All the gods of ancient Rome. Gods and goddesses of ancient Rome and Greece

The inhabitants of Ancient Rome were sure that their lives depended on different Gods. Each sphere had its own specific patron. In general, the Roman pantheon of gods consisted of the most significant figures and minor deities and spirits. The Romans erected temples and erected statues of their gods, and regularly brought them gifts and held holidays.

Roman gods

The religion of Ancient Rome is characterized by polytheism, but among its many patrons several significant figures can be distinguished:

1. The most important ruler is Jupiter. The Romans considered him the patron saint of thunder and storms. He showed his will by releasing lightning onto the ground. It was believed that the place where they ended up became sacred. They asked Jupiter for rain for a good harvest. He was also considered the patron saint of the Roman state.
2. Roman god of war Mars is one of the triad of gods leading the Roman pantheon. Initially, he was considered the patron saint of vegetation. It was to Mars that warriors sacrificed gifts before going to war, and they also thanked him after successful battles. The symbol of this god was a spear - regin. Despite their belligerence, the Romans depicted Mars in a peaceful pose, arguing that he was resting after fighting. Often in his hands he held a statue of the goddess of victory Nike.
3. Roman Asclepius most often he presented himself as an old man with a beard. The main and most famous attribute was a staff that entwines a snake. It is used as a symbol of medicine to this day. It was only thanks to his activities and work done that he was awarded immortality. The Romans created great amount sculptures and temples that are dedicated specifically to the god of healing. Asclepius made many discoveries in the field of medicine.
4. Roman god of fertility Liber. He was also considered the patron of winemaking. It was most popular among farmers. A holiday held on March 17 is dedicated to this god. On this day, young boys put on a toga for the first time. The Romans gathered at crossroads, wore masks made from bark, and swung a phallus that was created from flowers.
5. Sun god in Roman mythology Apollo often associated with the life-giving power of the sky. Over time, this god began to be credited with patronage over other areas of life. For example, in myths, Apollo often acts as a representative of many life phenomena. Since he was the brother of the goddess of the hunt, he was considered a skilled marksman. Farmers believed that it was Apollo who had the powers that helped the bread to ripen. For sailors, he was the god of the sea, who rode on a dolphin.
6. God of love in Roman mythology Cupid was considered a symbol of inevitable love and passion. They imagined him as a young guy or a child with curly golden hair. Cupid had wings on his back that helped him move and hit people from any convenient position. The irreplaceable attributes of the god of love were a bow and arrows, which could both give feelings and deprive them. In some images, Cupid is shown blindfolded, which indicated that love is blind. The golden arrows of the god of love could hit not only ordinary people, but also gods. Cupid fell in love with an ordinary mortal girl, Psyche, who went through many tests and eventually became immortal. Cupid is a popular deity who is used in the creation of various souvenirs.
7. Roman god of the fields Faun was a companion of Dionysus. He was also considered the patron saint of forests, shepherds and fishermen. He was always cheerful and, together with the nymphs who accompanied him, danced and played the pipe. The Romans considered Faun a crafty god who stole children and sent nightmares and illnesses. Dogs and goats were sacrificed for the fields. According to legends, Faun taught people to cultivate the land.

This is only a small list of Roman gods, since there are many of them and they are completely different. Many gods of Ancient Rome and Greece are similar in appearance, behavior, etc.

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List of names of gods, heroes and personalities of Ancient Greece and Rome

The directory contains almost all the names of gods, mythological characters, heroes and historical figures Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome.

A

AUGUST OCTAVE IAN(63 BC - 14 AD) - grandnephew of Julius Caesar, his official heir, the first Roman emperor (from 27), during whose reign the Nativity of the Savior took place. In 43, together with M. Antony and E. Lepidus, he formed the second triumvirate. After the defeat of the fleet of M. Anthony at Cape Actium (31), he actually became the sole ruler of the Roman Empire, the founder of the principate system, uniting in himself the highest priestly, state and military positions of the Roman state.

AGAMEMNON- in Greek mythology, king Mycenae, son of Atreus and Aerope, husband of Clytemnestra, brother of the Spartan king Menelaus, leader of the Achaean army in the Trojan War, was killed by his wife.

AGESILAI(444-360) - Spartan king (399-360), successfully fought against the Persians and the anti-Spartan coalition during the Corinthian War, achieved the last maximum flowering of Lacedaemon before his final defeat from the Thebans at the Battle of Leuctra (371).

AGRIPPA Marcus Vipsanius (64/63-12 BC) - Roman commander and politician, associate of Octavian Augustus, a number of military victories of which actually belonged to A.: naval battles of Myla and Navloch (36), Actium (31), suppression of the uprising of Spanish tribes (20-19). A. carried out diplomatic assignments for Augustus, participated in the restructuring of Rome, and authored several works.

ADONIS- in Greek mythology, the lover of Aphrodite, a deity of Phoenician-Syrian origin. He was especially revered in the Hellenistic era as a dying and resurrecting deity.

ADRASTEA(“inevitable”) - see Nemesis.

ADRIAN Publius Aelius (76-138) - Roman emperor (from 117) from the Antonine dynasty, adopted by Trajan. He encouraged the development of Greek culture on the territory of the empire, although under him there was active Romanization of most provinces. In area foreign policy A. switched to defensive tactics, strengthened the bureaucratic apparatus, unified praetorial law, and carried out extensive construction activities.

AID(Hades, Pluto, identified with the Roman Orcus) - in Greek mythology, the god of the underworld of the dead, the son of Kronos and Gaia, brother of Zeus.

ACADEM- in Greek mythology, the Athenian hero who pointed out to the Dioscuri where their sister Helen, abducted by Theseus, was hidden. According to legend, Academus was buried in a sacred grove northwest of Athens.

ALARIC(d. 410 AD) - leader of the Visigoths. Under Emperor Theodosius, he commanded detachments of mercenaries. In 398 he devastated Thrace and Greece, then invaded Pannonia and Italy. In 402 he was defeated by Roman troops at Pollentia and Verona, then occupied Illyria, from where he launched an attack on Rome, which he besieged three times and finally took on August 24, 410.

ALEXANDER- name of the Macedonian kings: 1) A. III of Macedon (356-323) - king of Macedonia (from 336), son of Philip II, a brilliant commander, diplomat and politician, organized a campaign to the East against the Persian king Darius III (334-323), as a result of which a huge power arose that united the Greek and Eastern worlds, marking the beginning of the Hellenistic era (III-I centuries); 2) A. IV (323-310) - the king of Macedonia, the son of Alexander the Great, did not actually receive royal powers. He was killed along with his mother Roxana during the Wars of the Diadochi.

ALEXID(c. BC) - the most significant Greek comedian of the Late Classical period, author of more than 200 works.

ALKESTIS- in Greek mythology, the wife of the legendary king Fer Admet, who voluntarily gave her life to save her husband. Hercules, delighted with Alcestis’s feat, snatched her from the hands of the god of death Tanat and returned her to her husband.

ALCIBIAD(c. 450 - c. 404) - Athenian politician and military leader, pupil of Pericles, student of Socrates. The actual organizer of the Sicilian expedition (415-413) during the Peloponnesian War. He often changed his political orientation and went over to the side of Sparta. Died in exile.

AMAZONS- V ancient greek mythology warlike women who lived along the banks of Meotida (Sea of ​​Azov) or along the banks of the river. Thermodont. A. constantly practiced the art of war and, for the convenience of archery, they burned out their right breast.

AMBROSIY Aurelius of Milan (Milan) (c. 337-397) - saint, theologian, author of exegetical and dogmatic works, bishop of the city of Milan, originally from Trevisa (Italy). He received a rhetorical and legal education, was governor of the regions of Liguria and Emilia with a residence in Mediolan (c. 370), where he was ordained bishop (374), fought against paganism, and had a significant influence on the church and political life of his time. Memory 7/20 December.

AMPHITRITE- in Greek mythology, the personified sea, the wife of the god of sea space Poseidon.

