OEDIPUS

The Oracle of Delphi tells King Laius of Thebes he will have a child who is destined to kill him and sleep with Laius's wife, Jocasta, the boy's own mother. When a baby comes along, the king pierces his ankles and leaves him on a mountainside to die. A shepherd finds the baby, though, and takes him to King Polybus and Queen Merope of Corinth, who name him Oedipuss and raise him as their own. (Oedipus)...

One day,  Oedipus goes to the Oracle of Delphi to find out who his real parents are. The Oracle doesn't see fit to tell him this, but she does tell him that he's destined to kill his father and sleep with his mother. Oedipus tries to run from this fate but ends up running right into it. He kills Laius in a scuffle at a crossroads, not knowing he's his real dad. Later, he wins the throne of Thebes and unknowingly marries his mother, Jocasta, after answering the riddle of the Sphinx.

Several years (and several children) later Oedipus and Jocasta figure out the truth of everything with the unwilling help of Tiresias the seer. Jocasta hangs herself, and then Oedipus stabs out his own eyes.. The blind king then goes into exile with only his daughter, Antigone, to guide him, and eventually dies in the town of Colonus..

BAUCIS AND PHILEMON

Baucis and Philemon

- An old married couple

- Living in Phrygia

- Welcomed Jupiter and Mercury whole-heartedly

Jupiter and Mercury (Zeus and Hermes in Greek) disguised themselves as humans and descended on Earth to test the hospitality of the people living in Phrygia. Since they are disguised as peasants, nobody welcomed them except for Baucis and Philemon who welcomed them with open arms. Even though they are poor, they did their best to make their visitors comfortable.

When the couple realized that the people before them were gods, they asked the gods for forgiveness because of their poor refreshments. They told the gods that they have a goose and they will catch it for them. But alas, they failed. Still, since they are good to the two gods, they rewarded the couple by punishing their neighbors who are rude to them. When asked for what they want, the couple told the gods that they do not want to be torn apart even by death. 

The time of their death came, and instead of dying the common way, they were turned into a linden and an oak that grows from one trunk.

MINYAS AND DAUGHTERS

After the Daughters of Minyas spent the festival day working, they heard a loud clamor outside their home. While they hovered inside in fear, the weaving they had done turned to ivy vines and their yarn became grapevines. But Minyas's daughters refuse to take part in,  Dionysus tries to persuade, but still they refuse, so Dionysus gets angry and appears to the daughters as; a lion, a bull, a panther,  and the sisters were driven mad.
Then Dionysus turn them into owls and mouse ( two of them owls, the other mouse)    

PENTHEUS

In Greek mythology, Pentheus (Πενθεύς) was a king of Thebes, son of the strongest of the Spartes, Echion, and Agave, daughter of Cadmus, the founder of Thebes, and the goddess Harmonia.

Dionysus traveling around the world and then decides to visit Thebes.

Dionysus eventually reached Thebes, which was ruled by his cousin Pentheus. However, Pentheus did not know of Dionysus. Dionysus was with a group of his followers, who were naturally singing and dancing loudly, flushed with wine. Pentheus disliked the loud strangers and ordered his guards to

imprison them all. Refused to worship for Dionysus.

And also in Thebes, people scores Semele and disgracefull ( in favor of Agave, because given a big king Thebes.

Dionysus decides to punish them and lures the women of Thebes. So Women become the Maenads, Pentheus mother also becomes a Maenads.

Pentheus learns about his mother  and wearing colourful clothes cause of Dionysus advice.

Women wait on the top of the hill.

When he approaches to the hill to have a better visual, the Maenads see Pentheus as a wild lion,

Maenads tear Pentus into pieces.

Agave played a major role and still in trance and takes the head to his father(Cadmus).

When Cadmus sees the head, tells her that it is not a lion, Agave realizes what she had done and falls to the ground and crying.........

