Thursday 23 January 2014

Pelopia

1:- In Greek mythology, Pelopia, was the daughter of Thyestes (son of Pelops and Hippodamia1). Thyestes had been fighting with his brother, Atreus, for the throne of Mycenae for some time, as well as having an affair with Atreus' wife, Aerope. Atreus then learned of Thyestes' and Aerope's adultery and plotted revenge. He killed Thyestes' sons and cooked them, save their hands and heads. He served Thyestes his own sons and then taunted him with their hands and heads.  Thyestes was forced into exile for eating the flesh of a human. 
 
Pelopia

                    An oracle then advised Thyestes that, if he had a son with his own daughter Pelopia, that son would kill Atreus. So when Pelopia, who at the time stayed in Sicyon at the court of king Thesprotus, came to the bank of a river to wash her clothes that had been stained with blood during a sacrificial rite, Thyestes, covering his face, attacked and raped her. She managed to pull out his sword and kept it so she could recognize her offender.
Pelopia at the bank of a river to wash her clothes that had been stained with blood during a sacrificial rite

                                                            Soon after that, Atreus came to Sicyon in search of his brother and, thought that Pelopia was daughter of king Thesprotus, asked for her hand, to which Thesprotus consented in order not to reveal the truth. As Pelopia had been impregnated by Thyestes, she soon gave birth to Aegisthus and abandoned him. He was suckled by a she-goat and survived. A shepherd found the infant Aegisthus and gave him to Atreus, who raised him as his own son. When he already entered adulthood, Thyestes was captured by Agamemnon and Menelaus at Delphi and brought to Atreus, who sent Aegisthus to kill him. Aegisthus happened to be carrying the sword that once belonged to Thyestes and was later given to him by Pelopia; Thyestes recognized the sword and asked Aegisthus about it. Aegisthus called for Pelopia, who told him how the weapon had got to her. Upon recognizing Thyestes and the fact that he was the rapist, Pelopia stabbed herself with her father's sword. Aegisthus then killed Atreus and restored the kingdom to Thyestes.

2:-  In Greek mythology, Pelopia was a woman of Thessalia or Makedonia (in Northern Greece) loved by Ares.  According to some she bore him a son Cycnus. Cycnus was a bandit prince, who challenged Hercules to single combat at Itone, and was killed in the contest.

3:- In Greek mythology, Pelopia was the daughter of Pelias and either Anaxibia or Phylomache. Pelopia and her sisters killed their father, having been tricked by Medea into believing this was needed to rejuvenate him.

INDEX

Apemosyne

In Greek mythology, Apemosyne was a daughter of Catreus (son of Minos), the king of Crete, and sister of Althaemenes, Aerope and Clymene.According to legend, an oracle told Catreus that he would be murdered by one of his children; to prevent this from happening, he sent his children away from Crete.Apemosyne and her brother Althaemenes left Crete for Rhodes. 
Apemosyne

                        There, Hermes fell in love with Apemosyne, but Apemosyne fled from him and Hermes could not catch her, because she ran faster than him.  On her way back from a spring, Apemosyne slipped on freshly skinned hides that Hermes had laid across her path. So Hermes was able to caught her, and seduce her.When she disclosed to her brother what had happened, Althaemenes took her story about the god to be an excuse, and killed her with a kick of his foot.

INDEX

Wednesday 22 January 2014

Rhene

1:- In Greek Mythology, Rhene was a Nymph of the island of Samothrake in the north Aegean. Rhene was loved by the god Hermes, and bore him a son, Saon, the first king of Samothrake, after whom Mount Saon was named, the site of the island's famous Mysteries. 
 
Rhene

According to some version, the pair may have mated in the shape of a ram and sheep, as Rhene - means "the sheep", and Hermes was the god of flocks.

2:- In Greek mythology, Rhene was a nymph of Mount Cyllene.  She was a paramour of Oileus and mother of his son Medon, although some suggest that Oileus fathered Medon with Alcimache. In one source, Rhene is given as the mother of Oileus' another son, Ajax the Lesser, as well, though the latter is more commonly said to be the son of Oileus' legitimate wife Eriopis.

