| Classical Mythology | |||||||||||||||||
| About this Site... |
In these pages, I will attempt a description of the more well-known gods and goddesses. The gods were usually depicted as being human in form and character; however, their appearances and abilities tended to be idealized. Their beauty was beyond that of mere mortals, they were more intense in their passions, their sentiments were more praiseworthy and touching. On the other hand, these same gods and goddesses also reflected the physical and spiritual weaknesses of human mortals. The gods and goddesses usually lived in either Mount Olympus or in heaven. They could eat and drink, but their food was ambrosia and their wine was nectar. The gods were more versatile, their powers far greater than that of mortals. Their most important distinguishing characteristic was that of their immortality. All of these qualities pertained to only the highest order of divinities. Demigods were another class of divinities, sometimes thought of as superhuman beings (and some as heroes), but were mortal. They were the offspring from the union of a god or goddess with a mortal. They were limited in their powers. Other members of the mythological supernatural fell into various categories, among which were the Gorgons or Harpies. Of a similar nature, were the divine spirits associated with nature, generally referred to as nymphs. Nymphs were beautiful young girls who loved to dance or sing, and frequently acted as attendants for one or more of the major gods or goddesses. They were extremely long-lived, but were not particularly immortal. The Muses were a kind of nymph as well as the Nereids and Oceanids. Although not immortal, they sometimes virtually assumed the stature of a deity. Other groups of nymphs were categorized as follows: the Naiads--spirits of water, springs, lakes and rivers; Potamiads--nymphs of rivers; Dryads or Hamadryads--tree nymphs; and the Meliae--nymphs of the ash trees. From this, it seems that a hierarchy existed of the divinities, although the attributes and worship given to some of the deities varied to an extent depending on the locale of the populace. Overall, however, the power and importance designated to the major divinities were universally acknowledged throughout the Greek civilization. | ||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||
|
ZEUS - At the top of this heirarchy was Zeus...the king, the supreme lord, the father of both gods and mortals. | The Immortals | ||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||
My interests:
| |||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||
| Favourite links | ||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
|
This page has been visited
|