ACETES AND PIRATES

 Once he had grown to manhood Dionysus decided to wander far and wide, including areas outside of Greece. Where ever he went he taught men how to cultivate vines and the mysteries of his cult. He was accepted until he returned to his own country of Thebes.
As he journeyed back to Greece he was spotted by pirates. He appeared to them as a rich young man. He might even be the son of a king. He certainly looked like his parents would pay a rich ransom for his safe return. Happy at their good luck the pirates seized him and brought him aboard their ship. They then attempted to tie him to the ship but, the ropes refused to hold. Anyplace a rope touched him it just fell apart. Dionysus watched calmly, smiling.
After some time the Acetes realized that only a god could be responsible. He called out that the crew should free Dionysus and beg his forgiveness. But, the captain mocked the Acetes as a fool and called for the crew to set sail. The crew raised the sail and caught the wind but, the ship did not move. Looking around they saw the ship quickly becoming overgrown with vines that held it fast. Dionysus then changed himself into a lion and began to chase the crewmen. To escape they leaped overboard but, as they did they were changed to dolphins. Only Acetes remains, and Dionysus promises to protect him.

PERSEPHONE

Zeus, King of all the Gods, had three sisters: Hera, Queen of the Gods, was also his wife and the Goddess of Marriage; Hestia was the Goddess of Home and Hearth and Demeter was Goddess of the Harvest, responsible for the crops and for feeding the people.

Demeter was loved by all humans for her gift of soil and gentle, mild weather to grow their crops. They worshipped her for her caring and kindness. She was very much a ‘hands-on’ and ‘happy to help’ sort of Goddess.

Persephone was Demeter’s only child. Like her mother, she was kind and caring, with a happy nature and the most dazzling smile. She was the sort of person who spread light and happiness wherever she went and so, naturally, she was loved by everyone but most especially by her mother.

Demeter liked nothing more than to spend hours in the company of her delightful daughter, chatting and laughing, watching her grow into a radiant young woman and seeing the way she enchanted those around her. 

So you can imagine how distraught Demeter was when her beloved daughter disappeared one day.
That day Persephone wandering out of the Eleusis and picking up Narcissus flower.
Suddenly the ground opened and Persephone abtructed/ kidnapped by Hades.
Demeter got worried and searched for her 9 days without any stopping, eating or bath.
Then met Hecate and Hecate offered to went to the Helios who saw everything that happened on the earth, Helios pitied and explained everything.
Demeter left Olympus and went to Eleusis in the shape of older woman.
 Four princesses offered her to nurse their newly born brother, these princesses were the daughter of Celeus ( the king of the Eleusis)
They took Demeter to the Palace.
Melania was the mother of baby,( queen).
Demeter's begun to nurse the baby boy( Demephoon).
Demeter liked her.
At night, Demeter pats the baby with ambrosia to become immortal and hold him to fire, So Demephoon grew too quickly.
Mentoring suspected and saw her setting Demephoon on fire. Mentoring screams around.
After Demeter left, she built up a temple for her honor. 
Demeter met and talked with Zeus, he pitied and decided to get Persephone back.
 After Hermes, Hades and Zeus's decision Hades gave in, but before leaving the underground, Hades gave four seeds of pomegranate and Persephone ate them. Anyone who tasted the food of Hades must remain in the underworld.

Hades respects Zeus's decision and lets Persephone free.
Four seeds meaning four months.
Summer, Spring(Autumn) with Demeter and winter with Hades under the ground.
Zeus could not forbid Hades totaly and allows Hades to see her twice a year.

TITHONUS

Tithonus was a Trojan prince in Greek mythology, son of King Laomedon of Troy and the water nymph Strymon. Eos, the Titan goddess of dawn, kidnapped Tithonus along with Ganymede, in order to make them her lovers. She then asked Zeus to grant Tithonus immortality but did not think of asking to grant him eternal youth too. As a result, Tithonus aged and did not die, resulting in his strength wilting away to the point that he could no longer move his arms. All he could do was babble continuously; in the end, he turned into a Grasshopper.

ENDYMON (ENDYMION)

Selene was the goddess of the moon and Endymion was a  handsome prince.
They fell in love with each other and they get married.
 But Endymion was a mortal man, so Selene went to Zeus to immortality, Zeus granted but only one condition, Endymion asleep forever, and Selene accepted.
Selene kissed his eyes while sleeping.
He slept forever> eternal youth acquired

Shortly, they get married but boy asleep forever.

