Consequently, Zeus hid them in the Earth, where they became spirits among the dead. Those of the Golden Age never grew old, were free from toil, and passed their time in jollity and feasting. (Hyginus 2.6. Greek : Krêtêr (the Drinking Cup), CUP OF PHOLUS The drinking cup of the the centaur Pholos. The adventures of Heracles can be paired with the following constellations : The gods’ jealousy of mortals’ musical talents appears in the beating and flaying of the aulos-playing satyr, Marsyas, by Athena and Apollo, as well as in the attaching of ass’s ears to King Midas for failing to appreciate the superiority of Apollo’s music to that of the god Pan. Not all of the constellations are visible in the night sky throughout the year. Satyrs (youthful folk deities with bestial features) and sileni (old and drunken folk deities) were the nymphs’ male counterparts. Greek : Argô (the Silver (Ship), ARGO The ship of the hero Argonauts which was constructed by Argus and Athena, with a talking beam placed on its prow. Only half of the ship can be seen in the stars, the forepart from stern to mast. The Titan Atlas, who stood either beneath the axis of heaven in the far north (in the land of the Hyperboreans), or at heaven's western rim in by the Atlas mountains in North Africa, was said to spin the dome around upon his shoulders, causing the stars to rise and set. Sumerian : ÙZ (the She-Goat), LYRE OF HERMES The lyre first carved by the god Hermes out of the shell of a tortoise. (Hyginus 2.32. ), RAM OF AMMON 2 An Egyptian (god) named Hammon was the first to herd flocks of sheep. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. (Hyginus 2.23. But because the pair had conflicting fates - one was destined never to be caught, and the other never to surrender the chase--Zeus transferred the pair to the heavens to play out their contest unresolved for all eternity. The hero Cephalus set the magical dog Laelaps to hunt it down. (Hyginus 2.25 on Hesiod & Aratus, Aratus 96. Sumerian : KAK.SI.KI (the Arrow), ARROW OF APOLLO The arrow which Apollo used to slay the Cyclopes, to avenge the death of his son Asclepius who had been destroyed by a thunderbolt created on their forge. Because of her mother’s grief, Zeus permitted Persephone to spend four months of the year in the house of Hades and eight in the light of day. ), MILK OF RHEA When the Titaness Rhea presented a stone wrapped in swaddling cloth to Cronus as substitute for the infant Zeus, the Titan pressed it against her breast and milk flowed forth which flowed formed the Milky Way. Summerian : MUSH (the Snake), LERNAEAN HYDRA A monstrous nine-headed serpent which haunted the springs of Lerna. The lion was then placed by Hera amongst the stars as the constellation Leo. Hidden deep within the bowels of the earth and ruled by the god Hades and his wife Persephone, the Underworld was the kingdom of the dead in Greek mythology, the sunless place where the souls of those who died went after death. Akkadian : Lulimu (the Stag), ANDROMEDA A Princess of Ethiopia, daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopea. Hero myths included elements from tradition, folktale, and fiction. Why the Golden Age came to an end Hesiod failed to explain, but it was succeeded by the Silver Age. (Hyginus 2.43. The gods placed him amongst the stars as Auriga in memorial. ), Latin : Ara (the Altar) ), Latin : Ursa Major (the Great Bear) (Hyginus 2.14 on Polyzelus the Rhodian. But even that was not the worst, for he believed that a time would come when infants would be born old and there would be no recourse left against the universal moral decline. The means of separation employed, the cutting off of Uranus’s genitals by his son Cronus, bears a certain resemblance to a similar story recorded in Babylonian epic. ), Latin : Pisces (the Fishes) His victory wreath was further set as a circle of stars at his feet. When she boasted that her daughter was more beautiful than the Nereids, Poseidon sent a sea monster to devour the girl. This handsome young man was loved by both Persephone, queen of … He received it as a gift from Aphrodite and after his return from the underworld with his mother Semele he set it amongst the stars in memorial of the event. ), Latin : Lepus (the Hare) Dionysus then placed him, his daughter Erigone and their dog Maira, amongst the stars as the constellations Bootes, Virgo and Canis Major. (Hyginus 2.36. (Hyginus 2.1 & 2.6 on Araethus of Tegea. Many myths are treated as trivial and lighthearted, but this judgment rests on the suppressed premise that any divine behaviour that seems inappropriate for a major religion must have seemed absurd and fictitious to the Greeks. He’s one of those fellows you’d love to have a pint and ploughman’s lunch with on a lazy Sunday afternoon. ), HELICE A nymph who nursed the infant god Zeus on Mount Ida in Crete. ), Latin : Scorpio (the