Greek Gods

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   Mount Olympus:

   "Mount Olympus; born from the depths of the Underworld, rooted in the River of Souls, the mountain emerged from Chaos. As it grew, so did the power of the Olympians. It created a world of peace, a world of prosperity, a world that lives in the shadow and safety of the mountain, which has become the absolute measure of strength and power."

   Hystory: It is the highest mountain in Greece and is located in Thessaly. It was said to be the home of the Twelve Olympians, the principal gods of the Greek pantheon, who lived in crystal mansions. After the Great Titanomachy, the Palace of Olympus was built by the Cyclopes, the one-eyed giants freed by Zeus from the depths of Tartarus. In gratitude, they gifted Zeus his characteristic thunderbolts. Hephaestus, the skilled god of blacksmiths and the forge, created all the furniture and works of art on Olympus, and even crafted some of the chairs and tables that could move on their own in and out of the celestial hall.

   Appearance and what it was like: It's a city of palaces, the home of the gods, halfway between the physical world and the celestial realm, the heavens where the gods truly live, separate from mortal reality. In the heavens, where the wind never blows and there is no snow, it's always sunny. It's Mycenaean in style, with classical Greek palaces, one house for each god who lived there, and in the very center, at the highest point, was Zeus's palace, with golden bronze floors and a throne made of clouds.

   Interesting facts: Mount Olympus is where the gods rule and where they come to speak with Zeus, who has an exclusive place of his own on Olympus. After the Titanomachy, the sons of Cronus drew lots to determine the world. Hades won the Underworld, Poseidon the seas, and Zeus the physical sky. The agreement was that the three brothers would each receive a portion of the world. However, the Earth remained without a king due to its vastness, and Mount Olympus was decreed to be shared, with the three brothers ruling it.

   Places:

   • Assembly of the Gods: A common hall for all the gods, a bronze-floored room where each of their golden thrones stood, with a bonfire in the center.
   • Chain of Balance: The Chain of Balance was a gigantic chain that stretched from the Underworld to Mount Olympus. At the latter, it was supported by onyx bases. The Chain of Balance connected the Underworld to Mount Olympus, creating (as its name suggests) a balance between the two worlds. -The Garden of Olympus: The Garden of Olympus is a labyrinth of gardens with marble walls that belonged to the goddess Hera. It was enormous and bountiful, where every seed planted germinated abundantly. The animals and pets of the gods played peacefully there. It was located on Mount Olympus, just below the platforms of the Upper Gardens where Demeter governs the plants of the world. -Aeolus's Vents: The Aeolus's vents were located around Mount Olympus. These vents carried large quantities of air upwards, allowing one to ascend to different parts of the mountain. In addition to using the air to fly upwards, it was also used to descend through an airless vent. There were also smaller vents that produced currents strong enough to lift a person. -Olympus Caves: The Olympus Caves were located in the center of Mount Olympus, an underground paradise. Ancient glyphs adorn the walls of Cascade. The color palette of this region is mainly indigo and blue, with the occasional deep black. Mushrooms, Echo Flowers, gems embedded in the walls, and the water in some areas glow with an intense blue. As its name suggests, Cascade often has pools that create an immersive atmosphere, and in some areas, the ceiling drips. All kinds of subterranean plants grow here, some of which are now extinct. Beautiful and immense, these catacombs are used by people who want to enter Olympus without the gods' permission. Being far from Zeus's domain, Hephaestus created three mechanical beasts—a bull, a harpy, and a serpent—to hinder the passage of squatters. -The Sanctuary of the Flame of Olympus: The Flame of Olympus was an absolute power, more powerful than the Olympian gods themselves. Despite its seductive brilliance, it was lethal to anyone who touched it, regardless of their divinity, and could only be touched with the permission of a god. The palace is an enormous golden vault with elevators that lift a person to the pedestal of the Flame of Olympus. The Titan Prometheus stole this flame and gave humans the knowledge of how to make it, granting them the power to create fire. -The Battle Arena or Forum: The Arena or Forum was a battlefield located on Mount Olympus, more precisely on one of its slopes. It was probably the gods' favorite place to witness and even participate in battles, functioning as a small coliseum. It had tiered seating, and in the main arena, two thrones, belonging to Zeus and Hera respectively, could be seen in the center of the tiers. However, Hercules was apparently the Olympian who used and commanded the Arena most frequently, for his own entertainment. There was an iron gate beneath the aforementioned thrones, through which warriors and enemies could enter. Large statues of goddesses adorned the walls, and some walls were covered with overgrown, thorny vines. -Hyperion Gates: These portals, named after the great Titan Hyperion, were scattered throughout Olympus and used to travel great distances in a very short time. They were also easy to use for very short distances, functioning as teleportation portals that instantly transported their user from one place to another. The most notable example is the one to the Underworld, which transported its user back to Olympus. Several gates were located near the Chain of Balance. Another Hyperion Gate connected Poseidon's Chamber, Aphrodite's Chamber, and the Forge, though it was rarely used. -The Path of Eos: The Path of Eos is a hidden cavern located near the foot of Mount Olympus. It is accessed through a hidden door in the mountainside. Beyond the door extends the Path of Eos, comprised of numerous tunnels, stone paths, and walkways. Some sections of the path are very dark, requiring a powerful light source to traverse them. The path is swarming with Sentinels of Olympus, Archers of Olympus, and Specters of Olympus. At the end of the path is a gigantic Aeolian chimney, used to reach the Caverns of Olympus, located higher up the mountain. -Zeus's Battle Arena: The arena consisted of two rocky outcrops shaped like eagle wings, which were eventually destroyed during Gaia's disappearance. This place was a ritual site where Zeus practiced his fighting skills and was forbidden to mortals. It was a circular arena with a huge golden eagle emblem in the center and a small altar in front of it. -Hestia's Hearth/The Olympian Prytaneion: The common area of ​​the gods located in the center of Olympus, where the bedroom/hearth is located, where Hestia rests upon her sacred flame. -The Gardens of Demeter. The Gardens of Demeter are vast expanses of fields on Mount Olympus where Demeter works the land and moves the seasons; in short, Demeter's work area.

   Temple of Helios

   "The temple upon which the chariot of Helios rests and from which it departs. The means of transport that the Horses of Fire carried through the sky each day, allowing the brilliance of Helios to illuminate all of humanity."

