The myth of Zeus, Poseidon and Hades. Myths of ancient Greece Zeus. The trick of the wife of young Zeus

During Antiquity, mythology had a huge influence on people, closely fitting into everyday life and religious customs. The main religion of this period was pagan polytheism, which was based on a large pantheon of gods. The gods of ancient Greece had a special meaning and each played their role. In different regions there was a cult of one or another god, which was largely determined by the peculiarities of life and way of life. This article provides a list and description of the gods.

The gods were humanized, endowed with anthropomorphic behavior. Ancient Greek mythology had a clear hierarchy - the Titans, Titanides and the younger generation of gods stood out, giving rise to the Olympians. The Olympian gods are the supreme celestial beings who lived on Mount Olympus. They were the ones who had the greatest influence on the ancient Greeks.

The ancient Greek gods of the first generation - ancient entities that gave rise to all living and nonliving things, are considered the creators of the world. They entered into a relationship, thanks to which other gods were born, who also belong to the first generation, as well as the titans. The progenitors of all the ancient Greek gods were Skotos (Mist) and Chaos. It was these two entities that gave rise to the entire primary pantheon of Ancient Greece.

The primary pantheon of gods of ancient Greece:

• Nyukta (Nikta);
• Erebus (Darkness);
• Eros (Love);
• Gaia (Earth);
• Tartarus (Abyss);
• Uranus (Sky).

Almost no descriptions of each of these deities have survived, since the Olympians later became key to the mythology of Ancient Greece.

Gods, unlike people, were allowed to enter into family relationships, so children were often the fruits of incest.

The deities of the second generation are the titans, thanks to whom the Olympian gods were born. These are 6 sisters and 6 brothers who actively married each other and fought for power. The most revered titans are Kronos and Rhea.

Olympian gods of Greece

These are the children and descendants of the children of Kronos and his wife Rhea. The Titan Kronos was originally considered the god of agriculture, and later of time. He had a harsh disposition and a thirst for power, for which he was overthrown, castrated and sent to Tartarus. His reign was replaced by the Olympian gods, led by Zeus. The lives and relationships of the Olympians are detailed in ancient Greek legends and myths, and they were worshiped, respected, and given gifts. There are 12 main gods.

Zeus

The youngest son of Rhea and Kronos, considered the father and patron of people and gods, personified good and evil. He opposed his father, overthrowing him into Tartarus. After this, power on earth was divided between him and his brothers - Poseidon and Hades. He is the patron of lightning and thunder. His attributes were a shield and an axe, and later an eagle began to be depicted next to him. They loved Zeus, but they were also afraid of his punishment, so they offered valuable gifts.

People imagined Zeus as a strong and robust middle-aged man. He had noble features, thick hair and a beard. In myths, Zeus was portrayed as a character in love stories who deceived earthly women, as a result of which he gave rise to many demigods.

Hades

The eldest son of Kronos and Rhea, after the overthrow of the rule of the Titans, became the god of the underworld of the dead. He was personified by people as a man over 40 years old who rode a golden chariot drawn by golden horses. He is credited with terrifying surroundings, such as Cerberus, a dog with three heads. They believed that he owned the untold riches of the underworld, so they feared and respected him, sometimes more than Zeus. Married to Persephone, whom he kidnapped, thereby causing the wrath of Zeus and the inconsolable grief of Demeter.

Among people they were afraid to say his name out loud, replacing it with various epithets. One of the few gods whose cult was practically not widespread. During the rituals, black-skinned cattle, most often bulls, were sacrificed to him.

Poseidon

The middle son of Kronos and Rhea, after defeating the Titans, gained possession of the water element. According to myths, he lives in a majestic palace in the underwater depths, along with his wife Amphitrite and son Triton. Moves across the sea in a chariot drawn by seahorses. Wields a trident that has enormous power. Its impacts led to the formation of springs and underwater springs. In ancient drawings he is depicted as a powerful man with blue eyes, like the color of the sea.

The Greeks believed that he had a difficult temper and a hot temper, which contrasted with the calmness of Zeus. The cult of Poseidon was widespread in many coastal cities of Ancient Greece, where they brought him rich gifts, including girls.

Hera

One of the most revered goddesses of Ancient Greece. She was the patroness of marriage and marriage. She had a tough character, jealousy and a great love of power. She is the wife and sister of her brother Zeus.

In myths, Hera is portrayed as a power-hungry woman who sends disasters and curses on Zeus's many lovers and their children, which leads to grins and funny antics on the part of her husband. She bathes annually in the Kanaf spring, after which she becomes a virgin again.

In Greece, the cult of Hera was widespread, she was the protector of women, they worshiped her and brought gifts to help during childbirth. One of the first deities to whom a sanctuary was built.

Demeter

Second daughter of Kronos and Rhea, sister of Hera. The goddess of fertility and patroness of agriculture, therefore enjoyed great respect among the Greeks. There were large cults throughout the country; it was believed that it was impossible to get a harvest without bringing a gift to Demeter. It was she who taught people to cultivate the land. She appeared to be a young woman of beautiful appearance with curls the color of ripe wheat. The most famous myth is about the abduction of her daughter by Hades.

