Category: Greek Mythology

The revenge of Gaia in Greek mythology

25/3/2016

Gaia - Public Domain

In Greek mythology Gaia appeared out of Chaos and was the primal Mother Goddess who gave birth to the Earth and the universe. According to some sources she was seen as the personification of the Earth and the mother of all.

Ouranos the god of the skies

Ouranos was the personification of the sky or the heavens in Greek mythology and is also known by his Latinized name of Uranus. He was also known as Father Sky. Sources differ but Hesiod in his work Theogony says that Gaia was his mother while other sources say his father was Aether.

Gaia gave birth to Ouranos who became the sky crowned with stars and of equal splendor to her and made so as to fully cover her. She then created the mountains and the sea. After the universe had been formed the next task was to populate it. Read more

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The Moirai in Greek mythology

28/2/2016

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The three Moirai - Public Domain

In Classical Greek mythology the description of the Moirai differs from age to age and also with location. They vary in number from one to four. This discussion is based on the account of the Greek poet, Hesiod who was believed to have lived in the eighth century BC.

It was the task of the Moirai to shadow human beings from birth to death throughout their mortal, physical life on earth. They take the form of three old women spinning out the threads of each person’s life on earth. Their names were: Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos and when death approaches, it is their task is to ensure that and the natural order is preserved and a person’s fate is meted out accordingly. Read more

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Doris the Oceanid in Greek mythology

15/1/2016

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Doris - Public Domain

According to Wikipedia.org, Hesiod along with Homer was a Greek oral poet whose work has survived the centuries. His writings on farming, astronomy, time-keeping and mythology serve as a major source of information for scholars. One of his works, Theogony, explains the origins of the cosmos and the genealogy of the gods.

There is very little known about Doris and she is barely mentioned in any myths or legends. According to Hesiod, Doris was the daughter of the Titan, Oceanus and Tethys, the Titaness. Read more

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Britomartis in Minoan mythology

15/1/2016

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The Drowning of Britomartis - Public Domain

Britomartis was a goddess of hunters, mountains and fishermen of the Minoan civilization that evolved on the island of Crete from about 2700 to 1450 BC. There are many conflicting parts of the Britomartis story in Greek mythology. This may possibly be due to it having originated with an earlier civilisation before becoming adopted and adapted later by the Greeks as their civilisation grew in influence and power.
This process of adaptation can be found in other Greek legends. For example the birth of Zeus in Crete, Europa and the bull, Apollo brought Cretans to Delphi to be priests of his cult and there are many other instances.

Britomartis was the daughter of Zeus and Carme and was born at Caeo on Crete as one of the Cretan nymphs. Read more

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The story of the Centaurs in Greek mythology

2/8/2015

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Drawing of centaur - Pearson Scott Foresman - Public Domain

n Greek mythology the Centaurs are also known as the Kentauroi. They are beings that are semi horse and semi human. Their torso and head are in human form, and their body is the form of a horse. Being half human and half animal they were in continuous conflict with themselves and the world around them.

Some scholars think that the Centaur represents a conflict in human nature. Being half human and half animal, the Centaurs could not fully bring into being their humanity resulting in their nature becoming increasingly bestial and wild and, in effect, caught between two worlds. The fact that even a few such as Chiron manage to overcome this condition suggests that in the end they were capable of redemption from savagery. Read more

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The story of how Pygmalion fell in love in Greek mythology

8/7/2015

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Pygmalion et Galatée (La Hyre) - Laurent de la Hyre - Public Domain

In Greek mythology, Pygmalion was a wonderfully gifted sculptor who created a marvelous statue of a beautiful woman. The statue was so flawless and lifelike he becomes obsessed with his own sculpture falling in love with it.

Pygmalion lived on the island of Cyprus where the goddess Aphrodite was widely revered and he was devoted to her. Not everyone shared this devotion. The daughters of Propoetus of Amathus, who were known as known as the Propoetides, did not worship Aphrodite or pay her due respect.

As a punishment Aphrodite filled them with an immoral passion causing them to act as wanton prostitutes. Pygmalion abhorred their behaviour and grew to loathe them so much that he swore never to marry. For many years he separated himself from such behaviour concentrating on his work. During this time of isolation he created a statue of a woman of the most perfect beauty that was so amazingly lifelike he fell in love with it. Read more

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The Fall of Phaethon in Greek mythology

3/6/2015

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The fall of Phaeton - Giovanni Bernardi - Public Domain

Greek mythology contains many stories that have relevance and significance today. The story of Phaethon’s downfall is one such myth. Phaeton was a young man who felt embarrassed and humiliated because he was illegitimate and did not know who his father was. He knew his mother who loved him and he had sisters who loved him but this was not enough.

Ever since he was a boy his play mates had taunted him because he had no father and was illegitimate. This upset him greatly so one day he went to his mother, Clymene and begged her to tell him who is father was. His mother told him his father was the sun god, Helios (Apollo). Read more

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The revenge of Gaia in Greek mythology

The Moirai in Greek mythology

Doris the Oceanid in Greek mythology

Britomartis in Minoan mythology

The story of the Centaurs in Greek mythology

The story of how Pygmalion fell in love in Greek mythology

The Fall of Phaethon in Greek mythology

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