OCTOBER 2020

THE PANTHEON
OF GODS AND
GODDESSES IN
MOUNT
OLYMPUS
Mythology and Folklore

Prepared by:
 HEDILIZA A. TOMELDEN
II – BSE ENGLISH
SUMMARY OF ZEUS
Zeus was also known as Jupiter in Roman, and he was the last child of the
titans Cronus and Rhea. Cronus had usurped control of the heavens from his father
Uranus and he was constantly wary of not having the same thing happen to him from
his own children. To pre-empt any takeover he, therefore, swallowed all of his
children: Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, and Poseidon. However, Rhea saved her
youngest child Zeus by wrapping a stone in swaddling cloth and giving this to Cronus
to swallow. Rhea kept the child, named Zeus, on the island of Crete where he was
raised by the Nymphs until he reached adulthood, soon Zeus went to his father (with
the father not knowing who he is) he gave Cronus a drink to make him throw up the
children he swallowed. He threw them up and they were all fully grown. And Zeus
also told him that he was there to take the throne but Cronus wouldn’t give up the
throne without a fight, so Zeus made an alliance with the giants and Cyclopes, and
went victorious.
After that, he offered to Demeter the control over agriculture. To Poseidon, he
granted the seas. To Hades, he bestowed the Underworld. To Hestia, he gave the
domain of the home and hearth. And to Hera, Zeus eventually fell in love to her sister
Hera and took her as his wife, that made her as the queen of the Gods, and goddess of
marriage and monogamy. Although Zeus was infamous for his adulterous affairs with
other goddesses and mortals, resulting for his many children.
THEME
So, the theme is about Fate: and the message of the story is “What you do
today, becomes your fate tomorrow”. Meaning that your fate is nothing more than
the law of cause and effect. In which, Cronus’ devour his children, so when Zeus was
ready to confront his father, he saved his siblings and overthrown Cronus.
(example for the theme is that ‘if you do bad things today, there would be
negative consequences later on for you’. Similarly, if you put your efforts towards
something positively, then you will get positive results later on.)
SYMBOLS
Thunderbolt – that refer as a powerful and feared weapon of Zeus, and used to
overthrow Cronus.
Eagle – symbolizes the good omen of victory.
Royal Scepter - represents the authority that Zeus has over all the Gods, and it is to
remind them of how important and powerful He is.
ELEMENTS OF THE STORY:
Characters – the people who participated in the action of the literary work.
Protagonist: Zeus – Zeus was the youngest son of Cronus, that soon overthrown his
father, then he was characterized as sky-god who rules Mount Olympus. And seen as
patron of kings and was also known for having numerous affairs. God of sky,
lightning, thunder, law, order, justice and king of the gods.
Antagonist: Cronus – who swallowed Zeus’ siblings, and the Titans that caused
decade of war called Titanomachy.
Confidant: Rhea – mother of Zeus, who saved Zeus from being swallowed by
Cronus.
Confidant: Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Demeter, and Hestia – Siblings of Zeus
OTHER CHARACTERS
The supreme deity, Zeus was also known for having multiple love affairs
which includes both mortal and immortal goddesses and women resulting to many
ages of gods and goddesses and demi-gods. Zeus have had other wives and affairs
even before and after his marriage to Hera, the Queen of the gods and they were the
following:
a. Metis (Wisdom)- she was Zeus' first wife, whom he swallowed because of a
prophecy that his second child will dethrone him.
b. Themis (Divine Justice)- she was Zeus' second wife who gave birth to the Seasons,
to Wise Laws, to Human Justice, to Peace and to Fates.
c. Eurynome- an ocean nymph who bore the three Graces.
d. Demeter- she was Zeus' sister, whom she violated in form of a bull and their union
had resulted to the birth of Persephone.
e. Titaness Mnemosyne- she became Zeus' wife who produced the Nine Muses.
f. Leto- she gave birth to her children in darkness because of Hera's vengeance.
g. Hera- she was Zeus sister and his principal wife and the Queen of the Gods who
punished the other women of Zeus out of her jealousy.
h. Maia- a Pleiades that Zeus had made love with while Hera was slumbering and she
gave birth to Hermes.
i. Dione- she was Aphrodite's mother through Zeus
j. Semele- she was a mortal woman and the Princess of Theban who gave birth to
demi-god Dionysus.
k. Leda- she seduced Zeus in a form of swan and gave birth to an egg from which
came Helen and Clytemnestra and Castor and Polydeuces.
l. Io- Zeus seduced her under a thick blanket of cloud to keep Hera from knowing it.
m. Europa- Zeus abducted her by disguising into a handsome bull and then changed
as a god during the sea journey.
n. Thetis- Zeus abandoned her due to a prophecy that she'll give birth to a child that
would be better than Zeus.
o. Ganymede- he was the only affair of Zeus of which a man.
p. Niobe- she was the first affair of Zeus a d the first woman with whom he had
intercourse with.

Methods of Characterization: Direct or Expository Method – because it describes

the characters straightforwardly.
Kinds of Character Portrayed: According to roles played
A. Major Characters
1. Protagonist: Zeus – Brave son of Rhea. And at times he is divine and
represents a pure, eternal sense of justice
2. Antagonist: Cronus and the Titans – children of Heaven and Earth, and
parents of the six First-generation Olympians. Defeated by Zeus and his
alliance in a war for control of the universe, most of the Titans are
imprisoned in the bowels of the earth.
B. Minor / Supporting Character
1. Confidant: Rhea – was Titaness mother of the gods, and goddess of female
fertility, motherhood, and generation.
2. Confidant: Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Demeter, and Hestia – fearless allies
of Zeus during the war.