   The Temple of Helios is a structure built for Helios, the Sun God, hidden within the Chariot of the Sun.

   History: Beyond the city of Marathon lies a temple, shaped like a gigantic chariot. The temple it houses is actually the Chariot of Helios, brought from the sky to Earth by the Horses of Fire.

   Appearance: The temple is filled with sculptures honoring Helios and the Horses of Fire, and in the center stands a large statue of Eos, the Goddess of Dawn and sister of Helios.

   Locations:

   • The Throne Room of Helios: Here you will find the Shield of the Sun, necessary to access the different chambers of the temple.

   • The three statues: In honor of the Horses of Fire, the spirits of each horse rest in their respective statues; to the east, west, and south of the temple. The first one he finds and releases possesses the spirit of Euros, the God of the East Wind; then that of Notos, the God of the South Wind; and finally that of Zephyrs, the God of the West Wind.

   Upon releasing them, they create a stream of light that flows to the Sanctuary of the Fire Horses, the front part of the temple and the location of three statues representing the Fire Horses.

   Hades / Erebus / Underworld:

   The Underworld is the realm of the dead in Greek mythology, where all mortals go after death. It is ruled by Hades, the god of the Underworld. It is described as a cold, cavernous, and wet landscape located directly below the world of the living and beneath the ocean, where the River Styx carries even the strongest mortals to their eternal abode.

   Fun fact: Hades is not only a land of the dead, but also a land of riches and monsters; it is full of all things that could frighten and terrify.

   The Rivers of the Underworld: -Styx (Hatred): The Styx lagoon is one of the oldest in the universe. This lagoon is connected to the River Styx, which draws its waters from it. It is the lagoon in which the gods swore oaths, and its waters could grant invulnerability if one submerged in them and managed to emerge. -The Phlegethon -The Phlegethon (whose meaning is "Burning Fire" or "The Burning One"): It is so named because of its wild waters and rivers that are so strong they can be compared to fire. -The River Cocytus (whose meaning is Kôkytos or lament): It is one of the five rivers of Hades in Greek mythology. Known as the river of lament, its waters are described as black and icy, composed of the weeping and eternal sadness of souls. The Cocytus is one of the rivers that flow into the Acheron. The souls of the dead who failed to pay Charon or who wandered restlessly often ended up on its banks. Along with the Phlegethon (the river of fire), the Cocytus is strongly associated with punishment and eternal torment. -The River Acheron: the twin of the River Styx, which is also found at the entrance to the underworld. Charon crossed this river and the Styx to carry the souls of the dead.

   Places in the Underworld: -The Garden of Gates: For some reason, there are many gates in the underworld with countless functions, some for different types of dead, some more abstract than others. There is a gate for the sun, where Helios and his steeds pass when they finish their journey of carrying the sun across the sky and letting the night pass. And there are the gates of sleep; there are several, but the two most important are one of ivory and the other of horn. The ivory gate is not significant, and those who pass through the horn gates are prophetic dreams. -Islands of the Blessed: The Isles of the Blessed (also known as the Fortunate Isles) are a paradise located at the far west of Hades. They were the place of eternal rest where Cronus reigned. When Zeus imprisoned the Titans, Cronus escaped, arriving in Italy. There he ruled the humans of the area alongside the Roman god Janus before retiring when he learned that humans were fine on their own. He went before Zeus to apologize for his actions, and Zeus sent him to Tartarus but then gave him the Isles of the Blessed to reign over, a place of beautiful flowers where the people Cronus wants to be on his island go. Hades' Palace: The palace of Hades, located in the Underworld, was the residence of the god Hades and his wife Persephone. The three judges of the Underworld—Minos, Rhadamanthus, and Aeacus—sat in the courtyard. There, at the sacred trivium to Hecate, where three paths converge, souls were judged: they returned to the Fields of Asphodel if they were neither virtuous nor wicked, they were sent down the path to Tartarus if they were impious or wicked, or they were sent to Elysium (Islands of the Blessed) with the "irreproachable" heroes or if you were a good person or a "model" person. The place is an elegant but cold and dusty hall, with checkered floors covered in cobwebs. Pirithous, Theseus's friend who came to kidnap Persephone, is also there. Although he was tortured at first, he was pardoned because they liked him, and now he acts as a doorman who greets the souls that enter the palace. -Temple of Persephone: The Temple of Persephone is a temple dedicated to Persephone, the queen of the underworld and wife of Hades. Located in the underworld, it has gold floors and marble columns, reddish lighting, and connects to the Garden of Persephone. -Groves of Persephone: Before pure souls could enter the Elysian Fields, they had to reach a grove of black poplars and barren willows. This was the Grove of Persephone. There, the souls met Hades and his wife Persephone. Pillar of the World: The Pillar of the World was a pillar located in the Underworld that supported the Greek world and prevented its collapse. Directly above the pillar was the Island of Creation. -Asphodel Meadows - Ruins of Asphodel: The Asphodel Meadows is the "neutral" region of the Underworld. Also known as the Meadows of Asphodel, it lies between the Elysian Fields and the depths of Tartarus. There, the souls of those who were neither good enough to enter Elysium nor wicked enough to be imprisoned in Tartarus spend eternity. These are beautiful but not particularly lovely fields where asphodel flowers bloom, and ash occasionally falls nearby. In the same area are the Ruins of Asphodel Meadows, mysterious remains of temple-like structures located within the meadows. -Elysian Fields: The Elysian Fields were the part of the Underworld where the souls of the good and pure resided. Unlike the rest of the Underworld, it was a paradise, and there stood the World Pillar, a gigantic column that supported the Greek world. The Elysian Fields are inhabited by souls considered pure or virtuous. These souls live in harmony, forming an idealized community free from suffering. The realm lacks rulers, government, or structured social systems; instead, it represents a peaceful afterlife reserved for those deemed worthy. In mythology, the realm can also house heroes or those who died nobly. -Gates of Tisiphone: Gates of Tisiphone. The image of the World Pillar was engraved on them. If you solve the riddle necessary to open the gates, you can enter the domains of Gaia, where one of the most precious objects in the entire universe is found: the Omphalos Stone, the stone that Gaia used to deceive Cronus. -Tartarus: Tartarus was the darkest part of the Underworld. There, the souls of the wicked were sent to be tortured eternally, and there Zeus imprisoned the Titans. Tartarus was conceived as the opposite of heaven, an inverted dome lying beneath the Earth. It is a place of darkness and destruction, a place of profound gloom, far from light and divine blessings. It is a place of torment, a space of pain where the wicked are punished alongside the Titans in an eternal condemnation. Some souls tortured in Tartarus may be given a chance to be reborn and purified. -The Pit of Tartarus: This was the site of the Titanomachy between the Olympian gods and the Titans. The deepest part of Tartarus, after the great ten-year war, the Pit of Tartarus was used to imprison the Titans and to create a statue of Zeus in his victory.

