Pantheon Greek gods represented not only by strong and powerful gods, but also by goddesses.

Titanides- goddesses of the second generation, six sisters:
Mnemosyne - the goddess who personified memory; Rhea - goddess, mother of the Olympian gods; Theia is the first lunar goddess; Tefis is the goddess who gives life to everything that exists; Phoebe is the goddess, the nurse of Apollo, Themis is the goddess of justice.

Olympians - third generation goddesses:
Hera is the goddess of marriage and family, Aphrodite is the goddess of love and beauty, Athena is the goddess of wisdom, crafts and art, Artemis is the goddess of hunting, fertility and female chastity, Hestia is the goddess hearth and sacrificial fire, Demeter - the goddess of fertility and agriculture.

Minor Greek goddesses:
Selene - goddess of the moon; Persephone - goddess of the kingdom of the dead and fertility; Nike - goddess of victory; Hebe - the goddess of eternal youth; Eos - goddess of the dawn; Tyche - the goddess of happiness, chance and good luck; Enyo - goddess of violent war; Chlorida - goddess of flowers and gardens; Dike (Themis) - the goddess of justice, justice; Nemesis - winged goddess of revenge and retribution; Iris - the goddess of the rainbow; Gaia is the goddess of the earth.

Detailed Description of the Greek Goddesses
Aurora is the goddess of the dawn. The ancient Greeks called Aurora the ruddy dawn, the pink-fingered goddess Eos. Aurora was the daughter of the titan Gipperion and Theia. According to another version of the Sun - Helios and the Moon - Selena).
Artemis is the daughter of Zeus and Lethe, the sister of Apollo, between female deities the same as her brother between male ones. She gives light and life, she is the goddess of childbirth and the goddess-nurse; accompanied by forest nymphs, hunts in forests and mountains, guards herds and game. She never submitted to the power of love, and, like Apollo, does not know the bonds of marriage. In Roman mythology, Diana.
Athena is the daughter of Zeus who had no mother. Hephaestus split the head of Zeus with an ax, and Athena jumped out of her head in full armor. She is the personification of the prudence of Zeus. Athena is the goddess of the mind, war, sciences and arts. In Roman mythology - Minerva
Aphrodite is the daughter of Zeus and Diana, so called because she supposedly came from sea ​​foam. She is the goddess of beauty, happy love and marriage, surpassing all goddesses in charm and grace. In Roman mythology - Venus.
Venus - in Roman mythology, the goddess of gardens, beauty and love, was identified with the mother of Aeneas Aphrodite. Venus was not only the goddess of beauty and love, but also the patroness of the descendants of Aeneas and all the Romans.
Hekate is the goddess of the night, the ruler of darkness. Hecate ruled over all ghosts and monsters, night visions and sorcery. She was born as a result marriage union titan Persian and Asteria.
Graces - in Roman mythology, beneficent goddesses, personifying the joyful, kind and eternally young beginning of life, the daughters of Jupiter, nymphs and goddesses. In ancient Greek mythology- Charity.
Diana - in Roman mythology, the goddess of nature and hunting, was considered the personification of the moon. Diana was also accompanied by the epithet "goddess of three roads", which was interpreted as a sign of Diana's triple power: in heaven, on earth and underground.
Irida is the personification of the rainbow that connects heaven with earth, the messenger of the gods, the mediator in their relations with each other and with people. This is the messenger of Zeus and Hera and the servant of the latter.
Cybele - the daughter of Uranus and Gaia, the wife of Kronos, was considered the great mother of the gods. She is the personification of the principle that regulates the elemental natural forces.
Minerva - in Roman mythology, the goddess of wisdom, art, war and cities, the patroness of artisans.
Mnemosyne - in Greek mythology, the goddess of memory, the daughter of Uranus and Gaia, the Titanide. Mother of the Muses, whom she gave birth to from Zeus. According to the number of nine nights that Mnemosyne gave to Zeus, there were nine muses.
Moira - Lachesis ("giving lots"), Cloto ("spinning") and Atropos ("inevitable"), daughters of Nikta. Moira are the goddesses of fate, natural necessity, eternal and immutable world laws.
The Muses are goddesses and patrons of the arts and sciences. The Muses were considered the daughters of Zeus and the goddess of memory Mnemosyne.
Nemesis is the goddess of vengeance. The duties of the goddess included punishment for crimes, monitoring the fair and equal distribution of benefits among mortals. Nemesis was born by Nikta as a punishment to Kronos.
Persephone is the daughter of Zeus and Demeter, or Cecera, the wife of Pluto, or Hades, the formidable mistress of shadows, ruling over the souls of the dead and over the monsters of the underworld, listening with Hades to the curses of people and fulfilling them. In Roman mythology - Proserpina.
Rhea is a Greek goddess in ancient myth-making, one of the Titanides, the daughter of Uranus and Gaia, the wife of Kronos. The cult of Rhea was considered one of the very ancient, but was not very common in Greece itself.
Tefis - one of the most ancient deities, titanide, daughter of Gaia and Uranus, sister and wife of the Ocean, mother of streams, rivers and three thousand oceanids, was considered the goddess who gives life to everything that exists.
Themis is the goddess of justice. The Greeks also called the goddess Themis, Themis. Themis was the daughter of the sky god Uranus and Gaia. Her daughters were the goddesses of fate - moira.
Charites - the daughters of Zeus and the oceanides Eurynome, embodied a joyful, kind and eternally young beginning. The names of these beautiful goddesses were Aglaya ("shining"), Euphrosyne ("good-minded"), Thalia ("blooming"), Kleta ("desired") and Peyto ("persuasion").
Eumenides - merciful, benevolent goddesses - one of the names of female deities, best known under the name Eriny, among the Romans furies, which means angry, furious, avenging goddesses.
Erinyes are the daughters of Earth and Darkness, terrible goddesses of damnation, revenge and punishment, who rebelled against criminals and punish them only for the sake of restoring moral order in the world, but they mainly act as avengers for violation of family rights consecrated by nature. In Roman mythology - Furies

