Dictionary of Greek & Roman Mythology

Dictionary of the Greeks and Romans Mythology

Abaris In Greek mythology Abaris was a priest to the god Apollo. Apollo gave him a golden arrow which rendered him invisible and also cured diseases and gave oracles. Abaris gave the arrow to Pythagoras.
Abas Abas was the son of Celeus and Metaneira. He mocked Demeter and was turned into a lizard. By some accounts he was the 12th king of Argolis who owned a magic shield.
Abdera Abdera was an ancient Greek city supposedly founded by Hercules in honour of his friend Abderus.
Abderus Abderus was a friend of Hercules. Hercules left him to look after the mare of Diomedes, which ate him.
Absyrtus Absyrtus (Apsyrtus) was a son of Aeetes, King of Colchis and brother of Medea. When Medea fled with Jason she took Absyrtus with her and when her father nearly overtook them she murdered Absyrtus and cut his body into pieces and threw it around the road so that her father would be delayed picking up the pieces of his son.
Acacetus Acacetus is a name sometimes given to Hermes because of his eloquence.
Acamas Acamas was a son of Theseus and Phaedra. He went to Troy with Diomedes to demand the return of Helen.
Acastus Acastus was a son of Pelias. He was one of the argonauts.
Acestes In Greek mythology, Acestes was a Sicilian bowman who in a trial of skill discharge an arrow with such force that it ignited.
Achaeus In Greek mythology, Achaeus was a son of Xuthus and Creusa. He returned to Thessaly and recovered the dominions of which his father had been deprived.
Achates In Greek mythology Achates was a companion of Aeneas in his wanderings subsequent to his flight from Troy. He typified a faithful friend and companion.
Achelous In Greek mythology, Achelous was a river god who changed into a snake and a bull while fighting Hercules, but was defeated when Hercules broke off one of his horns.
Achemon Achemon and his brother Basalas were two Cercopes who were for ever arguing. One day they insulted Hercules, who tied them by their feet to his club and marched off with them like a brace of hares.
Acheron Acheron was one of the rivers of Hades.
Acherusia In Greek mythology, Acherusia was a cave on the borders of Pontus which led to the infernal regions. It was through this cave that Hercules dragged Cerberus to earth.
Achilles In Greek mythology, Achilles was the son of Peleus, king of the Myrmidons in Thessaly, and of the sea nymph Thetis, who rendered him invulnerable, except for the heel by which she held him, by dipping him in the river Styx. Achilles killed Hector at the climax of the Iliad, and according to subsequent Greek legends was himself killed by Paris, who shot a poisoned arrow into Achilles' heel.
Acis In Greek mythology, Acis was a son of Faunus and a river nymph. He loved the sea-nymph Galatea and was killed by his jealous rival Polyphemus.
Acrisius In Greek mythology, Acrisius was a son of Abas and the twin brother of Proteus with whom he quarrelled even in the womb. He was the father of Danae. When Abas died, Acrisius expelled Proteus from his inheritance, but Proteus returned supported by Iobates and Acrisius was compelled to give him Tiryns while he kept Argos.
Actaeon In Greek mythology, Actaeon was a great hunter who was turned into a stag by Artemis for looking on her while she was bathing. He was subsequently torn to pieces by his own dogs.
Adaro In the mythology of the Solomon Islands, Adaro is a sea-spirit.
Addanc The addanc was a dwarf or marine monster which lived near lake llyon. He was killed in some accounts by Peredu who obtained a magic stone which made him invisible.
Adrastus Adrastus was the son of Talaus and the king of Argos. He attempted to restore Polynices to his throne at Thebes, he failed but led a second assault leading the Epigoni. He died of grief when he heard that his son had been killed in the Epigoni assault.
Aello Aello was one of the harpies.
Aeneas Aeneas was a Trojan hero. He was the son of Anchises and Aphrodite. He led the survivors of the Trojan war to Italy.
Aeolus Aeolus was the son of Hippotes. He lived on a rocky island where the winds were trapped in caves. He let the winds out as commanded by the gods.
Aesculapius Aesculapius was the son of Apollo and Coronis. His mother died at his birth, struck by an arrow of Artemis. His father saved him and took him to the physician Chiron who taught Aesculapius about healing, he was the Roman god of medicine, his worship introduced at Rome about 291 BC.
Agamemnon In Greek mythology, Agamemnon was a Greek hero of the Trojan wars, son of Atreus, king of Mycenae, and brother of Menelaus. He married Clytemnestra, and their children included Electra, Iphigenia, and Orestes. He sacrificed Iphigenia in order to secure favorable winds for the Greek expedition against Troy and after a ten years' siege sacked the city, receiving Priam's daughter Cassandra as a prize. On his return home, he and Cassandra were murdered by Clytemnestra and her lover, Aegisthus. His children Orestes and Electra later killed the guilty couple.
Ajax In Greek mythology, Ajax was son of Telamon, king of Salamis, he was second only to Achilles among the Greek heroes in the Trojan War. According to subsequent Greek legends, Ajax went mad with jealousy when Agamemnon awarded the armor of the dead Achilles to Odysseus. He later committed suicide in shame.
Alcaeus Alcaeus was a son of Perseus and Andromeda.
Alcestis Alcestis was the wife of Admetus in Greek mythology. Her husband was ill, and according to an oracle would not recover unless someone vowed to die in his place. Alcestis made the vow and her husband recovered. After she died Hercules brought her back from the infernal regions.
Alcides Alcides is an alternative name for Hercules.
Alcmene In Greek mythology, Alcmene is the virgin goddess of midwinter, midwinter's moon, the new year, stateliness, beauty and wisdom.
Alcyone In Greek mythology, Alcyone is the goddess of the sea, the moon, calm and tranquility; She who brings life to death and death to life.
Alphito In Greek mythology, Alphito was a white goddess of barley flour, destiny and the moon. The hag of the mill and the lady of the nine heights.
Amaethon Amaethon was the celtic god of husbandry.
Amazon in Greek mythology, the Amazons were a group of female warriors living near the Black Sea, who cut off their right breasts to use the bow more easily. Their queen, Penthesilea, was killed by Achilles at the siege of Troy. The Amazons attacked Theseus and besieged him at Athens, but were defeated, and Theseus took the Amazon Hippolyta captive; she later gave birth to Hippolytus.
Ambrosia In Greek mythology, ambrosia was the food of the gods which was supposed to confer eternal life upon all who ate it.
Amor Amor was the Roman god of love.
Amphictyonis In Greek mythology, Amphictyonis was the goddess of wine and friendship between nations.
Amphion In Greek mythology, Amphion was a son of Zeus and Antiope. He was the husband of Niobe. Amphion had great skill in music which he was taught by Hermes. He helped build the walls of Thebes, the stones moving themselves into position at the sound of his lyre.
Amphitrite Amphitrite was the Greek goddess of the sea and wife of Poseidon.
Amphitryon In Greek mythology, Amphitryon was King of Thebes, son of Alcaeus and husband of Alcmena.
Amymone Amymone was a daughter of Danaus. She and her sisters were sent to search for water when Poseidon caused a drought in the district of Argos. Whilst searching she threw a spear at a dear, missed it and hit a satyr which pursued her. She called to Poseidon for help. He came, drove off the satyr and produced a perennial spring for her at Lerna, where he met her.
