The most famous greek myths

1. Aphrodite and Queen Helen of Sparta
As far as Aphrodite was concerned, there really was no comparison between Aphrodite
and her half sister, Helen. Poor Helen was married to the king of Sparta. How boring for
her. Aphrodite had no interest in being married at all. Both girls were probably Zeus'
daughters. But Helen's mother was only a mortal. Everyone knew that Aphrodite's
mother was probably a goddess. Helen was attractive certainly. But the truth was, as
Aphrodite would tell you herself if you asked her, Aphrodite was the most beautiful
goddess in the land.
You can imagine Aphrodite's surprise when she heard that Paris, a lowly prince of the
city-state of Troy, had proclaimed her half sister Helen as the fairest in the land.
Aphrodite was not at all pleased.
A short time later, a wedding was announced in the Greek god world. Eris, the spirit of
disagreement, had not been invited. Eris made a surprise and most unwelcome visit to
the wedding reception. She threw a golden apple of discord on the feasting table. "This
apple is for whomever is the fairest", Eris proclaimed haughtily, hoping to cause trouble.
Hera, Aphrodite, and Athena all grabbed for the apple. "It's mine", insisted the three
goddesses, Aphrodite loudest of all.
Zeus thundered, "Enough. Paris will decide who is the fairest. Hermes, go tell Paris he
has a job to do".
"Paris!" Aphrodite muttered. "Well, well".
Paris found himself facing three of the most powerful goddesses in the world, all
clamoring for his attention. "Paris will decide! Which one of us is the loveliest, Paris?"
they demanded to know.

2. Paris could have said they were all the most beautiful. But Paris was as foolish as he
was handsome. Paris told all three goddesses that whomever offered him the best bribe
would be declared the fairest.
Aphrodite, wise in the ways of foolish men, promised Paris that his brothers would be so
jealous when the king of Sparta's wife, the beautiful Helen, fell instantly in love with him.
Paris loved the idea. His brothers were always showing him up and making him feel
foolish. This would show them!
Foolishly, Paris took the bribe. He declared Aphrodite the fairest of them all.
Aphrodite kept her promise. That very day foolish Paris and Helen (enchanted) left
Greece behind. They traveled together to the city of Troy, where they expected to live
happily ever after.
No one knows exactly how, but somehow the king heard that his wife, Helen, had been
kidnapped by Paris, a prince of Troy. The king of Sparta went after his wife to rescue
her. When the king of Sparta called on the other kings of Greece to help, they rallied to
his side. A huge navy of Greek warriors set sail for Troy. That was the beginning of the
Trojan War. And the end of Troy.
Ever after, and for all time, Queen Helen of Sparta, the women who caused the
destruction of an entire city-state, was no longer known as the half sister of Aphrodite.
She was known simply as Helen of Troy

3. The Myth of Midas
Midas was a king of Phrygia, a region nowadays part of Turkey. One day some of his
farmhands brought him a satyr they had caught napping in the vineyard. This creature,
part man, part goat, still groggy and much the worse for wear, had been thoroughly
trussed up to keep him from escaping. Midas immediately recognized Silenus, right-
hand satyr to the god Dionysus, and ordered him set free.
Silenus explained that he and his master had just returned from the East where they had
been engaged in spreading the cultivation of the grape. Dionysus had brought back a
tiger or two, an ever-expanding flock of followers and one very drunken satyr. Silenus
had conked out in Midas's vineyard to sleep it off. Now he was grateful to the king for
treating him with dignity, and so was Dionysus. The god was so pleased, in fact, that he
offered to grant whatever Midas should wish for.
Now, you didn't get to rule a kingdom in those days without a pretty active grasp of what
makes for a successful economy. Midas didn't have to think twice. As the simplest plan
for the constant replenishment of the royal treasury, he asked that everything he touch
be turned to gold.
Arching a godly eyebrow, Dionysus went so far as to ask if Midas were sure. To which
the king instantly replied, "Sure I'm sure." So Dionysus waved his pinebranch sceptre
and conferred the boon.
And Midas rushed back home to try it out. Tentatively at first, he laid a trembling fingertip
upon a bowl of fruit and then a stool and then a wooly lambkin. And when each of these
had been transmuted in a trice into purest gold, the king began to caper about like the
lambkin before its transformation.
"Just look at this!" he crowed, turning his chariot into a glittering mass of priceless-
though-worthless transportation. "Look what daddy can do!" he cried, taking his young

4. daughter by the hand to lead her into the garden for a lesson in making dewy nature
gleam with a monotonous but more valuable sheen.
Encountering unexpected resistance, he swung about to see why his daughter was
being such a slug. Whereupon his eyes encountered, where late his child had been, a
life-size golden statue that might have been entitled "Innocence Surprised".
"Uh oh", said Midas, and from that point on the uh-oh's multiplied. He couldn't touch any
useful object without it losing in utility what it gained in monetary value, nor any food
without it shedding all nutritional potency on its leaden way down his gullet.
In short, Midas came to understand why Dionysus had looked askance when asked to
grant the favor. Fortunately, the god was a good sport about it. He allowed Midas to
wash away his magic touch in the river Pactolus, which ever after enjoyed renown for its
shimmering deposits of gold.

