Achilles
Achilles is widely known to be one of the great heroes of Greek lore and mythology. Achilles had many defining characteristics including incredible strength, unwavering loyalty as well as being extreme courage. His weak spot and only fallible characteristic were his Achilles heel. Stories of his adventures are captured in Homer`s poem The Iliad. Achilles was also known to be fearsome in battle. According to Greek mythology, the doing of Apollo terminated Achilles time as the greatest of Greek warriors. Furthermore, Achilles was known to be very hot-headed and stubborn and his uncontrollable temper would cots both friends and foes alike greatly.
Early Life
Achilles had a complex family tree, not unlike many other Greek mythical heroes. Achilles is the son of Thetis and his father was Peleus. Achilles`s father was the king of the Myrmidons (characterized by being extremely brave and capable soldiers. In an attempt to make her son immortal, Thetis held Achilles either a holy fire or the River Styx – accounts differ however the divine fire theory receives the most support. As Achilles was held by his heel, it remained flesh and thus became his major weakness. This weakness ultimately resulted in his demise. In her attempts to hide Achilles from the world, Thetis raised Achilles on the Greek Island Skyros in the Aegean Sea. According to legend Achilles was often dressed and disguised as a girl to avoid detection and to protect him.
Achilles with reference to the Trojan War and The Iliad
According to mythology, the Trojan War originated when Zeus (the sky and thunder god in ancient Greek religion, who rules as king of the gods of Mount Olympus) decided to lessen earth`s population by orchestrating a war between the Greeks and the Trojans. This was done by stirring up problems in their daily and personal lives. Furthermore, according to legend Zeus invited Paris (the prince of Troy to judge who is more beautiful between the goddesses Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite. In turn, the goddesses did offer Paris a backhander to secure his vote. Aphrodite offered to the prince the gift of the prettiest wife on the planet, which he found his best option. However, the wife offered by Aphrodite was already married to the king of Sparta, Menelaus. This resulted in Paris going to Sparta, with ample encouragement from Aphrodite. Paris conquered Helen`s love and took her back to Troy. Understandably Menelaus developed a huge grudge against Paris and wanted retribution. Thus Menelaus rallied an army of Greece`s best warriors. This army included Achilles and his Myrmidons and set off to conquer Troy and capture his wife. According to Homer this war lasted ten years and was incredibly violent and bloody.
The Trojan War has been going for nine years when the Iliad begins. By this time Achilles is a seasoned war veteran with unprecedented success and yet to be defeated. However, the Trojan War now reaches a stalemate. Homer, however, focuses on a different conflict namely the distinction between Agamemnon and the brother of Menelaus. In a previous clash, Agamemnon took a young concubine Trojan girl, Chryseis. Chryseis father was a priest of the god Apollo and tried to purchase his daughter`s liberation but was met with Agamemnon`s refusal and ridicule. Apollo was furious at this and chastised the Greek military by sending a plague to eradicate the soldiers. As he lost more and more soldiers, Agamemnon finally gave in and agreed to return Chryseis to her family. In return, he demanded a replacement concubine namely the wife of Achilles, the Trojan princess Briseis.
Achilles gave in to his superior`s summons and gave up his bride. He also refused to further fight on Agamemnon`s behalf. He collected all of his possessions and decided to confine himself to his tent.
With Achilles not engaging in battle, the Trojans started to get the upper hand. The Greek armies started to take loss after loss on the battlefield. Patroclus, a best friend of Achilles, managed to broker a settlement. This settlement entailed that Achilles would not engage in battle, however, he would let Patroclus use his mighty equipment and battle dress as a cover-up. The reasoning behind this was that the enemy would be filled with fear of Achilles returning to the battlefield and give up the fight.
This strategy was working swimmingly well until Apollo came up for the Trojans against Achilles and Patroclus. This resulted in Appolo assisting the Trojan prince hector to locate and eliminate Patroclus.
Filled with rage, Achilles was set on taking revenge resulting in chasing Hector back to Troy and slaughtering Trojans as he went along. Eventually, Achilles located Hector within the city walls killing him with a violent stab to the throat.
Achilles continued to disgrace and demean Hector post-mortem, parading Hector`s body back to camp and finally leaving it for public view on a rubbish heap. Finally giving in, Achilles returns Hector`s body to his family for a respectable interment.
