The New York Times newspaper
playing style |10 Greek mythological characters to help you improve your crossword puzzle
site navigation
Propaganda
playing style |words you should know
ThroughSAM EZERSKY
Crossword puzzles require solvers to have a good grasp of general knowledge, but sometimes that know-how just isn't in our personal wheelhouses.
That's fine. We're here to help you solve the problem... and help you expand those wheelhouses.
Even if you've never read a Greek myth in your life, use this list of mythological characters that are common in crosswords to print and save to take your puzzles to the next level. This is not an exhaustive list, but the names included here come up often enough that it will definitely be helpful to know them.
We'll also show you different ways these terms can be identified so you can recognize them the next time you see them. Hints with word games aimed at tricking youboldto identify them more easily and teach you to think like puzzle creators.
1.AJAX
Ajax, son of Telamon, is portrayed in Homer's "Iliad" as a powerful Greek soldier in the Trojan War. He faced Hector, the strongest fighter in Troy, and later saved Achilles.
When Odysseus claimed the armor of Achilles, Ajax fell on his sword out of jealousy. Sophocles' Ajax describes this series of tragic events in detail.
Note: Ajax is also a popular household cleaning brand and can be identified as such.
possible clues: "Hero of the Trojan War", "Tragedy of Sophocles", "Character from the 'Iliad'", "Role in 'Troy'", "Son of Telamon", "War hero who killed himself with the sword of an ancient rival" , "comet competitor", "stronger than dirt" slogan, "purifier whose name comes from Greek myth"
Sources: Britannica.com, XWordInfo.com
2.ARES
(Video) 12 BEST TESTS TO REVEAL YOUR PERSONALITY TYPEAres, the Greek god of war, is one of the 12 Olympian deities and the son of Zeus and Hera. He had several children with Aphrodite: Phobos and Deimos, who fought alongside him in battle, as well as Harmonia and, by some accounts, Eros.
In Greek sculpture, pottery, or other artwork, Ares is usually depicted in battle attire, particularly a helmet. It is said that Ares wore golden armor and rode in a chariot drawn by four fire-breathing immortal horses.
Unlike Mars, the Roman equivalent, Ares was not well liked by the gods around him and was consequently less revered by the Greeks.
possible clues: "Greek God of War", "God of War", "Lover of Aphrodite", "Mate of Mars", "Son of Zeus", "Deity of Battle", "Father of Harmony", "Vultures were sacred to him", "Trojan ally , in the 'Iliad'", "God whose name is a homophone of a zodiac sign"
Sources: Britannica.com, XWordInfo.com
3.EOS
Eos, the Greek goddess of dawn, is the daughter of the titans Hyperion and Theia and sister to the sun and moon deities Helios and Selene. In Homer's "Iliad", Eos is said to have "pink fingers" which produce the vision of dawn.
Her lovers included Orion, Cephalus, and the mortal Tithonus, for whom Eos notably begged Zeus for immortality but inadvertently omitted eternal youth. So while Tithonus could live forever, he nonetheless aged with time.
Note: EOS is also a line of Canon cameras and can also be referred to as such in the New York Times crossword.
possible clues: "Goddess of Dawn", "Daughter of Hyperion", "The Greek counterpart of Aurora", "Sister of Selene", "Sister of Helios", "Greek goddess of 'pink fingers'", "Lover of Tithonus, in myth ', 'Canon Camera', 'Camera Named After a Goddess'
Sources: Britannica.com, XWordInfo.com
4.Erato
Erato is one of the Nine Muses, a group of sisters who serve as tutelary goddesses of the liberal arts. Erato in particular is the muse of love poetry and carries a lyre in artistic depictions.
His father is Zeus and his mother is Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory. Her other sisters are: Calliope (muse of epic poetry, by many accounts), Clio (history), Euterpe (music), Melpomene (tragedy), Polymnia (sacred poetry), Terpsichore (dance), Thalia (comedy), and Urania ( Astronomy).
possible clues: "Muse of Poetry", "Sister of Clio", "Poetic Muse", "Sister of Thalia", "Muse of Love Poetry", "Muse of Sappho", "One of the Nine Sisters", "Poetry of Mythology", " Inspiration from Odist", "Muse, whose name means "beloved""
Sources: Britannica.com, XWordInfo.com
5.EROS
(Video) Your Infinite Power to Be Rich (FULL Audiobook by Joseph Murphy)Eros is the god of love, ruling both passion and fertility. Although widely believed to be the son of Aphrodite and Zeus, Ares or Hermes, Eros is said to have been created out of chaos in Hesiodic accounts.
In art, Eros is usually depicted as a young boy wielding a bow and arrow, much like his Roman counterpart Cupid. In psychological contexts, "Eros" is used to represent one's instinct for life, or more specifically, sexual desire.
