Aphrodite

Aphrodite goddess in Greek mythology

Aphrodite/Venus  is the goddess of love and beauty in Greek mythology.
According to the Homeric myth she was born in Aphrodite's Rock, a coast of Paphos in Cyprus. Pushed by Zephyrus into the sea, the goddess was groomed by the handmaidens of Hours and moved to Mount Olympus, where was  presented to Zeus and the other gods. According to the version of Hesiod, Aphrodite was born in the open of Kythera from the foam that created by the genitals of Uranus falling into the sea,after his amputation by Saturn. Again with the help of Zephyr traveled to Paphos. Passed from Kythera and then went to Cyprus. Kythera are considered the island of celestial Aphrodite  there was the first sanctuary in Greece. She was known as Aphrodite "Paphia" while Homer's Iliad mentions it as "Kythereia goddess of love wet nurse".

She was the wife of Hephaestus, but described as mistress of Ares, which alleged to have been acquired Eros, Deimos and Phobos. With Neptune gave birth to Eryka, who gave his name to the homonymous mountain of Sicily and Rhodes, while with Dionysus, thanks to the magical mediation of Hera gave birth to Priapus. Her son is also Hermaphroditus, whom brought to life the goddess, with Hermes.

Aphrodite is a female mythological archetype. Throughout the ancient world Coping with the archetype of the mother goddess. Being connected with a seemingly endless series of phenomena-love, birth, death, fertility, war, weaving, magic, kinship, marriage, virginity, mourning, etc. - the goddess addressed the biggest piece of the ritual action featuring an important piece of human civilization. The titles, which give areas of influence are legion: Queen of heaven, Warrior, Daughter, Whore, Mother Earth, Queen of the Underworld, etc. Although the cult does not cross the world now, as in ancient times, is still very much alive, denatured gradually assimilated the archetypes of modern religious experience. It is known, for example, that various aspects of the worship of the goddess-mother absorbed by the cult of the Virgin Marias. Robert Graves (Robert Graves) was certainly right when he wrote to the mother goddess to be "deeply attached to his racial memory of Europeans and it is impossible to banish her
Among ancient civilizations Greeks are the ones who more than other peoples maintained their diverse characteristics of the mother goddess in their worship. A mere mention of the names of Aphrodite, Medea, Scylla, Hecate, Ariadne Athena is enough to excite considerable archetypal images. Each of these forms represents a face of the mother goddess. At a first glance possibly different forms appear to have little in common. Indeed, it is the extraordinary diversity in worship of mother goddess, which militates against the prospect to find a common denominator in the diverse manifestations of the goddess.
In our view, the identification of the goddess with the planet Aphrodite confirmed in numerous cultures of the Near East, and the aborigines of the New World-is one that offers the necessary common denominator for understanding the properties of the mythical goddess. Let us see, then, symbolic images and mythological motifs associated with mother-goddess including various forms of the Goddess, as personified by the Greek thought.

Even today, the name Aphrodite causes images alluring beauty, sensuality and passion. The goddess is best known, perhaps, as a divine matchmaker or as a stimulating agent of sensual desire. In the Iliad, for example, the belt of Aphrodite s presented as sufficient to arouse immediate desire in the eyes of its holder. As the Barkert, verbs formed from the name of the goddess show the act of love, a trend already visible in Homer.

Aphroditeis famous for its relations with the various heroes and gods. The Courtship of Aphrodite with Ares was a source of amusement for the gods of Olympus and was probably a matter of an ancient cult. Her love for Adonis ended tragically. According to one version of the myth, the goddess is said to have jumped off the cliff of Lefkada, sad for the beautiful new. Her romance with Anchises, ultimately, is one of the oldest traditions surrounding the goddess. The Gantz summarizes the role of Aphrodite in myth as follows: "Except Homer and those (relatively few) sexual conflict, the role of Aphrodite in myth limited to helping lovers or to punish those who reject his love."