Olympus is a mountain range in Greece, which was revered as the abode of the ancient Greek gods. The maximum height of the mountain is 2917 meters. Olympus is a sacred mountain. According to ancient Greek mythology, they live here the gods of Olympus or Olympians. Zeus is considered the main god on Olympus.

Due to the fact that, as we have already discussed in, Greek mythology is quite similar to Slavic, since it comes from the Indo-European culture common to us, it is worth continuing to consider various aspects of ancient Greek paganism in order to better understand our own paganism. It is also worth noting that the gods that inhabit the Greek Mount Olympus are most likely part of the beliefs that arose at a time when a certain part of the Indo-Europeans settled these lands and transferred the ancient Indo-European beliefs to the area in which they settled. This is evidenced by the beliefs of other peoples, who also inhabited the high peaks with a host of supreme gods. V Ancient Russia such a belief did not survive, apparently because most of central Russia are the plains. Most likely, the gods inhabiting the sacred mountains from Indo-European mythology, among the Slavs became gods that live in heaven.

According to ancient Greek mythology, the gods of Olympus are the third generation of gods. The first generation of gods were: Nikta (Night), Erebus (Darkness), Eros (Love). The second generation of gods were the children of Nikta and Erebus: Ether, Hemera, Hypnos, Thanatos, Kera, Moira, Mom, Nemesis, Eris, Erinyes and Ata; from Ether and Hemera came Gaia and Uranus; from Gaia came such gods as: Tartarus, Pontus, Keto, Nereus, Tamant, Forky, Eurybia, as well as titans, titanides and hecatoncheirs (hundred-armed fifty-headed giants). All these gods, as well as their descendants, are very interesting from the point of view of mythology and faith, but we will focus only on children of the titan Kronos and the titanide Rhea.

Kronos and Rhea, as mentioned above, are the gods of the second generation. There were 12 titans and titanides in total. All of them are sons and daughters of Uranus and Gaia. Six sons-titans of Uranus and Gaia (Hyperion, Iapetus, Kay, Krios, Kronos and Ocean) and six daughters-titanides (Mnemosyne, Rhea, Teia, Tethys, Phoebe and Themis) entered into marriage with each other and gave birth to a new, third generation of gods . It is worth here to move away from the line of narration and note that the gods cannot be humanized and everything can be taken literally. Marriages between gods who are conditional brothers and sisters cannot be understood as a forbidden relationship between relatives. In simple words, the gods, to beget sons and daughters, do not have sex. This can be understood as a connection of certain elements, as a result of which a new element is generated, or a connection of certain energy or other entities, but in fact, all these assumptions are unlikely to have a real basis, since the essence of the divine is hardly accessible to human understanding.

The most interesting for us from the point of view of ancient Greek mythology are the children of the titan Kronos and the titanides Rhea. It was their children, who were called Kronids, who became the first gods of Olympus. Six gods, descendants of Kronos and Rhea: Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Hades (not the god of Olympus), Demeter and Hestia. Next, we will consider these gods in more detail. Also, the descendants of Zeus became Olympians ( chief god Olympus): Athena, Ares, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Hermes, Apollo and Artemis. There are 12 gods of Olympus in total.