Descendants and children of Zeus

In the mythology of Ancient Greece, the born sons of Zeus are of great importance. These are gods of the second order, each of whom was the patron of one or another human activity. According to legends, they often came into contact with earthly inhabitants, where they weaved intrigues and built relationships. Key ones:

Apollo

People called him “radiant” or “shining.” He appeared to be a golden-haired young man, endowed with extraterrestrial beauty of appearance. He was a patron of the arts, a patron of new settlements and a healer. Widely revered by the Greeks, large cults and shrines were found at Delos and Delphi. He is the patron and mentor of muses.

Ares (Ares)

The god of bloody and brutal war, which is why he was often opposed to Athena. The Greeks imagined him as a mighty warrior with a sword in his hand. In later sources, he is depicted next to a griffin and two companions - Eris and Enio, who sowed discord and anger among people. In myths he is described as the lover of Aphrodite, in whose relationship many deities and demigods were born.

Artemis

Patron of hunting and female chastity. It was believed that bringing gifts to Artemis would bring happiness in marriage and make childbirth easier. She was often depicted next to a deer and a bear. The most famous temple was located in Ephesus, and later she was the patroness of the Amazons.

Athena (Pallas)

Highly revered goddess in Ancient Greece. She was the patroness of organized war, wisdom and strategy. Later it became a symbol of knowledge and crafts. She was depicted by the ancient Greeks as a tall and well-proportioned woman, with a spear in her hand. Temples to Athena were erected everywhere, and the cult of veneration was widespread.

Aphrodite

The ancient Greek goddess of beauty and love, later considered the patron of fertility and life. She had a huge influence on the entire pantheon; she had both people and gods in her power (except for Athens, Artemis and Hestia). She was the wife of Hephaestus, but she is credited with love affairs with Ares and Dionysus. Depicted with flowers of roses, myrtle or poppy, apple. Her retinue included doves, sparrows and dolphins, and her companions were Eros and numerous nymphs. The largest cult was located in the city of Paphos, located on the territory of modern Cyprus.

Hermes

An extremely controversial god of the ancient Greek pantheon. He patronized trade, eloquence and dexterity. He was depicted with a winged staff, around which two snakes were entwined. According to legends, he was able to use it to reconcile, wake up and put people to sleep. Hermes is often depicted wearing sandals and a wide-brimmed hat, as well as carrying a lamb on his shoulder. Often he not only helped earthly inhabitants, but also weaved intrigues, bringing citizens together.

Hephaestus

The blacksmith god, who is the patron of blacksmithing and construction. It was he who made the attributes of most of the gods, and also made lightning for Zeus. According to legends, Hera gave birth to him without the participation of her husband, from her thigh in revenge for the birth of Athena. He was often depicted as a broad-shouldered and ugly-looking man, lame on both legs. He was the legal husband of Aphrodite.

Dionysus

The youngest Olympian god, widely loved by the ancient Greeks. He is the patron saint of winemaking, vegetation, fun and madness. His mother is the earthly woman Semele, who was killed by Hera. Zeus personally carried the child from the age of 6 months, giving birth to him from the thigh. According to myths, this son of Zeus invented wine and beer. Dionysus was revered not only by the Greeks, but also by the Arabs. Often depicted with a staff with a hop pommel and a bunch of grapes in his hand. The main retinue is satyrs.

The ancient Greek pantheon is represented by several dozen major gods, deities, mythical creatures, monsters and demigods. The legends and myths of Antiquity have many interpretations, since different sources were used in the description. The ancient Greeks loved and respected all gods, worshiped them, brought gifts and turned to them for blessings and curses. Ancient Greek mythology was described in detail by Homer, who described all the major events and the appearance of the gods.

In terms of the number of gods, the ancient Greeks cannot compare with any people on our planet. The inhabitants of Hellas were guided at almost every step by the advice of some deity. However, the most important among them was Zeus. Who is this character? This is the god of lightning and thunder, as well as the ruler of the whole world.

Who was Zeus, according to ancient myths?

The chief of all gods was considered the third son of Rhea and the titan Kronos (Homer described him as the eldest son). In addition, he was the brother of Demeter, Aida, Poseidon, Hestia and Hera. The attributes of the main deity were a double ax (labrys) and a shield. Sometimes an eagle was depicted next to Zeus. And Olympus was considered the residence of the Thunderer.

What did the god of thunder and lightning identify?

So, Zeus. Who is this almighty ruler of the world? It was believed that he was able to distribute evil and good throughout the earth. In some myths it is associated with fate itself. In some legends, the main one, on the contrary, acts as a creature that is in the power of fate. Mythology gives Zeus the ability to foresee the future. At the same time, he announces the destiny of fate through lightning, thunder, and dreams.

They believed that the creation of social order was the direct merit of Zeus. It was he, in their opinion, who gave laws to people and power to kings. It was believed that the main deity ensures that all the customs and traditions of the people are strictly observed, and that the home and family are preserved.

Birth

Zeus - who is this main god? This is a representative of the third generation of deities who overthrew their predecessors.