   Island of Creation:

   The Island of Creation is the place where all life in Greece began. According to legend, it is the home of the Sisters of Fate and lies at the edge of the Greek world. It is so far removed from any civilization that it would take at least six days riding Pegasus nonstop to reach it from near the center of Greece. It is also one of the most heavily guarded places known, as whoever manages to defeat the sisters will be able to change their destiny and control time itself.

   Creation: When the universe arose, only Chaos existed. Over time, Chaos grew tired of being just chaos and created its first creature, Pontus, the primordial sea from which everything emerged. This pleased it, and then it created Nyx and later Gaia. They joined Chaos, and together they created the world of Greece: a great flat circle surrounded by an immense circular ocean. Wishing to contemplate their work, they created the Island of Creation. Soon, Uranus joined Gaia and the others so they wouldn't be so alone, and Gaia gave birth to the Titans. The Titans ruled until the Fates gained more power over the island, forcing them to leave and explore the mortal world.

   Locations on the Island of Creation: -Stalls of Time: Long ago, the great Titan Kronos gifted the Sisters of Fate the Stalls of Time, hoping to alter their destiny. The Sisters of Fate used the Stalls of Time to move the Island of Creation away from the edge of the Earth when it expanded. -Temple of Lahkesis: The Temple of Lahkesis is a temple on the Island of Creation, dedicated to one of the Sisters of Fate. The Amulets of the Fates are found here. You can speak to Lahkesis herself through her statue (humorously, the other sisters keep making a mess of the Temple of Lahkesis, since among the three twin sisters, Lahkesis is the hottest xd). -Courtyard of Fate: The Courtyard of Fate is a large, ornate courtyard located beyond the Temple of Lahkesis. At one end of the courtyard is a barrier, created by beams emanating from the eyes of the statue of Lahkesis. Beyond the barrier is a path leading to the Swamp of the Forgotten, guarded by several Cyclopes. The Courtyard of Fate also leads to the Court of Atropos. -Swamp of the Forgotten: The Swamp of the Forgotten is a dense, deep swampy forest located on the Island of Creation. It is so named because the Gifts of Experience are found almost immediately after the entrance. -Courtyard of Atropos: The Courtyard of Atropos is a large, open courtyard with a gigantic stone image of Atropos. The courtyard contains multiple chambers and corridors that run through and around it, leading to the Hall of Atropos. Like the stone image of Lahkesis in the Courtyard of Fate, the image of Atropos has two beams emanating from its eyes, creating a barrier that blocks the path beyond the courtyard. Behind the barrier is the passage to the Lowlands. -Lowlands: The Lowlands are a series of cliffs and canyons in the interior of the Island of Creation. This place guards the Spear of Destiny, a magical weapon with purple crystals embedded in its ends, which could be used to pierce enemies and even create explosive crystals. It also had the ability to extend and retract for longer-range attacks. The Spear was immensely powerful, and both Gaia and the Fates recognized its potential and were wary of its power. Lahkesis and Atropos stated that the Spear had the power to kill them and make its wielder powerful enough to face Zeus and have a chance of winning. At the end of the Lowlands lies the Great Abyss. -Great Abyss: The Great Abyss was a gigantic canyon, full of broken passageways, on the Island of Creation, between the Lowlands and the Palace of Fates. -Palace of Fates: The Palace of Fates is a grand, ornate palace located on the Island of Creation, beyond the Great Abyss. Upon arriving here, you will find two statues at the palace's main gate. Their faces are not visible, but they represent Zeus and Cronus, commemorating their past visits to the Fates. The palace is surrounded by forests, fog, and the sea, making access difficult. -Spirit: Rising majestically above the Island of Creation is an enormous Spire that emerges from the ground and pierces the sky with its height. The Sisters of Fate dwell within. The spire has the appearance of a gigantic statue of a bird. -Temple of Fates: No one, not even the Titans, knows how to reach the Temple of the Sisters. But it is said that whoever finds it will wield great power. The Temple of the Fates is the sacred temple of the Sisters of Fate, located high atop the Island of Creation. It is located in a sea of ​​dark fog, at the edge of the world. The only way to reach the temple is to summon the Phoenix and ride it to the Spire, from where the temple can be accessed. It is said that time stops completely inside the temple. -Inner Sanctuary: The Inner Sanctuary is the "inner" part of the Temple of the Fates. Located beyond the Throne of Lahkesis, it contains three murals depicting past, present, and future events. The first alludes to the Great War between the Titans and the Olympians and the threat of its resurgence; the second shows the aftermath of the great war and the age of heroes; and the last alludes to the Trojan War and Odysseus's journey back to Ithaca, which marks the end of Greek mythology before the Classical period of Greece, where creation was complete. -Loom Chamber: Here, the sisters weave the threads of life for all beings, including Titans, Gods, and Mortals. The chamber consists of several levels and features various spiked pendulums hanging from different ledges.

   The Labyrinth is an underground maze, originally built in Crete by Daedalus to imprison the Minotaur. This ambitious project consumed Minos to the point that he forbade Daedalus from undertaking any other project until he finished the great structure that would serve as a prison for the Minotaur and other creatures that had slithered in.

   The labyrinth is confusing and deceptive, although it can be navigated with a map—it's so large that the hero Theseus needed Ariadne's thread to avoid getting lost.

   After Daedalus fell from grace, he was imprisoned, along with his son Icarus, in the same labyrinth. But Daedalus built himself and his son wax wings with which, having cleared the walls of the strange prison, they soared over the Mediterranean. Icarus, disobeying his father's advice, flew so close to the sun that the rays melted the wax of the wings, and he fell into the sea.

