Greek mythology characters list. Legendary heroes of Greek myths. Historical sources of Greek myths

Thanks to them, we recognize with exceptional joy the names and exploits of Hercules, Oedipus, Theseus, Achilles, Odysseus or Hector. In The Death of Heroes, recently edited by Turner, Carlos García Gual recounts the deaths of 25 heroes. This is a lapidary book: it talks about her vicissitudes and, above all, how they died, the beginning of their glory as immortal. And although no hero masters his destiny, they all participate in their superhuman actions: there are those who seek glory in battle, others in conquest, others in travel and adventure, and there are those who already choose to defend their community . to his family.

Ajax- name of two participants Trojan War; both fought at Troy as suitors for Helen's hand. In the Iliad they often appear hand in hand and are compared to two mighty lions or bulls.

Bellerophon- one of the main characters of the older generation, the son of the Corinthian king Glaucus (according to other sources, the god Poseidon), the grandson of Sisyphus. Bellerophon's original name was Hipponou.

Heroes, except Orpheus, do not sing: they are sung and remembered in epic, tragedy and Greek lyric poetry. Carlos García Guala's book declares that the youth's andrea in battle constitutes a vital part of the warrior-hero's profile and yet does not delineate a heroic death. It's not enough to be brave, as you can see between its pages. There are several cases of heroes who deserve a “beautiful death.” Pathos controls the life and death of heroes over the hills, glory. From this strange state tragedy draws its raw material: the hero suffers from a hybrid that extols triumphs and strengthens character, but also immobilizes the hero in the face of inevitable agony.

Hector- one of the main heroes of the Trojan War. The hero was the son of Hecuba and Priam, the king of Troy. According to legend, he killed the first Greek to set foot on the soil of Troy.

Hercules- national hero of the Greeks. Son of Zeus and the mortal woman Alcmene. Gifted with mighty strength, he performed the most difficult work on earth and accomplished great feats. Having atoned for his sins, he ascended Olympus and achieved immortality.

Thus, García Gual reveals the fragile and ambivalent state of the heroes. On the one hand, power is in the hands, and on the other, a sealed fate. Only the gods know the exact moment of death. There is deep sorrow that day. Patroclus cries profusely as Achilles. Hector, a horse tamer and man-killer, claims his father after desecrating his corpse.

Achilles is killed by an arrow launched by Paris. Peter Paul Rubens and his workshop "The Death of Achilles". Professor García Guala's talent, humanism and vision are so broad that he recreates myths and deaths of heroes from the most traditional versions of themes that are more anecdotal. Stories about mythical heroes are not always extracted from primary sources; in some cases the author refers to later texts.

Diomedes- the son of the Aetolian king Tydeus and the daughter of Adrasta Deipila. Together with Adrastus, he took part in the campaign and destruction of Thebes. As one of Helen's suitors, Diomedes subsequently fought at Troy, leading a militia on 80 ships.

Meleager- hero of Aetolia, son of the Calydonian king Oeneus and Althea, husband of Cleopatra. Participant of the Argonauts' campaign. Meleager's greatest fame came from his participation in the Calydonian hunt.

The accounting of their deaths is unusual: Oedipus dies, according to Sophocles' version, a victim of exile, blind and miserable, to contemplate the death of Jocasta, his wife and mother. Hercules dies, throwing himself on the pyre of the llamas, after putting on the tunic that his dear Deyaira sent him with the blood of the centaur Neso. Perseus dies, pointing the Gorgon's head to himself. Orpheus, who goes to Hades in search of Eurydice, has succumbed to the Bacchanians. Jason was crushed by the mast of the Argo ship and died instantly. Alcmaeon dies from family intrigue. Theseus, the hero of Athenian democracy, reaches his destination by stumbling and falling from a ravine.

Menelaus- king of Sparta, son of Atreus and Aerope, husband of Helen, younger brother of Agamemnon. Menelaus, with the help of Agamemnon, gathered friendly kings for the Ilion campaign, and he himself deployed sixty ships.

Odysseus- “angry”, king of the island of Ithaca, son of Laertes and Anticlea, husband of Penelope. Odysseus is a famous hero of the Trojan War, also famous for his wanderings and adventures.

March of the Seven against Thebes

Sisyphus suffers one of the gods' three never-ending punishments: forever pushing a stone up a mountain only to see it fall again and again. Belerophon falls from the mountain of Pegasus, his winged horse, in an attempt to join the assembly of the gods and goes to his death.

On the other hand, the Homeric world experiences blood, tears and the smells of death. There is not a song in the Iliad that does not talk about the death of some warrior. The myth says that Agamemnon, king of Mycenaeus, brother of Menelaus, husband of Helen, sacrifices his daughter Iphigenia before going to Ilion. His wife, Clytemnestra, will take part in this scene. Together with Egisto, he plotted to kill Agamemnon with a double-edged axe. Tragic story This family ends with the death of Clytemnestra at the hands of his son, the vengeful Orestes.

Orpheus- the famous singer of the Thracians, the son of the river god Eagre and the muse Calliope, the husband of the nymph Eurydice, who set trees and rocks in motion with his songs.

Patroclus- the son of one of the Argonauts Menetius, a relative and comrade-in-arms of Achilles in the Trojan War. As a boy, he killed his friend while playing dice, for which his father sent him to Peleus in Phthia, where he was raised with Achilles.

Achilles dies, according to each version, by ambush, arrow or spear. His fate is different from the fate of other heroes who come to the Trojan War. Son of the Titanide Tethys and the mortal Peleus, he knows that when he goes to Troy, his death will be safe. He is a cruel, angry and majestic warrior who decides to go to war because the glory will be great and he knows that his glory will make him immortal.

García Gual is seduced by Hector's death. He is the heir of Priam, loves his wife Andromache; love your son, Astinact; loves his community and fulfills his duty to protect the land of Troy. Homer sings his death with the same glory as the Hellenic victory. The Trojan hero dies, pierced by a spear in battle with the veil, and, unfortunately, his body is dragged between the stones. However, despite the damage, his corpse will never lose its beauty. The gods love him and support him even in death.

Peleus- son of the Aeginean king Eak and Endeida, husband of Antigone. For the murder of his half-brother Phocus, who defeated Peleus in athletic exercises, he was expelled by his father and retired to Phthia.

Pelop- king and national hero of Phrygia, and then the Peloponnese. Son of Tantalus and the nymph Euryanassa. Pelops grew up on Olympus in the company of the gods and was the favorite of Poseidon.

The Trojan War - a brief retelling

García Gual thus chooses the deaths of the characters and treats them with special care. Like a ripe fruit that refuses to fall, before concluding the book, the author devotes several pages to three heroines of the Greek world: Clytemnestra, Cassandra and Antigone. All three were punished for showing insomnia and for women's freedom.

Come from Greece, Rome or any other culture, myths inhabit our lives. From cinemas to comics, passing through literature. Cover: “Gods and Heroes of Greek Mythology.” The action takes place in a distant time, in Greece and the regions bordering the Mediterranean Sea. And we will find the following characters: the gods of Olympus and heroes.