INDEX


Monday 20 January 2014

Pelops

 
Pelops

In Greek mythology, Pelops, the king of Pisa in the Peloponnesus, was described as the son of Tantalus and Dione2 or Eurynassa. Pelops's father, Tantalus, offended the gods by killing Pelops and serving him to them, in order to test their power of observation.  The gods became aware of the menu, so they did not touch the offering; only Demeter, distraught by the loss of her daughter, Persephone (Abduction of Persephone), absentmindedly ate part of the Pelops's shoulder. Clotho, one of the three Fates, ordered by Zeus, brought the boy to life again, rebuilding his shoulder with one wrought of ivory made by Hephaestus and presented by Demeter. The revived Pelops grew to be an extraordinarily handsome youth. 
 
Poseidon and Pelops

The Pelops then became the lover of Poseidon (sea god ), who took him to Mount Olympus to teach him to use chariots. Later, Zeus threw Pelops out of Olympus due to his anger at Tantalus. Having grown to manhood, Pelops wanted to marry Hippodamia. King Oenomaus, her father, fearful of a prophecy that claimed he would be killed by his son-in-law or  had an incestuous love for his daughter, had killed thirteen or eighteen suitors of Hippodamia after defeating them in a chariot race and affixed their heads to the wooden columns of his palace.Pelops came to ask for Hippodamia's hand and prepared to race Oenomaus
 
Pelops asking Poseidon for help

                                  Worried about losing, Pelops went to the seaside and invoked Poseidon, his former lover. Reminding Poseidon of their love, he asked Poseidon for help. Smiling, Poseidon caused a chariot drawn by winged horses to appear. In an episode that was added to the simple heroic chariot race, Pelops, still unsure of himself or Hippodamia, convinced Oenomaus' charioteer, Myrtilus, a son of Hermes, to help him win. Myrtilus was convinced by Pelops or Hippodamia promising him half of Oenomaus' kingdom and the first night in bed with Hippodamia. The night before the race, while Myrtilus was putting Oenomaus' chariot together, he replaced the bronze linchpins attaching the wheels to the chariot axle with fake ones made of beeswax. The race began, and went on for a long time. But just as Oenomaus was catching up to Pelops and readying to kill him, the wheels flew off and the chariot broke apart. Myrtilus survived, but Oenomaus was dragged to death by his horses.
 
Pelops and Hippodamia after winning race

 When Myrtilus came seeking his reward or When Myrtilus attempted to rape Hippodamia, Pelops killed Myrtilus (by throwing him off a cliff into the sea). As Myrtilus died, he cursed Pelops. This was the source of the curse that haunted future generation of Hippodamia's and Pelops' children.


INDEX

Iphimedeia

In Greek mythology, Iphimedeia was described as the daughter of Triopus (son of Canace and Poseidon). Iphimedeia was wife of Aloeus, who was also her uncle (brother of Triopus). Iphimedeia fell in love with Poseidon. Iphimedeia often came to the sea shore and wait for Poseidon to come for her. 
 
Iphimedeia, waiting for Poseidon on sea shore

 Poseidon never came, so Iphimedeia began to go down to sea, gather the water in her hands, and  pour the sea water in her lap or splashed sea water on her genitals. Soon Poseidon answered her request and mated with her in form of sea water.  Iphimedeia bore Poseidon twin giants Otus and Ephialtes, who were called the Aloudae after their step-father. In some account, Cercyon and the bandit Sciron were also sons of Poseidon and Iphimedeia. In some version Aloeus was natural father of Aleodae.
With Aleous, Iphimedeia had a daughter Pancratis.  When Iphimedeia and her daughter, Pancratis, were participating in the celebration of the orgies of Dionysus on Mt Drius, they were carried off by Thracian pirates to the island of Strongyle or Naxos. Where Pancratis was given in marriage to the king Agassamenus and Iphimedeia to a friend and lieutenant of Agassamenus. However, soon Otus and Ephialtes rescued their mother and sister, who were sent by Aloeus.