Scorpion) Welcome to Mythology Island, which debuted on Poptropica in 2010! Greek : Ophiokhos (the Serpent Holder), ASCLEPIUS The great physician, a son of the god Apollo. All the best-known Greek hero myths, such as the labours of Heracles and the adventures of Perseus, Cadmus, Pelops, or Oedipus, depend more for their interest on folktales than on legend. ), HERACLES IN LIGURIA The great hero was said to have been placed amongst the stars in the shape of kneeling man, as a memorial of his desperate battle with the Ligurians, whom he encountered on his return trip to Greece with the cattle of Geryon. (Hyginus 2.22. Part of the heavenly dome always lay beneath the horizon. (Hyginus 2.19. Heracles later released him from his torment, felling the eagle with an arrow. (Hyginus 2.2 on Aglaosthenes, Aratus 25. Their rising heralded the onset of the rainy season in Greece. ), Latin : Sagittarius (the Archer) ), AEGIPAN 2 When the monster Typhon attacked Olympus, the gods fled in a body to Egypt and hid themselves away in the form of animals. ), Latin : Leo (the Lion) ), Latin : Capricorn (the Goat Horn) In less benign climates, she was said to spend six months of the year in each. Akkadian : Suhurmashû (the Goat-Fish) Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. (Hyginus 2.38. Her son by Apollo was Asclepius, the constellation Ophiochus. Take a step back in time to ancient Greece and experience the fury of the Greek gods and goddesses! The Story of Echo and Narcissus is one of the most enduring tales from Greek mythology, ... place the body of the handsome youth upon it, they could not find it, as all that was left was a flower, the Narcissus flower. The god drove them to terror with his illusions and, when they leapt from the ship, he transformed them into dolphins. (Hyginus 2.37. ), THAMYRIS A bard who was blinded by the Muses as punishment for daring to challenge them to a musical contest. (Hyginus 2.15. The eagle was rewarded with a place amonst the stars. There are very few surviving depictions of the constellations in classical art: at most, a few Roman mosaics, and a partial depiction on the famous Farnese statue of the Titan Atlas. Even the gentle Muses (goddesses of the arts and sciences) blinded their human rivals, such as the bard Thamyris. Some say Centaurus is depicted pouring a libation at the altar, Ara. Upon reaching Colchis the ram shed its golden fleece for Phrixus who hung it in a sacred grove, and flew up to the heavens to take a place amongst the stars as the dimly shining constellation Aries. (Hyginus 2.12, Aratus 248. No doubt the “fundamentalists” would have disagreed, just as benighted Christians do today. ), DEMETER The goddess of agriculture was given a memorial amongst the stars in the form of the constellation Virgo, which some say holds a sheaf of wheat in its hand. Sumerian : LU.LIM (the Stag) (Hyginus 2.7, Aratus 268. (Hyginus 2.7 on Eratosthenes. The goddess woke from her sleep, because of the roughness of the child, and pushed him away in disgust. From a very early period, Greek myths seem to have been open to criticism and alteration on grounds of morality or of misrepresentation of known facts. Various myths describe the birth and death of the semi-immortal constellations: such as the Gemini twins, or Dioskouroi, who were said to divide their time equally between Heaven and Haides. Myths of seasonal renewal, in which the deity dies and returns to life at particular times of the year, are plentiful. Sumerian : Á.MUSHEN (the Eagle), EAGLE OF APHRODITE When Zeus wished to seduce the goddess Nemesis, he transformed himself into a swan, and bade Aphrodite pursue him into her lap in the guise of an eagle. ), DEUCALION An early Greek king who managed to survive the great Deluge that was sent by Zeus to destroy mankind. Helios in his chariot, relief sculpture excavated at Troy in 1872; in the National Museums in Berlin. ), BOOTES The inventor of the wagon or plough, a son of the goddess Demeter. No worship is offered to the deity concerned. (Hyginus 2.14. Some say they were teary nymphs placed in the heavens following the death of their brother Hyas, who was killed by a lion. Sumerian : GU.LA (the Great), GANYMEDES A handsome Trojan prince. She was also called Kore, which means "maiden" and grew up to be a lovely girl attracting the attention of many gods. ), Latin : Centaurus (the Centaur) ), CROWN OF THESEUS The crown of the Athenian hero Theseus which he received from the goddess Amphitrite as a mark of his divine paternity. (Hyginus 2.23. Sumerian : UGA-MUSHEN (the Raven), CORONIS A Thessalian girl loved by the god Apollo. The constellations revolve round a central point in the northern sky known as the pole star, or heavenly axis (Greek polos). (Hyginus 2.33. ), CROWN OF DIONYSUS The crown of the god of wine. When he was about to kill his mother Callisto who had been