From Cronus who ate his children, to the vengeful Hera and brutal Ares through the supervillain Ixion, monsters Minotaur and Cerberus and relentless Erinyes who punish crimes

2. monstrous creatures that the heroes have to overcome,
proud, jealous, vengeful gods,
mortals infamous for their evil deeds …
their stories have served as powerful subjects for artistic expression

3. Villains and antagonists of Greek and Roman mythology
in paintings
(2)

5. From Cronus who ate his children, to the vengeful Hera and brutal Ares
through
the supervillain Ixion, monsters Minotaur and Cerberus and relentless Erinyes who punish crimes

6. Tantalus
a super rich king who gets in some deep, deep trouble with the gods:
he stole nectar and ambrosia,
he shares the divine secrets given to him by Zeus,
he helps steal Zeus's favorite golden dog,
he chops up his son Pelops, boils him in a pot, and tries to feed him to the gods at a dinner party
As punishment for his crime, Tantalus is imprisoned in Tartarus.

7. Tantalus: Tantalus hosting a barbecue for the gods.
He decided it was be super-funny to murder his own son Pelops,
cook him and feed him to his divine guests.
He did not fool the gods none of them eat the horrible dish.
Well, all except Demeter, who takes a bite.
As for Tantalus, he gets one of the worst punishments ever.
Hugues Taraval
Le repas de Tantale
The Feast of Tantalus
El festín de Tántalo
1766
Château de Versailles, Versailles

10. Tantalus: Tantalus's Punishment.
Tantalus is thrown into Tartarus, the deepest pit of the Underworld.
There, he's forced to stand in a pool of water,
with a tree of low-hanging fruit just over his head.
Every time he bends down to drink the water,
it drains away, while every time he reaches for the fruit it raises above his reach.
So, Tantalus is doomed to forever be hungry and thirsty.
Gioacchino Assereto
Tantalus
Tantale
Tántalo
1630-1640
Eggenberg Castle, Graz, Styria

12. Ixion
notorious for
being the first mortal to commit kin-slaying (killed his father-in-law)
and
for betraying the hospitality of Zeus by attempting to seduce the goddess Hera.
As a punishment for his extreme hubris and disrespect for the gods,
he was eternally tormented in Hades, bound to a flaming, ever-spinning wheel.

13. Ixion: Hera vs. Ixion.
Case Description: Hera accuses Ixion of attempted assault.
Case closed: To test Hera's claim, Zeus formed a cloud nymph named Nephele
and shaped her to look like Hera.
Ixion then came along and had his way with Nephele.
Ixion was sentenced to spin eternally on a flaming wheel as punishment.
(Note: Not long after, Nephele gave birth to the tribe of centaurs,
whose chaotic nature would later cause problems for humanity.
(We're not sure how human + cloud = horse-men, but whatever.)
Peter Paul Rubens
Ixion roi des Laphites trompé par Junon
Ixion, king of the Lapiths, deceived by Hera (Juno)
Ixion rey de los lapitas engañados por Juno
1620
Musée du Louvre, Paris

15. Ixion: Ixion in the depths of Tartarus.
Eternal torment:
Zeus had Ixion bound with snakes to a fiery, winged wheel
that spun unceasingly either in the Greek underworld.
Jules Elie Delaunay
Ixion précipité dans les enfers
Ixion thrown into Hades
Ixión precipitado al infierno
1876
Musée d'Arts de Nantes, Nantes

17. Sisyphus
super smart, but super evil too.
He does all kinds of bad stuff like impregnate his niece in a plot to kill his brother.
Some say he also kills guests and travelers, and he even betrays the secrets of the gods.
As punishment for his crimes Sisyphus must push a giant boulder up a hill for all eternity.

