The names of most of the gods are arranged as hyperlinks, where you can go to a detailed article about each of them.
The main deities of Ancient Greece: 12 Olympic gods, their helpers and companions
The main gods in Ancient Hellas were those that belonged to the younger generation of celestials. Once it took power over the world from the older generation, personifying the main universal forces and elements (see about this in the article The Origin of the Gods of Ancient Greece). The gods of the older generation are usually called titans. Having defeated the titans, the younger gods, led by Zeus, settled on Mount Olympus. The ancient Greeks honored 12 Olympian gods. Their list usually included Zeus, Hera, Athena, Hephaestus, Apollo, Artemis, Poseidon, Ares, Aphrodite, Demeter, Hermes, Hestia. Hades is also close to the Olympian gods, but he does not live on Olympus, but in his underworld.
Legends and myths of Ancient Greece. Cartoon
Goddess Artemis. Statue in the Louvre
Statue of Athena the Virgin in the Parthenon. Ancient Greek sculptor Phidias
Hermes with caduceus. Statue from the Vatican Museum
Venus (Aphrodite) de Milo. Statue ca. 130-100 BC
God Eros. Red-figure dish, ca. 340-320 BC e.
Hymen Companion of Aphrodite, god of marriage. According to his name, wedding hymns were also called hymens in ancient Greece.
Daughter of Demeter, kidnapped by the god Hades. The inconsolable mother, after a long search, found Persephone in the underworld. Hades, who made her his wife, agreed that she would spend part of the year on earth with her mother, and the other with him in the bowels of the earth. Persephone was the personification of the grain, which, being "dead" sown in the ground, then "comes to life" and comes out of it into the light.
The Abduction of Persephone. Antique jug, ca. 330-320 BC
Amphitrite Poseidon's wife, one of the Nereids
Proteus One of the Greek sea deities. The son of Poseidon, who had the gift to predict the future and change his appearance
Triton- the son of Poseidon and Amphitrite, the messenger of the deep sea, trumpeting the shell. In appearance - a mixture of man, horse and fish. Close to the eastern god Dagon.
Eirene- the goddess of the world, standing at the throne of Zeus on Olympus. In ancient Rome, the goddess Pax.
Nika- goddess of victory. Constant companion of Zeus. In Roman mythology - Victoria
Dike- in ancient Greece - the personification of divine truth, a goddess hostile to deceit
Tyukhe- Goddess of good luck and luck. The Romans - Fortuna
Morpheus- the ancient Greek god of dreams, the son of the god of sleep Hypnos
Plutus- god of wealth
Phobos("Fear") - the son and companion of Ares
Deimos("Horror") - the son and companion of Ares
Enyo- among the ancient Greeks - the goddess of violent war, which causes rage in the fighters and brings confusion to the battle. In Ancient Rome - Bellona
Titans
The Titans are the second generation of the gods of Ancient Greece, born of the elements of nature. The first titans were six sons and six daughters, descended from the connection of Gaia-Earth with Uranus-Sky. Six sons: Kron (Time. for the Romans - Saturn), Ocean (father of all rivers), Hyperion, Kay, Crius, Iapetus. Six daughters: Tethys(Water), Theia(Shine), Rhea(Mother Mountain?), Themis (Justice), Mnemosyne(Memory), Phoebe.
Uranus and Gaia. Ancient Roman mosaic 200-250 A.D.
In addition to the titans, Gaia gave birth to Cyclopes and Hecatoncheirs from marriage with Uranus.
cyclops- three giants with a large, round, fiery eye in the middle of the forehead. In ancient times - the personification of the clouds, from which lightning sparkles
Hecatoncheires- "hundred-armed" giants, against whose terrible power nothing can resist. Embodiments of terrible earthquakes and floods.
The Cyclopes and Hecatoncheires were so strong that Uranus himself was horrified by their power. He tied them up and threw them into the depths of the earth, where they still rage, causing volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. The stay of these giants in the womb of the earth began to cause her terrible suffering. Gaia persuaded her youngest son, Kronos, to take revenge on his father, Ouranos.
Gods and goddesses of the water element
SEKVANA - the goddess - the patroness of the sacred river Seine (Gaul). The water of this river cleanses, relieves incurable diseases.
Amphitrite - goddess of the sea, wife of Poseidon
Limnades - nymphs of lakes and swamps
Naiads - nymphs of springs, springs and rivers
Nereids - sea nymphs, sisters of Amphitriata
The ocean is the personification of the mythological world river washing the Oikumene
Oceanids - daughters of the Ocean
Pontus - god of the inland sea
Poseidon - god of the sea
River gods - gods of rivers, sons of Ocean and Tethys
Tethys - Titanide, wife of the Ocean, mother of the Oceanids
Tritons - retinue of Poseidon and Amphitrite
Triton - god, messenger of the depths
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Aztec:
Akuekukiotishiuati - Goddess of the ocean, flowing water and rivers
Amimitl is the god of lakes and fishermen.