Anadyomene Anadyomene is a name of Aphrodite when she was represented as rising from the sea.
Androcles In Roman mythology, Androcles was a Roman slave who fled from a cruel master into the African desert, where he encountered a crippled lion and took a thorn from its paw. The lion later recognized the recaptured slave in the arena and spared his life. The emperor Tiberius was said to have freed them both.
Andromache In Greek mythology, Andromache was the wife of Hector.
Andromeda Andromeda was a daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopea. Perseus found her bound to a rock as a sacrifice to a sea monster. Perseus rescued her after killing the sea monster so that she might become his wife.
Annona In Roman mythology, Annona was the Goddess of the circling year and its harvest produce; Matron of commerce and the market place.
Antaeus Antaeus was the giant son of Poseidon and Ge. He was invincible so long as he remained in contact with the earth. Hercules killed him by picking him up so that his feet were off the ground and then stifling him.
Anteros In Greek mythology, Anteros was the god of mutual love. He was said to punish those who did not return the love of others.
Antheia In Crete, Antheia was the goddess of vegetation, lowlands, marshlands, gardens, blossoms, the budding earth and human love.
Anthesteria Anthesteria was a Greek festival held each year in honour of the gods, particularly Bacchus and to celebrate the beginning of spring.
Antigone In Greek mythology Antigone was the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta. She was celebrated for her devotion to her father and her brother Polynices.
Antilochus In Greek mythology, Antilochus was a son of Nestor. He was a hero of the Trojan war and was renowned for his speed of foot. He was killed by Memnon.
Antiope In Greek mythology, Antiope was a daughter of Nycteus, King of Thebes. Zeus was attracted by her beauty and came to her in the guise of a Satyr. Antiope conceived twins by Zeus, and scared of her father's wrath fled to Sicyon where she married King Epopeus. Antiope was the goddess of the new moon, the gad-fly dance and fecundity; Mother of the morning and evening star.
Aphrodisia Aphrodisia was the festival in celebration of Aphrodite celebrated throughout Greece and Cyprus.
Aphrodite Aphrodite was the Greek goddess of love. The Romans called her Venus.
Apollo Apollo was the Roman name of the Greek god Phoebus.
Arachne In Greek mythology, Arachne was a Lydian woman who was so skillful a weaver that she challenged the goddess Athena to a contest. Athena tore Arachne's beautiful tapestries to pieces and Arachne hanged herself. She was transformed into a spider, and her weaving became a cobweb. She was therefore related to the textile industries. The matron of spinning, weaving and dyeing and the weaver of destiny.
Arcadia Arcadia was a green mountainous isolated region in the centre of Peloponnese inhabited by shepherds and peasants.
Ares Ares was the Greek god of storms and tempests. He was a son of Zeus and Hera. He became symbolic with storms and turmoil in human relationships and hence to being the god of war. The Romans called him Mars.
Arethusa In Greek mythology, Arethusa was a daughter of Nereus and Doris. She was a nympth changed by Artemis into a fountain to enable her to escape the pursuit of Alpheus.
Argonauts In Greek mythology the Argonauts were heroes who made a hazardous voyage to Colchis with Jason in the ship the Argo to get the golden fleece.
Argus In Greek mythology the Argus was a beast with a hundred eyes placed by Juno to guard Io.
Ariadne In Greek mythology Ariadne was the daughter of King Minos. She helped Theseus out of the labyrinth with a thread. She was abandoned by Theseus on the Isle of Naxos where she subsequently met and married Bacchus.
Arimaspians In Greek mythology the Arimaspians were a one-eyed people who conducted a perpetual war against the griffins in an attempt to steal the griffin's gold.
Aristaeus In Greek mythology Aristaeus was the son of Apollo and Cyrene. He introduced bee-keeping.
Artemis Artemis was a Greek goddess of the moon. The Great Virgin Goddess of fertility, vegetation, the wilderness, wild animal life and the chase.
Aruspices The Aruspices (Haruspices) were a class of priests in ancient Rome. Their job was to foretell the future from the entrails of sacrificial victims.
Ascanius Ascanius was a son of Aeneas and Creusa. He escaped from Troy with his father.
Asclepius Asclepius was a Greek god of healing. He was the son of Apollo and Coronis. He was taught the art of healing by Cheiron. Zeus killed him with a thunderbolt as a punishment for bringing a dead man back to life.
Astraea In Greek mythology Astraea was the daughter of Zeus and Themis, the goddess of justice.
Atalanta In Greek mythology Atalanta was a famous huntress of Arcadia. She was to be married only to someone who could outrun her in a race, the consequence of failure being death.
Ate Ate was the goddess of infatuation, mischief and guilt. She would mislead men into actions which would be the ruin of them.
Athena Athena (Athene) was the Greek goddess of intellect. She was the daughter of Zeus and Metis.
Atlantides Atlantides was name given to the Pleiades who were fabled to be the seven daughters of Atlas.
Atlantis In Greek mythology, Atlantis was an island continent, said to have sunk following an earthquake. The Greek philosopher Plato created an imaginary early history for it and described it as a utopia.
Atlas Atlas was a giant who had to support the heavens upon his shoulders.
Atreus In Greek mythology Atreus was the son of Pelops and Hippodamia. He was King of Mycenae. To seek revenge on his brother Thyestes for seducing his wife, Atreus gave a banquet at which Thyestes dined on the flesh of his own sons.
Attis In classical mythology, Attis was a Phrygian god whose death and resurrection symbolized the end of winter and the arrival of spring. He was loved by the goddess Cybele, who drove him mad as a punishment for his infidelity, he castrated himself and bled to death.
Augean stables in Greek mythology, the Augean stables were the stables of Augeas, king of Elis in southern Greece. One of the labours of Hercules was to clean out the stables, which contained 3,000 cattle and had never been cleaned before. He was given only one day to do the task so he diverted the river Alpheus through their yard.
Aurora Aurora was goddess of the dawn. She was the daughter of Hyperion and Theia, and sister of Helios and Selene.
Autolycus In Greek mythology, Autolycus was an accomplished thief and trickster. He was a son of the god Hermes, who gave him the power of invisibility.
Bacchanalia Bacchanalia were feasts held in honour of Bacchus and characterized by licentiousness and revelry.
Bacchus Bacchus was another name for Dionysus.
Bateia In Greek mythology, Bateia was a daughter of Teucer. She was married to Dardanus by whom she had two sons, Ilus and Erichthonius.
Bellerophon In Greek mythology, Bellerophon was a victim of slander who was sent against the monstrous chimera, which he killed with the help of his winged horse Pegasus. After further trials, he ended his life as a beggar. His story was dramatized by Euripides.
Bellona Bellona was the Roman goddess of war.
Beltaine Beltaine is the name of the feast of the spring equinox.
Bia In Greek mythology, Bia was a son of Styx and the Titan Pallas. Bia was the personification of might and force.
Boan Boan was another name for Dana. In this version of events, Boan visited a sacred well which, to punish her for breaking the law, rose up and pursued her to the sea and thus became the river Boyne where lived the salmon of knowledge which fed on nuts dropped from the nine hazel trees at the water's edge.