Perseus- the son of Zeus and Danae, daughter of the Argive king Acrisius. The winner of the Gorgon Medusa and the savior of Andromeda from the claims of the dragon.

Talfibiy- the messenger, a Spartan, together with Eurybates, was Agamemnon’s herald, carrying out his instructions. Talthybius, together with Odysseus and Menelaus, gathered an army for the Trojan War.

Teucer- the son of Telamon and the daughter of the Trojan king Hesione. The best archer in the Greek army at Troy, where over thirty defenders of Ilion fell at his hands.

The book opens with a prologue by the author, which talks about the appeal and validity of myths. Let us remember that a myth is a traditional story that tells about unusual events committed by characters of a divine or heroic nature. For the people who conceived them turn out to be sacred narratives, since they are part of their religion, the value system and beliefs proposed by certain behavior patterns.

It should be noted that a myth can perform different functions: to explain the appearance of certain elements; answer basic questions about the functioning of man and the world around him and in this sense provide peace in the face of existence; and finally legitimize some social structures and actions.

Theseus- son of the Athenian king Aeneas and Ethera. He became famous for a number of exploits, like Hercules; kidnapped Elena along with Peirifoy.

Trophonius- originally a chthonic deity, identical with Zeus Underground. According to popular belief, Trophonius was the son of Apollo or Zeus, the brother of Agamedes, and the pet of the earth goddess Demeter.

Phoroney- founder of the Argive state, son of the river god Inach and the hamadryad Melia. He was revered as a national hero; Sacrifices were performed at his grave.

Thrasymedes- the son of the Pylos king Nestor, who arrived with his father and brother Antilochus near Ilion. He commanded fifteen ships and took part in many battles.

Oedipus- son of the Finnish king Laius and Jocasta. Killed his father and married his mother without knowing it. When the crime was discovered, Jocasta hanged herself, and Oedipus blinded himself. Died pursued by the Erinyes.

Aeneas- son of Anchises and Aphrodite, relative of Priam, hero of the Trojan War. Aeneas, like Achilles among the Greeks, is the son of a beautiful goddess, the favorite of the gods; in battles he was protected by Aphrodite and Apollo.

Jason- the son of Aison, on behalf of Pelias, set out from Thessaly for the golden fleece to Colchis, for which he equipped the expedition of the Argonauts.

Kronos, in ancient Greek mythology, was one of the Titans, born from the marriage of the sky god Uranus and the earth goddess Gaia. He succumbed to his mother’s persuasion and castrated his father Uranus in order to stop the endless births of his children.

To avoid repeating the fate of his father, Kronos began to swallow all his offspring. But in the end, his wife could not stand such an attitude towards their offspring and gave him a stone to swallow instead of the newborn.

Rhea hid her son, Zeus, on the island of Crete, where he grew up, suckled by the divine goat Amalthea. He was guarded by the Kuretes - warriors who drowned out the crying of Zeus by striking their shields so that Kronos would not hear.

Having matured, Zeus overthrew his father from the throne, forced him to tear his brothers and sisters out of his womb and, after a long war, took his place on bright Olympus, among the host of gods. Thus Kronos was punished for his betrayal.

In Roman mythology, Kronos (Chroos - "time") is known as Saturn - a symbol of inexorable time. In Ancient Rome, festivals were dedicated to the god Kronos - Saturnalia, during which all rich people exchanged duties with their servants and fun began, accompanied by copious libations. In Roman mythology, Kronos (Chroos - "time") is known as Saturn - a symbol of inexorable time. IN Ancient Rome festivities were dedicated to the god Kronos - Saturnalia, during which all rich people exchanged duties with their servants and fun began, accompanied by copious libations.

Rhea(“Ρέα”), in ancient mythology, a Greek goddess, one of the Titanides, daughter of Uranus and Gaia, wife of Kronos and mother of the Olympian deities: Zeus, Hades, Poseidon, Hestia, Demeter and Hera (Hesiod, Theogony, 135). Kronos, afraid, that one of his children would deprive him of power, devouring them immediately after birth. Rhea, on the advice of her parents, saved Zeus instead of her born son, she placed a swaddled stone, which Kronos swallowed, and Rhea sent her son to Crete, on the mountain, in secret from his father. Dicta. When Zeus grew up, Rhea assigned her son as a cupbearer to Kronos and he was able to mix an emetic potion into his father’s cup, freeing his brothers and sisters. According to one version of the myth, Rhea deceived Kronos and at the birth of Poseidon she hid her son among the grazing sheep. Kronos was given a foal to swallow, citing the fact that she gave birth to him (Pausanias, VIII 8, 2).

The cult of Rhea was considered one of the most ancient, but was not widespread in Greece itself. In Crete and Asia Minor she mixed with the Asian goddess of nature and fertility Cybele, and her worship came to a more prominent level. The legend about the birth of Zeus in the grotto of Mount Ida, which enjoyed special veneration, was localized especially in Crete, as evidenced by the large number of dedications, some of them very ancient, found there. The tomb of Zeus was also shown on Crete. The priests of Rhea were called here Curetes and were identified with the Corybantes, the priests of the great Phrygian mother Cybele. Rhea entrusted them with the preservation of the infant Zeus; By banging their weapons, the Kuretes muffled his crying so that Kronos could not hear the child. Rhea was depicted in a matronly type, usually with a crown from the city walls on her head, or in a veil, mostly sitting on a throne, near which sit lions dedicated to her. Its attribute was the tympanum (an ancient musical percussion instrument, the predecessor of the timpani). During late antiquity, Rhea was identified with the Phrygian Great Mother of the Gods and received the name Rhea-Cybele, whose cult was distinguished by its orgiastic character.

Zeus, Diy ("bright sky"), in Greek mythology the supreme deity, the son of the titans Kronos and Rhea. The almighty father of the gods, the ruler of the winds and clouds, rain, thunder and lightning, caused storms and hurricanes with a blow of the scepter, but could also calm the forces of nature and clear the sky of clouds. Kronos, afraid of being overthrown by his children, swallowed all of Zeus's older siblings immediately after their birth, but Rhea, instead of youngest son gave Kropos a stone wrapped in swaddling clothes, and the baby was secretly taken out and raised on the island of Crete.

The matured Zeus sought to settle accounts with his father. His first wife, the wise Metis (“thought”), daughter of Ocean, advised him to give his father a potion that would make him vomit all the children he had swallowed. Having defeated Kronos, who gave birth to them, Zeus and the brothers divided the world among themselves. Zeus chose the sky, Hades - the underground kingdom of the dead, and Poseidon - the sea. They decided to consider the earth and Mount Olympus, where the palace of the gods was located, to be common. Over time, the world of the Olympians changes and becomes less cruel. The Oras, daughters of Zeus from Themis, his second wife, brought order into the lives of gods and people, and the Charites, daughters from Eurynome, the former mistress of Olympus, brought joy and grace; The goddess Mnemosyne gave birth to 9 muses to Zeus. Thus, law, science, art and morality took their place in human society. Zeus was also the father of famous heroes - Hercules, Dioscuri, Perseus, Sarpedon, glorious kings and sages - Minos, Radamanthos and Aeacus. True, Zeus’s love affairs with both mortal women and immortal goddesses, which formed the basis of many myths, caused constant antagonism between him and his third wife Hera, the goddess of legal marriage. Some children of Zeus born out of wedlock, such as Hercules, were severely persecuted by the goddess. In Roman mythology, Zeus corresponds to the omnipotent Jupiter.