PARIS

In celebration of the marriage of Peleus and Thetis, Lord Zeus, father of the Greek pantheon, hosted a banquet on Mount Olympus. Every deity and demi-god had been invited, except Eris, the goddess of strife, discomfort, and chaos (no one wanted a troublemaker at a wedding). For revenge, Eris threw the golden Apple of discord inscribed with the word "Kallisti" — "For the fairest" — into the party, provoking a squabble among the attendant goddesses over for whom it had been meant.

The goddesses thought to be the most beautiful were Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite, and each one claimed the apple. They started a quarrel so they asked Zeus to choose one of them. Knowing that choosing any of them would bring him the hatred of the other two, Zeus did not want to take part in the decision. He thus appointed Paris to select the most beautiful.

Paris son of Priam(king of Troy).

Hera offered King of Europa and Asia,

 Athena offered Trojans vs.. the greek victory and wisdom

Aphrodite offered the most beautiful woman, Helen.

Paris chose Aphrodite— and, therefore, Helen.

Helen was already married to King Menelaus of Sparta (a fact Aphrodite neglected to mention), so Paris had to raid Menelaus's house to steal Helen from him (according to some accounts, she fell in love with Paris and left willingly). The Greeks' expedition to retrieve Helen from Paris in Troy is the mythological basis of the Trojan War. This triggered the war because Helen was famous for her beauty throughout Achaea(ancient Greece), and had many suitors of extraordinary ability. Therefore, following Odysseus's advice, her father Tyndareus made all suitors promise to defend Helen's marriage to the man he chose for her. When she disappeared to Troy, Menelaus invoked this oath. Helen's other suitors—who between them represented the lion's share of Achaea's strength, wealth and military prowess—were obligated to help bring her back. Thus, the whole of Greece moved against Troy in force. The Trojan war had begun.

CUPID AND PSYCHE

Psych (the unconscious)

There was once a king who had three daughters, all lovely maidens, but the youngest Psyche excelled her sisters so great that beside them she seemed like a goddess consorting with mere mortals. The fame of her surpassing beauty spread far and wide and soon many people came to worship her as though she were a goddess. Venus' temples lay in filth and her favorite city lay in ruins, for now, all that cared for Venus cared for Psyche.

Venus grew jealous of Psyche and as always turned to her son Cupid for help. She told Cupid to go to earth and shoot Psyche with an arrow to make her fall in love with a terrible monster on the earth. When Cupid saw Psyche, he fell in love with her and forgot his duty. Then he went to Apollo to pour his heart.

 Meanwhile, Psyche and her family become worried that she will never find a husband, for although men admire her beauty, they always seem content to marry someone else. Psyche's father prays to Apollo for help, and Apollo instructs her to go to the top of a hill, where she will marry not a man but a serpent.  Then Apollo put her on the top of a hill, a snake will come, and that will be her husband, so her parents got sad but still Psyche waiting and the wind came by and carried her away while she fell asleep.

When she awoke she saw a river and a palace of gold and silver, and empty.

When he entered the palace, a voice told her ''  This palace is for you, and for you only'' and then the voice '' Your husband will come tonight'', it all happened as the voice told her. 
 Every night her husband came but she never saw his face.  One day her sister would like to visit her, and  Cupid gives permission but never to see his face.
Her sister came by wind, they were happy to see each other, they jealous Psyche, the palace of gold and silver.

When they asked about his husband, there was no clear answer, then Psyche gave them gold, silver and jewells and  saw them off. Sisters envy her.
They understood that she had never seen her husband  so came back and scorned her that her husband could e a terrible monster and gave advice that turn on the lights and kills him with a dagger.
At night, when Cupid fell asleep, Psyche  tried to look Cupid via candles light
When she saw the beautiful Cupid asleep on her bed, she fell in love with his, at this time oil dropped on Cupid's shoulder, he woke up and angry.
She broke the promise, there was no trust, no love and fled without a word.

