas Athena and Ares

Athena is probably the most beloved goddess of the ancient Greeks. The daughter of Zeus, born from his head, she embodied the three virtues:

wisdom;
calm;
insight.

Goddess of victorious energy, Athena was portrayed as a powerful warrior with a spear and shield. She was also the deity of clear skies, having the power to disperse dark clouds with her weapons. The daughter of Zeus traveled with Nike, the goddess of victory. Athena was called upon as the protector of cities and fortresses. It was she who sent down righteous state laws Ancient Hellas.

Ares - deity of stormy skies, the eternal rival of Athena. The son of Hera and Zeus, he was revered as the god of war. A warrior full of rage, with a sword or a spear - this is how Ares was depicted by the imagination of the ancient Greeks. The god of war enjoyed the noise of battle and bloodshed. Unlike Athena, who fought judiciously and honestly, Ares preferred fierce fights. The god of war approved the tribunal - a special trial of particularly cruel murderers. The hill where the courts took place is named after the warlike deity Areopagus.

Hephaestus

God of blacksmithing and fire. According to legend, Hephaestus was cruel to people, frightened and destroyed them with volcanic eruptions. People lived without fire on the surface of the earth, suffering and dying in the eternal cold. Hephaestus, like Zeus, did not want to help mortals and give them fire. Prometheus - a titan, the last of the older generation of gods, was the assistant of Zeus and lived on Olympus. Filled with compassion, he brought fire to the earth. For stealing fire, the Thunderer doomed the titan to eternal torment.

Prometheus managed to escape punishment. With visionary abilities, the titan knew that Zeus in the future was threatened with death at the hands of his own son. Thanks to the hint of Prometheus, the lord of lightning did not unite in marriage with the one who would give birth to a parricide son, and strengthened his dominion forever. For the secret of maintaining power, Zeus gave the titan freedom.

In Hellas there was a holiday of running. Participants competed with lit torches in their hands. Athena, Hephaestus and Prometheus were symbols of the triumph that gave rise to Olympic Games.

Hermes

The deities of Olympus were characterized not only by noble impulses, lies and deceit often guided their actions. God Hermes is a rogue and a thief, the patron of trade and banking, magic, alchemy, astrology. Born by Zeus from the Mayan galaxy. His mission was to convey the will of the gods to people through dreams. From the name of Hermes came the name of the science of hermeneutics - the art and theory of interpretation of texts, including ancient ones.

Hermes invented writing, was young, handsome, energetic. Antique images depict him as a handsome young man in a winged hat and sandals. According to legend, Aphrodite rejected the advances of the god of commerce. Gremes is not married, although he has many children, as well as many lovers.

The first theft of Hermes - 50 cows of Apollo, he committed it quite young age. Zeus gave the kid a good "bashing" and he returned the stolen. In the future, the Thunderer more than once turned to the resourceful offspring to solve thorny problems. For example, at the request of Zeus, Hermes stole a cow from Hera, into which the beloved of the lightning lord turned.

Apollo and Artemis

Apollo is the Greek god of the sun. As the son of Zeus, Apollo spent the winter in the lands of the Hyperboreans. God returned to Greece in the spring, bringing awakening to nature, immersed in hibernation. Apollo patronized the arts, and was also the deity of music and singing. After all, together with the spring, the desire to create returned to people. Apollo was credited with the ability to heal. As the sun casts out darkness, so the celestial cast out ailments. The sun god was depicted as an extremely handsome young man with a harp in his hands.

Artemis is the goddess of the hunt and the moon, the patroness of animals. The Greeks believed that Artemis made night walks with naiads - the patroness of the waters - and shed dew on the grass. At a certain period in history, Artemis was considered a cruel goddess who destroys sailors. Human sacrifices were made to the deity to gain favor.

At one time, girls worshiped Artemis as an organizer strong marriage. Artemis of Ephesus was considered the goddess of fertility. Sculptures and pictures of Artemis depicted a woman with a large number of nipples on her chest to emphasize the generosity of the goddess.

Soon the god of the sun Helios and the goddess of the moon Selene appeared in the legends. Apollo remained the deity of music and art, Artemis - goddess of the hunt.