transformed into a bear, Zeus raised the pair to heavens as the constellations Arctophylax (the Bear-Watcher) andUrsa (the Bear). Not often identifiable in Greek art, she appeared as a modestly veiled woman. ), PLEIADES Seven nymphs whose stars form the "tail of the Bull" Taurus. ), Latin : Auriga (the Charioteer) They were nurses of the god Dionysus who were awarded for their service with a place amongst the stars of heaven. In the list below, information is given under the Greek name; the name in parentheses is the Roman equivalent. In this way he accomplished his seduction and in memorial placed an eagle and swan amongst the stars. ), Latin : Equus (the Horse) To commemorate the event he placed the eagle and altar amongst the stars as the constellations Aquila and Ara. Greek and Roman mythology borrowed heavily from each other. (Hyginus 2.31. ), MELANIPPE A daughter of the centaur Chiron. The eagle and arrow were placed side by side in the heavens as the constellations Aquila and Sagitta. ), Latin : Delphinus (the Dolphin) The scorpion was also placed amongst the stars and continued to plague him, for as it rose in the east, Orion fled beneath the horizon in the west. The god then placed Coronis (literally, "the Crow") amongst the stars as the constellation Corvus. When Heracles freed him from his chains, he slew the eagle with an arrow, and Zeus placed the pair amongst the stars as Aquila (eagle) and Sagitta (arrow). She was rescued by Perseus, who slew the beast. ), NILE The great river of Egypt was placed amongst the stars as the constellations Eridanus and Delta. ), HARE OF LEROS The island of Leros was once free of hares, until a young man brought a pregnant female into the country as a pet. Greek : Aix Olenios (the Goat on the Left), ERICHTHONIUS An early King of Athens who invented the four-horse chariot. Jealousy was the motive for the slaying of Niobe’s many children, because Niobe flaunted her fecundity to the goddess Leto, who had only two offspring. The goddess in wrath inflicted him with unquenchable hunger and sent a serpent to further plague him. Latin : Sirios There Io was restored to human form and gave birth to her son Epaphos. As a memorial the god set the creature amongst the stars as the constellation Aries, first of the twelve signs of the zodiac. Sumerian : AGA (the Crown of Anu), CROWN OF ARIADNE The crown of the Cretan princess Ariadne. Hesiod may have known this version; he wishes to have been born either earlier or later. At this point the poet intercalates the Age (or Race) of Heroes. Thus, though the aim of Hesiod’s Theogony is to describe the ascendancy of Zeus (and, incidentally, the rise of the other gods), the inclusion of such familiar themes as the hostility between the generations, the enigma of woman (Pandora), the exploits of the friendly trickster (Prometheus), and the struggles against powerful beings or monsters like the Titans (and, in later tradition, the Giants) enhances the interest of an epic account. Greek : Aiêtos (the Eagle) Sumerian : KU (the Fish) & SIM.MAH (the Swallow), FISHES OF APHRODITE When the monster Typhon attacked Olympus, the gods fled in a body to the south. ), CROW OF APOLLO A crow which was sent by Apollo to fetch water for libations. ), Latin : Cancer (the Crab) Akkadian : Erû (the Eagle) ), PHOENICE A Phoenician girl or bear who was set amongst the stars as the constellation Ursa Minor. Mythos – The Greek Myths retold by Stephen Fry is a delight. She was given a place amongst the stars as the winged constellation Virgo, with her scales set nearby in the form of Libra. He was instructed by the god in the art of winemaking, but was murdered by peasants who mistook the draught for poison. (Hyginus 2.6. (Hyginus 2.33. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, Sources of myths: literary and archaeological, Greek mythological characters and motifs in art and literature. But the hero Perseus slew the beast and rescued her. Sumerian : SHUDUN (the Yoke), ARCAS An early king of Arkadia. Of these, the twelve signs whose paths intersect with the dawn rising of the sun were known as zodiakos (the zodiac) or zodiakos kyrklos (circle of small animals). ), SCALES OF FATE The scales of Tyche, goddess of fortune, were set amongst the stars as the constellation Libra. Presumably this Hyas and the lion were represented by the constellations Aquarius and Leo. ), ISLAND OF SICILY The triangle shaped island of Sicily was represented amongst the stars as the constellation Triangulum. Greek : Êridanos or Potamos (the River) ), CUP OF APOLLO A cup placed amongst the stars by Apollo in form of the constellation Crater, next to Corvus the crow and Hydra the serpent. Greek : Arktos Mikra (the Little Bear) or Amaza (the Wagon) or Kynosoura (the Dog's Tail), CYNOSURA An Idaean nymph who nursed the infant god Zeus in the Dictaeon cave of Crete. She received from