Boreas Boreas was the north wind god. He was the son of Astraeus and Aurora.
Bucentaur The bucentaur was a mythical creature, half man and half ox
Cadmus Cadmus was the founder of the ancient city of Cadmeia and gave the Greeks an alphabet.
Caduceus Caduceus is the winged and serpent twisted staff or wand of Hermes.
Calliope Calliope was the muse of eloquence and heroic poems. She was the chief of the muses, and was said to have been the mother of Orpheus by Apollo.
Callisto Callisto was a daughter of Lycaon. She was one of Artemis' huntresses. She bore arcas to Zeus. To conceal their affair, Zeus turned her into a bear.
Calypso In Greek mythology, Calypso was a sea nymph who inhabited the island of Ogygia. She waylaid the homeward-bound Odysseus and promissed him immortality if he would marry her. After seven years she was ordered by the gods to let him depart.
Cassandra In Greek mythology, Cassandra was the daughter of Priam, King of Troy. Her prophecies were never believed, because she had rejected the love of the god Apollo. She was murdered with Agamemnon by his wife Clytemnestra, having been awarded as a prize to the Greek hero on his sacking of Troy.
Castor Castor was the twin brother of Polydeuces. He was a son of Zeus and Leda. He, like his brother was born from an egg after Zeus visited Leda disguised as a swan.
Celaeno Celaeno was one of the harpies.
Celeus In Greek mythology, Celeus was King of Eleusis and the husband of Metaneira.
Centaur A centaur was a beast half horse, and with the head, torso and arms of a man.
Cepheus Cepheus was the king of Aethiopia. He displeased Poseidon by having a beautiful daughter, Andromeda. Poseidon then sent floods and a sea monster to terrorise the area until cepheus gave his daughter as a sacrifice to the sea monster.
Cerberus Cerberus was a huge and savage dog with 3 heads which guarded the entrance to Hades. He was the offspring of Echidne and Typhon.
Cercyon Cercyon was a son of Hephaestus. He was king near Eleusis. He challenged all travellers and wrestled them to death until he challenged and was killed by Theseus.
Ceres Ceres was the Roman goddess of agriculture, equivalent to the Greek Demeter.
Cestus In Greek mythology, the cestus was a girdle worn by Aphrodite and which was endowered with the power of exciting love towards the wearer.
Chalybes The Chalybes were mythical inhabitants of north Asia Minor who invented iron working.
Chaos In Greek mythology, Chaos was the infinite space before Ge (the earth) was created.
Charites The Charites were the Greek goddesses of gracefulness and the charms of beauty.
Charon Charon was the ferryman who transported the dead across the river Styx to Hades.
Charybdis In Greek mythology, the charybdis was a whirlpool formed by a monster of the same name on one side of the narrow straits of Messina, Sicily, opposite the monster Scylla.
Cheiron Cheiron was a centaur. He was a son of Cronus and Philyra. He learnt hunting and medicine from Apollo and Artemis.
Chimaera The chimaera was a monster composed of the head of a lion, the body of a goat and a serpant for a tail. Bellerophon was sent to slay it.
Chryse In Greek mythology, Chryse was a warlike goddess of the metal gold, in its refinement and all that is regarded as having great value.
Circe In Greek mythology, Circe was an enchantress living on the island of Aeaea. In Homer's Odyssey, she turned the followers of Odysseus into pigs. Odysseus, bearing the herb moly provided by Hermes to protect him from the same fate, forced her to release his men.
Clio Clio was the muse of history.
Clytemnestra In Greek mythology, Clytemnestra was the wife of Agamemnon. With the help of her lover Aegisthus, she murdered her husband and his paramour Cassandra on his return from the Trojan War, and was in turn killed by her son Orestes.
Comus In later Greek mythology, Comus was a god of revelry, banquets and nocturnal entertainments. He was generally depicted as a drunken youth. The depiction by Milton of Comus as a son of Bacchus and Circe was an idea thought of by Milton, and not the Greeks or Romans.
Corbenic Corbenic was the castle in the Arthurian legend in which the Holy Grail was kept.
Cornucopia In Greek mythology, the cornucopia was one of the horns of the goat Amaltheia, which was caused by Zeus to refill itself indefinitely with food and drink.
Cratos Cratos was a son of Uranus and Gaea. He was very strong.
Creusa In Greek mythology, Creusa was the daughter of Erechtheus and wife of Xuthus. She was also loved by Apollo.
Cronus Cronus was the son of Uranus. He succeeded to the throne of the gods when Uranus was deposed. He married Rhea. He appears in Greek mythology.
Cupid Cupid was another name for Amor.
Curetes In Greek mythology the Curetes were attendants of Rhea. They were supposed to have saved the infant Zeus from his father Cronus and then to have become a sort of bodyguard of the god.
Cybele Cybele was the Great Mother Goddess of the Phrygians and later the Greeks and Romans.
Cyclops In Greek mythology, the Cyclops wereone of a race of Sicilian giants, who had one eye in the middle of the forehead and lived as shepherds. Odysseus blinded the Cyclops Polyphemus in Homer's Odyssey.
Daedalus In Greek mythology, Daedalus was an Athenian artisan supposed to have constructed for King Minos of Crete the labyrinth in which the Minotaur was imprisoned. When Minos became displeased with him, Daedalus fled from Crete with his son Icarus using wings made by them from feathers fastened with wax.
Daemons The daemons were an order of invisible beings. Zeus assigned one daemon to each man to attend, protect and guide him.
Danaans The Danaans were one of the 3 Nemedian families who survived the Fomorian victory. The brought the stone of destiny from Falias.
Danae In Greek mythology, Danae was daughter of Acrisius, king of Argos. He shut her up in a bronze tower because of a prophecy that her son would kill his grandfather. Zeus became enamored of her and descended in a shower of gold; she gave birth to Perseus.
Daphne Daphne was a daughter of Peneus. She was pursued by Apollo and asked to be turned into a laurel tree to escape him, which she was.
Daphnis Daphnis was a son of Hermes and a nymph. He was raised by Sicillian shepherds when his mother abandoned him.
Dardanus In Greek mythology, Dardanus was a son of Zeus and Electra. He was originally a king in Arcadia, he migrated to Samothrace and from there to Asia where Teucer gave him the site of his town, Dardania. He married Bateia.
Deianeira Deianeira was the daughter of Oeonus and the wife of Hercules.
Deidamia Deidamia fell in love with Achilles and bore him Neoptolemus.
Demeter Demeter was a Greek goddess of the earth. She is also called Ceres. She was the nourishing mother, bringing forth fruits. She was a daughter of Cronus and Rhea.
Demigod A demigod was a Greek hero. They were men who posessed god-like strength and courage and who had performed great tasks in the past.
Deucalion In Greek mythology, Deucalion was the son of Prometheus. Warned by his father of a coming flood, Deucalion and his wife Pyrrha built an ark. After the waters had subsided, they were instructed by a god to throw stones over their shoulders which then became men and women.
Diana Diana was the Roman name for the Greek goddess Artemis.
Dike Dike was the attendant of justice to Nemesis.
Dionysus Dionysus was a Greek god of happiness. He was also called Bacchus and Iacchus.