Aphrodite

Aphrodite the Beautiful was worshiped as the patroness of lovers. The Phoenician goddess Aphrodite combined two principles:

femininity, when the goddess enjoyed the love of the young man Adonis and the singing of birds, the sounds of nature;
militancy, when the goddess was portrayed as a cruel warrior who obliged her followers to take a vow of chastity, and was also a zealous guardian of fidelity in marriage.

The ancient Greeks managed to harmoniously combine femininity and militancy, creating a perfect image of female beauty. The embodiment of the ideal was Aphrodite, carrying pure, immaculate love. The goddess was depicted as a beautiful naked woman emerging from the foam of the sea. Aphrodite is the most revered muse of poets, sculptors, artists of that time.

The son of the beautiful goddess Eros (Eros) was her faithful messenger and assistant. The main task of the god of love was to connect the life lines of lovers. According to legend, Eros looked like a plump baby with wings.

Demeter

Demeter is the patron goddess of farmers and winemakers. Mother Earth, as they called her. Demeter was the embodiment of nature, which gives people fruits and cereals, absorbing sunlight and rains. They portrayed the goddess of fertility with blond, wheaten hair. Demeter gave people the science of arable farming and crops grown by hard work. The daughter of the goddess of winemaking Persephone, becoming the queen of the underworld, connected the world of the living with the kingdom of the dead.

Together with Demeter, Dionysus was revered - the deity of winemaking. Dionysus was portrayed as a cheerful young man. Usually his body was entwined with a vine, and in his hands the god held a jug filled with wine. Dionysus taught people how to care for vines, singing exuberant songs that later formed the basis of ancient Greek drama.

Hestia

Goddess family well-being, unity and peace. The altar of Hestia stood in every house near the family hearth. The inhabitants of Hellas perceived urban communities as big families, therefore, in the pritanei (administrative buildings in Greek cities), the sanctuaries of Hestia were necessarily present. They were a symbol of civil unity and peace. There was a sign that if you take coals from the altar of the pritanei on a long journey, then the goddess will provide her protection on the way. The goddess also protected strangers and the afflicted.

Temples to Hestia were not built because she was worshiped in every home. Fire was considered a clean, cleansing natural phenomenon, so Hestia was perceived as the patroness of chastity. The goddess asked Zeus for permission not to marry, although Poseidon and Apollo sought her favor.

Myths and legends have evolved over decades. With each retelling of the story, new details were acquired, previously unknown characters appeared. The list of gods grew, making it possible to explain natural phenomena, the essence of which ancient people could not understand. Myths conveyed the wisdom of the older generations to the young, explained the state structure, and affirmed the moral principles of society.

The mythology of Ancient Greece gave mankind many plots and images that are reflected in the masterpieces of world art. Throughout the centuries, artists, sculptors, poets and architects have drawn inspiration from the legends of Hellas.

We offer a list of the most famous ancient Greek gods with short descriptions and links to full articles with illustrations.