Hera(Hera), in Greek mythology, the queen of the gods, goddess of air, patroness of family and marriage. Hera, eldest daughter Kronos and Rhea, raised in the house of Oceanus and Tethys, the sister and wife of Zeus, with whom she, according to Samian legend, lived in a secret marriage for 300 years until he openly declared her his wife and queen of the gods. Zeus honors her highly and communicates his plans to her, although he keeps her on occasion within the limits of her subordinate position. Hera, mother of Ares, Hebe, Hephaestus, Ilithyia. He is distinguished by his power, cruelty and jealous disposition. Especially in the Iliad, Hera shows grumpiness, stubbornness and jealousy - character traits that passed into the Iliad, probably from the most ancient songs glorifying Hercules. Hera hates and persecutes Hercules, as well as all the favorites and children of Zeus from other goddesses, nymphs and mortal women. When Hercules was returning by ship from Troy, she, with the help of the god of sleep Hypnos, put Zeus to sleep and, through the storm she raised, almost killed the hero. As punishment, Zeus tied the treacherous goddess to the ether with strong golden chains and hung two heavy anvils at her feet. But this does not prevent the goddess from constantly resorting to cunning when she needs to achieve something from Zeus, against whom she cannot do anything by force.

In the struggle for Ilion, she patronizes her beloved Achaeans; the Achaean cities of Argos, Mycenae, Sparta are her favorite places; She hates the Trojans for the trial of Paris. The marriage of Hera with Zeus, which initially had a spontaneous meaning - a connection between heaven and earth, then receives a relation to the civil institution of marriage. As the only legal wife on Olympus, Hera is the patroness of marriage and childbirth. A pomegranate apple, a symbol of marital love, and a cuckoo, the messenger of spring, the season of love, were dedicated to her. In addition, the peacock and crow were considered her birds.

The chief place of her cult was Argos, where stood her colossal statue, made of gold and ivory by Polycletus, and where the so-called Heraea were celebrated in her honor every five years. In addition to Argos, Hera was also honored in Mycenae, Corinth, Sparta, Samos, Plataea, Sikyon and other cities. Art represents Hera as a tall, slender woman, with majestic posture, mature beauty, a rounded face bearing an important expression, a beautiful forehead, thick hair, large, wide-open “ox-like” eyes. The most remarkable image of her was the above-mentioned statue of Polykleitos in Argos: here Hera sat on a throne with a crown on her head, with a pomegranate apple in one hand, with a scepter in the other; at the top of the scepter is a cuckoo. On top of the long chiton, which left only the neck and arms uncovered, there is a himation thrown around the waist. In Roman mythology, Hera corresponds to Juno.

Demeter(Δημήτηρ), in Greek mythology the goddess of fertility and agriculture, civil order and marriage, daughter of Kronos and Rhea, sister and wife of Zeus, from whom she gave birth to Persephone (Hesiod, Theogony, 453, 912-914). One of the most revered Olympic deities. The ancient chthonic origin of Demeter is attested to by her name (literally, “earth mother”). Cult appeals to Demeter: Chloe ("greens", "sowing"), Carpophora ("giver of fruits"), Thesmophora ("legislator", "organizer"), Sieve ("bread", "flour") indicate the functions of Demeter as goddess of fertility. She is a goddess kind to people, of beautiful appearance with hair the color of ripe wheat, an assistant in peasant labors (Homer, Iliad, V 499-501). She fills the farmer's barns with supplies (Hesiod, Opp. 300, 465). They call on Demeter so that the grains come out full-bodied and so that the plowing is successful. Demeter taught people plowing and sowing, combining in a sacred marriage on a thrice-plowed field on the island of Crete with the Cretan god of agriculture Iasion, and the fruit of this marriage was Plutos, the god of wealth and abundance (Hesiod, Theogony, 969-974).

Hestia-goddess virgin of the hearth, eldest daughter of Kronos and Rhea, patroness of unquenchable fire, uniting gods and people. Hestia never responded to advances. Apollo and Poseidon asked for her hand in marriage, but she vowed to remain a virgin forever. One day, the drunken god of gardens and fields, Priapus, tried to dishonor her, who was sleeping, at a festival where all the gods were present. However, at that moment, when the patron saint of voluptuousness and sensual pleasures, Priapus, was preparing to commit his dirty deed, the donkey cried loudly, Hestia woke up, called on the gods for help, and Priapus fled in fear.

Poseidon, in ancient Greek mythology, the god of the underwater kingdom. Poseidon was considered the ruler of the seas and oceans. The underwater king was born from the marriage of the earth goddess Rhea and the titan Kronos and immediately after birth he, along with his brothers and sisters, was swallowed by his father, who was afraid that they would take away his power over the world. Zeus subsequently freed them all.

Poseidon lived in an underwater palace, among a host of gods obedient to him. Among them were his son Triton, the Nereids, the sisters of Amphitrite and many others. The god of the seas was equal in beauty to Zeus himself. He traveled along the sea in a chariot harnessed to marvelous horses.

With the help of a magic trident, Poseidon controlled the depths of the sea: if there was a storm at sea, then as soon as he stretched out the trident in front of him, the furious sea calmed down.

The ancient Greeks greatly revered this deity and, in order to achieve his favor, made many sacrifices to the underwater ruler, throwing them into the sea. This was very important for the inhabitants of Greece, since their well-being depended on whether merchant ships would pass through the sea. Therefore, before going to sea, travelers threw a sacrifice to Poseidon into the water. In Roman mythology, it corresponds to Neptune.

Hades, Hades, Pluto (“invisible”, “terrible”), in Greek mythology the god of the kingdom of the dead, as well as the kingdom itself. Son of Kronos and Rhea, brother of Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Demeter and Hestia. During the division of the world after the overthrow of his father, Zeus took the sky, Poseidon the sea, and Hades the underworld; The brothers agreed to rule the land together. Hades' second name was Polydegmon ("recipient of many gifts"), which is associated with the countless shadows of the dead living in his domain.

The messenger of the gods, Hermes, conveyed the souls of the dead to the ferryman Charon, who transported across the underground river Styx only those who could pay for the crossing. The entrance to the underground kingdom of the dead was guarded by the three-headed dog Kerberus (Cerberus), who did not allow anyone to return to the world of the living.