The post of the main deity was not so easy for Zeus. His father, the cunning and treacherous Kronos, was most afraid that power over the world would be taken away from him by his own children. And he decided to destroy them. To do this, Kronos began to swallow his offspring alive. When Zeus's turn came, Rhea hid her son on the island of Crete in one of the deep caves. At the same time, she gave her husband a stone wrapped in swaddling clothes, which he swallowed, mistaking it for a baby. Only after this did Kronos calm down, believing that no one else could threaten his throne.

Childhood

Meanwhile, in the cave of Crete, the hidden Zeus was slowly growing up. The mythology of ancient Greece assigns a large role in his upbringing to the goat Amalthea and the nymph Melissa. The first fed the divine child with her milk. goats provided Zeus with everything he needed. The nymph Melissa also showed great care for the baby. She provided him with everything he might need. The nymph also gave him nutritious honey, which promoted rapid growth. According to legend, faithful guards guarded the cave in which the divine offspring was located. When the baby cried, they loudly knocked on their shields with spears so that Kronos would not hear anything.

Clash of the Titans

Years have passed. Zeus grew up and matured. In the end, events unfolded exactly as promised to Kronos. The son overthrew his cruel father, forcing him to bring all the swallowed children back to life. The six of them defeated the tyrant.

The most powerful Zeus began to reign in the sky. His brother Hades inherited the underworld, and Poseidon the sea. At the same time, they decided that they would manage the land together.

Kingdom of the Gods

Olympus and Zeus in the mythology of Ancient Greece are inseparable concepts. On this high mountain, a powerful ruler ruled the destinies of people and all life on earth, surrounded by other gods who unquestioningly obeyed him.

The gates of Olympus were closed by a thick, lush cloud. Near him were the goddesses of the Mountain. Their duties were to remove the cloud, allowing the golden chariots to pass through.
The kingdom of Zeus was distinguished by the fact that a gentle and warm summer constantly reigned in it. On earth, on the contrary, thunderstorms and heavy rains were quite common. People believed that the Greek god Zeus was angry with them for some reason. That's why he sends lightning and thunder as punishment. It is not for nothing that in ancient Greek myths and legends the main ruler of Olympus was called the cloud suppressor and the thunderer.

Zeus in Olympia lived in a luxurious palace, at the gate of which there were certainly two vessels. One of them contained the gifts of Good, and the other - Evil. At times, Zeus drew the contents of these vessels, sending them to people.

Ancient Greek myths gave a special place to the Moirai. Despite the omnipotence of Zeus, it was these three goddesses who determined the destinies of both people and gods.

Reign period

Ancient Greek mythology names people and gods. However, it also says that his power over the gods of Olympus is weak, and fateful paths are often unknown to him. On the advice of Uranus-Heaven and Gaia-Earth, Zeus swallowed Metis, his first wife. By this he avoided the birth of a son, who was supposed to become stronger than his father.

Gaia's daughter, Themis, revealed a secret to Zeus: Thetis would give birth to exactly the same son. Then the ruler of all gods refused to marry her and married the goddess to the hero Peleus.
And so Themis, the goddess of justice, became the second wife of Zeus. Their daughters are Ora. Thanks to them, there is order and regularity in the lives of people and gods.

The third legal wife of Zeus is Hera. But in fact, it was this goddess, who patronizes marriage, who became the first wife in terms of her importance.
The reign of Zeus significantly changes the world of all the Olympians. Thanks to the daughters of the main deity from Eurynome - Charitam - grace, joy and fun are brought into life. From Mnemosyne, Zeus gives birth to nine Muses. This fact predetermines that the Thunderer in Greek mythology is called the source that inspires servants of science and art.

This is how Zeus gradually transforms the whole world. He gives birth to gods who bring order and law, and science, art, etc. into people's lives.

The importance of Zeus in the mythology of Ancient Greece is enormous. The main Olympian deity in the texts that have reached us is identified with the patron of city life and community of people, and also acts as a protector of the offended.

Olympic Games

Answering the question: “Who is Zeus?”, it is impossible not to mention the Olympic Games. After all, it was he who was the founder of this spectacle, he lit the first Olympic flame, and it was in his honor that competitions began to be held in 776 BC, in which ancient Greek men demonstrated their strength, dexterity and beauty. The significance of these games for people was so great that wars stopped during the period they were held. The city-states that participated in the hostilities concluded a temporary truce.

Deep underground, the evil and treacherous god Hades reigns. His sad domains are full of darkness and monsters. Living souls are prohibited from entering here, and the dead wander aimlessly through the meadow planted with asphodels, or suffer in eternal suffering.

History of appearance and image

In the mythology of Ancient Greece, Hades has a double meaning: it is both the name of the god of the underworld of the dead, and the underworld itself, where souls go after death. The kingdom of shadows in the ancient tradition is located in the west, just beyond the Ocean River. However, in Homer one can find two places where living beings go to rest: human shadows live in Hades, and the overthrown titans live in Tartarus.

