Greek mythology is the ensemble of myths and legends related to the Ancient Greece which tell us about adventures of greek Gods and Heros and other mythological creatures but also about natural phenomenons, the origin/meaning of cults and rites…
Zeus, he was the “King of the Gods” who ruled the entire Universe. He was the God of he sky, thunder and lightning, their attributes consist in the thunder, the eagle, the bul,l and the oak. Besides his Indo-European inheritance he got several iconographic charastics from Near East, such as the scpetre. Zeus was frequently represented by greek artist in two ways, standing with a thunder in his right hand and sitting in a majestic way.
Poseidon was the god of the sea, rivers, floods, droughts, and as the “Earth Shaker” of earthquakes too. The name of the sea etruscan god Nethuns, was adopted in latin to get his name Neptunus in the roman mythology, being both gods analogous to Poseidon. He was extremely adored in Thebes and Pylos, in the Mycenaean greece during the Bronze Age, but we usually consider him as Olympic god like his brothers Hades and Zeus. He was the protector of several greek cities, we must outline the fight between him and Athena for becoming the guardian of Athens. An Homeric Hymn was dedicated to him.
Asclepius, was the God of Medicine and Healing, he was venered in Greence into some sanctuaries. Being the most important of them, the one placed in Epidaurus in north-eastern Peloponnese where a real school medicine was developed. It’ s said Hypocretes’ family came from this God. Their attributes are two snakes rolled up around a stick, pineapples, laurel’s crowns, a goat and a dog. The most famous is the snake, which according to the ancient masters, it lived not only in the earth but also insed it. Asclepius had the gift of healing and knew incredibly well the vegetation, above all medicinal plants. Bernard Simonay tells us in his novel, “The Horus Temple”, that this god is a kind of way of honouring the egyptian wise Imhotep, who lived about 2. 000 years ago.
Metis was the goddess of wise counsel, he was also the incarnation divine order, lwas and habits. It’ s said when we don’t obey her, Nemesis the goddess of punishment gave us what we deserved. Metis wasn’t a furious goddess he was known as the goddess of beautiful cheeks. It’s told that she offered Hera a cup after her return to the Olymp because of Zeus’ threatens. Metis defended the correct relationship among men and women and the legitima and ordered family. Judges were told to be her servants. He was so respected that Hera called her “Mrs. Metis”. We can affirm that her roman equivalent, was the personification of divine right and law, Iustitia.
Nike was the goddess of Victory. She was represented as a winged sculture in the hand of other God, either Zeus or Athena. We must mention his temple in the Acropolis of Athens. We usually see her holding a palm or a laurel’s garland. Her most famous representations are the Victory of Samothrace and the little statue in Zeus’ hands. Her roman equal was Victory, whom was considered to be raised with Athena.