FATE VS DESTINY
Fate is that which you cannot change. Destiny is that which you're meant to do.
While fate is what happens when you don't take responsibility for your life, destiny is
what happens when you commit to growing, learning, and taking chances. Being
“destined for greatness” only comes through active and conscious decisions.
 Love Affairs of Zeus
In his life, he was known for having numerous love affairs. First love was
Metis, a goddess of wisdom and foresight. Zeus consorted with Metis in his young
age and got her pregnant with Athena. And because of the prophecy that he will lose
kingdom to his firstborn, he swallowed Metis. However, this didn't prevent Athena
from being born, as she later jumped out of Zeus's head as an adult, dressed in
armour. He also mated with his aunt Themis who gave birth to Horae (hours) and
Moirae (fates). With Mnemosyne, he fathered nine Muses in nine nights. Titaness
Leto gave him twins Artemis and Apollo. Mortal woman Alcmene gave birth to
Heracles, while Danae brought forth Perseus. His sister Demeter gave birth to
Persephone and his sister and wife Hera gave birth to Hebe, Ares, and variously
Hephaestus, Eileithyia and Eris. Another mortal woman Semele gave birth to
Dionysus, while Titaness Maia gave him Hermes. Leda, the mother of Helen of Troy,
Castor, and Polyduces. And Io, the priestess of Hera that Zeus forcedly turned her into
white cow, she gave birth to Epaphus. And Europa, the mortal princess he abducted in
a form of a bull, Europa gave birth to Mino, Rhadamanthys, and Sarpedon. And then
Niobe, who gave birth to Argos and Pelasgus. Niobe was punished by Apollo and
Artemis for being too boasted of her 14 children, so the twin gods killed all Niobe’s
children and she turned into a rock.
The Lovers of Zeus
The names of the Lovers of Zeus included Antiope, Callisto, Danae, Europa,
Electra, Leda, Leto, Taygete, Niobe, Io, Semele, Themis, Mnemosyne, Demeter and
Alcmene. Some of the lovers of Zeus bore him children. His liaisons with many
mortals resulted in offspring who are described as Demigods. the famous children of
the lovers of Zeus include:
 Leto who was the mother of Apollo and Artemis
 Semele who was the mother of Dionysus
 Maia who was the mother of Hermes
 Dione who was the mother of Aphrodite
 Hera, the wife of Zeus was the mother of Ares, Hebe and Hephaestus
 Demeter, the sister and lover of Zeus, was the mother of Persephone
 His tangled love life, resulting in all of these children, are detailed on the
Greek gods Family Tree.
The Lovers of Zeus - The Demigods
The Demigods, the offspring of a deity and mortal, were half-gods invariably
renowned for their courage and great strength. The Demigods were fabulous famous
heroes such as Achilles, Hercules, Theseus and Perseus who has extraordinary powers
and a special destiny. Many of the ancient gods, like Zeus, had children as a result of
their romantic involvement with mortals producing the Demigods who often featured
in the mythology of the Ancient Greeks and Romans. The lovers of Zeus who
produced offspring known as Heroes or Demigods included Danae who was the
mother of Perseus, Leda the mother of Helen of Troy and Castor and Pollux and
Alceme the mother of Hercules by Zeus.

Zeus & the Power of Transformation

 According to ancient Greek Mythology Zeus had the power of transformation
and would appear to women in the guise of various creatures and then seduce
them.
 The myths surrounding the King of the gods detail the nature of Zeus, his role
as a great lover and his fertility and illustrates his powers of transformation.
 The Lovers of Zeus who were seduced by his powers of transformation
included his seduction of Leda in the form of a swan, his seduction of Europa
in the form of a bull and his seduction of Antiope as a satyr.
The stories, myths and legends surrounding these romantic liaisons and the mythology
of his other lovers are detailed below:
Lovers of Zeus in Greek Mythology - Leda and the Swan
In Greek mythology, Leda was the wife of the King Tyndareus of Sparta. Leda
was admired by Lovers of Zeus, who seduced her in the guise of a swan. As a swan,
Lovers of Zeus sought protection from Leda from a pursuing eagle. On the same night
Leda lay with her husband King Tyndareus. The liaisons with both Lovers of Zeus
and her husband resulted in two eggs being produced by Leda. From one came Helen
(who later became known as Helen of Troy) and her brother Pollux. Clytemnestra and
Castor emerged from the other egg.
Lovers of Zeus in Greek Mythology - Antiope
According to ancient Greek mythology Antiope was the daughter of Nicteus,
king of Thebes, to whom Zeus appeared under the form of a satyr and took her by
force. Antiope gave birth to the twins Amphion and Zethus, of whom Amphion was
the son of Zeus and Zethus the son of Epopeus. Antiope was, for many years, held
captive by her uncle Lycus, and compelled to suffer the utmost cruelty at the hands of
his wife Dirce. The twins were left to be brought up by herdsmen. The punishment of
Dirce at the hands of Amphion and Zethus forms the subject of the world-renowned
marble group in the museum at Naples, known by the name of the Farnese Bull.

Lovers of Zeus in Greek Mythology - Europa

According to ancient Greek mythology Europa was the beautiful daughter of
Agenor, the king of Phoenicia, or some say, the primordial gods Oceanus and Tethys.
She was one day gathering flowers with her companions in a meadow near the sea-
shore, when Zeus, charmed with her great beauty, and wishing to win her love,
transformed himself into a beautiful white bull, and trotted quietly up to the princess,
so as not to alarm her. Surprised at the gentleness of the animal, and admiring its
beauty, as it lay placidly on the grass, she caressed it, crowned it with flowers, and, at
last, playfully seated herself on its back. The disguised god bounded away with his
lovely burden, and swam across the sea with her to the island of Crete. Zeus later re-
created the shape of the white bull in the stars, which is now known as the
constellation Taurus. Europa was the mother of Minos, Aeacus, and Rhadamanthus by
Zeus. Minos, along with his brothers, Rhadamanthys and Sarpedon, was raised by
king Asterion of Crete. Minos, who became king of Crete, was celebrated for his
justice and moderation, and after death he was created one of the judges of the
Underworld, which office he held in conjunction with his brothers.