18. Sisyphus: Eternal punishment.
A large boulder ... Hey, at least it's a good workout.
(Whatever you say about Sisyphus, you have to admit he's brave:
captured Thanatos, chaining him so no one could die.
Ares eventually had to intervene to free Thanatos
because the world's lack of death had stopped warfare and chaos.)
Titian
Sisyphus
Sisyphe
Sísifo
1548-1549
Museo del Prado, Madrid

20. Lycaon
the impious and cruel king of Arcadia whose horrific actions led to the anger of Zeus
and resulted in his transformation into the first werewolf.
Lycaon's villainy centered on his profound disrespect for the gods
and the sacred laws of hospitality (xenia), a fundamental principle in ancient Greek society.

21. Lycaon: Jupiter visits to Lycaon in Arcadia.
Lycaon decided to test if the visitor was truly a god.
He planned to murder Jupiter in his sleep, to test out if he was immortal or not.
Also, in secret — or so he thought — he killed a child, butchered him
and …
Agostino Veneziano
Lycaon Transformed into a Wolf
Lycaon transformé en un loup
Lycaon transformado en un lobo
1524
Metropolitan Museum of Art, Manhattan, New York City

23. Lycaon: …
… and
Lycaon said 'I mean to test him; let us see if he,
beyond all doubt is god or man.’
... and served him to Jupiter for supper
... and Jupiter got outraged
He flattened Lycaon's palace with a thunderbolt,
and then drove Lycaon out into the wild.
There, Lycaon was changed into a wolf.
From now on, his savagery will be purely spent on ravaging sheep.
Jan Cossiers
Jupiter and Lycaon
Jupiter et Lycaon
Júpiter y Licaón
1636-1638
Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid

25. Arachne
a mortal weaver who challenged the goddess Athena.
Therefore, Arachne is a figure of divine punishment for human arrogance.
Yes, Arachne definitely commits the sin of hubris, but is Minerva really any better?
Minerva acts out of jealousy and anger, and not the righteous kind of anger, either.
Petty, spiteful anger … a raw anger and human-like jealousy of Minerva.

26. Arachne: Arachne and an enraged goddess.
When she examines Arachne's weaving and can't find a flaw,
she becomes outraged.
Not only does Arachne claim to be the better weaver, but it might actually be true.
Minerva can't accept this.
Minerva proves that the Greek gods are subject to human emotion;
they can have emotional outbursts, and they can make mistakes.
Peter Paul Rubens
Pallas and Arachne
Pallas et Arachné
Palas y Aracne
1636
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond

29. Arachne: … half woman, half spider
The punishment for her hubris
…
"O mad Arachne, I also saw you, already half a spider,
very sad on the shreds of this web which was so fatal for you!“
Arachne’s head, arms, and torso are human,
but she is disfigured by monstrous spider legs that grow from her sides.
Arachne’s face, which is bent backward due to the unnatural position of her body,
conveys her profound moral and physical suffering.
Gustave Doré
Purgatoire Chant XII, Première Terrasse : l'Orgueilleux, Dante et Virgile devant Arachné
Purgatory Canto XII, First Terrace: the Prideful, Dante and Virgil before Arachne
Purgatorio Canto XII, Primera Terraza: Los Soberbios, Dante y Virgilio ante Aracne
1868
Gravure de Félix-Jean Gauchard et Louis Brunier d'après une illustration de Gustave Doré pour La Divine
Comédie de Dante

31. Medusa
a Gorgon with snakes for hair, whose gaze could turn men to stone.
Was originally a beautiful mortal maiden and a devoted priestess in the temple of Athena,
who was required to remain chaste.
Poseidon, the sea god, was enamored by her beauty and violated her within Athena's temple.
The goddess, enraged by the desecration of her sacred space, punished the victim, Medusa.
Considered a fearsome monster and an antagonist whom the hero Perseus was required to kill.