So, what kind of gods lived on the sacred Mount Olympus?

Zeus the supreme god of Olympus. In ancient Greek mythology, he is the god of the sky, thunder and lightning. In Roman mythology, Zeus was identified with Jupiter. V Slavic mythology Zeus is similar to the god Perun, who is also the god of thunder and lightning, the ruler of the sky. In Norse mythology, Zeus is also identified with one of the higher gods— Thor. Interestingly, the attributes of Zeus in ancient Greek representations were a shield and a double-sided ax. The ax is also an attribute of Perun and Thor (mjolnir). Researchers suggest that the ax attribute appeared in this god in connection with one of his divine duties - a lightning bolter that splits trees in half, as if the god of thunder struck from above with an ax. V Ancient Greece Zeus was not only the father of the gods, but also the father of all people.

Hera- the most powerful goddess on Olympus. She is the wife of Zeus. Hera is the patroness of marriages and women in childbirth. It is difficult to say which of the Slavic goddesses Hera can be identical with, since in her functions she is similar to both Makosh (the supreme goddess, patroness of marriages and women in childbirth), and the woman in labor Lada. Interestingly, Heru human face began to be depicted in relatively late times, however, even after that she was often depicted according to ancient customs - with a horse's head. In the same way, the ancient Slavs Makosh and Lada depicted in the form of deer, elk or horses.

Poseidon- one of the most revered gods of Olympus. He is the patron saint of the seas, fishermen and sailors. After the gods defeated the titans, Poseidon got into the possession of the water element. Poseidon's wife is Amphitrite, a Nereid, daughter of the sea god Nereus and Dorida. The son of Poseidon and Amphitrite is Triton. Extremely meager evidence of the existence of a sea god among the Slavs has come down to us. It is only known that in the Novgorod lands he was called the Lizard.

Demeter- the goddess of Olympus, the ancient Greek goddess of fertility and agriculture, birth and prosperity. In ancient Greece, she was the most revered goddess, since the harvest depended on her favor, and therefore the life of the ancient Greeks. It is believed that the cult of Demeter is an Indo-European or even pre-Indo-European cult of the mother goddess. mother goddess or great mother in the Indo-European era was Mother Earth. In our Slavic paganism, Demeter is certainly the identical Slavic goddess Makoshi.

The daughter of Demeter is Persephone. Persephone is a complete correspondence to the Slavic goddess Morana. Persephone, despite the fact that she was the daughter of the revered Olympic goddess, is not involved in the gods of Olympus. Persephone is the goddess of the underworld of the dead, so she is not present on Olympus.

For the same reason, Hades (the son of Kronos and Rhea) is not included among the gods of Olympus. Hades is the god of the underworld of the dead. In Slavic mythology, it corresponds to Chernobog.

Another goddess of Olympus is Hestia. Goddess of the home. It represents purity, family happiness and peace. Hestia was the patroness of not only the hearth, but also the patroness of the eternal fire, which should never go out. V ancient world eternal flame was present different peoples, including the Greeks and Slavs. The eternal flame was maintained in honor of the gods and the souls of the dead people. As a phenomenon of eternal memory, the eternal flame has survived to this day.

Athena- goddess of war Daughter of Zeus and the goddess of wisdom Metis. Athena inherited strength from her father, Zeus, and wisdom from her mother. She was depicted in armor and with a spear in her hands. In addition to her warlike trait, Athena is the goddess of wisdom and justice. According to legend, Athena gave the ancient Greeks the olive (olive tree). For this reason, famous warriors, heroes and winners of sports games and competitions have always been awarded with an olive wreath.

Another god of war, also living on Olympus, is considered Ares. Son of Zeus and Hera. Athena and Ares are slightly opposite gods. If Athena is a fair goddess who advocates war for the sake of truth, then Ares patronizes war for the sake of war or even insidious war. His companions are the goddess of discord Eris and the bloodthirsty goddess Enyo. The horses of Ares are named: Flame, Noise, Horror and Shine.

Aphrodite- Goddess of beauty and love. Daughter of Zeus and Dione. One of the twelve Olympian gods, that is, one of the most revered deities in the ancient Greek pantheon. In Rome, this goddess was called Venus. And in our time, Venus is the image of beauty and love. Born from the foam sea ​​waters. Aphrodite is also considered the goddess of spring, the birth of life and fertility. The love power of this goddess is considered so strong that not only people, but also gods obey her. Aphrodite's husband was Hephaestus. Children of Aphrodite - Harmony and Eros.

