Mythology in Iliad

“Orcus” refers to the land of the dead, also known as Hades. The river Styx is the first of the five rivers the dead must endure on their way to the underworld and marks the boundary between life on earth and life in the underworld. The five rivers are Acheron (representing sorrow or woe), Cocytus (crying and lamentation; Acheron flows into Cocytus), Phlegethon (the river of fire), Lethe (forgetfulness of the world of life above) and Styx (the river on which the gods swear unbreakable oaths).

Hercules was a Greek hero and son of Jove (Zeus) who was most famous for his incredible strength and courage.

Argus was a giant with one hundred eyes; he was killed by the god Mercury (in Greek, Hermes).

The Pygmies were a mythological race of small humans who lived near the Nile's source. They were constantly waging war with the flocks of cranes that would migrate to their land each winter.

These are all the personified names of spirits. Panic and Rout are the sons of Mars (Ares), the god of war, who drive his chariot into battle, while Strife is the sister of Mars and is also heavily involved in war and bloodshed. Strife is also known as Eris or Discord.

The 12 Titans were the predecessors of the Olympian gods and the children of Gaia and Uranus, or “Mother Earth” and “Father Sky.” According to myth, one Titan known as Cronus (In Roman, Saturn) overthrew his father and claimed the throne of the world alongside his sister and wife, Rhea. Uranus prophesied that Cronos, like himself, would be overthrown by his own sons. In an attempt to avoid his fate, Cronos ate all of his children until Zeus, hidden by his mother, freed them by forcing Cronos to vomit them up. A battle ensued between Cronos’s children (the Olympian gods Hera, Hestia, Demeter, Hades, Poseidon and Zeus) and the Titans. The Olympians won the war along domain over the universe, and Zeus imprisoned the Titans in Tartarus.

The helmet of Hades is a primary weapon used by the god of the underworld. The helm renders its wearer invisible and has been borrowed by Athena, Hermes, and the greek hero Perseus.

Enyo is a goddess of war in mythology and companion to the god of war Mars (Ares). She is responsible for the destruction of cities and is closely linked to Eris, the embodiment of strife and discord.

A gorgon is a monster with snakes for hair and whose glance can turn a person to stone. There are three Gorgons in Greek mythology, the most famous of which is Medusa, who is killed by Perseus.

The Graces were three daughters of Jove, who personified Splendor (Aglaia), Good Cheer (Thalia), and Happiness (Euphrosyne). They were associated with Venus and acted as her attendants.

Ganymede was a young Trojan who was considered the most beautiful man on earth. He was kidnapped by Jove and brought to Olympus where he was made immortal and served as cupbearer to the gods.

The Chimaera or “Chimera,” is a mythological fire-breathing monster with the body of a goat, the head of a lion, and the tail of a serpent. In Greco-Roman mythology, she is slain by Bellerophon, who shot an arrow at her from the flying horse, Pegasus.

A mythological king of Corinth, Sisyphus was punished for claiming to be more clever than Jove himself. When he died, his punishment was to roll a huge stone up a hill forever. Each time he neared the top of the hill, the stone would roll down and Sisyphus would have start over again.

The Naiads were a group of female spirits who presided over bodies of fresh water such as wells, streams, springs and brooks.

The word “Gorgo” is another name for a Gorgon, which refers to any one of the three sisters who had snakes for hair and the power to turn anyone who looked at them to stone. The Gorgons were named Stheno, Euryale and Medusa.

The Erinyes are also known as the Furies. The Furies were female monsters who personified the idea of vengeance and were believed to have had snakes for hair and blood dripping from their eyes. The monsters punished criminals, especially those who committed the worst kinds of deeds, such as the killing of one's own mother or father or breaking an oath.

Centaurs are mythological creatures with the body of a horse and the trunk and head of a man. They are notorious for being wild and lusty, and said to be overly indulgent drinkers and carousers. Centaurs are commonly characterized as violent and uncultured beings.

Chiron, the wisest and justest of all the centaurs, acts as a teacher to many Greek heroes, including Achilles and Hercules. He is known for his skill with medicine and also excelled in music, archery, hunting and the art of prophecy. Where all other centaurs in Greek mythology are thought to be wild, violent and uncultured, Chiron is intelligent, civilized and kind.

This is a reference to the belief that many Greek heroes had two fathers, one being a god and the other being a mortal man. Gods often lay with mortal women, but avoided responsibility for raising the children brought from these encounters. If gods chose to bring forth children with the wives or lovers of kings or great men, heroes were often raised in the home of their earthly fathers regardless of their godly parentage.

Discord is another name for the embodiment of Strife, who appears with Ares in battle.

Demigods are the offspring of both a god and a mortal. Many of the heroes in the Iliad, including Achilles, are demigods.

Danae was the daughter and only child of King Acrisius and Queen Eurydice of Argos. When the oracle of Delphi prophesied Acrisius would be killed by his own grandson, he locked Danae in a tower where she was impregnated by Zeus. Her son became the hero Perseus, who slayed the Gorgon Medusa and fulfilled his grandfather's prophecy by accidentally killing him with his javelin.

This passage is a reference to Jove and Juno's incestuous relationship. Not only are they husband and wife, but brother and sister as well.

This statement is a reference to Jove's overthrow of the Titans, who were deposed and then imprisoned in Tartarus.

Neptune is both brother and brother-in-law to Juno. Jove and Juno married regardless of their shared parentage, which was common in the realm of the gods. This made Neptune Juno's brother-in-law by marriage, as well as her natural brother.

This passage is a reference to Zeus’s punishing Hera for leading the other gods in revolt against him. In retribution, Zeus hung Hera from gold chains in the clouds until she promised to never rebel against his authority again.

Linus is the son of Apollo and Calliope and personifies song and singing. The "Linus-song" refers to a particular kind of dirge or song of mourning. In this context, however, his song is more likely a morning song than a dirge.

Known in Greek mythology as Atë, Folly is the spirit of delusion, infatuation, and recklessness, all of which lead men to ruin; Folly is also known as Ruin. Agamemnon is trying to deflect some responsibility for the violence that has slain many by claiming that no many is above Folly’s influence.

This title references the god Mercury. Under Jupiter’s orders, Mercury murders the giant Argus, freeing Jupiter’s lover, Io.

Diana is the goddess of both hunting and childbirth. The passage states that since Diana is responsible for childbirth—and because women often prayed to her for easy pregnancies—is equally responsible for the deaths of women during childbirth, which were not uncommon occurrences at the time. Juno accuses Diana of being unfit for battle, because her only "kills" are those of women giving birth.

Orion's Hound refers to Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, which appears to be next to the constellation of Orion. The claim that Sirius “brings fire and fever in his train” refers to the fact that the star Sirius rises during the peak of summer, a time when sickness was common. Illness seems to trail after the star.

Oedipus is a character from Greek mythology who was prophesied to kill his father and marry his mother. Despite his efforts to not fulfill the prophecy, he accidentally does so anyway. His tale is one that portrays the inescapability of fate despite an individual’s exercise of free will.

Cassandra is Priam's daughter. The god Apollo gave her the ability to tell the future, but because she would not repay him for his generosity, Apollo made it so that her prophecies would never be believed. She predicted the fall of Troy, but no one listened to her.

This references the Judgment of Paris, the event which set in motion the abduction of Helen. Arguing about who was most beautiful, three goddesses—Aphrodite, Hera, and Athena—insisted that Paris declare a winner. Aphrodite earns Paris’s vote when she promises him the most beautiful woman in the world (a "wanton"): Helen of Troy.