Mythology

Hephaestus — Greek god of fire, smithing, and craft Hephaestus Hephaestus, son of Zeus and Hera, is the Greek god of fire, metalworking and craftsmanship; famed as the lame divine smith who forged weapons, tools and mechanical devices for gods…

Hera — Greek goddess of marriage, family, and the heavens Hera Hera, sister and wife of Zeus, is the Greek goddess of marriage, family, queenship, and the heavens. This article summarizes her origins, symbols, principal myths, cult practices,…

Herakles: Greek hero, demigod, and cultural icon Herakles Herakles, son of Zeus and Alkmene, is a central figure in Greek mythology famed for his strength, the Twelve Labors, and eventual apotheosis; known in Rome as Hercules and widely r…

Hercle: the Etruscan hero-god Hercle Hercle is the Etruscan counterpart of the Greek Herakles, a hero and divine figure popular in Etruscan art. He appears often on mirrors and tombs with attributes of the lion skin a…

Hercules — Roman hero of strength, labors, and cultural legacy Hercules Hercules is the Roman adaptation of the Greek hero Herakles, celebrated for extraordinary strength and the Twelve Labors; a major figure in ancient religion, art, and later cultura…

Hercules (1958 film) Hercules (1958 movie) 1958 Italian sword-and-sandal film starring Steve Reeves that popularized mythic spectacle cinema. A loose retelling of classical tales, it launched a wave of peplum films and heav…

Hercules (constellation) Hercules is a prominent northern constellation linked to the mythic hero. It contains the keystone asterism, several notable stars, and famous deep-sky objects such as the globular…

Hercules in the Underworld — TV movie overview and significance Hercules in the Underworld A comprehensive look at the fourth made-for-TV movie in the Hercules: The Legendary Journeys series, its plot, themes, production context, and legacy within popular adaptations of…

Hermanubis: Greco-Egyptian Syncretic Deity and Psychopomp Hermanubis Hermanubis, a Greco-Egyptian syncretic deity blending Hermes and Anubis, acted as a psychopomp in Hellenistic and Roman Egypt—overview of origins, iconography, funerary uses, amule…

Hermaphroditus: Androgyny and the Two-Sexed Deity of Greek Myth Hermaphroditus Hermaphroditus, child of Hermes and Aphrodite, is a minor Greek deity who embodies both male and female qualities. His myth, art, and name shaped classical iconography and later la…

Hermes — Greek god of messengers, travel, and boundaries Hermes Hermes is a multifaceted deity in Greek religion: messenger of the gods, guide of souls, patron of travellers, commerce, thieves, and inventor of the lyre; son of Zeus and Maia.

Hermes and the Infant Dionysos (marble group from Olympia) Hermes and the Infant Dionysos Late Classical Greek marble statue group, probably 4th century BC, showing Hermes supporting the infant Dionysos. Found at Olympia in 1877; famed for Parian marble, polished surfac…

Hermóðr — Messenger of the Æsir in Norse mythology Hermóðr Hermóðr, whose name means roughly 'war-spirit', is a swift divine messenger in Norse myth. He is best known for riding Sleipnir to Hel to plead for the return of the god Baldr.

Herne: places, folklore, and name Herne Herne refers to several subjects: a city in Germany, a village in Kent and nearby bay, the legendary 'Herne the Hunter' of English folklore, and a surname or place-name with varied…

Hero: origins, meanings, and cultural roles Hero An overview of the concept of the hero from ancient Greek origins to modern uses, including types, social roles, and notable examples from myth, history and fiction.

Hesiod: Early Greek Poet, Author of Theogony and Works and Days Hesiod Hesiod, an early Archaic Greek poet from Boeotia, is known for Theogony and Works and Days — foundational sources for Greek myth, farming lore, and early Greek social and cosmologi…

Hesperides: nymphs of the western garden in Greek mythology Hesperides The Hesperides are mythic nymphs who tended a remote western garden with golden apples. Accounts vary about their number, parentage, location and role in stories such as Heracles'…

Hestia — Greek goddess of the hearth, home and civic unity Hestia Hestia, ancient Greek goddess of the hearth and domestic life, guarded household fires, communal altars and the bond between families and city-states; Vesta is her Roman counterpar…

Hildisvíni — the battle-swine of Norse myth Hildisvíni Hildisvíni, Old Norse 'battle-swine', is the boar associated with the goddess Freyja. Known from the poem Hyndluljóð, it appears as her mount and figure of war, protection, and rit…

Himeros: Greek god of desire (one of the Erotes) Himeros Himeros, whose name means 'uncontrollable desire', is an ancient Greek personification of sexual longing and passion, often depicted among the Erotes and linked to Aphrodite and Ar…

Hippocamp (hippocampus): the horse-fish of classical art and myth Hippocamp A mythological sea creature with a horse's forepart and a fish's tail, the hippocamp appears in ancient art as a mount for sea deities and later influenced heraldry, literature and…

Hippolyta — Queen of the Amazons Hippolyta Hippolyta, an Amazon queen in Greek myth, is best known for the magical girdle sought by Heracles. Her story appears in many variants and influenced literature and art across centu…

Hjúki and Bil — the children who follow the moon in Norse tradition Hjúki and Bil Hjúki and Bil are a brother and sister in Norse myth who are said to accompany the personified moon. Attested in the Prose Edda, they have inspired interpretations about lunar mark…

Hlín — Norse goddess of protection Hlín Hlín is a figure in Norse mythology associated with protection and shelter. Attested in the Poetic and Prose Eddas, she is closely linked to Frigg and may represent either a distin…

Hnöss — Norse goddess associated with treasure, desire, and Freyja's family Hnöss Hnöss (Old Norse “treasure” or “jewel”) is a minor figure in Norse myth: a daughter of Freyja and Óðr, often read as a personification of beauty and preciousness with few surviving…

Höðr: the blind god of darkness in Norse myth Höðr Höðr (Hodr) is the blind son of Odin and Frigg in Norse myth, best known for unintentionally killing his brother Baldr and for his role in accounts of revenge and Ragnarök.