Hephaestus- blacksmith god, patron of blacksmithing. Son of Zeus and Hera. In Slavic mythology, Hephaestus is compared with the god Svarog, who is also a blacksmith god who bound the Earth and taught people how to work metal. In addition to being the god of blacksmithing, Hephaestus was also the god of fire. In Roman mythology, Hephaestus was called Vulcan. His forge is located in a mountain that breathes fire, that is, in an active volcano.

Hermes- the god of trade, eloquence, wealth, profit. It is considered the messenger of the gods, an intermediary between the gods and people. Hermes was also represented as the patron of all travelers. As an intermediary between heaven and earth, Hephaestus is also considered the guide of the souls of the dead to another world. Travelers, merchants, wise men, poets, and even thieves called for help and protection from this god. Hermes has always been considered a cunning and rogue. In early childhood, he stole cows from Apollo, as well as a scepter from Zeus, a trident from Poseidon, tongs and Hephaestus, a belt from Aphrodite, arrows and a bow from Apollo, a sword from Ares. Hermes is the son of Zeus and the mountain nymph Maya. In terms of his divine characteristics, Hermes is very similar to the Slavic god Veles, who is also represented as the patron of wealth and trade, an intermediary between people and gods, and a conductor of souls.

Apollo- Ancient Greek god, one of the Olympians. Apollo was also called Phoebus. Apollo is the god of light, the personification of the Sun. In addition, he is the patron of the arts, especially music and singing, the god of healing. In Slavic mythology, Apollo is very similar to Dazhdbog - the patron of sunlight, the god-giver of light, heat, vital energy. The god Apollo was born from the union of Zeus (Perun) and Leto (Lada). The twin sister of Apollo is the goddess Artemis.

Artemis Goddess of beauty, youth and fertility. Protector of hunting. Goddess of the Moon. The Moon (Artemis) and the Sun (Apollo) are twin brother and sister. The cult of Artemis was widespread throughout ancient Greece. Ephesus had a temple dedicated to Artemis. In this temple there was a statue of the many-breasted patroness of childbearing. In Slavic mythology, Artemis is compared with the daughter of Lada, the patroness of spring, beauty and youth - the goddess Lelei.

Hades - God is the ruler of the realm of the dead.

Antey- the hero of myths, a giant, the son of Poseidon and the Earth of Gaia. The earth gave her son strength, thanks to which no one could cope with him.

Apollo- the god of sunlight. The Greeks portrayed him as a beautiful young man.

Ares- god of perfidious war, son of Zeus and Hera

Asclepius- the god of medical art, the son of Apollo and the nymph Coronis

Boreas- the god of the north wind, the son of the titanides Astrea (starry sky) and Eos (morning dawn), brother of Zephyr and Nota. Depicted as a winged, long-haired, bearded, powerful deity.

Bacchus One of the names of Dionysus.

Helios (Helium ) - the god of the Sun, brother of Selena (goddess of the moon) and Eos (morning dawn). In late antiquity, he was identified with Apollo, the god of sunlight.

Hermes- the son of Zeus and Maya, one of the most ambiguous Greek gods. The patron of wanderers, crafts, trade, thieves. Possessing the gift of eloquence.

Hephaestus- the son of Zeus and Hera, the god of fire and blacksmithing. He was considered the patron saint of artisans.

Hypnos- deity of sleep, son of Nikta (Night). He was depicted as a winged youth.

Dionysus (Bacchus) - the god of viticulture and winemaking, the object of a number of cults and mysteries. He was depicted either as a fat elderly man, or as a young man with a wreath of grape leaves on his head.

Zagreus God of fertility, son of Zeus and Persephone.

Zeus- the supreme god, the king of gods and people.

Zephyr- god of the west wind.

Iacchus- the god of fertility.

Kronos - titan , the youngest son of Gaia and Uranus, the father of Zeus. He ruled the world of gods and people and was overthrown from the throne by Zeus ..

Mom- the son of the goddess of the Night, the god of slander.

Morpheus- one of the sons of Hypnos, the god of dreams.

Nereus- the son of Gaia and Pontus, meek sea god.

Note- the god of the south wind, depicted with a beard and wings.

Ocean - titan , son of Gaia and Uranus, brother and husband of Tethys and father of all the rivers of the world.

Olympians- the supreme gods of the younger generation of Greek gods, led by Zeus, who lived on the top of Mount Olympus.

Pan- the forest god, the son of Hermes and Dryopa, a goat-legged man with horns. He was considered the patron saint of shepherds and small livestock.