Atl is the god of water.
Atlakamani is the goddess of storms that originate in the ocean.
Atlaua - "Lord of the waters", a powerful god of water
Coatlantonan - Goddess of earth and fire, mother of the gods and stars of the southern sky
Tlaloc - the god of rain and thunder, agriculture, fire and the south side of the world, the lord of all edible plants;
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Greek gods
Nereus is the son of Gaia and Pontus, a meek sea god.
Poseidon is one of the Olympian gods, the brother of Zeus and Hades, who rules over the sea element.
Proteus is a sea deity, the son of Poseidon, the patron saint of seals.
Triton is the son of Poseidon, one of the sea deities, a man with a fish tail instead of legs, holding a trident and a twisted shell - a horn.
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Egyptian gods:
Hapi is the god of the Nile. He was portrayed as a fat man with vessels in his hands, from which water flows.
Slavic gods:
Dana - Goddess of water. Daughter of the Interloper. Danube's wife. In accordance with local custom, it is given the name of the river of this region.
Danube - God of rivers and fisheries. Father of mermaids, husband of Dana. Brother of Svyatogor and Svyatibor. In local customs, it is given the name of the largest river.
Kupala - God of purification, lust, love, marriage couples; associated with water and fire. The face of Dazhbog. Brother of Usen, Radogoshch, Kolyada. Bather's husband.
Pereplut - God of the sea, navigation. Dana's father. Lord of the Water.
Perun - The god of thunder, fertility, war, the patron of warriors, fire, strength, power, law, life, weapons, martial arts, the patron of the harvest, the giver of blessings, rain. Son of Svarog. Brother-rival of Veles. Husband of Dodola. Diva's father, Kryshnya, Sitivrata
Sitivrat - God of rain, fertility. son of Dodola and Perun.
Eurynome, she once was in charge of the entire lower underwater world, caves, springs
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Maya and Aztec gods and goddesses:
Camaxtli is the god of the stars, the polar star, hunting, war, clouds and fate.
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OCEANIDS AND NEREIDS
Oceanides - in ancient Greek mythology [nymphs, three thousand daughters of the Titan Ocean and Tethys. Although the Oceanids differed greatly in their function and degree of importance in the mythological system, they were generally associated with the myriad rivers of southern Europe and Asia Minor, like their brothers, the streams. Compose the chorus in the tragedy of Aeschylus "Chained Prometheus".
The most famous oceanids according to the myths are: Asia, Hesion, Dione, Dorida, Calliroy, Clymene, Clytia, Clonia, Lethe, Metis, Ozomen, Pleion, Perseid, the eldest of the oceanids - Styx, Tyche, Philira, Eurynome and Electra.
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Nereids (ancient Greek Νηρηδες) - in Greek mythology, sea deities, daughters of Nereus and the oceanids of Dorida.
There are 50 of them (Hesiod in Theogony claims that there are fifty of them, but he names fifty-one by name) or 100. They live in a grotto at the bottom of the sea.
Judging by their names, they are the personified properties and qualities of the sea element, since it does not harm a person, but is located towards him and enchants him with its charm. They attended the wedding of Thetis. They composed the choir in the tragedy of Aeschylus "Nereids". The XXIV Orphic hymn is dedicated to the Nereids.
Nereids lead an idyllic and calm life in the bowels of the sea, having fun with the measured movements of round dances, in time with the movement of the waves; in the heat and moonlit nights they come ashore, or arrange musical competitions with tritons, or on the shore, together with land nymphs, dance and sing songs. They were revered by the coastal inhabitants and the islanders and kept the legends that were composed about them. Belief in them has survived even to our time, although the Nereids of present-day Greece are generally nymphs of the water element and mix with naiads.
The most famous of them were:
Amphitrite - the wife of Poseidon;
Thetis - the leader of the choir of Nereids, to whom Zeus and Poseidon were wooing, but given by Zeus to the mortal Peleus after receiving an unfavorable prediction from Prometheus;
Galatea is the beloved of Akis, who was killed by the Cyclops Polyphemus in a fit of jealousy;
Nemertea (ancient Greek Νημρτεια - truth);
Thalia - participated in the cry of the Nereids along with Achilles for the deceased Patroclus.
Source - I collect names on the Internet, basically Wikipedia helps me.