Like the ancient Egyptians, the Greeks believed that the kingdom of the dead was located in the bowels of the earth, and the entrance to it was in the far west (west, sunset - symbols of dying), beyond the Ocean River, which washes the earth. The most popular myth about Hades is associated with his abduction of Persephone, daughter of Zeus and the fertility goddess Demeter. Zeus promised him his beautiful daughter without asking her mother's consent. When Hades forcibly took the bride away, Demeter almost lost her mind from grief, forgot about her duties, and hunger gripped the earth.

The dispute between Hades and Demeter over the fate of Persephone was resolved by Zeus. She must spend two thirds of the year with her mother and one third with her husband. This is how the alternation of seasons arose. One day, Hades fell in love with the nymph Minta or Mint, who was associated with the water of the kingdom of the dead. Having learned about this, Persephone, in a fit of jealousy, turned the nymph into a fragrant plant.

Heroes Ancient Hellas, whose names have not been forgotten to this day, occupied a special place in mythology, fine arts and the life of the ancient Greek people. They were role models and ideals of physical beauty. Legends and poems were written about these brave men; statues were created in honor of the heroes and they were named after the constellations.

Legends and myths of Ancient Greece: heroes of Hellas, gods and monsters

The mythology of ancient Greek society is divided into three parts:

1. Pre-Olympic period - tales of titans and giants. At that time, man felt defenseless against the formidable forces of nature, about which he still knew very little. Therefore, the world around him seemed to him to be chaos, in which there were terrifying uncontrollable forces and entities - titans, giants and monsters. They were generated by the earth as the main active force of nature.

At this time, Cerberus, the chimera, the serpent Typhon, the hundred-armed giants Hecatoncheires, the goddess of vengeance Erinyes, appearing in the guise of terrible old women, and many others appear.

2. Gradually a pantheon of deities of a different nature began to develop. Abstract monsters began to be confronted by humanoid higher powers - the Olympian gods. This is a new, third generation of deities that entered into battle against the titans and giants and won a victory over them. Not all opponents were imprisoned in the terrible dungeon - Tartarus. Many were included in the new Oceanus, Mnemosyne, Themis, Atlas, Helios, Prometheus, Selene, Eos. Traditionally, there were 12 main deities, but over the centuries their composition was constantly replenished.

3. With the development of ancient Greek society and the rise of economic forces, man's faith in his own strength became increasingly stronger. This bold view of the world gave birth to a new representative of mythology - the hero. He is the conqueror of monsters and at the same time the founder of states. At this time, great feats are accomplished and victories are won over ancient entities. Typhon is killed by Apollo, the hero of ancient Hellas Cadmus founds the famous Thebes on the site of the dragon he killed, Bellerophon destroys the chimera.

Historical sources of Greek myths

We can judge the exploits of heroes and gods from a few written testimonies. The largest of them are the poems “Iliad” and “Odyssey” by the great Homer, “Metamorphoses” by Ovid (they formed the basis of the famous book “Legends and Myths of Ancient Greece” by N. Kuhn), as well as the works of Hesiod.

Around the 5th century BC collectors of tales about the gods and great defenders of Greece appear. The heroes of Ancient Hellas, whose names we now know, were not forgotten thanks to their painstaking work. These are historians and philosophers Apollodorus of Athens, Heraclides of Pontus, Palephatus and many others.

Origin of Heroes

First, let's find out who this hero is - the hero of Ancient Hellas. The Greeks themselves have several interpretations. This is usually the descendant of some deity and a mortal woman. Hesiod, for example, called heroes whose ancestor was Zeus demigods.

It takes more than one generation to create a truly invincible warrior and defender. Hercules is the thirtieth in the line of descendants of the main one and all the power of the previous heroes of his family was concentrated in him.

In Homer, this is a strong and brave warrior or a person of noble birth with famous ancestors.

Modern etymologists also interpret the meaning of the word in question differently, highlighting the common one - the function of a protector.

Heroes of Ancient Hellas often have a similar biography. Many of them did not know their father's name, were raised either by one mother, or were adopted children. All of them, in the end, set off to accomplish feats.

Heroes are called upon to carry out the will of the Olympian gods and grant protection to people. They bring order and justice to earth. There is also a contradiction in them. On the one hand, they are endowed with superhuman strength, but on the other, they are deprived of immortality. The gods themselves sometimes try to correct this injustice. Thetis stabs Achilles' son to death, trying to make him immortal. The goddess Demeter, in gratitude to the Athenian king, puts his son Demophon in the fire to burn out everything mortal in him. Usually these attempts end in failure due to the intervention of parents who fear for the lives of their children.

The fate of the hero is usually tragic. Unable to live forever, he tries to immortalize himself in the memory of people through his exploits. He is often persecuted by unkind gods. Hercules tries to destroy Hera, Odysseus is pursued by the wrath of Poseidon.

Heroes of Ancient Hellas: list of names and exploits

The first defender of people was the titan Prometheus. He is conventionally called a hero because he is not a man or a demigod, but a real deity. According to Hesiod, it was he who created the first people, sculpting them from clay or earth, and patronized them, protecting them from the tyranny of other gods.

Bellerophon is one of the first heroes of the older generation. As a gift from the Olympian gods, he received the wonderful winged horse Pegasus, with the help of which he defeated the terrible fire-breathing chimera.

Theseus is a hero who lived before the great Trojan War. Its origins are unusual. He is a descendant of many gods, and his ancestors were even wise half-snake-half-humans. The hero has two fathers at once - King Aegeus and Poseidon. Before his greatest feat - the victory over the monstrous Minotaur - he managed to accomplish many good deeds: he destroyed the robbers lying in wait for travelers on the Athens road, and killed the monster - the Crommion pig. Also, Theseus, together with Hercules, participated in the campaign against the Amazons.

Achilles - greatest hero Hellas, son of King Peleus and the goddess of the sea Thetis. Wanting to make her son invulnerable, she put him in the oven of Hephaestus (according to other versions, in or boiling water). He was destined to die in the Trojan War, but before that he would accomplish many feats on the battlefield. His mother tried to hide him with the ruler Lycomedes, dressing him in women's clothing and passing him off as one of the king's daughters. But the cunning Odysseus, sent to search for Achilles, was able to expose him. The hero was forced to accept his fate and went to the Trojan War. On it he accomplished many feats. His mere appearance on the battlefield put his enemies to flight. Achilles was killed by Paris with an arrow from a bow, which was directed by the god Apollo. It hit the only vulnerable spot on the hero’s body - the heel. Achilles was revered. Temples were built in his honor in Sparta and Elis.

The life stories of some heroes are so interesting and tragic that they are worth telling about them separately.

Perseus

The heroes of Ancient Hellas, their exploits and life stories are known to many. One of the most popular representatives of the great defenders of antiquity is Perseus. He performed several feats that forever glorified his name: he cut off the head and saved the beautiful Andromeda from a sea monster.