Dis In Roman mythology, Dis was the god of the underworld, also known as Orcus.
Discordia Discordia was the Roman goddess of strife.
Dryades The dryades were nymphs of the woods and trees.
Echo Echo was a mountain nymph and a servant of Hecate.
Egeria In Roman mythology, Egeria was a goddess of healing springs, wisdom, human laws and death. She was the Oak-Queen and granter of easy deliveries.
Eirene Eirene was the goddess of peace.
Electra In Greek mythology, Electra was daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, and sister of Orestes and Iphigenia. Her hatred of her mother for murdering her father and her desire for revenge, fulfilled by the return of her brother Orestes, made her the subject of tragedies by the Greek dramatists Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides.
Electryon Electryon was a son of Perseus and Andromeda.
Elementals The Elementals are creatures or spirits of the elements. They are the forces of nature.
Elysium In Greek mythology, Elysium was originally another name for the Islands of the Blessed, to which favored heroes were sent by the gods to enjoy a life after death. It was later a region in Hades.
Endymion In Greek mythology, Endymion was a beautiful young man loved by Selene, the Moon goddess. He was granted eternal sleep in order to remain forever young.
Enyo Enyo was the Greek goddess of war.
Eos Eos was the goddess of dawn. She was the daughter of Hyperion and Thia, and sister of Helios and Selene.
Epaphus In Greek mythology, Epaphus was a son of zeus and Io who was born on the River Nile. He became King of Egypt and married Memphis, or by some accounts Cassiopeia. he had a daughter, Libya, who gave her name to the African country of Libya.
Epigoni The Epigoni were the descendants of the seven against Thebes who attacked the city ten years after their fathers had done so. They were organised by Adrastus.
Epimetheus Epimetheus was the brother of Prometheus.
Erato Erato was the muse of love and marriage songs.
Erebus Erebus was the Greek god of darkness.
Erechtheus In Greek mythology, Erechtheus (Erichthonius) was an Attic hero, said to have been the son of Hephaestus and Atthis. He was brought up by Athena.
Eridanus Eridanus was a Greek river god known as the king of rivers. He was a son of Oceanus and Tethys.
Erigone In Greek mythology, Erigone was the goddess of death, trees and fertility and associated with wine and a pastoral economy.
Erinys Erinys was the attendant of vengeance to Nemesis.
Eris Eris was the Greek goddess of strife, deceit, discord and disputation. The provoker of rivalry, contention, murder and wars.
Eros Eros was the Greek god of love. He was the son of Aphropdite.
Eteocles In Greek mythology, Eteocles was a son of the incestuous union of Oedipus and Jocasta and brother of Polynices. He denied his brother a share in the kingship of Thebes, thus provoking the expedition of the Seven against Thebes, in which he and his brother died by each other's hands.
Europa Europa was the daughter of Agenor. She was carried off by Zeus who had transformed himself into a great white bull.
Eurus Eurus was the east wind god.
Euryale Euryale was one of the gorgons.
Eurydice In Greek mythology, Eurydice was the wife of Orpheus. She was a dryad, or forest nymph, and died from a snake bite. Orpheus attempted unsuccessfully to fetch her back from the realm of the dead.
Euterpe Euterpe was the muse of music.
Fama Fama was an alternative name for the Roman goddess Pheme. In this form she was the mighty goddess of the word of mouth and human gossip. She Who initiates and furthers communication.
Fate In Greek and Roman mythology, the Fates was goddesses who decreed what would happen to both men and gods.
Fauna In Roman mythology, Fauna was the mother goddess of earth, rural life, fields, cattle and wild creatures. She was a protectress of women.
Faunus Faunus was a Roman god similar to Pan.
Februata In Roman mythology, Februata was the oracular goddess of love's passion. She who calls forth animals from their winter hibernation.
Felicitas In Roman mythology, Felicitas was the goddess of joyous events, laughter, happiness and contentment. She who suckles the young.
Flora Flora was the Roman goddess of flowers, youth, and spring.
Fornax In Roman mythology, Fornax was the goddess of the mysteries of bread-baking and the embryo's development.
Fortuna Fortuna was the Roman goddess of luck.
Furiae The Furiae were attendants of Hades and Persephone.
Gaea Gaea was a Greek goddess of the earth.
Galatea In Greek mythology, Galatea was the daughter of Nereus and Doris. She rejected the advances of the Cyclops Polyphemus and instead gave herself to the Sicilian shepherd Acis. Polyphemus crushed Acis beneath a rock.
Ganymedes Ganymedes was a son of the Trojan king Tros. He was carried off by Zeus and became the cup-bearer of the gods.
Golden fleece The golden fleece was the fleece of the ram on which Phrixus had escaped and was given to aetes the king of colchis. It hung from an oak tree in the grove of Ares where a dragon guarded it.
Gordian Knot In Greek mythology, the Gordian Knot was tied by King Gordius, and could only br unravelled by a future conquerer of Asia. Alexander cut it with his sword in 334BC.
Gorgons The gorgons were three daughters of Phorcys and Ceto.
Graeae The Graeae were three daughters of Phorcys and Ceto. They had only one eye and one tooth between them which they shared. Perseus forced them to tell him where he could find Medusa by stealing their solitary eye and tooth.
Griffin The griffin was a mythical monster, the supposed guardian of hidden treasure, with the body, tail, and hind legs of a lion, and the head, forelegs, and wings of an eagle.
Guatrigakwitl In Wishok mythology, Guatrigakwitl is the creator who made all things.
Hades Hades was the Greek god of the underworld. He was a son of Cronus.
Haemus In Greek mythology, Haemus was a son of Boreas and Oreithyia. He married Rhodope and by her had a son, Hebrus. He and his wife presumed to assume the names of Zeus and Hera and were turned into mountains for their insolence.
Harmonia Harmonia was the daughter of Ares and Aphrodite. She married Cadmus. At the wedding she was given a necklace made by Hephaestus which confered irresistible beauty upon the wearer.
Harpies The harpies were employed by the gods to carryout the punishment of crime.
Hebe Hebe was the goddess of youth. She was the daughter of Zeus and Hera.
Hebrus In Greek mythology, Hebrus was a river god. He was the son of Haemus and Rhodope.
Hecate Hecate was a Greek goddess of the moon and spirits. Dogs were sacred to her.
Hector In Greek mythology, Hector was a Trojan prince, son of King Priam and husband of Andromache, who, in the siege of Troy, was the foremost warrior on the Trojan side until he was killed by Achilles.
Helen In Greek mythology, Helen was the daughter of Zeus and Leda, and the most beautiful of women. She married Menelaus, King of Sparta, but during his absence, was abducted by Paris, Prince of Troy. This precipitated the Trojan War. Afterwards she returned to Sparta with her husband.
Helicon Helicon was a mountain in central Greece, on which was situated a spring and a sanctuary sacred to the Muses.
Helios Helios was the Greek god of physical light.
Helle In Greek mythology, Helle was the daughter of Athamas, King of Thessaly, and sister of Phryxes. With her brother she ran away from Ino, their cruel stepmother, on a ram with a Golden Fleece. Helle fell into the sea and drowned, thus giving her name to the Hellespont.