ANAXAGORAS(c. 500-428) - Greek philosopher from Klazomen (Asia Minor), who argued that matter is eternal.

ANANKA(Ananke, identified with the Roman Necessity) - in Greek mythology, the goddess of inevitability, death, daughter of Aphrodite, mother of the Moira goddesses of fate.

ANACHARSIS(VI century BC) - one of the most famous Scythians of the royal family in the Greek world, a friend of the Athenian legislator Solon. Traveled extensively throughout Greece, studying local customs and practices. Returning to his homeland, he tried to introduce innovations among the Scythians, for which he was killed by his fellow tribesmen. According to ancient tradition, one of the seven sages of antiquity.

ANDROGEUS- in Greek mythology, the son of the Cretan king Minos. Androgeus won the Panathenaic Games, which incurred the envy of the Athenian king Aegeus, who, wanting to destroy A., sent him to hunt for the Marathon bull, which tore the young man to pieces.

ANIT(end of the 5th century BC) - a wealthy Athenian, a prominent politician who participated in the overthrow of the “tyranny of the thirty”, the main prosecutor at the trial against Socrates.

ANC Marcius (second half of the 7th century BC) - Roman king, grandson of Numa Pompilius, made cult innovations, founded the port of Ostia, and was considered the founder of the plebeian family of Marcius.

ANTEI- in Greek mythology, the giant, the son of Poseidon and Gaia, was invulnerable as long as he touched mother earth. Hercules defeated Antaeus, tearing him off the ground and strangling him in the air.

ANTIOPES- in Greek mythology: 1) daughter of the Theban king Nyctaeus, one of the lovers of Zeus, mother of Amphion and Zetas; 2) Amazon, daughter of Ares, captured by Theseus and bore him a son, Hippolytus.

ANTIOX- the name of the Syrian Hellenistic kings from the Seleucid dynasty: 1) A. III the Great (242-187) - the Syrian king (223-187), known for his aggressive policy, fought with Egypt, captured Media and Bactria (212-205), Palestine ( 203), expanded his power to the borders of India, fought the so-called Syrian War with the Romans (192-188), but suffered a final defeat at the Battle of Magnesia (190). Killed by his confidants; 2) Antiochus XIII Philadelphus (first half - middle I BC) - the last king of the Seleucid family, in 69 BC he was recognized by Lucullus as the Syrian king, but in 64 BC. X. was deprived of the throne by Pompey, who turned Syria into a Roman province. Subsequently executed.

ANTIPATER(d. 319 BC) - Macedonian commander under Philip II and Alexander. During the Eastern Campaign he was governor of Macedonia. Under A., ​​the orator Demosthenes died.

ANTISPHENE(c. 444-366) - Greek philosopher, student of Socrates, founder of the Cynic school. He argued that the absolute good is physical labor and honest poverty.

ANTHONY Mark (82 -30 BC) - Roman politician and statesman, commander, supporter of Julius Caesar, husband of Cleopatra VII, consul of 44, participant in the second triumvirate together with Octavian and E. Lepidus (43), later one of Octavian's main rivals in the civil wars of the 30s. In 31 he was defeated by Octavian at Cape Actium and committed suicide.

ANTONIN Pius (“The Pious”) (86-161) - Roman emperor (from 138), founder of the Antonine dynasty, adopted son of Hadrian, continued his policy related to the preservation and strengthening of the achieved borders. Later he was revered by the Romans as an exemplary ruler.

ANFIM(d. 302/303 AD) - Hieromartyr, Bishop of Nicomedia, was, like many Christians, accused of setting fire to the Nicomedia Palace, during the persecution he hid to control the flock and wrote messages, but was discovered and suffered martyrdom. Memory 3/16 September.

ANCHISIS- in Greek and Roman mythologies, the father of Aeneas, lover of Aphrodite. On the night of the fall of Troy, he was carried by Aeneas on his shoulders from the burning city, and died during the journey in Arcadia near Mount Anchisius (according to another version, in Southern Italy or Sicily).

APOLLO(Phoebus) - in Greek and Roman mythology, the god of the sun, light and harmony, patron of the arts, the opposite of Dionysus, son of Zeus and Leto, brother of Artemis, was revered as the patron of travelers, sailors and as a healer. On the other hand, dark elemental forces bringing disease and death were also associated with Apollo.

APOLLONIUS(d. 90s of the 1st century AD) - Greek philosopher, came from a wealthy family in the city of Tiana (Asia Minor), received an extensive education, traveled a lot, preached neo-Pythagorean religious mysticism, was close to the court of the emperors, Perhaps he was involved in a conspiracy against Domitian, and therefore was executed. During his lifetime he was revered by pagans as a wonderworker and sage.

ARAT(c. 310-245) - Greek writer originally from the city of Sola (Cilicia). He lived in Athens and at the courts of the kings in Macedonia and Syria. He authored the astronomical poem “Phenomena” in 1154 hexameters, written in the spirit of Stoic philosophy. In the Middle Ages, this work served as a textbook on astronomy.

ARACHNE- in Greek mythology, a Lydian girl, a skilled weaver, who dared to challenge Athena to a competition in the art of weaving, was defeated and turned into a spider.

ARES(Areus, identified with Roman Mars) - in Greek mythology, the god of unjust and treacherous war, as well as storms and bad weather, the son of Zeus and Hera.

ARIADNE- in Greek mythology, the daughter of the Cretan king Minos and Pasiphae, the granddaughter of the sun god Helios. In love with Theseus, she gave him a ball of thread, with which the hero found a way out of the labyrinth, fled with Theseus from Crete and was later abandoned by him or kidnapped by Dionysus.

ARIOVIST(1st century BC) - German leader, invited by the Celtic nobility to Gaul as a ruler, but later acquired independent significance. In 59 he was recognized by Caesar as a “friend of the Roman people”, and in 58 he was expelled from Gaul.

ARISTIDE(d. c. 468 BC) - Athenian politician, assisted Cleisthenes in carrying out his reforms, was one of the strategists in the Battle of Marathon (490) and the Battle of Plataea (480). He became famous for his justice and integrity.

ARKADY Flavius ​​(377-408) - the first ruler of the Eastern Roman Empire (from 395), the son of Theodosius I the Great, his co-ruler from 383, was influenced by his own entourage and his wife Eudoxia, waged defensive wars with the Germans, organized persecution of pagans and heretics.

ARMINIUS(c. 16 BC - 21 AD) - a descendant of a royal Germanic family, served in the Roman troops, lured into a trap and defeated the legions of Quintilius Varus in the Teutoburg Forest (9 AD). A. led the uprising against the Romans in Germany, but died as a result of infighting among the leadership of the rebels.

ARRADAY(Philip III) (d. 317 BC) - the illegitimate son of Philip of Macedon, was distinguished by weak will and dementia, and was an epileptic. Killed by order of Philip's widow Olympias.

ARTEMIS(derived from Roman Diana) - in Greek mythology, the goddess of hunting and wildlife, daughter of Zeus and Leto, twin sister of Apollo. It was a symbol of virgin purity and was sometimes identified with the Moon.

ASCLEPIOUS(identified with the Roman Aesculapius) - in Greek mythology, the god of healing, son of Apollo, student of the centaur Chiron.

ASTIDAMANTE(second half of the 5th century BC) - Athenian poet from the family of Aeschylus, student of Isocrates. He was known for writing his own praise on the statue erected to him in the theater.

ASTRAEUS- in Greek mythology, the son of the Titan Kronos, husband of the goddess morning dawn Eos, father of the four winds.

ASTRAEA(often identified with the goddess of truth and justice Dike) - in Greek mythology, the goddess of justice, daughter of Zeus and Themis, sister of Shyness, who lived among people during the “golden age”. Due to the depravity of human morals, the “golden age” ended, and A. left the Earth, turning into the constellation Virgo.

ATLANT(identified with the Roman Atlas) - in Greek mythology, a titan, the brother of Prometheus, who held the firmament on his shoulders.

