The Wallace Collection – Myths and Legends

Welcome to the Who's Who. This handy section can help you learn little bits about each character that appears on this site. The information is set out as follows:

Roman Name - These are the names that have been used throughout the site
Greek Name - This line shows the character's name in Greek
Type of character - This explains what kind of character he/she is
Family - Lots of mythological characters are related to each other - this part will show you the links
Attributes - This section tells you what the characters are often seen with so you can get to recognise them more quickly
Extra Information - Details any other important information

Click below on the starting letter of the name of the character you would like to find out about.

ACHILLES Roman Name: Achilles Greek Name: Achilles Type of character: Mortal Family: Son of Peleus and Thetis Attributes: None Extra Information: One weak spot on his body – his heel	ACTAEON Roman Name: Actaeon Greek Name: Actaeon Type of character: Mortal Family: Unknown Attributes: None Extra Information: Excellent hunter	AENEAS Roman Name: Aeneas Greek Name: Aeneas Type of character: Mortal Family: Son of Venus and Anchises Attributes: None Extra Information: His descendants founded Rome
AGAMEMNON Roman Name: Agamemnon Greek Name: Agamemnon Type of character: Mortal Family: Brother of Menelaus, father of Iphigeneia Attributes: None Extra Information: King of Mycenae (an area of Greece)	AJAX Roman Name: Ajax Greek Name: Ajax Type of character: Mortal Family: Unknown Attributes: None Extra Information: Brave warrior	ALCMENE Roman Name: Alcmene Greek Name: Alcmene Type of character: Mortal Family: Mother of Hercules Attributes: None Extra Information: None
ANDROMEDA Roman Name: Andromeda Greek Name: Andromeda Type of character: Mortal Family: Daughter of King Cepheus and Queen Cassiopeia of Joppa Attributes: None Extra Information: A beautiful princess	APOLLO Roman Name: Apollo Greek Name: Apollo Type of character: Sun god Family: Son of Jupiter and Leto, father of Orpheus, twin brother of Diana Attributes: Sun, bow and arrows, chariot and horses, lyre, laurel wreath Extra Information: Also god of music and leader of the Muses

CERBERUS

Roman Name: Cerberus
Greek Name: Cerberus
Type of character: Monster
Family: Pluto's servant
Attributes: Three-headed dog
Extra Information: Often shown with Charon

CHARON

Roman Name: Charon
Greek Name: Charon
Type of character: Servant to the gods
Family: Unknown
Attributes: Old man with blazing eyes, often shown with cloak and boat
Extra Information: Ferryman for the River Styx to the Underworld

CUPID

Roman Name: Cupid
Greek Name: Eros
Type of character: One of the gods
Family: Son of Venus, Husband of Psyche
Attributes: Often shown as a baby, wings, bow and arrows
Extra Information: Handsome, mischievous, specialised in making people fall in love

DANAË

Roman Name: Danaë
Greek Name: Danaë
Type of character: Mortal
Family: Mother of Perseus
Attributes: None
Extra Information: Princess, mothered Perseus after Jupiter visited her as a shower of gold

DAPHNE

Roman Name: Daphne
Greek Name: Daphne
Type of character: Mountain-nymph
Family: Daughter of a river god
Attributes: Laurel leaves
Extra Information: Fast runner, turned into a laurel tree to escape capture

DIANA

Roman Name: Diana
Greek Name: Artemis
Type of character: Moon goddess
Family: Daughter of Jupiter and Leto, twin sister of Apollo
Attributes: Moon, chariot and stags, bow and arrows, hunting dogs
Extra Information: None

ENDYMION

Roman Name: Endymion
Greek Name: Endymion
Type of character: Mortal
Family: Fell in love with Diana
Attributes: None
Extra Information: In permanent sleep, eternally young

ERIS

Roman Name: Eris
Greek Name: Eris
Type of character: Goddess of Spite and Discord
Family: Daughter of Jupiter and Juno
Attributes: Sometimes shown with the golden apple that caused the Trojan War
Extra Information: Spiteful

