Showing posts with label myths. Show all posts
Showing posts with label myths. Show all posts

Saturday, September 19, 2026

Seven against Thebes.

The Seven against Thebes (Ἑπτὰ ἐπὶ Θήβας) (Hepta epi Thēbas) were seven characters in Greek mythology. They were at war in Thebes.

Eteocles (Ἐτεοκλῆς) (Eteoklês) and Polynices (Πολυνείκης) (Polyneíkes) were sons of Oedipus. The conflict started with them.

Polynices, Tydeus (Τυδεύς) (Tūdeus), Amphiaraus, Capaneus, Parthenopaeus, Hippomedon, and Eteoclus were the seven against Thebes.

They wanted to overthrow Eteocles and restore his brother Polynices to the throne. Almost all of them perished.

In the legends, Polynices took the necklace of Harmonia.

Also, there is a tragedy (play) of the same name written by Aeschylus.



Thursday, August 20, 2026

Ages of Man.

In Ancient Greece, people believed that there were different stages of humanity.

Golden Age (χρυσή εποχή) (chrysí epokhí), Silver Age, Bronze Age, Heroic Age, and Iron Age are ages of humanity in Greek myths and legends.

During the Golden Age, Cronus ruled. This is a utopia.

The Silver Age was ruled by Zeus, son of Cronus. People lived long then.

Humanity during the Bronze Age was made of ash tree. Their passion was war.

Then came the Heroic Age. Gods once again fought in various wars.

And finally, the Iron Age. It's more like the simple life of people.

Olympic medals come in bronze, silver, and gold for different places. This symbolizes the Age of Man (Γένη των Ανθρώπων).

Saturday, July 11, 2026

Attis.

Attis (Ἄττις) (Ἄτυς) (Ἄττυς) (Ἄττης) was known as a god of rebirth and consort of Cybele in Greek myths and legends.

He was very handsome. Attis was from Phrygia (Φρυγία) (Phrygia).

He grew up near the Halys River.

Attis met with other gods and goddesses.

He was killed and turned into a tree after death.





Tuesday, June 9, 2026

Creon.

Creon (Κρέων) (Kreōn) was known as a king of Thebes (Θῆβαι) (Thêbai) in Greek myths and legends. His father was Menoeceus (Μενοικεύς) (Menoikeús).

Creon and Oedipus (Οἰδίπους) (Oidípous) were relatives.

Eurydice (Εὐρυδίκη) (Eὐrudíkē) was his wife. They had several children.

When Amphitryon (Ἀμφιτρύων) (Amphitruo) freed Cadmea (Καδμεία) (Kadmía) from the Teumessian fox (ἀλώπηξ Τευμησσοῦ) (Teumessian vixen), Creon helped him.

Creon was killed.





Sunday, May 10, 2026

Syrinx.

Syrinx (Σῦριγξ) (Súrinx) was a nymph (νύμφη) (nýmphē) in Greek myths and legends. She served Artemis (Ἄρτεμις). Also, Syrinx was known for her purity.

The god Pan (Πάν) (Pán) pursued her. Then Syrinx asked her naiad (ναϊάδες) (naïádes) sisters for salvation. They turned her into a reed or in lilac near the Ladon River.

Then Pan made a flute from the plant.






Wednesday, April 22, 2026

Hippolytus of Athens.

Hyppolytus (Ἱππόλυτος) (Hippolutos) was the son of Theseus and an Amazon Antiope (Ἀντιόπη) (Antiópē) in Greek mythology. Phaedra was his stepmother.

He was a hunter. Hippolytus loved the goddess Artemis. Aphrodite was angry with him.

Hippolytus was killed by a sea monster sent by the god Poseidon.



Friday, February 20, 2026

Amalthea.

Amalthea (Ἀμάλθεια) (Amáltheia) was known as a nymph in Greek myths and legends. Also, she was represented as a goat.

Helios and Tethys were Amalthea's parents. 

She fed baby Zeus with goat's milk.

Amalthea had a cornucopia.



Saturday, January 24, 2026

Rhesus.

Rhesus (Ῥῆσος) (Rhêsos) was a king of Thrace in Greek myths and legends. This character appears in the Iliad.

Strymon and Euterpe were his parents. Also, Rhesus had siblings.

He took part in the Trojan War.

Rhesus had a wife Arganthone (Ἀργανθώνη).

He was killed by Odysseus.



Sunday, December 21, 2025

Triptolemus.

Triptolemus (Τριπτόλεμος) (Triptólemos), also known as Buzyges (Βουζύγης) (Bouzýgēs) was involved in agriculture in Greek myths and legends.

Oceanus and Gaia (Γαῖα) (Gaîa), or Celeus (Κελεός) (Keleós) and Metanita (Μετάνειρα ) (Metáneira), or Polyhymnia were his parents. Orpheus (Ὀρφεύς), Demophon (Δημοφῶν) (Δημοφόων), and Callidice (Καλλιδίκη) (Kallidíkē) were brothers and sister of Triptolemus.

He met with Demeter (Δημήτηρ) (Dēmḗtēr) and Persephone (Περσεφόνη) (Persephónē).