Pluto- the god of the underworld, often identified with Hades, but unlike from him, who owned not the souls of the dead, but the riches of the underworld.

Plutus- the son of Demeter, the god who gives people wealth.

Pont- one of the older Greek deities, the offspring of Gaia, the god of the sea, the father of many titans and gods.

Poseidon- one of the Olympian gods, brother of Zeus and Hades, ruling over the sea element. Poseidon was also subject to the bowels of the earth,
he commanded storms and earthquakes.

Proteus- sea deity, son of Poseidon, patron of seals. Possessed the gift of reincarnation and prophecy.

satires- goat-footed creatures, demons of fertility.

Thanatos- the personification of death, the twin brother of Hypnos.

Titans- the generation of the Greek gods, the ancestors of the Olympians.

Typhon- a hundred-headed dragon, born of Gaia or a Hero. During the battle of the Olympians and the Titans, he was defeated by Zeus and imprisoned under the volcano Etna in Sicily.

Triton- the son of Poseidon, one of the sea deities, a man with a fish tail instead of legs, holding a trident and a twisted shell - a horn.

Chaos- infinite empty space from which at the beginning of time arose ancient gods Greek religion - Nikta and Erebus.

Chthonic gods - deities of the underworld and fertility, relatives of the Olympians. These included Hades, Hecate, Hermes, Gaia, Demeter, Dionysus, and Persephone.

cyclops - giants with one eye in the middle of the forehead, children of Uranus and Gaia.

Evre (Eur) god of the southeast wind.

aeolus- lord of the winds.

Erebus- the personification of the darkness of the underworld, the son of Chaos and the brother of the Night.

Eros (Eros)- god of love, son of Aphrodite and Ares. V ancient myths- a self-arisen force that contributed to the ordering of the world. Depicted as a winged youth (in the Hellenistic era - a boy) with arrows, accompanying his mother.

Ether- deity of the sky

Goddesses of ancient Greece

Artemis- Goddess of hunting and nature.

Atropos- one of the three moira, cutting the thread of fate and cutting off human life.

Athena (Pallas, Parthenos) - the daughter of Zeus, born from his head in full combat weapons. One of the most revered Greek goddesses, the goddess of just war and wisdom, the patroness of knowledge.

Aphrodite (Kythera, Urania) - Goddess of love and beauty. She was born from the marriage of Zeus and the goddess Dione (according to another legend, she came out of the sea foam)

Hebe- daughter of Zeus and Hera, goddess of youth. Sister of Ares and Ilithyia. She served the Olympian gods at feasts.

Hecate- the goddess of darkness, night visions and sorcery, the patroness of sorcerers.

Hemera- goddess daylight, the personification of the day, born of Nikta and Erebus. Often identified with Eos.

Hera- the supreme Olympic goddess, sister and third wife of Zeus, daughter of Rhea and Kronos, sister of Hades, Hestia, Demeter and Poseidon. Hera was considered the patroness of marriage.

Hestia- Goddess of the hearth and fire.

Gaia- mother earth, mother of all gods and people.

Demitra- Goddess of fertility and agriculture.

Dryads- lower deities, nymphs who lived in trees.

Diana-goddess of the hunt

Ilithyia- patron goddess of childbirth.

Irida- winged goddess, assistant to Hera, messenger of the gods.

calliope- the muse of epic poetry and science.

Kera- demonic creatures, children of the goddess Nikta, bringing misfortune and death to people.

Clio- one of the nine muses, the muse of history.

Clotho ("spinner") - one of the moira, spinning the thread of human life.

Lachesis- one of the three moira sisters, who determines the fate of each person even before birth.

Summer- Titanide, mother of Apollo and Artemis.

Mayan- a mountain nymph, the eldest of the seven pleiades - the daughters of Atlanta, the beloved of Zeus, from whom Hermes was born to her.

Melpomene- muse of tragedy.

Metis- the goddess of wisdom, the first of the three wives of Zeus, who conceived Athena from him.

Mnemosyne- mother of nine muses, goddess of memory.

moira- the goddess of fate, the daughter of Zeus and Themis.

Muses- patron goddess of the arts and sciences.

naiads- nymphs-guardians of waters.

Nemesis- the daughter of Nikta, the goddess, personifying fate and retribution, punishing people in accordance with their sins.

Nereids- fifty daughters of Nereus and the oceanides of Dorida, sea deities.

Nika- the personification of victory. Often she was depicted with a wreath, a common symbol of triumph in Greece.

nymphs- the lowest deities in the hierarchy of the Greek gods. They personified the forces of nature.

