Language/Modern-greek-1453/Culture/Greek-Creation-Myth

Greek Creation Myth

In the beginning there was Chaos, a nothingness. Out of the void emerged Gaia (the Earth) and other divine beings — Eros (love), the Abyss (part of the underworld), and the Erebus (the unknowable place where death dwells). Without male assistance, Gaia gave birth to Uranus (the Sky), who then fertilized her. Uranus and Gaia had many children together and eventually they had grandchildren.

Some of their children become afraid of the power of their children. Kronus, in an effort to protect himself, swallowed his children when they were still infants. However, his wife Rhea hid their youngest child.

She gave him a rock wrapped in swaddling clothes, which he swallowed, thinking it was his son.

Once the child, Zeus, had reached manhood to give up his brothers and sisters. The children fought a mighty war against their father, Kronus. After much fighting the younger generation won.

With Zeus as their leader, they began to furnish Gaia with life and Uranus with stars.

The Earth lacked only two things: man and animals. Zeus summoned his sons Prometheus and Epimetheus. He told them to go to Earth and create men and animals.

Prometheus set to work forming men in the image of the gods and Epimetheus worked on the animals. After Epimetheus had completed his work Prometheus finally finished making men. Prometheus decided he had to give man fire, even though gods were the only ones meant to have access to it.

When Zeus discovered Prometheus' deed he became furious. He ordered his son to be chained to a mountain and for a vulture to peck out his liver every day till eternity.

Then he began to devise a punishment for mankind. Another of his sons created a woman of great beauty, Pandora. Each of the gods gave her a gift.

Zeus' present was curiosity and a box which he ordered her never to open. Then he presented her to Epimetheus as a wife.

Pandora's life with Epimetheus was happy except for her intense longing to open the box. One day when Epimetheus was gone she opened the box.

Out of the box flew all of the horrors which plague the world today - pain, sickness, envy, greed. Upon hearing Pandora's screams Epimetheus rushed home and fastened the lid shut, but all of the evils had already escaped. Later that night they heard a voice coming from the box saying,

"Let me out. I am hope."

Pandora and Epimetheus released her and she flew out into the world to give hope to humankind.

Greek God Symbols

In Greek mythology, the Twelve Olympians were the principal gods and goddesses who resided on Mount Olympus. They were considered the most powerful and influential deities in ancient Greece, worshipped and revered by the Greeks for centuries.

Each of the Olympians had their own unique set of symbols that represented their POWERS, domains and attributes. For instance, ZEUS, the god of the skies, was often depicted with a lightning bolt or thunderbolt, while his sacred animals included the eagle, swan, and bull.

Similarly, APHRODITE, the goddess of love and beauty, was associated with the golden apple, dove, and scallop shell. Understanding the symbols of the Olympians is important in interpreting Greek myths and legends, as they often provide clues about the characters and their actions.

Olympian God and Their Symbol

Olympian God	Symbols
Poseidon	Trident
Aphrodite	Golden apple, dove, swan, and scallop shell
Hephaestus	Hammer, anvil, fire, donkey, and volcano
Apollo	Lyre, bow and arrow, python, a laurel wreath, and the sun

Description

Aphrodite (Αφροδίτη, Aphroditē) Goddess of beauty, love, desire, and pleasure.She is daughter of Zeus and Dione. She was married to Hephaestus, but bore him no children.  She is usually depicted as a naked or semi-nude beautiful woman.

Apollo (Απόλλων, Apóllōn) God of music, arts, knowledge, healing, prophecy, poetry, manly beauty, and archery. He is the son of Zeus and Leto, and the twin brother of Artemis. Both Apollo and Artemis use a bow and arrow.

Ares (‘Αρης, Árēs) God of courage, war, bloodshed, and violence. The son of Zeus and Hera, he was depicted as a beardless youth, either nude with a helmet and spear or sword, or as an armed warrior.

Artemis (‘Αρτεμις, Ártemis) Virgin goddess of the hunt, wilderness, animals, the Moon and young girls. Both she and Apollo are archery gods. She is the daughter of Zeus and Leto, and twin sister of Apollo. In art she is often depicted as a young woman dressed in a short knee-length chiton and equipped with a silver hunting bow and a quiver of arrows.  Her sacred animal is a deer.