INDEX

Canace


In Greek mythology, Canace was described as the daughter of Aeolus, king of Thessaly, and Enarete. Her brothers were Athamas, Cretheus, Deioneus, Magnes, Perieres, Salmoneus and Sisyphus. Her sisters were Alcyone, Arne, Calyce, Peisidice, Perimede and Tanagra.
In some versions, Poseidon, sea god, fall in love with Canace, princess of Thessaly and Poseidon seduced Canace  in the form of a bull. Canace bore him a number of sons: Triopas, Hopleus, Nireus, Epopeus, and Aloeus. 

 
Canace

According to other version, Canace fell in love with her own brother, Macareus, and committed incest with him. Macareus promised to marry Canace, but never did. Canace got pregnant from incest relation. When their child was born Canace's nurse tried to take the baby out of the palace in a basket, pretending to be carrying a sacrificial offering, but the baby cried out and revealed itself. 
 
Canace, committing suicide

  Aeolus was outraged and compelled Canace to commit suicide as punishment, sending her a sword with which she was to stab herself. He also exposed the new born child to its death. In some version, Macareus kills himself over the matter as well.


INDEX

Tantalus

1:-In Greek mythology, Tantalus was the king of Sipylus in Lydia (or of Phrygia) and described as the son of Zeus and the nymph Plouto. Tantalus was married to Dione2 or Euryanassa or Eurythemista and was the father of Pelops, Niobe and Broteas. Tantalus was frequently invited to Mt Olympus (heaven) by Zeus, to dine with gods, as Tantalus had become one of the  favorites and most intimates of Zeus. 
Tantalus

 There Tantalus misbehaved, and stolen ambrosia and nectar, the food of the gods, and gave them to mortals, or revealed the secrets of the gods, he had learned in Mt Olympus to moral. According to other version, Tantalus offended the gods by killing his son Pelops and serving him to them, in order to test their power of observation. The gods became aware of the menu, so they did not touch the offering; only Demeter, distraught by the loss of her daughter, Persephone (Abduction of Persephone), absentmindedly ate part of the Pelops's shoulder. Clotho, one of the three Fates, ordered by Zeus, brought the boy to life again, rebuilding his shoulder with one wrought of ivory made by Hephaestus and presented by Demeter. The revived Pelops grew to be an extraordinarily handsome youth. The god Poseidon took him to Mount Olympus to teach him to use chariots. Later, Zeus threw Pelops out of Olympus due to his anger at Tantalus.


                                        Tantalus was most famous for his eternal punishment in Tartarus (underworld). Tantalus stood up to his neck in water, which flowed from him when he tried to drink it; over his head hung fruits that the wind wafted away whenever he tried to grasp them.

2 :- In Greek mythology, Tantalus was the son of Broteas ( Brotas was the son of Tantalus and Dione or Euryanassa or Eurythemista), who ruled over the city of Pisa in the Peloponnesus.Tantalus was married to Clytemnestra. He was slain by Agamemnon, King of Mycenae, who made Clytemnestra his wife.


 3:- In Greek mythology Tantalus was the son of Thyestes, who was murder by his uncle Atreus, and fed to his unsuspecting father.

INDEX

Thursday 16 January 2014

Corcyra

 
Corcyra, the naiad nymph

In Greek mythology, Corcyra or Korkyra was the Naiad Nymph of the springs or fountain. Coryra was the daughter of  the river god Asopus and Metope. Poseidon, the sea god,  fell in love with the beautiful nymph Corcyra, and kidnapped her. Poseidon brought her to an island which was named after her. With their union a son,  Phaiax  was born.

INDEX

Metope

 
Metope, river nymph


 In Greek mythology, Metope was described as, a the Naiad nymph of the springs and stream, the daughter of the river Ladon. She married the river god Asopus by whom she had several (either 12 or 20) daughters, including Aegina, Salamis, Sinope, Euboea, Tanagra, Thespia, Thebe, Corcyra, Ismene, and Harpina; and possibly sons, including Pelagon and Ismenus. Her waters may have been regarded as the source of the Arkadian river Ladon and the Sikyonian Asopus, the streams of her father and husband respectively.