Nikta- one of the first Greek deities, the goddess - the personification of the primordial Night

Orestiades- mountain nymphs.

Ory- the goddess of the seasons, tranquility and order, the daughter of Zeus and Themis.

Peyto- the goddess of persuasion, the companion of Aphrodite, often identified with her patroness.

Persephone- daughter of Demeter and Zeus, goddess of fertility. The wife of Hades and the queen of the underworld, who knew the secrets of life and death.

polyhymnia- the muse of serious hymn poetry.

Tethys- the daughter of Gaia and Uranus, the wife of the Ocean and the mother of the Nereids and Oceanids.

Rhea- the mother of the Olympian gods.

Sirens- female demons, half-woman half-birds, capable of changing the weather at sea.

Waist- muse of comedy.

Terpsichore- Muse of dance art.

Tisiphone- one of the Erinyes.

quiet- the goddess of fate and chance among the Greeks, companion of Persephone. She was depicted as a winged woman standing on a wheel and holding a cornucopia and ship's steering wheel in her hands.

Urania- one of the nine muses, the patroness of astronomy.

Themis- Titanide, goddess of justice and law, second wife of Zeus, mother of mountains and moira.

Charites- goddesses female beauty, the embodiment of good, joyful and eternal youthful beginning life.

Eumenides- another hypostasis of the Erinyes, revered as goddesses of benevolence, preventing misfortunes.

Eris- daughter of Nikta, sister of Ares, goddess of discord.

Erinyes- goddesses of vengeance, creatures of the underworld, who punished injustice and crimes.

Erato- Muse of lyrical and erotic poetry.

Eos- Goddess of the dawn, sister of Helios and Selena. The Greeks called it "pink-fingered".

Euterpe- the muse of lyrical chanting. Depicted with a double flute in her hand.

Gods of Olympus Ancient Greece

The names of the ancient Greek gods that are on everyone's lips - Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Hephaestus - are actually the descendants of the main celestials - the titans. Having defeated them, the younger gods, led by Zeus, became the inhabitants of Mount Olympus. The Greeks worshiped, revered and paid tribute to the 12 gods of Olympus, who personified in Ancient Greece elements, virtue or the most important spheres of social and cultural life.

Worshiped Ancient Greeks and Hades, but he did not live on Olympus, but lived underground, in the kingdom of the dead.

Who is more important? Gods of Ancient Greece

They got along well with each other, but sometimes there were skirmishes between them. From their life, which is described in ancient Greek treatises, the legends and myths of this country appeared. Among the celestials were those who occupied the high steps of the podium, while others were content with glory, being at the feet of the rulers. The list of the gods of Olympia is as follows:

• Zeus.

• Gera.

• Hephaestus.

• Athena.

• Poseidon.

• Apollo.

• Artemis.

• Ares.

• Demeter.

• Hermes.

• Aphrodite.

• Hestia.

Zeus- the most important of all. He is the king of all gods. This Thunderer personifies the endless firmament. Under his leadership lightning. It is this arbiter who distributes good and evil on the planet, the Greeks believed. The son of the Titans married his own sister. Their four children were named Ilithyia, Hebe, Hephaestus and Ares. Zeus is a terrible traitor. He constantly engaged in adultery with other goddesses. He did not neglect the earthly girls either. Zeus had something to surprise them with. He appeared before the Greek women either in the form of rain, or as a swan or a bull. Symbols of Zeus - eagle, thunder, oak.

Poseidon. This god ruled over the sea element. In importance, he was in second place after Zeus. In addition to the oceans, seas and rivers, storms and sea monsters, Poseidon was "responsible" for earthquakes and volcanoes. In ancient Greek mythology, he was the brother of Zeus. Poseidon lived in a palace under water. He rode in a rich chariot drawn by white horses. The trident is the symbol of this Greek god.

Hera. She is the chief of the female goddesses. This celestial patronizes family traditions, marriage and love unions. Hera is jealous. She severely punishes people for adultery.

Apollo is the son of Zeus. He is the twin brother of Artemis. Initially, this god was the personification of light, the sun. But gradually his cult expanded its boundaries. This god has become the patron of the beauty of the soul, skill in art, all that is beautiful. The Muses were under his influence. Before the Greeks, he appeared in a rather refined image of a man with aristocratic features. Apollo played music beautifully. He was engaged in healing and divination. He is the father of the god Asclepius, the patron saint of doctors. At one time, Apollo destroyed the terrible monster that occupied Delphi. For this he was exiled for as much as 8 years. Later, he created his oracle, the symbol of which was the laurel.