Water is one of the elements that plays an important role in human life. The most famous gods of water among the ancient Slavs are Pereplut and Dana. People revered them, asked for help, especially for a good harvest. Water is given to man in order to illuminate and purify both the body and the soul.
Facts about the god of water Pereplut among the Slavs
They represented him as a kind fat man who constantly ate something. He also had a beard. It was believed that Pereplut patronizes the earth, abundance and seedlings. They believed that the watermen were subordinate to him. In general, the existing data on this god is not enough, therefore it is impossible to define its functions more widely and completely.
Slavic water goddess Dana
She represented a girl-river. She helped the travelers get drunk and watered the ground so that the seeds would sprout. She was revered as a bright goddess, giving life to all life on earth. Dana can be considered a holiday, since it was at this time that she was most revered. This goddess is glorified near the rivers, which were previously cleaned and decorated with ribbons around the perimeter. The Slavs believed that such water becomes healing. This pagan goddess of water was also called upon by young girls to find their soul mate. It supports health and beauty, since water plays such a role in the life of the Slavic people.
Dana is the wife of Dazhdbog, who helps to free her when winter hinders her movements. The union of the opposites of Water and the Sun is blessed by the gods. In order to cause rain and ask Dana for help, the Slavs sacrificed bread to her, since it was he who was considered the most valuable and best gift from a person. The sacred tree of this goddess is the linden, and the best day for conversion is Friday. Was with the Slavs
Different from other gods that dominate the mythologies of various peoples. He embodied white and black, fire and water, feminine and masculine. At the same time, he could appear both as the god of water and as the god of war.
The Slavs are one of the oldest ethnic groups that inhabit the earth to this day. And for such a long time, both the bright goddess Dana and the Water One were considered the patrons of the waters.
However, more ancient water deities are also known, the cult of which, according to some sources, dates back a million years.
Lizard - Slavic god of water. His name, changing into Yasha, Fyashchura, in itself speaks of hoary antiquity, being modified into Ancestral. The god of water himself, acquiring new features, finally appeared in the form of a crocodile. Traces of worshiping him in large quantities are found throughout the territory of the Slavic tribes. For example, the village of Spas-Krokodilino, which is not far from Klin, the villages of Bolshaya and Malaya Pangolins, located in the Leningrad Region. Most often, the name of the Lizard is mentioned in the names of various rivers, streams and lakes (the Lizard River and Lake Yashchino). Temples dedicated to him are most often found in the northern regions, and they are located, as a rule, on the banks of reservoirs. One of the discovered altars is located on a small granite island shaped like a crocodile. The main place of worship is believed to have been located on the shore.
Fishermen and sailors worshiped him earnestly, composed songs ("... after all, he rules in the deep sea, the ancient guardian of the Lizard-Dragon..."), made sacrifices, because the god of water among the Slavs, along with others, demanded them. For a long time, the victim was a girl who, thrown into the water, was given to the Lizard as a wife. This custom allowed Academician Rybakov to identify the Slavic merman with the Greek Hades, the ruler of the underworld. Archeology testifies that the world was divided into 3 parts, one of which was the underwater-underground world. Its rightful owner, responsible for the waterways and wealth, was the foot-and-mouth disease, and its main function was the nightly absorption of the luminary, and its release into the heavens every morning. To the ancients, this spoke of the greatness of the sea monster, the worship of which is reflected in the absolutely round shape of the temples, which spoke of the perfection attributed to the Lizard.
However, offerings changed over time, becoming more humane. They began to throw dolls depicting a young girl into the water, somewhere nuts poured into the mouth of an idol served as a victim (according to some sources, the nut Savior is dedicated to this deity), somewhere they sacrificed a horse decorated, anointed and smeared with honey. She was taken to the center of the lake, accompanied by chants, and the god of water, the Lizard, accepted this fragrant gift.
The popularity of this deity is evidenced by numerous finds in the form of various metal cloak fasteners that came from those times (the so-called brooches), various vessels for drinking and storing water, bearing the symbolism of the Sea Dragon, which, in turn, served as a talisman. The famous Sadko's harp was made in the shape of a lizard.
At the same time, the Slavic god of water, along with Kashchei, Korchun and Chernobog, belonged to the hellish deities. That is, to the dark forces, was considered a marine reptile. In a word, the water god Fyodor was diverse, like life itself, combining both light and darkness in equal proportions.
During its existence, Slavic paganism went through three stages of development. Each stage had its own deities and mythology changed. Each new stage of development left old traditions and added new ones to them.