   Ariadne's thread: a ball of red wool yarn that she wound around as Theseus made his way through the Labyrinth, holding the other end. This allowed him to find his way out of the Minotaur's Labyrinth, leaving a trail of the thread behind him. After defeating the Minotaur, he was able to easily find his way back simply by following the thread. The thread is still there and can guide you from the entrance to the exit of the Labyrinth.

   The Crossroads:

   The Crossroads is a place between the Underworld and the Surface, located in a cave that connects to the Underworld, where Hecate is often found. It is a small, dilapidated place with a huge cauldron, magical runes on the rock walls (whose fate is unknown if they fall), and makeshift tents that Hecate uses for storage. It is situated along a river.

   The Crossroads can also be used as a passage point, as it connects to some Hyperion Gates and also provides access to the caves of Olympus.

   Oracle of Delphi:

   The Oracle of Delphi is a large sacred precinct dedicated primarily to the god Apollo. At its center stood his great temple, where Greeks came to consult the gods on troubling matters. Located in Greece, at the foot of Mount Parnassus, a site consecrated to the god himself and the Muses, in the mountains of Phocis, 700 meters above sea level and 9.5 kilometers from the Gulf of Corinth.

   Pythia: It is known that the selection of this figure was made without any distinction of social class. The candidate was only required to have an irreproachable life and conduct. The appointment was for life, and she pledged to live forever in the sanctuary.

   History: The oracle used to belong to Gaia and Poseidon, and Gaia gave her share to Themis. After Apollo killed the serpent Python, Themis decided to give her share to him. This angered Gaia even more because her son had been killed. Apollo decided to place the omphalos, the stone that Cronus swallowed thinking it was Zeus, in the very center of the sanctuary, at its deepest point. This appeased Gaia. Since Apollo didn't like to share his sanctuary, he decided to approach Poseidon and exchange his share of Delphi for one of his cities, Calauria. Thus, Apollo kept the entire sanctuary for himself.

   THE KENTAUROI (Centaurs) were a tribe of half-man, half-horse savages who inhabited the mountains and forests of Thessalian Magnesia. They were a primitive race who made their homes in caves, hunted wild animals for food and armed themselves with rocks and tree branches. The Kentauroi were spawned by the cloud-nymphe Nephele after she was violated by the impious Lapith king Ixion. were spawned by the cloud-nymph Nephele after she was violated by the impious Lapith king Ixion. She deposited her double-formed brood on Mount Pelion where they were nursed by the daughters of the immortal kentauros Kheiron (Chiron).

   The Kentauroi were invited to attend the wedding of their half-brother Peirithoos (Pirithous) but became drunk at the festivities and attempted to carry off the bride and other female guests. In the battle which ensued most of the Kentauroi were destroyed.

   Another tribe of Kentauroi (Centaurs) dwelt in the western Peloponnese where they came into conflict with the hero Herakles. Another tribe of bull-horned Kentauroi were native to the island of Kypros (Cyprus). Female Kentauroi, Kentaurides (Centaurides), were also known but only occur in late classical art and literature.

   KERBEROS (Cerberus) was the gigantic, three-headed hound of Haides which guarded the gates of the underworld and prevented the escape of the shades of the dead.

   Kerberos was depicted as a three-headed dog with a serpent's tail, mane of snakes, and a lion's claws. According to some he had fifty heads although this count may have included the serpents of his mane.

   Herakles (Heracles) was sent to fetch Kerberos as one of his twelve labours, a task which he accomplished with the aid of the goddess Persephone.

   Kerberos' name perhaps means "Death-Daemon of the Dark" from the ancient Greek words kêr and erebos.

   THE KETEA (Cetea) were the monsters of the sea, the two greatest of which were the Ketos (Cetus) slain by Perseus in Aithiopia (Ethiopia) and the Ketos slain by Herakles at Troy.

   Ketea were usually depicted as serpentine fish with long rows of sharp teeth. Nereides often appear riding side-saddle on the backs of these creatures.

   Ketos was also a generic word for any large sea-creature and included mundane whales and sharks

   THE KHIMAIRA (Chimera) was a three-headed monster which ravaged the countryside of Lykia (Lycia) in Anatolia. It was a bizarre fire-breathing creature with the body and head of a lion, a goat's head rising from its back, the udders of a goat, and a serpent for a tail.

   The hero Bellerophon was commanded by King Iobates to slay the beast. He rode into battle on the back of the winged horse Pegasos and drove a lead-tipped lance into its flaming throat, choking the beast on molten metal.

   THE GIGANTES were a tribe of a hundred giants born of the earth-goddess Gaia. According to some she was impregnated by the blood of the castrated sky-god Ouranos (Uranus).

   At the urging of Gaia the Gigantes waged war on the gods and were destroyed in the ensuing battle. The most famous of the combatants were Enkelados (Enceladus) who was buried by Athena beneath Mount Etna, Polybotes who was crushed by an island cast by Poseidon, and Porphyrion who was slain by Zeus and Herakles when he attempted to violate the goddess Hera.

   The Giants were depicted as either spear-wielding hoplite warriors in armour or primitives clothed in animal-skins and armed with rocks and flaming brands. In sculpture and mosaic art they were usually depicted with the tails of serpents in place of legs.

   The Gigantes might have represented the primitive tribes of Thrake (Thrace), north of Greece, whose barbarian culture unfavorably contrasted with Greek civilisation. According to some, the Thrakians were born from the blood or ashes of the vanquished giants.

   THE GRYPS (Griffin) was a beast with the head and wings of an eagle and the body of a lion.

   A tribe of the creatures guarded rich deposits of gold in the mountains of Skythia (Scythia) in north-eastern Europe. Their one-eyed neighbours, the Arimaspians, battled them for these riches.

   Decorative griffins were popular in ancient Greek art and later in medieval bestiaries and heraldry.

   THE HARPYIAI (Harpies) were the spirits (daimones) of sudden, sharp gusts of wind. They were known as the hounds of Zeus and were despatched by the god to snatch away (harpazô) people and things from the earth. Sudden, mysterious dissappearances were often attributed to the Harpyiai.

   The Harpyiai were once sent by Zeus to plague King Phineus of Thrake (Thrace) as punishment for revealing the secrets of the gods. Whenever a plate of food was set before him, the Harpyiai would swoop down and snatch it away, befouling any scraps left behind. When the Argonauts came to visit, the winged Boreades gave chase, and pursued the Harpies to the Strophades Islands, where the goddess Iris commanded them to turn back and leave the storm-spirits unharmed.