ATTAL Priscus (d. after 410 AD) - prefect of Rome, who, at the request of the Visigoth leader Alaric, was proclaimed emperor (409). Soon Alaric quarreled with A. and deprived him of the imperial title, after which he captured Rome (410).

ATTILA(d. 453 AD) - leader of the Hunnic and allied tribes (434-445 - together with his brother Bleda, from 445, after the murder of Bleda, ruled alone), united under his rule the tribes of barbarians: Huns, Ostrogoths, Alans and others, in 447 he devastated Thrace and Illyria, in 451 he invaded Gaul and was defeated by the Romans and their allies in the battle on the Catalaunian fields, in 452 he ravaged Northern Italy.

ATTIS(identified with the Phrygian Men) - lover and priest of the goddess Cybele, in the Hellenistic era he was revered as a dying god and rising from the dead.

Afanasy(295-373) - the saint, one of the most famous bishops of Alexandria (from 328), theologian, apologist, received a classical education in Alexandria, participant in the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea (325), was an implacable enemy of Arianism, for which he was expelled five times of his department. Memory 2/15 May.

ATHENA Pallas (identified with the Roman Minerva) - in Greek mythology, the goddess of wisdom, just war, patroness of science, daughter of Zeus and Metis. She was revered as a virgin who had no husband.

APHRODITE(identified with Roman Venus) - in Greek mythology, the goddess of love and beauty, daughter of Zeus or Uranus and the oceanid Dione.

ACHILLES(Achilles) - in Greek mythology, one of the bravest and invincible heroes of the Trojan War, the son of Peleus and Thetis. He was revered as a warrior who was invulnerable in all parts of the body except the heel. He fought on the side of the Achaeans and was killed by a bow shot in the heel by Paris, who was helped by Apollo.

AETIUS Flavius ​​(c. 390-454) - military leader under Emperor Valentinian III (from 425), one of the last defenders of the Western Empire, commanded the Roman and allied troops in the battle of the Catalaunian fields (451). Treacherously killed by order of the emperor.

B

BARSINA(second half of the 4th century BC) - daughter of the Persian governor of Phrygia, captured by Alexander the Great after the capture of Damascus. She was Alexander's de facto wife before his official marriage to Roxana. Killed with her son Hercules during the Wars of the Diadochi.

BACCHUS- see Dionysus.

BELLONA- Ancient Roman goddess of war. Victorious commanders and foreign ambassadors were received in her temple, and the ceremony of declaring war took place here.

BRIAREUS- in Greek mythology, the son of Uranus and Gaia, one of the Titans, a monster with 50 heads and a hundred arms, a participant in the Titanomachy on the side of Zeus.

BRUTUS(“stupid”) - a nickname for members of a plebeian Roman family: 1) B. Decimus Junius Albinus (1st century BC) - praetor in 48, commander of Caesar, participant in the conspiracy against him in 44; 2) B. Lucius Junius (VI century BC) - the legendary founder of the Roman Republic, participated in the expulsion of the last Roman king Tarquinius the Proud (509), died in a duel with his son; 3) B. Marcus Junius (85-42 BC) - Roman statesman and politician, supporter of Cicero, possibly the illegitimate son of Julius Caesar. Since 46, the governor of the province of Cisalpine Gaul, since 44, the praetor, participated in a conspiracy against Caesar. Committed suicide after defeat in the battle with the Senate troops at Philippi (42).

BUSIRIS- in Greek mythology, the king of Egypt, the son of Poseidon or Egypt and Lysianassa. He sacrificed all the foreigners who came to Egypt to Zeus. Killed by Hercules on his way to the Garden of the Hesperides.

BAVILA(d. 251 AD) - Hieromartyr, Bishop of Antioch (238-251), suffered martyrdom under the emperor Decius. Memory 4/17 September.

BACCHUS- see Dionysus.

VALENTINIAN III Flavius ​​Placidus (419-451) - Emperor of the Western Roman Empire (from 425), until 454 he was under the influence of the commander Aetius. Under V. III, the Western Empire further disintegrated as a result of the invasion of barbarian tribes. He died at the hands of Aetius' supporters after the latter's murder.

VALERIAN Publius Licinius (c. 193 - after 260) - Roman emperor (253-259), came from a senatorial family, was a military leader in the province of Raetia, was proclaimed emperor by his troops, organized the persecution of Christians (257-258), during the Eastern crisis empire reached highest point. He died in captivity of the Persian king.

VAR Quintilius (c. 46 BC - 9 AD) - Roman commander, descended from a patrician family, consul of 13 BC, then governor of Syria, suppressed the uprising of the Jews in 6-4. BC, was the commander-in-chief of the Roman troops in Germany, suffered a heavy defeat from the Germans in the Teutoburg Forest (9 AD) and committed suicide.

VENUS- see Aphrodite.

VESPASIAN Titus Flavius ​​(9-79) - Roman emperor (from 69), founder of the Flavian dynasty, the first emperor of non-Natal origin, under his command the suppression of the uprising in Judea began (66-73). During W.'s reign, financial reform was carried out, and wars were fought in Germany and Britain.

VESTA- Roman deity of the hearth and fire. The most ancient religious cult in Rome is of pre-Latin origin. In the Temple of Vesta, the Vestal Priestesses maintained the eternal flame.

VICTORIA- see Nika.

VOLCANO- see Hephaestus.

The most ancient beliefs of people boiled down to the endowment of souls natural phenomena and to the cult of ancestors. With the passage of time and the development of civilizations, from a huge variety of obscure mythical deities, more vivid images are identified: Mars - the god of war, Janus - the god of the beginning and end, Jupiter - the god of light of day, Thunderstorms, who send terrible downpours to the lands of people, and others. The culture and beliefs of ancient people have always been greatly influenced by the culture of their closest neighbors. Thus, the goddess of arts Minerva was borrowed from the Etruscans by the Romans. Also, the cultural life of Rome, in turn, was significantly influenced by Greece. Today it is undeniable that Roman mythology, the gods of which were mostly borrowed from the Greeks, had a significant influence on the development of ancient Roman society as a whole.

The mythology of ancient states today is of great interest to researchers of the history of civilizations that have sunk into the past, collecting artifacts of their culture bit by bit over many hundreds of years. Thanks to their efforts, he has an idea of ​​what people lived long before his ancestors appeared, what they believed in and what the meaning of their lives was.

The most ancient Roman mythology was built on the belief in the existence of life after death. The Romans of those times worshiped the souls of their ancestors. At the heart of this worship was the fear of the supernatural powers that the Romans believed these souls possessed. The first Roman gods were identified with nature, they could command it, cause rain or send an unprecedented drought to settlements. In order not to be left without harvests, the inhabitants of Ancient Rome tried in every possible way to appease these gods. They were worshiped and sacrifices were made.

Greek and Roman gods: differences

According to some sources, Ancient Rome did not have its own mythology for centuries. At the same time, in neighboring Greece, the cultural and religious life of the people flourished. Many modern researchers who are interested in history tend to believe that most of the myths were borrowed earlier from the more culturally developed Greeks, and the Roman gods are gods endowed with the same powers and traits as the Greek ones. The only difference is their names. So, in Roman mythology, Venus is an exact copy of the Greek Aphrodite. The patron of the ancient Roman arts - Phoebus - is more like the Greek Apollo, etc.

Initially, the Roman gods had neither a genealogy, nor even their habitat - Olympus, and were depicted in the form of certain symbols: Jupiter had the appearance of a stone, Mars - the appearance of a spear, Vesta - the appearance of flames. According to legend, the first gods of Rome did not leave offspring behind them and, after completing all the work they had begun, they did not die, but disappeared into nowhere. The Greek gods were very prolific and immortal.

The fusion of the culture and mythology of Rome and Greece occurs around the turn of the fourth and third centuries BC. The basic religious views of the Greeks and part of their mythology reigned in Rome after a collection of sayings of the Greek oracle was delivered to the capital of the empire, which subsequently predicted the plague epidemic of 293 BC.