Possible clues: "Son of Aphrodite", "God of Love", "Greek Winged God", "Statue of Piccadilly Circus","Beloved child?""The Greek equivalent of Cupid","Is anyone bowing?""Lovers of the Psyche", "Symbol of Love", "Libido", "Libido in Psychiatry"
Sources: Britannica.com, XWordInfo.com
6.HERA
the daughter of the titans,Herawas the wife of Zeus - just like his sister - and thus made her Queen of Olympus. like a goddessHerarepresented the protection of women and marriage. She was also the tutelary deity of the Greek cities of Argos and Samos, where her honor was celebrated.
Once in a while,Herawould be described as hateful and hostile because of her envy of Zeus' other lovers. But along with her resentment came respect for her as a strong and majestic leader of the gods in times of war and peace.
Possible hints:"Wife of Zeus", "Daughter of Kronos", "Queen of Heaven", "Mother of Ares", "Queen of Olympus", "Jealous Woman in Greek Myth", "Juno, for the Greeks", "Brawling in a 'Iliad'", "Goddess in a chariot drawn by peacocks"
Sources: Britannica.com, XWordInfo.com
7.LEDA
Leda was a Spartan queen best known as the mother of Helena and Clytemnestra of Troy, and the twins of Gemini, Castor and Pollux.
Legend has it that Leda was once addressed by Zeus in the form of a swan; Pollux, the original divine twin, and Helena, princess of Troy, were born from eggs. This has inspired many artistic and literary interpretations over the years, most notably W.B. "Leda and the Swan" by Yeats.
possible clues: "Mother of Castor and Pollux", "Mother of Helen of Troy", "Mother of Helena", "Mother of twins, in myth", "Mother of Clytemnestra", "'___ and the swan of Yeats", "Zeus visited her like a swan", "Queen of Sparta"
Sources: Britannica.com, XWordInfo.com
8.MEDEA
Medea was a sorceress who helped Jason and the Argonauts obtain the legendary Golden Fleece. Jason would marry Medea but eventually left her for King Creon's daughter.
(Video) Dr. Peter Kreeft | 10 Lies of Contemporary Culture | Commencement Address at Franciscan UniversityThe ancient tragedian Euripides wrote the play "Medea" to narrate the events surrounding Jason's abandonment of Medea.
According to Herodotus, the ancient Medes derived their name from Medea when she fled to their eventual settlement.
possible clues: "Tragedy of Euripides", "Greek sorceress", "Princess who helped Jason", "Magic woman of Jason", "Witch who helped Jason's quest", "Tragic woman in Greek drama", "Wen Jason left", "Jiltee of Myth"
Sources: Britannica.com, XWordInfo.com
9.NIOBE
The legend of Niobe, daughter of Tantalus and wife of King Amphion of Thebes, revolves around the idea that mortals are punished for their arrogance towards the gods.
When Niobe bragged about her 12 children to a Titan, Leto, Apollo and Artemis killed dozens of them in return. Niobe was then petrified to stone by Zeus and is said to still weep for her descendants in modern-day Turkish Weinstein.
Curiosity: The chemical element niobium (Nb) was called niobe.
possible clues: “Mythical Weeping Woman”, “Daughter of Tantalus”, “Legendary Weeping Woman”, “Mythical Queen of Thebes”, “Zeus Turned Her to Stone”, “Tragic Figure of Greek Myth”, “Woman of Amphion”, “Personification of Turkey Weeping Rock", "Mythical Eponym of Element #41"
Sources: Britannica.com, XWordInfo.com
10.SATYR
The satyrs were servants of Dionysus (or Bacchus in Roman legend), half man and half goat.
Throughout antiquity, the appearance of satyrs changed drastically. They have been described as rather vulgar and sexually aroused humanoids with horse bodies. However, a younger and cleaner look emerged, inspired by the Greek sculptor Praxiteles.
The carefree nature of the satyrs inspired "satir plays" in which a central tragedy was illuminated by a light-hearted ambient atmosphere.
possible clues: "Companion of Bacchus", "Companion of Dionysus", "Hunter of the Nymphs", "Luscious Deity of Myth", "Lascive Figure of Greek Myth", "Lascive", "Lascive Art", "Mythical Creature with Horns", "Lustful Goatman", "Debaucher", "Forest Myth Reveler"
Sources: Britannica.com, XWordInfo.com
Find out more at NYTimes.com
Propaganda
FAQs
Who is a famous Greek myth character? ›
Hercules is the most famous hero of Greek Mythology and well-known for his twelve labors. He was a demigod, son of Zeus and Alcmene.
What are Greek mythological heroes? ›Heroes in Greek Mythology were men or women of special strength, courage, or ability. They were often of divine ancestry and noted for superhuman courageous acts.
Who are the 3 most famous Greek gods? ›Especially the “big three”. Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. The other gods are very important to your culture, but those three gods are probably the most important.