   The Harpyiai were depicted as winged women, sometimes with ugly faces, or with the lower bodies of birds.

   HIPPOKAMPOI (Hippocamps) were the fish-tailed horses of the sea. They were depicted as composite creatures with the head and fore-parts of a horse and the serpentine-tail of a fish. In mosaic art they were often had green scales and fish-fin manes and appendages.

   The ancients believed they were the adult-form of the small fish we call the "sea-horse". Hippokampoi were the mounts of Nereid nymphs and sea-gods, and Poseidon drove a chariot drawn by two or four of the creatures.

   Other fish-tailed land animals which appear in ancient art include the "Leokampos" (fish-tailed lion), "Taurokampos" (fish-tailed bull), "Pardalokampos" (fish-tailed leopard), and "Aigikampos" (fish-tailed goat). The last was the form of the constellation Capricorn. Fabulous creatures of this type were believed to be common in the Indian Ocean (see Ketea Indikoi).

   HYDRA LERNAIA (Lernaean Hydra) was a gigantic, nine-headed water-serpent, which haunted the swamps of Lerna. Herakles (Heracles) was sent to destroy her as one of his twelve labours, but for each of her heads that he decapitated, two more sprang forth. So with the help of Iolaos (Iolaus), he applied burning brands to the severed stumps, cauterizing the wounds and preventing the regeneration. In the battle he also crushed a giant crab beneath his heel which had come to assist the Hydra. The Hydra and the Crab were afterwards placed amongst the stars by Hera as the Constellations Hydra and Cancer.

   THE MINOTAUROS (Minotaur) was a bull-headed monster born to Queen Pasiphae of Krete (Crete). The creature lived in the maze-like corridors of the labyrinth, receiving regular offerings meant to satisfy its relentless hunger. The beast was eventually slain by the hero Theseus.

   The Minotauros' proper name Asterion, "the starry one," suggests he might have been associated with the constellation Tauros.

   PEGASOS (Pegasus) was an immortal, winged horse which sprang from the neck of the beheaded Gorgon Medousa (Medusa). It was tamed by Bellerophon who rode it into battle against the fire-breathing monster known as the Khimaira (Chimera). Later the hero attempted to fly to heaven but Zeus caused the horse to buck throwing him back down to earth in disgrace. Pegasos winged his way on to Olympos where he became the thunderbolt-bearer of Zeus.

   Pegasos was commemorated amongst the stars as the constellation of the same name. Its rising marks the arrival of spring and, in Greece, of seasonal thunderstorms.

   Pegasos' name means either "of the spring" from the Greek word pêgê, or "sprung forth" from the word pêgazô. The first alludes to the steed's connection with various springs, and the latter to its birth from the Gorgon's neck.

   THE SATYROI (Satyrs) were rustic fertility spirits of the countryside and wilds. They consorted with the Nymphai (Nymphs) and were companions of the gods Dionysos, Hermes, Hephaistos, Pan, Rhea-Kybele and Gaia.

   Satyroi were depicted as animalistic men with asinine ears, pug noses, reclining hair-lines, and the tails of horses. As companions of Dionysos they were usually shown drinking, dancing, playing flutes and sporting with the Mainades (Maenads).

   Some of the more specific types of Satyroi were the Panes (goat-legged satyrs), Seilenoi (Silens) (elderly satyrs), Satyriskoi (Satyrisci) (child satyrs), and Tityroi (flute-playing satyrs).

   Actors dressed as Satyroi formed the choruses of the so-called Satyr-plays which were performed at the festivals of the god Dionysos.

   Achlys is the goddess of the eternal night and the first creature that some say existed even before Chaos himself. According to Hesiod, she is the demon of death.

   Aether is the god of light and the spark of life for every creature. Etymologically, Aether means the highest and purest layer of air.

   Aion is the god of eternity, a ghostly primordial deity who personified the meaning of time (sometimes confused with god Chronos). In Greek, Aion means 'century'. Although incorporeal, he was also portrayed as a monster with a snake body and three heads: one human (male), one bull and one lion. According to myth, Aion and his companion Ananke wrapped themselves around the cosmic egg and broke it to form the sorted Universe.

   Ananke is the goddess of inevitability, compulsion, and necessity. She was an inevitable divine force who, with Aion, wrapped around the cosmic egg to form the Universe.

   Chaos is the god of the void and the beginning of all life. According to most versions of Greek myths, Chaos pre-existed all.

   Chronos is the god of time. Not to be confused with Aion (god of eternity) or Cronus (the Titan).

   Erebus is the god of darkness and shadow. He symbolizes the silence and the depth of the night together with his sister, the goddess Nyx. He is usually represented as a winged, dark and huge being, a duo with Nyx.

   Eros is the primordial god of love and procreation. Not to be confused with Eros, the winged god of desire that appears later in mythology. He symbolizes the driving force that unites everything, giving birth to the rest.

   Gaia is the goddess of the earth (Mother Earth). She is the mother of all - the primeval mother. At a cosmogenic level, she symbolizes the material side of the Universe whereas Chaos symbolizes the space of the Universe.

   Hemera is the goddess of day.

   Hypnos is the god of sleep and father of Morpheus.

   Nemesis is the goddess of retribution.

   Nesoi are the goddesses of islands.

   Nyx is the goddess of night. She was a sovereign, primordial and cosmogenic entity, respected and feared by most gods. She is the sister of Erebus, the god of darkness and shadow.

   Ourea are the gods of mountains.

   Pontus is the god of the sea and father of the sea creatures.

   Tartarus is the god of the darkest and deepest part of the Underworld - the original god of the Underworld. The Underworld was the place where the wicked are imprisoned and tortured eternally after their death.

   Thalassa is the goddess of the sea and consort of god Pontus.

   Thanatos is the god of death. He is the twin brother of Hypnos (god of sleep) and lives in the dark Tartarus.

   Uranus is the god of the heavens. He soon became ruler of the world and father of the Titans.

   Cronus is the Titan god of the harvest. Although the youngest of the first twelve Titans, he became the ruler of the world after overthrowing his father, Uranus. He then married his older sister, Rhea.

   Rhea is the Titan goddess of fertility and generation. She determines the flow of things and her name literally means 'the one that flows' in Greek.