To do this, he had to get the helmet of Ares, which makes anyone invisible, and the sandals of Hermes, which give the ability to fly. Athena, the hero's patroness, gave him a sword and a magic bag in which he could hide his severed head, because even looking at a dead Gorgon would transform anything living creature into stone. After the death of Perseus and his wife Andromeda, they were both placed in the sky by the gods and turned into constellations.

Odysseus

The heroes of ancient Hellas were not only unusually strong and courageous. Many of them were distinguished by their wisdom. The most cunning of them was Odysseus. More than once his sharp mind saved the hero and his companions. Homer dedicated his famous “Odyssey” to the many-year journey of the king of Ithaca home.

The Greatest of the Greeks

The hero of Hellas (Ancient Greece), whose myths are most famous, is Hercules. and a descendant of Perseus, he accomplished many feats and became famous for centuries. All his life he was haunted by Hera's hatred. Under the influence of the madness she sent, he killed his children and two sons of his brother Iphicles.

The hero's death came prematurely. Wearing a poisoned cloak sent by his wife Deianira, who thought it was laced with a love potion, Hercules realized that he was dying. He ordered the funeral pyre to be prepared and climbed onto it. At the moment of death, the son of Zeus - main character Greek myths - was ascended to Olympus, where he became one of the gods.

Ancient Greek demigods and mythical characters in modern art

The heroes of Ancient Hellas, pictures of which can be seen in the article, have always been considered examples of physical strength and health. There is not a single form of art that has not used themes from Greek mythology. And today they do not lose popularity. Films such as “Clash of the Titans” and “Wrath of the Titans,” in which Perseus is the main character, aroused great interest among viewers. A magnificent film of the same name is dedicated to Odysseus (directed by Andrei Konchalovsky). "Troy" told about the exploits and death of Achilles.

Filmed about the great Hercules huge amount films, TV series and cartoons.

Conclusion

The heroes of Ancient Hellas are still wonderful examples of masculinity, self-sacrifice and devotion. Not all of them are ideal, and many of them have negative traits- vanity, pride, lust for power. But they always stood up to defend Greece if the country or its people were in danger.

The heroes of Greek myths and legends were not immortal like their gods. But they were not mere mortals either. Most of them traced their origins to the gods. Their great exploits and accomplishments, which were captured in myths and famous artistic creations, give us an idea of the views of the ancient Greeks. So what did the most famous Greek heroes become famous for? We'll tell you below...

The king of the island of Ithaca and the favorite of the goddess Athena, was known for his extraordinary intelligence and courage, although no less for his cunning and cunning. Homer's Odyssey tells about his return from Troy to his homeland and his adventures during these wanderings. First, a strong storm washed Odysseus's ships to the shores of Thrace, where the wild Cycones killed 72 of his companions. In Libya, he blinded the Cyclops Polyphemus, the son of Poseidon himself. After many trials, the hero ended up on the island of Eya, where he lived for a year with the sorceress Kirka. Sailing past the island of sweet-voiced sirens, Odysseus ordered himself to be tied to the mast so as not to be tempted by their magical singing. He safely passed through the narrow strait between the six-headed Scylla, devouring all living things, and Charybdis, absorbing everyone in her whirlpool, and went out into the open sea. But lightning struck his ship, and all his companions died. Only Odysseus escaped. The sea threw him onto the island of Ogygia, where the nymph Calypso kept him for seven years. Finally, after nine years of dangerous wanderings, Odysseus returned to Ithaca. There, together with his son Telemachus, he killed the suitors who were besieging his faithful wife Penelope and squandering his fortune, and began to rule Ithaca again.

Hercules (Romans - Hercules), the most glorious and powerful of all Greek heroes, the son of Zeus and the mortal woman Alcmene. Forced to serve the Mycenaean king Eurystheus, he performed twelve famous feats. For example, he killed the nine-headed hydra, tamed and led away the hellish dog Cerberus from the underworld, strangled the invulnerable Nemean lion and dressed in his skin, erected two stone pillars on the banks of the strait separating Europe from Africa (the Pillars of Hercules - ancient name Strait of Gibraltar), supported the firmament while the Titan Atlant obtained for him miraculous golden apples, guarded by the Hesperides nymphs. For these and other great exploits, Athena after her death carried Hercules to Olympus, and Zeus granted him eternal life.

, the son of Zeus and the Argive princess Danae, went to the country of the gorgons - winged monsters covered with scales. Instead of hair, their heads wriggled poisonous snakes, and a terrible gaze turned everyone who dared to look at them to stone. Perseus beheaded the gorgon Medusa and married the daughter of the Ethiopian king Andromeda, whom he saved from a sea monster that was devouring people. He turned her former fiancé, who arranged the conspiracy, into stone, showing the severed head of Medusa.

, son of the Thessalian king Peleus and the sea nymph Thetis, one of the main heroes of the Trojan War. As an infant, his mother dipped him into the sacred waters of the Styx, causing his body to become invulnerable, with the exception of his heel, by which his mother held him, lowering him into the Styx. In the Battle of Troy, Achilles was killed by the son of the Trojan king Paris, whose arrow Apollo, who was helping the Trojans, aimed at his heel - his only vulnerable spot (hence the expression “Achilles’ heel”).

, the son of the Thessalian king Eson, went with his companions to distant Colchis on the Black Sea to get the skin of a magic ram, the golden fleece, protected by a dragon. Among the 50 Argonauts who took part in the expedition on the ship "Argo" were Hercules, the pepper Orpheus and the Dioscuri twins (sons of Zeus) - Castor and Polydeuces.
After numerous adventures, the Argonauts brought the fleece to Hellas. Jason married the daughter of the Colchian king, the sorceress Medea, and they had two boys. When a few years later Jason decided to marry the daughter of the Corinthian king Creus, Medea killed her rival, and then her own children. Jason died under the wreckage of the dilapidated ship "Argo".

Oedipus, son of the Theban king Laius. Oedipus's father was predicted to die at the hands of his own son, so Laius ordered the child to be thrown to be devoured by wild animals. But the slave took pity and saved him. As a young man, Oedipus received a prediction from the Delphic Oracle that he would kill his father and marry his own mother. Frightened by this, Oedipus left his adoptive parents and went wandering. On the way, in a random quarrel, he killed a noble old man. But on the way to Thebes he met the Sphinx, who guarded the road and asked the travelers a riddle: “Who walks on four legs in the morning, two in the afternoon, and three in the evening?” Those who could not answer were devoured by the monster. Oedipus solved the riddle: “Man: as a child he crawls on all fours, as an adult he walks upright, and in old age he leans on a stick.” Shattered by this answer, the Sphinx threw itself into the abyss. The grateful Thebans chose Oedipus as their king and gave him the king's widow Jocasta as his wife. When it turned out that the old man killed on the road was his father King Laius, and Jocasta his mother, Oedipus blinded himself in despair, and Jocasta committed suicide.

, the son of Poseidon, also accomplished many glorious deeds. On the way to Athens he killed six monsters and robbers. In the Knossos labyrinth he destroyed the Minotaur and found a way out with the help of a ball of thread, which was given to him by the daughter of the Cretan king Ariadne. He was also revered as the creator of the Athenian state.

