Guide to Mortals
The gods not only influenced humans from above and below but also had many interactions and dalliances with them, all of which is recorded here!
Follow the links below or find the contents bar to the left of the screen if you’re looking for a particular group, alternatively use Ctrl + F to find something specific.
Abderus
The mortal lover of the great hero Hercules, Abderus suffered a painful and horrific fate while helping Hercules on his eighth labour.
Lovers: Hercules
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Acrisius
The king of Argos, Acrisius was the grandfather of the hero Perseus, though he feared the oracle’s prophecy about his grandson.
Parents: Aglaea and Abas
Siblings: Proetus
Wife: Eurydice
Children: Danae (by Eurydice)
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Admete
The daughter of King Eurystheus, Admete was given the Belt of Ares by her father after he set Hercules a task to retrieve it from the waist of Hippolyte, Queen of the Amazons.
Parents: Antimache and Eurystheus
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Adonis
The most beautiful mortal Aphrodite and Persephone had ever seen, Adonis caused a rift between the two goddesses that could only be solved by Zeus’ intervention.
Symbols: Anemone flowers
Lovers: Aphrodite, Persephone, Apollo, Dionysus
Children: Beroe, Golgos (both by Aphrodite)
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Aegeus
King Aegeus of Athens was the husband of many and the father of the hero Theseus, as well as being the namesake of the Aegean Sea.
Parents: Pylia and Pandion II
Siblings: Pallas, Nisus, Lycus
Wives: Meta, Chalciope, Medea
Lovers: Aethra
Children: Theseus
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Aethra
Princess Aethra of Troezen was the daughter of King Pittheus and mother to the hero Theseus by the Athenian king Aegeus and the god Poseidon. She raised her son in her father’s palace without Aegeus, Theseus’ father, as Aegeus feared for their safety at the hands of his brother Pallas. Later, she became a trusted confidante and handmaiden to Helen of Sparta after she was kidnapped and placed in her care.
Parents: Pittheus
Siblings: Henioche
Children: Theseus
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Agenor
King of Tyre and father to both Europa and Cadmus, Agenor banished all three of his sons from their home until they returned with their sister; he never saw any of them again.
Wife: Telephassa
Children: Cadmus, Phoenix, Cilix, Europa (all by Telephassa)
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Aglaura
One of Psyche’s sisters, she conspired with Cidippe to bring ruin on Psyche’s marriage, hoping to have her husband as their own.
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Aglaurus
Aglaurus, along with her sisters Herse and Pandrosus, was one of the daughters of Cecrops who was entrusted with the care of baby Erichthonius when his secret foster mother Athena had to perform her godly duties away from her baby. The one stipulation Athena had was that none of the baby’s carers look into his basket, a rule that Aglaurus and Herse eventually broke, ending in their madness from the sight of the child.
Parents: Agraulos and Cecrops
Siblings: Erysichthon, Herse, Pandrosus
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Alcmene
The princess of Mycenae, Alcmene became the mother of Hercules and ensured that her brothers found their peace by sending her husband to avenge them.
Parents: Eurydice and Electryon
Siblings: Amphimachus, Anactor, Archelaus, Celaeneus, Chirimachus, Gorgophonus, Lysinomus, Phylonomus, Stratobates
Husband: Amphitryon
Lovers: Zeus
Children:
By Zeus: Hercules
By Amphitryon: Iphicles, Laonome
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Amphion
The husband of Queen Niobe and son of Zeus, King Amphion of Thebes was abandoned as a baby by a ruthless uncle and was raised as a shepherd’s boy with his twin brother Zethus. The twins would take over rulership of Thebes after avenging the treatment of their mother, building great walls around the growing city. Amphion would marry Niobe and have fourteen children with her, though after their slaughter by the gods he would kill himself.
Parents: Antiope and Zeus
Siblings: Zethus
Wife: Niobe
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Amphitryon
The son of Alcaeus, the king of Tiryns, Amphitryon was exiled from Mycenae when he accidentally killed King Electryon. He became the stepfather of Hercules when his wife Alcmene, Electryon’s daughter, unknowingly slept with Zeus, thinking he was her husband.
Parents: Astydameia and Alcaeus
Siblings: Eurydice, Perimede
Wife: Alcmene
Children: Iphicles, Laonome (both by Alcmene)
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Androgeus
Prince Androgeus was well known in athletic circles as an exceptional sportsman. It was his involvement in the Panathenaic Games in Athens that resulted in his death thanks to some jealous Athenian competitors who had grown tired of Androgeus’ prowess and decided to kill him. As a result, Athens had to pay a sacrifice toll of fourteen youths to Crete to be fed to the fearsome Minotaur in recompense for the loss of their prince.
Siblings: Catreus, Deucalion, Glaucus, Acacallis, Ariadne, Phaedra, Xenodice
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Andromeda
The queen of Mycenae and wife of the hero Perseus after he rescued her from the Cetus, Andromeda and her husband were both raised to the sky as constellations to be together for eternity after a long and happy life together.
Parents: Cassiopeia and Cepheus
Husband: Perseus
Children: Autochthe, Gorgophone, Alcaeus, Heleus, Mestor, Sthenelus, Cynurus, Electryon, Perses (all by Perseus)
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Antiope
One of the three ruling sister queens of the Amazons, Antiope was a skilled and fearsome warrior as both of her sisters were. When Hercules stormed her kingdom of Themiscyra for Hippolyte’s belt, Theseus took Antiope captive and persuaded her to marry him, eventually fighting alongside her in the protection of Attica against her sister-Amazons.
Parents: Otrera and Ares
Siblings: Hippolyte, Penthesilea
Husband: Theseus
Children: Hippolytus (by Theseus)
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Aphidnus
A friend of Theseus and Pittheus, Aphidnus was entrusted with the guardianship and safekeeping of Theseus’ kidnapped future bride Helen and his mother, Aethra in his hometown of Aphidna.