   Oceanus is the Titan god of the oceans. He was the eldest son of Uranus and Gaia. His dominion extended in every corner of the Earth and all parts of the horizon. Oceanus was the personification of water and he paired with his sister, the Titaness Tethys.

   Tethys is the Titan goddess of the rivers and fresh water. She was the wife of Oceanus and the mother of more than 3000 River gods (rivers personified by the Ancient Greeks), the Oceanids (nymphs of springs, streams and fountains) and the Nephelai (nymphs of clouds).

   Hyperion is the Titan god of light. His dazzling light shone in all directions. His name means 'the one who goes above the earth' in Greek. He symbolized eternal splendor. He fell in love with his sister, the Titan goddess Theia.

   Theia is the Titan goddess of the aether. Theia bore the Titan Hyperion three shining children: Helios (the Sun), Eos (the Dawn), and Selene (the Moon).

   Iapetus is the Titan god of mortal life. He was symbolizing mortality and the mortal life-span. He fathered the Titans Atlas (who was responsible for bearing the weight of the heavens on his shoulders), Prometheus (who gifted fire to men) and Epimetheus (who married Pandora, the first mortal woman). Iapetus was also considered the personification of one of the four pillars that hold the heavens and the earth apart.

   Crius is the Titan god of constellations. His name in Greek means 'ram' and it shows his connection with the constellation Aries.

   Coeus is the Titan god of intellect. He was also considered the embodiment of the celestial axis around which the heavens revolve. He married his sister, Phoebe.

   Phoebe is the Titan goddess of prophecy and oracular intellect. Phoebe bore the Titan Coeus two children, Leto and Asteria. The Titaness Leto later copulated with the Olympian god Zeus and bore the Olympians Artemis and Apollo. Given that Phoebe symbolized prophetic wisdom just as Coeus represented rational intelligence, the couple may have possibly functioned together as the primal font of all knowledge in the cosmos.

   Themis is the Titan goddess of divine law and order. She also had the ability to predict the future and thus, she later became one of the Oracles in Delphi.

   Mnemosyne is the Titan goddess of memory. Mnemosyne was generally regarded as the personification of memory and remembrance. Later, Zeus slept with Mnemosyne for nine consecutive days, eventually leading to the birth of the nine Muses. In Hesiod's Theogony, the kings and poets were inspired by Mnemosyne and the Muses, thus getting their extraordinary abilities in speech and using powerful words.

   Zeus was recognized as the father of gods and humans. He regulated the celestial phenomena and defined the laws that govern people. He held the lightning bolt with one hand and the scepter with the other, which had an eagle at the top. He was known as the 'Lord of Justice'. People respected and feared him at the same time. He was taking care of the families, keeping vigil in the home of every mortal and protecting strangers and passers-by from evil. Zeus' wife was the goddess Hera, to whom he was not always faithful.

   Demeter was the Greek goddess of agriculture and protected the trees, plants and grains. She was the first to make the earth fruitful and taught people how to grow wheat, barley and other plants. Demeter is somewhat isolated from the twelve gods in ancient myths because she is an even more ancient goddess herself. According to Greek mythology, Demeter's daughter is Persephone, who was abducted by God Hades and became his wife.

   Poseidon was one of the six children of Cronus and Rhea and brother of Zeus. He was allotted the kingdom of the sea but he was also considered the god of horses and earthquakes. This is why he was called 'the earth-shaker'. He rarely lived on Olympus, preferring the depths of the ocean. He was sitting on a famous chariot drawn by immortal horses and holding in his hand the famous trident, forged by the Cyclops.

   Hades was the brother of Zeus and Poseidon and the god of the Underworld. He was allotted this kingdom when the three brothers took a draw to decide who will take each of three (heavens, sea and the Underworld). He liked to live in the dark and shadowed world of the dead and was rarely seen on Olympus. He was also known as Pluto. 'Plutos' in Greek means wealth. The Earth is giving us a lot of treasures and since Hades' kingdom is underneath it, the ancient Greeks believed that he was the one delivering the wealth to them.

   Goddess Hera was the sister of Zeus, daughter of the Titans Cronus and Rhea, and at the same time Zeus' wife. Hera symbolized and protected the sacred institution of marriage. She blessed and helped the women in labor. Greek mythology presents Hera as a modest, measured and faithful woman, but at the same time very jealous. Hera had a strong female personality and she was the only one that dared to object to Zeus.

   Apollo and Artemis were siblings, twins actually, children of Zeus and Leto, a Titan goddess. Apollo is one of the most important and complex Greek gods. He is the god of light, music and poetry, healing and prophecy. He was the one that established the great Oracle of Delphi, which was considered the center of the ancient world. He was the teacher of the nine Muses and when they sang he accompanied them with his famous lyre.

   Artemis, Apollo's twin sister, was the goddess of hunting, wild animals and the wilderness. She spent her time in the woods, accompanied by the Nymphs, hunting, with her bow and arrows. She was a virgin goddess and protector of young girls. She was also worshipped as one of the primary goddesses of childbirth and midwifery, relieving the women in labor from diseases. She was sometimes associated with the goddess of the moon.

   Ares, the god of war, was the son of the Greek gods Zeus and Hera. He was always followed by two of his faithful sons and followers, the gods Deimos and Phobos. Ares was handsome and strong, young and well-armed. He loved war and battles so he was hated by people and his worship was limited. Only in Sparta he was particularly worshipped and had a statue dedicated to him.

   Hephaestus was the god of fire and blacksmiths. He was born ugly and that is why his mother, the goddess Hera, unable to nourish him, threw him out of Olympus. Since then he has been limping. Hephaestus fell into the sea, where he was picked up by the Nereids and raised by them. Growing up, he became a famous craftsman and set up his workshop on Mount Etna in Sicily. Hephaestus, the god of fire, gave his name to the volcanoes in the Greek language. It was from him that the Titan Prometheus took the fire and gave it to the people.

   Hermes was the god of wealth, trade, thieves and travelers. He was also known as the Messenger God, being the herald of the Olympians and carrying messages between them. He was the son of Zeus and Maia, daughter of Titan Atlas. He was a clever, inventive and arrogant god. As soon as he was born, Hermes saw a turtle. He took her shell, placed seven strings in it and invented the lyre. Hermes wore winged sandals and held the caduceus, his wand which had two serpents twined around it. He was the one who accompanied the souls of the dead to Hades.