Lovers of Zeus in Greek Mythology - Callisto

According to ancient Greek mythology Callisto was the daughter of Lycaon,
king of Arcadia. Callisto was a huntress in the retinue of Artemis, devoted to the
pleasures of the chase, who had made a vow never to marry. However, Zeus, under
the form of the huntress-goddess, succeeded in obtaining her affections. Hera, being
extremely jealous of her, changed her into a bear, and caused Artemis (who failed to
recognize her attendant under this form) to hunt her in the chase, and put an end to her
existence. After her death she was placed by Zeus among the stars as a constellation,
under the name of the bear.

Lovers of Zeus in Greek Mythology - Alceme

According to ancient Greek mythology Alceme was the daughter of Electryon,
king of Mycenae, was betrothed to her cousin Amphytrion; but, during his absence on
a perilous undertaking, Zeus assumed his form, and obtained her affections. Heracles,
or Hercules, whose world-renowned exploits will be related among the legends, was
the son of Alcmene and Zeus refer to the Myth of Hercules.

Lovers of Zeus in Greek Mythology - Semele

According to ancient Greek mythology Semele was a beautiful princess, the
daughter of Cadmus, who became the mother of Dionysus by Zeus. Semele was hated
by Hera, the jealous wife of Zeus. Hera tricked Semele in asking Zeus to swear by the
Styx (which was to the gods an irrevocable oath) to accede to her request whatsoever
it might be. Semele, begged Zeus to appear to her in all the glory of his divine power
and majesty. As he had sworn to grant whatever she asked of him, he was compelled
to comply with her wish and revealed himself as the mighty lord of the universe,
accompanied by thunder and lightning and she was instantly consumed in the flames.

Lovers of Zeus in Greek Mythology - Io

According to ancient Greek mythology Io was the daughter of Inachus, king of
Argos, and was a priestess of Hera. Io was very beautiful, and Zeus transformed her
into a white cow, in order to defeat the jealous intrigues of Hera. Hera placed Io in the
guise of the white cow under the watchful care of a man called Argus Panoptes, who
fastened her to an olive-tree in the grove of Hera. Argus Panoptes had a hundred eyes,
of which, when asleep, he never closed more than two at a time; being thus always on
the watch making him useful in keeping guard over Io. Hermes, however, by the
command of Zeus, succeeded in putting all his eyes to sleep with the sound of his
magic lyre, and then, taking advantage of his helpless condition, killed him. In
commemoration of the services which Argus had rendered her, Hera placed his eyes
on the tail of a peacock, as a lasting memorial of her gratitude.

Lovers of Zeus in Greek Mythology - Danae

According to ancient Greek mythology Zeus appeared to Danae in the form of
a shower of gold. Her father was Acrisius, the King of Argos, who was told by an
oracle that he would be killed by his grandson. So, he locked his daughter Danae in a
tower to prevent her from ever meeting a man or having children. However, Zeus
transformed into a shower of gold in order to enter the tower and have his way with
an unsuspecting Danae. She bore him a son, the Demigod and hero Perseus. King
Acrisius sets Danae and her son Perseus adrift on the sea in a wooden casket, but Zeus
protected them and brought them to an island, where Perseus grew up before he
started his quest told in the Myth of Perseus and Medusa.
 SUMMARY OF HERA
Hera is one of the Twelve Olympians and the sister and wife of Zeus. She is
the daughter of the Titans Cronus and Rhea and queen of Mount Olympus. Matron
(chief nurse in several countries) and protectress of married women. And one of
Hera's defining characteristics is her jealous and vengeful nature (seeking to harm
someone in return for a perceived injury) against Zeus' numerous lovers and
illegitimate offspring, as well as the mortals who cross her. She gave birth to 4
children: Ares; god of war, Eileithyia; goddess of childbirth, Hebe; goddess of eternal
youth, ang Hephaestus; god of fire and craftsmen, whom she casted from Mount
Olympus due to his ugly features. Hera rules over Mount Olympus as queen of the
gods and she is commonly seen with the animals she considers sacred, including the
cow, lion and the peacock. Her Roman counterpart is Juno. And in Ionic and Homeric
Greek, she is the goddess of women, marriage, family and childbirth.
THEME
“Jealousy is a vengeful nature.”
In which Hera was vengeful out of fear of being replaced by someone else so, she
makes revenge to Zeus’ other lovers but remains faithful to him.
SYMBOLS
Hera's symbols are: the cuckoo, its symbolized Zeus' love for her because
Zeus was disguised in a cuckoo when he conquered her. The pomegranate - symbol
of fertility because Hera was also the goddess patron of childbirth. Some of the most
known Hera's symbols are the peacock - ancient symbol of immortality. And the
scepter and the diadem – symbolizes her authority as the queen of the gods.
CHARACTERS
Method of Characterization – Direct Method
Major Characters
Protagonist: Hera – wife of Zeus and was usually depicted as a beautiful woman
wearing a crown and holding a royal lotus-tipped scepter, and sometimes
accompanied by a cuckoo, lion, or an eagle. Goddess of Marriage, Women, Family
and queen of the gods.
Antagonist: Zeus' infidelity to Hera made her vengeful of his other affairs.
Stock: Hephaestus – Son of Hera, whom she casted out from Mount Olympus due to
his ugly appearance.
IRONY
Hera is the goddess of marriage, but she cannot maintain to secure her own marriage.

SUMMARY OF POSEIDON
Poseidon was the god of the seas, earthquakes and horses. He was brother to
Zeus and Hades. Zeus became ruler of the sky, Hades got dominion of the
Underworld and Poseidon was given all water. And he married Nereus's daughter, the
sea-nymph Amphitrite. The Romans' name for Poseidon was Neptune. And he had
also the cult title "earth shaker". In the myths of isolated Arcadia, he is related with
Demeter and Persephone and he was venerated as a horse, however it seems that he
was originally a god of the waters. He is often regarded as the tamer or father of
horses, and with a strike of his trident, he created springs and salt waters. His Roman
equivalent is Neptune.
In his most notable story was when Poseidon vied with Athena to be patron
deity of Athens. The god demonstrated his power and benevolence by striking the
Acropolis with his three-pronged spear, which caused a spring of salt water to
emerge. Athena, however, planted an olive tree, which was seen as a more useful
favor. Her paramount importance to the Athenians is seen in her magnificent temple,
the Parthenon, which still crowns the Acropolis. The people of Athens were careful,
all the same, to honor Poseidon as well.
CHARACTERS
Protagonist: Athena – Goddess of wisdom, purposeful battle, and the womanly arts.
Antagonist: Poseidon – the God of the sea and the protector of all waters; sailors
relied upon him for safe passage.
IMAGERY
Poseidon was depicted as a bearded man with long hair, holding a trident and
accompanied by dolphins and fish.
SYMBOL
His symbol includes: Trident – that symbolize his authority over the seas, and used it
to create storms, earthquakes, floods, and tidal waves. The trident also showed
Poseidon's power.
 THEME
“The theme was Vied for control of Athens and its surrounding territory, Attica.”
In which the citizens chose the gift of Athena the: olive tree that could use as oil,
food, and wood, Over Poseidon’s gift: the spring and a calm sea.