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Arachne
An exceptionally talented weaver, Arachne challenged Athena to a weaving competition that resulted in Arachne being turned into a spider.
Symbols: Spiders, spiderwebs
Parents: Idmon
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Ariadne
Princess Ariadne of Crete was a young women essential to the plans of the gods. When Prince Theseus landed on the island, Ariadne became besotted with him at a gentle nudge from his patron, Aphrodite, and began concocting a plan to help him to slay the Minotaur and escape Crete. When she was abandoned shortly after the couple sailed away back toward Athens, Ariadne instead married Dionysus, becoming immortal.
Siblings: Catreus, Deucalion, Glaucus, Acacallis, Androgeus, Phaedra, Xenodice
Husband: Dionysus
Lovers: Theseus
Children: Oenopian, Staphylus, Ceramus, Peparethus, Thoas (all by Dionysus)
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Asterius
King Asterius of Crete fell in love with Europa, kidnapped from her homeland by Zeus, and adopted her children by the god when she married him, happily bringing her sons into his royal line.
Parents: Tectamus
Wife: Europa
Children: Minos, Rhadamanthus, Sarpedon (all by Europa and Zeus)
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Athamas
The king of Boeotia, Athamas was the husband of Ino when she was asked by Zeus to care for and raise his son by her sister, Semele. In a fit of madness sent by an angry Hera, Athamas was responsible for the death of one of his sons and the near-deaths of his wife and other son.
Parents: Enarete and Aeolus
Wife: Ino
Children: Learchus, Melicertes (by Ino)
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Atreus
A son of King Pelops of the Peloponnese, Atreus was exiled from Pisa by his father after the murder of his son Chrysippus, a death brought about by the schemes of Queen Hippodameia and the hands of Atreus.
Parents: Hippodameia and Pelops
Siblings: Thyestes, Dias, Corinthus, Hippalcimus, Hippasus, Cleon, Sciron, Alcathous, Aelius, Pittheus, Troezen, Nicippe, Lysidice, Eurydice, Archippe, Astydamea, Copreus
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Augeas
King Augeas of Elis had a legendary stable of three thousand cattle, a stable cleaned by Hercules in his fifth labour. When the task was complete, Augeas unwisely wriggled out of a promise he had made to Hercules, something he would eventually come to regret.
Parents: Nausidame and Helios
Children: Agamede, Phyleus, Eurytus, Agasthenes, Epicaste
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Broteas
The son of Tantalus and brother of Niobe and Pelops, Broteas was a sculptor and creator of a carving on Coddinus, a crag of Mount Sipylus. It was this carving that would spell his undoing, for Artemis saw it and asked for a carving of her to be done by Broteas. Broteas refused, and Artemis punished him by driving him mad, at which point he accidentally burned himself to death by throwing himself onto the flames.
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Cadmus
Cadmus, husband of Harmonia, is the founder and king of Thebes, becoming a great hero in his own right.
Parents: Telephassa and Agenor
Siblings: Europa, Phoenix, Cilix
Wife: Harmonia
Children: Polydorus, Agave, Autonoë, Ino, Semele (all by Harmonia)
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Cassiopeia
The boastful queen of Aethiopia who incurred the wrath of Poseidon and the Cetus, Cassiopeia is the mother of Andromeda and was raised to the stars by Poseidon in further punishment still.
Husband: Cepheus
Children: Andromeda (by Cepheus)
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Castor
One half of the legendary Dioscuri, the hero twins who became gods, Castor and his brother Pollux would become the Gemini constellation after the mortal Castor’s death. Though they were twins, Pollux was fathered by Zeus as his sister Helen was, whereas Castor was fathered by King Tyndareus, Leda’s husband. Castor and Pollux fought valiantly as heroes throughout their lives and joined many other heroes on their quests, in addition to the recovery of their kidnapped sister Helen.
Domains: Horsemanship, St. Elmo’s fire, the protection of guests and travellers
Parents: Leda and Tyndareus
Siblings: Clytemnestra
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Cepheus
The king of Aethiopia married to Cassiopeia, Cepheus tried to reason with his wife and the gods, but ended up having to sacrifice his daughter to the ocean and its monsters.
Parents: Anchinoe and Belus
Siblings: Aegyptus, Danaus, Phineus
Wife: Cassiopeia
Children: Andromeda (by Cassiopeia)
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Cercyon
The son of Poseidon, King Cercyon of Eleusis wrestled passing travellers to the death with the promise of his kingdom if they won. In following Cercyon’s own rules, the hero Theseus managed to best Cercyon and kill him instead, giving his kingdom to Cercyon’s grandson, Hippothoon, when he revealed himself as a son of Poseidon.
Parents: Poseidon
Children: Alope
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Ceyx
King Ceyx ruled the kingdom of Trachis when Eurystheus pursued the descendants of Hercules from his lands; while he didn’t give them over to Eurystheus, Ceyx couldn’t protect them and urged them to leave his kingdom for their safety.
Parents: Philonis and Eosphorus
Siblings: Daedalion
Wife: Alcyone
Children: Hippasus
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Chrysippus
The illegitimate son of King Pelops of the Peloponnese and a nymph named Danais, Chrysippus was raised in Pelops’ palace alongside his legitimate half-siblings. Unfortunately for Chrysippus, he was his father’s favourite son, which placed him in a position vulnerable to the protective whims of Queen Hippodameia, who conspired and succeeded to have him killed.
Violator: Laius
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Cidippe
One of Psyche’s sisters, she conspired with Aglaura to bring ruin on Psyche’s marriage, hoping to have her husband as their own.
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Cimon
Cimon was a well-respected Athenian general dispatched by the Pythia to retrieve the bones of the long-dead King Theseus and restore them to Athens, which he did dutifully.
Parents: Militiades
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Cinyras
The king of Cyprus and father of Adonis, Cinyras was tricked into an incestuous relationship by his daughter’s nurse.