the gods as a wedding gift upon her marriage to the god Dionysus. The constellations, as described in Greek mythology, were mostly god-favoured heroes and beasts who received a place amongst the stars as a memorial of their deeds. Greek : Ôriôn (the Mountain Man?) As a memorial the whole family--Cepheus, Cassiopea, Andromeda and Perseus--were placed amongst the stars. The boy and eagle were placed amongst the stars as the adjacent constellations Aquarius and Aquila. Greek mythology books (retellings, translations, and commentary) continue to be some of my favorite reads. ), Latin : (Milky Way) ), HYADES Five nymphs whose stars outline the face of the bull Taurus. Greek : Drakôn (the Dragon), HESPERIAN DRAGON The huge serpent which guarded the golden apples of the Hesperides. ), Greek : Perseus (the Destroyer) When he was about to commit suicide in his grief, Hera transformed Meropes into an eagle and placed him amongst the stars in the form of Aquila. Sumerian : EN.TE.NA.BAR.HUM, CHIRON The wisest of the Centaurs, a son of the Titan Cronus. Akkadian : Sisû (the Horse) After he was slain by the Bacchantes, Apollo and the Muses placed his lyre amongst the stars. He was depicted pouring libations at the atlar in the form of the three constellations Ara (the Altar), Crater (the Cup), and Centaurus (the Centaur). Dionysus afterwards placed the pair amongst the stars as the constellations Virgo and Bootes. (Hyginus 2.21 on Euripides. The Dioscuri came to the rescue of sailors in distress. The gods as a memorial, set the whole family amongst the stars as constellations. ), PHOLUS A centaur of Mount Pholoe in Arcadia who entertained Heracles in his cave. Orion was also described by Homer both striding across the heavens and hunting wild beasts in the underworld. (Hyginus 2.21. ), HERACLES THE DRAGON-SLAYER The great hero was placed amongst the stars in the form of a kneeling man with his club poised to strike the Hesperian dragon, the constellation Draco. As thanks for his help the god set him amongst the stars as the goat-fish constellation Capricorn. As the months progress it is seen to rise earlier and earlier in the night, and gradually assumes a higher position in the heavens prior to dawn, until one evening, it has reached the western horizon, before dissappearing completely from view (which is known as the constellation's astronomical setting). (Hyginus 2.23. (Hyginus 2.35. As a result the Greeks had a number of alternate myths describing each of the star groups, as the foreign traditions were translated in different ways by the various regions and poetical traditions of ancient Greece. The fast-breeding animals quickly got out of control and devoured everything on the island, forcing the inhabitants to abandon their homes. Daedalus and Icarus, antique bas-relief; in the Villa Albani, Rome. Thus, whereas Heracles, a man of Tiryns, may originally have been a historical character, the myth of his demise on Oeta and subsequent elevation to full divinity is closely linked with a cult. (Hyginus 2.25. ), CARNOBON A King of the Getae tribe of Thrace. The serpent prevented the crow from drinking at the bowl leaving it eternally parched in the heavens. (Hyginus 2.19. Summerian : SHU.GI (the Old Man), PERSEUS An Argive hero, the son of Zeus and Danae. Sumerian : SIPA.ZI.AN.NA (the True Shepherd of Anu), ORION A giant hunter who was set amongst the stars as the constellation Orion. Zeus coupled with her and she bore the god Aegipan. (Hyginus 2.13. ), MEROPES A King of Cos whose wife was killed by Artemis for spurning her worship. Sumerian : MAR.GÍD.DA (the Wagon), CALLISTO An Arcadian princess who was loved by the god Zeus and transformed into a bear by the wrathful goddess Artemis or Hera. As these powers tended to be wide, the myths of many gods were correspondingly complex. Yet their very artistry serves as an impediment to interpretation, since the Greeks embellished the myths with folktale and fiction told for its own sake. The warm months of spring and summer must yield to the cold and violence of winter, so perhaps the use of the word rape is unfortunate. Akkadian : Tu'amu rabûtu (the Great Twins) He was placed amongst the stars as a man bent down on one knee in supplication along with his lyre. ), DELTA OF EGYPT The triangle formed by the delta of the River Nile was placed amongst the stars as the constellation of the same name. (Hyginus 2.17 on Eratosthenes. As memorial the kindly animal was placed amongst the stars. Others say the triangle represented the whole of Egypt from the Nile border with Egypt down to the sea. Of folk deities, the nymphs (nature goddesses) personified nature or the life in water or trees and were said to punish unfaithful lovers. As time went on, an accretion of minor myths continued to supplement the older and more authentic ones. 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