Greek Mythology: Persons and Places

 

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Aether

light, or fiery air.  The upper stratum of bright air where the gods live.  Aether generated life on earth.

 

Bacchus

Dionysus, the god of wine, and of ecstasy.

 

Cadmus

founded Thebes, a principal ancient Greek city.

 

Cerberus

a dog which guarded the entrance to Hades, letting pass anyone who entered, but devouring anyone attempting to leave.

 

Chaos

means literally "gaping void."  From Chaos arose Earth, Tartarus, Love, Darkness, and Night (Hesiod).

 

Cithaeron, or Kithaeron

mountain in ancient Greece, home of Mnemosyne.

 

Corinth

Greek province.

 

Delphi

dedicated to Apollo, famed for its oracle.

 

Demi-god

a minor deity, or a hero elevated to the status of a deity.

 

Echo

a garrulous nymph.  After a dismally unsuccessful love affair with Narcissus, she vanished, leaving behind only her voice, which is still heard in some places, reiterating words spoken by others.

 

Eleutherai

a city on Mt. Cithaeron

 

Endymion

a handsome young shepherd loved by Luna, the moon goddess.  When Zeus found out, he offered him the choice of death or perpetual sleep combined with perpetual youth.  Having opted for the latter, Endymion continues to sleep in his cave, visited occasionally by Luna.

 

Fate

the general scheme behind the world at large; the necessity which underlies all activities of gods and humans.

 

Helios

the sun god, who drives daily across the sky in a chariot, bringing light to gods and humans.

 

Hesperia

Italy.

 

Hyperion

and Theia were Titans who produced the light-gods: Helios (the sun), Selene (Luna, the moon), and Eos (the dawn).

 

Ilion

Ilium, or Troy

 

Ionia

ancient Greek name for the central part of the west coast of Asia Minor and the Aegean Islands.

 

Ismenosa

river in Boeothia, near Thebes.

 

Isthmus

of Corinth, central Greek province, site of the Isthmian games.

 

Luna

Selene, the moon goddess.

 

Olympus

mountainous residence of the Greek gods of the heavens; site of the Olympian games.

 

Orcus

Hades, the Underworld.

 

Paktolos

River in Lydia

 

Parnassus

mountain in Greece, one peak of which was sacred to Apollo, the other to the Muses.  Delphi is nearby.

 

Semele

was the daughter of Cadmus.  Zeus appeared as her lover in human format, and she gave birth to Bacchus.  Hera (Zeus' wife) became jealous and urged Semele to request Zeus to assume his divine appearance.  He eventually did so, and Semele was roasted to ashes.

 

Skamandros

Skamander, a river in Troy

 

Smyrna

City in Western Turkey, now Izmir.

 

Syrian

Jesus Christ.

 

Thebe

a nymph, loved by Asopos, a Boeothian river-god.

 

Titans

very ancient generation of Greek god-prototypes, the children of Uranos (Heaven) and Gaia (Earth).
 
 
   
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