Hemera Hemera was the Greek goddess of day. She was born from Erebus and Nyx. She emerged from Tartarus as Nyx left it and returned to it as she was emerging from it.
Hephaestus Hephaestus was the Greek god of volcanic fire. The Romans called him Vulcan. He was the son of Zeus and Hera.
Hera Hera was a Greek goddess. She was mother to Hephaestus.
Hercules In Greek and Roman mythology, Hercules (Heracles) was considered as the perfect athlete. He was given twelve labours. 1) Kill the Nemean lion. 2) Destroy the Lernean hydra. 3) Capture alive the Erymanthian boar. 4) Capture alive the Ceryneian stag. 5) Kill the Stymphalian birds. 6) Clean the Augean stables. 7) Bring alive into Peloponnesus the Cretan bull. 8) Obtain the horses of Diomedes. 9) Obtain the girdle of Hippolyte. 10) Kill the monster and cattle of Geryon. 11) Obtain the apples of Hesperides. 12) Bring from the infernal regions Cerbeus the three headed dog of Hades.
Hermaphroditus In Greek mythology, Hermaphroditus was the son of Hermes and Aphrodite. He was loved by a nymph who asked for eternal union with him. Her request was granted and they became one body with both male and female sex organs.
Hermes Hermes was the Greek god of oratory. He was a son of Zeus and Maia.
Hesperides The Hesperides were daughters of Atlas and Hesperis.
Hestia Hestia was a Greek goddess. She was a daughter of Cronus and Rhea. She was goddess of the hearth. She was also called Vesta.
Hippocoon In Greek mythology, Hippocoon was a King of Sparta. He was the son of Oebalus and Gorgophone. He refused to purify Hercules after he murdered Iphitus and further offended Hercules by killing Oeonus.
Hippolytus In Greek mythology, Hippolytus was the son of Theseus. When he rejected the love of his stepmother, Phaedra, she falsely accused him of making advances to her and turned Theseus against him. Killed by Poseidon at Theseus' request, he was in some accounts of the legend restored to life when his innocence was proven.
Horae The horae were the Greek goddesses of the seasons. They were daughters of Zeus and Themis.
Hydra In Greek mythology, the Hydra was a huge monster with nine heads. If one were cut off, two would grow in its place. One of the 12 labours of Hercules was to kill it.
Hygea Hygea was the daughter of Aesculapius. She was the goddess of health.
Hymen Hymen was the Greek and Roman god of marriage.
Hypnos Hypnos was a son of night, and twin brother of Thanatos. He provided rest and relieved pain.
Iacchus Iacchus is an alternative name for Dionysus.
Icarus Icarus escaped from the Minos labyrinth by means of wings made by his father Daedalus. In escaping he flew too close to the sun, the wax holding the feathers to the wings melted and icarus fell into the sea and drowned.
Io In Greek mythology, Io was the daughter of Inachus. She was beloved of Zeus. Zeus changed her into a white heifer to protect her from the jealousy of Hera.
Iphigenia In Greek mythology, Iphigenia was a daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. She was sacrificed by her father at Aulis to secure favorable winds for the Greek fleet in the expedition against Troy, on instructions from the prophet Calchas. According to some accounts, she was saved by the goddess Artemis, and made her priestess.
Irene Irene was the Greek goddess of peace. She was sometimes regarded as one of the Horae, who presided over the seasons and the order of nature, and were the daughters of Zeus and Themis.
Iris Iris was the goddess of the rainbow. She was the daughter of Thaumas and Electra. She was a sister of the harpies. She was a messenger who conveyed divine commands from Zeus and Hera to mankind.
Ixion In Greek mythology, Ixion was King of the Lapithae in Thessaly who was punished for his wickedness by being tied to a perpetually revolving wheel of fire.
Janus Janus was a two faced Roman god of beginnings and ends.
Jason Jason was the rightful king of Iolcus. He was smuggled out of Iolcus by Cheiron. When Jason returned to claim his birthright, Pelias sent him to fetch the golden fleece from Colchis.
Jocasta Jocasta was the wife of Laius the king of Thebes. She unwittingly had incest with Oedipus, bringing a plague on Thebes. Her father sacrificed himself to rid Thebes of the plague. Jocasta hanged herself when she learnt the truth of her marriage to Oedipus.
Juno Juno was the Roman name for the Greek goddess Hera.
Jupiter Jupiter was the Roman name for the Greek god Zeus.
Juturna In Roman mythology, Juturna was a goddess of springs, rivers, aqueducts and fountains. The matron of architects and sculptors.
Juventas In Roman mythology, Juventas was a goddess of increase and blessings. She was representative of the eternal youth and solidarity of a species.
Kahit In Wintun mythology, Kahit is the wind god.
Khuno In Aymara mythology, Khuno is the god of snowstorms.
Lacedaemon In Greek mythology, Lacedaemon was a son of Zeus and Taygete. He married Sparte. He was King of Lacedaemon and named the capital city Sparta after his wife.
Laestrygones The Laestrygones were a race of giant cannibals. They were ruled by Lamus. At Telepylos Odysseus lost all but one of his ships to them.
Laius Laius was the king of Thebes and father of Oedipus.
Laocoon Laocoon was a Trojan prophet, son of Antenor and a priest of Apollo and Poseidon. He warned the Trojans against the Wooden Horse.
Laodice Laodice was a daughter of Priam and the wife of Helicaon. When Troy fell she was swallowed by the earth.
Lares The Lares were beings of the Roman religion protecting households and towns.
Larissa Larissa was a city in Thessaly where Achilles was reportedly born.
Leda Leda was a daughter of Thestius. She was the wife of Tyndareus. She was seduced by Zeus and gave birth to two eggs. From one hatched her daughter Helen and son Polydeuces, and from the other hatched Castor.
Lemnos Lemnos was a small island at the mouth of the Hellespont. Hephaestus landed on Lemnos when Zeus threw him out of heaven, and set up a forge on the island.
Lethe In Greek mythology, Lethe was a river of the underworld whose waters, when drunk, brought forgetfulness of the past.
Leto In Greek mythology Leto was the mother of Apollo.
Leuce Leuce was a nymph loved by Hades. He turned her into a white poplar tree.
Leucothea Leucothea was a friendly sea-goddess who assisted Odysseus in his dangerous voyage. She was the daughter of Cadmus and originally the wife of Athamas, in which capacity she bore the name of Ino. She had incurred the wrath of Hera because she had suckled the infant Bacchus, and was pursued by her raving husband and thrown into the sea where she was saved by a dolphin and subsequently took her place as a marine deity under the name of Leucothea.
Liber Pater Liber Pater was an ancient Italian god of the vine.
Libera Libera was the Roman name for the Greek goddess Persephone.
Litai Litai was the goddess of recompense.
Luna Luna was the Roman name of the Greek goddess Selene.
Lutinus Lutinus was the Roman name for the Greek god Priapus.
Maia In Greek mythology, Maia was the daughter of Atlas and the mother of Hermes.
Manes The manes were the souls of departed people in the Greek and Roman religions.
Mars Mars was the Roman name for the Greek god Ares.
Marsyas In Greek mythology, Marsyas was a satyr who took up the pipes thrown down by the goddess Athena and challenged the god Apollo to a musical contest. On losing, he was flayed alive.