32. Medusa: Medusa Slain.
… Hey, Perseus, why don’t you give me back my head?
Perseus flees from the remaining two Gorgons.
The headless body of Medusa is left on the ground,
and her sisters fly around searching for her assailant.
Perseus wears the helmet of Hades to maintain his invisibility,
and is flying away with his winged sandals,
while inserting Medusa’s head in the kibisis.
Edward Burne-Jones
The Death of Medusa II
La mort de Méduse II
La muerte de Medusa II
1881-1882
Southampton City Art Gallery, Southampton

34. Medusa: The Head of Medusa.
(Medusa definitely isn't going to win any beauty pageants.)
Medusa became famous when the hero Perseus chopped off her head
(with a little help from the goddess Athena).
anonymous
Head of Medusa
Tête de Méduse
Cabeza de Medusa
1620-1630
Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence

36. Medusa: Sad Medusa.
Mr. Böcklin, i want him to show the world my soft side …
The Roman poet Ovid in his Metamorphoses (c. 8 CE),
introduced a backstory that reframed Medusa's character
as a victim of divine cruelty.
Arnold Böcklin
Medusa
1878
Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Núremberg

38. Cerberus
a big, crazy hellhound with three doggy heads.
He was adopted by Hades, Lord of the Dead
and is gainfully employed as the watchdog of the Underworld.
Not Inherently Evil: Cerberus serves a crucial, albeit fearsome.
His job is to guard the gates, allowing the souls of the deceased to enter freely
but savagely devouring anyone, living or dead, who tries to leave.

39. Cerberus: … Um, you're looking for Cerberus?
You do know that he's a three-headed hellhound with lion claws
and a mane of snakes?
You'll find Cerberus down in the Underworld—he belongs to Hades, Lord of the Dead.
He isn't real keen on visitors,
so we suggest you bring him a honey cake — his favorite doggy treat.
William Blake
Cerberus (from Illustrations to Dante’s ‘Divine Comedy’)
Cerbère (illustration de la Divine Comédie de Dante)
Cerbero
1824-1827
The Tate Gallery, London

42. Cerberus: The Twelfth Labor - Cerberus
Hercules knew how much Hades loved that fierce, bad tempered dog,
and asked Hades' permission to briefly capture Cerberus
Hades agreed that Hercules could try,
as long as he used no weapons and did not hurt poor Cerberus.
Hercules used his bare hands ...
Peter Paul Rubens
Hercules and Cerberus
Hercule et Cerbère
Hércules y Cerbero
1636
Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid

45. Minotaur
man-eating monster with the body of a man and the head of a bull.
His mom, Queen Pasiphae of Crete,
was cursed to fall in love with a magical bull sent from the sea by Poseidon.
The Minotaur spent his life trapped in the Labyrinth, dining on whatever human sacrifices.
He is now in the Underworld, he was offed by Theseus a long time ago.
Asterion, that's his real name, and it means "starry one."
He prefers it to the Minotaur.

46. Minotaur: One Handsome Minotaur.
Minotaur: At heart, I'm a peaceful beast …
The Minotaur gazing out to sea awaiting the next shipment
of young men and virgin women from Greece ...
George Frederic Watts
The Minotaur
Le Minotaure
Minotauro
1885
The Tate Gallery, London

48. Minotaur: …
Not cool, Mr. Blake. Clearly, I have two legs.
Inferno by Dante.
Dante and Virgil run into the Minotaur in the seventh circle of Hell,
home to some very violent souls.
William Blake
Hell Canto 12 The Minotaur
Chant XII de l'Enfer La rencontre avec le Minotaure
Infierno, canto duodécimo El encuentro con el Minotauro
1824-1827
Fogg Art Museum, Cambridge

51. Harpies
hideous and foul monsters:
birds of prey with the heads of women, sharp claws, a repulsive stench, and insatiable hunger.
These ugly bird-ladies are sometimes called "the hounds of Zeus,"
because the king of the gods sent them to punish mortals by snatching things precious to them or by snatching the offending mortals themselves.
While they acted viciously and cruelly, the Harpies fulfilling a divine mandate, serving as instruments of justice.