Hades as a god has a rich biography and plays a serious role in mythology. The father devoured the offspring of the titan (or god of agriculture) Cronus and the titanide Rhea at birth, like his other children - , and . Later, Hades participated in the first war of the gods and titans on the side of the Olympians, and during the division of the world he took the helm of the Kingdom of the Dead.

In antiquity, Hades was revered as the lord of underground wealth - he bestowed harvests from the bowels of the earth. This idea did not appear by chance. People were afraid to pronounce the name of the terrible god out loud, so researchers of the ancient epic believe that the second name, which took root in the 5th century, Pluto, was received thanks to people’s selection of epithets. As a result, Hades was endowed with the features and characteristics of the god of wealth and fertility Plutos, and the characteristics of the image softened a little.

In the legends, Hades has a hat-helmet that makes the owner invisible - a gift from the Cyclopes for liberation. Ruthless, cunning and gloomy, the underground Zeus, as he called him, sends upon people a languid feeling of hopelessness and doom, and with the help of a sword locks souls in the Kingdom of the Dead. Another ability of God is the ability to revive the dead, but he rarely uses this gift, because he considers it wrong to violate the laws of life.

In appearance, Hades is like Zeus. The deity was represented as an elderly man with a luxurious beard. Sometimes he was depicted with a two-pronged pitchfork or with a scepter, the tip of which was crowned with the heads of three dogs. Hades has the ability to leave the Kingdom of the Dead and travels around the world in a carriage drawn by black horses.

Hades and the Kingdom of the Dead

In mature Greek mythology, several paths lead to the Kingdom of the Dead. Souls and living guests (and there were many such visitors) enter through at least three doors: at Cape Tenare (Laconia), at the Italian Lake Avernus and at Pylos (in the western Peloponnese). The gloomy Charon transports the aliens across the Acheron River, which separates the world of the dead from the underworld. Shadows is warmly greeted by a three-headed dog - he lets the guests inside, but does not let anyone out.

Then the souls will have to appear before Aeacus and Rhadamanthus, who are endowed with the authority to judge the actions of people. If grave sins are not discovered, the soul takes a sip from the River Lethe, forever forgets its former life and wanders in detachment through the endless field where the asphodels bloom. Great sinners who have committed serious crimes are doomed to suffer torment on the banks of the River Styx. However, the martyrs are given the opportunity to beg forgiveness from the victims and also settle in a meadow with asphodels: once a year, souls float to Lake Acherusia, where they meet with those they offended.

Hades rules the Kingdom of Shadows with his wife. God once kidnapped the patroness of fertility from her mother Demeter and forcibly took her as his wife. The mother was overcome by grief over parting with her beloved daughter, so much so that the earth stopped bearing fruit.

In desperation, the goddess turned to Zeus with a demand to return Persephone, and the supreme god ordered his brother to fulfill the request. Hades agreed, but resorted to a trick - he fed his wife a pomegranate, so she was destined to return to the dark underworld. Since then, Persephone has lived on earth for two thirds of the year, and the rest of the time she helps her husband rule Hades.

Hades and other heroes of myths

The terrible god is mentioned in the myth about. A musician and poet, in the hope of finding his dead beloved, descended into the kingdom of the dead. With the magical music of the harp, the man managed to win the heart of Hades, and the lord of the underworld allowed Eurydice to return to earth.

In the stories, Hades interacts with a scattering of characters. The main offenders of the ruler of the Kingdom of the Dead included.

Some myths say that Hercules wounded Hades in the shoulder during the battle for the city of Pylos. In others, the god was injured when the fearless hero, the son of Zeus, came to the gates of the underworld to steal the terrible three-headed guard Cerberus for King Eurystheus.

Theseus demanded that Hades give Pirithous, king of the Lapiths, his wife Persephone. The angry ruler of the underworld showed no emotion, deciding to defeat the offenders by cunning: he invited Theseus and Pirithous to make themselves more comfortable on the throne. When they sat down, they clung tightly to him. Later, Theseus was saved by Hercules, but the king of the Lapiths was left to while away his century in a dark dungeon.

Film adaptations

Filmmakers have enjoyed working with material based on ancient Greek myths, and Hades has appeared in several films. With the participation of the character, they even released a cartoon and a TV series – “Hercules”. The god of the underworld plans to overthrow his brother Zeus and seize power in the world of the living. The plans are thwarted by her nephew Hercules, whom the deity is trying to destroy by all means. In the Russian dubbing, the antagonist is voiced by actor Nikolai Burov.

One of the main roles of the ruler of the Kingdom of the Dead was given in the film “Wrath of the Titans” (1981) and the remake “Clash of the Titans” (2010). The first action adventure film was directed by Jonathan Liebesman, and the sequel was created by Louis Leterrier. He appeared in the image of Hades.

In 2009, viewers saw a film adaptation of the novel “Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief.” The villain Hades hunts the lightning of Zeus. The role was played by Briton Steve Coogan.

The authors of the television series "Call of Blood", aired on Canadian television since 2010, also experimented with the image of Hades, turning him into the father of the main character named Bo - a supernatural creature, an energy vampire, but a girl with a kind soul. Reincarnated as Hades.