Who is the best mythological character? ›Lord Shiva
Even though this famous Indian mythological character has a form and a shape, he is worshipped frequently in his Lingam (Phallic) form which represents the power of procreation and regeneration.
However, each of the gods chosen here represents an incomparable impact on a particular and essential sphere of human life. It is these fundamental associations which place Zeus, Hera, Apollo, Artemis, Demeter and Dionysus above all others.
What is an example of a mythological character? ›The characters in myths—usually gods, goddesses, warriors, and heroes—are often responsible for the creation and maintenance of elements of nature, as well as physical, emotional, and practical aspects of human existence—for example Zeus; the god of the sky and the earth and father of gods and men, and Aphrodite; the ...
What are the 4 most important Greek gods? ›- Zeus, the leader of the gods, in charge of rain and the sky.
- Hera, Zeus's wife, was the goddess of marriage and childbirth.
- Poseidon, the god of the sea.
- Aphrodite, the goddess of love.
- Hades, the god of the Underworld, where the dead lived.
- Ares, god of war and battle.
Perseus set out with the aid of the gods, who provided him with divine tools. While the Gorgons slept, the hero attacked, using Athena's polished shield to view the reflection of Medusa's awful face and avoid her petrifying gaze while he beheaded her with a harpe, an adamantine sword.
Is Thor a Greek god? ›Because Thor is a Norse god, he is not considered a god in Greek mythology; however, like most mythology, there is a Greek equivalent to Roman, Norse, and g. Therefore, if you wanted to look at Thor as a Greek god, you would look at the Greek god, Zeus.
What are 5 examples of myths? ›- Hercules and the Lion (Greece)
- The Birth of Horus (Egypt)
- The Children of Lir (Ireland)
- Valmiki's Curse (India)
- Thor's Hammer (Scandinavia)
- Theseus and the Minotaur (Ancient Greece)
- Isis and Osiris (Ancient Egypt)
What are 10 Greek gods? ›
Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Hestia and Demeter, Hades, and later on Apollo, Artemis, Hermes, Athena, Hephaestus, Aphrodite and Ares. Over the years, the Demi-god Dionysus became part of their group on Olympus. It is very common to refer to the Greek pantheon as “the 12 Olympian Gods”.
What are the 7 of in Greek mythology? ›Pleiades, in Greek mythology, the seven daughters of the Titan Atlas and the Oceanid Pleione: Maia, Electra, Taygete, Celaeno, Alcyone, Sterope, and Merope.
Who is the 12 goddess? ›Hestia. Hestia is the Greek goddess of the hearth and home. She was a virgin goddess and never married.
Who were the first 5 Greek gods? ›Hesiod, in his Theogony, considers the first beings (after Chaos) to be Gaia, Tartarus, Eros, Erebus, Hemera and Nyx.
Who are the 7 major Roman gods? ›- Jupiter/ Zeus. ...
- Juno/ Hera. ...
- Neptune/ Poseidon. ...
- Minerva/ Athena. ...
- Mars/ Ares. ...
- Venus/ Aphrodite. ...
- Apollo / Apollo. ...
- Diana/ Artemis.
Zeus is the child of Cronus and Rhea, the youngest of his siblings to be born, though sometimes reckoned the eldest as the others required disgorging from Cronus's stomach. In most traditions, he is married to Hera, by whom he is usually said to have fathered Ares, Eileithyia, Hebe, and Hephaestus.
Who is the first god? ›Who is Brahma? Brahma is the first god in the Hindu triumvirate, or trimurti. The triumvirate consists of three gods who are responsible for the creation, upkeep and destruction of the world. The other two gods are Vishnu and Shiva.
What is the name of 10 goddess? ›Goddess Durga is the ultimate mother Goddess and is the most fiery power present in the gods and goddesses. She is known with various names all over the world i.e. Amba, Chandika, Durga, Sherawali, Bhavani, Vaishno Devi, Parvati, Gauri, etc.
Who is the 1 strongest god in Greek mythology? ›Zeus was the Greek god that both deities and man would call upon for help. Zeus would help the other gods, goddesses, and mortals if they needed help, but would also invoke his wrath upon them if he felt they weren't worthy of his help. This made Zeus the strongest Greek god in Greek mythology.
Who were the first 6 Greek gods? ›Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Demeter, and Hestia were the children of Cronus and the original six Olympians; all additional Olympians were children of Zeus (though not all were birthed by traditional means).
What were the 12 Roman gods called? ›
The 12 Roman Gods were: Jupiter, Juno, Mars, Mercury, Neptune, Venus, Apollo, Diana, Minerva, Ceres, Vulcan, and Vesta. Jupiter held thunderbolts in his hands, which he could throw from the sky.
What are 10 characteristics of myths? ›- What is a Myth? A myth is considered a true explanation of the natural world and how it came to be.
