Mythology

Bacchus: Roman god of wine, fertility, and ritual ecstasy Bacchus Bacchus, the Roman counterpart to the Greek Dionysus, is a deity of wine, vegetation, theater and ritual frenzy whose cult influenced Roman religion, art, and social history.

Baduhenna — Germanic war goddess attested by Tacitus Baduhenna Baduhenna is a rarely attested Germanic war deity known from a single Roman source describing a sacred grove in Frisia and an episode in 28 CE in which Roman prisoners were killed.

Baldr (Baldur) — Norse god of light, beauty and the mistletoe myth Baldur Baldr, son of Odin and Frigg, is a central figure in Norse myth associated with light, beauty, and a celebrated death by mistletoe; his story appears in Eddic sources and influence…

Baphomet: history, symbolism, and cultural influence Baphomet Baphomet is a contested name and image first attested in medieval trial records and later reshaped by 19th‑century occultists into a goat‑headed symbol used in modern occultism, Sa…

Bast (Bastet) — Egyptian goddess of cats, protection, and domestic life Bast Bast, also known as Bastet, is an ancient Egyptian goddess associated with protection, cats, domesticity, music and fertility. She evolved from a lioness warrior into a household g…

Bedivere — Knight of the Round Table Bedivere Bedivere (Welsh Bedwyr) is a legendary Knight of the Round Table, notable for returning Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake and for accompanying the wounded King Arthur to Avalon.

Bellerophon: Greek hero who tamed Pegasus and killed the Chimera Bellerophon Bellerophon, a hero of Greek myth, famed as the tamer of Pegasus and slayer of the Chimera. Son of Poseidon and Eurynome, his story appears in many ancient sources and later artist…

Bellona: Roman goddess of war and the personification of conflict Bellona Bellona was an Ancient Roman goddess associated with war and military power. Her imagery, temple rites, and political role illuminate Rome’s religious response to warfare and imper…

Belus (king of Egypt in Greek mythology) Belus Belus is a legendary figure in Greek myth, portrayed as a king of Egypt and progenitor of Aegyptus and Danaus. Traditions vary; he links Greek genealogies with Near Eastern motifs.

Beowulf: the Geatish hero of the Old English epic Beowulf (hero) Beowulf is the central hero of the Old English epic poem Beowulf. A Geatish warrior and later king, he is best known for his battles with Grendel, Grendel's mother and a dragon and…

Berserker: Norse warrior known for frenzied battle fury Berserker Berserkers were Norse warriors described in medieval sources as entering a trance-like frenzy before combat. Accounts mix myth, ritual, and history; scholars debate their causes, r…

Bes — Ancient Egyptian household protector of childbirth and children Bes Bes, a popular ancient Egyptian household deity, protected pregnant women, newborns and families. Depicted frontally as a dwarf with leonine attributes, he appears on amulets, furn…

Bharata Bharata: a multi‑layered name in South Asian tradition referring to legendary rulers, the dramatist Bharata Muni, the classical dance term Bharatanatyam, and the traditional name f…

Bia — Greek goddess and personification of force Bia Bia is the ancient Greek personification of force. Daughter of Styx and Pallas, and sister to Nike, Kratos and Zelus, she appears as an attendant of Zeus and a symbol of compulsion…

Bianca di Angelo — demigod daughter of Hades in Percy Jackson Bianca (Percy Jackson) Bianca di Angelo, a minor but pivotal demigod in Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series, is the older sister of Nico di Angelo whose death shapes later plotlines and themes of loss an…

Bifröst — the rainbow bridge of Norse mythology Bifröst Bifröst is the legendary rainbow bridge that links Midgard and Asgard in Norse myth, guarded by Heimdall and foretold to break at Ragnarök. It appears in the Poetic and Prose Edda…

Bigfoot (Sasquatch): North American Folkloric Ape-like Creature Bigfoot Bigfoot, or Sasquatch, is a legendary large, ape-like being of North American folklore known from Indigenous stories and modern sightings; it remains a topic of popular interest an…

Black knight (literary and cultural trope) Black knight A literary figure: an anonymous or hooded knight often clad in black who appears in medieval romances and later popular culture as a mysterious, solitary, and sometimes villainous…

Black magic: concepts, history, and cultural meanings Black magic Black magic refers to practices that invoke supernatural forces for harmful or selfish ends. This article explains definitions, history, common practices, cultural impact, and dist…

Bloody Mary (folklore) A Western urban legend in which the spirit of a dead woman is summoned by calling her name into a mirror; a mirror-gazing party game with many regional variants and psychological e…

Boo (Mario character) Boo (character) Boo is a recurring ghost enemy in Nintendo's Mario franchise, known for hiding when observed and advancing when unobserved; it has many variations and appears across platformers, s…

The Book of Dede Korkut Book of Dede Korkut A central collection of Oghuz Turkic epic tales centered on the sage Dede Korkut, reflecting nomadic life, heroic codes, and a blend of pre-Islamic and Islamic elements influential…

Boreads (Calaïs and Zethes): Twin sons of Boreas in Greek myth Boreads The Boreads, Calaïs and Zethes, are the winged twin sons of Boreas in Greek mythology. Known as Argonauts and harriers of the Harpies in some accounts, they appear in classical epi…

Borr (Bor) — Ancestral figure in Norse mythology Borr Borr (also Bor) is a scarcely attested figure in Norse myth, son of Búri, husband of Bestla, and father of Odin, Vili and Vé. He links the first generation to the gods who shape th…

