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NAVIGATION
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Encyclopædia (this page is under construction)
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In this classical mythology encyclopædia, you will soon find entries on all the characters in the myths The Creation, Hermes the Baby Rascal, The Rape of Persephone, & The Gorgon's Head, as well as the 12 Olympian gods. The encyclopæopedia is arranged alphabetically, and there is a cropped head of each character from a painting done before 1900 to accommodate the entries. The type of god, human, or animal they are is in capital letters (i.e. TITAN, or GOAT).
Enjoy,
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 MORTAL. Born to the royal family of Argos and Tiryns, Acrisius was the son of the mortals Abas and Aglaia. Acrisius had a life-long feud with his twin brother Proetus. It is said they fought inside their mother's womb. Acrisius succeded the kingdom of Argos, while Proetus took Tiryns. Acrisius later married Aganippe, by whom he had two daughters, Evarete and Danaë. It was prophecied by Apollo that Danaë's child would be the cause of his death. When Danaë was impregnated by Zeus, Acrisius locked her and her newborn baby Perseus in a chest and sent them out to sea. An old man, Acrisius heard of Perseus' journey to Argos. Fearing for his life, Acrisius went into hiding in Thessaly. Perseus was invited to some funeral games in Thessaly, where he participated in the discus game. Perseus threw the discus and it accidentally hit Acrisius in the head who had been spectating the game, wearing a large cloak to hide himself. Acrisius died and Perseus succeeded the throne of Argos. His name translates to "Ill-Judgement." |
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 PROTOGENOS. Aether, son of Nyx and Erebus, was the god of light. He married his sister Hemera, and they produced one child named Thalassa. His name means "Upper Air." |
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 GOAT. The goat whose milk Zeus was fed as a child. He set her among the stars as the constellation Capricorn. Her name translates to "Tender."
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 GOD. A horned Egyptian god, Ammon prophecied to King Cepheus that Andromeda had to be sacrificed to the sea-monster to appease Poseidon's anger. His name translates to "Sandy." |
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 MORTAL. Born the Princess of Joppa in Ethiopia, the daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopeia, Andromeda married Perseus. She became queen of the lands of Mycenae, Tyrins, and Midea. To appease the god Poseidon, her parents chained her naked to a rock to be devoured by the sea monster Cetus. Perseus came to her rescue and killed Cetus. Andromeda translates to "Ruler of Men." |
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 OLYMPIAN. Aphrodite, daughter of the first King of the gods Ouranos, was the goddess of love and beauty. She was married to Hephaestus. Aphrodite had many affairs, her most famous one with Ares, who fathered Eros. Aphrodite translates to "Foam-Born" because she was born on foam in the ocean from her father's severed genitals. Her Roman name was Venus. |
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 OLYMPIAN. The son of Zeus and the Titaness Leto, and twin-brother of Artemis, Apollo was the god of music, light, the sun, medicine, healing, poetry, prophecy, and archery. Apollo translates to "Destroyer." |
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 OLYMPIAN. Ares, the unpopular son of Zeus and Hera, was the cruel, bloodthirsty god of war. Ares translates to "Male Warrior." Ares’ Roman name was Mars. |
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 OLYMPIAN. The virgin goddess of the moon, hunting, and chastitiy, Artemis was also the protectress of animals and children. She was the twin-sister of Apollo and daughter of Zeus and the Titaness Leto. Artemis might translate to "High Source of Water." Her Roman is Diana. |
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 OWL. Son of Acheron and Orphne, Ascalaphus was the human gardener of the underworld. He witnessed Persephone eat the pomegranate seeds and was the reason Persephone stayed in the underworld. She turned him into an owl. His name translaes to "Short-Eared Owl." |
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 TITAN. The son of the Titan Iapetus and the Oceanid Clymene, Atlas led his fellow Titans in the war against the Olympians, which was called the Titanomachy. Upon losing the war Atlas was given a great punishment. He had to support the sky on his shoulders, to keep it from falling on earth, for all eternity. He lived on the island of Hyperboria at the end of the earth. Atlas was turned to stone by Perseus. Atlas translates to "Daring." |
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 OLYMPIAN. The virgin goddess of wisdom and war, Athena was the daughter of Zeus and the Oceanid Metis. Athena might translate to Queen of Heaven." Her Roman name is Minerva.
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 DRACAENAE. Daughter of Tartarus and Gaia, Campe was the guard of the prison in Tartarus which held the Hecatonchires and the Cyclopes. The fire-breathing, flying Campe had the stomach, back, chest and face of a nymph, snakes for hair, black wings, a scorpion's tail, the legs and hips of a scaly dragon, and from her waist sprounted fifty heads of boars, lion, boars and other wild animals. Zeus killed her with a thunderbolt and freed the Hecatonchires and the Cyclopes.
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 MORTAL. The Queen of Joppa, Ethiopia, Cassiopeia was the mother of Andromeda and wife of Cepheus. She boasted that she was equal in beauty to the Nereids, who complained to Poseidon. Poseidon flooded Joppa and sent the terrible sea-monster Cetus. The god Ammon prophecied that only once Andromeda was fed to Cetus would Poseidon be appeased. To save the town, Andromeda was chained naked to a rock to be devoured. Perseus came to the rescue, saved Andromeda and married her. Her former fiancé Phineas showed up, and demanded his bride back. Phineas and his army tried to kill Perseus, but Perseus turned them into stone with the head of Medusa, and Perseus wedded Andromeda. Athena set Cassiopeia among the stars. |
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| MORTAL. The son of |
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 OLYMPIAN. Demeter, the goddess of agriculture, was the daughter of Cronos and Rhea. Demeter translates to "(Grain) Mother." Her Roman name was Ceres. |
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 OLYMPIAN. The youngest of the Olympians, Dionysus was the merry son of Zeus and the mortal Semele, Princess of Thebes. He was the god of wine, intoxication, revelry and vegetation. Driven mad by Zeus’ jealous wife Hera, Dionysus traveled around the Earth, with a group of wild satyrs and maenads who danced in frenzy, and taught people how to make wine. Dionysus translates to "Roaring One." His Roman name was Bacchus. |
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 OLYMPIAN. The lame blacksmith, Hephaestus was the god of metallurgy. He was the son of Hera alone and husband to Aphrodite. Hephaestus translates to "He who Shines by Day." His Roman name was Vulcan. |
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 OLYMPIAN. A daughter of Cronos and Rhea, Hera married her brother Zeus and became Queen of the Gods. She became the goddess of marriage and protectress of women. She was constantly chasing down Zeus' lovers. Hera translates to "Lady." Her Roman name is Juno.
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 OLYMPIAN. Hermes was the son of Zeus and the Pleiad Maia. He was the god of trade, travel and thieving. He was the messenger of the gods and escorted the dead to the underworld. Hermes' name means "Pillar." Hermes’ Roman name was Mercury. |
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 OLYMPIAN. The great god of the sea, earthquakes, and horses, Poseidon was the fourth child born to Cronos and Rhea. Like Zeus, Poseidon had many love affairs, unlike Zeus, his wife the Nereid Amphitrite did not mind. Poseidon's name translates as "He who Gives to Drink from the Wooded Mountain." His Roman name is Neptune. |
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 OLYMPIAN. The supreme god and master of the universe, Zeus controlled the skies. The youngest son of Cronos and Rhea, Zeus led the revolt against the Titans. Married to his sister Hera, Zeus was known for his countless love affairs. Zeus' name translates to "Bright Sky." His Roman names are Jupiter and Jove.
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© 2004-2005 by Helen P. Roberts
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