Wife: Cenchreis
Lovers: Myrrha
Children:
By Cenchreis: Myrrha
By Myrrha: Adonis
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Clinis
Once a rich man, Clinis and his family were turned into birds by the gods to escape the mad donkeys sent by Apollo as punishment for disobeying him.
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Coronis
The princess of Thessaly, Coronis took Apollo for a lover and bore his child, the legendary healer Asclepius, though not before having an affair with another mortal; it was this affair that would spell Coronis’ undoing.
Parents: Cleophema and Phlegyas
Children: Asclepius (by Apollo)
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Creon
Creon of Thebes was one of the city’s most famous rulers, though he was never a king, instead acting as regent for his nephew, Oedipus, and Oedipus’ sons. He requested Hercules’ help in handling a dispute he had with the Minyan people, something the hero handled without a second thought.
Parents: Menoeceus
Siblings: Jocasta, Hipponome
Wife: Eurydice
Children: Haemon, Menoeceus, Megareus, Lycomedes, Megara, Henioche, Pyrrha
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Daedalus
A descendent of Athenian royalty and a master craftsman, architect and inventor, Daedalus was blessed with Athena’s wisdom and is credited with several famous inventions, including automatons and the wax wings that would go on to kill his beloved son. It was Daedalus who facilitated both the conception and the imprisonment of the Minotaur in his service to the family of King Minos of Crete during his period of employment there.
Parents: Alcippe and Eupalamas
Wife: Naucrate
Children: Icarus (by Naucrate)
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Danae
The mother of the great hero Perseus, Danae was imprisoned and pursued but regardless maintained her strength and her support of her son.
Parents: Eurydice and Acrisius
Lovers: Zeus
Children: Perseus (by Zeus)
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Deianeira
Deianeira was the princess of Calydon and wife to Hercules. She lived happily with her husband until her marriage was threatened by a younger mistress, leading her to accidentally kill Hercules through a centaur’s trick.
Parents: Althaea and Oeneus
Siblings: Meleager, Toxeus, Clymenus, Periphas, Thyreus, Agelaus, Gorge, Eurymede, Melanippe (all by Althaea)
Husband: Hercules
Violator: Nessus
Children: Hyllus, Onites, Ctesippus, Glenus, Macaria (all by Hercules)
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Demophon
King Demophon of Athens ruled the city when Hercules’ descendants pled for refuge and mercy at the altar of Eleos in Athens’ agora. He went to war with King Eurystheus to protect his refugees and brought Athens to victory over the Mycenean forces.
Siblings: Acamas
Wife: Phyllis
Children: Oxyntes (by Phyllis)
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Deucalion
The only son of Prometheus and Clymene, Deucalion married his cousin Pyrrha and together they became the progenitors of the modern human race; after they became the sole survivors of the Great Flood, Pyrrha and Deucalion created the new mankind.
Parents: Clymene and Prometheus
Wife: Pyrrha
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Deucalion
King Deucalion inherited the throne from his brother Catreus and ruled the island of Crete, notably setting up the important alliance between Crete and Athens by matching his sister Phaedra to King Theseus.
Siblings: Catreus, Phaedra, Glaucus, Acacallis, Androgeus, Ariadne, Xenodice
Wife: Cleopatra
Children:
By Cleopatra: Idomeneus, Crete
By unknown mothers: Molus, Aethon
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Dictys
The kindly fisherman of Seriphos who rescued and took in Danae and Perseus, Dictys was also the brother of the island’s king, Polydectes. On Polydectes’ death, Dictys was installed as Seriphos’ king in his stead by Perseus.
Parents: Magnes
Siblings: Polydectes
Wife: Clymene
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Diomedes
King Diomedes of the Bistones ruled in Thrace and had man-eating, fire-breathing mares that were the object of Hercules’ eighth labour. It was at the teeth of these mares that Diomedes met his grisly end while Hercules grieved the loss of his lover.
Parents: Cyrene and Ares
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Elara
A mortal princess of Orchomenus, Elara was seduced and then hidden underground by Zeus to protect her from Hera, especially when she realised she was pregnant. Her baby grew to be so big that he split his mother apart while he grew inside her. Since she was underground at the time, Gaia took over the responsibility of bringing Tityos to term.
Parents: Orchomenus
Lovers: Zeus
Children: Tityos (by Zeus)
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Electryon
King Electryon of Mycenae was the son of the legendary hero Perseus and ruled the city with his wife Eurydice until his unfortunate and accidental demise.
Parents: Andromeda and Perseus
Siblings: Autochthe, Gorgophone, Alcaeus, Heleus, Mestor, Sthenelus, Cynurus, Perses
Wife: Eurydice
Lovers: Midea
Children:
By Eurydice: Amphimachus, Anactor, Archelaus, Celaeneus, Chirimachus, Gorgophonus, Lysinomus, Phylonomus, Stratobates, Alcmene
By Midea: Licymnius
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Erginus
King Erginus of Orchomenus avenged his father’s death when King Menoeceus of Thebes’ charioteer killed him. In doing so, he defeated the Thebans in war and imposed an annual cattle tax on the city.
Parents: Budeia and Clymenus
Siblings: Stration, Arrhon, Pyleus, Azeus, Eurydice, Axia
Children: Trophonius, Agamedes
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Europa
A princess of Tyre, Europa was abducted from her family and kingdom by Zeus when he took her to Crete as his lover. There, she became the matriarch of one of the most famous and powerful Greek kingdoms.
Parents: Telephassa and Agenor
Siblings: Cadmus, Phoenix, Cilix
Husband: Asterius
Lovers: Zeus
Children: Minos, Rhadamanthus, Sarpedon (all by Zeus)
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Eurystheus
Eurystheus was a puppet of Hera since before he was born. The future king of Argos, the sickly Eurystheus had earned the god-queen’s favour simply by not being his cousin, Hercules. As a result of Hera’s blessings, he went on to become king and forge a deep impression of his own in Hercules’ story.
