Welcome to the blog !

Welcome to the blog Greek Mythos Basics, a blog entirely dedicated to Greek mythology. You will come out of here with the basics to understand the functioning of those fables, stories and myths. To find your way around here, it is advisable to use the "flairs" corresponding to the several categories presented here:

-Introductions and quizzes : (No flair)
Pages that test your knowledge. They are either incorporated in the post it's trying to test, or seperated by being another post. Be prepared !

-The Creation of the world :
How the world was created ? Who were behind it ?

-The Olympian gods:
A summary of the 1st and 2nd generation Olympian gods, who rule the Greek world.

-Heroes of Olympia :
The brave often demigods who bravely, forcefully and cunningly confront the worst monsters and trials that men and gods send them.

-Men, and gods :
Here, we explore the link between the mortal and their divine rulers, the rites, the religion and beliefs ...

-The Underworld :
This explains what becomes of humans after death. Will they be thrown in the Tartarus, will they have happy days at the Elysian Fields ?

-Greek Monsters :
Deadly creatures classified by their form. They’re generally here to be beaten by gods or heroes.

-The Greek gods today :
What did the myths left behind them ? What modern cultural examples are inspired by epic tales from this ancient era?

-Webography :
We're maye thieves, but we indicate where we borrowed our images and knowledge!


Have fun!!

Webograhpy : Picture sources

INTRO :
http://media.web.britannica.com/eb-media/22/95622-050-269FC1E3.jpg

DRAGONS :

https://www.deviantart.com/njoo/art/Hydra-115030951

https://clan-du-dragon.com/blogs/blog-le-clan-du-dragon/ladon

http://img.over-blog.com/500x334/3/36/75/51/Kathiopa/Apollon.jpg

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/806316071/mythic-battles-pantheon/posts/1737139
(Colchis)

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hendrick_Goltzius_Cadmus_Statens_Museum_for_Kunst_1183.jpg?uselang=fr

GIANTS :

https://mythologica.fr/grec/titan.htm

https://mythologiegrecque.pagesperso-orange.fr/MonstresEtCreatures/Hecatonchires.htm

http://www.greceantique.net/cyclopes.php

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pergamonmuseum_-_Antikensammlung_-_Pergamonaltar_22.jpg?uselang=fr

https://mythologie-grecoromaine.fandom.com/fr/wiki/Talos

https://www.deviantart.com/alessandrogazzoli/art/Campe-665658108

http://portal-dos-mitos.blogspot.com/2014/06/geriao.html

https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-most-fearsome-monster-in-Greek-Mythology-and-why

WILD BEASTS :

https://www.deviantart.com/liamsharp/art/Minotaur-506318590

https://owlcation.com/humanities/mythological_creatures

https://monstermovies.fandom.com/wiki/Nemean_lion

http://greektitans.blogspot.com/2011_11_01_archive.html

https://monsieur-mythes-22.skyrock.com/3241287819-Orthos.html

https://owlcation.com/humanities/The-Story-of-Laelaps-and-the-Teumessian-Fox-in-Greek-Mythology

https://www.pinterest.fr/pin/310044755575387324/

https://www.deviantart.com/moonxels/art/Stymphalian-Birds-646764004

https://sandrakitson.wordpress.com/2016/05/21/maras-diary-entry-ten-finding-papa-gur/

https://lancekelly.co.uk/the-myth-of-prometheus/

http://creaturespotlight.blogspot.com/2015/02/peryton.html

FEMMES FATALES :

https://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Creatures/Echidna/echidna.html

https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:John_William_Waterhouse_-_Ulysses_and_the_Sirens_%281891%29.jpg

https://www.quora.com/What-are-some-awesome-beings-in-mythology

https://aminoapps.com/c/pagans-witches/page/blog/the-empusa/wKLe_VRWiouWDoXqQBQ2eRd1vKkNQGLYYjV

https://www.pinterest.fr/pin/423619908672073540/

http://image.wikifoundry.com/image/1/bhIPAS6MdYEvL43x3JBuZw1684907/GW315H457

https://mythology.net/greek/greek-creatures/lamia/

https://www.deviantart.com/guthrieartwork/art/The-Harpy-174061908

https://www.quora.com/What-animals-is-the-Sphinx-made-of

https://www.writersgang.com/2018/04/18/%CF%87%CE%B5%CE%AF%CF%81%CF%89%CE%BD%CE%B1%CF%82-%CE%BF%CE%B4%CE%B7%CE%B3%CF%8C%CF%82-%CE%BC%CE%B1%CF%82-%CE%B5%CE%AF%CE%BD%CE%B1%CE%B9-%CE%BF-%CF%80%CF%8C%CE%BD%CE%BF%CF%82-%CF%84%CE%B7%CF%82/