Love Affairs of Poseidon

Divine and semi-divine lovers
The god of the Sea is credited with having numerous love affairs with both
goddesses and mortal women but in his honor, he only had one wife, a sea-goddess
called Amphitrite. With her he had a son Triton, who is also closely related to the sea,
and Rhode, a water nymph closely related to Helios and island of Rhodes. Poseidon
also had his eye set for Alcyone, one of the Pleiades, and soon he had an intercourse
with her. She later gave birth to two sons, Heraeus and Hyperion and a daughter
Atheusa. Neptune Amphitrite Plutarch also mentions Anippe, a daughter of Nile, who
gave birth to Burisis by Poseidon. According to Hyginus, he made love with Antiopa,
a daughter of Aeolus (supposedly son of Hippotes), who gave birth to two sons
Boeotus and Hellen, and Arethusa, a daughter of Nereus, who gave him another son
Abas. There was also Amymone, a daughter of Danaus, a mythical king of Egypt,
who once called Poseidon to aid her when she was cornered in the woods by a satyr.
So, he came and drove the creature away and because of this courageous act she laid
with him and from this embrace Nauplius was born. He also pursued Demeter who
transformed herself into a mare to escape his lust but Poseidon tricked her with
transforming himself into a stallion and mated with her. Demeter then gave birth to
goddess Desponia and variously to Arion, a horse with the ability to speak human
language. Poseidon even had an intercourse with Medusa in the temple of Athena.
Athena later cursed Medusa by changing her into a monster. It is also said by some
authors that she was impregnated and when her head was chopped off by Perseus,
Pegasus and Chrysaor arose from her blood and therefore they are giving credits to
Poseidon as the father. He also fathered Polyphemus with the sea-nymph called
Thoosa and Euphemus with Europe. It is said by Hyginus that Euphemus had the
ability to walk on water.

Mortal lovers
 One day, he tricked a mortal woman named Tyro by transforming himself in
Enipeus, the river-god of her desire. She then gave birth to twin-boys Pelias and
Neleus who were known to be famous greek heroes. Aethra, the princess of Troezen
is also said to had an intercourse with the god in the shrine of Athena and later gave
birth to Theseus. Another famous hero by the name Orion was born to Poseidon and
Euryale, a daughter of Minos, and it is said that he had been granted the ability to
walk on water by his father. There was also Hippothous or Hippothoon who was
begat by Alope after she was embraced by Poseidon. But, because Alope was
uncertain who the father of her child was, unfortunate events followed for both of
them. She was imprisoned and put to death and the child was exposed to danger twice
but each time a mare came and furnished him milk. It was then when Sheperds had
realized that it must be the will of the gods to spare him and gave him name
Hippothous. It is also said that Alope was then turned, by the god, into a spring near
Eleusis. Similar thing happened to Melanippe, a daughter of Desmontes, who was,
after being impregnated by Poseidon, blinded and tossed in prison by her father
Desmontes and the two sons Aeolus and Boeotus, that she had given birth to, thrown
to wild beasts. But they managed to survive and eventually, led by their father, came
back to Desmontes, killed him and freed their mother from prison whose sight was
restored by Poseidon himself who is also credited as the father of Bellerophon by
Eurynome. a daughter of Nysus. Another interesting tale comes from Apollodorus
where it is said that Poseidon had a lover by the name Canace and she later gave birth
to five sons, Aloeus, Epopeus, Hopleus, Nireus and Triops. Aloeus later married
Iphimedia, a daughter of his brother Triops, but she fell in love with Poseidon and the
god apparently couldn't resist missing an opportunity like this because by him she
later gave birth to two sons, Ephialtes and Otus. They were known as the Aloads or
Aloadae giants.
 SUMMARY OF DEMETER
Demeter was also known as Ceres in Roman. She is the middle daughter of
Cronus and Rhea, and she was the Ancient Greek goddess of agriculture, harvest, and
seasons. One of the original Twelve Olympians. Her grief over her daughter
Persephone (Proserpina) – who has to spend one-third of the year with her husband
Hades (Pluto) in the Underworld – is the reason why there is winter; her joy when she
gets her back coincides with the fertile spring and summer months. Demeter is usually
portrayed as a fully-clothed and matronly-looking woman, either enthroned and
regally seated or proudly standing with an extended hand. Sometimes she is depicted
riding a chariot containing her daughter Persephone, who is almost always in her
vicinity. The goddesses even share the same attributes and symbols: scepter,
cornucopia, corn, a sheaf of wheat, torch, and occasionally, a crown of flowers.
CHARACTERS
Protagonist: Persephone – the unwilling Queen of the Underworld, and daughter of
Zeus (king of the gods) and Demeter (the goddess of agriculture).
Antagonist: Hades – God of the Underworld. After being hit in the heart with Eros’
love arrow, Hades falls madly in love with Persephone and abducts her.
Confidant: Demeter – A loving mother of Persephone, who cursed Earth due to her
daughter’s abduction
IMAGERY
The underworld was described as a place of darkness, shadowy and dreadful realm.
IRONY
 Demeter is the goddess of harvest and agriculture, but she won't allow anything on
earth to grow due to her grieve in losing Persephone.
SYMBOL
The story of Demeter and Persephone was perhaps symbolic of the changing seasons
from summer to winter and the return of life in spring.
THEME
The main theme of the myth is “The strength of love between a mother and her child.”
After Hades took Persephone to the underworld, Demeter dropped all her
responsibilities (including caring for the crops)
SETTING
The Land of the Living, and the Land of the Dead