Parents: Nicippe and Sthenelus
Siblings: Astymedusa, Alcyone
Wife: Antimache
Children: Admete, Alexander, Eurybius, Iphimedon, Mentor, Perimedes
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Eurytus
King Eurytus of Oechalia taught Hercules and his brother Iphicles how to use a bow. When his daughter Iole was old enough to marry, he arranged an archery competition to determine who would have her hand. Though Hercules won the contest, Eurytus decided against allowing him to marry Iole, to his eventual detriment.
Parents: Stratonice and Melaneus
Siblings: Ambracia
Wife: Antioche
Children: Iphitus, Molion, Clytius, Toxeus, Didaeon, Iole
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Everes
A descendant of Udaeus, one of the five sown men of Thebes, Everes was a shepherd who caught the eye of the Oceanid nymph Chariclo. Together they had a son, Tiresias, who grew up to be the most famed seer in the world, even providing prophecies after his death.
Lovers: Chariclo
Children: Tiresias (by Chariclo)
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Galanthias
The midwife to Alcmene, the mother of Hercules, Galanthias played an essential role in the birth of the famous hero and his brother. Fearing for the life of her patient, Galanthias successfully tricked a goddess but didn’t make it out unscathed, instead being turned into a weasel for her trouble.
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Harpasus
Once the son of a rich man, Harpasus and his family were turned into birds by the gods to escape the mad donkeys sent by Apollo as punishment for disobeying him.
Parents: Clinis
Siblings: Lycius
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Hecale
A kindly old woman who aided Theseus in a time of need, Hecale promised the hero that she would make a sacrifice in thanks for his success but died before she could do so.
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Helen
Princess Helen of Sparta was the daughter of one of the most powerful kingdoms in Greece, perhaps even the wider world. As a child she was kidnapped by Theseus and Pittheus with the goal of keeping her from the marriage market before she came of age, though her brothers, the Dioscuri, rescued her swiftly. When she grew older, Helen’s beauty became the jewel of the Greek world and she was known as the Face That Launched a Thousand Ships for her pivotal role in the Trojan War.
Parents: Leda and Zeus
Siblings: Pollux
Herse
Herse, along with her sisters Aglaurus and Pandrosus, was one of the daughters of Cecrops who was entrusted with the care of baby Erichthonius when his secret foster mother Athena had to perform her godly duties away from her baby. The one stipulation Athena had was that none of the baby’s carers look into his basket, a rule that Aglaurus and Herse eventually broke, ending in their madness from the sight of the child.
Parents: Agraulos and Cecrops
Siblings: Erysichthon, Aglaurus, Pandrosus
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Hesione
The princess of Troy, Hesione was the daughter of King Laomedon who had been demanded as a sacrifice to Poseidon in answer to her father’s continued dismissal of the gods and his debts to them. Rescued by Hercules, Hesione was later given to his friend as a bride after they took the city with the army they had amassed in retaliation for Laomedon’s skulduggery.
Parents: Strymo and Laomedon
Siblings: Priam, Tithonus, Lampus, Hicetaon, Clytius, Bucalion, Procleia, Astyoche, Cilla, Aethylla, Medesicaste, Clytodora
Husband: Telamon
Children: Teucer
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Hippodameia
Princess of Pisa, Hippodameia was an intelligent beauty known across the Greek world. Her father Oenomaus insisted that any suitors of hers must beat him in a chariot race to win her hand as a result of a prophecy, knowing this feat to be near-impossible. Having seen the death of every one before him, Hippodameia was delighted when Pelops won her hand and the race, reluctant only that it came at the price of her father’s life. She went on to be a fiercely protective mother, a trait that spelled her downfall in the end, though she built an empire with Pelops during their lives together.
Parents: Asterope and Oenomaus
Husband: Pelops
Children: Atreus, Thyestes, Dias, Corinthus, Hippalcimus, Hippasus, Cleon, Sciron, Alcathous, Aelius, Pittheus, Troezen, Nicippe, Lysidice, Eurydice, Archippe, Astydamea, Copreus (all by Pelops)
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Hippodamia
Hippodamia married King Pirithous of the Lapiths during a ceremony notoriously interrupted by a raid of centaurs on Mount Pelion.
Parents: Atrax
Siblings: Caenis/Caeneus, Damasippe
Husband: Pirithous
Children: Polypoetes (by Pirithous)
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Hippolyte
One of the three ruling sister queens of the Amazons, Hippolyte was a skilled and fearsome warrior as well as a proficient strategist. When Hercules threatened to break the peace of her home in Themiscyra, it was Hippolyte who braved the danger he faced to protect her people.
Parents: Otrera and Ares
Siblings: Antiope, Penthesilea
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Hippolytus
Prince Hippolytus was born to King Theseus and Queen Antiope of Athens and became the heir to his grandfather King Pittheus of Troezen, though the gods saw fit to meddle as they often do, drawing Hippolytus’ life to a tragic end.
Parents: Antiope and Theseus
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Hyllus
Hyllus was the eldest son of Hercules and fought valiantly against the forces of King Eurystheus when he pursued them to the gates of Athens.
Parents: Deianeira and Hercules
Siblings: Macaria, Onites, Ctesippus, Glenus
Wife: Iole
Children: Cleodaeus, Evaechme (by Iole)
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Iolaus
Iolaus was an Olympian chariot champion and became the charioteer for his uncle, Hercules, and assisted him in several stories of Hercules’ might. Most notably, it was his idea to cauterise the necks of the Hydra to prevent the heads from regrowing.
Parents: Automedusa and Iphicles
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Iole
The daughter of King Eurytus of Oechalia, Iole’s hand was technically won by Hercules in an archery competition. The king, however, refused the match given Hercules’ history with his murderous rage.