INDEX











Wednesday 15 January 2014

Halia


1:-In Greek mythology, a girl named Halia, encounter an enormous serpent (Drakon Ophiogeneikos), when she was visiting a sacred grove of the goddess Artemis
Halia and the serpent

The immense size, serpent coiled around her and seduce her. Halia bore him a son name Ophiogenes (the serpent born), ancestor of the Ophiogenees tribe.   

2:- 
In Greek mythology, Halia was a sea (Haliad) nymph, and the daughter of Thalassa. Halia was loved by Poseidon. She was the mother of Rhodos and six sons by Poseidon. In some versions, she was also described as Poseidon childhood nurse.  
 
Halia, sea nymph

Shortly after Aphrodite's birth, Aphrodite wanted to stop at island for rest, Halia sons refused to allow her to set foot on the island. Aphrodite cursed them with insanity. In their madness, they raped their own mother.  As punishment, Poseidon buried them beneath the island. Halia leapt into the sea in shame and was dissolved. In rare version, Halia was described to became sea goddess Leucathe, after leaping into the sea.

3:- In Greek mythology, Halia was one of Nereides, daughter of Nereus and Doris.


INDEX

Boxing match between Ares and Hermes

 Boxing match between Ares and Hermes / Tanagra
 
Ares and Hermes

Ares, the great Olympian god of war, battlelust and manliness, and Hermes the great Olympian god of herds, travel, trade, language, athletics, and thievery. 
                         
Tanagra, the Naiad nymph
        

                                     Ares and Hermes fell in love with Tanagra, the Naiad nymph of the spring well or fountain, and the daughter of river god Asopus and Metope.  For Tanagra, Ares and Hermes compete over in a boxing match.  Hermes won the contest and lay with Tanagra. Her name was given to the town in Baeotia, where Hermes carried her off. Later Tanagra got married to Pomandros.


INDEX

Tuesday 14 January 2014

Ixion

In Greek mythology, Ixion was king of the Lapith, the ancient tribe of Thessaly. Ixion was described as the son of Ares or Leonteus or Antion, and Perimele. Ixion married Dia a daughter of Deioneus and promised his father-in-law a valuable present. However, Ixion did not pay the bride price, so Deioneus stole some of Ixion's horses in retaliation. Ixion invited his father-in-law to a feast, where Ixion pushed him into a pit filled with burning coals and wood. 
                  Ixion was the first man guilt of kin-slaying in Greek mythology, because this was a crime new to the human race, nobody could purified Ixion and he wandered an exiled. Zeus took pity on him and brought him to Olympus as a guest. Instead of being grateful, Ixion got attracted towards Hera, wife of Zeus, and he desire to have sex with her. 

                      
Ixion seduced the duplicate Hera, Nephele
 When Hera reported that Ixion had attempted to violate her, Zeus did not believe that Ixion would be so disrespectful.  To verify Hera claim, Zeus  created duplicate of Hera from cloud, which was known as Nephele. Ixion seduce, the duplicate Hera- cloud, and from their union Centaurus was born. Ixion was expelled from Olympus and blasted with a thunderbolt. 
 
Ixion on the wheel

Zeus ordered Hermes to chained Ixion to a winged fiery wheel which revolted in the air in all direction.  Ixion was bound to fiery wheel for all eternity, spinning across the Tartarus. In some versions, Ixion was also forced to call out continously ' you should gratitute to your benefactor'. 