Without Artemis The ancient Greeks did not imagine hunting. The patroness of forests personifies fertility, birth and high relations between the sexes.

Athena. Everything related to wisdom, spiritual beauty and harmony is under the auspices of this goddess. She is a great inventor, lover of science and art. Craftsmen and farmers obey her. Athena "gives the green light" to the construction of cities and buildings. Thanks to her, state life flows smoothly. This goddess is called upon to protect the walls of fortresses and castles.

Hermes. This ancient Greek god is quite mischievous and has earned the fame of a fidget. Hermes patronizes travelers and merchants. He is also the messenger of the gods on earth. It was on his heels that the lovely wings shone for the first time. The Greeks attribute traits of resourcefulness to Hermes. He is cunning, smart and knows everything foreign languages. When Hermes stole ten cows from Apollo, he earned his wrath. But he was forgiven, because Apollo was captivated by the invention of Hermes - the lyre, which he presented to the god of beauty.

Ares. This god personifies war and everything connected with it. All kinds of battles and battles - under the representation of Ares. He is always young, strong and handsome. The Greeks portrayed him as powerful and warlike.

Aphrodite. She is the goddess of love and sensuality. Aphrodite constantly incites her son Eros to shoot arrows that kindle the fire of love in the hearts of people. Eros is the prototype of the Roman Cupid, a boy with a bow and a quiver.

Hymen- the god of marriage. Its bonds bind the hearts of people who met and fell in love at first sight. Ancient Greek wedding chants were called "hymens".

Hephaestus God of volcanoes and fire. Under his patronage are potters and blacksmiths. It is industrious and good god. His fate was not very good. From birth, he limped because his mother Hera threw him off Mount Olympus. Hephaestus was in the upbringing of the goddesses - the queens of the sea. On the Olympus he returned and generously endowed Achilles, presenting him with a shield, and Helios with a chariot.
Demeter. She personifies the forces of nature that people have conquered. This is agriculture. Under the vigilant control of Demeter is the whole life of a person - from birth to death.
Hestia. This goddess patronizes family ties, guards the hearth and comfort. The Greeks took care of the offerings to Hestia by setting up altars in their homes. All residents of one city are one big community-family, the Greeks are sure. Even in the main city building there was a symbol of Hestia's sacrifices.
Hades- Ruler of the realm of the dead. In his underworld, dark creatures, gloomy shadows, demonic monsters rejoice. Hades is one of the most powerful gods. He moved around the kingdom of Hades in a chariot made of gold. His horses are black. Hades - owns untold wealth. All gems, ores that are enclosed in the depths, belong to him. The Greeks feared him more than fire and even Zeus himself.

Besides 12 gods of Olympus and Hades, the Greeks still have a lot of gods and even demigods. All of them are descendants and brothers of the main celestials. Each of them has its own legends or myths.

Everyone knows the saying that beauty can save the world. Perhaps it is a little exaggerated, but thanks to the beautiful one wants to live, create and love. At all times, real beauty was worshiped and even deified. It is known that in mythologies different cultures has its own goddess of beauty.

Goddess of beauty in mythology

By right, the most famous is Greek. However, the names of goddesses of beauty are also popular in other cultures:

1. Lada - Slavic goddess beauty. Young couples brought her gifts of flowers, honey, berries and live birds.
2. Freya is the Scandinavian goddess of beauty. She was so loved that they even dedicated one of the days of the week - Friday.
3. Ein - the Irish goddess was portrayed as a delicate, fragile and very beautiful woman.
4. Hathor, the Egyptian goddess of love and beauty, was very fond of holidays and fun. For this reason, she has always been depicted with musical instruments. The inhabitants of Egypt were sure that the amulet with the image of a sistra on the neck could protect against troubles. She was supportive of young couples and protected their family hearth.

Goddess of beauty and love in Ancient Greece

Aphrodite. What goddess of beauty in Greek mythology is known, if not to everyone, then to many. Aphrodite is considered one of the great Olympian gods. She is not only the goddess of beauty and love, but also the patroness of fertility, eternal spring and life. In addition, she is called the goddess of marriages and childbirth. Aphrodite had love power not only over people, but even over the gods. Only Artemis and Hestia were beyond her control. But to everyone who rejected love, she was truly ruthless.

Greek goddess gave with pleasure love feelings she often fell in love with everyone and cheated on her ugly husband Hephaestus. The most important attribute of the goddess's attire was her belt, which contained love, desire, words of seduction. Such a thing could make everyone in love with his mistress. He was sometimes borrowed from the goddess Hera, dreaming of rekindling an ardent passion and at the same time weakening her husband's will.