Psyche, meanwhile, journeys all over the land to find Cupid. She decided to go to Venus herself in a plea for love and forgiveness after they talk, Aphrodite tried to test for Psyche.
The first, tiny seeds to arrange in a very short period of time. A group of ants took pity on her and begun separating all the grains into different piles. When Aphrodite comes at dawn she is angry. She makes the second task even harder. "Go to the other side of the river and fetch me the golden fleece from the sun god's sheep."  Psyche managed this task, too.  Another task, Psyche to fill a flask from the mouth of the River Styx. When Psyche reached the head of the river, she realized that this task seems impossible because the rocks are so dangerous. This time, an eagle helped her and filled the flask. Venus still did not give in. She challenged Psyche to went into the underworld and had Persephone put some of her beauty in a box.
Psyche going down to the underworld with box, but could not find Persephone, and came to a voice like open the box, he opened the box but nothing was to be found inside suddenly a deadly languor took possession of her as she fell into a heavy sleep.

Meanwhile Cupid search for Psyche, Cupid picked Psyche up and wiped the sleep from her eyes and placed it into the box. Cupid told her to take the box to his mother and all would be fine. To make sure Cupid flew up to Mount Olympus and spoke with Jupiter himself. Although Cupid had done Jupiter harm previously by making him turn into a bull and a swan, he agreed to help him. Jupiter summoned all the gods, including Venus, and announced the marriage of Cupid and Psyche. Mercury brought Psyche to the palace of the gods, and Jupiter himself gave her the ambrosia to make her immortal. Venus was in turn satisfied for with Psyche up in Heaven, she would not command attention from the men on earth.

So all came to the happiest end.

four duty:  tiny seeds, fetch the golden wool, fill the cup with black water of the Styx, fill the box some beauty.

HIPPOMENES AND ATALANTA

      Atalanta was a beautiful and confident young Greek woman who had the ability to run faster than any other human, and virgin priestess.
she decided never to marry, she could only give herself to man if she lost to a man in a race.
    Despite the consequences, if they lost, many young men came to Atalanta’s remote forest and challenged her to a race. As expected, she won every race to lead to many men being killed. One young man, however, Hippomenes, watched the races and instantly fell in love with the beautiful Atalanta. Smitten with the huntress, Hippomenes prayed to Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love. Aphrodite showed him how to win. Aphrodite gave him three golden apples. 


            As the race began, Atalanta took the lead three times. Hippomenes tossed one of the magical apples into her path and each time Atlanta paused to pick up the apple, allowing Hippomenes to take the lead. Aphrodite made the last apple very heavy in order to slow Atalanta down, which led Hippomenes to win the race and they get married.   :)

HERO AND LEANDER

Hero and Leander were famous lovers in Greek mythology. Hero, who lived in the town of Sestos, served as a priestess of the goddess Aphrodite* (Venus). Leander was a youth from the nearby town of Abydos, located across a narrow strip of water called the Hellespont.

Hero and Leander met at a festival and fell in love. However, because she was a priestess of Aphrodite, Hero had to remain a virgin and was forbidden to marry. The two lovers decided to see each other secretly. Each night Hero would leave a lamp burning in a window of the tower in which she lived, and Leander would swim across the Hellespont, using the light to guide his way. One winter night, the wind blew out the flame in the lamp, causing Leander to lose his way and drown. The next morning, when Hero saw his lifeless body washed up on the shore, she killed herself by jumping out of the tower.

PHYRAMUS AND THISBE

Pyramus and Thisbe:

like Romeo and Juliet

Pyramus

- He is known as a beautiful youth

- Lover of Thisbe

- He committed suicide when he thought that Thisbe is already dead.

Thisbe

- She is known as the loveliest maiden

- Lover of Pyramus

- She committed suicide upon seeing Pyramus' dead body.

Their story is an example of forbidden love. Their parents hate each other so they forbid them to marry. Still, nothing can get in the way of true love, so they continued their relationship but can only communicate through a common wall between their houses. Tired of not seeing each other, they decided to elope. They agreed to meet under a mulberry tree with snow-white berries. Thisbe was the first one to get there. While waiting, she saw a lioness coming towards her with bloody jaws. She dropped her cloak while escaping. That's what Pyramus saw when he got there. Thinking that Thisbe is dead and it is his fault, he committed suicide. When Thisbe went back to their meeting place, she saw Pyramus' dead body. Sad and heartbroken, she took Pyramus' dagger and stabbed herself with it. And white mulberries turn into red.