Hades - god - the lord of the kingdom of the dead, as well as the kingdom itself. One of the older Olympian gods, brother of Zeus, Hera, Demeter, Poseidon and Hestia, son of Kronos and Rhea. Husband of the fertility goddess Persephone
- the hero of myths, a giant, the son of Poseidon and the Earth of Gaia. The earth gave her son strength, thanks to which no one could cope with him. But Hercules defeated Antaeus, tearing him off the Earth and depriving Gaia of help.
- the god of sunlight. The Greeks portrayed him as a beautiful young man. Apollo (other epithets - Phoebus, Musaget) - the son of Zeus and the goddess Leto, brother of Artemis. He had the gift to foresee the future and was considered the patron of all arts. In late antiquity, Apollo was identified with the sun god Helios.
- the god of perfidious war, the son of Zeus and Hera. The Greeks depicted him as a strong young man.
- the twin sister of Apollo, the goddess of hunting and nature, it was believed that it facilitates childbirth. Sometimes considered the goddess of the moon and identified with Selene. The center of the cult of Artemis was in the city of Ephesus, where a grandiose temple was erected in her honor - one of the seven wonders of the world.
- the god of medical art, the son of Apollo and the nymph Coronis. To the Greeks, he appeared as a bearded man with a staff in his hand. The staff was wrapped around a snake, which later became one of the symbols of the medical profession. Asclepius was killed by Zeus because he tried to raise the dead with his art. In the Roman pantheon, Asclepius corresponds to the god Aesculapius.
Atropos("inevitable") - one of the three moira, cutting the thread of fate and cutting off human life.
- the daughter of Zeus and Metis, born from his head in full combat weapons. Goddess of just war and wisdom, patroness of knowledge. Athena taught people many crafts, established laws on earth, bestowed upon mortals musical instruments. The center of worship for Athena was in Athens. The Romans identified Athena with the goddess Minerva.
(Kyferei, Urania) - the goddess of love and beauty. She was born from the marriage of Zeus and the goddess Dione (according to another legend, she came out of the sea foam, hence her title Anadyomene, "foam-born"). Aphrodite corresponds to the Sumerian Inanna and the Babylonian Ishtar, the Egyptian Isis and the Great Mother of the Gods, and finally, the Roman Venus.
- the god of the north wind, the son of the titanides Astrea (starry sky) and Eos (morning dawn), brother of Zephyr and Nota. Depicted as a winged, long-haired, bearded, powerful deity.
- in mythology, sometimes called Dionysus by the Greeks, and Liber by the Romans, was originally a Thracian or Phrygian god, whose cult was adopted by the Greeks very early. Bacchus, according to some legends, is considered the son of the daughter of the Theban king, Semele, and Zeus. According to others - the son of Zeus and Demeter or Persephone.
(Hebea) - the daughter of Zeus and Hera, the goddess of youth. Sister of Ares and Ilithyia. She served the Olympian gods at feasts, offering them nectar and ambrosia. In Roman mythology, Hebe corresponds to the goddess Juventa.
- the goddess of darkness, night visions and sorcery, the patroness of sorcerers. Often Hecate was considered the goddess of the moon and was identified with Artemis. The Greek nickname for Hekate is "Triodite" and latin name"Trivia" originate from the legend that this goddess lives at the crossroads.
- hundred-armed fifty-headed giants, the personification of the elements, the sons of Uranus (Heaven) and the goddess Gaia (Earth).
(Helium) - the god of the Sun, brother of Selene (Moon) and Eos (morning dawn). In late antiquity, he was identified with Apollo. According to Greek myths, Helios travels around the sky every day in a chariot drawn by four fiery horses. The main center of the cult was located on the island of Rhodes, where a giant statue was erected in his honor, considered one of the seven wonders of the world (Colossus of Rhodes).
Hemera- the goddess of daylight, the personification of the day, born of Nikto and Erebus. Often identified with Eos.
- the supreme Olympic goddess, sister and third wife of Zeus, daughter of Rhea and Kronos, sister of Hades, Hestia, Demeter and Poseidon. Hera was considered the patroness of marriage. From Zeus, she gave birth to Ares, Hebe, Hephaestus and Ilithyia (the goddess of childbirth, with whom Hera herself was often identified.
- the son of Zeus and Maya, one of the most significant Greek gods. The patron of wanderers, crafts, trade, thieves. Possessing the gift of eloquence, Hermes patronized schools and orators. He played the role of a messenger of the gods and a conductor of the souls of the dead. He was depicted, as a rule, in the form of a young man in a simple hat and winged sandals, with a magic wand in his hands. In Roman mythology, he was identified with Mercury.
- the goddess of the hearth and fire, the eldest daughter of Kronos and Gaia, the sister of Hades, Hera, Demeter, Zeus and Poseidon. In Roman mythology, the goddess Vesta corresponded to her.
- the son of Zeus and Hera, the god of fire and blacksmithing. He was considered the patron of artisans (especially blacksmiths). The Greeks depicted Hephaestus as a broad-shouldered, undersized and lame man, working in a forge, where he forges weapons for the Olympian gods and heroes.
- mother earth, mother of all gods and people. Coming out of Chaos, Gaia gave birth to Uranus-Sky, and from marriage with him gave birth to titans and monsters. The Roman mother goddess corresponding to Gaia is Tellus.
- the god of sleep, the son of Nikta and Erebus, the younger twin brother of the god of death Thanatos, a favorite of the muses. Lives in Tartar.
- Goddess of fertility and agriculture. The daughter of Kronos and Rhea, belongs to the number of senior Olympian gods. Mother of the goddess Kore-Persephone and the god of wealth Plutos.
