Gigantic Deities Trivia Quiz

Answer: Gymnastike

The Horae were a group of various goddesses involved in the passing of time. The first set was only a duo: winter and summer. Later sets were designed for the three seasons in which agriculture was preponderant (spring, summer, autumn) or three aspects of law and order. Hyginus devised a nonet for the hours of daylight, and finally someone came up with a dozen Horae for each of twelve equal parts of daylight.

The dozen which inspired this question is the following (from sunrise to sunset): Auge (matinal twilight), Anatolia (sunrise), Mousike, Gymnastike, Nymphe (these three were dedicated to musical activity, sports and bathing), Mesembria (noon), Sponde (offering drinks to the gods), Elete (prayer), Akte (supper), Hesperis (start of the evening), Dysis (sunset) and Arktos (nocturnal twilight).

Answer: Galatea

Galatea (in Greek times better known as Galene) was one of fifty Nereids, daughters of Nereus who were dedicated to the sea. Galatea's specialty was the calm sea.

Once Galatea wandered across Sicily. The cyclops Polyphemos fell in love with her, but Galatea preferred the bidding of the human Akis. Polyphemos got so enraged that he crushed Akis under a rock. Ouch!

Answer: Gelanor

The seventh king of Argos was named Pelasgos, whose real name reminds me of the open sea (pelagos in ancient Greek). He had several potential successors, but some prophet declared he would disinherit his own kin in favour of Danaos. Upon hearing this bold prophecy, Pelasgos burst into homeric laughter. This explains his nickname, Gelanor (laughter).

But when Danaos arrived with his fifty daughters, Gelanor decided indeed to hand over the kingdom of Argos to Danaos. The reason why has been lost in time.

Answer: Gaea

Gaea is Mother Earth, of whom all mortals and immortals descend. She had various consorts and a sheer endless list of offspring. To Ouranos she bore the Titans (including Oceanos and Cronos), the Cyclopes and possibly the Erinyes (wrath goddesses). Other notable offspring of Gaea were Nereus (father of the sea nymphs), Charybdis (a sea monster) and Typhon (the most monstrous giant, who fathered many monsters).

Answer: Griffin

The griffin (in Greek Gryphon) is arguably one of the best known fantastic beasts from ancient myth. Indeed: these creatures were not only prominent in Greek myth, but they also popped up frequently in Assyrian / Babylonian lore and in Egyptian myth.

The lion represents bold courage, as does the eagle. The combination of these two mighty beasts should of course be the symbol of bravery and military strength.

Answer: Gorgon

The Gorgones were hideous females, who had slithering snakes in stead of long hair. Medusa was so ugly that looking upon her face sufficed to cause one to be petrified for ever.

A famous myth tells how Perseus polished his shield so that it would reflect anything mirrorlike. He used the reflected image to guide him, rather than looking directly on Medusa, so was able to behead her successfully.

Answer: Gration

Gaea was the mother of the Gigantes - giants wielding spears. For some reason or another, the Gigantes warred against the Olympic gods and some mortal heroes.
According to Hyginus there were 24 Gigantes. Gration was a less known of the Gigantes, but the most famous were Enceladus (hit over the head with the volcane Etna) and Porphyrion - who died after Zeus hit him with a thunderbolt and Heracles simultaneously shot an arrow in his eye. Gration was shot by Artemis and by Heracles, and both claim to have finished him.

Answer: Glaucia

During the Trojan war, several of the Greeks had romantic engagements with various mortals and nymphs. So did Deimachus ("the slayer of gods"), a Boeotian warrior, who made love to the Trojan river nymph Glaucia. While Glaucia was expecting, Deimachus fell at the battlefield.

Heracles then took care of the pregnant Glaucia, and shipped her to Boeotia. Glaucia there gave birth to Scamander.

Answer: Ganymede

Ganymede was a prince of Troy, one of the most handsome adolescents on earth. His stunning beauty was the reason Zeus abducted him to the heights of the Olympos, where Ganymede would serve drinks to the Olympians. But Ganymede did not only serve nectar, the drink which made the Olympians immortal: he also served mead, which inebriated the gods.

Ganymede was the male cupbearer, while his female counterpart was Hebe.

Answer: Graeae

The Graeae were daughters of Phorcys and Ceto, and belonged to a family of sea deities. They were born at old age, so they never were young - although one source calls them "fair of cheek". Three sisters, and yet they had only one eye and one tooth, which they passed on among each other in turns.

Although there were only three Graeae, we know four names of them: Deino (the terrible), Enyo (the warlike), Persis (the destroyer) and Pomphredo (she who shows the way). Apparently one of them had two names, but sources differ.