Greek mythology: 60 great myths retold (and to read in easy Greek)
There is no better gateway into the Greek language than its myths. These stories — handed down by Hesiod, Homer, the tragedians, then Apollodorus and Ovid — shaped the vocabulary we still use today. Reading them in simplified modern Greek means learning the language through stories you actually want to finish. Here are 60 myths, faithfully summarized from the ancient sources and sorted by level: start at yours and climb step by step.
A1
The myths everyone knows
Daedalus and Icarusto escape Crete, Daedalus builds wings of feathers and wax, but Icarus flies too close to the sun and falls into the sea.
MidasDionysus grants King Midas the power to turn everything he touches into gold — including, alas, his food and his drink.
The Trojan Horsehidden inside a wooden horse offered as a false gift, the Greek warriors open the gates of Troy by night.
Heracles and the Nemean Lionsince the lion's hide was invulnerable to weapons, Heracles strangles it with his bare arms — the first of his twelve labors.
Arachnethe weaver Arachne dares to challenge Athena in her craft, and the goddess turns her into a spider, weaving forever.
NarcissusNarcissus falls in love with his own reflection in the water and withers away on the spot, where the flower that bears his name is born.
Pandorathe first woman, fashioned on Zeus's orders, opens a great jar from which all evils escape — only Hope remains at the bottom.
Persephonecarried off by Hades, Persephone has tasted the pomegranate of the Underworld and must spend part of the year there — this is the origin of the seasons.
Theseus and the Minotaurthanks to Ariadne's thread, Theseus kills the Minotaur and finds his way out of the labyrinth.
Orpheus and EurydiceOrpheus charms the Underworld with his song to bring back Eurydice, but turns around too soon and loses her forever.
A2
Heroes, tricks and transformations
Prometheus and FirePrometheus steals fire from the gods, hidden in a fennel stalk, and offers it to humankind.
Odysseus and the Cyclopstrapped by Polyphemus, Odysseus says his name is "Nobody," blinds the giant and escapes clinging beneath his sheep.
Penelopeto keep the suitors at bay, Penelope weaves a shroud by day that she unravels each night, waiting for Odysseus to return.
Pegasus and Bellerophonthanks to the golden bridle given by Athena, Bellerophon tames the winged horse Pegasus and slays the Chimera.
The ArgonautsJason and the crew of the Argo sail to Colchis to win the Golden Fleece, with the decisive help of Medea.
Atalantathe unbeatable runner will marry only the man who defeats her in a race — her suitor succeeds by dropping three golden apples from Aphrodite.
Hermes the Thiefbarely born, Hermes steals Apollo's cattle and invents the lyre, whose sound soothes his brother's anger.
Apollo and Daphnepursued by Apollo, the nymph Daphne is changed into a laurel tree — which becomes the god's emblem.
Cronus and ZeusCronus devours his children at birth, but Rhea hands him a stone wrapped in swaddling clothes and saves Zeus, who will dethrone his father.
Philemon and Baucisonly a poor old couple welcomes Zeus and Hermes travelling in disguise; as a reward, the two spouses are finally changed into intertwined trees.
B1
Trials, riddles and punishments
The Twelve Labors of Heraclesin the service of King Eurystheus, Heracles accomplishes twelve tasks reputed to be impossible, from the Nemean Lion to Cerberus.
Perseus and Medusaguided by Athena and Hermes, Perseus beheads the Gorgon by looking at her only in the reflection of his bronze shield.
Oedipus and the SphinxOedipus solves the riddle of the being that walks on four legs in the morning, two at noon and three in the evening — man — and delivers Thebes.
Sisyphusfor having deceived the gods and outwitted death itself, Sisyphus eternally pushes a boulder that always rolls back down from the summit.
Tantalusfor having gravely offended the gods, Tantalus suffers eternal hunger and thirst in the Underworld, the water and the fruit forever slipping away from him.
Europain the form of a white bull, Zeus carries off the princess Europa and bears her to Crete, where she will become the mother of King Minos.
Ioloved by Zeus and changed into a heifer, Io is guarded by hundred-eyed Argus, then wanders as far as Egypt, where she regains human form.
Actaeonthe hunter Actaeon comes upon Artemis bathing; changed into a stag, he is devoured by his own hounds.
MeleagerMeleager's life is bound to a firebrand; after the hunt for the Calydonian boar, his mother Althaea throws the brand into the fire.
The Danaidsfor having killed their husbands on their wedding night, the daughters of Danaus fill a bottomless cask in the Underworld.