- Characters. Often non-human and are typically gods, goddesses, supernatural beings or mystical.
- Setting. ...
- Plot. ...
- Natural Laws. ...
- Social Action. ...
- Mystery. ...
- Dualities.
Introduction. There are four basic theories of myth. Those theories are: the rational myth theory, functional myth theory, structural myth theory, and the psychological myth theory. The rational myth theory states that myths were created to explain natural events and forces.
What are the 3 types of mythology? ›- Aetiological Myths. Aetiological (sometimes spelled etiological) myths explain the reason why something is the way it is today. ...
- Historical Myths. ...
- Psychological Myths.
The phrase “trayastrimsati koti” is mentioned in many Hindu scriptures, including Atharva and Yajur Veda and Satapatha Brahman which is often misunderstood as 33 million gods. The root of this misconception lies in the ambiguous nature of the Sanskrit lexicon koti (means both “type/supreme” and “33 million”) [9].
Who is the 9th Greek god? ›9. Athena. Goddess Athena was the goddess of wisdom and strategic warfare. The Temple of the Parthenon in Athens is the most famous temple dedicated to her.
Did Medusa get pregnant? ›Since Medusa was the only one of the three Gorgons who was mortal, Perseus was able to slay her while looking at the reflection from the mirrored shield he received from Athena. During that time, Medusa was pregnant by Poseidon.
Who killed Poseidon? ›Poseidon then made a desperate attempt to escape and survive, but is unable to reach the edge and is grabbed by Kratos, who then proceeds to crush his eyes and finally break his neck, killing the sea god once and for all.
Who kills Hercules? ›Several years later Heracles fell in love with Iole, daughter of Eurytus, king of Oechalia. Deianeira, realizing that Iole was a dangerous rival, sent Heracles a garment smeared with the blood of Nessus. The blood proved to be a powerful poison, and Heracles died.
Who is Thor's wife? ›in Norse mythology, the wife of the thunder god, Thor. Sif was a giantess, goddess of grain and fertility, and one of the Asynjur. She was the mother of Ull, god of archery, skiing, and single combat.
Who is Thor's child? ›
During Thor's reign over Earth, he and the Enchantress bore a son Magni. During his infancy Magni was used as a pawn in Balder's attempt to overthrow Thor's rule in New Asgard.
Who is Thor real god? ›Thor, Thunder God
He is the son of Odin, chief of the gods, and Odin's consort Jord (Earth) and husband of the fertility goddess Sif, who is the mother of his son Modi and daughter Thrud; his other son, Magni, may be the offspring of a union with the giantess Jarnsaxa.
A myth is a well-known story which was made up in the past to explain natural events or to justify religious beliefs or social customs. There is a famous Greek myth in which Icarus flew too near to the Sun.
What are 5 characteristics of a myth? ›Elicit from them that myths—like other stories—contain the following elements: characters, setting, conflict, plot, and resolution. In addition, myths usually explained some aspect of nature or accounted for some human action.
What are the first 10 numbers in Greek? ›- 0 – μηδέν (midén)
- 1 – ένα (éna)
- 2 – δύο (dío)
- 3 – τρία (tría)
- 4 – τέσσερα (tésera)
- 5 – πέντε (pénde)
- 6 – έξι (éxi)
- 7 – επτά (eptá)
- 1 Zeus, God Of The Sky.
- 2 Hera, Goddess Of Marriage. ...
- 3 Poseidon, God Of The Sea. ...
- 4 Ares, God Of War. ...
- 5 Hermes, Herald Of The Gods. ...
- 6 Apollo, God Of The Sun. ...
- 7 Athena, Goddess Of Wisdom. ...
- 8 Demeter, Goddess Of The Sacred Law. ...
10. Deka - THEK-a - δέκα: Easy - remember a decade is a group of ten years.
Who is the main character in myth? ›The main characters in myths are usually non-humans, such as gods, demigods, and other supernatural figures. Others include humans, animals, or combinations in their classification of myth. Stories of everyday humans, although often of leaders of some type, are usually contained in legends, as opposed to myths.
Who was the most famous Greek? ›Alexander the Great is the most famous Greek personality ever. His short life was full of adventures. Born in Pella, Macedonia, in 356 BC, he became king at the age of 20.
Who is usually the main character in a myth? ›Heroes are usually the protagonists of many myths and legends, and can be gods or humans, depending on the story. The gods themselves are often characters in myths, and while they can be heroes in some stories, they are often used as antagonists or to otherwise move the action of a story or myth forward.
Who are the main characters in Greek creation myth? ›
...
There were six males and six female Titans:
- Coeus.
- Crius.
- Hyperion (A Sun god)
- Lapetus.
- Oceanus.
- Cronos.
- Mnemosyne (memory)
- Phoebe (A Moon goddess)