＜prologue＞
I started a blog called “The Baby Boomer Generation’s Miscellaneous Blog”（Dankai-sedai no garakutatyou:団塊世代の我楽多（がらくた）帳） in July 2018, about a year before I fully retired. More than six years have passed since then, and the number of articles has increased considerably.
So, in order to make them accessible to people who don’t understand Japanese, I decided to translate my past articles into English and publish them.
It may sound a bit exaggerated, but I would like to make this my life’s work.
It should be noted that haiku and waka （Japanese short fixed form poems） are quite difficult to translate into English, so some parts are written in Japanese.
If you are interested in haiku or waka and would like to know more, please read introductory or specialized books on haiku or waka written in English.
I also write many articles about the Japanese language. I would be happy if these inspire more people to want to learn Japanese.
my blog’s URL:団塊世代の我楽多（がらくた）帳 | 団塊世代が雑学や面白い話を発信しています
my X’s URL:団塊世代の我楽多帳（@historia49) on X
(Reference) Original article in Japanese
・ギリシャ神話の「オリュンポス１２神」以外の女神たち（その２）
Previously, I introduced the “Twelve Olympians” of Greek mythology, but there are many other gods and goddesses as well.
Therefore, this time, I will introduce the goddesses appearing in Greek mythology in Japanese alphabetical order, part two.
1. Goddesses whose names begin with the “Ka” sound
① Gaia (Ge): Meaning “earth.” The primordial earth goddess.
Gaia is the Earth Mother goddess and a symbol of the earth. However, Gaia is the world itself, encompassing even the heavens, and is a different entity from the literal earth.
According to Hesiod’s *Theogony*, she was born from chaos and, like Tartarus and Eros, is a primordial god who existed from the beginning of the world.
Many of the gods in Greek mythology are descended from Gaia, and it is believed that humanity also shares this lineage. She was deeply worshipped as the mother goddess throughout Greece.
She is a goddess with the ability to foretell the future, and the Oracle of Delphi originally belonged to Gaia before it fell into the hands of Apollo.
Furthermore, because everything on earth takes place upon her, she is also the goddess of oaths, equivalent to Tellus in Roman mythology.
Before the gods were born, the universe was filled with chaos (nothingness). It is believed that Gaia was born from this chaos.
Gaia gave birth to Uranus, the god of the sky; Pontus, the god of the sea; and Urea, the goddess of the mountains, solely through her own power. Through the intervention of Eros, she married Uranus, making him her husband. Thus, Uranus became the king of the gods.
She then bore Uranus six children each of male and female, including Cronus. These were the Titans (giants).
She also gave birth to demons and monsters such as the Cyclops (one-eyed giants), Hecatoncheires (giants with a hundred arms), Gigantes (giants, often called Gigantes), Python (female serpent), and Typhon (the largest and most powerful monster in Greek mythology).
After Uranus was castrated by Cronus (this was ordered by Gaia in anger after her children were imprisoned), it is said that she married Pontus.
② Charis (plural: Charites): Gods of beauty and grace
The Charis are usually considered to be the daughters of Zeus and Eurynome (daughter of Oceanus).
The Charis are depicted as beautiful young women embodying beauty, charm, and grace. They resided on the summit of Mount Olympus and performed dances at the gods’ feasts, accompanied by Apollo’s lyre and the singing of the Muses.
They not only delighted gods and humans with their physical beauty but also bestowed spiritual grace, leading to their worship among those aspiring to artistic and technical pursuits.
Originally, they are thought to have been goddesses representing the vitality of spring’s budding. However, after becoming goddesses of love and beauty, they came to be considered attendants of Aphrodite, and some theories even suggest they were Aphrodite’s daughters.
③ Calypso: Goddess of the sea. Considered one of the Oceanis or Nereids.
he is said to have lived in a cave on the legendary island of Augygia and loved Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, who was shipwrecked on the island.
Homer, in his epic poem “The Odyssey,” describes Calypso as the daughter of the giant Atlas.
He describes her father, Atlas, as having a cruel character, supporting the colossal pillar separating heaven and earth, and says that she herself is a cunning goddess.
④ Circe: A sorceress (nymph), but originally considered to be the goddess of the moon or love.
