Pre AP – Information for Mythology Charts (What you need to know for the test!)
Copy this information into your charts. I will take up your mythology charts prior to the test!
1. Cronus (Realm – Ruler of the titans; Symbol – Sycle; Roman Name: Saturn)
This myth explained the creation: First there was chaos (matter without form) and then
there was Uranus (heavens) and Gaea (earth). They bore the Titans (12 in all); then they
boreCronus and Rhea. From Cronus and Rhea came the Olympian gods.
2. Zeus – (Realm – King of the Gods; Symbol – Eagle and thunderbolt; Roman Name –
Jupiter) Parents were Cronus and Rhea
3. Poseidon – (Realm – God of the sea; Symbol – trident and horse); Roman Name –
Neptune) Parents were Cronus and Rhea. Poseidon is known for his gift to man (the
horse); was also said to be the cause of earthquakes
4. Hades – (Realm God of the Underworld; Symbol – Helmet of invisibility; Roman Name
– Pluto) Parents were Cronus and Rhea. Hades kidnapped the goddess of the seasons
(Persephone) and took her to the underworld to be his bride.
5. Athena – (Realm - Goddess of war and wisdom; Symbol – Owl and olive tree; Roman
Name – Minerva) Born fully grown and fully armored from Zeus’s head; Gave a shield
to Perseus to fight one of the monsters with the hair of snakes.
6. Aphrodite – (Realm – Goddess of love and beauty; Symbol – Rose and dove; Roman
Name – Venus) Born from the foam of the sea; Married to Hephaestus (the ugly god)
7. Apollo – (Realm – God of sunlight; Symbol – laurel tree and lyre; Roman name – Apollo
(or Phoebus) He was the twin brother of Artemis
8. Artemis – (Realm – Goddess of moonlight and the hunt; Symbol – bow and arrow;
Roman name – Diana) She was the twin sister of Apollo
9. Hephaestus – (Realm – Blacksmith of the gods; Symbol – ram and quail; Roman Name
– Vulcan) Married to aphrodite; Ugliest of all the gods
10. Hermes – (Realm – Messenger of the gods and God of thievery; Symbol – winged cap
and sandals; Roman Name – Mercury) Stole cattle from Apollo
11. Ares – (Realm – God of War; Symbol – dog, chicken, vulture, spear (war weapon);
Roman name – Mars) was considered the father of the “fierce female fighters” known as
the Amazon women.
12. Dionysus – (Realm – God of drama and wine; Symbol – tiger and grapes; Roman name –
Bacchus) Born from Zeus’s thigh
13. Hera – (Realm – Goddess of Marriage and birth; Symbol – cow and peacock; Roman
name – Juno) The month of June is named after her and thus explains why brides want to
marry in the month of June ( to be blessed by Hera!)
14. Hestia – (Realm – Goddess of hearth and home; Symbol – donkey and fireplace hearth;
Roman name – Vesta) Known for the Vestal Virgins who were chosen to care for the
fires of Hestia for 30 years.
15. Demeter – (Realm – Goddess of harvest and agriculture; Symbol – ear of corn, shaft of
wheat; Roman name – Ceres (where we get the word cereal ... corn chex, wheat chex,
corn flakes, etc.) Her daughter was Persephone, who was kidnapped by Hades and taken
to the underworld. (Myth explains the seasons)
15. Persephone – (Realm – Goddess of seasons; Symbol – Pomegranate; Roman name –
Proserpina (or Kore) Her mother was Demeter (See number 15)
16. Hebe – (Realm - Goddess of youth; Symbol – silver chalice; Roman name – Juventus
(origin of the word juvenile) She was the cupbearer to the gods and served them nectar
and ambrosia which made them immortal.
17. Pan – (Realm – God of forest and shepherds; Symbol – Panpipe and syrinx; Roman
name – Faunus) His father was Hermes. He was part man/part goat and was associated
with the syrinx.
18. Prometheus, Epimetheus, and Pandora - Prometheus and Epimetheus were brothers
(titans) Prometheus gave fire to man and his name means “forethought.” His liver was
eaten daily – suffered for mankind (parallel symbol of Christ in Christianity.
Epimetheus’sname means “afterthought” and he was scatterbrained. He created the
animals, but saved nothing good for man. He married Pandora.
Pandora was the first woman on earth. All of the evils/ills of the world flew out of the
box (jar) when she opened it because her curiosity got the best of her.
19. The titans and Atlas - Atlas was a second generation Titan (race of giants) who fought
against Zeus. He held up the heavens
20. Hercules – Known mostly for the twelve labors because he killed his wife and son; held
up the heavens for Atlas
21. Charon and Cerberus - Charon was the ferry boatman in the underworld; received
souls into the underworld. Cerberus was the 3-headed dog who guarded the gates of
Hades (would let people in, but wouldn’t let them out.)
22. Orpheus and Eurydice – Orpheus tried to rescue his bride, Eurydice, from Hades while
still alive, but he couldn’t look at her before they got out. He looked at her though, and
lost her forever. He played the lyre for Hades. (Eurydice died from a serpent’s sting.)
23. Perseus and Medusa - Perseus, using winged sandals, conquered Medusa (who had a
head of snakes and would turn you to stone if you looked at her) He also caused Atlas
andPolydectes to be turned to stone.
24. Theseus and the Minotaur – The minotaur (half man/ half bull) lived in the center of a
maze and ate 14 children every year as a sacrifice. Theseus was the hero who destroyed
the Minotaur and found his way out of the maze with a ball of string.
25. Atalanta– A runner who was defeated in a very important race (when she stopped to
pick up three golden apples. She was forced to marry Hippomenes who had received
help from Aphrodite to win the race; she was also changed into a lioness
26. Cupid and Psyche – Cupid (the name most commonly known and used) is actually the
Roman name. The Greek name is Eros. Cupid, the god of love, is symbolized by a silver
heart and a bow and arrow. Parents were Ares and Aphrodite. Psyche married him but
lit the lamp to look at him and made Cupid angry.
27. Pygmalion and Galatea – Pygmalion created a statue and fell in love with it. Because
Aphrodite liked him, she changed the statue into a real woman.
28. The Muses - Parents were Zeus and the Titaness Mnemosyne (name means memory);
they were the patronesses of literature and the arts.
29. The Fates – Birth spirits depicted as three old women who were responsible for the
destiny of every individual; Clotho was the spinner; Atropos was the inflexible (cuts);
andLachesis was the apportioner (measurer)
30. Oracle at Delphi – Most famous oracle located on the slope of Mt. Parnassus. Oracle is
a fissure in the earth.
31. Echo and Narcissus – Echo’s punishment form Hera was “You will always have the last
word but no power to speak first.” She faded away into a voice that haunts cliffs, caves,
and desolate places. Narcissus fell in love with his own image. Where his body had lain
was a blooming flower named after him.
*** The dwelling place of the Gods is known as Mount O