Achilles after the end of Iliad
The Iliad does not explain what happened to Achilles going forward. However, later authors tell more of his tale. After Hector`s demise, the Trojans call on their foes to conquer the Greeks. King Memnon of Ethiopia lends military support to the Trojans but is eliminated by Achilles on the battleground. Achilles made military contact with the Amazons, resulting in fighting their leader. This resulted in Achilles killing their chief, Queen Penthesilea. As Achilles kills her with his spear they make eye contact and he is instantaneously smitten with her, yet all too late.
The death of Achilles
Achilles died by an arrow at the hand of Paris, prince of Troy. In the popular consensus, the arrow that killed Achilles was guided by the god Apollo into his most at-risk spot, his heel. According to mythology Achilles was cremated after his death and his ashes mixed with those of his bosom friend Patroclus.
Actaeon
Actaeon`s parents were Autonoe and Aristaeus (who was a minor god himself). He was known as a hero and a hunter of Boeotian origin. In all probability, Actaeon was also the brother of Macris. According to legend, Actaeon saw Artemis (she was the goddess of childbirth, vegetation, and wild animals) inadvertently while she was bathing on Mount Cithareon. This resulted in him being changed into a stag by her and eventually slain by his pack of hounds. In Greek mythology, Actaeon is famous for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, a factor that ultimately resulted in his death. It is believed that centaur Chiron trained Actaeon in hunting.
The transformation of Actaeon
Actaeon would eventually meet his end through hunting. Legend has it that after a hard day`s hunting, Actaeon went to cool down by a pool close by. This pool was located very close to Mount Cithaeron. Incidentally, Artemis the goddess to lave in the pool at the same time. Artemis`s entourage tried their best to hide the naked goddess. Despite their utmost endeavours, Actaeon saw her disrobed. To prevent her shame and Actaeon making public what he saw, she transformed him into a stag there and then. Upon seeing his new self in the water`s reflection he panicked and took for the hills. His hounds gave chase and could not remember or identify him with his transformed look and completely slew the stag.
After Actaeons death
Actaeon`s parents were struck with sorrow and sadness. Actaeon`s father Aristaeus left for the island of Sardinia and his mother Autonoe moved to Megara. His hounds were equally distressed and anguished and continued to search for him until they came to the cave of Chiron and the centaur. In an attempt to relieve their sorrow they constructed a lifelike statute of him (Actaeon), where the hounds could assemble in the future.
Aeneas
Aeneas was a Trojan hero. His parents were the goddess Aphrodite and the prince Anchises. Incidentally, his father was also the second cousin of King Priam of Troy. Aeneas conducted a journey from Antandros resulting in the founding of the city of Rome is well documented. Aeneas is considered a major part of both Greek and Roman history, mythology, and legend. Aeneas feature in Homer`s Iliad amongst others. Aeneas was also the father of Silvius, Ascanius, and quite many other children. Descendants of Aeneas include Romulus, Remus, Julius Caesar, and Augustus.
Aeneas featuring in Iliad
Aeneas feature as a minor character in Homer`s Iliad. Accordingly, Aeneas is rescued from the death door twice by the gods. He played a prominent part in defending his locale against Greek invasion during the Trojan War. His cousin Hector was in charge of defending the city as he was the chief of the Trojans and those in an alliance. It has been reported that Aeneas did not appreciate his lower-ranked position. This has resulted in theories that Aeneas assisted the Greeks in achieving victory in the battle against Troy.
Aeneas receives help from Aphrodite in war
Aeneas often received assistance from his mother Aphrodite in his warring endeavours. This resulted in the goodwill of Apollo towards him. Aphrodite and Apollo extricated Aeneas from a battle with Diomedes who which nearly cost him his life. Aeneas was taken to Pergamos to be healed.
Poseidon also comes to the rescue of Aeneas when he is assaulted by Achilles. This is far-reaching as Poseidon preferred the Greeks. Poseidon favoured Aeneas to rule the Trojans. In a different story, Aeneas was promoted to leader of the Trojan survivors when the Greeks secured Troy. In both versions, Aeneas survived the war. Mythology has it that Aeneas was told to make a run for it by the gods, resulting in his move to Italy. The party he took with him to Italy, known as the Aeneads, included Ascanius, Palinurus, Sergestus, Acmon, Achates, Anchises, and Misensus.