UNDERWORLD :

https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Underworld

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hades

https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plik:SNGCop_053.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Three_Fates_by_Paul_Thumann.jpg

https://greek-myth.fandom.com/wiki/Elysian_Fields

https://www.alex-bernardini.fr/mythologie/le-tartare.php

OLYMIAN GODS :

https://bedifferentbaby.com/shop/12-olympian-gods-poster-in-a3-and-a4-size/

CREATION OF THE WORLD :

http://zeus-et-compagnie.over-blog.com/2015/09/gaia-et-ouranos-un-couple-pas-tres-unis.html

MEN AND GODS :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_of_Artemis

https://sites.google.com/site/greecegetaway/acropolis

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oracle

https://www.penn.museum/sites/greek_world/votives.html

https://www.britannica.com/sports/Olympic-Games

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthesteria

HEROES :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odysseus

https://fr.vikidia.org/wiki/Ariane_(mythologie)

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fichier:Kratzenstein_orpheus.jpg

https://www.louvre.fr/routes/heracles



BIBLIOGRAPHY :

https://www.amazon.com/Mythology-Dummies-Christopher-W-Blackwell/dp/0764554328

Underwold : Quiz time

Once again, it's time to test what you've learned about the desolate landscapes of the Underworld :

1) What is absolutely necessary to cross the first river of the underworld ?
-A decent burial
-A coin
-A dignified death
-A lifeboat

2) Who is Cerberus closest brother?
-Geryon
-Aphrodite
-Orthos
-The Chimera

3) Who are sent in the Underworld ?
-The criminals
-All the mortals
-The heretics
-The monsters

4) What’s the name of the dead people resting here ?
-The specters
-The zombies
-The souls
-The shadows

5) What is the river on which the gods take an oath?
-The Archon
-The Loire
-The Styx
-The Cocyte

6) Who is the wife of Hades, god of the underworld?
-Nereus
-Angela Merkel
-Hera
-Persephone

7) Who is the intruder among these four names?
-Alecto
-Megaera
-Thetis
-Tisiphone

8) How do the three judges distribute their work?
-According to the schedules of each one
-According to the victims of the crime
-Depending on the gravity of the crime
-Depending on whether the crimes are hidden or slandered

9) What does the Elysian Fields look like?
-Like a cloudy paradise, near the gods
-Like an ideal version of the terrestrial world
-Like a new world to explore
-Like a famous French avenue

10) What remarkable character torture is not present in Tartarus?
-Forced feeding
-The wheel of fire
-The unreachable fruits and water
-The endless barrel

ANSWERS:

2 3 2 3 3 4 3 4 2 1

Greek Monsters : Quiz time

Now it's time to test your knowledge about greek monsters :

1) Who was the father of most Giants before the era of the Olympian gods?
-Chronos
-Ouranos
-Cronos
-Thanos

2) What’s the answer of the famous Sphinx riddle ?
-The Lion
-The man
-Time
-The regenerating Salamander

3) What monster(s) did Ulysses prefer to face in the Strait of Messina?
-Mermaids
-Charybdis
-Scylla
-Migrants

4) How do one kill the Nemean Lion?
-By strangling it
-By burning it
-By repelling his breath
-By ignoring it

5) How was the Minotaur born?
-By a man cursed by the gods
-By mad love between a bull and a woman
-By the spontaneous creation of Poseidon
-By the magic of King Minos

6) What is the weakness of the Stymphale Lake Birds?
-Salt
-Fire
-Noise
-Light

7) What is the main characteristic of dragons from Greek mythology?
-Their psychic ability
-Their serpentine body
-Their burning breath
-Their green color

8) Which monster gave the constellation of the dragon?
-Ladon
-Python
-The Learning Hydra
-The Theban Dragon

9) What is the first role of cyclops upon their release by Zeus?
-Pastors
-Guardians
-Uber drivers
-Blacksmiths

10) What is the power of the (only) deadly Gorgon?
-Shooting lasers
-Vomiting a powerful venom
-Spiting a scolding breath
-Changing people into stone

ANSWERS:

2 2 3 1 2 3 2 1 4 4

Greek monsters : Dragons

THE DRAGONS :
In Greek mythology, dragons are unique creatures, guardians of divine treasures, and they haven't, unlike Western dragons, wings and fire breath, they’re also more serpentine like than the other classical European dragons.

-Lernaean Hydra:
A monstrous snake with 7 or 9 heads, living in the swamps of the lake of the same name. The Hydra is capable of poisoning the surrounding nature with its foul breath, polluting the water and air around it. But even more incredible is its ability to regenerate its heads, making it almost invincible. It was Heracles, during these 12 works, who had the idea of burning the stumps to cauterize the wounds, then buried the golden master head, immortal even when cut.