   Athena, according to Greek mythology, was the goddess of wisdom and strategic warfare. Athena was the beloved daughter of Zeus. Her mother was the Titaness Metis, the first wife of Zeus. Later, Zeus began to suffer from headaches and called on Hephaestus to help him. Hephaestus hit the head of Zeus with his hammer and Athena sprang out in full armor. She is always pictured to be armed, never as a child, always a virgin. She won the battle for the patronage of Athens over Poseidon. The Parthenon in Athens is the most famous temple dedicated to her.

   Although a demi-god, Dionysus managed to win the heart of the gods and his place on Mount Olympus! As a god of wine, viticulture ritual madness and religious ecstasy, he was very beloved among the people and was considered a very important god. He was the son of god Zeus and the mortal Semele. He was the patron god of theater and taught people how to make wine. The Athenians, to honor Dionysus, held a famous celebration, characteristic of his merriment.

   Hestia was the goddess of domestic life, home and hearth, the flame that kept a family's home warm. She was the eldest daughter of Cronus and Rhea, and the eldest sister of Zeus. In the middle of the ancient Greeks' home, there was an altar in her honor. The women of the house had as a responsibility to keep Hestia's flame burning. Goddess Hestia was the first to invent the construction of houses, taught it to people and became the protector of family peace and happiness.

   Hecate is the goddess of magic and necromancy. She was the one that helped the goddess Demeter in search of her daughter. Dogs were closely associated with her. The ancient Greeks believed that when dogs suddenly barked at night, Hecate was passing by.

   Aeolus is the god of the winds. He was supervising the eight Wind Gods (each wind direction was personified by ancient Greeks).

   Asclepius is the god of medicine. He was the son of god Apollo who taught him the science of medicine.

   Eris is the goddess of jealousy and discord. She was the one that threw the golden apple at the wedding of Thetis and Peleus because they did not invite her. Her action was the starting point that would later lead to the epic Trojan war.

   Pan is the god of wild, shepherds and rustic music. He is considered to be one of the oldest Greek gods and was especially beloved among the people.

   Typhon was the last child of Gaia, fathered by Tartarus, and is considered the most powerful and deadliest of all creatures in Greek mythology. His appearance would be accompanied by a devastating storm and his true form was hard to describe accurately. Some say he had a human-like upper half and others that instead of one head he had a hundred dragon heads. His bottom half consisted of gigantic viper coils which made a hissing noise. He had huge wings and fire flashed from his eyes. Typhon was a monster that even the Olympians were afraid of. His mate was Echidna, with whom he fathered many famous monsters. Zeus confronted Typhon by throwing 100 lightning bolts on him and trapped him under Mount Etna in Sicily. (Extremely Rare To Encounter)

   Echidna was half a winged woman with glittering eyes and half a huge, scaly serpent. She had a seductive woman's face and a reptile's body. She was immortal and used to drag her victims to earth-shattered pits where she liked to devour them alive. She lived in a cave deep beneath the Earth. Echidna gave birth to many famous monsters in Greek mythology. Her mate was Typhon. After their defeat by the Olympians and the banishment of Typhon, Echidna and her offspring lived on to challenge future heroes. Like other female monsters, she had the upper body of a beautiful woman and the lower body of a dragon. (Extremely Rare To Encounter)

   The Gorgons were three deadly sisters whose hair was made of living, venomous snakes and they could turn anyone into stone just by looking into their eyes. The famous sisters were Stheno, Euryale and Medusa. Medusa is the most famous and notorious among her kind. According to some accounts, she was not always a terrifying monster but a beautiful priestess at the Temple of Athena. Poseidon raped her and Athena punished her by turning her into that ugly creature. The Greek hero Perseus killed Medusa and used her head as a weapon to turn his enemies into stone. He later gifted it to Athena, who placed the head of Medusa on her shield.

   The Sirens were poultry with a female head who lived in the seas. Their power lay in their upper body appearance: they were beautiful, young women and had a charming voice when they sang. They used their singing to lure sailors who were passing by their island and slaughter them. The great hero Odysseus (Ulysses), clever as he was, sealed his sailors' ears with wax and bound himself to the mast of his ship, to enjoy himself the beautiful song of the Sirens, without getting in the temptation of following the seductive Sirens.

   According to Greek mythology, Scylla was the daughter of Forky and Kitos, once a beautiful Nymph that the god Poseidon longed for. The jealous Amphitrite, Poseidon's partner, turned her into a monster, poisoning her bathing water. She had a body of fish, a female upper torso and dog heads protruding from her neck. She haunted the rocks of a narrow strait opposite the whirlpool of another terrible monster, Charybdis. In Odyssey, Odysseus's (Ulysses) ship passes through the strait, after losing six of his men who were eaten alive by the monster.

   Charybdis is another terrifying female monster in Greek mythology. She is thought to be a daughter of Poseidon and Gaia. She lived opposite Scylla, on the Asian shore of the Bosporus. Scylla inhabited the European shore. Charybdis looked like a huge whirlpool and at its bottom, her monstrous mouth with huge, sharp teeth were waiting to devour any ship and sailors on it. Like Scylla, Charybdis is also involved in the myths of Odysseus and the Argonauts, who passed through these straits with some loss.

   Empusa was a demonic female monster and belonged to the villainous cult circle of the goddess of the Underworld, Hekate. She was single-legged, she wore a bronze sandal (Hekate wore bronze sandals as well) and had donkey caps. During the night, she would leave the Underworld and ascend on the world of the living. Empusa could take all forms and appeared to women and children to cause terror. She could transform herself into a bitch, a cow, or a beautiful girl. She seduced travelers, drank their blood and ate their flesh. The only way for travelers to defend themselves was to slander her.

   The Harpies were anthropomorphic monsters in Greek mythology, with a bird's body and a woman's head. They 'nailed' the souls of the people and handed over the law-breakers to the Erinyes (Furies), the three goddesses of vengeance and retribution who punished men for crimes against the natural order. When a person suddenly disappeared from the Earth, it was said that he had been carried off by the harpies to the Underworld, the Kingdom of Hades and the dead. They were agents of punishment who abducted people and tortured them on their way to the Underworld. They were vicious, cruel and violent.