The serial life of God continued in the work of Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz “Once Upon a Time.” In this fantasy, the hero acts as an antagonist. The Hades costume was tried on by American Greg Germann.

Ancient Greek mythology expressed a living sensory perception of the surrounding reality with all its diversity and colors. Behind every phenomenon of the material world - thunderstorm, war, storm, dawn, lunar eclipse, according to the Greeks, there was an act of one or another god.

Theogony

The classical Greek pantheon consisted of 12 Olympian deities. However, the inhabitants of Olympus were not the first inhabitants of the earth and the creators of the world. According to the poet Hesiod's Theogony, the Olympians were only the third generation of gods. At the very beginning there was only Chaos, from which eventually emerged:

• Nyukta (Night),
• Gaia (Earth),
• Uranus (Sky),
• Tartarus (Abyss),
• Skothos (Darkness),
• Erebus (Darkness).

These forces should be considered the first generation of Greek gods. The children of Chaos married each other, giving birth to gods, seas, mountains, monsters and various amazing creatures - hecatoncheires and titans. The grandchildren of Chaos are considered to be the second generation of gods.

Uranus became the ruler of the whole world, and his wife was Gaia, the mother of all things. Uranus feared and hated his many titan children, so immediately after their birth he hid the babies back into the womb of Gaia. Gaia suffered greatly from the fact that she could not give birth, but the youngest of her children, the titan Kronos, came to her aid. He overthrew and castrated his father.

The children of Uranus and Gaia were finally able to emerge from their mother's womb. Kronos married one of his sisters, the Titanide Rhea, and became the supreme deity. His reign became a real “golden age”. However, Kronos feared for his power. Uranus predicted to him that one of Kronos' children would do to him the same way as Kronos himself did to his father. Therefore, all the children born to Rhea - Hestia, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, Demeter - were swallowed by the titan. Rhea managed to hide her last son, Zeus. Zeus grew up, freed his brothers and sisters, and then began to fight his father. So the titans and the third generation of gods - the future Olympians - clashed in battle. Hesiod calls these events the “Titanomachy” (literally “Battle of the Titans”). The struggle ended with the victory of the Olympians and the fall of the titans into the abyss of Tartarus.

Modern researchers are inclined to believe that the Titanomachy was not an empty fantasy based on nothing. In fact, this episode reflected important social changes in the life of Ancient Greece. The archaic chthonic deities - the titans, who were worshiped by the ancient Greek tribes, gave way to new deities who personified order, law and statehood. The tribal system and matriarchy are becoming a thing of the past; they are being replaced by the polis system and the patriarchal cult of epic heroes.

Olympian Gods

Thanks to numerous literary works, many ancient Greek myths have survived to this day. Unlike Slavic mythology, which has been preserved in fragmentary and incomplete form, ancient Greek folklore has been deeply and comprehensively studied. The pantheon of the ancient Greeks included hundreds of gods, however, only 12 of them were given the leading role. There is no canonical list of Olympians. In different versions of myths, different gods may be included in the pantheon.

Zeus

At the head of the ancient Greek pantheon was Zeus. He and his brothers - Poseidon and Hades - cast lots to divide the world among themselves. Poseidon got the oceans and seas, Hades got the kingdom of the souls of the dead, and Zeus got the sky. Under the rule of Zeus, law and order are established throughout the earth. For the Greeks, Zeus was the personification of the Cosmos, opposing ancient Chaos. In a narrower sense, Zeus was the god of wisdom, as well as thunder and lightning.

Zeus was very prolific. From goddesses and earthly women he had many children - gods, mythical creatures, heroes and kings.

A very interesting moment in the biography of Zeus is his fight with the titan Prometheus. The Olympian gods destroyed the first people who lived on earth since the time of Kronos. Prometheus created new people and taught them crafts; for their sake, the titan even stole fire from Olympus. An angry Zeus ordered Prometheus to be chained to a rock, where an eagle flew every day and pecked the titan's liver. In order to take revenge on the people created by Prometheus for their self-will, Zeus sent to them Pandora, a beauty who opened a box in which diseases and various misfortunes of the human race were hidden.

Despite such a vindictive disposition, in general, Zeus is a bright and fair deity. Next to his throne there are two vessels - with good and evil, depending on the actions of people, Zeus draws gifts from the vessels, sending mortals either punishment or mercy.

Poseidon

Zeus's brother, Poseidon, is the ruler of such a changeable element as water. Like the ocean, it can be wild and wild. Most likely, Poseidon was originally an earthly deity. This version explains why the cult animals of Poseidon were quite “land” bulls and horses. Hence the epithets that were given to the god of the seas - “earth shaker”, “land ruler”.

In myths, Poseidon often opposes his thunder brother. For example, he supports the Achaeans in the war against Troy, on whose side Zeus was.

Almost the entire commercial and fishing life of the Greeks depended on the sea. Therefore, rich sacrifices were regularly made to Poseidon, thrown directly into the water.

Hera

Despite the huge number of connections with a variety of women, Zeus’s closest companion all this time was his sister and wife, Hera. Although Hera was the main female deity on Olympus, she was actually only the third wife of Zeus. The first wife of the Thunderer was the wise oceanid Metis, whom he imprisoned in his womb, and the second was the goddess of justice Themis - the mother of the seasons and moira - the goddesses of fate.