(Bacchus) - the god of viticulture and winemaking, the object of a number of cults and mysteries. He was depicted either as a fat elderly man, or as a young man with a wreath of grape leaves on his head. In Roman mythology, Liber (Bacchus) corresponded to him.
- lower deities, nymphs who lived in trees. The life of a dryad was closely connected with her tree. If the tree died or was cut down, the dryad also died.
God of fertility, son of Zeus and Persephone. In the mysteries he was identified with Dionysus.
- Supreme Olympian god. The son of Kronos and Rhea, the father of many younger gods and people (Hercules, Perseus, Helen of Troy). Lord of storms and thunders. As the ruler of the world, he had many different functions. In Roman mythology, Zeus was associated with Jupiter.
- god of the west wind, brother of Boreas and Nota.
- the god of fertility, sometimes identified with Dionysus and Zagreus.
- patron goddess of childbirth (Roman Lucina).
- the god of the river of the same name in Argos and the most ancient king of Argos, the son of Tethys and the Ocean.
- the deity of the great mysteries, introduced into the Eleusinian cult by the Orphics and associated with Demeter, Persephone, Dionysus.
- the personification and goddess of the rainbow, the winged messenger of Zeus and Hera, the daughter of Tawmant and the oceanids Electra, the sister of the Harpies and Arches.
- demonic creatures, children of the goddess Nikta, bringing misfortune and death to people.
- Titan, son of Uranus and Gaia, was thrown by Zeus into Tartarus
- Titan, the youngest son of Gaia and Uranus, the father of Zeus. He ruled the world of gods and people and was overthrown from the throne by Zeus. In Roman mythology, he is known as Saturn - a symbol of inexorable time.
- daughter of the goddess of discord Eris, mother harit (according to Hesiod). And also the river of Oblivion in the underworld (Virgil).
- Titanide, mother of Apollo and Artemis.
(Metis) - the goddess of wisdom, the first of the three wives of Zeus, who conceived Athena from him.
- mother of nine muses, goddess of memory, daughter of Uranus and Gaia.
- daughters of Nikta-Night, the goddess of fate Lachesis, Cloto, Atropos.
- the god of ridicule, slander and stupidity. Son of Nyukta and Erebus, brother of Hypnos.
- one of the sons of Hypnos, the winged god of dreams.
- the patron goddess of the arts and sciences, the nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne.
- nymphs-guardians of waters - deities of rivers, lakes, springs, streams and springs.
- the daughter of Nikta, a goddess who personified fate and retribution, punishing people in accordance with their sins.
- fifty daughters of Nereus and the oceanides of Dorida, sea deities.
- the son of Gaia and Pontus, meek sea god.
- the personification of victory. Often she was depicted with a wreath, a common symbol of triumph in Greece.
- the goddess of the Night, a product of Chaos. The mother of many gods, including Hypnos, Thanatos, Nemesis, Mom, Kera, Moira, Hesperiad, Eris.
- the lowest deities in the hierarchy of the Greek gods. They personified the forces of nature and were closely connected with their habitats. River nymphs were called naiads, tree nymphs were called dryads, mountain nymphs were called orestiads, and sea nymphs were called nereids. Often, nymphs accompanied one of the gods and goddesses as a retinue.
Note- the god of the south wind, depicted with a beard and wings.
The ocean is a titan, the son of Gaia and Uranus, the forefather of the gods of the sea, rivers, streams and sources.
Orion is a deity, the son of Poseidon and the oceanides Euryale, daughter of Minos. According to another legend, he came from a fertilized bull skin, buried for nine months in the ground by King Giriei.
Ory (Mountains) - the goddess of the seasons, tranquility and order, the daughter of Zeus and Themis. There were three of them: Dike (or Astrea, goddess of justice), Eunomia (goddess of order and justice), Eirene (goddess of peace).
Pan is the god of forests and fields, the son of Hermes and Dryopa, a goat-legged man with horns. He was considered the patron saint of shepherds and small livestock. According to the myths, Pan invented the flute. In Roman mythology, Pan is associated with the Faun (patron of the herds) and Sylvanus (the demon of the forests).
Peyto- the goddess of persuasion, the companion of Aphrodite, often identified with her patroness.
Persephone is the daughter of Demeter and Zeus, the goddess of fertility. The wife of Hades and the queen of the underworld, who knew the secrets of life and death. The Romans revered Persephone under the name of Proserpina.
Python (Delphin) - a monstrous serpent, a product of Gaia. He guarded the ancient soothsayer of Gaia and Themis in Delphi.
The Pleiades are the seven daughters of the titan Atlanta and the oceanid Pleione. The brightest of them bear the names of Atlantis, Artemis's girlfriends: Alcyone, Keleno, Maya, Merope, Sterope, Taygeta, Electra. All the sisters were combined in a loving union with the gods, with the exception of Merope, who became the wife of Sisyphus.
Pluto - the god of the underworld, before the 5th century BC named Hades. In the future, Hades is mentioned only by Homer, in other later myths - Pluto.
Plutos is the son of Demeter, the god who gives people wealth.
Pont- one of the oldest Greek gods, son of Gaia (born without a father), god Inland Sea. He is the father of Nereus, Tawmant, Phorky and his sister-wife Keto (from Gaia or Tethys); Eurybia (from Gaia; Telchines (from Gaia or Thalassa); genera of fish (from Thalassa.
- one of the Olympian gods, brother of Zeus and Hades, ruling over the sea element. Poseidon was also subject to the bowels of the earth, he commanded storms and earthquakes. Depicted as a man with a trident in his hand, usually accompanied by a retinue of lower sea deities and sea animals.
Proteus is a sea deity, the son of Poseidon, the patron saint of seals. Possessed the gift of reincarnation and prophecy.