Circe is a nymph (sorceress) in Greek mythology, and her name means “hawk” in ancient Greek.
She primarily appears in Homer’s epic poem “The Odyssey,” the Argonauts, and the love story of Glaucus and Scylla.
Descended from the sun god Helios, and residing on the legendary island of Aeaea, she possessed vast knowledge of herbalism and pharmacology. Using herbal remedies called Kykeon, as well as poisons, ointments, wands, and spells, she wielded magic to transform people into animals, control them as livestock, or turn them into monsters to bring about their downfall.
Homer refers to her as a “sorceress who uses potions,” as well as a “terrible goddess” and a “goddess with beautiful hair.”
Originally, she is thought to have been a goddess of the moon or a goddess of love (though not a sincere love), equivalent to Ishtar (the goddess of love and beauty in Mesopotamian mythology).
Circe is known for her transformation magic. When entertaining foreign guests visiting the island, Circe would mix a drug into their drinks that would make them forget their homeland. Once the guests had finished drinking, she would strike them with her staff. Not only would they transform into animals, but they would also become docile, or act according to Circe’s commands.
Many people transformed in this way surrounded Circe’s palace. No matter how large or ferocious the beast, they never attacked humans, instead following them around affectionately like pet dogs.
Furthermore, Circe could remove their animal fur by applying an ointment to their bodies, restoring them to their human form.
⑤ Graeae (singular: Graea): Sisters of the Gorgons. Considered to be one of the three pillars of Pempredo, Enyo, and Deino.
The Graeae are three monstrous sisters, meaning “old women.”
They are the sisters born to the sea god Phorcys and his wife Ceto, and are Pempledo (“wicked”), Enyo (“love of war”), and Deino (“terrible”).
They are sisters of the Gorgons and are also called Phorcyas or Phorcyas.
Because the Graeae had gray hair from birth, both gods and humans called them “Graea” (old women).
They are said to share a single tooth and eye. One account describes them as having the wings and body of a swan.
They are said to live in a cave at the entrance to the Gorgon’s realm beyond Oceanus.
⑥ Ceto: The personification of the dangers and terrors of the sea.
The name Ceto means “sea monster.” Ceto is a goddess who personifies the dangers and terrors of the sea and its unknown creatures.
She is the daughter of Gaia, the earth goddess, and Pontus, the sea god, and a sibling of Nereus, Thaumas, Phorcys, and Eurybia.
She married her brother Phorcys and became the mother of the three Gorgon sisters and the three Graeae sisters. All of her children and grandchildren became monsters.
⑦ Keres (plural: Keres): Evil spirits that bring death on the battlefield
In the “Iliad,” they are described as evil spirits that bring death on the battlefield. They have wings, are black, have long teeth and claws, and suck the blood of corpses.
While there are similarities to the Valkyries of Norse mythology, a major difference is that Keres are always portrayed with a negative image.
The word Keres is also used to mean “fate.” Achilles was forced to choose between a short Keres of military glory and a long, happy Keres of returning home. It is also used to mean the soul of the dead.
2. Goddesses whose names begin with the “S” sound
① Styx (Styx, Stakex, Stecx): A great river believed to flow underground. The goddess who personifies it.
The Styx is a tributary of the Oceanus, allocated one-tenth of its length, that flows through the underworld in seven concentric circles, separating the realm of the living from that of the dead.
The Styx’s tributaries include the River of Fire, Phlegethon; the River of Oblivion, Lethe; the River of Mourning, Cocytus; and the Acheron.
As a goddess, Styx is the daughter of Oceanus and Tethys, and the eldest sister of the Oceanides. She was also the wife of Pallas (son of Clius), and together they bore Nike Kratos Zelos Bia.
Although a Titan, during the ten-year war against Zeus, the Titanomachy, she and her children were among the first to defect to Zeus’s side at the urging of their father, Oceanus.
For this service, she was granted the special authority by Zeus to “punish the gods.” The gods of Mount Olympus send Iris to fetch water from the Styx when they make their oaths.
The gods drink this water and make their vows, but if they break their vows, they fall into a state of suspended animation for one year. Furthermore, they are banished from Mount Olympus for nine years, and only after the tenth year are they finally forgiven.