INDEX

Aegina

 
Aegina

In Greek mythology, Aegina (Aigina) was a Naiad nymph, the daughter of river-god Asopus and Metope. Zeus fell in love with Aegina. He carried her off in the guise of a eagle to an island and seduce her. The island was named after her. Aegina's father Asopus chased after them, his search took him to Corinth, where Sisyphus was king. Sisyphus, having chanced to see a great bird bearing a maiden away to a nearby island, informed Asopus. Zeus threw down his thunderbolts sending Asopus back to his own water. Aegina have birth to  Aeacus, who became the king of the island, Aegina.  
                According to some version, Aegina was carried by Zeus to secure her from the anger of her parents.  Aegina got married to Actor, the son of the king Deioneus of Phocis and Diomede, and bore him a son Menoitius. 

INDEX

Aura

In Greek mythology, Aura was the Titan goddess of the breeze and the fresh, cool air of early morning. Aura was the daughter of Titan Lelantus and Periboia. 
Aura

                 Aura was a virgin huntress, who was excessively proud of her virginity. Aura compared her body to that of the goddess Artemis and claimed that Artemis was too womanly to be a true virgin. Artemis sought out Nemesis (retribution), to create balance between the two. As her punishment Aura was made drunk and raped by Dionysus. This rape drove Aura to madness and she became a very violent and cruel killer of men. When Aura gave birth to her twin sons from Dionysus, the first of whom she swallowed and the second, named Iakkhus was taken away by Artemis. Zeus then transformed Aura into a stream.                                     
                     According to other version, Aura was beloved by Dionysus but fled from him, until Aphrodite at the request of Dionysus, inspired her with love for Dionysus. Aura became by him the mother of twin sons, but at the moment of  their birth, she was seized with madness, tore one of her children to pieces and then threw herself into sea.

    
                                          According to other version, Dionysus fell in love with Aura. He made her drunk and seduce her. She bore him twin sons, the first of whom she devoured in her anger and the second was rescued by Dionysus.


INDEX

Lelantus

Lelantus

In Greek mythology, Lelantus (Lelantos) or Lelas was the younger Titan god of air and the hunter's skill of stalking prey. In some version, Lelantus was descrieded as the son of Coeus and Phoebe and brother of Leto and Asteria. Lelantus was the father of Aura by Periboia.

INDEX

Sunday 12 January 2014

Tyro

In Greek mythology, Tyro was described as the daughter of Salmoneus (one of the seven sons of King Aiolos of Thessaly) and Alcidice. Tyro fell in love with the river god Enipeus, whose waters were the most beautiful of any that flow on earth.

Tyro


                   Once Tyro was sitting by the banks of the river, Poseidon approached her in the guise of the river-god Enipius.and had sex with her. The high waves curled over them, to hide the god and the mortal girl. After fulfilling his desire, Poseidon told her his true identity and ordered her to keep it a secret.   
Tyro and Poseidon in the guise of the river-god Enipius
 In secret she gave birth to twin boys Pelias and Neleus, which she exposed in the wilderness to die. Pelias and Neleus, were found and rescued by passing herdsmen who raised them as their own. According to other version, Tyro revealed she was pregnant by the god, her father Salmoneus refused to believe her, instead suspecting his wicked brother Sisyphos was involved. So he commanded her to expose the children as soon as they were born.
                                            In some versions, Sisyphus  wicked brother of Tyro father, Salmoneus , found out from an oracle that if he married Tyro, she would bear him children who would kill Salmoneus. Sisyphus secretly had sex with Tyro  and  she bore him a son. But when she found out what the child would do to Salmoneus, she killed the boy. It was soon after this that Tyro had sex with Poseidon, and bore him Pelias and Neleus.
                                             Tyro's father Salmoneus later married her to his brother Kretheus, King of Iolkos, and she bore him three sons (Aison, Amythaon and, Pheres) . Upon reaching manhood the sons of Poseidon (Pelias and Neleus) returned to their mother, and seized control of their uncle's Kretheus' kingdom. They also slew his second wife Sidero, who had been mistreating Tyro.

INDEX

Thursday 9 January 2014

Hygeia

 
Hygeia
In Greek mythology, Hygeia was the goddess of good health. She was the daughter of  Asclepius (medicine god) and Epione. Hygeia was attendant of her father, Asclepius and companion of goddess, Aphrodite
 
Hygeia and Asclepius
She was represented in art as a virgin dressed in a long robe, with the expression of mildness and kindness, and either alone or grouped with her father and sisters, and either sitting or standing, and leaning on her father.
       In some versions, Hygeia was described as daughter of Eros and Pietho.