Alexander the Great
Alexander the Great has established the largest kingdom the ancient world has ever seen. He is widely known as one of the greatest military strategists, planners, and thinkers that ever lived. He was known as the King of Macedonia and Persia. He had many facets to his personality which he deployed according to the situation ranging from charismatic and brilliant to cruel and merciless.
He inspired the unwavering support and loyalty from his soldiers. His influence on both the Asian and Greek worlds was so strong that it led to the creation of the Hellenistic Period. He was the son of King Philip II of Macedon and Olympias, the daughter of King Epirus. He was born in Pella in Macedonia in 365 BCE.
Formative years
Alexander received an excellent education, privileged to be taught by the best tutors available. He showed a lot of courage in fighting and possessed great combat skills, even at ten years of age. During this tender age, he also managed to tame a wild horse, which he named Bucephalus, and took him to all his battles. At the age of thirteen, he received the tutelage of Aristotle. Subjects covered by Aristotle included: Art, logic, religion, and philosophy. Alexander developed a huge liking for Homer`s work, especially Iliad. This resulted in Achilles becoming a personal idol.
Alexander was known to be short in stature, far below average for Macedonians at the time. He had a spinal problem resulting in his neck being twisted. Regardless of this condition and his short stature he was known to be incredibly tough. He completed his formal education at sixteen years of age. He joined his father in the Battle of Chaeronea and helped to defeat the Athenians and Thebans who joined forces against Macedonia at the time. When King Philip was assassinated by his main bodyguard Alexander was featured as a suspect (amongst other theories and suspects) because of possible fear that he might not become king after the birth of Cleopatra`s son (which had pure Macedonian blood). The death of King Philip II resulted in Alexander the Great inheriting his father`s position on the throne at age twenty. Soon after the death of King Philip II, regions of Thebes, Thessaly, Athens, and the area containing the Thracian tribes took up arms against Macedon to secure their independence, with the king now eliminated. Upon receiving news of this mutiny, Alexander acted with crushing force. He started with completely overpowering the Thessalians and then moved on to crush his other opponents. He continued to realize his father`s dream by warring against the Persians as an act of revenge regarding the Persian Wars and to lessen the chance of a new attack from them as much as possible.
Alexander the Great`s conquest of the east
Alexander the Great aimed to trounce and take control of Persia with a battlement of warriors from the whole Greek area with all of his chiefs being Macedonians. They consisted of Antigous, Ptolemy, and Seleucus. In the old classical city of Troy, Alexander the Great and his Macedonian warriors defeated the Persian military contingent resulting in them (the Macedonian army) the whole coastline of Asia Minor. Legend has it that Alexander the Great paid tribute to his idol Achilles while located at Troy. Alexander the Great first made real contact in battle with the proper Persian army in 333 BC. The Persian army was led by King Darius III. Darius was comprehensively defeated and he yielded to Alexander the Great who in turn proclaimed himself the King of Asia. Alexander proceeded to move to Egypt where he received great support as he was viewed as setting Egypt free from Persia. In Egypt, he was elevated to the title of Pharaoh and he went on to create the city of Alexandria that is still going strong in modern-day times. Alexander the Great further proceeded to the west to take ownership of Babylon, the main city of the Persian Empire. He took over the Palace of King Darius and went on to marry his daughter, Statira. The desire to expand his empire led to Alexander the Great moving his army to modern Afghanistan and Pakistan, resulting in him marrying the daughter of a local chief by the name of Roxana. This was seen as a peculiar choice and resulted in a variety of reactions from his general, however, Alexander the Great saw it as an action designed to unite the populations of the west and east into one overarching kingdom. As time went on, Alexander the Great`s connection with his commanders was souring. Alexander started to lose faith in his closest commanders except for a long-time confidant of his, Hephaestion. The commanders would also take offense at various customs Alexander instated against them for example bowing to him. Some of these traditions were second nature for the Persians in a show of respect to their ruler, however, the Greeks would only bow to their gods instead of to their kings, so the generals saw it as an act of humiliation to bow or kneel in front of a mortal human being. After an eternity of battle and bloody conflict Alexander the Great managed to reach the borders of India, however, he found warring with indigenous tribes very challenging. Alexander eventually lost his dear beloved horse Bucephalus. Hi, army was getting worn out from such a long time at war and needed to have a restorative break. Thus Alexander the Great decided to go back to Babylon for a while and return to take over India.