ADONIS

The first myth of Aphrodite and Adonis involves the man’s parents and is a story about beauty, love, and jealousy. Adonis’ mother was the beautiful Myrrha or Smyrna and his father, King Cyrus of Cyprus, who was actually the father of Myrrha.

This strange parentage of Adonis came about because Goddess Aphrodite was jealous of Myrrha’s beauty and caused the girl to unite with her own father.

When Cyrus found out that he had been tricked, he chased Myrrha with a sword, intending to kill both her and her unborn child. Aphrodite, repenting of her deed, quickly turned the girl into a myrrh tree. Nine months later the baby Adonis comes out of the tree. Muscle and ideal man. 

 Aphrodite fell in love with the beautiful youth (possibly because she had been wounded by Eros' arrow). Aphrodite sheltered Adonis as a new-born baby and entrusted him to Persephone. Persephone was also taken by Adonis' beauty and refused to give him back to Aphrodite. The dispute between the two goddesses was settled by Zeus (or by Calliope on Zeus' behalf): Adonis was to spend half of the year with  Persephone, and half of the year with Aphrodite (6 years/ 6 year).

Adonis was killed by a wild boar, said to have been sent variously by Artemis, jealous of Adonis' hunting skills or in retaliation for Aphrodite instigating the death of Hippolytus, a favorite of the huntress goddess; or by Aphrodite's paramour, Ares, who was jealous of Aphrodite's love for Adonis; or by Apollo, to punish Aphrodite for blinding his son, Erymanthus.^[9] Adonis died in Aphrodite's arms, who came to him when she heard his groans.

When he died she sprinkled the blood with nectar, from which sprang the short-lived anemone, which takes its name from the wind which so easily makes its petals fall. And so it is the blood of Adonis that each spring turns to red the torrential river.

PYGMALION AND GALATEA

 In ancient Greece, on the island of Cyprus, there lived a handsome and talented sculptor named Pygmalion. He loved his work and would spend hours carving beautiful ivory statues, always at his happiest when immersed in his art.

One day he chose a large, beautiful piece of ivory, and worked for many long hours at it, chiseling and hammering until he finished. It was a statue of a beautiful lady, so exquisitely carved that she seemed almost alive.

Pygmalion at once fell in love with his creation - he thought it was so beautiful, and he clothed the figure, gave it jewels, and named it Galatea, which means "sleeping love". 

 Pygmalion falls in love with the statue so prayed Aphrodite, then Aphrodite excepts and sculpture turns into a Galatea.

And Pygmalion and Galatea married.

good end :)

 

ARACHNE

A young and mortal girl named Arachne has recently boasted to her village that she is a better weaver than Minerva. Arachne has even issued a challenge, claiming that she will beat Minerva in a weaving contest if the goddess has the courage to accept.  Athena appears to accept her challenge. After weaving contest Arachne wins, Athena gets angry and turns into a spider that spins a web eternally ( not to leave it ever).

HERMES AND APOLLO

THE FIRST STORY :

APOLLO'S CATTLE:

Hermes is the most intelligent god.

Back in the days when Hermes was still an infant, he once slipped off his cradle and started an adventure to Pieria, in Northern Greece. His aim was to steal the cattle from his half-brother Apollo.

 Apollo's heifers were fending. 

Hermes discovered the herd very soon. One by one, he started pulling the hoofs out of the cows’ feet and re-attaching them in the reverse order. The same he did to his own sandals. Then he took the herd, which now seemed to be walking backward and hid the herd inside a cave. Finally, he returned to his cave in Mount Cyllene in Arcadia. Apollo soon found out that his herd was missing and started searching all around. The traces he saw on his way were nothing but confusing and led the god to despair. Informed everybody, they search with mobilization.