Controversy over the pantheon of gods
In Russian history, one of the most controversial topics is the dispute about the Slavic gods. A lot of information has been accumulated about the pantheon of deities, and often some sources contradict others. The gods have many names. So, the god of water in different sources is called differently. Why so many discrepancies? The fact is that the mythology of the Eastern and Western Slavs was somewhat different. Plus, over time, the ideology of the ancient Russian peoples changed, and the chroniclers wrote down legends, rituals and traditions, each in their own way. Further, the writers each wrote their own story. And now scientists are trying to isolate true information from all this folk epic and literary sources. But even here their opinions differ.
The problem is also that there are practically no ancient Russian literary monuments in which deities would be described. Basically, Scandinavian cultural monuments and Viking annals have come down to us. Thus, everything that we know about the religion and deities of the ancient Slavs is already drawn from the later sources of Christian times.
God of water from the epic
In the epic about Sadko it is said that the god of the seas was Vodyanik or otherwise the Pallet Tsar. He was also called the Sea King and the Miracle of the Sea. However, historians believe that this king is not true, there was a god of water among the Slavs named the Lizard, so he was rethought in the epic about Sadko.
Also in ancient myths, Pereplut is found, who was the patron saint of sailors and the owner of mermen. And another name of the god of water is mentioned - the Danube. He was considered the lord of rivers and fishing, as well as the father of all mermaids, and the largest river was named after him. Danube, according to legend, was the son of Pereplut.
In addition to them, the son of Perun is also mentioned - one of the main gods - Sytivrat or Sitivrat. Among the Western Slavs, he was considered the god of rain and crops.
lizard
The god of water and seas, the lord of the Underwater Kingdom among the ancient Slavs. There is little information about him. It is known that a drowned girl became his wife, and Koschey was his father. The lizard was worshiped on lakes, swamps, sacrifices were made to him. One of the chronicles says that he ate those who did not bring gifts to him and did not worship him.
Young girls and black chickens were sacrificed to the sea god. Because of this, he was also associated with death and the underworld. Later, a new rite of sacrifice appeared. For three days the horse was fed only with bread, then they smeared its head with honey, put two millstones on it and drowned it in the river.
The lizard was the guardian and protector of the waters. According to some data, this information is about a million years old. Among the Eastern Slavs, the god of water was transformed into the image of a crocodile and at the same time was considered the patron of agriculture and the devourer of cattle.
According to chronicle sources, it can be judged that the cult of the Lizard existed even after the adoption of Christianity. Information about him was preserved until the 12th century, and a lot of jewelry and household utensils of the ancient Slavs with images of the Lizard were found. In this regard, it can be judged that this deity played a big role in their lives.
Slavic goddess of water
The lizard is one of the oldest in the Slavic pantheon. He is the god of sea water. But also existed among the ancient Slavs and the goddess of fresh springs Dana. She was depicted as a young fair-faced girl and was a bright goddess who gives life to everything on earth and heals travelers with her water. She was also worshiped and offered prayers. It was believed that water cleanses not only the body, but also the soul. So, according to legend, the gods bequeathed to people. The Slavic prayer to the god of water and other deities related to life-giving moisture has survived to this day. She read to sanctify the water. The bright-faced goddess was also mentioned in this prayer: "Dana-Voditsa, living spring." The rivers Dvina and Dnieper were named after the goddess. In addition, she was the embodiment of bodily beauty and was also revered as the goddess of light and the mistress of spring thunderstorms.
Lesser water deities
From childhood, everyone knows fairy tales and epics about water and mermaids. These fabulous creatures also came out of ancient Slavic mythology. They were lower deities, but, nevertheless, their people respected and worshiped them.
The merman was a water spirit and lived in rivers and other bodies of water, mostly in dark places and forests. Depicted as an old man in mud and a cap of seaweed. He rode a catfish and ate crayfish. He took with him into the water those who swam after sunset. When angry, he drove the fish away and smashed the windmills. To appease him, they gave him geese and poured oil on the water. In winter, the merman slept under the ice, in the spring he woke up hungry and angry and broke the ice. The waterman was the owner of the mermaids and Ischetik, his assistant, who did the menial work for him, for example, such as erosion of the banks and breakage of dams.
Mermaids or Beregini were water maidens. Later they began to be considered the souls of drowned women. Mermaids combed their hair with a magic comb, and water flowed from them, so they could flood even a hitherto dry place. But the river maidens did not go far from the reservoirs, since their hair could dry out and then they died. The mermaids could tickle to death, the only way to escape from them was wormwood, if you throw grass in their faces.
Another water deity whose holiday we celebrate to this day is Kupala or Kupala. God of dew, moisture and summer. On the night of the summer solstice, Kupala Day was celebrated in honor of the deity himself, the sun and fire. Hence the tradition of swimming in ponds and jumping over a fire on this day.