Parents: Antioche and Eurytus
Siblings: Iphitus, Molion, Clytius, Toxeus, Didaeon
Husband: Hyllus
Lovers: Hercules
Children: Cleodaeus, Evaechme (by Hyllus)
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Iphicles
Iphicles grew up sparring, learning and playing alongside his half-brother, semi-twin Hercules. It was growing up so close to the future hero that put Iphicles in danger, as Hera was desperate to get her revenge on another of her husband’s illegitimate children and would even risk Iphicles’ life to do so.
Parents: Alcmene and Amphitryon
Siblings: Laonome
Wife: Automedusa, Pyrrha
Children: Iolaus (by Automedusa)
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Iphitus
The son of King Eurytus of Oechalia, Iphitus was the only one of his brothers to side with Hercules when he won Iphitus’ sister Iole’s hand in marriage in an archery competition. Hercules took a liking to Iphitus but when they argued later, his accidental drunken rage caused Iphitus his death and Eurytus his grief-soaked vindication.
Parents: Antioche and Eurytus
Siblings: Iole, Molion, Clytius, Toxeus, Didaeon
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Ischys
A traveller from Arcadia, Ischys had the misfortune to fall in love with a princess already being courted by the sun god Apollo and paid the price with his life.
Lovers: Coronis
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Laius
As a prince of Thebes and great-grandson of Cadmus exiled by Amphion, Laius took a shine to King Pelops’ illegitimate son Chrysippus while he stayed at the king’s palace. Laius kidnapped and sexually assaulted Chrysippus, though his victim was restored home via an attack by his half-brothers to rescue him.
Parents: Labdacus
Violated: Chrysippus
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Laomedon
King Laomedon of Troy brought ruin on his city by overpromising and underpaying both gods and heroes in Poseidon, Apollo and Hercules. Thanks to his constant swindling of those more powerful than he, Laomedon had to have his daughter saved from a sea monster before in turn suffering the sacking of Troy by Hercules.
Parents: Eurydice and Ilus
Siblings: Themiste and Telecleia
Wife: Strymo
Children: Hesione, Priam, Tithonus, Lampus, Hicetaon, Clytius, Bucalion, Procleia, Astyoche, Cilla, Aethylla, Medesicaste, Clytodora (all by Strymo)
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Leos
The turncoat herald of the Pallantides, Leos informed King Theseus of the Pallantides’ plan to overthrow him, allowing Theseus to defend his throne of Athens.
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Linus
A notable musician and poet in his own right, Linus is also the half-brother of the legendary musician Orpheus. Linus was unfortunately murdered by Hercules in a lyre-related rage.
Parents: Calliope and Apollo
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Lityerses
Lityerses was a farmer in Celaenae who would force passers-by to harvest his fields in a contest against him, beheading those who failed. On the instruction of Queen Omphale, Hercules visited Lityerses and put a violent end to his harassment of visitors.
Parents: Midas
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Lycomedes
King Lycomedes of Scyros extended complete hospitality to Theseus when he returned to a filled throne after his trip to the underworld. Unfortunately, his show of xenia was for show, instead betraying his guest and pushing him to his death.
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Macaria
Macaria was the daughter of Hercules and Deianeira who bravely offered herself up as a sacrifice to King Eurystheus to stop an impending war, though the king wasn’t convinced and attacked nonetheless.
Parents: Deianeira and Hercules
Siblings: Hyllus, Onites, Ctesippus, Glenus
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Medea
The daughter of King Aeëtes and niece of Circe and Pasiphaë, Medea was a powerful and formidable witch. Famed for betraying her father and running away with the hero Jason, Medea later ran from him and settled in Athens as the wife of King Aegeus until she plotted to kill his son Theseus.
Parents: Idyia and Aeëtes
Husband: Aegeus
Children: Medus
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Megapenthes
Previously the king of Tiryns, Megapenthes and his cousin Perseus swapped kingdoms when Perseus inherited Argos after accidentally killing his grandfather. Megapenthes was more than happy to help Perseus and gain a powerful kingdom in the process, giving Tiryns and its surroundings to the hero in exchange.
Parents: Stheneboea and Proetus
Children: Argeus, Iphianeira
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Megara
The daughter of King Regent Creon and first wife of Hercules, Megara was the beginning of Hercules’ spiral into both guilt and heroism when she and her children were murdered by Hercules in a fit of madness sent by Hera.
Parents: Eurydice and Creon
Siblings: Haemon, Menoeceus, Megareus, Lycomedes, Henioche, Pyrrha
Husband: Hercules
Children: Therimachus, Creontiades, Deicoon, Deion
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Menestheus
Menestheus was the descendant of an old king of Athens. In the wake of Theseus’ disappearance into the underworld, Menestheus took the opportunity to seize the throne back for himself, with the help of the Dioscuri.
Parents: Mnesimache and Peteus
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Minos
The adopted son of King Asterius, Minos inherited the throne of Crete and married Pasiphaë, daughter of the Titan sun god Helios. Together the royal couple had many children, though perhaps the most infamous son was a product of Pasiphaë and a god-sent bull, the Minotaur. Minos used the half-man, half-cow cannibalistic monster to further his own ends and sustain a reign of fear among his people and those of other nations, threatening them with being fed to the creature below his palace.
Siblings: Rhadamanthus, Sarpedon
Wife: Pasiphaë
Children: Catreus, Deucalion, Glaucus, Androgeus, Acacallis, Ariadne, Phaedra, Xenodice (all by Pasiphaë)
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Molpadia
The Amazon who struck the killing blow to her former queen Antiope, Molpadia was slain by Theseus in retaliation.
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Myrrha
The daughter of the king of Cyprus and the first myrrh tree, Myrrha was cursed by Aphrodite to lust after her father; their union brought forth a child, Adonis.