Silanus found the heifers and Hermes. Little Hermes was peacefully sleeping inside his cradle, but Apollo didn’t bother- he grabbed the infant and took him up to Mount Olympus to be judged by their master Zeus, the king of the gods. Before the eyes of Zeus, Hermes first denied everything, but in the end, he had to confess. Zeus found the story quite amusing so he didn't punish Hermes, he only asked from him to return the herd...

SECOND STORY:

HERMES AND THE LYR:

While Hermes played so well with an empty seashell, Apollo liked it and wanted to have the seashells. So they made a bargain> Shell for the animas> exchange

Apollo goes back to Mt. Olympus. Apollo noticed that Hermes was carrying a beautiful musical instrument, and when he heard Hermes play it, he was enchanted. He offered to trade him the lyre for his fifty cattle. Now Hermes was a herdsman and he invented a musical instrument, a shepherd's pipe, for herding his cattle. Once again, Apollo was fascinated with Hermes' new invention and decided to trade his golden stick, the Caduceus, for Hermes' shepherd's pipe. The Caduceus had power oversleep, dreams, wealth, and happiness. Apollo became known for the beautiful music he played with the lyre and became the god of music.

They told Zeus the whole story then Zeus warned Hermes> no more lies and respect for the Olympians.

And Zeus choose him for messanger god, the most running and the most intelligent. 

THE AMAZONS

Amazons were women warriors and Artemis was the goddess of female warriors.
Notable queens of the Amazons are Penthesilea, who participated in the Trojan War, and her sister Hippolyta, whose magical girdle, given to her by her father Ares, was the object of one of the lsbours of Hercules.
The myth:
In some versions of the myth, no men were permitted to have sexual encounters or reside in Amazon country; but once a year, in order to prevent their race from dying out, they visited the Gargareans, a neighbouring tribe. The male children who were the result of these visits were either killed, sent back to their fathers or exposed in the wilderness to fend for themselves; the girls were kept and brought up by their mothers, and trained in agricultural pursuits, hunting, and the art of war. In other versions when the Amazons went to war they would not kill all the men. Some they would take as slaves, and once or twice a year they would have sex with their slaves.

They attacked the Phrygians, who were assisted by Priam, then a young man.  In his later years, however, towards the end of the Trojan War, his old opponents took his side against the Greeks under their queen Penthesilea "of Thracian birth", who was slain by Achilles

One of the tasks imposed upon Heracles by Eurystheus was to obtain possession of the girdle of the Amazonian queen Hippolyta. He was accompanied by his friend Theseus, who carried off the princess Antiope, sister of Hippolyta, an incident which led to a retaliatory invasion of Attica in which Antiope perished fighting by the side of Theseus. In some versions, however, Theseus marries Hippolyta and in others, he marries Antiope and she does not die; by this marriage with the Amazon Theseus had a son Hippolytus.

Sacrifices>horses

worshipper of Ares and Artemis

THE PLEIADES

They were seven daughters of Atlas (Prometheus brother) and they were nymphs.
they had affairs with some gods such as Zeus, Ares, Poseidon.

1. Maia, eldest of the seven Pleiades, was the mother of Hermes by Zeus.
2. Electra was the mother of Dardanus and Lasion, by Zeus.
3. Taygete was the mother of Lacedaemon, also by Zeus.
4. Alcyone was the mother of Hyrieus, Hyperenor, and Aethusa by Poseidon.
5. Celaeno was the mother of Lychus and Nycteus by Poseidon, and of Eurypylus also by Poseidon, and of Lycus and Chimaereus by Prometheus
6. Sterope (also Asterope) was the mother of Oenomaus by Ares.
7. Merope, youngest of the seven Pleiades, was wooed by Orion. In other mythic contexts, she married Sisyphus and, becoming mortal, faded away. She bore to Sisyphusseveral sons.

  

    Not only gods fell in love with the Pleiades, but also Orion fell in love.

 Orion was a giant huntsman and hunter, He chase daughters but Zeus interfered and turned the Pleiades into Doves. seven white Doves rose from the grass where they had been, and flew away - up, up, into the night sky. 

When they reached the sky, the seven doves became seven bright stars(constellation)

. There the stars shone, in a little group, close together, for hundreds of years. They were called the Pleiades.