Medea In Greek mythology, Medea was the sorceress daughter of the king of Colchis. When Jason reached Colchis, she fell in love with him, helped him acquire the Golden Fleece, and they fled together. When Jason later married Creusa, daughter of the king of Corinth, Medea killed his bride with the gift of a poisoned garment, and then killed her own two children by Jason.
Meditrina Meditrina was a Roman goddess of health. She was a sister of Hygea.
Medusa Medusa was the youngest and most beautiful of the gorgons. She loved Poseidon and desecrated the temple of Athene by meeting Poseidon there. For this she was punished by having her hair turned to snakes. The result was her appearance was so hideous to behold that it would turn the viewer to stone.
Megapenthes In Greek mythology, Megapenthes was a son of Proteus and King of Argos. He exchanged his dominion with that of Perseus and afterwards killed Perseus.
Melpomene Melpomene was the muse of tragedy.
Memnon Memnon was the son of Eos and Tithonus. He was the king of Ethiopia who helped the Trojans and killed many Greeks. He was killed by Achilles in single combat whilst Zeus weighed their fates in the balance.
Menelaus Menelaus was the husband of Helen of Troy.
Mercury Mercury was the Roman name for the Greek god Hermes.
Midas In Greek mythology, Midas was a king of Phrygia who was granted the gift of converting all he touched to gold. He soon regretted his gift, as his food and drink were also turned to gold. For preferring the music of Pan to that of Apollo, he was given ass's ears by the latter.
Minerva Minerva was the Roman name of the Greek goddess Athene.
Minos In Greek mythology, Minos was a king of Crete (son of Zeus and Europa), who demanded a yearly tribute of young men and girls from Athens for the Minotaur. After his death, he became a judge in Hades.
Minotaur In Greek mythology, the Minotaur was a monster, half man and half bull, offspring of Pasiphae, wife of King Minos of Crete, and a bull. It lived in the Labyrinth at Knossos, and its victims were seven girls and seven youths, sent in annual tribute by Athens, until Theseus killed it, with the aid of Ariadne, the daughter of Minos.
Mnemosyne Mnemosyne was the mother of the muses. She signified the memory of great events.
Moerae Moerae was the Greek goddess of right and reason.
Momus Momus was the ancient Greek god of jeering.
Morpheus Morpheus was an ancient Greek god of dreams
Muses The muses were nympths of the springs.
Myrtilus Myrtilus was the son of Hermes.
Na'iads In Greek mythology, the Na'iads were nymphs of fountains and brooks.
Narcissus In Greek mythology, Narcissus was a beautiful youth who rejected the love of the nymph Echo and was condemned to fall in love with his own reflection in a pool. He pined away and in the place where he died a flower sprang up that was named after him.
Nauplius Nauplius was the son of Amymone and Poseidon. He was the wrecker of Nauplia.
Nemesis Nemesis was the goddess of punishment.
Neptune Neptune was the Roman name for the Greek god Poseidon.
Nereid In Greek mythology, the Nereid were 50 sea goddesses, or nymphs, who sometimes mated with mortals. Their father was Nereus and their mother was Doris.
Nereus Nereus was a sea god. He was a son of Pontys and Gaea.
Nike Nike was the goddess of victory. She was the daughter of Pallas and Styx. She helped the gods in their battle against the titans and was rewarded by Zeus.
Niobe In Greek mythology, Niobe was the daughter of Tantalus and wife of Amphion, the king of Thebes. She was contemptuous of the goddess Leto for having produced only two children, Apollo and Artemis. She died of grief when her own 12 offspring were killed by them in revenge, and was changed to stone by Zeus.
Notus Notus was the south wind god.
Nymph A nymph was a higher being than a human, but not immortal like a god. They were respected in mythology.
Nyx Nyx was a goddess of night. She was a daughter of Chaos. She married Erebus.
Oceanides The oceanides were 40 sea nymphs of the ocean. They were the daughters of Oceanus.
Oceanus Oceanus was the son of Uranus and Gaea. He was the only Titan not to revolt against Uranus.
Ocypete Ocypete was one of the harpies.
Odysseus Odysseus was a Greek hero. He devised the strategy of the wooden horse used by the Greeks to conquer Troy.
Oedipus Oedipus was the son of Laius. The Delphic oracle foretold that Laius would be killed by his son, so Oedipus was abandoned on mount Cithaeron with a nail through his feet. However, he was found by a shepherd and raised by Polybus. Hearing that he would kill his father, Oedipus left Corinth and met Laius on his travel. He killed him in an argument not knowing who he was.
Oeonus In Greek mythology, Oeonus was a son of Licymnius. He was attacked by a dog belonging to the sons of Hippocoon, he threw a stone at the dog and in revenge the sons of Hippocoon killed him.
Oileus Oileus was one of the Argonauts, he was the father of Ajax.
Omphale Omphale was queen of Lydia. She bought Hercules as a slave who stayed with her for 3 years.
Oneiros Oneiros was the ancient Greek god of dreams.
Ops Ops was the Roman goddess of plenty and the personification of abundance.
Oreades The oreades were mountain nymphs.
Orestes Orestes was the son of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon. As a child he was smuggled out of Mycenae by his sister Electra when Clytemnestra and Aegisthus seized power. He later killed Clytemnestra with the help of Electra and Pylades and was punished by the Erinnyes.
Orion Orion was a giant and son of Poseidon. He was a hunter and very handsome. He was promised the hand of Merope whom he loved if he could ride Chios. He did but was not given Merope so he seduced her. Apollo caused his death at the hands of Artemis who put his image in the stars.
Orpheus Orpheus was a mythical Greek poet and musician. The son of Apollo and a muse (possibly Calliope), he married Eurydice, who died from the bite of a snake. Orpheus went down to Hades to bring her back and her return to life was granted on condition that he walk ahead of her without looking back. He did look back and Eurydice was irretrievably lost. In his grief, he offended the maenad women of Thrace, and was torn to pieces by them.
Ossipago In Roman mythology, Ossipago was a minor goddess of skeletal structures and the strengthener of fetal bones.
Ourania In Greek mythology Ourania was a mountain goddess of summer, especially mid-summer. The Queen of the winds and ruler of the night sky.
Pales Pales was a Roman god of cattle-rearing.
Pallas In Greek mythology Pallas was one of the Titans. He was a son of Crius and Eurybia and brother of Astraeus and Perses. He married Styx and fathered Zelus, Cratos, Bia and Nike.
Pan Pan was the Greek god who looked after shepherds and their flocks. His parentage is unsure. In some accounts he is the son of Zeus, in others the son of Hermes. His mother was a nymph.
Pandarus In Greek mythology, Pandarus was the leader of the forces of Zeleia in Lycia at the Trojan War. He was the second best Greek archer (next to Paris) and fought in the Trojan War as an archer.
Pandion In Greek mythology, Pandion was a son of Erichthonius, the King of Athens.
Pandora Pandora was a woman made by the gods. She was taken to Epimetheus by Hermes. He made her his wife, against his brother's advice. Pandora came with a sealed vase. Her husband was tempted and opened the vase from which came all the troubles, weariness and illnesses that mankind is now burderned with.