The main gods in Ancient Hellas were those that belonged to the younger generation of celestials. Once upon a time, it took power over the world from the older generation, which personified the main universal forces and elements (see about this in the article The Origin of the Gods of Ancient Greece). The gods of the older generation are usually called titans. Having defeated the titans, the younger gods, led by Zeus, settled on Mount Olympus. The ancient Greeks honored 12 Olympian gods. Their list usually included Zeus, Hera, Athena, Hephaestus, Apollo, Artemis, Poseidon, Ares, Aphrodite, Demeter, Hermes, Hestia. Hades is also close to the Olympian gods, but he does not live on Olympus, but in his underworld.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Persephone Daughter of Demeter, kidnapped by the god Hades. The inconsolable mother, after a long search, found Persephone in the underworld. Hades, who made her his wife, agreed that she would spend part of the year on earth with her mother, and the other with him in the bowels of the earth. Persephone was the personification of the grain, which, being "dead" sown in the ground, then "comes to life" and comes out of it into the light.

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

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

Ancient Greek mythology was formed in the south of the Balkan Peninsula and became the basis of the worldview of the peoples of the Mediterranean in antiquity. It had a strong influence on ideas about the world in the pre-Christian era, and also became the basis of many later folklore stories.

In this article, we will look at who the gods of Ancient Greece were, how the Greeks treated them, how ancient Greek mythology was formed and what impact it had on later civilizations.

Origins of Greek mythology

The settlement of the Balkans by Indo-European tribes - the ancestors of the Greeks - took place in several stages. The founders were the first wave of immigrants Mycenaean civilization, which is known to us from archaeological data and Linear B.

Initially higher power in the view of the ancients, they did not have personification (the element did not have an anthropomorphic appearance), although there were family ties. There were also legends about the universe, linking gods and people.

As the settlers settled in a new place, their religious views also changed. This happened due to contacts with the local population and events that had a strong influence on the life of the ancients. In their minds, both natural phenomena (change of seasons, earthquakes, eruptions, floods), and human actions (the same wars) could not do without the intervention or direct will of the gods, which is reflected in literary works. Moreover, later interpretations of events, when their participants were no longer alive, were based precisely on divine intrigue (for example, the Trojan War).

Influence of Minoan culture

The Minoan civilization, located on the island of Crete and a number of smaller ones (Thira), was partly the predecessor of the Greek one. relatives Minoans were not Greeks. They, judging by the data of archeology, originated from prehistoric Asia Minor since the Neolithic. During their life in Crete, they formed common culture, language (it is not completely deciphered) and religious ideas based on the maternal cult (the name of the Great Goddess has not come down to us) and bull worship.

The state that existed in Crete did not survive the crisis of the Bronze Age. climate change on mainland Eurasia led to mass migrations from the mainland, which Crete did not escape; Pelasgians and other so-called "peoples of the sea" (as they were called in Egypt) began to settle on it, and later - the second wave of Greek settlers - the Dorians. The volcanic eruption on the island of Thera led to a protracted economic crisis from which the Minoan civilization never recovered.

Nevertheless, the religion of the Minoans had a strong influence on that of the Greeks who moved here. The island has firmly entered into their ideas about the world, there they placed the homeland of many of their gods, and the legend of the Minotaur (a remnant of the bull cult) survived both Ancient Greece and subsequent eras.