   Lamia was a beautiful queen who ruled Libya. She fell into the disadvantage of Hera because of her relationship with Zeus. The god of thunder loved her because she was beautiful and had children with her who were killed by Hera. Because of her sadness and madness, Lamia transformed herself into a child-devouring monster. Since then, she snatches the children of other mothers out of envy. She could take her eyes out and put them back in at will.

   The Sphinx has a lion's body, bird's wings and a female head. She is a treacherous and merciless monster who kills and eats those who cannot answer her riddle. This deadly version of a sphinx appears in the myth and drama of Oedipus. This Sphinx was stopping passers-by out of the Greek city of Thebes and asked them to answer her riddle, otherwise she would eat them. The riddle was: 'Which creature has one voice and yet becomes four-footed and two-footed and three-footed?' The mythical King Oedipus was the only one who answered the riddle and managed to finally kill the monster. The answer he gave was: 'Man - who crawls on all fours as a baby, then walks on two feet as an adult, and then uses a walking stick in old age.'

   The Giants were beings enormous in size. According to Greek mythology, they were human-like but huge in stature and irresistible in strength. Their bodies were scaly and ended up in a lizard tail. They had thick hair and a long beard. Their hairy hands held long and shiny javelins. Although they were of divine origin, they were mortal. Following other accounts, the Giants were immortals as long as they walked on the ground where they were born. They are considered to have superhuman powers, enormous size and long life, while on the contrary, they lack ethics and imagination. A famous Giant was Argus, who served as a guard of Hera.

   Chimera was a three-headed beast: she had a lion's body and head, a tail that ended up in a snake's head, and in the middle of her back came a goat's neck and head. Daughter of Typhon and Echidna, she could breathe fire from her mouth, according to Homer and Hesiod. Bellerophon, the great hero in Greek mythology, was the one to kill this monster, with the help of the flying horse Pegasus.

   The Lernaean Hydra was another child of Typhon and Echidna, a horrible sea monster with serpentine features and many snake heads. Indeed, when someone cut off one head, two others sprouted in their place. She lived in Lerna, Argolida, and spent her time torturing the world and guarding a gate to the Underworld until Heracles (Hercules) was sent to kill her and saved the region from her. To solve the problem with her heads, he would burn the beheaded neck before the two new heads sprout.

   The Mares of Diomedes, also called the Mares of Thrace, were a herd of man-eating horses in Greek mythology belonging to the giant Diomedes. The Mares, which were the terror of the region of Thrace, were kept tethered by iron chains to a bronze manger and were named Podargos (the swift), Lampon (the shining), Xanthos (the yellow) and Deinos (the terrible). Heracles (Hercules) defeated these monsters in his eight labor. He fed Diomedes, their master, to his own horses and while they were occupied with their human meal, Heracles found the opportunity to bind their mouths shut.

   Cerberus was the famous three-headed dog, pet of Hades, the god of the Underworld. He was standing guard at the Gates of the Underworld, making sure that no dead soul would escape and no living man would enter the realm of the dead. Besides his three terrifying heads, he also had a serpent for a tail. Only two heroes managed to defeat this monster; Heracles (Hercules) and Orpheus. Heracles managed to defeat him with his strength while Orpheus made him fall asleep with his music. Cerberus was a child of Typhon and Echidna. He had a brother from the same parents, a two-headed dog called Orthrus.

   In Greek mythology, the Nemean Lion was a lion living in the Nemean region, scattering fear in the area. The lion had very tough skin that could not be pierced by a weapon. He was the offspring of Typhon and Echidna (or Orthrus and Chimera according to some other accounts). This beast was eventually killed by Heracles (Hercules) in his first of the twelve labors. Since then, the great hero wears the head of the lion on his head.

   The Stymphalian Birds are man-eating birds with beaks of bronze, sharp metallic feathers they could launch at their victims, and poisonous dung. According to Greek mythology, these flying creatures were brought up by the god of war, Ares, or were pets of the goddess of the hunt, Artemis. They bred quickly and swarmed over the countryside, destroying crops and terrorizing the people. Heracles (Hercules) defeated these creatures in his sixth labor by shooting arrows tipped with poisonous blood from the slain monster Lernaean Hydra.

   In Greek mythology, the Erymanthian Boar was a mythical creature that took the form of a shaggy tameless boar of vast weight and foaming jaws. It would sally from the thick-wooded cypress-bearing heights of Erymanthus to harry the groves of Arcady and abuse the land of Psophis. Heracles (Hercules) was once again the hero to defeat this monster too in his fourth labor. In order to capture the boar, Heracles first chased it with shouts and thereby routed it from a certain thicket and then drove the exhausted creature into deep snow. He then trapped it and bound it in chains.

   The Minotaur was born when Poseidon decided to take revenge on King Minos of Crete for his disobedience; he denied sacrificing a beautiful white bull. The god made Minos' wife, Pasiphae, fell in love with the white male bull and sleep with him. From this union, a terrible child was born. A monster that looked like a man but had a bull's head and its strength. King Minos, not able to kill the monster and further displease Poseidon, commissioned a huge labyrinth at the basement of his palace. The great labyrinth, built by the great architect Daedalus and his son Icarus, served as a prison for the horrible creature. According to Greek mythology, the great hero Theseus entered the labyrinth and managed to kill the Minotaur and also find his way out.

   Python was a serpent monster, presided at the Delphic oracle, which existed in the cult center for its mother, Gaia. He was born by Gaia from the mud of the Flood of Deucalion with which Zeus ended the Golden Age. Python lived in a cave and protected the sanctuary of Gaia. According to Greek mythology, Apollo, a member of the Olympians' Pantheon decided to build his sanctuary in Delphi. He fought and killed the Python and thus established the famous Oracle of Delphi, the sanctuary of which can still be visited today in Greece.

   The Colchian dragon in Greek mythology was a fire-breathing giant serpent that guarded the Golden Fleece. The Golden Fleece was the prize the Greek hero Jason and his crew of Argonauts were after. With the help of the witch Medea, Jason managed to overcome the guarding monster and take the Fleece. It was put to sleep by the witch and it was left alone or slain by the hero. Dragons were common creatures in Greek mythology. Besides the Colchian dragon and Python, another famous monster was Ladon, a serpent-like dragon that twined around the tree in the Garden of the Hesperides, guarding the golden apples.

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