Paris In Greek mythology, Paris was a prince of Troy whose abduction of Helen, wife of King Menelaus of Sparta, caused the Trojan War. Helen was promised to him by the goddess Aphrodite as a bribe, in his judgment between her beauty and that of two other goddesses, Hera and Athena. Paris killed the Greek hero Achilles by shooting an arrow into his heel, but was himself killed by Philoctetes before the capture of Troy.
Pasiphae In Greek mythology, Pasiphae was the wife of King Minos of Crete and mother of Phaedra and of the Minotaur.
Patroclus Patroclus was a cousin and close friend of Achilles. He was killed by Hector in the Trojan wars.
Pegasus Pegasus was the winged horse offspring of Medusa and Poseidon.
Peirithous In Greek mythology, Peirithous was a King of the Lapiths and a son of Ixion and Dia. He waged war against the Centaurs and helped Theseus carry off the Amazon Antiope and later Helen. He tried to abduct Persephone, but was bound to a stone seat by her husband Hades and remained a prisoner in the underworld.
Pelias Pelias was king of Iolcus and half-brother of Jason.
Penelope In Greek mythology, Penelope was the wife of Odysseus, the king of Ithaca; their son was Telemachus. While Odysseus was absent at the siege of Troy she kept her many suitors at bay by asking them to wait until she had woven a shroud for her father-in-law, but unraveled her work each night. When Odysseus returned, after 20 years, he and Telemachus killed her suitors.
Peneus Peneus was a river god. He was a son of Oceanus and Tethys.
Persephone Persephone was a Greek goddess. She was the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. Hades obtained sanction from Zeus to carry her off by force and marry her.
Perseus Perseus found Medusa asleep and cut her head off which he presented to Athene. He married Andromeda.
Phaea In Greek mythology, Phaea was the Crommyonium Sow a wild pig said to have been the offspring of Echidna and Typhon. It ravaged the town of Crommyon on the Isthmus of Corinth until it was destroyed by Theseus.
Phaedra In Greek mythology, Phaedra was a daughter of Minos, King of Crete and Pasiphae. Her unrequited love for Hippolytus led to his death and her suicide. She became renowned as a minor goddess of the moon, barley, myrtle, rain-making and the death of kings. A siren-like Enchantress.*Pheme Pheme was the goddess of fame. She was a daughter of Gaea.
Philyra In Greek mythology, Philyra was the shape-shifting goddess of beauty, perfume, healing, writing and divination. She was the discoverer of paper.
Phoebe In Greek mythology, Phoebe was the goddess of waxing and waning cycles. Ruler of the sapphire-regioned moon and cloven-hoofed animals.
Phoebus Phoebus was the Greek god of enlightenment.
Phyllis In Greek mythology, Phyllis was a goddess of spring, trees, wisdom, women's secrets and the genetic knowledge contained in seeds.
Picus Picus was a Roman god. He was the son of Saturnus and father of Faunus. His wife was Canens. He was a prophet and god of the forest.
Pitho Pitho was the daughter of Aphrodite. She was the goddess of persuasion.
Pleiades The Pleiades were the seven daughters of Atlas and Pleione. They were turned into doves by Zeus and and their image put into the stars to save them from the attentions of Orion.
Pleuron In Greek mythology, Pleuron was a son of Aetolus and Pronoe and brother to Calydon. He married Xanthippe by whom he fathered Agenor, Sterope, Stratonice and Laophonte. He is said to have founded the town of Pleuron in Aetolia.
Pluto Pluto was the Roman name for the Greek god Hades.
Poena Poena was the attendant of punishment to Nemesis.
Polites Polites was a son of Priam and Hecabe. He was killed before them by Neoptolemus.
Pollux Pollux was the Roman name for Polydeuces.
Polybus Polybus was king of Corinth. He raised Oedipus as his own son.
Polydeuces Polydeuces was twin brother of Castor. He was a son of Zeus and Leda. He was born from an egg after Zeus visited Leda disguised as a swan.
Polydorus In Greek mythology, Polydorus was a son of Cadmus and Harmonia. he was King of Thebes and husband of Nycteis by whom he fathered Labdacus.
Polymnia Polymnia was the muse of song and oratory.
Polynices In Greek mythology, Polynices was a son of Oedipus. He and his brother Eteocles were supposed to rule Thebes in alternate years, but Eteocles refused to relinquish the throne, and Polynices sought the help of Adrastus. Polynices and Eteocles killed each other in single combat.
Polyphemus In Greek mythology Polyphemus was the most famous of the Cyclops. He is described as a giant cannibal living alone in a cave on Mount Etna. Odysseus and his companions unwarily sheltered in his cave, and Polyphemus killed and ate four of them before Odysseus intoxicated him with wine and when he fell asleep poked his eye out with a blazing stake. Polyphemus was also the despised lover of Galatea.
Pomona Pomona was a Roman goddess of garden fruits.
Poseidon Poseidon was the Greek god of the sea. He was a son of Cronus.
Priam In Greek mythology, Priam was the son of Laomedon and Placia. He was originally called Podarces and was still a baby when his father promissed his sister Hesione to Heracles and then broke his word. Heracles sacked Troy and killed Laomedon and all his sons except Podarces whom he sold in the slave market. He was bought by Hesione and she changed his name to Priam.
Priapus Priapus was the Greek god of fertility in nature. He was a son of Dionysus and Aphrodite. He was blighted in the womb by Hera, and was born impotent, ugly and so foul natured that the gods refused to have him in Olympus and threw him down to earth where he was brought up by shepherds.
Procne In Greek mythology, Procne was a daughter of King Pandion and Zeuxippe. She married Tereus.
Procris In Greek mythology, Procris was a daughter of Erechtheus and wife of Cephalus. Artemis gave her the hound Laelaps which she gave to her husband.
Procrustes In ancient Greek legends, Procrustes was a robber. He robbed people whilst they slept. If his victim was too short for his bed he was stretched to death. If the victim was too long for his bed, his feet or legs were cut off. Theseus treated Procrustes in the same way.
Prometheus Prometheus was a Greek hero. He was a son of the Titan Japetus and the sea nymph Clymene. Prometheus obtained fire for mankind from Zeus.
Proteus In Greek mythology, Proteus was a son of Abas and the twin brother of Acrisius. In a dispute between the two brothers over the kingdom of Argos, Proteus was defeated and expelled. He fled to Iobates in Lycia and married his daughter Stheneboea. Iobates restored Proteus to his kingdom by force and Acrisius then agreed to share it, surrendering Tiryns to him. When Bellerophon came to Proteus to be purified for a murder, Sthenebeoa fell in love with him. Bellerophon refused her and she charged him with making improper proposals to her. Proteus then sent him to Iobates with a letter asking Iobates to murder Bellerophon.
Psyche In Roman mythology, Psyche was the personification of the passion of love. She was the youngest daughter of the king and queen of Sicily. She was the most beautiful person on the island and suitors flocked to ask for her hand. In the end she boasted that she was more beautiful than Venus herself, and Venus sent Cupid to transfix her with an arrow of desire and make her fall in love with the nearest person or thing available. But even Cupid fell in love with her and took her to a secret place and eventually married her and had her made a goddess by Jupiter.