Br'er Rabbit: The Trickster of Southern Folklore Br'er Rabbit Br'er Rabbit is a cunning trickster figure from Southern U.S. folk tales, rooted in African and Cherokee traditions. Famous from the Uncle Remus tales and later Disney adaptation,…

Bragi — Norse god of poetry and music Bragi Bragi is the Norse deity associated with poetry, eloquence and music. Often paired with the goddess Iðunn, he appears in medieval sources as a wise, bearded figure and as a namesak…

Brigid — Irish goddess of fire, poetry, healing, and craft Brigid Brigid is a prominent figure in Irish and Celtic tradition associated with fire, healing, poetry, smithcraft and fertility. She appears in myth as a triple figure and later merged…

Britannia: personification and symbol of Britain Britannia Britannia is the female national personification of Britain, depicted with shield, helmet and trident. Originating in Roman antiquity, she has appeared on coins, monuments and in c…

Bunyip: Australian water spirit and folkloric creature Bunyip The bunyip is a legendary creature from Indigenous Australian oral traditions associated with lakes, swamps and rivers. Accounts vary widely; the figure entered colonial folklore a…

Búri — ancestor god in Norse mythology Búri Búri is a primeval figure in Norse myth, described as the forefather of the gods. Attested mainly in Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda, his appearance and role are brief but symbolical…

Cadmus: founder of Thebes and early Greek hero Cadmus Cadmus, a Phoenician prince in Greek myth, is credited with founding Thebes, slaying a dragon, sowing the Spartoi, and bringing the Phoenician script tradition to Greece.

Caduceus: symbol, form, history and modern uses Caduceus The caduceus is the winged staff entwined by two snakes, associated with Hermes/Mercury. This article explains its appearance, mythic origins, symbolic meanings, and why it is some…

Caelus — Roman god of the sky Caelus Caelus is the Roman personification of the sky, appearing in myth, theology and literature as a generative force, ancestor of gods, and the Roman analogue of the Greek Uranus.

Calypso (Greek mythological nymph of Ogygia) Calypso Calypso, a nymph in Greek myth, detained Odysseus on the remote island Ogygia. This article outlines her role in the Odyssey, origins, symbolism, later reception, and the contested…

Camelot — Legendary Court of King Arthur Camelot Camelot is the fictional court and castle associated with King Arthur. A product of medieval romance and later retellings, it symbolizes chivalry, unity, and the idealized medieval…

Camp Jupiter (Roman demigod camp in The Heroes of Olympus) Camp Jupiter Camp Jupiter is the Roman training and refuge camp for demigods in Rick Riordan's The Heroes of Olympus series, organized like a legion with Roman rites, ranks, and a distinct cult…

Caradoc: Arthurian knight known as Breifbras (the 'little arm') Caradoc Caradoc, a knight of the Round Table, appears in medieval Arthurian romances. His tale mixes magic, tests of chastity, a beheading episode and a serpent-enchantment that cost him a…

Cartomancy: card-based divination and fortune-telling Cartomancy Cartomancy is the practice of interpreting cards—such as tarot, standard playing cards, and regional decks—to provide insight, reflection, and divinatory readings across cultures a…

Cassandra of Troy — prophetess in Greek myth Cassandra Cassandra, daughter of Priam and Hecuba, is the prophetic figure from Troy whose true warnings were reputedly never believed; she appears across Greek tragedy and later literature…

Cassiopeia (mythology) Cassiopeia, a legendary queen celebrated for her beauty and vanity, whose boast offended sea-nymphs and the sea-god, bringing disaster to her kingdom and leading to her placement a…

Castor and Pollux — the Dioscuri: twins in myth, cult, and the stars Castor and Pollux Castor and Pollux, the Dioscuri of Greek and Roman tradition, are twin brothers famed as horsemen, sailors' protectors, Argonauts and a constellation (Gemini). Their dual nature bl…

Celtic mythology: gods, cycles, and cultural legacy Celtic mythology Celtic mythology encompasses the oral traditions, gods, cosmology and heroic cycles of the peoples called Celts. It survives in medieval manuscripts, place‑names and modern culture…

Centaur: the half‑human, half‑horse creature of Greek myth Centaur A centaur is a legendary creature from Greek mythology with the torso of a human and the lower body of a horse. The figure appears in ancient myths, art, and modern culture with va…

Cerberus: The Multi‑Headed Hound of the Greek Underworld Cerberus Cerberus, the multi‑headed dog of Greek myth, guards the entrance to Hades. Son of Typhon and Echidna, usually three‑headed with a serpent tail, best known from Heracles' final Lab…

Ceres: Roman goddess of agriculture, fertility, and maternal care Ceres Ceres, a central figure in Roman religion and myth, presided over agriculture, especially grain, fertility and motherly bonds. Her cult, myths and symbols shaped Roman life and lat…

Cernunnos, the Horned Celtic Deity Cernunnos Cernunnos is a horned figure from ancient Celtic art, commonly interpreted as a nature, fertility, and underworld-associated deity. He is known from Gallo‑Roman and Iron Age depict…

Ceryneian Hind — the sacred deer of Artemis and Heracles' third labor Ceryneian Hind A sacred deer from Greek myth, the Ceryneian Hind was famed for its golden horns and brazen hooves; capturing it alive was the goal of Heracles' third labor and a test of skill and…

Ceto (Greek mythological sea goddess and mother of monsters) Ceto Ceto is a primordial sea goddess in Greek myth, daughter of Pontus and Gaia, often linked with sea-monsters. She is traditionally named as the mother of several infamous creatures…