Although divine spouses often quarrel and cheat on each other, the union of Hera and Zeus symbolizes all monogamous marriages on earth and relationships between men and women in general.

Distinguished by her jealous and sometimes cruel disposition, Hera was still the keeper of the family hearth, the protector of mothers and children. Greek women prayed to Hera to send them a good husband, pregnancy or easy childbirth.

Perhaps Hera's confrontation with her husband reflects the chthonic character of this goddess. According to one version, touching the earth, she even gives birth to a monstrous serpent - Typhon. Obviously, Hera is one of the first female deities of the Peloponnesian Peninsula, an evolved and reworked image of the mother goddess.

Ares

Ares was the son of Hera and Zeus. He personified war, and war not in the form of a liberation confrontation, but a senseless bloody massacre. It is believed that Ares, who has absorbed part of his mother’s chthonic violence, is extremely treacherous and cunning. He uses his power to sow murder and discord.

In myths, Zeus’s dislike for his bloodthirsty son can be traced, however, without Ares, even a just war is impossible.

Athena

Athena's birth was very unusual. One day Zeus began to suffer from severe headaches. To ease the suffering of the Thunderer, the god Hephaestus hits him on the head with an ax. A beautiful maiden in armor and with a spear emerges from the resulting wound. Zeus, seeing his daughter, was very happy. The newborn goddess received the name Athena. She became her father's main assistant - the keeper of law and order and the personification of wisdom. Technically, Athena's mother was Metis, imprisoned within Zeus.

Since the warlike Athena embodied both the feminine and masculine principles, she did not need a spouse and remained virginal. The goddess patronized warriors and heroes, but only those of them who wisely managed their power. Thus, the goddess balanced the rampage of her bloodthirsty brother Ares.

Hephaestus

Hephaestus, the patron saint of blacksmithing, crafts and fire, was the son of Zeus and Hera. He was born lame in both legs. Hera was disgusted by the ugly and sick baby, so she threw him off Olympus. Hephaestus fell into the sea, where Thetis picked him up. On the seabed, Hephaestus mastered the blacksmith's craft and began to forge wonderful things.

For the Greeks, Hephaestus, thrown from Olympus, personified, although ugly, a very smart and kind god who helps everyone who turns to him.

To teach his mother a lesson, Hephaestus forged a golden throne for her. When Hera sat down in it, shackles closed on her arms and legs, which none of the gods could unfasten. Despite all the persuasion, Hephaestus stubbornly refused to go to Olympus to free Hera. Only Dionysus, who intoxicated Hephaestus, was able to bring the blacksmith god. After his release, Hera recognized her son and gave him Aphrodite as his wife. However, Hephaestus did not live long with his flighty wife and entered into a second marriage with the Charita Aglaya, the goddess of goodness and joy.

Hephaestus is the only Olympian constantly busy with work. He forges lightning bolts, magic items, armor and weapons for Zeus. From his mother, he, like Ares, inherited some chthonic traits, however, not so destructive. Hephaestus' connection with the underworld is emphasized by his fiery nature. However, the fire of Hephaestus is not a destructive flame, but a home fire that warms people, or a blacksmith's forge with which you can make many useful things.

Demeter

One of the daughters of Rhea and Kronos, Demeter, was the patroness of fertility and agriculture. Like many female deities personifying Mother Earth, Demeter had a direct connection with the world of the dead. After Hades kidnapped her daughter Persephone with Zeus, Demeter fell into mourning. Eternal winter reigned on the earth; thousands of people died of hunger. Then Zeus demanded that Persephone spend only one third of the year with Hades, and return to her mother for two thirds.

It is believed that Demeter taught people agriculture. She also gave fertility to plants, animals and people. The Greeks believed that at the mysteries dedicated to Demeter, the boundaries between the world of the living and the dead were erased. Archaeological excavations show that in some areas of Greece, human sacrifices were even made to Demeter.

Aphrodite

Aphrodite - the goddess of love and beauty - appeared on earth in a very unusual way. After the castration of Uranus, Kronos threw his father's reproductive organ into the sea. Since Uranus was very fertile, beautiful Aphrodite emerged from the sea foam that formed in this place.

The goddess knew how to send love to people and gods, which she often used. One of the main attributes of Aphrodite was her wonderful belt, which made any woman beautiful. Due to Aphrodite's fickle temperament, many suffered from her spell. The vengeful goddess could cruelly punish those who rejected her gifts or offended her in some way.

Apollo and Artemis

Apollo and Artemis are the children of the goddess Leto and Zeus. Hera was extremely angry with Leto, so she pursued her all over the earth and for a long time did not allow her to give birth. In the end, on the island of Delos, surrounded by Rhea, Themis, Amphitrite and other goddesses, Leto gave birth to two twins. Artemis was the first to be born and immediately began to help her mother in giving birth to her brother.

With a bow and arrows, Artemis, surrounded by nymphs, began to wander through the forests. The virgin goddess-hunter was the patroness of wild and domestic animals and all living things on earth. Both young girls and pregnant women, whom she protected, turned to her for help.