-Ladon:
A serpent with a thousand heads, each speaking a different language. Heracles killed him to recover the golden apples from the garden of the Hesperides. Hera, the goddess who sent him here, placed him as the constellation of the dragon in the sky.
Another legend said that Heracles knew this beast was too dangerous, so he sent the world-bearing titan Atlas to do the dirty work.

-Python:
A giant snake that protected an oracle at Delphi. Apollo killed him and seized his oracle. However, to avoid Gaia's anger, he created the Pythian games in honor of the serpent.

-The Colchian Dragon:
This is the snake guardian of the golden fleece that Jason must catch. He has several tongues, a shell crest and eyes that are always open. Since he never sleeps, Medea put him to sleep using a drug thrown in his eyes.

-The Theban Dragon:
This gigantic snake guards the fountain of Ares, god of war.
Cadmos killed him with a rock, then sowed the monster's teeth to give birth to the first inhabitants of the city of Thebes, the Spartans, whom he had to weaken before hiring them as masons.

Greek monsters : Wild beasts

WILD BEASTS:
Monsters represent men's instinctive fear of the wild world around them. It’s only natural that most monsters borrow their physique from animals that did exist.

-The Minotaur:
The fruit of the mad love between King Minos wife and a sacred white bull, this beast-like monster haunts the labyrinth built by Daedalus and regularly devours 14 young Athenians, since their city is subjected to the King of Crete. Theseus defeated the beast using a string to keep him from getting lost, then killed the monster with his sword.

 

-The Chimera:
A thing with the front body of a lion, to which is added the rear body of a goat and a snake-tail. The three heads are capable of spitting burning flames. The Chimera terrorized Cairo for years, before Bellerophon and Pegasus succeeded in putting an end to its reign of terror thanks to his arrows, or a lead lance having melted in its mouth.

 

-The Nemean Lion:
This imposing wildcat has a impenetrable skin that cannot be pierced by blades or stones, and his claws are very sharp. Heracles first had the idea of blocking the entrance of its cave to trap the beast, then shooting his arrows, without success. He then stunned the monster with his club to climb on the lion and strangle him, killing the lion without piercing his skin !

He made his invincible adornment by cutting the leather of the lion with its own claws.

 

-The Erymanthian Boar:
A huge wild boar thatravaged the crops of the snow-capped mountain it inhabited. It was an endurance test for both characters : Heracles pursued him and harassed him with stones until they reached the top, where the beast was finally caught by a trap in the snow. He then brought back the living beast to prove his victory.

-The Crommyonian Sow:
A female wild boar similar to that of Erymanthus. She terrorized the inhabitants of Crommyon before being killed by Theseus. A legend says that this beast is in fact a prostitute nicknamed “Sow” because of her brigand practices, and that she was killed by the hero.

-The Calydonian Boar:
A third boar! Son of the previous one, he was sent to the region by Artemis, vexed by the lack of offer during the feast. He's huge, has needle-like hairs, his tusks are like an elephant's, and his breath is hot, according to Ovid.
Many hunters were following him, including many Argonauts, during an epic hunt.

 

-Orthos:
A two-headed dog and brother of Cerberus, it’s the sheepdog of the giant Geryon, who keeps a herd of cattle. He was killed by Heracles with two blows of his club, before his master arrived.

 

-The Teumessian Fox:
A big fox sent to Thebes to eat the children of the inhabitants, following an abject crime.
The characteristic of this fox is that it is impossible to catch up. So Amphitrion asked Cephalus for help, Cephalus left his legendary dog Laelaps, a racing dog capable of catching any other being. In view of the paradox caused by the two animals, Zeus transformed them into stone.

 

-The Cretan Bull:
A sacred white bull offered by Poseidon to sacrifice it. He’s the father of the Minotaur (And "lover" of Mino's wife, Pasiphaë). However, Minos, not wanting to sacrifice such a beautiful beast, provoked the anger of the sea god who made the bull mad. Heracles was charged with capturing the bull, which he transported to Argolis. The bull found himself much later at Marathon, and was finally killed by Theseus.

 

-The Stymphalian Birds:
Anthropophagous birds created by Ares. Their feathers, beaks and talons are said to be made of bronze; and they killed by raining their feathers on their terrified preys.
These birds are very sensitive to metallic noises, which Heracles used in his fight against them using his shield and magic rattles.

 

-The Ceryneian Hind:
A very fast hind with brass (or bronze) hooves and golden horns. There are 5 of them, all female despite their male attributes.
One of them was chased by Heracles, he had to tire her out, then capture her without injuring her. He shot an arrow just between the bone and the tendon, stopping her without hurting her.

 

-The Caucasian Eagle:
Prometheus is the titan who brought fire to humanity. To punish him, Zeus sent him this bird.
He devoured his liver every day. Heracles, during his quest, killed the eagle and delivered the titan.