SUMMARY OF ATHENA
Pallas Athena was the goddess of wisdom, war, strategy, crafts and courage.
She was the favorite daughter of Zeus, Athena was, perhaps, the wisest, most
courageous, and certainly the most resourceful of the Olympian gods. She is often
referred to as “the gray-eyed goddess”. Before Athena’s birth, Zeus swallowed his
consort Metis [mee'tis] (“wisdom”), after he had made her pregnant, because he
feared that she would bear a son who would overthrow him. And so, Athena or
Minerva in Roman, was born from the holy head of Zeus. Hephaestus, with his axe,
may have facilitated the birth. The occasion was awesome as Athena sprang forth
fully grown, a beautiful young woman in full armor, fearlessly announcing her arrival
with a thunderous war-cry.
One of most notable stories of Athena was her contest in art of weaving with
Arachne [Arac]. Arachne was born in a lowly family, but her skill in spinning and
weaving was extraordinary. When Athena learned that Arachne's fame as a worker of
wool rivaled her own, she was determined to destroy her. She tore up a tapestry
Arachne had made showing the gods' less honorable amorous conquests. Grief-
stricken, Arachne strangled herself with a noose, but Athena took pity and
transformed her into a spider. As such, she and her descendants practice the art of
weaving forever.
CHARACTERS
Protagonist: Arachne – a weaver who challenged Athena
Antagonist: Athena – for being pity, she transformed Arachne into a spider.
IMAGERY
The imagery was “the gray-eyed goddess” represents wisdom and gentleness, and
possess Athena’s great deal of inner strength and to think analytically.
SYMBOL
Athena’s symbols include: Helmet and Spear – which symbolize wisdom and
strategy, the key to victory in war, and Athena's shield which represents her
protective power.
THEME
The theme of the story is about “pride and human limitation”.
In which, Arachne boosted that she had a greater talent than goddess Athena herself.
SETTING
The setting was set in a small town in the kingdom of Lydia near Mount Sipylus.

SUMMARY OF HEPHAESTUS
Hephaestus also known as Vulcan in Roman, was the god of forges,
craftsmanship, inventions, fire and volcano. He was the son of ZEUS and HERA and
married to Aphrodite. He was a smiting god, making all of the weapons for Olympus
and acting as a blacksmith for the gods. He had his own palace on Olympus where he
made many clever inventions and automatons of metal to work for him. Hephaestus’s
ugly appearance was the reason Zeus chose him to marry Aphrodite, but despite this,
Aphrodite had many affairs with both gods and men.
In one story, Hephaestus builds a tricky invention which catches Aphrodite
laying with ARES, the god of war, trapping them both in the bed to be laughed at and
ridiculed by the other gods. He is similar to ATHENA in his giving skill and help to
mortals. It was believed that Hephaestus taught men the arts alongside Athena.
However, he was also considered far inferior to the goddess of wisdom.
CHARACTERS
Direct Method of Characterization:
Protagonist: Hephaestus – was a kind and peace-loving god, and the only ugly god
among perfectly beautiful immortals.
Antagonist: Aphrodite – goddess of beauty, and a wife of Hephaestus whom she
cheated on.
Antagonist: Ares – god of war, brother of Hephaestus, and lover of Aphrodite.
IMAGERY
He was depicted as a bearded man holding a hammer and tongs, and sometimes riding
a donkey.
SYMBOL
His symbols include the anvil and the forge.
THEME
The theme was about Hephaestus’ revenge to Aphrodite and Ares. In which, he
trapped them to an invisible net and dragged them to Mount Olympus to shame them
in front of the other gods for retribution.

SUMMARY OF APHRODITE
Aphrodite, also known as Venus in Roman, an Olympian goddess of love,
beauty, pleasure and procreation. Aphrodite was born from the white foam produced
by the severed genitals of Uranus (Heaven), after his son Cronus threw them and fell
into the sea. She was the most beautiful of all goddesses in terms of appearance, and
she had many affairs with both gods and mortals. Therefore, she gladly helped men to
charm women with love spells. Aphrodite was also the main reason for the Trojan war
when she promised Paris eternal love from Helen who was thought to be the most
beautiful woman on earth, in exchange for the golden apple that would make her as
the fairest goddess.
It all started when Eris, a goddess of discord and rivalry, appeared in wedding
of king Peleus and sea-nymph Thetis. Because of her discovery, that she had not been
invited to a wedding, she threw the golden apple, a fruit of temptation, to a banquet
table. The apple should go to "the fairest one". The problem appeared when
Aphrodite, Hera and Athena all started arguing that their existence suits the
entitlement of golden apple. Zeus couldn't decide himself because all three were very
dear to him and therefore passed the decision to a handsome mortal man called Paris.
Athena and Hera promised him power and glory while Aphrodite promised him
eternal love from the most beautiful mortal woman on earth. That appeared to be
Helen of Sparta. Paris chose Aphrodite and set things in motion as Helen traveled to
Troy with Paris and became Helen of Troy. Aphrodite then naturally supported Paris
during the war and convinced her lover Ares to side with her and the Trojans.
CHARACTERS
Antagonist: Paris’ desire to marry Helen of Sparta that led directly to the Trojan War
and the fall of the city of Troy.
IMAGERY
The beauty of Aphrodite was described as a golden apple - making her the fairest
goddess.
SYMBOL
Aphrodite's major symbols include myrtles, roses, doves, sparrows, and swans.
THEME
Beauty, Competition, Choice
The story relates to this theme due to the "beauty" and competition between the
women, and the choice faced by Paris to determine who would receive the apple.