Undoubtedly it is difficult to distinguish the effect of a planet behind such narratives. As suggested by Jane Harrison, though, there is a noticeable trend in Greek myth analyze initially diverse goddesses in specialized forms with the passage of time. Such specialization in function occurs in the case of Aphrodite:

"Another point that suggests the late arrival in Greece is the fact that in Homer appears as specialized goddess, associated with a human passion. The oldest forms of these deities combine several functions. When the mixing of races and the influence of literature brings together various local deities, necessarily, to maintain consistency, we must share the functions and properties. "

Regarding the antiquity of the cult of Aphrodite in ancient Greece, there is an issue. While the goddess already certainly confirmed in early epic literature, the name is absent from the Mycenaean religion, at least as we are known from Linear B '. Probably the worship of the goddess came to Greece in the period 1200 - 800 BCE The Barkert believes the origin of Aphrodite remains obscure, like the name. "

Since I arrived but Aphrodite in Greek coast? For Homer, Hesiod and other early writers, the goddess closely associated with Cyprus. The Odyssey mentions Paphos as the home of the goddess, while the Iliad mentions the Kypris as the most common surname. Hesiod mentions Kyprogeni and Kythireia.

Our search for the origin of Aphrodite  does not stop in Cyprus, known fusion point of Asian religious beliefs. Almost all the top scholars agree that the cult of Aphrodite first arrived in Greece from the Near East: "Behind the form of Aphrodite standing purely Semitic goddess of love, Ishtar-Astarte, divine consort of the king, queen of heaven and courtesan simultaneously. " This view is supported by the Greeks themselves. Pausanias, for example, had the following view: "The Assyrians were the first of the human race who worshiped the heavenly [Aphrodite Ourania], then the people of Paphos in Cyprus and the Phoenicians in Palestine and the people of Cythera, who learned the worship of the Phoenicians. "This Barkert indicates that Aphrodite  has many features in common with Ishtar. Both are depicted as goddesses of love and rituals associated with prostitution, for example. Aphrodite as Ishtar, depicted armed and invoked as a guarantor of victory.

Hestia

Hestia in Greek mythology

In Greek mythology, Hestia is the goddess of the hearth, home and family life, which received the first offering at every sacrifice in the house, but had no public worship. In Roman mythology, almost counterpart was Vesta, who personified the public hearth, and whose cult bound Romans together with a form of extended family.
Her name means "home and hearth": the house and its inhabitants. Hestia symbolizes the alliance between the colonies and the mother-cities and is the eldest daughter of Cronus and Rhea, sister of Zeus, Hera, Hades, Poseidon and Demeter. Originally listed as one of the Twelve Olympians, but later replaced by Dionysus. Then, arrange the sacred fire on Mount Olympus. The altars had contained any family home.
Immediately after birth, Cronus swallowed Hestia and her siblings except Zeus, who later rescued them and led them to war against Cronus and the other Titans. Hestia vowed to remain forever a virgin and refused the call of Poseidon and Apollo. Once risked raped by Priapus, a minor god of fertility, but was saved by the braying of a donkey.
Hestia, Athena and Artemis were the only goddesses over had no power Venus (which had subjugated all Gods and men).

Demeter

Demeter in Greek mythology

Demeter (Dimitir in ancient greek.), In Greek mythology, was the ideal anthropomorphic deity culture ie agriculture, but also free of vegetation, soil and fertility of this result which was considered the protector of marriage and motherhood of the people. Was Olympian (main) deity.

The Birth of Demeter

Demeter was the daughter of Cronus and Rhea. Sister Hera, Hestia, Zeus and Poseidon. Her birth  followed the same fate as the brother. Saturn swallowed his children as soon as they were born out of fear of getting the throne. Rhea couldn't endure another losing her children, helped the youngest, Zeus, to dethrone Saturn with a trick and liberate his brothers from the belly of their father.

The Loves of Demeter

Demeter was the goddess who was known for her love. He was distant and snotty, which is why the lovers were few in number. Leading contenders were her brothers. First, Zeus transformed into a bull to mate with her. But he regreted for the act,he castrated a ram and left the gus in the arms of Demeter as a sign of remorse. She accepted the apology and a few months after she gave birth to her beloved daughter Persephone.After that followed the love of Poseidon to the goddess. Demeter to escape the siege of morphed into mare ,hid among the royal flocks Okniou, son of Apollo. Once the Poseidon realized it he transformed into horse and he managed to mate with her. Fruits of this intercourse was a daughter, Despina, whose name should never be pronounced, and a horse with wings and a black mane, Arion. The wrath of Demeter for her rape by Poseidon gave her the nickname Furies. Zeus to appease her,sent the nymphs to bathe her in the river Ladon, thus taking the name Lucia.