Roman goddess of beauty

Venus. V Ancient Rome Venus is the goddess of love and beauty. Initially, she patronized over:

• blooming gardens;
• fertility;
• spring;
• love.

After some time, her functions became wider and she began to be called the guardian of female beauty. The goddess of love and beauty is the embodiment of female chastity and the patroness of love, physical attraction. Venus is very beautiful and charming. Often she was portrayed as a beautiful young girl without clothes. Sometimes there was a light on her thighs fabric canvas, which was later called the "belt of Venus".

The life of a Roman goddess seemed common man real paradise. She herself is calm and reasonable, but at the same time playful and a little frivolous. The symbols of Venus are the hare, dove, poppy, rose and myrtle. And in modern world the rose symbolizes:

• beauty;
• love;
• tenderness;
• attractiveness;
• feminine warmth.

Goddess of beauty among the Slavs

Lada. In the mythology of the Slavs. Our ancestors dedicated September 22 to this goddess. She was considered the patroness home comfort and family happiness. Young girls often approached her with a request to help meet their soul mate. married women asked about stability and happiness. Slavic women were sure that Lada could endow the fair sex with beauty and attractiveness.

On the celebration of the day of the goddess of beauty, it was customary to bake bread in the form of cranes. However, it had to be used solely as a powerful amulet. The Slavs have always portrayed their goddess of beauty as a young woman with green hair. The unusual color of her hair indicated her unity with nature. Goddess Robe from different plants, and colorful butterflies were always flying around. Our ancestors described her as cheerful and filling everything with warmth and love.

goddess of beauty in egypt

Bastet. The Egyptians had their own. She was the personification of light, joy, a rich harvest, love and beauty. In addition, she was often referred to only as the mother of cats and the keeper of the hearth, comfort and family well-being. In Egyptian myths, her image was described in different ways: sometimes graceful and affectionate, sometimes vindictive and aggressive. What was she really like? Ancient legends tell that she is the daughter of Ra and Isis, Light and Darkness.

For this reason, her image was often associated with the changes of day and night. V Ancient Egypt the goddess appeared during the heyday of the Middle Kingdom, when mice were the main problem. Then cats began to be especially protected and revered. In the house, the cat was a real wealth and value. In those days, among the Egyptian gods, a figurine of a catwoman appeared.

Scandinavian goddess of beauty

Freya. Not everyone knows the name of the goddess of beauty in Scandinavian culture. She has two names - Freya and Vanadis. She is the goddess of love, beauty and fertility. In Scandinavian sources, she is attributed to the baths and is considered the daughter of Njord and the Sor goddess Nerthus. It is said that she is the most beautiful in the universe, both among the gods and among people. She is very kind and has a soft heart that overflows with love and compassion for every person.

When the goddess cries, golden tears drip from her eyes. However, at the same time, Freya is a formidable warrior and leader of the Valkyries. This unusual goddess has an amazing falcon plumage. As soon as she puts it on, she immediately begins to fly above the clouds. Interestingly, the ancient Germans dedicated one of the days of the week, Friday, to the goddess of beauty.

Indian goddess of beauty

Lakshmi. For the people of India. In addition, she is called the patroness of abundance, prosperity, wealth, good luck and happiness. She embodies grace, beauty and charm. The people believed that her fans would certainly protect themselves from misfortune and poverty. In one of the directions of Vaishnavism, she is not only the goddess of prosperity, but also the loving mother of the universe. Lakshmi is ready to help every living being who asks her for help.

Armenian goddess of beauty

Astghik. Often, those interested in mythology ask what the goddess of love and beauty was called in Armenia. The inhabitants of this country have their own goddess - Astghik. She is the beloved of the god of thunder and lightning Vahagn. According to legend, after their love dates, it always rained. She is considered to be the patroness of girls, as well as pregnant women. The cult of the goddess was associated with the irrigation of gardens and fields. According to the legends, Astghik could turn into a fish. Well-preserved stone fish-like statues are objects of Astghik cult.

Japanese goddess of beauty

Amaterasu. The Japanese also had their own goddess of female beauty. Amaterasu in Japanese mythology is the patroness of beauty, love and the main heavenly body - the sun. Her full name- Amaterasu-o-mi-kami, which translates as "the majestic one that makes the heavens shine." It is said about her that she was born from drops of water, with which one of the gods washed himself after returning from the land of the dead. The sun goddess emerged from his left eye.