INDEX

Wednesday 8 January 2014

The Twelve Olympians

In Greek mythology, the Twelve great gods of the Greeks were known as the Olympians. Together they presided over every aspect of human life.



ZEUS was the King of the Gods, and the god of weather, fate, law and order.  
                                        
 
POSEIDON was the god of the sea, the sources of fresh water, horses and earthquakes.


HERA was the Queen of the gods, the goddess of the sky, women and marriage.


DEMETER was the great Olympian goddess of agriculture, grain, and bread, the daily sustenance of mankind.


ATHENA was the great Olympian goddess of war, defence, crafts and wise counsel.




APHRODITE was the great Olympian goddess of pleasure, joy, beauty, love and procreation.



APOLLO was the great Olympian god of prophecy, oracles, healing and disease, music, poetry, archery, and the protection of the young.

ARTEMIS was the great Olympian goddess of hunting, wild animals, children and birth.

ARES was the great Olympian god of war, battlelust and manliness.
 


HEPHAESTUS was the great Olympian god of fire, metalworking, building and the fine arts.

HERMES was the great Olympian god of herds, travel, trade, heraldry, language, athletics and thievery.

HESTIA was the goddess of hearth and home. As the goddess of the hearth-fire, Hestia also presided over the altar flame and the sacrificial feast. The central hearth of a state also belonged to her--the fire kept alight in the civic hall



According to some versions, Hestia grew tired of all the fighting and bickering among the gods. She was very happy to give her place to Dionysus. 

DIONYSUS was the great Olympian god of wine, vegetation, pleasure and festivity.






Tuesday 7 January 2014

Deimos

In Greek mythology, Deimos was the personification of terror. Deimos was described as the son of Ares and Aphrodite and twin brother of Phobos.
 
Deimos

 Deimos is more of a personification and an abstraction of the sheer terror that is brought by war and he never appeared as an actual character in any story in Greek mythology. Deimos was known for accompanying, Ares into battle along with Enyo, Eris, and Phobos (fear).

INDEX

Enyo

1:- Enyo. In Greek mythology, Enyo was the goddess of war and destruction. Enyo was described as companion and lover of war-god Ares, and also his sister, as she was daughter of Zeus and Hera
Enyo
Enyo so delighted in warfare that she even refused to take side in the battle between Zeus and the monster Typhone. Enyo inflicted terror and bloodshed in the war, along with Eris (strife), and Phobos (fear) and Deimos (terror), the two sons of Ares. 
 
Enyo, the goddess of war and destruction
Enyo was mother of war-god Enyalius by Ares. In some version Eris and Enyo were represented as same goddess.

2:-Enyo. In Greek mythology, Enyo was also the name of one of the Graeae. Graeae were three sisters who shared one eye and one tooth. 
 
Graeae
Deino (dread) and Pemphredo (alarm) were sisters of Enyo (horror). The three sisters or Graeae were described as old grey-haired women and in some versions beautiful women.

INDEX

Sunday 5 January 2014

Nicaea

Nicaea, a Naiad nymph

In Greek mythology, Nicaea or Nikaia was a Naiad nymph of the spring or fountain and daughter of river god Sangarius and Cybele. Nicaea was a devotee of the goddess Artemis
Sleeping Nicaea is watched by shepherd Hymnus

                                  When a shepherd Hymnus fell in love with Nicaea. Nicaea grew angry and killed him as he was declaring his love. This enraged Eros, who inspired Dionysus to fall in love with her. Dionysus pursued her, she continued to spurn his advances. Dionysus with help of cunning potion (wine), made Nicaea sleep. Then Dionysus seduce intoxicated beautiful Nicaea. Nicaea conceived Telete from this union. According to some version, Nicaea hung herself after her daughter's birth. Dionysus named the city Nicaea after her.  

INDEX