B2
The Trojan War and the great passions
The Apple of DiscordEris throws down an apple "for the fairest"; the judgment of Paris in favor of Aphrodite will lead to the Trojan War.
Achillesthe wrath of Achilles against Agamemnon, the death of Patroclus and the duel with Hector form the heart of the Iliad.
Hector and Andromachebefore returning to battle, Hector bids farewell to Andromache and their son — the most moving scene in the Iliad.
Iphigeniaso that the Greek fleet can sail for Troy, Agamemnon must sacrifice his daughter at Aulis — in Euripides, Artemis substitutes a doe for her.
CassandraApollo grants Cassandra the gift of prophecy, then, rejected, condemns her to foretell the truth without ever being believed.
Aeneasfleeing Troy in flames, Aeneas carries his father Anchises on his shoulders and sets out to found the line from which Rome will be born.
Niobefor having boasted of having more children than Leto, Niobe sees them all perish under the arrows of Apollo and Artemis, and turns into weeping rock.
Pygmalionthe sculptor Pygmalion falls in love with the ivory statue he has created, and Aphrodite brings it to life.
Hera and Echopunished by Hera for her chattering, the nymph Echo can only repeat the last words of others, and pines away with love for Narcissus.
Dionysus and the Piratespirates abduct Dionysus without recognizing him; the god makes a vine grow on the mast and changes the crew into dolphins.
Γ1
The great themes of tragedy
OrestesOrestes avenges his father Agamemnon by killing Clytemnestra, then, pursued by the Erinyes, is tried and acquitted at Athens.
Antigonedefying Creon's edict, Antigone gives funeral honors to her brother Polynices and pays for it with her life.
Medeabetrayed by Jason, who wants to marry the daughter of the king of Corinth, Medea carries out the most terrible revenge: killing her own children.
Prometheus Boundnailed to the Caucasus, his liver devoured each day by an eagle, Prometheus refuses to submit to Zeus.
Pentheusthe king of Thebes refuses the cult of Dionysus; the god leads him to Mount Cithaeron, where the Maenads — including his own mother — tear him to pieces.
Hippolytus and PhaedraPhaedra secretly loves her stepson Hippolytus; rejected, she accuses him and takes her own life, and Theseus curses his innocent son.
Tiresiashaving lived as a man and then as a woman, Tiresias is blinded by Hera but receives from Zeus the gift of prophecy — he becomes the great seer of Thebes.
AlcestisAlcestis agrees to die in the place of her husband Admetus; Heracles, grateful for his hospitality, wrests her from Death.
Asclepiusson of Apollo and father of medicine, Asclepius ends up raising the dead — Zeus strikes him down with a thunderbolt to restore the order of the world.
Philoctetesabandoned for ten years on Lemnos with the bow of Heracles, Philoctetes must be brought back by the Greeks, for without that bow Troy cannot fall.
Γ2
Cosmogony, philosophy and learned tales
The TheogonyHesiod's poem tells of the birth of the world, from primordial Chaos to Zeus's victory over the Titans.
The Five Racesin the Works and Days, Hesiod describes the succession of the races of gold, silver, bronze, the heroes, and iron.
The Myth of Protagorasin Plato's dialogue, Epimetheus forgets to endow man, Prometheus steals the arts and fire, and Zeus has a sense of shame and justice distributed to all.
Atlantisin the Timaeus and the Critias, Plato tells of the powerful island swallowed up in a single day and night after defying primeval Athens.
Eros and Psychein Apuleius, Psyche loses Eros for having wished to see his face, overcomes the trials set by Aphrodite and wins immortality.
Deucalion and Pyrrhathe only survivors of the flood, Deucalion and Pyrrha repopulate the earth by throwing stones over their shoulders.
Phaethonson of the Sun, Phaethon obtains permission to drive his father's chariot, loses control of it and sets the world ablaze — Zeus strikes him down.
Endymionloved by Selene, the Moon, the beautiful Endymion is plunged into an eternal sleep that preserves his youth forever.
Alcyoneafter the shipwreck of Ceyx, the two spouses are changed into halcyons — hence the "halcyon days," those days of calm sea in the middle of winter.
Procne and Philomelaafter the crime of Tereus against Philomela, revealed by a tapestry, the two sisters carry out a terrible revenge before being changed into birds.
Where should you start?
Every story exists on grecfacile.ch in a Greek version adapted to its level, with clickable translation and vocabulary. If you're a beginner, the ten A1 myths can be read with fewer than 500 words of Greek — and you already know the plots.
Start with level A1