Her brother became the patron of the arts and healing. Apollo brings harmony and tranquility to Olympus. This god is considered one of the main symbols of the classical period in the history of Ancient Greece. He brings elements of beauty and light to everything he does, gives people the gift of foresight, teaches them to cure illnesses and play music.

Hestia

Unlike most of the cruel and vengeful Olympians, Zeus's elder sister, Hestia, was distinguished by a peaceful and calm disposition. The Greeks revered her as the guardian of the hearth and the sacred fire. Hestia adhered to chastity and refused all the gods who offered her marriage.

The cult of Hestia was very widespread in Greece. It was believed that she helps to conduct sacred ceremonies and protects peace in families.

Hermes

The patron of trade, wealth, dexterity and theft - Hermes, most likely, was originally an ancient Asian rogue demon. Over time, the Greeks turned the minor trickster into one of the most powerful gods. Hermes was the son of Zeus and the nymph Maia. Like all children of Zeus, he demonstrated his amazing abilities from birth. So, on the very first day after his birth, Hermes learned to play the cithara and stole Apollo's cows.

In myths, Hermes appears not only as a deceiver and a thief, but also as a faithful assistant. He often rescued heroes and gods from difficult situations, bringing them weapons, magic herbs or some other necessary items. The distinctive attribute of Hermes were winged sandals and a caduceus - a rod around which two snakes were entwined.

Hermes was revered by shepherds, traders, moneylenders, travelers, swindlers, alchemists and fortune-tellers.

Hades

Hades, the ruler of the world of the dead, is not always included among the Olympian gods, since he lived not on Olympus, but in gloomy Hades. However, he was certainly a very powerful and influential deity. The Greeks were afraid of Hades and preferred not to say his name out loud, replacing it with various epithets. Some researchers believe that Hades is a different form of Zeus.

Although Hades was the god of the dead, he also bestowed fertility and wealth. At the same time, he himself, as befits such a deity, had no children; he even had to kidnap his wife, because none of the goddesses wanted to descend into the underworld.

The cult of Hades was almost not widespread. Only one temple is known where sacrifices were made to the king of the dead only once a year.

God Zeus

Chain of Zeus. Zeus, the father of gods and men, immortals and mortals, reigns over the whole world and Olympus. He is the strongest of the gods. With whom his servants are inseparable - Power, Strength and Victory-Nick. None of the gods can compare with him in power. If a strong golden chain were lowered from Olympus, one end was given into the hands of Zeus, the other - to all the gods, then even then they would not only be able to throw Zeus to Earth, but even slightly shake him on the golden throne. But if Zeus had pulled the chain, he would have raised all the gods on it, along with the earth and the sea, wound the chain around the top of Olympus and left the whole world suspended among the heavenly expanses.

Aegis of Zeus. Zeus is the owner of the aegis, so he is called “Egiokh”, “Aegis-holder”. But no one knows exactly what an aegis is. Some say that it is a shield made of goatskin, others that it is a cloak, but everyone agrees that the fearsome head of the Gorgon Medusa is attached to the aegis. When Zeus shakes his aegis over two troops engaged in battle, the sky is shrouded in heavy clouds, lightning flashes, thunder rumbles, instilling terror in the souls of one army, filling the hearts of the other with vigor and courage. In this way, Zeus brings victory in battle, which is why one of his names is Zeus the Victorious.

Zeus and people. As the owner of thunder and lightning, the god who sends thunderstorms, Zeus is called the Thunderer, the Cloudbreaker, the High-Thunderer. With his lightning he incinerates the wicked, people who violate the laws he established in the world. The punishment of Zeus is terrible for people, but Zeus treats those who honor the gods with mercy. He is “Helper in trouble”, “Protector”, “Savior”, “Friendly”. He is a deity who was revered by all Hellenes, which is why he was called Panhellenic Zeus.

God Zeus on the throne. Fragment of a Greek crater

Zeus is the king over the Universe. Both gods and people honor Zeus. When he enters his palace on Olympus, all the gods and goddesses stand respectfully before him. Expressing his will, Zeus moves his blue-black eyebrows and confirms his words with a nod of his head. At this moment Olympus oscillates from the base to the summit. The word given by Zeus in this way is inviolable.

All people living on earth are subject to Zeus, from him their troubles and successes, happiness and misfortunes. As the Greek poet Hesiod wrote:

To give strength to the powerless and to plunge the strong into insignificance, to take away happiness from the lucky, to suddenly exalt the unknown, to straighten a hunched figure or to hunch the back of the arrogant - It is very easy for the thunderer who lives in the highest.

Vessels of good and evil. At the throne of Zeus there are two large vessels: in one of them there are gifts of good, in the other - evil. Zeus draws good and evil from them and sends them to people. If a person is very dear to him, he receives only gifts of goodness, and his life passes happily and serenely. [But the Greeks understood that there is no life without sorrows, as the Greek tragedian Sophocles said, “both in the future and in the past, only one law is omnipotent - human life does not pass carelessly!”] Sadness is a sign of Zeus's displeasure. Those who anger the Thunderer are attacked with his evil gifts: misfortune, illness, poverty, hunger! Therefore, it is best for life to be as it is for most people: for there to be approximately equal amounts of good and evil, and for joy and sorrow to alternate in life.