-Peryton:
Those half-birds half-deer hybrids were said to be the reincarnations of the surviving souls following the destruction of the mythic city Atlantis.
Is it said that in order to be free, they had to kill one human being.
They approached their victims, unaware of their monstrous nature du to the Peryton's human-like shadow, a vestige of their once human form.
The monster then killed its poor victim with brute strength.

Greek monsters : Femmes fatales

FEMMES FATALES :
In both senses of the word. For one part of them, "femme fatale" is to be taken as an expression: the charm of men is paramount for what they are.
And for 100% of them, this term is to be taken literally!

-Echidna:
A monster with the bust of a woman, but the pelvis and tail of a snake. She is known to attract men by its charms in its cave to devour them. But she is even more known for the monstrous descent she had with Typhon:
Cerberus, Orthos, the Theban Sphinx, the Teumessian fox, the Lernaean Hydra, the Chimera, Ladon, the Nemean lion, the Colchian dragon and finally the Caucasian eagle.

-Sirens :
These magnificent bird women have the particularity of attracting sailors by the beauty of their face and voice. The charmed sailors steer their boats towards the sharp reefs covered with human bones, remains of the previous victims of these deceptive monsters.
Nota bene, the Sirens of Greek mythology are very different from mermaids, since the latter have a human bust with a fish tail; while these sirens only have the head of a woman, the rest being avian.
The sirens were defeated twice:
By Ulysses, under the guidance of Circe, covered the ears of his companions and attached himself to the mast of the ship to hear every bit of their song; and Orpheus, covering their song with his mastery of the lyre.

-Charybdis and Scylla:
These two monsters live in the Strait of Messina, near Italy. Scylla is a half-dog, half-snake creature that always has 6 long heads emerging from its cave; who devour the unfortunate sailors who venture into the strait.
Charybdis is even more dangerous: We do not know its true appearance, but it manifests itself as a giant maelstrom swallowing and vomiting 3 times a day the water above it. Ulysses was right to prefer to go through Scylla which cost him only 6 men, instead of his entire fleet.

-Empusa:
A sort of demon serving Hecate, a hellish deity, emerging from the underworld to seduce young men to suck their blood. It is said to have a donkey leg and a bronze leg, and transform into a fiery spirit to reach her prey.

-Mormo:
The mind of a mad woman who devoured her own children. It’s actually a Greek equivalent of the Boogeyman. Its existence is vague because it is confused with Lamia and Empusa.

-Lamia:
One of the many lovers of Zeus, who was forced to eat her own children by the jealous Hera. Her madness due to her monstrous act transformed her into a horrible monster, with paws of a lion and a goat, a body full of scales and eyes unable to close. Afterwards, she eats other children so that other women share her suffering. Zeus, to appease her, gave her the power to remove her eyes to rest from the horrors she witnessed.
Some myths give her the lower body of a snake, and made her drink the blood of the young men she seduces, like the Empusa. Sometimes, mythology is not crystal clear unfortunately...

-The Gorgons:
Three sisters cursed by the gods, Euryale, Stheno and Medusa (the only one mortal.) They are represented like women with hair of snakes, sometimes with a snake tail, a fat tongue as well as tusks of a wild boar. Medusa and her sisters have the frightening power of petrifying their terrified victims by simply looking at them. Medusa was defeated by Perseus, seeing her indirectly thanks to his bronze shield. Her head was attached to the Aegis, the shield of Athena, and still serves as a formidable weapon.

-The Harpies:
Resembling the sirens previously mentioned, by their female heads and avion (here, vultur)) bodies, they are however ugly, stinky (the stench of a corps) and aggressive. These messengers from the Underworld catch souls and children; and punish those cursed by the gods by defecating and stealing their food.

-The Theban Sphinx :
It has a lion body, a woman's head, sometimes an eagle's wings and a snake's tail. She kept the path leading to Thebes and tackled the travelers on the ground, then posed her famous riddle :

“What goes on four feet in the morning, two feet at noon, and three feet in the evening? »
She devoured those who did not answer the riddle correctly.
Only Oedipus succeeds : The answer was the man :

As a toddler, walking on all four; as a mature man, walking normally; and as an old man, walking with a cane.

This filled the Sphinx with spite, so she committed suicide.

It’s said that there is another version of the riddle :

"There are two sisters: one gives birth to the other and she, in turn, gives birth to the first. Who are the two sisters?"

The answer ? Day and night.

 

-The Centaurs:
A group of men have slipped into this female only category !
They are a race of creatures with human bust grafted directly on the neck of a horse.
In fact, the horse form is the most common, called "Hippocentaure". There are also centaurs with bull, donkey, or fish bodies. Aside from their physical peculiarity, they are rather rough, mastering the use of bows and clubs; drunkards, their drunkenness leading them to fight violently against those who irritated them, and also women lovers, to the point of trying to rape them.