Hœnir — Aesir god associated with silence and deliberation Hœnir Hœnir (Hoenir) is a minor Aesir figure in Norse mythology, noted for his silence, his role in the Æsir–Vanir hostage exchange, and his appearances in the Poetic and Prose Eddas.

Homer: ancient Greek epic poet of the Iliad and the Odyssey Homer Homer is the traditional name given to the poet (or poets) of the Iliad and the Odyssey, foundational epic poems of ancient Greek literature with wide influence on later Western cu…

Hōmyō Dōji: Japanese Folk Tale of Sacrifice, Compassion, and Conversion Hōmyō dōji A concise overview of the Japanese folktale Hōmyō dōji, its plot, characters, Buddhist themes, cultural role, and variations in folk and religious storytelling traditions.

Horae (Greek goddesses of the seasons and social order) Horae The Horae were Greek goddesses who governed the rhythms of nature and later the principles of civic order. Two distinct groups — seasonal and civic — appear in classical myth and a…

Horus: Egyptian sky god, myth of the eye, and royal symbol Horus Horus is an ancient Egyptian deity associated with the sky, kingship, and protection. This article summarizes his origins, key myths (including the Eye of Horus), worship, iconogra…

Hroðgar — King in the Old English Epic Beowulf Hroðgar Hroðgar is the aged king of the Danes in the Old English epic Beowulf. He presides over Heorot, suffers Grendel's attacks, and receives Beowulf's aid; his role highlights leadershi…

Hugin and Munin — Odin's ravens in Norse mythology Hugin and Munin Hugin and Munin are the two ravens linked to the Norse god Odin. Their names mean thought and memory; they scout the world, bring news to Odin, and serve as longstanding symbols of…

Hugo Strange Hugo Strange is a long‑running Batman antagonist: a psychiatrist and mad scientist who has deduced Batman's identity and carried out biological and psychological experiments in com…

Huitzilopochtli — Aztec god of the sun, war, and patron of Tenochtitlan Huitzilopochtli Huitzilopochtli was a central deity of the Mexica (Aztecs), combining sun and war aspects, associated with hummingbird imagery, Tenochtitlan’s foundation, ritual sacrifice, and sta…

Hylas: youth of Greek myth taken by the nymphs Hylas Hylas, a young companion of Heracles in Greek myth, is best known for his abduction by water-nymphs during the Argonauts' voyage; his story appears in classical poetry and later ar…

Hyperion — Titan of Light, Saturn's Odd Moon, and Cultural Namesake Hyperion Hyperion: a Titan of Greek myth associated with light and the father of celestial deities; also a distinct, sponge-like moon of Saturn and a recurring name in literature and scienc…

Hyperion (Titan) Hyperion, a second-generation Titan in Greek myth, personifies heavenly light and fathers the sun, moon and dawn; he appears in Hesiodic genealogies and shares a fate with other Ti…

Hypnos — Greek god and personification of sleep Hypnos Hypnos is the ancient Greek deity who personifies sleep. Son of Nyx and twin of Thanatos, he appears in classical literature and art and influenced Roman Somnus and modern words li…

Iah — Ancient Egyptian Moon Deity Iah Iah is an ancient Egyptian lunar deity whose name simply means "moon." Associated with time, fertility and the lunar calendar, Iah was a minor god later merged into Khonsu.

Iambe — Greek figure linked to iambic verse and merriment Iambe Iambe is a minor figure in Greek mythology associated with jesting, cheer, and the origin of iambic speech; she is linked to a consoling episode with Demeter and to traditions of s…

Iapetos (Iapetus) — Titan of Ancestry and Mortality Iapetos Greek Titan Iapetos (Iapetus), son of Uranus and Gaia and father of Prometheus and Atlas; cast into Tartarus after the Titanomachy. A summary of his genealogy, role in myth, and la…

Iapetus — Titan, Saturnian moon, and ancient ocean Iapetus Iapetus is a name applied to a Greek Titan, a distinctive moon of Saturn known for its two-tone surface and equatorial ridge, and an ancient ocean whose closure shaped early Paleoz…

Icarus: Greek myth of flight, hubris, and the fall from the sky Icarus Icarus, son of the craftsman Daedalus in Greek myth, flew with wings of feathers and wax and drowned after flying too near the sun; his story evokes ambition, disobedience, and lim…

Iðavöllr — the splendor-plain of Norse myth Iðavöllr Iðavöllr (Old Norse Iðavǫllr) is a field in Norse myth, named in the Völuspá as a meeting-place in Asgard where the surviving gods gather after Ragnarök; its meaning and function r…

Iðunn — Norse goddess of youth and keeper of the golden apples Iðunn Iðunn is a Norse goddess associated with youth, renewal and the golden apples that sustain the gods. Her abduction and return are central myths in the Poetic and Prose Edda and ill…

Iliad — the ancient Greek epic poem of the Trojan War Iliad The Iliad is an ancient Greek epic attributed to Homer. It narrates episodes from the Trojan War, focusing on Achilles, the clash of heroes, the intervention of gods, and themes of…

Ilmarinen — the smith of Finnish myth and the forger of the Sampo Ilmarinen Ilmarinen is the divine or heroic smith of Finnish folklore and the Kalevala, famed for forging the sky and the magical Sampo; a symbol of craft, creation and technology in Finnish…