EURYDICE

Roman Name: Eurydice
Greek Name: Eurydice
Type of character: Demi-goddess
Family: Wife of Orpheus
Attributes: None
Extra Information: None

GORGONS

Roman Name: Gorgons
Greek Name: Gorgons
Type of character: Monsters – once mortal
Family: Three sisters, including Medusa
Attributes: Serpents instead of hair, lizard tongues, turned people into stone
Extra Information: Once beautiful but turned into hideous monsters for offending Minerva

HECTOR Roman Name: Hector Greek Name: Hector Type of character: Mortal Family: Son of King Priam and Queen Hecuba, brother of Paris Attributes: None Extra Information: Brave	QUEEN HECUBA OF TROY Roman Name: Queen Hecuba of Troy Greek Name: Queen Hecuba of Troy Type of character: Mortal Family: Wife of King Priam, mother of Paris and Hector Attributes: None Extra Information: None	HELEN Roman Name: Helen Greek Name: Helen Type of character: Demi-goddess Family: Daughter of Jupiter and Leda, wife of Menelaus, lover of Paris Attributes: None Extra Information: The most beautiful woman in the world, hers was ‘the face which launched a thousand ships'
HERCULES Roman Name: Hercules Greek Name: Hercules Type of character: Demi-god Family: Son of Jupiter and Alcmene Attributes: Very strong, lion skin, club, often shown with a beard Extra Information: He had to complete 12 labours as a punishment for killing his first wife and children in a fit of rage

IPHIGENEIA

Roman Name: Iphigeneia
Greek Name: Iphigeneia
Type of character: Mortal
Family: Daughter of Agamemnon
Attributes: None
Extra Information: Became a priestess of Diana

JUPITER

Roman Name: Jupiter
Greek Name: Zeus
Type of character: King of the gods
Family: Son of Cronos and Rhea, husband of Juno
Attributes: Thunderbolts, eagle, oaks
Extra Information: Could take many forms and often tricked women into bearing his children by disguising himself

JUNO

Roman Name: Juno
Greek Name: Hera
Type of character: Queen of the gods
Family: Daughter of Cronos and Rhea, wife of Jupiter, mother of Mars, Vulcan and Eris
Attributes: Peacocks
Extra Information: Jealous

MARS Roman Name: Mars Greek Name: Ares Type of character: God of War Family: Son of Jupiter and Juno Attributes: Battle-gear Extra Information: Handsome	MARSYAS Roman Name: Marsyas Greek Name: Marsyas Type of character: Demi-god, satyr Family: Unknown Attributes: Flute, horse's ears and tail Extra Information: He found the flute after Minerva had thrown it away because it caused the player to pull a silly face	MEDUSA Roman Name: Medusa Greek Name: Medusa Type of character: Monster Family: One of the three sisters known as the Gorgons Attributes: Serpents instead of hair, lizard tongue, turned people into stone Extra Information: Once beautiful but turned into a hideous monster for offending Minerva
MENELAUS Roman Name: Menelaus Greek Name: Menelaus Type of character: Mortal Family: Husband of Helen, brother of Agamemnon Attributes: None Extra Information: King of Sparta (an area of Greece)	MERCURY Roman Name: Mercury Greek Name: Hermes Type of character: Messenger of the gods Family: Son of Jupiter and Maia Attributes: Winged helmet and sandals, caduceus (wand with two coiled snakes), sometimes shown with a lyre Extra Information: Very hyperactive and mischievous when young, he stole Apollo's cattle and killed one to make the lyre, which he then gave to Apollo as an apology. He was made Messenger of the gods to make best use of his great energy	MINERVA Roman Name: Minerva Greek Name: Athene Type of character: Goddess of Wisdom and War Family: Daughter of Jupiter Attributes: Armour, helmet, owls Extra Information: Invented the Flute. Athens is named after her
MUSES Roman Name: Muses Greek Name: Muses Type of character: Demi-goddesses of arts and music Family: 9 daughters of Jupiter and Mnemosyne (Memory) Attributes: Beauty, musical instruments, sometimes shown with Apollo Extra Information: These 9 demi-goddesses were wild before Apollo tamed them and became their leader. They inspire art and music