The third known lover of Demeter was a mortal, the Iasion, whom the goddess fell in love. There are two versions of their acquaintance. The first wants to know the wedding of Cadmus and Harmony. The second and most prevalent, in Crete, in Mount Ida where Iasion chased. Both versions, however, result in sexual intercourse goddess and the mortal in a field that had been plowed three times. Shortly after the goddess gave birth to Pluto that gave people riches and abundance.

Demeter and Persephone

Demeter and her daughter Persephone were the central characters in the Eleusinian mysteries and probably were deities worshiped before the Twelve. In several cases the two deities confused or considered a goddess with two faces. The Abduction of Persephone by Pluto, god of Hades, resulted in the decline of Demeter. Olympus abandoned and began to wander black clothes and mute among people searching Persephone. The youth and beauty of the place of the gray hair and mourning.

Symbols of Demeter

Symbols of Demeter were the cranes(bird), the cob, the narcissus, the myrtle and the yolk. The bees were considered her priestesses and in the sacrifices  in honor of her,offered bulls, calves and honey.

Epithets of Demeter
Before plowing farmers sacrificed in Proirosia Demeter, at harvest in Drepaniforon in thrashing in Aloada the spring to Demeter Chloin. Other names of attributing is July Aglaokarpos, Sito, Polycarp, germinal, Stachyotrofos and Filopyros.
Apart from the Library of Apollodorus important sources stating Demeter in Homeric Hymns are reported here, with Hesiod Hesiod's and Pausanias.

Her name comes from the Democratic (Dorian version of Earth) and the mother and it means Mother Earth.

Poseidon

Poseidon in Greek mythology

In Greek mythology, Poseidon is the god of the land and the sea (and therefore also called Pelagaios), rivers, springs and drinking waters.
Son of Cronus and Rhea and brother of Zeus lived on Mount Olympus or at his palace in the depths of the sea, where he lived and his wife, the Nereid Amphitrite. According to one version he grew in Rhodes, where after their association with Alia, sister of Telhinia,were born six sons and a daughter, Rodi, who gave her name to the island.Poseidon was the father of Theseus,  Procrustean ,Skirona and giants: the twin Otou and Ephialtes (in association with Ifimdeia, daughter of the king of Thessaly) of Tityus (from Elara, daughter of Orchomenus and Orion (from Euryale, daughter of Minos). Yet  he considered tamer of the first horse and begetter of the mythical horse Pegasus.
The name of  god  Nethuns is Etruscan and was adopted in Latin for Neptune in Roman mythology (Neptounous). Both were sea gods analogous to Poseidon. According to inscriptions, Poseidon was worshiped at Pylos and Thebes and integrated into the Olympian gods as the brother of Zeus and Hades. Poseidon gained many children. There is a Homeric hymn to Poseidon, who was the protector of many Greek cities, although he lost the contest for Athens to Athena.
As god of the sea, Poseidon was traveling with gold chariot on the waves that Shaker, while of earthquakes. With the trident could both create storms and calm the waters. Considered the patron saint of sailors and fishermen and even as responsible for geological phenomena such as earthquakes, he was offered sacrifices and prayers for soil stability and security of the buildings, while honored and horse racing. His symbols were the trident, fish (usually tuna or dolphin) and occasionally the horse or bull.

Poseidon was a major god of several cities: in Athens, he was second only to Athena in importance, while in Corinth and many cities of Magna Graecia he was the chief god of the city. In benign aspect, Poseidon was presented creating new islands and offering calm seas. But when enraged, beating the ground with his trident he caused chaos, earthquakes, shipwrecks and drownings at sea. In the Odyssey, resentment of Poseidon against Odysseus averted resourceful hero since his arrival in his homeland, Ithaca. Sailors prayed to Poseidon for a safe voyage, sometimes drowning horses as a sacrifice.
According to Pausanias,  Neptune was one of the caretakers of the oracle at Delphi before  take control by the  Olympian Apollo. Apollo and Poseidon worked closely in many places: in colonization, for example. The Delphic Apollo provided the approval of human settlement in colonies, while Poseidon over the colonists helped by giving them the purifying water for the sacrifice that involved the establishment of the colony. The Anabasis of Xenophon describes a group of soldiers in 400-399 BC singing to Poseidon a paean, a kind of hymn normally sung for Apollo. Like Dionysus, which affects the maenads, Poseidon and caused certain forms of mental disturbance. A Hippocratic text of 400 BC, the sacred Diseases says he was accused of certain types of epilepsy.