Roman gods are more moral. According to the ideas of the ancient Romans, by guarding human life, they were the defenders of justice on Earth, property rights and many other rights that a free person should have. The moral influence of religion was especially great during the period of prosperity of Roman civil society (2-4 centuries AD). The people of Ancient Rome were very pious. We can still find praise for this piety on the pages of the works of Roman and Greek writers of those times. The outward piety of the Romans proves their respect for customs, on which the main virtue of the Roman people, patriotism, was based.

Goddess Aurora

Aurora in ancient Greek mythology, the goddess of the dawn. The word "aurora" comes from the Latin aura, which means "pre-dawn breeze".

The ancient Greeks called Aurora the ruddy dawn, the rose-fingered goddess Eos. Aurora was the daughter of the titan Hipperion and Theia (in another version: the sun - Helios and the moon - Selene). From Astraeus and Aurora came all the stars that burn in the dark night sky, and all the winds: the stormy northern Boreas, the eastern Eurus, the humid southern Note and the gentle western wind Zephyr, which brings heavy rains.

Andromeda

Andromeda , in Greek mythology, the daughter of Cassiopeia and the Ethiopian king Kepheus. When Andromeda's mother, proud of her beauty, declared that she was more beautiful than the sea deities of the Nereids, they complained to the god of the seas, Poseidon. God took revenge for the insult by sending a flood and a terrible sea monster to Ethiopia that devoured people.
According to the oracle, in order to avoid the destruction of the kingdom, an atoning sacrifice had to be made: Andromeda should be given to the monster to be devoured. The girl was chained to a rock on the seashore. There she was seen by Perseus, flying past with the head of the gorgon Medusa in his hands. He fell in love with Andromeda and received the consent of the girl and her father to marry if he defeated the monster. Perseus was helped to defeat the dragon by the severed head of Medusa, whose gaze turned all living things into stone.
In memory of the exploits of Perseus, Athena placed Andromeda in the sky near the constellation Pegasus; the names Kepheus (Cepheus) and Cassiopeia are also immortalized in the names of the constellations.

Priestess Ariadne

Ariadne , in ancient Greek mythology, a priestess from the island of Naxos. Ariadne was born from the marriage of the Cretan king Minos and Pasiphae. Her sister was Phaedra. Theseus was sent to the island of Crete to kill the Minotaur. Ariadne, who passionately fell in love with the hero, helped him save his life and defeat the monster. She gave Theseus a ball of thread and a sharp blade with which he killed the Minotaur.
Walking through the winding Labyrinth, Ariadne's lover left behind him a thread that was supposed to lead him back. Returning victorious from the Labyrinth, Theseus took Ariadne with him. On the way, they made a stop on the island of Naxos, where the hero left the girl while she was sleeping. Abandoned by Theseus, Ariadne became a priestess on the island, and then married Dionysus. As a wedding gift, she received from the gods a luminous crown, which was forged by the heavenly blacksmith Hephaestus.
This gift was then taken up into the heavens and became the constellation Corona Borealis.
On the island of Naxos there was a cult of worship of the priestess Ariadne, and in Athens she was revered primarily as the wife of Dionysus. The expression “Ariadne’s thread” is often used figuratively.

Goddess Artemis

Artemis A , in Greek mythology, the goddess of the hunt.
The etymology of the word "Artemis" has not yet been clarified. Some researchers believed that the name of the goddess is translated from Greek language meant “bear goddess,” others meant “mistress” or “killer.”
Artemis is the daughter of Zeus and the goddess Leto, twin sister of Apollo, born on the island of Asteria in Delos. According to legend, Artemis, armed with a bow and arrow, spent her time in the forests and mountains, surrounded by faithful nymphs - her constant companions, who, like the goddess, loved to hunt. Despite her apparent fragility and grace, the goddess had an unusually decisive and aggressive character. She dealt with those who were guilty without any regret. In addition, Artemis strictly ensured that order always reigned in the world of animals and plants.
One day, Artemis was angry with King Calydon Oeneus, who forgot to bring her the first fruits of the harvest, and sent a terrible boar to the city. It was Artemis who caused discord among the relatives of Meleager, which led to his terrible death. Because Agamemnon killed the sacred doe of Artemis and boasted of his accuracy, the goddess demanded that he sacrifice his own daughter to her. Unnoticed, Artemis took Iphigenia from the sacrificial altar, replacing her with a doe, and transferred her to Tauris, where the daughter of Agamemnon became a priestess of the goddess.
In the most ancient myths, Artemis was depicted as a bear. In Attica, priestesses of the goddess wore a bearskin when performing rituals.
According to some researchers, in ancient myths the image of the goddess was correlated with the goddesses Selene and Hecate. In later heroic mythology, Artemis was secretly in love with the handsome Endymion.
Meanwhile, in classical mythology, Artemis was a virgin and protector of chastity. She patronized Hippolytus, who despised carnal love. In ancient times, there was a custom: girls getting married made an atoning sacrifice to Artemis in order to ward off her anger. She released snakes into the wedding chambers of King Admetus, who had forgotten about this custom.
Actaeon, who accidentally saw the bathing goddess, died a terrible death: Artemis turned him into a deer, which was torn to pieces by his own dogs.
The goddess severely punished girls who could not maintain chastity. So Artemis punished her nymph, who reciprocated Zeus’s love. Sanctuaries of Artemis were often erected among water sources, considered a symbol of fertility.
In Roman mythology, she corresponds to the goddess Diana.

Diana, in Roman mythology the goddess of nature and the hunt, was considered the personification of the moon, just as her brother Apollo was identified with the sun in late Roman antiquity. Diana was also accompanied by the epithet “goddess of the three roads,” interpreted as a sign of Diana’s triple power: in heaven, on earth and under the earth. The goddess was also known as the patroness of Latins, plebeians and slaves captured by Rome. The anniversary of the founding of the temple of Diana on the Aventine, one of the seven hills of Rome, was considered their holiday, which ensured the goddess's popularity among the lower classes. A legend about an extraordinary cow is associated with this temple: it was predicted that whoever sacrificed it to the goddess in the sanctuary on the Aventine would provide his city with power over all of Italy.

When King Servius Tullius learned about the prediction, he took possession of the cow by cunning, sacrificed the animal to Diana and decorated the temple with its horns. Diana was identified with the Greek Artemis and the goddess of darkness and sorcery Hecate. The myth of the unfortunate hunter Actaeon is associated with Diana. The young man who saw a woman bathing beautiful goddess, Artemis - Diana in anger turned into a deer, which was torn to pieces by her own dogs.

Goddess Athena

Athena , in Greek mythology, the goddess of wisdom, just war and crafts, daughter of Zeus and the Titanide Metis. Zeus, having learned that his son from Metis would deprive him of power, swallowed his pregnant wife, and then himself gave birth to a completely adult Athena, who, with the help of Hephaestus, emerged from his head in full battle garb.
Athena was, as it were, a part of Zeus, the executor of his plans and will. She is the thought of Zeus, realized in action. Her attributes are a snake and an owl, as well as an aegis, a shield made of goatskin, decorated with the head of the snake-haired Medusa, possessing magical power, terrifying gods and people. According to one version, the palladium statue of Athena supposedly fell from heaven; hence her name - Pallas Athena.
Early myths describe how Hephaestus tried to take possession of Athena by force. To avoid losing her virginity, she miraculously disappeared, and the seed of the blacksmith god spilled onto the earth, giving birth to the serpent Erichthonius. The daughters of the first ruler of Athens, the half-serpent Cecrops, having received a chest with a monster for safekeeping from Athena and ordered not to look inside, broke their promise. The angry goddess sent madness upon them. She deprived young Tiresias, a casual witness of her ablution, of his sight, but endowed him with the gift of a soothsayer. During the period of heroic mythology, Athena fought with titans and giants: she kills one giant, rips off the skin of another, and dumps the island of Sicily on a third.
Classical Athena patronizes heroes and protects public order. She rescued Bellerophon, Jason, Hercules and Perseus from trouble. It was she who helped her favorite Odysseus overcome all difficulties and get to Ithaca after the Trojan War. The most significant support was provided by Athena to the matricide Orestes. She helped Prometheus steal the divine fire, defended the Achaean Greeks during the Trojan War; she is the patroness of potters, weavers and needlewomen. The cult of Athena, widespread throughout Greece, was especially revered in Athens, which she patronized. In Roman mythology, the goddess corresponds to Minerva.