SUMMARY OF ARES
Ares was an Olympian god of war, violence and destruction. He is often
compared with his half-sister Athena who is also, like Ares, associated with war
activities. However, while Athena is respected and appreciated for her warfare,
strategy, courage and wisdom, Ares is seen as the force of destruction, savage warfare
and bloodlust.
And aside from his affair with Aphrodite, Ares was also heavily involved in
Trojan war. And he was also noted in Homer's Iliad to be leading the Trojans on a
battlefield, accompanied with his frightening sons Phobos and Deimos and his sister
Eris. He was like many gods, wounded in the battlefield by Diomedes and Athena.
They were on a chariot which was on the way to collision with Ares. But Ares only
saw Diomedes because Athena was wearing the helm of darkness. Ares threw a spear
towards Diomedes which was intercepted by Athena. And it was Diomedes' turn to
throw his spear. Guided by Athena, it hit Ares in the stomach, causing him so much
pain that he had to withdraw from the battle. Ares also lost a son in the war, called
Asclepius. At that time all the gods were ordered by Zeus to be withdrawn from the
battle. Despite orders from his king, Ares in his rage wanted to avenge his son, but he
was restrained by Athena.
CHARACTERS
Major Characters
Protagonist: Athena – Goddess of wisdom and war, wearing the helm of darkness,
and took the side of Greeks during Trojan War.
Antagonist: Ares – God of war and violence, who took the side of the Trojans during
Trojan War.
Minor Characters
Eris – Goddess of strife and discord, sister of Ares accompanied by her during the
battle.
Phobos and Deimos – the twin personification of fear and terror, sons of Ares and
Aphrodite
Asclepius – Son of Ares and Astyoche, died in Trojan War as a result of thrown spear
Diomedes – One of the leaders in Trojan War. His famous exploits include the
wounding of Aphrodite
IMAGERY
Ares was seen as the force of destruction and bloodlust.
SYMBOL
Spear – an ancient weapon, symbol of social power
THEME
“Betrayal”
In which, Ares originally promised his mother that he would support the Greeks in the
Trojan War, but Aphrodite convinced him to switch sides.
 SUMMARY OF APPOLO
Apollo was known as a god of light and sun. He was also known as a god of
music, prophecy, healing, truth and archery. He was the son of Zeus and Leto and was
the twin of Artemis, the goddess of hunting who were born in a little island of Delos.
Apollo was seen as the most handsome god and the ideal of the kouros (a beardless,
and athletic youth). The ancient Greeks have built him a temple on Mount Parnassus
in Delphi after he slew the serpent python which occupied the sacred shrine. He was
even known as a master of healing and protector of the young. According to some
sources, Apollo was also responsible for bringing plague and diseases by shooting
people with his arrows. As the god of the sun, he represented the light time of a day in
contrast to her sister Artemis who represented the night time.
Greek Mythology states that Apollo had been mocking the God of Love, Eros
(also known as Cupid). In retaliation, Eros fired two arrows: a gold arrow that struck
Apollo and made him fall in love with Daphne, and a lead arrow that made Daphne
hate Apollo. Under the spell of the arrow, Apollo continued to follow Daphne, but she
continued to reject him. Apollo told Daphne that he would love her forever. But
Daphne turned to the river god, Peneus, and pleaded for him to free her from Apollo.
In response, Peneus use metamorphosis to turn Daphne into a laurel tree. Apollo used
his powers of eternal youth and immortality to make Daphne’s laurel leaves
evergreen. It’s believed that Daphne has to sacrifice her body and turn into a tree as
this was the only way she could avoid Apollo’s sexual advances.
CHARACTERS
Protagonist: Daphne – A beautiful Naiad Nymph, determined to remain unmarried
and untouched by a man.
Antagonist: Apollo – God of the sun who make fun of Eros and chased Daphne.
Confidant: Eros – God of love who struck arrow of love to Apollo and led arrow of
hate to Daphne.
IMAGERY
Kouros – depicted as beardless handsome man with an athletic body figure.
IRONY
In spite of Apollo’s good-looking face and body, he always ends up with a tragic
relationship.
SYMBOL
Apollo's major symbols include bow and arrow, the lyre, and branch of laurel.
THEME
How feelings of love and disgust can lead to dangerous transformations.

SUMMARY OF ARTEMIS
Artemis was an Olympian goddess of the moon, hunting and wild animals, and
wilderness. She was also known as the protector of young girls and their chastity. It
was believed that she could bring diseases in women or cleanse them whenever she
wanted. Artemis was vengeful and impulsive in nature but also very independent and
confident which made her a fierce warrior and often uncontrollable by other gods and
goddesses. She was better not to be messed with as many have felt her wrath upon
offending her. Artemis also, in contrast to her brother Apollo, represented the night
time of the day. She was also known to be spending most of her time in forests and
plains, hunting and hanging out with local nymphs. The nymphs were very shy, but
enjoyed the company of Artemis who was also their protector.
In a shared myth with her twin brother Apollo, she was sent to kill seven
daughters of Niobe who mocked Leto (her mother) for having only two children,
while she was having seven sons and seven daughters. This offended Leto and she
sent Apollo and Artemis to kill Niobe’s children. Artemis cold-bloodedly killed the
daughters in a matter of seconds with her bow and arrows, just like her twin brother
did with Niobe's sons.
CHARACTERS
Protagonist: Artemis – beautiful young huntress and protector of young girls.
Antagonist: Niobe – queen of Thebes who mocked Leto for having only two children.
 IMAGERY
Artemis was usually depicted as a girl or young maiden with a hunting bow and
quiver of arrows.
IRONY
Artemis was known as the protector of young girls, but she killed six daughters of
Niobe, and also bring sudden plague and death to women.
SYMBOL
Bow and arrows - Artemis used her golden bow and arrows not only to slay beasts in
the mountains, but also to bring disease and plague.
THEME
The story of Niobe illustrates the theme that the gods are quick to take vengeance
(nemesis) on human pride and arrogance (hubris).

