Who is the Greek god of we alth? He is not alone with them. Ancient Greek mythology is striking in its versatility. It combines morality, ethical principles and culture of many European nations. Mythology is distinguished by special thinking, the study of the world and the place of man in it. For help in all undertakings, the ancient Greeks turned to powerful deities, guiding them on the right path and giving them good luck in everything. Who are the gods of we alth among the Greeks? It is about them that the article will be discussed.
Attitude towards we alth in Ancient Greece
In Ancient Greece people were skeptical about we alth: it was believed that making money is much easier than earning a good name and fame. In ancient Greek mythology, there are often cases when a poor man from the people took precedence over a rich aristocracy, which did not have authority and respect among the Greeks. Before Greece became an economically developed state, priority was given to non-material areas: medicine, philosophy, science and sports.
Later, agriculture, crafts and trade began to actively develop. Just then onthe first plan of the pantheon came the ancient Greek gods of we alth, fertility and trade: Demeter, Mercury, Hermes and Plutos.
At first, the ancient Greeks grew crops, but with the development of trade, this became an unprofitable occupation, and an enterprising people began to trade in crops that Greece is rich in - olive oil and grapes. Along with the development of trade, the Greek gods of money began to appear.
At the same time, the slave system developed: slaves were traded, their labor was used in crafts.
The Greek god of we alth is Plutos. With its appearance, such a concept as "money" becomes popular. They were treated with respect and tried to save every coin. Each polis made its own money, and the trade extended far beyond the borders of Greece. Traveling intermediaries were wandering colonies, traces of which were found in the Black Sea, not far from the present Sevastopol, Kerch and Feodosia.
With the development of the economy, resellers appeared, changing money among policies. They gambled at interest, lent money, and took deposits. The bankers collected huge sums, and they had the opportunity to earn on repurchases.
As mentioned earlier, Demeter was the first goddess associated with enrichment.
Demeter
Demeter is one of the most influential and respected goddesses in Greece. She is the goddess of we alth and fertility. In her honor, celebrations and honors were held throughout Greece, especially during the months of sowing and harvesting. Counts,that without the help and will of Demeter there would be no harvest: the farmers turned to her for help and blessings on crops, and the women asked for fertility and the opportunity to bear a child. An interesting feature is that Homer paid very little attention to this goddess: she almost always remained in the shadow of even less powerful gods. Based on this, we can conclude that in the early years other ways of enrichment prevailed in Greece, and agriculture came to the fore much later, displacing cattle breeding. The location of the goddess promised the farmer the accompanying weather conditions and a rich harvest.
According to the legends, Demeter was the first to plow the land and sow seeds in it. The Greeks who witnessed this were sure that the grains would spoil in the ground, but after a while the harvest came up. Demeter taught people how to care for crops and grow grain, and later gave them other crops.
The Adventure of Demeter
Demeter is the daughter of Kronos and Rhea, the only girl in the family. Her brothers are the mighty Hades, Poseidon and Zeus. Demeter had a strange relationship with her brothers: she did not like Poseidon, and she hated Aida at all. Demeter had a marriage with Zeus, who gave birth to a daughter, Persephone.
Demeter and Persephone - the ancient Greek gods of we alth and fertility
Persephone took over from her mother and became the goddess of fertility and agriculture. Demeter loved her only golden-haired daughter very much and passed on her wisdom to her. She responded to her mother in return.
One day, an incredible grief happened that knocked Demeter down: her daughter was kidnapped. This was done by the god of the underworld Hades, brother of Demeter. Permission for this was given by Zeus himself, who promised his brother his daughter as his wife.
Unsuspecting Persephone was walking with her friends through the green meadows, and then her future husband kidnapped her. He hid the girl deep underground, and her heartbroken mother wandered the lands looking for her. Demeter did not eat or drink for several months, the productive pastures dried up, and her daughter still did not appear. Zeus told Demeter about the agreement, but she refused to share her beloved daughter with her brother, whom she had hated since childhood.
Zeus turned to Hades with a request to return his mother's daughter, but he agreed with one condition: Persephone will spend two thirds of the year with her mother of fertility, and for one third of the year she will descend into the underworld, swallowing a pomegranate seed before that. This is how the ancient Greeks explained the change of seasons and crops.