Goddess Aphrodite or Goddess Venus

Aphrodite (“foam-born”), in Greek mythology, the goddess of beauty and love that permeates the whole world. According to one version, the goddess was born from the blood of Uranus, castrated by the titan Kronos: the blood fell into the sea, forming foam (in Greek - aphros). Aphrodite was not only the patroness of love, as reported by the author of the poem “On the Nature of Things,” Titus Lucretius Carus, but also the goddess of fertility, eternal spring and life. According to legend, she usually appeared surrounded by her usual companions - nymphs, ors and harites. In myths, Aphrodite was the goddess of marriage and childbirth.
Due to her Eastern origins, Aphrodite was often identified with the Phoenician fertility goddess Astarte, the Egyptian Isis and the Assyrian Ishtar.
Despite the fact that serving the goddess contained a certain shade of sensuality (the hetaera called her “their goddess”), over the centuries the archaic goddess turned from sexy and licentious into the beautiful Aphrodite, who was able to take an honorable place on Olympus. The fact of her possible origin from the blood of Uranus was forgotten.

Seeing the beautiful goddess on Olympus, all the gods fell in love with her, but Aphrodite became the wife of Hephaestus - the most skillful and ugliest of all the gods, although she later gave birth to children from other gods, including Dionysus and Ares. In ancient literature you can also find references to the fact that Aphrodite was married to Ares, sometimes even the children who were born from this marriage are named: Eros (or Eros), Anteros (hatred), Harmony, Phobos (fear), Deimos (horror).
Perhaps Aphrodite's greatest love was the beautiful Adonis, the son of the beautiful Myrrh, who was transformed by the gods into a myrrh tree that produces beneficial resin - myrrh. Soon Adonis died while hunting from a wound inflicted by a wild boar. Roses blossomed from drops of the young man's blood, and anemones blossomed from Aphrodite's tears. According to another version, the cause of Adonis’ death was the anger of Ares, who was jealous of Aphrodite.
Aphrodite was one of three goddesses who argued about their beauty. Having promised Paris, the son of the Trojan king, the most beautiful woman on earth, Helen, the wife of the Spartan king Menelaus, she won the argument, and the abduction of Helen by Paris served as the reason for the start of the Trojan War.
The ancient Greeks believed that Aphrodite provided protection to heroes, but her help extended only to the sphere of feelings, as was the case with Paris.
A vestige of the goddess’s archaic past was her belt, which, according to legend, contained love, desire, and words of seduction. It was this belt that Aphrodite gave to Hera in order to help her divert the attention of Zeus.
Numerous sanctuaries of the goddess were located in many regions of Greece - in Corinth, Messinia, Cyprus and Sicily. In Ancient Rome, Aphrodite was identified with Venus and was considered the ancestor of the Romans thanks to her son Aeneas, the ancestor of the Julius family, to which, according to legend, Julius Caesar belonged.

Venus, in Roman mythology, the goddess of gardens, beauty and love.
In ancient Roman literature, the name Venus was often used as a synonym for fruit. Some scholars translated the name of the goddess as “mercy of the gods.”
After the widespread legend of Aeneas, Venus, revered in some cities of Italy as Frutis, was identified with Aeneas' mother Aphrodite. Now she became not only the goddess of beauty and love, but also the patroness of the descendants of Aeneas and all Romans. The spread of the cult of Venus in Rome was greatly influenced by the Sicilian temple built in her honor.
The cult of Venus reached its apotheosis of popularity in the 1st century BC. e., when the famous senator Sulla, who believed that the goddess brings him happiness, and Guy Pompey, who built a temple and dedicated it to Venus the Victorious, began to count on her patronage. Guy Julius Caesar especially revered this goddess, considering her son, Aeneas, the ancestor of the Julian family.
Venus was awarded such epithets as merciful, purifying, shorn, in memory of the courageous Roman women who, during the war with the Gauls, cut their hair in order to weave ropes from it.
IN literary works Venus acted as the goddess of love and passion. One of the planets in the solar system was named after Venus.

Goddess Hecate

Hecate , in ancient Greek mythology, the goddess of the night, the ruler of darkness. Hecate ruled over all ghosts and monsters, night visions and sorcery. She was born as a result of the marriage of the titan Persus and Asteria.
Hecate had three bodies connected together, six pairs of arms and three heads. Zeus - the king of the gods - endowed her with power over the destinies of the earth and sea, and Uranus endowed her with indestructible strength.
The Greeks believed that Hecate wanders in deep darkness at night with her constant companions, owls and snakes, lighting her path with smoldering torches.

She walked past the graves along with her terrible retinue, surrounded by monstrous dogs from the kingdom of Hades, living on the banks of the Styx. Hecate sent horrors and painful dreams to the earth and destroyed people.
Sometimes Hecate helped people, for example, it was she who helped Medea achieve Jason’s love. It was believed that she helped sorcerers and sorcerers. The ancient Greeks believed that if you sacrifice dogs to Hecate while standing at the crossroads of three roads, she would help remove the spell and get rid of evil damage.
Underground gods like Hecate personified mainly the formidable forces of nature.

Goddess Gaia

Gaia (G a i a, A i a, G h) · mother Earth . The most ancient pre-Olympic deity, who played a vital role in the process of creating the world as a whole. Gaia was born after Chaos. She is one of the four primary potencies (Chaos, Earth), who gave birth to URANUS-SKY from herself and took him as her wife. Together with URANUS, Gaia gave birth to six titans and six titanides, among them Kronos and Rhea, the parents of the supreme deities of the Greek pantheon - ZEUS, HADES, POSEIDON, HERA, DEMETER and HESTIA. Her offspring were also Pont-sea, three CYCLOPES and three HUNDRED-HANDED men. All of them, with their terrible appearance, aroused the hatred of the father, and he did not release them into the light from the womb of the mother. Gaia, suffering from the weight of the children hidden in her, decided to stop the spontaneous fertility of her husband, and at her instigation, KRONOS castrated URANUS, from whose blood monsters and the beautiful APHRODITE were born. The marriage of Gaia and Pontus gave rise to a whole series of monsters. The grandchildren of Gaia, led by ZEUS, in a battle with the children of Gaia, the titans, defeated the latter, throwing them into TARTARUS, and divided the world among themselves.

Gaia does not live on OLYMPUS and does not take an active part in the life of the OLYMPIC GODS, but she monitors everything that happens and often gives them wise advice. She advises RHEA how to save ZEUS from the gluttony of KRONOS, who devours all his newborn children: RHEA, instead of the baby ZEUS, wrapped a stone, which KRONOS safely swallowed. She also tells us what fate awaits ZEUS. On her advice, ZEUS freed the hundred-armed men who served him in the Titanomachy. She advised ZEUS to start the Trojan War. Golden apples growing in the gardens of the Hesperides are her gift to HERA. The powerful force with which Gaia fed her children is known: her son from the union with Poseidon Antaeus was invulnerable thanks to her name: he could not be overthrown as long as he touched his mother, the earth, with his feet. Sometimes Gaia demonstrated her independence from the Olympians: in alliance with Tartarus, she gave birth to the monstrous TYPHON, who was destroyed by ZEUS. Her offspring was the dragon Ladon. The offspring of Gaia are terrible, distinguished by savagery and elemental strength, disproportion (the Cyclopes have one eye), ugliness and a mixture of animal and human traits. Over time, the spontaneously generating functions of Gaia faded into the background. She turned out to be the keeper of ancient wisdom, and she knew the dictates of fate and its laws, so she was identified with THEMIS and had her own ancient oracle in Delphi, which later became the oracle of APPOLO. The image of Gaia was partially embodied in DEMETER, with her beneficial functions for humans, calling Karpoforos- Fruitful, in the mother goddess RHE with her inexhaustible fertility, in CYBEL with her orgiastic cult.