Names of the gods of Mycenaean Greece

In the tablets, written in Linear B, it was possible to read the names of some gods. They are also known to us from later inscriptions, already classical. The difficulty in reading these tablets was that the letter itself was borrowed o (like everyone letter systems) from the Minoan, which, in turn, was the development of old hieroglyphic signs. At first, immigrants from Knossos who lived in Knossos began to use the letter. mainland Greece and then spread to the mainland. It was used most often for economic purposes.

By its structure, the letter was syllabic. Therefore, the names of the gods below will be given in this version.

It is not known to what extent these deities were personified. The priestly layer existed in the Mycenaean period, this fact is known from written sources. But some circumstances are suggestive. For example, name of Zeus occurs in two versions - di-wi-o-jo and di-wi-o-ja - both masculine and feminine. The very root of the word - "div" - has the meaning of a deity in general, which can be seen in parallel concepts in other Indo-European languages - to recall at least the Iranian devas.

In this era, the ideas about the creation of the world from Mist and Chaos, which gave rise to heaven (Uranus) and earth (Gaia), as well as darkness, abyss, love, and night, also disappear. In the later beliefs of some developed cults of these gods and titans we do not see - all the stories with them have been preserved in the form of myths about the universe.

Pre-Greek cults of mainland Greece

It should be noted that a number of areas of the life of the ancient Greeks, which we attribute to them, are not Greek in origin. This also applies to the cults that "control" these realms. All of them belonged earlier to the peoples who lived here before the first wave of Greek Achaean settlers. These were both Minoans and Pelasgians, inhabitants of the Cyclades and Anatolians.

Definitely pre-Greek manifestations of the cult should include the personification of the sea as an element and concepts related to the sea (the word θάλασσα is most likely of Pelasgian origin). This also includes the cult olive tree.

Finally, some of the deities originally had external origin. Thus, Adonis came to Greece from the Phoenicians and other Semitic peoples.

All this existed among the peoples who lived in the eastern Mediterranean before the Greeks, and was adopted by them along with a number of deities. Achaeans were people from the continent and did not cultivate the olive, nor did they possess the art of navigation.

Greek mythology of the classical period

Following the Mycenaean period, the decline of civilization follows, which is associated with the invasion of the northern Greek tribes - the Dorians. After this comes the period of the Dark Ages - as it was called due to the lack of written sources in Greek dating from that period. When the new Greek script appeared, it had nothing to do with Linear B, but originated independently from Phoenician alphabet.

But at that time, the mythological ideas of the Greeks were formed into a single whole, which was reflected in the main source of those times - Homer's poems "Iliad" and "Odyssey". These ideas were not completely monolithic: there were alternative interpretations and variants, and they were developed and supplemented in later times, even when Greece was under the rule of the Roman Empire.

Gods of Ancient Greece

Homer in his poems does not explain where the gods and heroes of his works came from: from this we can conclude that they were known to the Greeks. The events described by Homer, as well as the plots of other myths (about the Minotaur, Hercules, etc.) were considered by them historical events where the actions of gods and people are closely intertwined.

ancient greek gods

The gods of Ancient Greece during the polis period can be divided into several categories. The Greeks themselves shared other world depending on the “relevance” of a particular god at the current moment, his sphere of influence, as well as his status among other gods.

Three generations of gods

The world, according to the Greeks, arose from Mist and Chaos, which gave birth to the first generation of gods - Gaia, Uranus, Nikta, Erebus and Eros. In the classical period, they were perceived as something abstract, and therefore they did not have any developed cults. However, their presence was not denied. So, Gaia (earth) was a chthonic force, ancient and indomitable, Eros in the main source of those times - the embodiment physical love, Uranus represented the sky.

The second generation of gods were the titans. There were many of them, and some of them became the progenitors of people and other gods. Of the most famous titans can be noted such as:

Kronos is the father of the Olympian gods;
Rhea is the mother of the Olympic gods;
Prometheus - who gave fire to people;
Atlas - holding the sky;
Themis - giving justice.

