and other important characters

The Fates (Moirae) Clotho: spinner who

spins the thread of life

Lachesis: measurer who decides one’s lot in life and how long that life will be

Atropos: cutter who snips the thread of life at the appointed time

The Muses Goddess of art and science and

inspirers of those who excel at such

Originally 3 Muses but eventually numbered 9

Clio (history), Urania (astronomy), Melpomene (tragedy), Thalia (comedy), Terpsichore (dance), Calliope (epic poetry), Erato (love poetry), Polyhymnia (songs to the gods), Euterpe (lyric poetry)

The Hours (Horae) The Greeks divided

the daytime into 12 portions, judged by the position of the sun

Each portion was ruled over by one of the Hours

Auge: First Light, Daybreak Anatole: Rising, Sunrise Mousika: The Morning Hour of Music

and Study Gymnastika: The Morning Hour of

Gymnastics or Exercise Nymphe: The Morning Hour of

Bathing and Washing Mesembria: Midday, Noon Sponde: Drinks Poured after Lunch Elete: Prayer, Work, the First of the

Afternoon Work Hours Akte: Corn, Meal, Eating and

Pleasure, the Second of the Afternoon Work Hours

Hesperis: Evening Dysis: Sunset Arktos: Last Light

The Graces/Charities Goddesses of

charm, beauty, nature, human creativity, and fertility

Aglaea, Euphrosyne, and Thalia (Cleta)

The Winds (Anemoi) Boreas: north wind,

bringer of winter Notus: south wind,

bringer of hot air and autumn rains

Zephyrus: west wind, bringer of spring and fertility

Eurus: east wind, rarely mentioned in myths

Aeolus is said to be the king of the winds

Nymphs A nymph is any

member of a large class of female nature entities Dryads: tree nymphs Naiads: fresh-water

nymphs Nereids: sea nymphs

Often portrayed in the myths as targets of the gods’ pursuits

May also serve some of the nature gods, such as Artemis, Pan, etc.

Iris

Messenger of the gods

Personification of the rainbow

Nemesis Goddess of divine

justice and vengeance

Especially punished those guilty of arrogance toward the gods

Thanatos Personification of

death Occasionally

outwitted or overcome by a mortal (such as Heracles)

Hebe Daughter of Zeus

and Hera Cupbearer for the

gods Eventually replaced

by Ganymede Married to Heracles

after he was brought to Olympus

Eris Goddess of strife

and discord Helps her brother

Ares begin wars Helped cause the

Trojan War Disliked by the other

gods

Asclepius Famous physician Son of Apollo and a

mortal woman Was killed by Zeus

because he could bring people back from the dead

Had daughters named Hygenia, Meditrene, and Panacea