Thus, the water of the Styx is said to possess a special power that even the gods can control, and there are theories that it is either a deadly poison or, conversely, a divine water that grants immortality.
Achilles also gained his immortal body after being immersed in this water by his mother, but the part of his heel (Achilles tendon) that his mother held remained unimmersed and vulnerable.
② Selene (Selene, Selene): Goddess of the Moon
Selene is the goddess of the moon and is identified with Luna in Roman mythology. Her sacred animals are the horse, donkey, and white bull.
According to Hesiod’s *Theogony*, she is the daughter of the Titan gods Hyperion and Theia, and the sister of Helios, the sun god, and Eos, the goddess of dawn.
She has three daughters with Zeus: Pandea, Herse, and Nemea.
She is a stunningly beautiful woman, wearing a glittering golden crown and a moon on her forehead. She rides in a silver chariot across the night sky, shooting arrows of soft moonlight.
She is known by various names such as “Queen of the Night,” “Queen of the Stars,” and “All-Powerful Goddess.”
Due to her association with menstruation and the moon, she was believed to influence the sexual life and reproduction of plants and animals. She was also always associated with magic, and in the Hellenistic period (*), she was considered the dwelling place of spirits.
(*) The “Hellenistic period” refers to:
The era from the conquest of Alexander the Great to the fall of Ptolemaic Egypt. This period spans approximately 300 years, from around 334 BC to 30 BC.
“Hellenistic culture” (Greekism) refers to the “Greek-style culture” that emerged from the fusion of ancient Near Eastern and Greek cultures following Alexander the Great’s eastern campaigns.
Later, she was identified with Artemis and Hecate.
She is sometimes depicted as having three faces, endlessly repeating the three lunar phases: new moon, half moon, and bright full moon.
Furthermore, the moon is said to have three faces: Artemis (virgin/maiden) of the newly born crescent moon, Selene (wife/mature woman/mother) of the full moon, and Hecate (old woman) of the waning moon.
3. Goddesses whose names begin with the “Ta” sound
① Daphne (Daphne): Meaning “laurel tree.” Nymph
She is said to be the daughter of Peneus, the river god of Thessaly, or the daughter of Ladon, the river god of Arcadia.
Daphne means “laurel” in Greek, and in Europe and America, it is sometimes used as a woman’s name.
The story of Daphne transforming herself into a laurel tree after being courted by Apollo is one of the most famous stories in Greek mythology, and many works of art and customs are derived from this story.
One day, Apollo mocked Eros, who was playing with his bow and arrow. Enraged, Eros shot a golden arrow at Apollo, which symbolizes love for the other person, and a lead arrow at Daphne, who was playing by the river nearby, which symbolizes rejection.
Apollo, struck by the golden arrow, continued to court Daphne, while Daphne, struck by the lead arrow, steadfastly rejected Apollo.
Apollo pursued Daphne, who fled, and finally Apollo cornered her at the banks of the Peneus River. To escape Apollo’s advances, Daphne desperately begged her father, the river god, to transform her into a laurel tree.
Hearing her wish, her father transformed Daphne’s body into a laurel tree. Apollo was deeply saddened to see Daphne transformed into a laurel tree. As a symbol of his eternal love, he crafted a laurel wreath from its branches and decided to wear it forever.
② Damia (Damia): Goddess of Prosperity, Fertility, and Abundance
Damia is a goddess whose name in ancient Greek means “guardian of the earth.”
Damia is the goddess of autumn and fertility, and along with Auxesia (the goddess of spring and growth), she is one of the Horae, the goddesses of the seasons.
Furthermore, one theory identifies Auxesia with Persephone, and Damia with Demeter (Persephone’s mother).
③ Thalassa (Taratta): Primordial god. Deification of the sea.
Thalassa is a primordial goddess who personifies the sea, and is the female version of Pontus. Some consider her to be the personification of the Mediterranean Sea, and she is sometimes identified with sea goddesses such as Amphitrite and Tethys.
According to Gaius Julius Hyginus, Thalassa was the daughter of Aether and Hemera, and bore the fish family with Pontus.
④ Theia: One of the Titan gods
Theia is the daughter of Uranus and Gaia, and a sibling of Oceanus, Coeus, Clius, Hyperion, Iapetus, Cronus, Rhea, Themis, Mnemosyne, Phoebe, and Tethys.
