HERMES, trickster, wayfarers (Mercury)

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“a Herm” phallic pillar/boundary marker

Image 1 2 3 4 (cf. Priapus)

Arcadia –shepherds

Protector of thieves, merchants, commerce

caduceus

Psychopompos

Argeophontes

PAN, the Goatherd's god

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son of Hermes

The Female deities

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Demeter (Ceres)—the harvest, esp. wheat

mother of Persephone –“the goddesses”

More coming soon

Hestia (Vesta)

Aphrodite (Venus)

overwhelming power of sexual attraction

“lover of laughter”

companion/child (by Ares) Eros (Cupid)

Originally an Eastern goddess

also important on island of Cythera -- “Cytherea”

Children of Aphrodite:

Hermaphroditus

child with Hermes

Ovid—pursued by nymph Salmasis

“the slightly titillating Hermaphroditus”

Priapus (with Dionysus or Hermes)

very popular among Romans

Pygmalion

From Ovid 10.266-331

Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite (early 7^th century BCE)

Aphrodite and Anchises

Zeus gets her to fall in love with Anchises, a shepherd

Produce Aeneas

Artemis (Diana)

Potnia Theron “mistress of the animals”

Homer on Niobe: who boasts of her 12 children to Leto's two

Iliad, 24.650-657

Actaeon

saw Artemis naked one by accident while hunting

Ovid, Metamorphoses, 3.138-252

Athena (Minerva)

“Born” of Zeus –

Parthenon (Temple to the virgin); don't confuse with (Pantheon)

Always armed, with a spear, and breast plate (aegis, from Zeus)