Alexander the Great`s death
The launch of a new expedition was stopped in its tracks by the passing away of Alexander the Great. He died in June 323 BC in Babylon. The cause of his death has yet to be determined. Speculation of the reason for his death includes poisoning, malaria, or a number of body-related issues. It is probable that sadness and morning for the death of his close confidant Hephaestion played a contributing role in his death. He was expecting an offspring with Roxana when he passed away but never got to meet the child. This offspring turned out to be a son but he was killed before becoming an adult. Following his (Alexander the Great`s) passing away the empire he brought into fruition stretching as wide as Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa was divided into four sections and doled out to his main commanders. Alexander the Great left an astonishing legacy, conquered far and wide, lived to the utmost, and experienced all emotions in the superlative. Incredibly he was only thirty-three years old when his life reaches its end.
Atlanta
Atlanta was a well-known huntress as well as an exceptional athlete. She was also one of the beloved goddesses of Artemis because of her many good qualities including survival ability, variety of skills, and outstanding character. Atlanta was also known for her brilliant athletic capabilities and could surpass many male competitors when it came to hunting and other sporting endeavours. Atlanta was deserted at birth and found and brought up by hunters, who strongly influenced her future. After excelling in a prestigious boar hunt she was accepted back into the family at her father`s request. She was welcomed to her father`s palace. Her father wanted her to get married, however, she created a very challenging quest for any prospective husbands. This entailed taking her on in a foot race. If a potential beat her in a footrace, she would marry him. If he lost to her in the footrace, he would be killed. Only one managed to beat her and won the prize of her hand in marriage.
Atlanta featuring in the art world
Atlanta is often represented in the art world as an alluring lady in fantastic shape due to her athletic conditioning. On numerous occasions, she is depicted as wearing a unique outfit, being unique because it is made in a manner that one of her breasts is exposed. She is commonly depicted on the famous Calydonian boar hunt. She is also often depicted in the company of Meleager or her footrace competing with Hippomenes.
Atlanta and the Calydonian boar hunt
It originated when king Oineus forgot to bestow benefaction to Artemis. This was for the yearly sacrifice of the first fruits. The angry goddess created a massive wild boar of gigantic proportion to destroy agricultural land and create hunger and poverty for the local population in an act of revenge. This ultimately pushed the local inhabitants to take refuge behind city walls. Oineus send an underling throughout Greece to locate the most talented and exceptional soldiers and hunters. Oineus`s son Meleager eagerly volunteered and in return was asked to command a collection of soldiers, outdoorsmen and hunters that were keen to travel to Calydon. Atlanta was one of this select party. She was looking for excitement and a challenge and when prince Meleager saw her, it was a case of love at first sight. The hunt commenced and Atlanta was the one to draw first blood, embarrassing many of the male hunters. Meleager ended up killing the bore and subsequently gave his prize to Atlanta who made initial contact with the bore. It was a thinly veiled attempt to win her over. Many of the men were not pleased with this act from Meleager who thought that offering this reward to a female would be inappropriate. They took the skin (the prize) violently from Meleager and in turn got killed by Meleager. In the sorrow of losing two of her brothers, Meleager`s mother threw a bewitching piece of wood on the fire which put an end to Meleager`s life. It is speculated that it was Artemis who planned the plot all along, creating unhappiness which resulted in all the lives lost.
Atlanta and Hippomenes and their race
Hippomenes realized that he could not outrun Atlanta in a race to win her hand. He thus prayed to the goddess Aphrodite to help him in his quest. Listening to Hippomenes prayers and nonplussed that Atlanta was happy to give up love, decided to intervene. Hippomenes would be given three golden apples from the goddess Aphrodite from the well-known orchard of the Hesperides. Hippomenes would dare Atlanta to take him on in a race. Hippomenes strategy would be to use the golden apples to distract Atlanta. If Atlanta were on the cusp of overtaking him, he would drop one of the golden apples to distract Atlanta, whom he hoped would stop to pick it up, before continuing her run. His plan worked a charm and he ended up utilizing all three apples in his strategy. He won the race and married Atlanta.