5. Icarus and Daedalus
Once upon a time, a long time ago, there lived a talented artist. His name was
Daedalus. He used his art to make buildings and temples. He was probably the finest
architect of his time.
King Minos invited Daedalus to the lovely island of Crete. The king wanted Daedalus to
build a maze, a Labyrinth, as a home for the king's beloved pet, the Minotaur. The
Minotaur was a horrible monster, with the head of a bull on a human body. The king
loved that awful monster and wanted him to have a lovely home.
Daedalus was a bit amazed at the king's choice of pet, but a job was a job. Daedalus
planned to make the maze a challenge, so complicated that anyone who entered it
would be lost until rescued. That way, the king would be happy, the monster would be
contained, and the people would be safe. Daedalus had no doubt he could design such
a maze. He really was a fine architect.
Daedalus brought his young son Icarus with him. He was sure the child would enjoy
swimming and playing with the other children on the island. Both Daedalus and Icarus
were happy they had come. King Minos was happy with his maze. It was peaceful and
pleasant on the island. Daedalus was in no hurry to leave.
One day, a group of Greek children sailed to the island. The next day, they sailed safely
away, taking with them the king's lovely daughter, and leaving behind them one dead
Minotaur.
King Minos was beside himself with grief. He did not believe anyone could have entered
the maze and escape alive without help from someone, most probably help from the
man who had designed the maze in the first place. (Actually, the children did have help,
and not from Daedalus, but that's another myth.) King Minos punished the innocent

6. Daedalus by keeping Daedalus and his young son Icarus prisoners on the island of
Crete.
Daedalus tried to think of ways to escape. One day, Daedalus noticed birds flying
overhead. It gave him an idea. Wings. He needed wings. Daedalus began to gather all
the bird feathers he could find. He glued them together with wax. When two pairs of
wings were ready, he warned his young son not to fly too close to the sun or the wax
would melt.
Daedalus fastened the wings to their arms. They flapped their wings and took to the sky.
They left the island of Crete far behind them. Water sparkled beneath them as far as
they could see. The sky was blue. The breeze was brisk, more than enough to keep
them in the air. It was glorious!
Icarus flew higher and higher. He flew so high that before he knew what was happening,
the sun had begun to melt the wax on his wings. Icarus felt himself falling. He flapped
his arms faster and faster. But it was no use. Poor Icarus plunged into the water and
drowned.
Sadly, Daedalus continued on alone.

7. Hercules
Hercules was half man and half god. His mother was a mortal. But his father was a king,
a very special king, the king of all the gods, the mighty Zeus. But Hercules did not know
he was part god until he had grown into a man.
Right from the beginning, Hera, Zeus' wife, was very jealous of Hercules. She tried all
kinds of ways to kill him, including sending a couple of big snakes into his crib. Hercules
crushed those snakes in a flash! Hercules was incredibly strong, even as a baby!
Zeus loved his little son. He figured that sooner or later Hera might actually find a way to
kill little Hercules. To keep his small son safe from attack, Zeus sent him to live with a
mortal family on earth. Hercules grew up loved and noble. But he didn't fit in on earth.
He was too big and too strong. One day, his earth father told him he was a god, well,
part god anyway.
The rest of the story of Hercules is a bunch of little stories that together tell the tale of
how Hercules earned his way into the heavens, to take his place with the gods.
Hercules had a cousin named Eurystheus (Eury for short). Eury was the king of a little
village in the city-state of Argos. Eury was an evil man. He thought everyone wanted to
steal his crown, especially Hercules. One day, when Hera and Eury were chatting about
their mutual hatred for Hercules, Hera came up with a plan, a plan to kill Hercules!
Hera helped Eury design 12 Labors (missions or tasks) that Hercules had to complete.
Supposedly, when Hercules had completed the 12 Labors, he would earn his
immortality, or so Hera promised. But really, Hera and Eury were certain that one of their
"labors" would surely kill Hercules, probably the very first one.
Hercules was no fool. He asked the Oracle at Delphi if this was a smart thing to do. The
oracle agreed that it was. Actually, the oracle had said, "If you complete 12 Labors,

8. immorality will be yours" Being an oracle, she never explained what she meant by
"immortality". Would he live forever in legend or for real? Hercules never asked. (She
would not have told him anyway.)
Hercules not only lived, he had great adventures, discovered true friends, and rid the
world of some really nasty critters.