Athena (Αθηνά, Athēnâ) Goddess of reason, wisdom, intelligence, skill, peace, warfare, battle strategy, and handicrafts. According to traditions, she was born from Zeus's forehead, fully formed and armored, after Zeus swallowed her mother, Metis, whole. She is the patron of the city Athens (from which she takes her name). Her symbol is the olive tree.

Demeter (Δήμητρα, Dēmḗtēr) Goddess of grain, agriculture, harvest, growth, and nourishment. She is a sister of Zeus, by whom she bore Persephone, who is also known as Kore, i.e. "the girl." One of the central myths associated with Demeter involves Hades' abduction of Persephone and Demeter's lengthy search for her. She is depicted as a mature woman, often crowned and holding sheafs of wheat and a torch. Her symbols are the  wheat-ears, the winged serpent, and the lotus staff.

Dionysus (Διόνυσος, Diónusos) God of wine, fruitfulness, festivals, madness, chaos, drunkenness, vegetation, ecstasy, and the theater. He is son of Zeus and Semele. His attributes include the thyrsus, a drinking cup, the grape vine, and a crown of ivy. The consort of Dionysus was Ariadne.

Hades (‘Αδης, Háidēs)/Pluto (Πλούτων, Ploutōn) King of the underworld and the dead. He is also a god of wealth. His consort is Persephone. His attributes are the key, sceptre, and the three-headed dog Cerberus. His sacred animals include the screech owl. He was one of three sons of Cronus and Rhea.

Hephaestus (Ἥφαιστος, Hḗphaistos) God of fire, metalworking, and crafts. Either the son of Zeus and Hera or Hera alone, he is the smith of the gods and the husband of the adulterous Aphrodite. He was usually depicted as a bearded, crippled man with hammer, tongs, and anvil, and sometimes riding a donkey. Among his creations was the armor of Achilles.

Hera (‘Ηρα, Hḗra) Queen of the gods, and goddess of women, marriage, childbirth, heirs, kings, and empires. She is the goddess of the sky, the wife and sister of Zeus, and the daughter of Cronus and Rhea. lthough she is the goddess of marriage, Zeus's many infidelities drive her to jealousy and vengefulness.

Hermes (Ερμής, Hērmês) . God of boundaries, travel, trade, communication, language, writing. Son of Zeus and Maia, Hermes is the messenger of the gods, and a psychopomp who leads the souls of the dead into the afterlife. His attributes include the herald's wand or caduceus, winged sandals, and a traveler's cap.

Hestia (Εστία, Hestía) Virgin goddess of the hearth, home, domesticity and chastity. She is a daughter of Rhea and Cronus, and a sister of Zeus. Not often identifiable in Greek art, she appeared as a modestly veiled woman. Her symbols are the hearth and kettle.

Persephone (Περσεφόνη, Persephónē) Goddess of spring, Queen of the Underworld, wife of Hades and daughter of Demeter and Zeus. Her symbols include the pomegranate, grain, torches, wheat and the asphodelus. After her abduction by Hades, she was forced to split the year between the world of the dead with her husband and the world of the living with her mother.

Poseidon (Ποσειδών, Poseidôn) God of the sea, rivers, floods, droughts, and earthquakes. He is a son of Cronus and Rhea, and the brother of Zeus and Hades. He rules one of the three realms of the universe, as king of the sea and the waters. In art he is depicted as a mature man of sturdy build, often with a luxuriant beard, and holding a trident. His sacred animals include the horse and the dolphin.

Zeus (Ζεύς, Zeús) King of the gods, ruler of Mount Olympus, and god of the sky, weather, thunder, lightning, law, order, and justice. He is the youngest son of Cronus and Rhea. He overthrew Cronus and gained the sovereignty of heaven for himself. He is depicted as a regal, mature man with a sturdy figure and dark beard. His usual attributes are the royal scepter and the lightning bolt.

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