Thursday, November 20, 2025

Fortunate Isles.

Fortunate Isles, also known as Isles of the Blessed (Νήσοι των Μακάρων) (Μακάρων Νῆσοι) (makarōn nēsoi) were mythical islands in Greek legends.

Elysium, or the Elysial Fields (Ἠλύσιον πεδίον) (Ēlýsion pedíon), was the name of paradise in Ancient Greece. According to myths, gods and goddesses lived there.

Fortunate Isles are closely associated with utopia and the Golden Age.



Tuesday, October 21, 2025

Iasion.

Iasion (Ἰασίων) (Iasíōn) was a character in Greek myths and legends. Zeus and Electra were his parents.

Plutus (Πλοῦτος) (Ploûtos), Corybas (Κορύβας) (Korúbas), Atalanta (Ἀταλάντη) (Atalántē), and Philomelus (Φιλόμηλος) (Philómēlos) were his children. 

Demeter (Δημήτηρ) (Dēmḗtēr) (Δαμάτηρ) (Dāmā́tēr) was Iason's wife.

Also, he met with other gods and goddesses.



Wednesday, October 8, 2025

Eurycleia.

Eurycleia (Εὐρύκλεια ) (Eurýkleia), or Antiphata (Ἀντιφάτη) (Antipháte), was an old nurse of Odysseus (Ὀδυσσεύς) (Ὀδυσεύς) (Odysseús) (Odyseús). Her father was Ops (Ὤψ) and grandfather Peinsenor (Πεισήνωρ).

Also, Eurycleia served his wife Penelope (Πηνελόπεια) (Πηνελόπη) (Pēnelópeia) (Pēnelópē) and son Telemachus (Τηλέμαχος) (Tēlemakhos). Odysseus took part in the Trojan War and was wandering.

She recognized him when Odysseus came home. Eurycleia noticed his old scar.





Thursday, October 2, 2025

Great people: Peter Paul Rubens.

Sir Peter Paul Rubens was born on June 28, 1577, in Holy Roman Empire. He was an artist.

Venus and Adonis (1635), Child with a bird (1614 and 1625), The Judgement of Paris (1606), Diana Returning from the Hunt (1615), and Landscape with Milkmaids and Cattle (1618) are Rubens' works.

Baroque was his movement.

Peter Paul Rubens had wives and children.

He died on May 30, 1640, in Spanish Netherlands.





Sunday, September 21, 2025

Ganymede.

Ganymede or Ganymedes (Γανυμήδης) (Ganymēdēs) was the son of founder and king of Troy Tros (Τρώς) and Callirhoe (Καλλιρρόη) (Kallirróē). So, he was known as the Trojan prince.

One day Zeus turned into an eagle and abducted Ganymede. After this the young man began to live on Mount Olympus.

There are many arts about this legend.



Thursday, September 11, 2025

Golden Age.

The Golden Age (χρυσή εποχή ) (chrysí epokhí) means the best time of humanity. Perhaps it was so in the past or it will be so in the future.

These words come from Ancient Greece. In Greek mythology there are five ages of humanity (χρύσεον γένος) (chrýseon génos): Gold, Silver, Bronze, Heroic, and Iron.

Also, other myths and legends have their own Golden Age.

Writers wrote books about it, and artists drew images.

Sometimes the Golden Age is called the dawn of civilization.

This is actually a utopia.



Wednesday, August 20, 2025

Io.

Io (Ἰώ) was a character in Greek myths and legends.

She was Zeus' lover. Then he turned Io into a cow.

Argus Panoptes guarded Io.

She met with other gods and goddesses.



Thursday, June 19, 2025

Iaso.

Iaso (Ἰησώ) (Iēsō) was one of the goddesses of medicine in Greek myths and legends. Asclepius and Epione were her parents.

Panacea, Hygieia, Aceso, and Aegle were Iaso's sisters. Machaon, Telesphorus (Τελεσφόρος) (Telesphoros), and Podalirius were her brothers.

There are different stories about Iaso.


Thursday, June 5, 2025

Lycurgus.

Lycurgus (Λυκοῦργος) (Lykoûrgos) was a king of Thrace in Greek mythology. His father was Dryas (Δρύας) or Ares (Ἄρης).

Dionysus (Διόνυσος) (Diónysos) was an enemy of Lycurgus.

He was killed.




Friday, May 16, 2025

Machaon.

Machaon was a surgeon in Greek myths and legends. His parents were Asclepius and Epione.

Asclepius' son and his brother Podalirius took part in the Trojan War.

Machaon was killed by Penthesilea (Πενθεσίλεια) (Penthesíleia).

Hygieia, Panacea, Iaso, Aceso, and Aegle (Αἴγλη) were his siblings.

Also, Machaon had several children.



Wednesday, April 23, 2025

Erato.

Erato (Ἐρατώ) was one of the Muses (love poetry) in Greek myths and legends. Her parents were Zeus and Mnemosyne.

Also, Erato had her own symbols: lyre and kithara.

Malus (Μάλος) was her consort. They had a daughter Cleophema.