Zeus

Zeus in Greek mythology

Jupiter or Zeus in Greek mythology is the youngest son of Cronus (hence the patronymic Kronidis referred more to the Odyssey) and Rhea, grandson of Uranus and Gaia. Is the highest deity of the ancient Greek pantheon and the god of sky and thunder.
Jupiter has always been a weather god, auditor of lightning, thunder and rain and was also the strongest and most important god of all gods and mythological beings. Theocritus around 265 BCE wrote: "sometimes Zeus is clear, sometimes it rains." In Homer's epic The Iliad send lightning at enemies. Other emblem was the eagle and shield.

Zeus is a child of Saturn with Rhea, and brother of the other gods, Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades and Poseidon. His birth begins with the pains of Rhea in Crete IDI (PSILOREITI), where she hid the child in the Ideon Andron. Because Saturn/Cronus negated his children, swallowing them immediately after their birth, Rhea fled there following the advice she had given by Gaia and Uranus. When Zeus was born, Rhea tricked Cronus by showing instead of the newborn, a stone wrapped in swaddling clothes, which Cronus swallowed. According to another tradition, Rhea fled to Arcadia in Mount Lykaion, where Zeus was born. Then bathed the infant on the river Lucia, which then flowed for the first time and then went to Crete, where he received the care of Dikteou nymphs, the comrades of the Curetes or Corybantes. In Crete, several caves in one way or another involved in the upbringing or the protection of God. Zeus after appeared before the astonished father, made him drunk and forced to release his brothers.
The main Titanomachy. Hesiod carries us on the legendary Clash of the Titans. According to the myth, Zeus and his brothers fought against Cronus and the Titans for supremacy on the Earth. Starting from Olympus fought against the Titans who had entrenched themselves in Orthy. The relentless war lasted ten years, until Zeus took the advice of Gaia, to descend to the [Tartarus] to release the brothers of the Titans, the Cyclopes and the Hecatonchires. In Tartarus, Zeus fought the mythical monster Cambe and after he defeated it , freed the Cyclopes and Hecatonchires, who  became his allies. The Cyclops in gratitude gave Ares and Poseidon weapons and supplied Zeus with lightning, thunder and hammer, which since then became his symbols of power. And the Hecatonchires escorted Zeus in battle and with their help, the gods defeated the Titans and plummet them to Tartarus, putting on guards, their Hecatonchires. Saturn was imprisoned along with the Titans in Tartarus have a guard the Night, and later he got grace and became king des Champs Élysées, where he slept forever. Zeus after proposal from Gaia to the  Gods take supreme power and divides the world into three kingdoms: The sky, the sea and the underworld, putting heads on himself, Poseidon and Hades respectively.

The Gigantomachy

In his reign, Zeus was threatened by the Giants, who with the instigation of Gaia sought to avenge the fight of the Titans. In the war that followed,which was called Gigantomachy, Zeus emerged victorious. The Olympian gods aided by Hercules and Dionysus fought and defeated all killing or beating the Giants.

Zeus and Metis

In Hesiod, the first wife of Zeus was attractive Metis, the goddess of knowledge. But Zeus got an oracle that from his son by Metis one day he would find the same fate as his father (Saturn/Cronus) and his grandfather (Uranus), who were deposed by a child. But since even the method of Saturn had not been proven effective, Zeus decided not to overpower his children, but the very Metis before she had time to give birth. Zeus swallowed Metis, as did Saturn with children of Rhea. But Metis was already pregnant to Athena, and so Zeus after such action,caught him terrible headache. Hephaestus came to the rescue with his tools, and with his help  Athena was born, which sprang in full armor from the head of Zeus.

Zeus and Hera

Hera, also daughter of Cronus and Rhea, was the third wife and sister of Zeus. Hidden relations before marriage gave them as wrist Hebe, Eilithia (goddess of childbirth), Ares and possibly  Hephaestus. Tumultuous their relationship was full of intrigues and rivalries, included even conspiracies or opposition of an against to the will of another. There is a view that the hatred of the pair goes back to the rivalry of the primary pair Uranus - Earth and, of course, reflect the position of the male in the historical years of patriarchy.