She is also the wife of Hyperion and the mother of Helios (sun), Selene (moon), and Eos (dawn).
⑤ Dione: One of the Titan gods, or daughter of Atlas.
It is believed that she was originally a goddess of the sky. There are two goddesses named Dione.
One Dione, described as “one of the Titans,” is the daughter of Uranus and Gaia.
According to mythology, Dione, along with Rhea, Themis, and Amphitrite, was present at the birth of Apollo by Leto.
She is also said to have comforted her daughter Aphrodite when Aphrodite was injured by Diomedes during the Trojan War, and to have recounted the stories of Ares being tormented by the Arrowadae, and of Hera and Hades being injured by Heracles. Epirus
At the oracle of Dodona in Epirus, Dione was worshipped alongside Zeus, and Dione’s priestesses and Zeus’s priestesses presided over oracles.
The other Dione, described as “daughter of Atlas,” is said to have given birth to Pelops and Niobe with Tantalus.
⑥ Tethys: One of the Titan gods
Tethys was the daughter of Uranus and Gaia. She was also the wife of Oceanus and the mother of 3,000 sons of river gods and 3,000 goddesses of the sea, springs, and groundwater, collectively known as the Oceanides.
According to Homer, her dwelling was at the edge of the earth. Tethys and Oceanus sheltered and raised Hera from Cronus, but after a quarrel with Oceanus, they lived separately.
Hyginus refers to Tethys as “Hera’s wet nurse.” According to Hyginus, it was Tethys who prevented Callisto (the constellation Ursa Major), who became a constellation, from sinking into the sea.
⑦ Thetis: Goddess of the sea. One of the Nereids. Mother of Achilles.
She was one of the Nereids, the daughters of the sea god Nereus and Doris. According to one account, she was the daughter of Chiron, the wise centaur.
She married Peleus, king of Phthia in Thessaly, and became the mother of Achilles, a hero of the Trojan War.
Homer and Hesiod refer to her as “Thetis of the Silver Feet.”
Like other water gods in Greek mythology, she possessed the ability to transform into anything and was highly skilled in prophecy.
The epic poem “Cypria” recounts that the marriage of Thetis and Peleus triggered the Trojan War.
⑧ Themis: Deification of “Law”
Themis is the daughter of Uranus and Gaia, and one of the Titan gods. The name Themis means “unchanging law” in ancient Greek.
While Themis is often considered the “goddess of justice,” this is not “justice” in the modern sense. Rather, the goddess corresponding to justice in ancient Greek is Dike.
In Greek mythology, after the Titanomachy, the war between the Titans and the Olympian gods, the defeated Titans lost their status as major gods, and many gods ceased to be mentioned in mythology, and their status declined.
Themis was the only god who maintained her status and influence throughout the Olympian era.
⑨ Tyche: Meaning “luck”
Tyche is the central goddess who presides over the wealth, prosperity, and destiny of cities. The name Tyche comes from the Greek word for “luck,” corresponding to Fortuna in Roman mythology.
During the Hellenistic period, each city gradually began to worship Tyche wearing a “wall crown” modeled after its own city walls.
Many coins from the Hellenistic period, up to the Christianization of the last three centuries, feature Tyche, particularly prominent in Aegean cities.
In medieval art, she is depicted holding a cornucopia or rudder, alongside the Wheel of Fortune, and is seen as the master of all things related to the Wheel of Fortune.
She is also closely associated with Hariti (Kishimojin) in Gandhara’s Greek-Buddhist art.
⑩ Dysnomia (Dysnomia, Deisnomia): Goddess of Lawlessness
Dysnomia is the daughter of Eris, the goddess of strife and discord.
In Greek mythology, this goddess is rarely mentioned in poetry or literature; she can be seen as a personification of “lawlessness” in a philosophical or didactic sense by Hesiod.
However, in Greek philosophy, she holds great significance as the deification of ethical concepts, and Plato mentions her in his work “Law.”
⑪ Triai (Triae): Three nymphs who presided over divination
Daughters of Zeus, they lived on Mount Parnassus and became the foster mothers of Apollo.
They were prophets and discovered divination using pebbles.
They were fond of honey, and it is said that many honeys were offered when seeking their prophecies.