The undoing of Hippomenes and Atlanta
After Hippomenes received help from Aphrodite in winning the race for Atlanta`s hand, he neglected to offer the correct donation to her (Aphrodite) for her assistance. Aphrodite took major offense at this and in an act of retribution, she caused Hippomenes and Aphrodite to become so impassioned with each other that they had intercourse in a sacred temple. This sin in the eyes of the gods caused Cybele to turn Hippomenes and Atlanta into a lion and lioness respectively. This was considered a huge punishment at the time because lions were considered to only mate with leopards at the time and not with other lions, according to Greek mythology.
Bellerophon
Bellerophon was the son of Poseidon and Eurynome. He was raised by Glaucus who thought that Bellerophon was his son. Poseidon and Glaucus both had a huge passion and love for horses it is thus logical that Bellerphon quested after Pegasus.
Bellerphon and Pegasus
Bellerphon`s father passed on a love for horses at a young age in Bellephon`s life. Bellerphon developed a quest for Pegasus. After many unsuccessful attempts to take control of Pegasus, Bellerphon approached Polyeidus for advice. Bellerphin was told to sleep in the temple of Athena for the night. This resulted in Bellerphon having a vision of a goddess providing him with a beautiful horse bridle containing special powers. Upon waking up he found himself provided with the bridle he dreamt of. He offered an oblation to Poseidon and Athena and instantaneously made his way to the field where Pegasus was feeding. It resulted in him once again unable to tame Pegasus. He kept trying though and with the assistance of the magic bridle he was successful at last. He showed off his quest to king Pittheaus to prove his incredible feat. King Pittheaus offered Bellerphon the prize of his daughter as bride to mark his outstanding quest. The daughter was Aethra. A tragedy occurred shortly before the marriage. Bellerphon accidentally killed a man and in return was ousted from his homeland.
Daedalus
Reports of Daedalus`s parentage differ widely. In a red-hot rage, he killed his nephew, who he taught as well, by the name of Perdix. The killing was instigated by Daedalus being jealous of Perdix because of him creating the first compass as well as creating the first saw. According to historical records, Daedalus killed the Perdix by throwing him off the Acropolis which resulted in him being ousted from Athens.
The story of Daedalus
After arriving on the island Crete Daedalus was welcomed by Minos and his wife, Pasiphae. Minis received a white bull from the god Poseidon for a sacrificial offering. In turn, Poseidon caused Pasiphae to bodily wants the bull. This resulted in her becoming pregnant and Minotaur – a specimen with a human body and the head of a bull. Minos approached Daedalus and requested him to build a Labyrinth, from which the Minotaur could not escape. When Thesus moved to Thesus offering himself as an offering to the Minotaur, Ariadne whose parents were Minos and Pasiphae, ended up being smitten by him. In a quest to save his life, she requested Daedalus to reveal the secret of his Labyrinth. From this information, Thesus managed to kill the Minotaurand escape the Labyrinth. He and Ariadne subsequently left Crete. Minos was nonplussed at the turn of events and he shut Daedalus and his child Icarus in the Labyrinth. Regardless of this Pasiphae released him. Minos was in command of the ships and made sailing away from an impossibility. To solve this dilemma Daedalus made wings of wax and feathers for himself and Icarus to escape Sicily. When Icarus flew too close to the Sun, His wings started to melt and he fell into the sea and ended up drowning. Icaria was named after him as it is here where his body came ashore. Daedalus was followed by Minos to Sicily and was murdered there by Cocalus`s daughters. According to Greek mythology, numerous monuments were dedicated to Daedalus over many years. Daedalic sculpture a prominent phase of early Greek art is attributed to Daedalus. Many prominent writers and artists took inspiration from Daedalus and featured him in their work including Joyce, Auden, Bruegel, van Dyck, Le Brun, and Canova.
Dioscuri
The Dioscuri refer to the twin brothers of Castor and Pollux. Leda was their common mother, however, Tyndareus was the father of Castor and Zeus was the father of Pollux. They also had twin sisters called Helen and Clytemnestra. There are different opinions whether the twins were either mortals or immortals.