SUMMARY OF HERMIS
Hermes was an Olympian god of travel, trade, diplomacy, persuasion, writings
and athletics. He was also the messenger of gods because he could move freely and
fast between the worlds of mortal and divine. Most of the time, he is depicted as an
athletic beardless young man, wearing winged sandals and winged helm. He is also
holding his staff with snakes wrapped around it, with which he could deceive or
persuade anyone. Others thought of him as the protector of heralds, merchants,
travelers and even thieves. The god was also said to be a personal agent of Zeus,
helping him in numerous occasions. He had also done many deeds for other gods and
demi-gods. Perhaps most celebrated was his killing of the hundred-eyed monster
Argos.
In the myth of rescuing Io, Zeus asked Hermes to save his mistress Io whom
Zeus himself had an affair with and was forced to instantly turn her into a cow. Hera
assigned Argos to watch over Io, but Hermes tricked him by voluntarily playing his
pipe for the giant, and was able to make the giant fall asleep with the soft tunes of his
pipe. When the giant's nap turned into slumber, Hermes slain the giant and After
beheading Argus, Hermes acquired the epithet Argeiphontes or “Argus-slayer”. And
the poor Io was finally free, but still a cow. She roamed mile after mile for many
years until she reached Egypt and gave birth. Then Hera finally released her from
torment, as being the goddess of childbirth, she felt pity for Io.
CHARACTERS
Protagonist: Hermes – the messenger god who saved Io.
Antagonist: Argos – the giant monster with hundreds of eyes all over his body.
IMAGERY
In Classical and Hellenistic Greece, Hermes was usually depicted as a young, athletic
man lacking a beard.
SYMBOL
Pan pipes – an instrument used in playing soothing music.
THEME
“Trickery”

SUMMARY OF DIONYSUS
Dionysus or Bacchus in Roman, was an Olympian god of wine, madness,
religious ecstasy and theatre. He was so popular among gods and mortals that many
festivals, which were being held during a year, were in his honor. Dionysus traveled
more time than being home, and in his journey, he gained many followers and fans
because, wherever he came, he taught the locals making wine out of grapes. With a bit
more than a drop of wine in their bodies, they sure knew how to celebrate the arrival
of "The Wanderer", a name that he got while still traveling across Greece and partying
with the locals. His journey brought him to the eastern edge of the planet (now known
as Asia) and made him known worldwide. When he came home, he was asked to take
his place on Mount Olympus.
In Tyrrhenian Pirate’s Myth, he was captured by Tyrrhenian pirates who
promised him to give him a ride to Naxos but instead turned their ship to Asia, where
they had planned to sell him. They tied him on the deck of the ship, trying to rape him
when suddenly the sounds of flute were heard and ivy and grapevines covered the
ship, making it stop. Lions and panthers appeared on ship and frightened the sailors
who jumped from the ship into the sea. Upon falling into water, they were
transformed into dolphins. One of them was put in the sky as the constellation
(Delphinus), as a warning for sailors to behave.
CHARACTERS
Protagonist: Dionysus – God of wine and it was thought that he discovered viticulture
and spread it through many parts of Asia.
Antagonist: Tyrrhenian Pirates – Abductors of Dionysus.
IMAGERY
Dionysus was depicted as either an older, bearded god or an effeminate, long-haired
youth.
SYMBOL
His symbols include the thyrsus (a pine-cone tipped staff), a drinking cup and a crown
of ivy.
THEME
“Abduction”

SUMMARY OF HESTIA
Hestia or Vesta in Roman, was a virgin goddess of hearth, home and family.
She was also known as the goddess of sacrificial flame and was honored with
receiving first offering at every sacrifice in household. When Greeks were colonizing
and making new settlements, there was a custom to take the flame from Hestia's
public hearth in the mother city and carry it to a new founded city. Nowadays, it is
known as the Olympic torch which is to be held and carried at the Olympic games’
ceremony. It is not allowed to burn out, just like it wasn't in Ancient Greece. The
flame of Hestia was tended constantly and never to let it die. It was believed that, if
the flame had extinguished, it would bring cold and barren existence.
Giving away her place at Olympus
With the new coming younger gods, their desire and preference to live on
Mount Olympus, despite only being limited to twelve spaces, Hestia left and gave her
place to Dionysus to keep peace in between the gods. She is often referred as the
forgotten goddess. Because of her modesty and acts, Zeus decided to reward her with
a custom to receive the first part of each offering made to the gods.
Appearance in the works of art
 Most of the time, she is depicted as a modest woman wearing modest, but
elegant clothing and holding a flower branch. She is also depicted holding a sacrificial
flame in her hand.

SUMMARY OF HADES
Hades also known as Pluto in Roman, was a god of the dead, underworld,
riches and darkness. He was also known as the King of the underworld because, after
the war with the Titans, he has received the realm of the dead under his control. Hades
was rarely seen outside his domain, but was allowed to have powers also on earth.
Therefore people, who were still alive, were reluctant to swear an oath in his name,
because they were so afraid of him coming for them as it was believed in those times
that he could hear the voices calling his name. To some of them even calling his name
'Hades' was frightening. Hades was also known as a god of hidden wealth which
referred to fertile soil as well as to the precious metals, such as silver and gold. He
was believed to have control over everything that was buried.
Appearance in the works of art
Hades is often depicted as a grown man with longer curly hair and long beard.
Sometimes, he is depicted in company of his pet and sacred creature Cerberus, the
three-headed dog.
The abduction of Persephone
 After taking his place in the underworld, Hades had desired a bride and asked
his brother Zeus to grant him one of his daughters. Persephone was chosen despite the
fact that he knew she would resist the marriage. Regardless of her wishes, Zeus let the
vicious abduction come to pass. While playing with the daughters of Oceanus at the
distant fields of Nysa, Persephone was guided into a trap by magical flowers. The
flowers had shown her the pathway to irresistible flower with hundred stems of
fragrant blossom. When she reached out with both hands to pluck the flower, earth
opened and Hades appeared with his golden chariot, abducting her before anyone
could hear her screaming. However, two immortals, Helios and Hecate, were able to
hear her plead for help. And upon Demeter's curse, which caused great drought on
lands and consequently famine, it was Hecate who came to Demeter and told her
about what she had heard. Together they went to Helios who was able to see all deeds
from both mortals and immortals. He told Demeter that Zeus and Hades were to
blame. She was mad and had given ultimatum for the lands to stay barren until she
was able to see her daughter again. Finally, Zeus intervened, scared of seeing all
mortals gone. He sent Hermes to the underworld to speak to Hades and try convincing
him to let Persephone return to her mother. After Hermes' successful persuasion,
Hades was willing to let her go but, on other hand, tricked her with a honey-sweet
pomegranate seed as farewell gift. Once eaten the seed, she became bound to the
underworld and would have to return eventually.