Rhea, captured by Cronus, bore him bright children - the Virgin - Hestia, Demeter and the golden-shod Hera, the glorious power of Hades, who lives underground, and the provider - Zeus, the father of both immortals and mortals, whose thunder makes the wide earth tremble. Hesiod "Theogony"

Greek literature arose from mythology. Myth- this is a performance ancient man about the world around him. Myths were created at a very early stage in the development of society in various areas of Greece. Later, all these myths merged into a single system.

With the help of myths, the ancient Greeks tried to explain all natural phenomena, presenting them in the form of living beings. At first, experiencing a strong fear of natural elements, people depicted the gods in a terrible animal form (Chimera, Gorgon Medusa, Sphinx, Lernaean Hydra).

However, later the gods become anthropomorphic, that is, they have a human appearance and are characterized by a wide variety of human qualities(jealousy, generosity, envy, generosity). The main difference between gods and people was their immortality, but for all their greatness, the gods communicated with mere mortals and even often entered into love relationships with them in order to give birth to a whole tribe of heroes on earth.

There are 2 types of ancient Greek mythology:

cosmogonic (cosmogony - the origin of the world) - ends with the birth of Kron
theogonic (theogony - the origin of gods and deities)

The mythology of Ancient Greece went through 3 main stages in its development:

pre-Olympic- This is mainly cosmogonic mythology. This stage begins with the idea of the ancient Greeks that everything came from Chaos, and ends with the murder of Cronus and the division of the world between the gods.
Olympic(early classic) – Zeus becomes the supreme deity and, with a retinue of 12 gods, settles on Olympus.
late heroism- heroes are born from gods and mortals who help the gods in establishing order and destroying monsters.

Poems were created on the basis of mythology, tragedies were written, and lyricists dedicated their odes and hymns to the gods.

There were two main groups of gods in Ancient Greece:

titans - gods of the second generation (six brothers - Ocean, Kay, Crius, Hipperion, Iapetus, Kronos and six sisters - Thetis, Phoebe, Mnemosyne, Theia, Themis, Rhea)
olympian gods - Olympians - gods of the third generation. The Olympians included the children of Kronos and Rhea - Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, Poseidon and Zeus, as well as their descendants - Hephaestus, Hermes, Persephone, Aphrodite, Dionysus, Athena, Apollo and Artemis. The supreme god was Zeus, who deprived his father Kronos (the god of time) of power.

The Greek pantheon of the Olympian gods traditionally included 12 gods, but the composition of the pantheon was not very stable and sometimes numbered 14-15 gods. Usually these were: Zeus, Hera, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Poseidon, Aphrodite, Demeter, Hestia, Ares, Hermes, Hephaestus, Dionysus, Hades. The Olympian gods lived on sacred mountain Olympus ( Olympos) in Olympia, off the coast of the Aegean Sea.

Translated from ancient Greek, the word pantheon means "all gods". Greeks

deities were divided into three groups:

Pantheon (great Olympian gods)
Lesser deities
Monsters

Heroes occupied a special place in Greek mythology. The most famous of them:

v Odysseus

Supreme gods of Olympus

Greek gods	Functions	Roman gods
	god of thunder and lightning, sky and weather, law and fate, attributes - lightning (three-pronged pitchfork with jagged edges), scepter, eagle or chariot drawn by eagles
	goddess of marriage and family, goddess of the sky and starry skies, attributes - diadem (crown), lotus, lion, cuckoo or hawk, peacock (two peacocks pulled her cart)
Aphrodite	“foam-born”, goddess of love and beauty, Athena, Artemis and Hestia were not subject to her, attributes - rose, apple, shell, mirror, lily, violet, belt and golden cup, bestowing eternal youth, retinue - sparrows, doves, dolphin, satellites - Eros, harites, nymphs, oras.
	God underground kingdom dead, “generous” and “hospitable”, attribute – a magic invisibility hat and the three-headed dog Cerberus
	the god of treacherous war, military destruction and murder, he was accompanied by the goddess of discord Eris and the goddess of frantic war Enio, attributes - dogs, a torch and a spear, the chariot had 4 horses - Noise, Horror, Shine and Flame
	god of fire and blacksmithing, ugly and lame on both legs, attribute – blacksmith’s hammer
	goddess of wisdom, crafts and art, goddess of just war and military strategy, patroness of heroes, “owl-eyed”, used male attributes (helmet, shield - aegis made of Amalthea goat skin, decorated with the head of Medusa the Gorgon, spear, olive, owl and snake), appeared accompanied by Niki
	god of invention, theft, trickery, trade and eloquence, patron of heralds, ambassadors, shepherds and travelers, invented measures, numbers, taught people, attributes - a winged staff and winged sandals	Mercury
Poseidon	god of the seas and all bodies of water, floods, droughts and earthquakes, patron of sailors, attribute - trident, which causes storms, breaks rocks, knocks out springs, sacred animals - bull, dolphin, horse, sacred tree - pine
Artemis	goddess of hunting, fertility and female chastity, later - goddess of the Moon, patroness of forests and wild animals, forever young, she is accompanied by nymphs, attributes - a hunting bow and arrows, sacred animals - a doe and a bear
Apollo (Phoebus), Cyfared	“golden-haired”, “silver-haired”, god of light, harmony and beauty, patron of the arts and sciences, leader of the muses, predictor of the future, attributes - silver bow and golden arrows, golden cithara or lyre, symbols - olive, iron, laurel, palm tree, dolphin , swan, wolf
	goddess of the hearth and sacrificial fire, virgin goddess. accompanied by 6 priestesses - vestals, who served the goddess for 30 years
	“Mother Earth”, goddess of fertility and agriculture, plowing and harvest, attributes – a sheaf of wheat and a torch
	god of fruitful forces, vegetation, viticulture, winemaking, inspiration and fun	Bacchus, Bacchus

Minor Greek gods

Greek gods	Functions	Roman gods
Asclepius	“opener”, god of healing and medicine, attribute – a staff entwined with snakes
Eros, Cupid	the god of love, the “winged boy”, was considered the product of a dark night and a bright day, Heaven and Earth, attributes - a flower and a lyre, later - arrows of love and a flaming torch
	“the sparkling eye of the night”, the moon goddess, queen of the starry sky, has wings and a golden crown
Persephone	goddess of the kingdom of the dead and fertility	Proserpina
	goddess of victory, depicted winged or in a pose of rapid movement, attributes - bandage, wreath, later - palm tree, then - weapons and trophy	Victoria
	goddess of eternal youth, depicted as a chaste girl pouring nectar
	“rose-fingered”, “beautiful-haired”, “golden-throned” goddess of the morning dawn
	goddess of happiness, chance and luck
	sun god, owner of seven herds of cows and seven herds of sheep
Kron (Chronos)	god of time, attribute – sickle
	goddess of furious war
Hypnos (Morpheus)
	goddess of flowers and gardens
	god of the west wind, messenger of the gods
Dike (Themis)	goddess of justice, justice, attributes - scales in right hand, blindfold, cornucopia in left hand; The Romans put a sword in the goddess's hand instead of a horn
	god of marriage, marital ties	Thalassius
Nemesis	winged goddess of revenge and retribution, punishing for violation of social and moral norms, attributes - scales and bridle, sword or whip, chariot drawn by griffins	Adrastea
	"golden-winged", goddess of the rainbow
	goddess of the earth

In addition to Olympus in Greece, there was the sacred Mount Parnassus, where they lived muses – 9 sisters, Greek deities who personified poetic and musical inspiration, patroness of the arts and sciences.