Themis, assistant of Zeus. Great, stern deities help Zeus control the destinies of the world: the keeper of the laws, Themis, the daughter of Uranus and Gaia, ensures that laws are not violated either on earth or on Olympus.

She was depicted with scales and a sword in her hands, and sometimes blindfolded. The meaning of these symbols was as follows: the scales served to weigh the guilt of the defendant, the sword - to punish the guilty, and the eyes were blindfolded because a fair judge should not succumb to sympathy for the one he is judging, as if he should not “see” him, but only listen to what is said for and against the defendant.

Dike and Nemesis. If Themis made sure that everything was according to the law, then her and Zeus’s daughter Dike - “Justice” - ensured that everything was fair. She was a defender of truth and an enemy of deception. [It is no coincidence that in one of the images she was shown beating Adikiya - “Injustice.”]

Nemesis, the formidable goddess of fair retribution with a punishing sword in her hand, ensures that the measure of good and evil is never violated in the world. No criminal escapes punishment; even if the crime was committed secretly and there are no witnesses, Nemesis will take care of retribution.

Revenge for the poet Ivik. This is how, for example, the murder of the poet Ivik was avenged. When Ibycus was heading to a singing competition in the city of Corinth, where the Isthmian Games were celebrated in honor of Poseidon, he was robbed and killed on a deserted road. No one saw the atrocity, not a single person was around, only a crane wedge flew across the sky. The dying poet turned to the cranes with his last request: let them help expose the murderers. Ivik was never seen at the festival, and soon his body was found, and no one could say who was responsible for his death. And so, when there was a performance in the theater in Corinth [Greek theaters were open air and seated tens of thousands of people], cranes flew low over the theater, humming their sad songs. Then all the people heard a cry full of horror: “Look at the sky! The damned Ivik called the cranes!” It was one of the killers who turned to his accomplice, remembering the dying words of his victim. Both of them were immediately captured, confessed to their crime and suffered a well-deserved punishment. Not a single Hellene would doubt that the murderers were identified and punished by Nemesis herself.

Moira goddesses. The fate of people and gods, according to the ideas of the ancient Greeks, is determined by three inexorable goddesses, the sisters of Moira [their name has the same origin as the Russian word “mera”]. Moira, named Clotho (“The Spinner”), spins the thread of a person’s life: if the thread breaks, life is over. Her sister Lachesis (“Measuring Lots”) takes out, without looking, the lot that is intended for a person in life. The third moira, Atropos ("Inevitable"), cuts the thread of life spun by Clotho; no one can avoid death, no one can avert it, which is why Atropos received such a name. The Moira are harsh and unforgiving, even Zeus himself is subject to them, and nothing in the world can escape the fate they have assigned to him.

Oracle of Zeus in Dodona and the Olympic Games. As the ruler of the world, who is himself subject to Fate, but has power over the destinies of people, Zeus knows the future, and if asked about it, he can give an answer.

In the city of Dodona there was a temple of Zeus, famous throughout Greece, with an oracle to which people turned for predictions. They received the answer in the form of the rustling of leaves on the sacred oak of Zeus or the murmur of a stream that flowed under this oak.

Once every four years, all the Hellenes gathered to honor Zeus in the city dedicated to him, located in the south of Greece - Olympia. The Olympic Games, the most famous of the pan-Greek holidays, were held here. For a time, a sacred truce was declared in Greece, wars stopped, and no one dared to interfere with the people going to Olympia - they were under the protection of Zeus. The holiday lasted five days, and the winners in the Olympic competitions were considered people marked by the mercy of Zeus himself. Their reward was not any valuable things, but an olive wreath, and there was nothing more honorable than this reward.

Zeus statue

Temple of Zeus and his figure.

Here, in Olympia, one could see the image of the supreme god, which was known throughout Hellas and was considered one of the seven wonders of the world. In the temple of Zeus there was a statue of him, made of gold and ivory by the great sculptor Phidias. God was depicted sitting on a throne made of gold, ivory and ebony. Zeus calmly looks ahead, his figure is full of greatness, his golden hair falls over his shoulders. In his right hand he held an ivory figurine of the goddess Nike, and in his left hand a scepter, a sign of his power. The god's hair, clothes and shoes were made of gold, and his body was made of ivory.

Question from Phidias.

In the twilight of the temple, this statue made a stunning impression. The Greek legend says that Phidias, having finished his work, said while looking at the statue: “Well, Zeus, are you satisfied?” - and at that same moment thunder struck and lightning struck the floor of the temple next to the statue: Zeus expressed his approval. Expressing admiration for the work of Phidias, one of the Greek poets wrote:

Did Zeus descend to earth to show you his image, Phidias, or did you ascend to heaven to see God yourself?

Unfortunately, time has not been kind to the statue of Olympian Zeus, and we know it only from descriptions made by ancient authors.