The cult of Gaia was widespread everywhere: on the mainland, on the islands, and in the colonies.

Goddess of Grace

Graces , in Roman mythology (in ancient Greek - charites) beneficent goddesses, personifying the joyful, kind and eternally youthful beginning of life, daughters of Jupiter, nymphs and goddesses. The names of the graces (harit), their origin and number are different in different myths. In ancient times, goddesses were depicted in tunics flowing in soft folds, and later - naked, so that nothing could hide their charms.
The Three Graces represent Beauty, Love and Pleasure. The Graces are in the retinue of Venus. In Neoplatonism they symbolize the three aspects of love. In medieval art, the graces are Virtue, Beauty and Love, and their attributes are a rose, myrtle and an apple, and sometimes dice.
“The graces are either naked when they want to show that there is no deception in them, or they are dressed in translucent clothes when they want to emphasize their charms and virtues” (Seneca).

Europe

Europe , in Greek mythology, the daughter of the Phoenician king Agenor, who became the object of passion of the thunderer Zeus. Flying over the city of Sidon, Zeus saw girls dancing in a circle in the meadow and weaving wreaths of bright flowers. The most beautiful of all was Europe - the daughter of the local king. Zeus descended to earth and appeared in the guise of a wonderful white bull, standing at the feet of Europa. Europe, laughing, sat on his broad back. At that same moment, the bull rushed into the sea and carried her to the island of Crete, where Europe gave birth to Zeus three sons - Minos, Radamanthos and Sarpedon, and then married the local king Asterius ("star"), who adopted her sons from God. Zeus mercifully gave his rival the mighty copper pelican Talos, who was supposed to guard Crete, walking around the island three times a day. And he placed the divine bull in the sky - the constellation Taurus, as a reminder to Europe of his great love for her.

Goddess Iris

Iris , in ancient Greek mythology, the goddess, patroness of the rainbow. Iris was born from the union of Thaumant and the oceanid Electra.
Her sisters were the harpies.
According to the ancient Greeks, the rainbow was the bridge that connected heaven and earth.
When the Olympic religion took shape, Iris began to be revered, like Hermes, as a mediator between the celestials and the world of people.
Iris carried out the commands of Zeus unquestioningly, without adding her own changes, which distinguished her from Hermes.

The image of Iris could usually be found in plot sketches associated with the myths about Hera. The goddess of the rainbow was represented as a winged girl. Her usual attribute was a mug of rainwater.
Morpheus, in Greek mythology, the winged deity of dreams, son of the god of sleep Hypnos, grandson of the goddess of vengeance Nemesis.

Lamia

Lamia , character from ancient Greek mythology.
Lamia was the lover of Zeus and gave birth to children from him. Hera, out of jealousy, killed them and deprived the beloved of the supreme god of sleep.
Lamia, hiding in a dark dungeon, turned into a monster that fed on people. Unable to sleep, this creature wandered at night and sucked blood from people it met; its victims most often were young men. To fall asleep, Lamia took out her eyes, becoming at this time the most vulnerable.
In later legends European peoples Lamia was depicted in the form of a snake with the head and breasts of a beautiful woman. She lived in forest thickets and abandoned castles. This creature seduced men and sucked their blood, killing children.
A similar character existed in the mythology of the southern Slavs. This creature was called Lamia, it was a monster with the body of a snake and the head of a dog. Lamia raided gardens and devoured all the fruits of the peasants' labor.

Muses

Muses , in ancient Greek mythology, goddess and patroness of the arts and sciences. The Muses were considered the daughters of Zeus and the goddess of memory Mnemosyne. The word "muse" comes from the Greek "musa" ("thinking"), they were also called Aonids, Aonian sisters, Parnasids, Castalids, Pierides and Hypocrenids.
There were nine sisters in total: Melpomene - the muse of tragedy, Thalia - the muse of comedy, Calliope - the muse of epic poetry, Euterpe - the muse of lyric poetry, Erato - the muse of love songs, Terpsichore - the muse of dancing, Clio - the muse of history, Urania - the muse of astronomy and Polyhymnia - the muse sacred hymns. The goddesses usually performed under the guidance of the patron of the arts, Apollo, who received the second name Musaget from the gods.

Their names, in addition to Urania (“heavenly”) and Clio (“giver of glory”), are associated with singing and dancing. These goddesses were worshiped by scholars and artists of Ancient Greece.
It was believed that the first to make sacrifices to the muses were the giants of the load - Ot and Ephialtes. It was they who introduced the cult of the muses and gave them names, thinking that there were only three of them: Meleta (“Experience”), Mnema (“memory”), Aioda (“song”). After some time, the number of muses was increased to nine by Pier, who arrived from Macedonia, who gave them names.
The Muses were women of heavenly beauty, and this quality of theirs did not go unnoticed by the other gods. Many of the muses produced offspring from the gods: for example, Thalia gave birth to Sicilian twins, Palikov, from Zeus the Kite; Melpomene and the god Achelous gave birth to monstrous creatures that attract travelers with their singing and devour them.

Nemesis

Nemesis (Nemesis), in ancient Greek mythology, the goddess of vengeance.
The duties of the goddess included punishment for crimes, overseeing the fair and equal distribution of goods among mortals.
Nemesis was born by Nikta as a punishment to Kronos, along with other creatures of the goddess of the night: Thanatos - the god of death, Eris - the goddess of discord, Apata - the goddess of deception, Ker - the god of destruction and Hypnos - the god of dark dreams.
Nemesis was also called Adrastea - "inevitable." The word "Nemesis" comes from the Greek nemo, meaning "justly indignant." According to one of the myths, Nemesis had a daughter, Helen, who was the culprit of the Trojan War, from her marriage to Zeus.
Nemesis was the most revered goddess in Ramnunt, where a temple was dedicated to her near Marathon. In the temple there was a statue of her, sculpted by Phidias. The goddess was also revered in ancient Rome. Images of Nemesis are found on ancient amphorae, mosaics and other works of art, where she was painted with scales in her hands, as well as with other objects that symbolized balance, punishment and speed: a bridle, a sword and a whip.

Pandora

Pandora (“gifted by all”), in Greek mythology, the first woman created by Athena and Hephaestus at the behest of Zeus, seeking revenge on the people for whom Prometheus stole the divine fire. Hephaestus sculpted it by mixing earth and water. Athena dressed her in a silver dress and crowned her with a golden crown. The woman was named Pandora, since the gods endowed the girl with beauty, jewelry, and clothes. According to the plan of the supreme god, she was supposed to bring temptations and sorrows to people, so Zeus handed her a sealed casket in which all misfortunes and disasters were contained. Having descended to earth, the curious Pandora could not resist and broke the seal of the casket, unleashing hatred, disappointment, pain, troubles, illnesses and vices, hitherto unknown to humanity. But still, the head of the gods did not want to be considered cruel. The casket contained a feeling that could defeat any evil - hope.