Greek muses

	What does it patronize?	Attributes
Calliope ("beautifully spoken")	muse of epic or heroic poetry	wax tablet and stylus (bronze writing rod)
(“glorifying”)	muse of history	papyrus scroll or scroll case
(“pleasant”)	muse of love or erotic poetry, lyrics and marriage songs	kifara (plucked string musical instrument, a type of lyre)
(“beautifully pleasing”)	muse of music and lyric poetry	aulos (a wind musical instrument similar to a pipe with a double reed, the predecessor of the oboe) and syringa (a musical instrument, a type of longitudinal flute)
(“heavenly”)	muse of astronomy	spotting scope and sheet with celestial signs
Melpomene (“singing”)	muse of tragedy	wreath of grape leaves or ivy, theatrical robe, tragic mask, sword or club.
Terpsichore (“delightfully dancing”)	muse of dance	wreath on the head, lyre and plectrum (mediator)
Polyhymnia (“a lot of singing”)	muse of sacred song, eloquence, lyricism, chant and rhetoric
(“blooming”)	muse of comedy and bucolic poetry	comic mask in hands and wreath ivy on head

Lesser deities in Greek mythology they are satyrs, nymphs and oras.

Satires - (Greek satyroi) are forest deities (the same as in Rus' goblin), demons fertility, retinue of Dionysus. They were depicted as goat-legged, hairy, with horse tails and small horns. Satyrs are indifferent to people, mischievous and cheerful, they were interested in hunting, wine, and pursued forest nymphs. Their other hobby was music, but they only played wind instruments that produced sharp, piercing sounds - the flute and the pipe. In mythology, they personified the rude, base nature in nature and man, so they were represented with ugly faces - with blunt, wide noses, swollen nostrils, tousled hair.

Nymphs – (the name means “source”, among the Romans - “bride”) the personification of living elemental forces, noticed in the murmur of a stream, in the growth of trees, in the wild beauty of mountains and forests, spirits of the earth’s surface, manifestations natural forces, acting apart from humans in the solitude of grottoes, valleys, forests, far from cultural centers. They were depicted as beautiful young girls with wonderful hair, wearing wreaths and flowers, sometimes in a dancing pose, with bare legs and arms, and loose hair. They engage in yarn and weaving, sing songs, dance in the meadows to the flute of Pan, hunt with Artemis, participate in the noisy orgies of Dionysus, and constantly fight with annoying satyrs. In the imagination of the ancient Greeks, the world of nymphs was very extensive.

The azure pond was full of flying nymphs,
The garden was animated by dryads,
And the bright water spring sparkled from the urn
Laughing naiads.

F. Schiller

Nymphs of the mountains - oreads,

nymphs of forests and trees - dryads,

nymphs of springs – naiads,

nymphs of the oceans - oceanids,

nymphs of the sea - nerids,

nymphs of the valleys - drink,

nymphs of meadows - limnades.

Ory - goddesses of the seasons, were in charge of order in nature. Guardians of Olympus, now opening and then closing its cloud gates. They are called the gatekeepers of the sky. Harnessing the horses of Helios.

There are numerous monsters in many mythologies. There were a lot of them in ancient Greek mythology too: Chimera, Sphinx, Lernaean Hydra, Echidna and many others.

In the same vestibule, crowds of shadows of monsters crowd:

Biform scylla and herds of centaurs live here,

Here Briareus the hundred-armed lives, and the dragon from Lernaean

The swamp hisses, and the Chimera frightens enemies with fire,

Harpies fly in a flock around three-body giants...

Virgil, "Aeneid"

Harpies are evil child abductors and human souls, suddenly swooping in and disappearing just as suddenly, like the wind, terrify people. Their number ranges from two to five; are depicted as wild half-women, half-birds of a disgusting appearance with the wings and paws of a vulture, with long sharp claws, but with the head and chest of a woman.

Gorgon Medusa - monster with woman's face and snakes instead of hair, whose gaze turned a person to stone. According to legend there was beautiful girl with beautiful hair. Poseidon, seeing Medusa and falling in love, seduced her in the temple of Athena, for which the goddess of wisdom, in anger, turned the hair of the Gorgon Medusa into snakes. The Gorgon Medusa was defeated by Perseus, and her head was placed on the aegis of Athena.

Minotaur - a monster with the body of a man and the head of a bull. He was born from the unnatural love of Pasiphae (the wife of King Minos) and a bull. Minos hid the monster in the Knossos labyrinth. Every eight years, 7 boys and 7 girls descended into the labyrinth, destined for the Minotaur as victims. Theseus defeated the Minotaur, and with the help of Ariadne, who gave him a ball of thread, he got out of the labyrinth.

Cerberus (Kerberus) - this is a three-headed dog with a snake tail and snake heads on its back, guarding the exit from the kingdom of Hades, not allowing the dead to return to the kingdom of the living. He was defeated by Hercules during one of his labors.

Scylla and Charybdis - These are sea monsters located within an arrow's flight distance of each other. Charybdis is a sea whirlpool that absorbs water three times a day and spews it out the same number of times. Scylla (“barking”) is a monster in the form of a woman whose lower body was turned into 6 dog heads. When the ship passed by the rock where Scylla lived, the monster, with all its jaws open, abducted 6 people from the ship at once. The narrow strait between Scylla and Charybdis posed a mortal danger to everyone who sailed through it.

There were also other mythical characters in Ancient Greece.

Pegasus - winged horse, favorite of the muses. He flew at the speed of the wind. Riding Pegasus meant receiving poetic inspiration. He was born at the source of the Ocean, therefore he was named Pegasus (from Greek “stormy current”). According to one version, he jumped out of the body of the gorgon Medusa after Perseus cut off her head. Pegasus delivered thunder and lightning to Zeus on Olympus from Hephaestus, who made them.

From the foam of the sea, from the azure wave,

Faster than an arrow and more beautiful than a string,

An amazing fairy horse is flying

And easily catches the heavenly fire!

He loves to splash in colored clouds

And often walks in magical verses.

So that the ray of inspiration in the soul does not go out,

I saddle you, snow-white Pegasus!

Unicorn – mythical creature, symbolizing chastity. Usually depicted as a horse with one horn coming out of its forehead. The Greeks believed that the unicorn belonged to Artemis, the goddess of the hunt. Subsequently, in medieval legends there was a version that only a virgin could tame him. Once you catch a unicorn, you can only hold it with a golden bridle.

