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Helen of Troy
Helen of Troy (sometimes called Helen of Sparta) is a figure from Greek mythology whose elopement with (or abduction by) the Trojan prince Paris sparked off the Trojan War. Helen was the wife of Menelaus, the king of Sparta, and considered...
Definition
Ancient Greek Literature
Greek literature has influenced not only its Roman neighbors to the west but also countless generations across the European continent. Greek writers are responsible for the introduction of such genres as poetry, tragedy, comedy, and western...
Definition
Menelaus
Menelaus (also Menelaos) is a figure from ancient Greek mythology and literature who was the king of Sparta and the husband of beautiful Helen, whose abduction by the Trojan prince Paris sparked off the legendary Trojan War. The story is...
Definition
Furies
The Furies (or Erinyes, sing. Erinys) were creatures from Greek mythology who exacted divine retribution from those guilty of wrong-doing. Crimes which were especially likely to incur their wrath were those involving one's family and anything...
Definition
Leda
Leda is a figure from Greek mythology who was famously seduced by Zeus when he took the form of a swan. She was a queen of Sparta and mother of beautiful Helen who sparked the Trojan War, and the Dioscuri twins. Leda and the swan was a popular...
Definition
Eileithyia
Eileithyia (or Ilithyia) was the goddess of childbirth in Greek mythology, with the power to either help or hinder childbirth. She most famously played a role in the birth of Hercules and Apollo. Eileithyia was the daughter of Zeus and Hera...
Definition
Andromache
Andromache is a Greek tragedy written by Euripides (c. 484-407 BCE), one of only 19 plays (out of 92) to survive. The play is actually in two parts, and like Sophocles' Women of Trachis, it has no central character. The first part of the...
Article
Discovery of Troy
In his epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey, the Greek poet Homer (c. 750 BCE) told the story of the Trojan War, a ten-year siege of the city of Troy by an alliance of Greek city-states. Troy was also known by its Latinised name of Ilium...
Interview
Interview: Arcadian Days by John Spurling
Join World History Encyclopedia as they sit down with John Spurling to talk about his new book of Greek mythology retellings Arcadian Days, published by Pegasus Books. Kelly: Thank you so much for joining me to talk about your book Arcadian...
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The Sacrifice of Iphigenia
Fourth Style fresco depicting the Sacrifice of Iphigenia, from the House of the Tragic Poet in Pompeii. 1st century CE. (Naples National Archaeological Museum) Iphigenia is dragged to the altar as a sacrificial offering to Artemis. On either...