The third generation is the gods of Olympus. It was them that the Greeks revered, the temples of these gods were placed in cities, it is they who are the main characters of many myths. The Olympian gods also assumed a number of functions of the older gods: for example, Helios was originally the god of the Sun, and later he was brought closer to Apollo. Due to this duplication of functions, it is often difficult to give a "scan word" short definition Greek god. So, both Apollo and Asclepius can be called the god of healing, and both Athena and her companion Nike can be called the goddess of victory.

According to legend, the Olympian gods defeated the titans in a ten-year battle, and now rule over people. They have different origins, and even their lists vary by different authors. But we will tell about the most influential of them.

Olympic gods

Imagine the Olympian gods in the following table:

Greek name	Accepted in the literature	What patronizes	Parents	Who is Zeus
Ζεύς	Zeus	thunder and lightning, supreme god	Kronos and Rhea
Ἥρα	Hera	marriage and family	Kronos and Rhea	sister and wife
Ποσειδῶν	Poseidon	chief sea god	Kronos and Rhea	brother
Ἀΐδης	Hades	patron of the realm of the dead	Kronos and Rhea	brother
Δημήτηρ	Demeter	agriculture and fertility	Kronos and Rhea	sister
Ἑστία	Hestia	hearth and sacred fire	Kronos and Rhea	sister
Ἀθηνᾶ	Athena	wisdom, truth, military strategy, science, craft, cities	Zeus and the Titanides Metis	daughter
Περσεφόνη	Persephone	wife of Hades, patroness of spring	Zeus and Demeter	daughter
Ἀφροδίτη	Aphrodite	love and beauty	Uranus (more precisely, the sea foam that formed after Kronos castrated Uranus and threw the cut into the sea)	aunt
Ἥφαιστος	Hephaestus	blacksmithing, construction, invention	Zeus and Hera	son
Ἀπόλλων	Apollo	light, art, healing	Zeus and Titanide Leto	son
Ἄρης	Ares	war	Zeus and Hera	son
Ἄρτεμις	Artemis	hunting, fertility, chastity	Zeus and Leto, sister of Apollo	daughter
Διόνυσος	Dionysus	viticulture, winemaking, religious ecstasy	Zeus and Semele (mortal woman)	daughter
Ἑρμῆς	Hermes	dexterity, theft, trade	Zeus and the nymph Maya	son

The information indicated in the fourth column is ambiguous. AT different regions Greece existed various versions the origin of the Olympians who are not children of Kronos and Rhea.

The Olympic gods had the most developed cults. Statues were erected for them, temples were built, holidays were held in their honor.

The Olympus mountain range in Thessaly, the highest in Greece, was considered the habitat of the Olympic gods.

Minor gods and goddesses

They were the younger generation of gods and also had different origins. Most often, such gods were subordinate to the older ones and performed some of their allocated function. Here is some of them:

This is a separate category of revered objects of Greek mythology. They are the heroes of myths and are people of semi-divine origin. They have superpowers, but, like humans, they are mortal. Heroes are the favorite characters of drawings on ancient Greek vases.

Of all the heroes of immortality, only Asclepius, Hercules and Polydeuces were awarded. The first was elevated to the rank of gods for having surpassed everyone in the art of healing and gave his knowledge to people. Hercules, according to one version, received immortality due to the fact that he drank the milk of Hera, with whom he later quarreled. According to another, it was the result of an agreement on ten feats (as a result, he performed twelve).

Polydeuces and Castor (Dioscuri twins) were the sons of Zeus and Leda. Zeus gave immortality only to the first, because the second had died by that time. But Polydeuces shared immortality with his brother, and since then it was believed that the brothers lie in the tomb for a day, and spend the second on Olympus.

Of the other heroes, it should be noted such as:

Odysseus, king of Ithaca, participant in the Trojan War and wanderer;
Achilles, the hero of the same war, who had one vulnerable spot- heel;
Perseus, the slayer of the Gorgon Medusa;
Jason, leader of the Argonauts;
Orpheus, a musician who descended to the dead wife in the underworld;
Theseus visiting the Minotaur.

In addition to the gods, titans and heroes in the beliefs of the Greeks, there were entities of a smaller order, representing some place or element. So, the winds had their own name (for example, Boreas is the patron of the north wind, and Not is the patron of the south) and sea elements, and rivers, streams, islands and others natural objects were dominated by the nymphs who lived there.

supernatural creatures

They appear regularly in myths and poems. Here is some of them:

Gorgon Medusa;
Minotaur;
Basilisk;
Sirens;
Griffins;
Centaurs;
Cerberus;
Scylla and Charybdis;
satires;
Echidna;
Harpies.