Centaurs - wild mortal creatures with the head and torso of a man on the body of a horse, inhabitants of mountains and forest thickets, accompany Dionysus and are distinguished by their violent temperament and intemperance. Presumably, centaurs were originally the embodiment of mountain rivers and stormy streams. In heroic myths, centaurs are the educators of heroes. For example, Achilles and Jason were raised by the centaur Chiron.

The deceased heroes of primitive times, the ancestors of tribes, the founders of cities and colonies enjoyed divine honors among the Greeks. They constitute a separate world of Greek mythology, however, closely connected with the world of the gods from whom they originate. Every tribe, every region, every city, even every clan has its own hero, in whose honor holidays and sacrifices are established. The most widespread and rich in legends heroic cult among the Greeks was the cult of Alcides Hercules (Hercules). He is a symbol of the highest human heroism, who tirelessly defeats obstacles everywhere opposed to him by testing fate, fights against the unclean forces and horrors of nature and, freed from human weaknesses, becomes like the gods. In Greek mythology, Hercules is the representative of humanity, which, with the help of its semi-divine origin, can ascend to Olympus, despite all the unfavorability of hostile forces towards it.

Originally appearing in Boeotia and Argos, the myth of Hercules was subsequently mixed with many foreign legends, because the Greeks merged with their Hercules all similar deities with which they became acquainted in their relations with the Phoenicians (Melkart), Egyptians and Celto-Germanic tribes. He is the son of Zeus and the Theban woman Alcmene and the ancestor of the royal families of Dorian, Thessalian and Macedonian. Condemned by the envy of the goddess Hera to serve the king of Argos Eurystheus, Hercules in myths performs twelve labors on his behalf: liberates the Peloponnese and other regions from monsters and beasts of prey, cleanses the stables of king Augeas in Elis, extracts golden apples from the gardens of the Hesperides (in northern Africa) with the help of The titan Atlas, for whom he holds the firmament for some time, passes through the so-called Pillars of Hercules to Spain, there he takes away the bulls from King Geryon, and then returns through Gaul, Italy and Sicily. From Asia he brings the belt of the Amazonian queen Hippolyta, in Egypt he kills the cruel king Busiris and brings the chained Cerberus out of the underworld. But he, too, falls into weakness for a time and performs female service for the Lydian queen Omphale; soon, however, he returns to his former courage, undertakes some more feats and finally takes his own life in the flames on Mount Ete, when the poisoned clothes sent to him by his wife Dejanira, who did not suspect the trouble, led the hero to inevitable death. Upon death, he was ascended to Olympus and married Hebe, the goddess of youth.

In all countries and on all shores where active maritime trade brought the Greeks, they found traces of their national hero, who preceded them, paving the way, whose labors and dangers, defeated by his heroism and perseverance, were a reflection of their own folk life. Greek mythology took its beloved hero from the extreme west, where the Atlas Range, the Gardens of the Hesperides and the Pillars of Hercules testified to his existence to Egypt and the shores of the Black Sea. The soldiers of Alexander the Great found it even in India.

In the Peloponnese, a myth arose about the cursed family of the Lydian or Phrygian Tantalus, whose son, the hero Pelops, through deception and cunning, took possession of the daughter and the region of the Elis king Oenomaus. His sons Atreus and Thyestes (Thiestes) allow themselves incest, infanticide and pass on to their descendants more greater degree curses. The mythological hero Orestes, son of Agamemnon, friend of Pylades, murderer of his mother Clytemnestra and her lover Aegisthus, by the return of his sister Iphigenia from Tauris, where she was a priestess of the barbarian worship of Artemis, is freed from the Erinnyes and atones for the sins of the entire Tantalus family.

In Lacedaemon, myths were told about the Tyndarid heroes - the twins Castor and Polydeuces (Pollux), brothers of Helen, who merged with the Dioscuri, the shining stars, patrons of sailors and sailors: they thought that their ascension would calm the storm.

The tribal hero of Thebes was the Phoenician Cadmus, who was looking for his sister Europe, who had been kidnapped by Zeus and taken as a cow to Boeotia. From him came King Laius, who, frightened by one saying of the oracle, ordered his son from Jocasta, Oedipus, to be thrown into a mountain gorge. But the son, according to Greek mythology, was saved, raised in Corinth, and subsequently killed his father, out of ignorance; He, having solved one riddle, freed the Theban region from the harmful monster of the Sphinx, and as a reward for this he received the widowed queen, his own mother, in marriage. Then, when grave disasters befell the country, and one elderly priest discovered a terrible secret, Jocasta took her own life, and Oedipus left his fatherland as a blind old man and ended his life in the town of Colone, in Attica; His sons Eteocles and Polynices, cursed by their father, killed each other during the Campaign of the Seven against Thebes. His daughter Antigone was doomed to death by the Theban king Creon because, contrary to his command, she buried the corpse of her brother.

The heroic brothers - the singer Amphion, the husband of Niobe, and the brave Zetus, armed with a club, also belong to Thebes. To avenge their mother, insulted by the nymph Dirka, they claimed the latter to the tail of the bull and tortured her to death (Farnese bull). In Boeotia and Attica, a legend was established about Tereus, the primitive king of the Thracians rich in myths who lived around Lake Copaida, and his sister and sister-in-law, Procne and Philomela, who, after killing the son of Tereus, were turned - one into a swallow, the other into a nightingale.

Thessaly, rich in horses, was populated by Greek myths about heroes with Centaurs (bull fighters) with a horse's body and legs, who fought the Lapiths, more than once depicted in Hellenic sculpture. The fairest of the wild centaurs was the herbalist Chiron, the mentor of Asclepius and Achilles.

In Athens, Theseus was a popular mythological hero. He was considered the founder of the city, for he united the scattered inhabitants into one community. He was the son of the Athenian king Aegeus, born and raised in Troezen by Pittheus. Having taken out his father's sword and sandals from under a huge block of stone and thereby proving his extraordinary strength, this hero, on his way back to his homeland, clears the isthmus from wild robbers (Procrustes and others) and frees the Athenians from the heavy tribute of seven boys and seven girls, which they had to send every nine years Cretan Minotaur. Theseus kills this monster, which had a bull's head on a human body, and with the help of a thread given to him by the royal daughter Ariadne, finds a way out of the Labyrinth. (The latest research rightly recognizes in the Greek myth of the Minotaur an allusion to the worship of Moloch, native to the island of Crete and associated with human sacrifices). Aegeus, believing that his son had died, because when returning he forgot to replace the black sail of the ship with a white one, in despair he threw himself into the sea, which received from him the name Aegean.

The name of Theseus is closely associated with the worship of the god Poseidon, in whose honor he established the Isthmian games. Poseidon gives a tragic ending love story the second wife of Theseus (Phaedra) with his son Hippolytus. The legend of Theseus has many similarities with the legend of Hercules. Like Hercules, the hero Theseus also descended into the underworld.