Pygmalion In Greek mythology, Pygmalion was a king of Cyprus who made an image in ivory of a maiden. He fell in love with the image and asked Venus to endow it with life. She did, and Pygmalion married the maiden.
Pylades In Greek mythology, Pylades was son of Strophius and Anaxibia. He assisted Orestes in murdering Clytemnestra and eventually married his sister Electra.
Pyrrhus In Greek mythology, Pyrrhus was the birth name of Achilles' son who was renamed Neoptolemus when he went to Troy.
Rhadamanthus Rhadamanthus was a son of Zeus and Europa. He was famed for his wisdom and justice, and so after his death was made one of the judges of the underworld.
Rhamnusia Rhamnusia was an alternative name for Nemesis.
Rhea Rhea was the Greek goddess of the earth, mountains and forests.
Sarpedon Sarpedon was a son of Zeus and Europa. He went to Asia Minor and became the king of the Lycians after helping Cilix of Cilicia to defeat them. He helped Troy in the Trojan wars before being killed by Patroclus.
Saturnus Saturnus was the Roman god of learning and agriculture. He appeared to king Janus and gave lessons on agriculture to his subjects.
Satyr The satyrs were attendants to the god Dionysus.
Sceiron In Greek mythology, Sceiron (Sciron) was a robber who haunted the frontier between Attica and Megaris. He robbed travellers and kicked them into the sea where they were eaten by a tortoise that lived there. He was killed by Theseus.
Selene Selene was a Greek goddess of the moon.
Semele In Greek mythology, Semele was a daughter of Cadmus and Harmonia. She was beloved by Zeus and bore him Dionysus.
Silenius Silenius was the oldest satyr.
Silvanus Silvanus was a Roman god of the forest.
Sirens The Sirens (Acheloides) were daughters of the river-god Achelous and a Muse. They had been nymphs and playmates of Persephone, and for not protecting her when she was carried off by Pluto, they were transformed into beings half-woman and half-bird by Demeter. Later they were transformed into half-woman and half-fish.
Sisyphus In Greek mythology, Sisyphus was an evil King of Corinth. After he died he was condemned in the underworld to roll a huge stone uphill, which always fell back before he could reach the top.
Sol Sol was the Roman name for the Greek god Helios.
Somnus Somnus was an alternative name for the Greek and Roman god Hypnos.
Stheino Stheino was one of the gorgons.
Strophius In Greek mythology, Strophius was King of Phocis.
Styx In Greek and Roman mythology, the Styx was the principal river in the underworld. Styx was the name of a nymph who was the daughter of Oceanus and Tethys. She dwelt at the entrance to Hades in a lofty grotto which was supported by silver columns. Styx took her children to help Zeus in the fight against the Titans.
Talaus In Greek mythology, Talaus was King of Argos. He was the son of Nias and Pero. Talaus sailed with the Argonauts.
Talos In Greek mythology, Talos was a bronze man given to Europa by Zeus to guard Crete. He would clutch people to his breast and jump into a fire so that they were burnt alive.
Tantalus In Greek mythology, Tantalus was a son of Zeus. He was king of Phrygia, Lydia. He was admitted to the table of the gods, but displeased them and was punished by being put in a lake such that he just couldn't reach the water with his lips, and being tempted by fruit above him which again was just out of reach.
Tartarus In Greek mythology, Tartarus was the part of Hades where the wicked were punished.
Telepylos Telepylos was the capital city of the Laestrygones.
Telesphorus Telesphorus was the god of that which sustains the convalescent. He is depicted with Aesculapius and Hygea.
Terminus Terminus was the Greek and Roman god of boundaries.
Terpsichore Terpsichore was the muse of dancing.
Tethys Tethys was a Titan woman.
Teucer There are two descriptions for Teucer, both refer to Greek mythology. The first is that Teucer was the first King of Troy. He was a son of the river god Scamander and Idaea. The second that Teucer was son of Telamon and Hesione and the best archer in the Greek army in the Trojan War. He would have shot Hector if Zeus had not broken his sbowstring.
Thalia Thalia was the muse of comedy and burlesque.
Thanatos Thanatos was the ancient Greek god of death and of pain.
Themis In Greek mythology, Themis was a daughter of Uranus and Gaea. She was the Greek goddess of human rights.
Theseus In Greek mythology, Theseus was a son of Aegeus and Aethra. He was king of Athens. Stories about him include his slaying of the Minotaur.
Thyrsus A thyrsus was a wand wreathed with ivy leaves, and topped with a pine-cone carried by the Ancient Greeks as a symbol of Bacchus.
Titan In Greek mythology, the Titans were the 12 sons of Ge and Uranus.
Titanomachia Titanomachia was the 10 year war waged in Thessaly by Zeus and the Olympian gods against Cronos and the Titans led by Atlas. The war deposed the Titans.
Tithonus In Greek mythology, Tithonus was a son or brother of Laomedon the king of Troy. He was made immortal by by Zeus at the request of Eos who loved him.
Triton Triton was a Herald of Neptune. In Greek mythology the Tritons were sea-gods with the upper half of a human and the lower part of the body that of a fish. They carried a trumpet which the blew to soothe the waves at the command of Poseidon.
Tros Tros was the grandson of Dardanus and the father of Ilus. He gave his name to the city of Troy.
Tyche Tyche was the Greek goddess of luck.
Tydeus Tydeus was the son of Oeonus and Calydon. After commiting a murder whilst a youth he fled to the court of Adrastus.
Tyndareus Tyndareus was the king of Sparta. He was deposed by his brother Hippocoon, and reinstated by Hercules.
Typhon In Greek mythology, Typhon was the father of destructive and fierce winds. He is dereived from the Egyptian Set or Seth.
Ulysses Ulysses was the Roman name for Odysseus.
Urania Urania was the muse of astronomy.
Uranus In Greek mythology, Uranus was a son of Gaea. He later married Gaea.
Venus Venus was the Roman name for the Greek goddess Aphrodite.
Vertumnus Vertumnus was a Roman god of garden fruits and seasons. He was the husband of Pomona.
Victoria Victoria is an alternative name for Nike.
Vortumna In Roman mythology, Vortumna was an oracular goddess of the year and destiny. The matron of gardeners and she who urges reproduction.
Vulcan Vulcan was the Roman name for the Greek god Hephaestus.
Xuthus In Greek mythology, Xuthus was a son of Helen by the nymph Orseis. He was King of Peloponnesus and the husband of Creusa. After the death of his father, Xuthus was expelled from Thessaly by his brothers and went to Athens, where he married the daughter of Erechtheus.
Zagreus Zagreus was a son of Zeus. He was torn apart and eaten by Titans apart from his heart which Athene saved. He is sometimes identified with Dionysus.
Zelus In Greek mythology, Zelus was son of the Titan Pallas and Styx. He was a constant companion of Zeus and personified zeal.
Zethus In Greek mythology, Zethus was a son of Zeus and Antiope and twin brother of Amphion.
Zeus Zeus was the third king of the Greek gods. He had his throne on mount Olympus. He was a son of Cronus.
Zeuxippe In Greek mythology, Zeuxippe was the daughter of Eridanus and the wife of Pandion.