Goddess Persephone

Persephone , in Greek mythology, the daughter of Zeus and the goddess Demeter. The goddess of fertility and agriculture, Demeter, loved her only daughter, the beautiful Persephone. For her, she grew beautiful fragrant flowers in the meadows of Hellas, allowed dragonflies and butterflies to flutter among them, and songbirds to fill the meadows and groves with melodious singing. Young Persephone adored the bright world of Uncle Helios - the god of the Sun and her mother's green meadows, lush trees, bright flowers and streams babbling everywhere, on the surface of which the glare of the sun played. Neither she nor her mother knew that Zeus had promised her as a wife to his gloomy brother Hades, the god of the underworld. One day, Demeter and Persephone were walking through a green meadow. Persephone frolicked with her friends, rejoicing in the light and warmth, reveling in the aromas of meadow flowers. Suddenly, in the grass, she found a flower of unknown beauty that emitted an intoxicating smell. It was Gaia, at the request of Hades, who raised him to attract the attention of Persephone. As soon as the girl touched the strange flower, the earth opened up and a golden carriage pulled by four black horses appeared. Hades ruled it. He picked up Persephone and carried her to his palace in the underworld. Heartbroken, Demeter dressed in black clothes and went in search of her daughter. Dark times have come for everything living on earth. The trees lost their lush foliage, the flowers withered, the grains did not produce grain. Neither the fields nor the gardens bore fruit. Hunger has set in. All life froze. The human race was in danger of destruction. The gods, who from time to time came down to people from Olympus and took care of them, began to ask Zeus to tell Demeter the truth about Persephone. But after learning the truth, the mother missed her daughter even more. Then Zeus sent Hermes to Hades with a request to release his wife to earth from time to time so that Persephone could see her mother. Hades did not dare to disobey Zeus. Seeing her daughter, Demeter rejoiced, tears of joy sparkled in her eyes. The earth was filled with this moisture, the meadows were covered with tender grass, and flowers bloomed on recently drooping stems. Soon the grain fields began to sprout. Nature has awakened to a new life. Since then, by order of Zeus, Persephone is obliged to spend two thirds of the year with her mother and one third with her husband. This is how the alternation of seasons arose. When Persephone is in the kingdom of her husband, despondency attacks Demeter, and winter comes on Earth. But every return of the daughter to her mother in the world of Uncle Helios is alive with new juices and brings with her spring in all its triumphant beauty. That is why Persephone is always depicted as a beautiful girl with a bouquet of flowers and a sheaf of ears of corn and is considered the goddess of the coming spring, the sister of the goddess of the kingdom of flowers and plants, Flora. And she lives in the sky as the wonderful constellation Virgo. The most bright Star in the constellation Virgo is called Spica, which means ear of corn. In Roman mythology, the goddess corresponds to Proserpina.

Psyche

Psyche (Greeky u c h, “soul”, “butterfly”), in Greek mythology the personification of the soul, breath. The ancient Greeks imagined the souls of the dead in the form of a butterfly or a flying bird. The souls of the dead in the kingdom of Hades are depicted as flying; they are represented as flying out of the blood of the victims, fluttering in the form of shadows and phantoms. The souls of the dead swirl like a whirlwind of ghosts around Hecate; the ghost of Achilles appears accompanied by a whirlwind during the siege of Troy. Myths about Princess Psyche tell about the desire human soul merge with love. For her indescribable beauty, people revered Psyche more than Aphrodite. According to one version, a jealous goddess sent her son, the deity of love Eros (Cupid), to arouse in the girl a passion for the ugliest of people, however, when he saw the beauty, the young man lost his head and forgot about his mother’s order. Having become the husband of Psyche, he did not allow her to look at him. She, burning with curiosity, lit a lamp at night and looked at her husband, not noticing a hot drop of oil falling on his skin, and her husband disappeared. In the end, by the will of Zeus, the lovers united. Apuleius in Metamorphoses retells the myth of the romantic love of Cupid and Psyche; the journeys of the human soul, yearning to meet its love.

Goddess Themis

Themis , in ancient Greek mythology, the goddess of justice.
The Greeks called the goddess different names, for example Temis, Themis. Themis was the daughter of the sky god Uranus and Gaia, the second wife of Zeus and the mother of numerous offspring. Her daughters were the goddesses of fate - the Moiras.
In one of the legends, Themis acts as the mother of the titan Prometheus, who initiated her son into the secret of the fate of Zeus. The Thunderer was supposed to die from one of his children born to Thetis. The myth of Prometheus tells that the hero discovered this secret only after thousands of years of torment to which Zeus doomed him.
In Olympia, the inhabitants of Ancient Greece placed altars to Zeus, Gaia and Themis side by side, which shows how much they revered this goddess of law and order.

Sorceress Circe

Circe, Kirke, in Greek mythology, a powerful sorceress, daughter of the sun god Helios and Perseid. Having poisoned her husband, the king of the Sarmatians, she settled on the magical island of Eya. On the road from Troy, Odysseus landed on Oia, and Circe’s magic turned the members of his crew into animals. Under the protection of Hermes, Odysseus was invulnerable to the beauty’s witchcraft and was able to destroy her evil spell, and later even enlisted the help of the sorceress. After spending time with Circe happy year, Odysseus learned from her how to safely sail past the Sirens and get between the terrible Scylla and the formidable Charybdis. Scylla was once a rival of the insidious Circe, who turned the girl into a monster, jealous of her for one of her divine lovers. According to some reports, Circe had a son from Odysseus, Telegonus, who accidentally killed his father. Eventually the sorceress Circe married Odysseus's eldest son, Telemachus.

In the second chapter of the “Unified Pantheon” series, we will compare the pagan gods of the ancient Slavs and the pagan gods of the ancient Romans. Once again, you will be able to see that all the pagan beliefs of the world are very similar to each other, which suggests that they originally originated from the same belief that existed in those days when all nations were united. I want to say right away that this material will be quite similar to the previous article, since the Greek and Roman gods are very similar to each other and often differ only in names. However, this material will be useful for some of you, and in order not to search later in tons of information on the World Wide Web - who our Veles or Perun corresponds to in the Roman pantheon, you can simply use this article.

Roman mythology is believed to have its origins in Greek mythology. The influence of Greek paganism on Roman paganism began around the 6th-5th centuries BC. Since the Roman and Greek cultures were in very close contact, Greek mythology, already incredibly developed, structured and detailed at that time, began to influence Roman paganism. It cannot be said that Roman culture simply abandoned its gods in favor of the Greek ones. Most likely, the beliefs of the Romans, which were already similar to the Greek ones, began to acquire new myths, the gods began to develop new qualities, becoming equal in strength and power to the Greek ones. Also, new Greek gods began to appear in the Roman pantheon, which previously simply did not exist in their beliefs. Thus, ancient Rome showed cunning, attracting to its side both the gods themselves and the peoples who worshiped them.

Correspondence between Slavic and Roman gods

Lada- goddess of spring, love and marriage among the Slavs. She is considered one of the birth goddesses. She is the mother of the goddess Lelya and the god Lelya. In Roman mythology, Lada corresponds to the goddess. Latona corresponds to the ancient Greek titanide Leto. The Greek goddess Leto is the mother of Apollo and Artemis. The Roman goddess Latona is the mother of Apollo and Diana. Among the Slavic Lada, we know the daughter Lelya (Diana-Artemis) and the son Lelya (Apollo), whom we will talk about later.

Lelya- goddess of spring, beauty, youth, fertility. In Roman mythology, Lada's daughter Lele corresponds to the goddess Diana, who is the daughter of Latona. Diana is the goddess of femininity, fertility, the patroness of animals and flora, and is also considered the goddess of the Moon. In ancient times, when the influence of Greek mythology was not yet so strong, under the name of Diana the spirits of the forest or the mistresses of the forest were revered, and in this they also have a lot in common with Lelya, since Lelya is the patroness of spring and fertility, was the goddess of forest lands, all kinds herbs and living creatures.