CHARACTERS
Protagonist: Persephone – the unwilling Queen of the Underworld, and daughter of
Zeus (king of the gods) and Demeter (the goddess of agriculture).
Antagonist: Hades – God of the Underworld. After being hit in the heart with Eros’
love arrow, Hades falls madly in love with Persephone and abducts her.
Confidant: Demeter – A loving mother of Persephone, who cursed Earth due to her
daughter’s abduction
IMAGERY
The underworld was described as a place of darkness, shadowy and dreadful realm.
SYMBOL
The Keys of Hades – these are magic "keys" owned by the god Hades. They
have the power to "seal" or "free" people in the Underworld, which means someone
can bring someone from or send someone to the Underworld or Tartarus using the
keys.
 THEME
“The Rape of Persephone”
Although Hades & Persephone may be a love story, the theme of rape is still
present when the young goddess was figuratively and literally "deflowered" by the
Lord of the Underworld without her consent.
SETTING
The Land of the Living, and the Land of the Dead
Myth is a Greek meaning “story”
Myths usually involve gods or heroes
Myths are often so old that their origins are unknown
Myth are stories that explain natural phenomena or important events
Myths are classical story created to explain mysteries of the universe
Myth explains how something connected with humans or nature came to be
Myths features gods, goddesses, or things with supernatural powers and human flaws
Myth is the general term for any type of story that has a deep cultural meaning
The genre of Myths includes: Legends, Folktales, Fables, Fairy Tales
Classic Myths: Pandora’s Box, Homer’s Iliad, Pele and Hi’iaka
Modern-day myths have many components of ancient/classic myths, as in the ff:
Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Whale Rider, Superman, Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc.
Stories with Unicorns, Superheroes, or Dwarves
Myths try to explain why something is the way it is.
Example: Why elephants have trunks. And How the World was Created.

Legends are stories in the past about a historical person.

Legends are passed down through generations
Originally not written down
Involves heroes (non-fiction)
There is some evidence to prove that a particular event or character in the Legend is
based on real facts.
Legends talk about historical figures and events.
Legends are often about heroic deeds or overcoming obstacles.
Examples of Legends: Robin Hood, King Arthur, Mulan
Legends are based on the life of a real person.
Focuses on individuals and their accomplishments
Exaggerated characters or events
Have themes such as: Good and evil, Rich and poor, and Journey
Usually have human characters.
Based on real characters, places or events

CHAPTER 1: FOUR THEORIES OF MYTH

Introduction
There are four basic theories of myth. Those theories are: the rational myth
theory, functional myth theory, structural myth theory, and the psychological myth
theory. The rational myth theory states that myths were created to explain natural
events and forces. Functional myths are what you call the kinds of myths that were
created as a type of social control. The third myth theory is the structural myth
theory. This theory says that myths were patterned after human mind and human
nature. The psychological myth theory is the fourth myth theory, which states that
myths are based on human emotion.1

Rational Myth
The rational myth theory states that myths were made to better understand
natural events and forces that occurred in the everyday lives of people. This theory
1
also explains that the gods and goddesses controlled all of these happenings of nature.
Examples of this type of myth are creation myths from different cultures. Creation
myths explain how man was created and explain what the gods and goddesses used
and what actions they took to create humans. These myths also tell what substances
were used (if any) in order for man to exist. The existence of man is a natural event
but creation myths give other explanations.2

Functional Myth
The functional myth theory talks about how myths were used to teach morality
and social behavior. It states that myths told about what types of things should and
shouldn’t be done, and the consequences for those wrong doings. The functional
myth theory also states that myths were created for social control and served the
function of insuring stability in a society. A story about a tribe who rebelled against
the great serpent, Degei, is a good example of a functional myth 3. This story is about
a tribe who learned many skills from their great serpent god, Degei, and then became
Degei’s workers and servants. Two chiefs of this tribe were sick of working for him
and tried to defeat him; they were too weak for Degei. Instead of winning their
freedom, they were killed in a great flood caused by Degei. This myth is trying to say
that you should not be lazy because if you are, then you will regret it.

Structural Myth
Structural myths are said to be myths based on human emotion. These types
of myths show the two sides of the human mind; the good side and the bad side. They
show the divided self and the duality of human nature. Myths about Hercules show
how the human mind can be both good and bad. Hercules did both good and bad
things. One of the bad things he did was (in “Jason and the Argonauts”) he stole a
broach pin from the treasure chamber of the god Talos. This sin caused his friend to
be killed. Hercules knew that his friend was killed because of his sin, so to make up
for it; he vowed to stay on the island until his friend was found.

Psychological Myth
The psychological myth theory states how myths are based on human emotion
and that they come from the human subconscious mind. Cultures all around the world
had similar fears, questions, and wishes which, to them, were unexplainable. That is
the reason that psychological myths were made; and that is why there are archetypes
shared between cultures. Archetypes are general forms and characters used by all
cultures. Some archetypes found between cultures are having a sky god (Zeus and
Oleron),a sea god (Poseidon and Olokun), and an agricultural god (Orisha-Oko and
Demeter). These archetypes are examples of how people think alike when it comes to
things that are to them mysteries and fears.

Conclusion
In conclusion, it appears that man created myths for quite a few reasons.
These reasons include explaining the unknown, natural events and forces, to show the
duality and pureness of human nature and the human mind, and to help societies

3
maintain order and remain stable. There must be more reasons of exactly why myths
should have arisen but that is beyond the extent of this essay.