Name of zeus

Zeus was called in Ancient Greek Zeus word in genitive was Zeus (more rarely Zinos), whence came the Greek name. On the etymology of those words are the following respects:
Derived from the Greek Dios, meaning brilliant.
From the Indo-European root * Dyēus, which according to linguists still gave the Greek word God, the Latin Deus, the Vedic Dyaus, the German Tiwaz and other words related to the divine.
For I. Th Kakridi name found in other Indo-European peoples, the Indians, their covers, Latins etc. The name goes back to the root div-, which means sky. The expression corresponding to father Zeus Diespiter (Juppiter) of the Romans, the Jupater stormwater and Dyaus Pita ancient Indians

Hera

Hera in Greek mythology

In Greek mythology, Hera was the sister and wife of Zeus, daughter of Cronus and Rhea. She was the goddess of marriage and protector of women. Jealous of her husband Zeus's infidelities to her and sometimes avenged the women with whom Zeus was cheating.
The birth of the queen of the gods placed in different places. Some of them are Samos or Stymfalia or Euboea. Its fate was no different from that of her brothers. Saturn swallowed it, trying to fight his fate as Gaia and Uranus had prophesied that a descendant will claim to power. Only when Rea has managed to trick, fool Saturn, then Hera, along with the other siblings, you again light. After the dethronement of Saturn, Jupiter requested it to marriage. She refused. Mad love for his sister, Zeus has not waived his purposes. A rainy, winter day, as he was walking in the forest goddess, Zeus transformed into a cuckoo and fell at the feet of unsuspected Hera. The Goddess pitied the misopagomeno creature. Stooped, took in her arms, stroked and hot maiden at top. Then the king of the gods took his real form. Imposing and powerful neutralized and the latest resistances goddess. Hera defeated, subjugated, became forever own, having first secured "betrothal."
In one version of the myth of the union of Zeus and Hera symbolizes the union of the purity of Heaven (exponent Jupiter) with air, a vital element for the man who was the exponent of Hera.
The marriage of Hera and Zeus born Ares, Hebe and Ilithyia. According to Homer was born and Hephaestus, while Hesiod, Hera gave birth to Hephaestus alone, without the participation of Zeus.
Hera often described or depicted holding a scepter as a symbol of sovereignty or having the hands of pomegranate (symbol of fertility). Other well-known symbols of Hera was the peacock, the cuckoo, symbolizing the coming of spring and various flowers and plants that symbolize the blessing of nature.
In honor of Hera were celebrations in many cities of ancient Greece were called Heraea. The brightest Heraea were in Argos, Samos and Olympia.
The temples in honor of Hera had the name Heraion. The most important Heraion in Greece is the Heraion of Samos.
Descendants of Hera was Kadmeians (among them the god Dionysus), the Sthenalos (Agamemnon, Menelaus, Theseus, Aegisthus, Orestes, Electra, Iphigenia, the Amphitryon, the Alcmene, Eurystheus, Iolaus, Hercules) the THESTIEON (Althea, Leda, Meleager, Deianeira, the Dioscuri, Helen, Amphiaraus), Asclepius, the PALIKI, Aegeus and the Bandit Perifitis.
Under the name of Hera are two asteroids, the three Hera (3 Juno) (which in fact named for the Roman goddess Juno, corresponding Hera in Roman mythology, and was discovered in 1804) and 103 Hera (103 Hera), who discovered in 1868.

The end of Hercules

The end of Hercules

The moment Nessus was dying from the poisoned arrows of Hercules, told to Deianeira  that her husband does not love her anymore, and that in order to win back his love, had to give him to wear a tunic, once she  dive it into the blood of the dead centaur. Deianeira, who did not know that the blood of Nessus was poisoned by the arrows, she gave his robe to the hero. The pains of Hercules were so horrible,that he got so mad and set fire to himself on the top of Mount Iti and was burned alive. Even today, the highest peak of this mountain called Pyra.
After his death, Hercules was deified,he became the  God of power and bravery and leader of heroes. Zeus took him to Olympus were he married with the goddess of youth, Hebe. Hera accepted ​​him as her child.
 Ancient Greeks depicted Hercules, usually dressed in lion's skin, holding a bat in hand, with giant stature and body strong, youthful and robust.