52. Harpies: … A forest infested with harpies
Dante, Harpies and the Suicides.
The ‘Wood of the Suicides’.
Suicide was then considered an immoral act.
The souls of those who have died by suicide
have been transformed into trees as punishment.
Harpies, mythological birds with the head of women, feed upon them.
William Blake
Hell Canto XIII. The Wood of the Self-Murderers: The Harpies and the Suicides
Chant XIII de l'Enfer. La Forêt des Suicidés
Canto decimotercero del Infierno. El Bosque de los Suicidas.
1824-1827
Tate Britain, London

55. Harpies: Beautiful Harpies.
Who says Harpies are ugly?
Harpies?
... these awful creatures, with the heads of women and bodies of birds,
that have a nasty habit of swooping down from the sky,
snatching whatever food they see ?
If you're really determined to meet them,
all you have to do is go to the Strophades Islands near Greece
and lay out a picnic.
They'll be the stinky bird-creatures with the heads of ugly women that come
and steal everything.
unknown artist
Harpies with triple pipes and harp
Harpies avec triple flûte et harpe
Arpías con triples flautas y arpa
13th century
Bodleian Library MS. Bodl. 602, folio 10r Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford

58. Polyphemus, Cyclops
monstrous, man-eating giant with a single eye in the middle of his forehead and the son of the sea god, Poseidon (Neptune).
Represents savagery and lawlessness.
He and his fellow Cyclopes live in a remote land (traditionally identified as Sicily), disregard the laws of the gods,
and ignore the sacred Greek custom of xenia (hospitality).
Polyphemus is best known for his encounter with the Greek hero Odysseus and his crew during their journey home from the Trojan War.

59. Polyphemus: Polyphemus vs. Odysseus …
Polyphemus accuses Odysseus of assault.
Polyphemus, he was innocently tending his sheep
when Odysseus came along with his men and stabbed his eye out.
(What Polyphemus didn't mention is
that he ate several of Odysseus' men before the hero retaliated.)
...
Hero Ulysses’ crew rowing frantically out to sea, through large waves,
as Polyphemus prepares to hurl a huge rock at them from the shore.
Arnold Böcklin
Odysseus and Polyphemus
Ulysse et Polyphème
Odiseo y Polifemo
1896
Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Boston

61. Polyphemus: I see yoooou …
Polyphemus spies on the sleeping Nereid Galathea.
The one-eyed giant’s love remains unrequited, as Galathea prefers the river god Acis.
When Polyphemus finds them embracing, he crushes Acis
with a boulder ...
Odilon Redon
The Cyclops
Le cyclope
El Cíclope
1914
Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo

63. Hydra of Lerna
a huge venomous snake with multiple heads.
It lived in the marshes of Lerna.
When a head was severed, two would grow back in its place.
Its breath, blood, and even scent were deadly and poisonous.
One of the heads was immortal and could not be killed by conventional means.
It was slain by Heracles (Hercules) as one of his Twelve Labors,
a feat accomplished with the help of his nephew Iolaus who cauterized the wounds to prevent regrowth.

64. Hydra: Heracles (Hercules) confronting the Hydra ...
Hydra with seven heads, a serpentine monster
whose dead and dying victims lie strewn about a swampy ground
Hercules with the skin of the Nemean lion on his back,
stands amid the carnage, weapon in hand, ready to sever the Hydra’s seventh,
“immortal” head.
Gustave Moreau
Hercules and the Lernean Hydra
Hercule et l'Hydre de Lerne
Hércules y la Hidra de Lerna
1876
Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago

66. Hydra: Hydra vs. Hercules (Heracles) …
clad in the Nemean Lion (classical attraction of Hercules)
courage and willingness to kill (the monster(s))
and
many curves (the Hydra and the landscape)
Antonio del Pollaiolo
Hercules and the Hydra
Hercule et l’Hydre
Hércules y la Hidra
1475
Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence

69. Villains and antagonists of Greek and Roman mythology in paintings
Méchants et antagonistes de la mythologie gréco-romaine dans la peinture
Villanos y antagonistas de la mitología grecorromana en las pinturas
Images and text credit www.
Music The Piano Guys Before You Go- Lewis Capaldi (Piano Cello Cover)
Created olga_oes
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