Parents: Cenchreis and Cinyras
Lovers: Cinyras
Children: Adonis (by Cinyras)
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Myrtilus
The unlucky groom of the palace of Pisa, Myrtilus worked for King Oenomaus but was bribed by Pelops to loosen the king’s chariot wheels so he could claim victory, his life and a new bride.
Parents: Theobule and Hermes
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Niobe
The child of an Oceanid and a son of Zeus, Queen Niobe of Thebes believed that her lineage was incomparable, even to go so far as comparing herself to Leto, mother of Artemis and Apollo. For her arrogance, the twins cut down her children one by one so that she would never dare to compare herself to the gods again, causing her to break down in tears and become the Weeping Rock of Mount Sipylus.
Husband: Amphion
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Oeneus
King Oeneus of Calydon was the father of Deianeira, a wife of Hercules, and ruled his kingdom alongside his wife, Althaea.
Parents: Euryte and Porthaon
Siblings: Agrius, Alcathous, Leicopeus, Melas, Sterope
Wife: Althaea
Children: Deianeira, Meleager, Toxeus, Clymenus, Periphas, Thyreus, Agelaus, Gorge, Eurymede, Melanippe (all by Althaea)
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Oenomaus
A son of the war god Ares, King Oenomaus of Pisa was well-known to be both wealthy and protective of his daughter, Hippodameia. Not so well-known was the root of this protectiveness: a prophecy, decreeing that his son-in-law would kill him. As a result, Oenomaus challenged every suitor Hippodameia had to a chariot race. If he won, he would kill the suitor and mount his head on a pike. If they won, they could marry Hippodameia. It wasn’t until Pelops that one of these suitors bested him, a race that ended in Oenomaus’ death, as the prophecy had foretold.
Parents: Harpina and Ares
Wife: Asterope
Children: Hippodameia (by Asterope)
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Omphale
Queen Omphale of Lydia was left her kingdom by her late husband Tmolus, but with the realm he also left her several political disputes and rivalries. Omphale bought Hercules for his three years of divine service and used him to help smooth over the issues Tmolus had left behind. Once Hercules’ service was complete, Omphale married him and they had three children, happy until Hercules left Lydia and his new family behind.
Parents: Iardanus
Husbands: Tmolus, Hercules
Children: Agelaus, Alcaeus, Tyrsenus (by Hercules)
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Pallas
The envious brother of King Aegeus, Pallas was notorious for trying to oust his brother from power in attempts to try and put himself and his sons on the throne.
Parents: Pylia and Pandion II
Siblings: Aegeus, Nisus, Lycus
Children: The Pallantides
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Pandareus
Pandareus was a descendant of Hermes and a friend of the notorious King Tantalus of Mount Sipylus and Lydia. It was Tantalus who told Pandareus of a legendary golden dog made by Hephaestus who lived on the island of Crete, and Pandareus who stole the dog and brought it back to Mount Sipylus. For punishment of his crime, the gods turned Pandareus into a statue, left as a warning to Tantalus.
Parents: Melops
Wife: Harmothoë
Children: Aëdon, Cleothera, Merope
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Pandora
The first woman, Pandora was crafted by the hands of Hephaestus himself, but was planted by Zeus to bring misery to mankind. Her family, however, would be the catalyst for the rest of the human race through Pandora’s daughter, Pyrrha.
Symbol: Pithoi
Husband: Epimetheus
Children: Pyrrha (by Epimetheus)
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Pandrosus
Pandrosus, along with her sisters Herse and Aglaurus, was one of the daughters of Cecrops who was entrusted with the care of baby Erichthonius when his secret foster mother Athena had to perform her godly duties away from her baby. The one stipulation Athena had was that none of the baby’s carers look into his basket, a rule that Aglaurus and Herse eventually broke, ending in their madness from the sight of the child.
Parents: Agraulos and Cecrops
Siblings: Erysichthon, Aglaurus, Herse
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Pasiphaë
The daughter of the Titan sun god Helios and his nymph wife Perse, Pasiphaë was the sister of the formidable sorcerers Circe and Aeëtes and a powerful witch herself. She was notorious for being the mother of the infamous Minotaur, a beast sired by the vindictive rage of Poseidon.
Parents: Perse and Helios
Siblings: Perses, Circe, Aeëtes
Husband: Minos
Lovers: the Cretan Bull
Children:
By Minos: Catreus, Deucalion, Glaucus, Androgeus, Acacallis, Ariadne, Phaedra, Xenodice
By the Cretan Bull: the Minotaur
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Pelagon
King of Phocis when Cadmus visited the region, Pelagon provided Cadmus with the cow the gods had promised in his bid to found his new city.
Parents: Amphidamas
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Pelops
Pelops was the unfortunate son of Tantalus, used by his father in a trick on the gods of Olympus. He was killed by Tantalus and put in a stew, though only Demeter took a bite of the meal. He was resurrected by Zeus and the Fates and Demeter commissioned an ivory replacement of the chunk of shoulder she had eaten from Hephaestus. Pelops became his of Tantalus’ kingdom after this, as Tantalus was taken to Tartarus for his punishment after performing such an awful act. He was trained and loved by Poseidon, using his new god-given talents to best King Oenomaus of Pisa for his throne and his daughter.
Wife: Hippodameia
Children:
By Hippodameia: Atreus, Thyestes, Dias, Corinthus, Hippalcimus, Hippasus, Cleon, Alcathous, Aelius, Pittheus, Troezen, Nicippe, Lysidice, Eurydice, Archippe, Astydamea, Copreus, Sciron
By Danais: Chrysippus
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Perigune
The daughter of Sinis the Pine Bender, Perigune was attacked and sexually violated by Theseus after he killed her father. As a result, Perigune would have a son, Melanippus; she would later go on to marry Deioneus, the son of King Eurytus of Oechalia.