NEPTUNE

Roman Name: Neptune
Greek Name: Poseidon
Type of character: Mortal
Family: Son of Cronos and Rhea
Attributes: Three-pronged fork
Extra Information: None

NESSUS

Roman Name: Nessus
Greek Name: Nessus
Type of character: Centaur
Family: Son of Ixion and a cloud shaped as Juno
Attributes: Half-man, half-horse
Extra Information: He caused Hercules's death by tricking Hercules's wife into using some of his poisoned blood as a love potion

NYMPHS

Roman Name: Nymphs
Greek Name: Nymphs
Type of character: Demi-goddesses of woodland and water
Family: Children of river and mountain gods
Attributes: None
Extra Information: Beauty

ORACLE

Roman Name: Oracle
Greek Name: Oracle
Type of character: Message of the gods
Family: Unknown
Attributes: None
Extra Information: Oracles were priestesses with the gift of telling the future

ORPHEUS

Roman Name: Orpheus
Greek Name: Orpheus
Type of character: Mortal
Family: Son of Apollo and one of the Muses, husband of Eurydice
Attributes: Lyre, often shown with animals
Extra Information: Very musical and loyal

PARIS Roman Name: Paris Greek Name: Paris Type of character: Mortal Family: Son of King Priam and Queen Hecuba of Troy, brother of Hector Attributes: Sometimes shown as a shepherd and with the golden apple of Eris Extra Information: Very handsome	PEGASUS Roman Name: Pegasus Greek Name: Pegasus Type of character: Supernatural animal Family: Born from Medusa's blood Attributes: White winged horse Extra Information: Able to fly	PERSEUS Roman Name: Perseus Greek Name: Perseus Type of character: Mortal Family: Son of Jupiter and Danae, Husband of Andromeda Attributes: Often shown with Mercury's winged sandals and helmet Extra Information: Brave. He killed Medusa
PLUTO Roman Name: Pluto Greek Name: Hades Type of character: God of the Underworld Family: Son of Cronos and Rhea, husband of Proserpina Attributes: None Extra Information: Gloomy and frightening	KING PRIAM Roman Name: King Priam Greek Name: King Priam Type of character: Mortal Family: Husband of Queen Hecuba, father of Paris and Hector Attributes: None Extra Information: King of Troy	PROSPERINA Roman Name: Prosperina Greek Name: Persephone Type of character: Goddess of the Underworld Family: Daughter of Jupiter and Ceres, wife of Pluto Attributes: None Extra Information: Beauty, represents Spring
PSYCHE Roman Name: Psyche Greek Name: Psyche Type of character: Mortal Family: wife of Cupid Attributes: Very beautiful, inquisitive and easily-led Extra Information: Princess. Became immortal

SIBYLS

Roman Name: Sibyls
Greek Name: Sibyls
Type of character: Priestesses of Apollo and 'seers'
Family: Unknown
Attributes: None
Extra Information: There are 12 Sibyls, all named after the places they are from, for example the Cumaen Sibyl. Ability to see the future

ULYSSES

Roman Name: Ulysses
Greek Name: Odyseus
Type of character: Mortal
Family: Son of Laertes, husband of Penelope
Attributes: None
Extra Information: Brave and cunning

URANUS

Roman Name: Uranus
Greek Name: Ouranos
Type of character: God of the skies
Family: Son and husband of Mother Earth
Attributes: None
Extra Information: Cruel

VENUS

Roman Name: Venus
Greek Name: Aphrodite
Type of character: Goddess of Love
Family: Daughter of Uranus, mother of Cupid, wife of Vulcan
Attributes: Doves, often shown naked
Extra Information: Extremely beautiful