Castor and Pollux (collectively known as the Dioscuri) in Mythology
Castor and Pollux are prominent features and extremely well-known in Greek mythology. They joined Meleager on the Calydonian boar hunt. They also contributed to the search for the Golden Fleece by joining up with Jason and the other Argonauts. Thesus took their sister Helen and the twins in return brought her back to Sparta. In return, the twins captured and took the mother of Thesus, Aethra. Whilst collecting cattle, the twins took the daughters of Leucippus namely Phoebe and Hilaeira. They had to defend their right to retain their prize (Phoebe and Hilaeira) as they were married to their cousins Idas and Lynceus. Pollux made it alive out of the battle and Castor perished. Subsequent to the fight with the cousins and the passing away of Castor, Pollux felt the need to share his immortality with Castor.
Alliances
Pollux was known to be an outstanding boxer and Castor an incredible horseman. Castor and Pollux were known to have great power to protect soldiers and seamen, especially those in compromising situations. They were thought to appear as a version of St. Elmo`s fire at sea. The legend of Pollux and Castor went back all the way to the mid-6th BCE. The Dioscuri were also prominent as a representation in the constellation of Gemini.
The Dioscuri in the art world
The twins appeared in a monument marking the Sicyonians at Delphi. This dated back to the 6th century BCE. The monument depicted events from the Argonaut and Leucippus stories. The Dioscuri was also on Roman coins, represented as cavalry riders. A sculpture of the Dioscuri is also on either side of the steps going up to the Capitoline Museums in the city of Rome.
Hercules
Hercules is known as possibly the most imposing of all Greek heroes. He was known to live in the superlative containing incredible strength and a very volatile disposition. He was also famous for his masculinity and courage. Hercules is widely thought to be the most iconic by far of all Greek gods and mythical figures. Zeus is the father of Hercules. Hercules was known to possess great strength ever since birth and according to legend have killed two snakes when he was still a small baby. Hercules had a range of outstanding teachers and when he reached his teenage years he had eclipsed them all in physical size and power.
Lion of Nemea
One of the first duties for Hercules was to use his mind-blowing strength to kill the lion of Nemea. This lion was resistant against all weaponry and thought to be indestructible. However, Hercules killed it by strangulation. Henceforth he wore the lion`s pelt as part of his regalia. This great feat was celebrated bi-annually as part of the Nemean Games. After this show of strength, Hercules was tasked with many other tasks.
Hydra of Lerna
In a two close to Tiryns Hercules was tasked to kill a water snake (known as the Hydra). This was very challenging, as it had nine heads attached to its body. Hercules proceeded to fight the snake and managed to cut off some of its heads, however every time he cut off one head another three grown back in its place. Iolaus, who was befriended with Hercules, set fire to a tree and Hercules went on to set fire to the newly grown heads. He then cut off the last head and proceeded to bury it alive. After his victory, Hercules dipped his arrowheads in the Hydra`s poisonous gall. He was now immortal as an archer and impossible to conquer.
Erymanthian Boar
The mountain range called Erymanthus is located in the northern Peloponnese on which slopes the Erymanthian boar lived. It was a dangerous beast that destroyed the farmer`s crops. Hercules chased the boar into the snow and managed to capture it. He carried the animal back home in another show of strength.
The belt of Hippolyte
The queen of the Amazons (a tribal people of female warriors that was based on the southern shores of the Black Sea). Eurystheus wanted to have Hippolyte`s belt to present to his daughter, Admete. Hercules went to the Amazons with the Greeks and Hippolyte fell in love with him. She was so taken with him that she was prepared to give him the belt out of her own accord. A false gossip story was spread by Hera that the Greeks wanted to abduct Hippolyte. This resulted in a war between the Greeks and the Amazons and ultimately in Hercules being forced to kill Hippolyte.
Hercules`s death
When Deianeira and Hercules crossed a river on the back of a centaur called Nisos the centaur tried to rape Deianeira. Hercules proceeded to kill the centaur with one of his poison arrows. The centaur rushed her to use his blood to paint her shirt and present it to Hercules. Upon putting the shirt on, he was struck by incredible pains, build a pyre, and ended up burning himself. Following his death, he became a god or according to other sources of mythology, a constellation.