The role of the gods for the Greeks

The Greeks themselves did not consider the gods to be something distant and absolute. They weren't even all-powerful. Firstly, each of them had his own field of activity, and secondly, they argued between themselves and people, and the victory was far from always on the side of the first. Gods and people were connected by a common origin, and people considered the gods superior to them in strength and abilities, hence the worship and peculiar ethics of the attitude towards the gods: they could not be angry and proud of victories over them.

An illustration of the latter was the fate of Ajax, who escaped the wrath of Poseidon, but the latter nevertheless caught up with him and broke the rock to which he clung. And also symbolic is the description of the fate of Arachne, who surpassed Athena in the art of weaving and was turned into a spider.

But both gods and people were subject to fate, which was personified by the three Moira, weaving the thread of fate to every mortal and immortal. This image comes from the Indo-European past and is identical to the Slavic Rozhanitsy and the German Norns. Among the Romans, fate is represented by Fatum.

Their origin is lost, in ancient times there were different legends about how they were born.

In more late time, when Greek philosophy began to develop, the concepts of what governs the world began to develop precisely in the direction of a certain higher world who has power over everything. First, Plato outlined the theory of ideas, then his student, Aristotle, substantiated the existence of a single deity. The development of such theories set the stage for the spread of Christianity later.

Influence of Greek mythology on Roman

The Roman Republic, and then the empire, swallowed up Greece quite early, in the 2nd century BC. But Greece not only escaped the fate of other conquered territories that underwent Romanization (Spain, Gaul), but also became a kind of standard of culture. Some Greek letters were borrowed into the Latin language, dictionaries were replenished with Greek words, and the very possession of Greek was considered a sign of an educated person.

The dominance of Greek mythology was also inevitable - it was closely intertwined with the Roman one, and the Roman one became, as it were, its continuation. The Roman gods, which had their own history and features of the cult, became analogues of the Greek ones. So, Zeus became an analogue of Jupiter, Hera - Juno, and Athena - Minerva. Here are some more gods:

Hercules - Hercules;
Aphrodite - Venus;
Hephaestus - Volcano;
Ceres - Demeter;
Vesta - Hestia;
Hermes - Mercury;
Artemis - Diana.

Mythology was also brought under the Greek models. So, the original god of love in Greek mythology (more precisely, the personification of love itself) was Eros - among the Romans, Amur corresponded to him. The legend of the founding of Rome was “tied” to the Trojan War, where the hero Aeneas was introduced, who became the ancestor of the inhabitants of Lazio. The same goes for other mythical characters.

Ancient Greek mythology: influence on culture

The last followers of the cult of the ancient Greek gods lived in Byzantium as early as the first millennium of our era. They were called Hellenes (from the word Hellas) as opposed to Christians who considered themselves Romans (heirs of the Roman Empire). In the 10th century, Greek polytheism was finally eradicated.

But the myths and legends of Ancient Greece did not die. They became the basis of many folklore plots of the Middle Ages, and in countries completely distant from each other: for example, the plot about Cupid and Psyche became the basis of the fairy tale about the beauty and the beast, presented in the Russian corpus as “ The Scarlet Flower". In medieval books, pictures with plots from the mythology of the Greeks are not uncommon - from European to Russian (in any case, they are in the Facial Code of Ivan the Terrible).

All European ideas about the pre-Christian era were associated with the Greek gods. So, the action of Shakespeare's tragedy "King Lear" is attributed to pre-Christian times, and although at that time the Celts lived on the territory of the British Isles and there were Roman garrisons, it is the Greek ones who are mentioned as gods.

Finally, Greek mythology has become a source of plots for the works of artists, and for a long time it was a plot from Greek mythology (or, alternatively, the Bible) that should have been the subject of the examination canvas at the graduation from the Academy of Arts in Russian Empire. The future members of the association of the Wanderers who violated this tradition became famous.

The names of the Greek gods and their Roman counterparts are called celestial bodies, new types of microscopic creatures, and some concepts have firmly entered the lexicon of citizens far from Greek mythology. So, inspiration for a new business is described as the convergence of the muse (“for some reason, the muse does not come”); the mess in the house is called chaos (there is even a colloquial version with an accent on the second syllable), and the weak spot is called the Achilles' heel by those who do not know who Achilles is.