Parents: Sinis
Husband: Deioneus
Violator: Theseus
Children: Melanippus (by Theseus)
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Periphetes
Periphetes the Club Bearer terrorised the road between Troezen and Epidaurus, where he would club passers-by and travellers to their deaths. Theseus saw fit to end Periphetes’ reign, however, and adopted his bronze club when he liberated it from Periphetes’ hands.
Parents: Anticleia and Hephaestus
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Perseus
A hero of ancient Greece, Perseus was the legendary slayer of the Gorgon, Medusa, and the founder and king of the legendary city Mycenae.
Wife: Andromeda
Children: Autochthe, Gorgophone, Alcaeus, Heleus, Mestor, Sthenelus, Cynurus, Electryon, Perses (all by Andromeda)
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Phaedra
Phaedra, the younger sister of Ariadne, was part of an arranged marriage that ended the long-standing animosity between Athens and Crete, solidifying an important alliance. Her married life would become her downfall, however, through no fault of her own.
Siblings: Catreus, Deucalion, Glaucus, Acacallis, Androgeus, Ariadne, Xenodice
Husband: Theseus
Children: Acamas, Demophon (by Theseus)
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Phidias
Phidias was a real and legendary sculptor and painter who left behind legacies in marble all over Athens, especially in the Acropolis. Some of his most renowned work was in the Parthenon, in the friezes and sculptures there, as well as the now-lost enormous bronze statue of Athena, known as Athena Promachos.
Parents: Charmides
Children: Panœnos
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Philoctetes
The prince of Meliboea, Philoctetes was walking with his father when they came across Hercules and his son building his own pyre. When Hyllus couldn’t shoot his father, Philoctetes eased the burden from his shoulders and shot Hercules himself, being gratefully bequeathed with the hero’s bow as a thanks for his help.
Parents: Demonassa and Poeas
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Phineus
The brother of King Cepheus, Phineus met his unfortunate end at the hands of Perseus when he tried to crash the hero’s wedding.
Parents: Anchinoe and Belus
Siblings: Aegyptus, Danaus, Cepheus
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Phyleus
The son of King Augeas of Elis, Phyleus stood as Hercules’ witness during his fifth labour. He was the only son spared when, much later, Hercules returned to Elis to avenge the broken promise that Augeas had made to him concerning his payment for the labour. On Augeas’ death, Phyleus became king and gave Hercules the cattle he had earned so long ago.
Parents: Augeas
Siblings: Agamede, Eurytus, Agasthenes, Epicaste
Wives: Eustyoche, Timandra
Children: Meges (by Eustyoche)
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Pirithous
King Pirithous of the Thessalian Lapiths ruled his people around the area of Mount Pelion and was the closest friend and confidante of King Theseus of Athens.
Parents: Dia and Ixion
Siblings: Phisadie
Wife: Hippodamia
Children: Polypoetes (by Hippodamia)
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Pittheus
Wise King Pittheus of Troezen was a friend of the Athenian King Aegeus, so when Aegeus visited to consult Pittheus on his new prophecy from the Pythia, Pittheus saw an opportunity to use the oracle’s words to his advantage. This act by Pittheus resulted in his grandson, Theseus, who would grow up to become a hero in the Greek world.
Parents: Hippodamia and Pelops
Siblings: Atreus, Thyestes, Dias, Corinthus, Hippalcimus, Hippasus, Cleon, Sciron, Alcathous, Aelius, Troezen, Nicippe, Lysidice, Eurydice, Archippe, Astydamea, Copreus
Children: Aethra, Henioche (by unknown mothers)
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Pollux
One half of the legendary Dioscuri, the hero twins who became gods, Pollux and his brother Castor would become the Gemini constellation after the mortal Castor’s death. Though they were twins, Pollux was fathered by Zeus as his sister Helen was, whereas Castor was fathered by King Tyndareus, Leda’s husband. Castor and Pollux fought valiantly as heroes throughout their lives and joined many other heroes on their quests, in addition to the recovery of their kidnapped sister Helen.
Domains: Horsemanship, St. Elmo’s fire, the protection of guests and travellers
Parents: Leda and Zeus
Siblings: Helen
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Polydectes
The lustful king of Seriphos and brother of the fisherman Dictys, Polydectes was the reason behind Perseus’ pursuit of Medusa.
Parents: Magnes
Siblings: Dictys
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Polypoetes
Prince Polypoetes was the only child of King Pirithous and Queen Hippodamia and was left to grow up without his parents from an early age.
Parents: Hippodamia and Pirithous
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Priam
Priam (previously named Podarces) was the only remaining son of King Laomedon of Troy after the attack on the city by Hercules. It was Priam who ruled the city at the time of the Trojan War in a palace of his 50 sons and 50 daughters, his large family rent asunder by the attacking forces.
Parents: Strymo and Laomedon
Siblings: Hesione, Tithonus, Lampus, Hicetaon, Clytius, Bucalion, Procleia, Astyoche, Cilla, Aethylla, Medesicaste, Clytodora
Wives: Arisbe, Hecuba
Lovers: Castianeira, Laothoe
Children (not exhaustive):
By Arisbe: Aesacus
By Hecuba: Hector, Paris, Helenus, Illiona, Deiphobus, Polydorus, Antiphus, Pammon, Cassandra, Polyxena, Troilus, Polites, Hipponaus, Laodice
By Castianeira: Gorgythion
By Laothoe: Lycaon
By unknown mothers: Hippothous, Kebriones, Agathon, Mestor, Chromius, Doryclus, Democoon, Echemmon, Clymene, Deinome, Archemachus, Aretus, Ascanius, Bias, Deiopites, Dryops, Evagoras, Evander, Hyperochus, Polymedon, Telestas, Creusa, Medusa
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Procrustes
Procrustes was a son of Poseidon who lived around Eleusis. He was prone to offering travellers a bed for the night, only to make them choose between a long and short bed. Whichever was chosen, Procrustes would either hack off his guests’ limbs to fit the short bed or lengthen them by stretching to fit into the bed, killing them.