Lel- son of the goddess Lada, brother of the goddess Lelya. He is the patron of love, love passion and marriage. Often depicted playing the pipe in a field or on the edge of a forest. As the patron of love, he is similar to the ancient Roman Cupid (the god of love and amorous attraction), but if we follow the correspondences of gods in various cultures, then Lel is more similar to the Greek and Roman god Apollo. Apollo corresponds to our Lelya not only in its relationship with Latona (Lada) and Diana (Lelei), but also in that it is the patron of the arts, the patron of music, is a predictor god and a healing god, the god of light, heat and sun. What is surprising is that in Roman culture, Apollo eventually became identified with the sun god Helios. Helios is the all-seeing eye of the Sun. Helios is also the giver of light and heat, which corresponds to Apollo, who is the patron of light. In this sense, the god Apollo-Helios is similar to our Dazhdbog - the god who gives light and warmth to people, the god of the Sun and sunlight. Whether there is any connection with our gods in these intricacies, or whether this is an ordinary confusion that occurred at a time when the Roman and Greek gods began to actively replace each other, is unknown, but there is certainly a reason to think about it.

Veles- one of the most revered gods in Slavic paganism. Veles is the patron of forests and domestic animals, the patron of wealth and creative people. In Roman paganism, Veles corresponds to the god of trade, the god of wealth, Mercury. I wonder what Mercury in ancient times he was considered the patron saint of grain production, crops and livestock. However, much later, when trade began to actively develop, and bread and meat for the most part became the object of sale and earnings, Mercury also became the patron god of wealth. It is possible that exactly the same story happened to our Veles in ancient times, when from the patron of fields, grain and domestic animals he turned into the patron of wealth, and then, due to an erroneous interpretation of the term “cattle” (property, wealth), turned into a patron of livestock.

Makosh- one of the most ancient goddesses of the ancient Slavs. Judging by the research of numerous historians, in ancient times this goddess occupied a leading role in the pagan pantheon. Makosh is the patroness of fertility, rain, women in labor, handicrafts, women's affairs and all women in general. Makosh is the patroness of fate. There is also a version that Makosh is the personification of the Earth. In Roman mythology, Mokosh corresponds to the goddess. Ceres is the goddess of the harvest, fertility and agriculture. In an article on the correspondence between Slavic and greek gods we have already talked about Mokosh and the Greek Demeter, who was the personification of the Earth for the Greeks. Ceres is the exact equivalent of Demeter. The Roman goddess, like the Greek, has a daughter - Proserpina - the goddess of the underworld, who corresponds to our Morana, Madder or Mara. Although there is no exact evidence that the ancient Slavs could consider Morana the daughter of Mokosh, such amazing similarities that are observed in Slavic, Greek and Roman deities may indicate that this could well be possible.

Moran- goddess of death and winter, mistress of the underworld of the dead. In Greek mythology she corresponds to Persephone, and in Roman mythology - Proserpina. Proserpina is the daughter of Ceres (Makoshi) and Jupiter (Perun), which speaks of another amazing family connection between the gods. She spends half the year in the world of the dead, being the queen of the underworld, and spends half the year on Earth, during which time she becomes the patroness of fertility and harvest.

Perun- God of Thunder among the Slavs. God of thunder and lightning, patron of warriors. Corresponds to the Scandinavian Thor, Greek Zeus and Roman Jupiter. In ancient Roman mythology, he is the god of the sky, the god of daylight, the god of thunder and lightning. Jupiter was the supreme god of the Romans. Like Perun in ancient Rus', Jupiter was the god of the Roman state, the patron of emperors, their power, power and military force. Historians believe that the name “Jupiter” dates back to Proto-Indo-European mythology, where it meant “god the father.”

Chernobog- Slavic king of the world of the dead, god of the underworld. The Romans called this god - Pluto. Pluto received the underworld as his destiny, where the souls of the dead live. It was believed that Pluto appears on the surface only to take another “victim” to himself, that is, each death was considered to be Pluto’s foray from the underworld. One day he kidnapped the goddess of plants and fertility Proserpina (Morana), after which she became his underground queen and since then spends exactly six months in the world of the dead.

Svarog- the blacksmith god, the god of the sky, the god who bound the Earth, the god who taught people to mine metal and create tools from metal. In Roman paganism, Svarog corresponds to the god of fire and the patron of blacksmithing - Volcano. Vulcan is the son of the god Jupiter and the goddess Juno. Vulcan created armor and weapons for both gods and heroes on Earth. He also created lightning for Jupiter (Perun). Vulcan's forge was located in the crater of Mount Etna in Sicily.

Horse- god of the sun among the Slavs. In Roman mythology he corresponds to the sun god Sol. The god Sol was represented as a horseman who gallops across the sky in a golden chariot drawn by winged horses. Surprisingly, this is exactly how the Slavs imagined the daytime journey of the Sun across the sky - in a chariot and a team of horses. It is for this reason that horse heads became a protective symbol for the Slavs, even, in its own way, a solar symbol.

Yarilo- god of spring, spring fertility, love passion. In Roman mythology, Yarila corresponds to the god of vegetation, spring fertility, the god of inspiration, the god of winemaking -. Bacchus, like the Greek Dionysus, underwent rather unsightly changes and was practically “denigrated” by descendants who simply did not understand the essence of Dionysus-Bacchus. Today Dionysus and Bacchus are considered the patrons of drunkards, the gods of wine, unbridled fun, orgies, and so on. However, all this is far from the truth. Bacchus and Dionysus (Yarilo) are the gods of fertility and harvest. The ancient Greeks and Romans celebrated a rich harvest of grapes and other crops with large-scale fun with drinking wine, dancing and festive performances in honor of the god who gave this harvest. From the sight of these feasts, the opinion was born among those who replaced paganism that Bacchus or Dionysus is the patron of drunkenness and debauchery, although this is far from a mistaken opinion.

Zarya, Zorka, Zarya-Zaryanitsa - goddess of the morning dawn. By the goddess Zarya, the ancient Slavs understood the planet Venus, which is visible to the naked eye shortly before dawn, and also after sunset. It is believed that Zarya-Zaryanitsa prepares the exit of the Sun from the horizon, harnesses its chariot and gives the first light to people, promising a bright sunny day. In Roman mythology, the Slavic Zorka corresponds to the goddess Aurora. Aurora is the ancient Roman goddess of dawn, bringing daylight to gods and people.

Mermaids, pitchforks, guardians- spirits of ancestors. In Roman mythology they were called - Mana. Manas are the souls of the dead or shadows of the dead. Manas were considered good spirits. Holidays were held in their honor. Treats were brought to cemeteries especially for these spirits. Manas were considered protectors of people and guardians of tombs.

Lizard- god of the underwater kingdom among the ancient Slavs. In ancient Rome, the Lizard corresponded to Neptune. Neptune is the god of seas and streams. The sea god was especially revered by sailors and fishermen, whose lives largely depended on the favor of the sea patron. Also, the sea god Neptune was asked for rain and to prevent drought.

Brownies- spirits living in the house, protecting the house and its owners. Roman brownies were Penates. Penates are the guardian gods of the home and hearth. During the times of Roman paganism, all Romans believed that two Penates lived in every house. Usually in each house there were images (small idols) of two house-penates, which were kept in a cabinet near the hearth. The Penates were not only domestic patrons, but even patrons of the entire Roman people. In their honor, the State Cult of the Penates was created with its high priest. The center of the Penates cult was located in the temple of Vesta, the patroness of the family hearth and sacrificial fire. It is from the name of the Roman brownies that the expression “return to one’s home” comes from, which is used to mean “returning home.”

Finally, it is worth mentioning the Slavic and Roman goddesses of fate. In Slavic mythology, the goddesses of fate who weave a thread for each person are called Dolya and Nedolya (Srecha and Nesrecha). Since Dolya and Nedolya work on fate together with the mistress of fate Makosh herself, we can say that in Slavic mythology the spinner goddesses are Makosh, Dolya and Nedolya. In Roman mythology there are three goddesses of fate - Parks. The first Nona parka pulls the yarn, creating the thread of human life. The second Decima parka winds the tow without a spindle, distributing fate. The third parka Morta cuts the thread, ending a person's life. If we compare them with the already mentioned Slavic goddesses, then we can say that Makosh (according to Roman theory) pulls the yarn, Dolya winds the tow (it is believed that Dolya spins good fate), and Nedolya cuts the thread of life (it is believed that Nedolya spins problems and failures).