Parents: Poseidon
Wife: Sylea
Children: Sinis
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Pterelaos
King of the Taphos Islands, Pterelaos demanded a share of his ancestor Perseus’ kingdom. When he was denied, a series of violent skirmishes laid waste to the edges of the Mycenaean kingdom.
Parents: Taphios
Children: Everes, Comaetho, Chromius, Tyrannus, Antiochus, Chersidamas, Mestor
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Pyrrha
The only daughter of Epimetheus and Pandora, Pyrrha married her cousin Deucalion and together they became the progenitors of the modern human race; after they became the sole survivors of the Great Flood, Pyrrha and Deucalion created the new mankind.
Parents: Pandora and Epimetheus
Husband: Deucalion
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The Pythia
The oracle of Delphi was the most influential and trusted oracle in the Greek world. She was no one woman, instead many women would take up the mantle of Apollo’s chosen to provide his prophetic words to the eager and desperate public who sought her advice.
Symbols: Python, omphalos stone, tripod, laurel
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Salmoneus
The king and founder of Salmone, Salmoneus had a lasting feud with his brother, Sisyphus, who would use any lengths he could to kill Salmoneus.
Parents: Enarete and Aeolus
Wife: Alcidice
Children: Tyro (by Alcidice)
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Sciron
Sciron was a bandit who would force nearby travellers to wash his feet at the edge of the cliffs of the Isthmus of Corinth. When his victims bent to wash his feet as instructed, Sciron would kick them over the cliff edge into the mouth of a waiting giant turtle in the water below.
Parents: Hippodameia and Pelops
Siblings: Atreus, Thyestes, Astydameia, Eurydice, Troezen Atreus, Thyestes, Dias, Corinthus, Hippalcimus, Hippasus, Cleon, Alcathous, Aelius, Pittheus, Troezen, Nicippe, Lysidice, Eurydice, Archippe, Astydamea, Copreus
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Sinis
Sinis the Pine Bender was a brutal thug on the roads around Corinth. He would rob travellers and visitors to the area and then tie them to a pair of pine trees and loose the trees, letting the act of their springing back into place to tear his victim apart.
Parents: Sylea and Procrustes
Children: Perigune
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Sisyphus
The king and founder of Corinth, Sisyphus had a lasting feud with his brother, Salmoneus, who he would use any lengths he could to kill, including seducing his niece. Later, he would go on to trick death not once but twice, resulting in a memorable punishment in Tartarus.
Parents: Enarete and Aeolus
Wife: Merope
Lovers: Tyro
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The Spartoi
The Spartoi were a violent group of soldiers grown from the furrowed ground in the place that would become Thebes. When Cadmus bested the Ismenian Dragon, he followed Athena’s advice and sowed the beast’s teeth in the ground, from which the Spartoi grew. The five who survived the subsequent bloodbath after their birth pledged loyalty to Cadmus and became the heads of the noble houses of Thebes.
Names: Chthonius, Udaeus, Hyperenor, Pelor, Echion
Leader: Echion
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Sthenelus
Sthenelus inherited his rule over Mycenae from his brother, Electryon, when he was accidentally killed. His first action in power was to exile the inadvertent killer, his nephew Amphitryon, from the kingdom.
Parents: Andromeda and Perseus
Siblings: Autochthe, Gorgophone, Alcaeus, Heleus, Mestor, Electryon, Cynurus, Perses
Wife: Nicippe
Children: Eurystheus, Astymedusa, Alcyone
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Syleus
Syleus was the owner of a vineyard in Lydia who would capture passing travellers and force them to work the vines, though this behaviour came to a swift end when Hercules paid him a visit on the queen’s orders and killed him and his daughter, burning his vineyard to the ground on his way out.
Children: Xenodice
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Telamon
Prince of Aegina and close friend of Hercules, Telamon accompanied the hero on a lot of his adventures, including his sacking of the city of Troy on both occasions, one of which resulting in his marriage to Princess Hesione of Troy.
Parents: Endeis and Aeacus
Siblings: Peleus
Wives: Glauce, Periboea, Hesione
Lovers: Theaneira
Children:
By Periboea: Ajax
By Hesione: Teucer
By Theaneira: Trambelus
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Telephassa
Queen of Tyre, Telephassa departed from her kingdom in search of her missing daughter and never returned home, so desperate was she to find Europa.
Husband: Agenor
Children: Cadmus, Phoenix, Cilix, Europa (all by Agenor)
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Theseus
Famed hero Theseus was born to Aethra after an evening with the Athenian king Aegeus and the sea god Poseidon; raised in Troezen by his mother and grandfather, Theseus set out as a young man to join his father and inherit his kingdom in Athens, later becoming famous for slaying the Minotaur.
Parents: Aethra, Aegeus, Poseidon
Violated: Perigune
Children:
By Perigune: Melanippus
By Antiope: Hippolytus
By Phaedra: Acamas, Demophon
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Thespius
King of Thespiae in Boeotia, Thespius appealed to a young Hercules for help when his lands were being terrorised by the lion of Mount Cithaeron. Thespius was so impressed with Hercules that he tricked him into having a child with each of the king’s fifty daughters.
Parents: Praxithea and Erechtheus
Wife: Megamede
Siblings: Cecrops, Pandorus, Metion, Creusa, Procris, Chthonia, Oreithyia, Pandora, Protogeneia
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Tiresias
The most famous and respected seer in the Greek world, Tiresias was blinded by Athena but in apology she granted him the gift of prophecy. He would go on to advise some of the most powerful names in his seven generations of life, even retaining his prophetic talents after his death.
Children: Historis, Daphne, Manto
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Tyro
A princess of Salmone, Tyro was used as a pawn in the feud between her father and her uncle, with whom she had two children but sacrificed them to prevent a prophecy.
Parents: Alcidice and Salmoneus
Lovers: Sisyphus
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