Demeter and Triptolemus
Triptolemus is also the god of we alth among the ancient Greeks. One day, the goddess of fertility decided to give a gift to the son of King Eleusis, Triptolemus. She taught him how to plow the land, how to cultivate it, and gave him seeds for sowing. Triptolem plowed the fertile paradise lands three times and threw wheat grains into them.
After some time, the earth brought a rich harvest, which Demeter herself blessed. She gave Triptolemus a handful of grain and a magical chariot that could move across the sky. She asked her mentor to go around the world, teaching people about agriculture and distributing fertilegrains. He followed the instructions of the goddess and moved on.
Wherever the god of we alth visited (in Greek mythology, this is how it is described) on his chariot, fields with a rich harvest stretched. Until he arrived in Scythia, to the king of Linha. The king decided to take all the grains and the glory of Triptolemus for himself by killing him in his sleep. Demeter could not allow the death of her assistant and came to his aid, turning Linh into a lynx. He fled into the forest, and soon left Scythia altogether, and the Greek god of money and we alth - Triptolem - continued on his way, teaching people agriculture and farming.
Plutus
The ancient Greek god of we alth Plutos is the son of Demeter and the titan Iasion. According to the myths, lovers Demeter and Iasion indulged in temptation on the island of Crete and conceived Plutos on a thrice-plowed field. Seeing the couple in love, Zeus became furious and incinerated his father Plutos with lightning. The boy was raised by the goddesses of peace and chance - Eirene and Tyche.
It is believed that Plutos, the god of we alth, was blind and gave gifts to people arbitrarily, not paying attention to their appearance or status in society. Those gifted with Plutos received unprecedented material benefits. Jupiter blinded the god, who was afraid that Plutos would be unfair and biased in the distribution of we alth. Therefore, material luck can overtake both bad and good people.
In art, the god of we alth is depicted as a baby with a cornucopia in his hands. Most often, the baby is held in her arms either by the goddess of fortune,or the goddess of the world.
Most often the name of Plutos is associated with Demeter and Persephone. He accompanies and helps everyone who is favored by the goddess of fertility.
The Greek god of we alth Plutos introduced such a concept as "goods". People began to take care of material we alth: save money and increase it. Previously, the Greeks did not attach much importance to material values, they were not worried about the improvement and standard of living.
Comedy "Plutus"
The comedy was written and staged by the ancient Greek comedian Aristophanes. In it, the Greek god of we alth, Plutos, is depicted as a blind old man, unable to properly distribute we alth. He gives gifts to dishonest and mean people, because of which he himself loses all his we alth.
On the way, Plutos comes across an Athenian who returns his sight. The God of we alth sees again, and this helps him to fairly reward people according to their merits. Plutos becomes rich again and regains the respect of the people.
Plutus in the Divine Comedy
Plutus, the god of we alth in Greek mythology, was depicted in the poem "The Divine Comedy" written in 1321 by Dante Alighieri. He was the gatekeeper of the fourth circle of hell and had the appearance of a bestial demon. He guarded the circle of hell, where there were misers, spendthrifts and greedy souls.
Plutocracy
In honor of the god of we alth was named one of the political regimes - plutocracy. The term was introduced at the end of the 19th century and characterizes the form of government in which state decisions are made not by the will of the majority (by the people), buta small group of oligarchic clans in the shadows. Such a state is ruled primarily by money, and a legitimately elected government is completely subordinate to we althy clans.
Plutos and Pluto: ancient Greek gods of money, we alth and abundance
At some point in ancient Greek mythology, two deities were identified - Pluto (god of the underworld) and Plutos (god of we alth and abundance). This is explained by the fact that Hades has countless riches stored deep underground. There are also many myths that unite these gods.
According to more ancient myths, Hades is the brother of Plutos' mother, Demeter, so he is his uncle. But in later myths it was claimed that this is one deity. This is confirmed by the consonance of their names: Pluto and Pluto.
Cornucopia
This is a symbol of endless we alth, originating from the myths of Ancient Greece. The horn belongs to the goat Am althea, who nursed with her milk little Zeus, who was hiding from his father Kronos on the island of Crete.
There is another legend about its origin. Hercules rolled the horn of the river god during the fight. He showed mercy and returned the horn to its owner. He did not remain in debt and gave the world a cornucopia filled with we alth.
In art, this symbol is depicted upside down, through a hole in which various fruits erupt: fruits and vegetables, sometimes coins. Most often, the cornucopia is held in the hands of the god of we alth among the Greeks - Plutos. On some sculptures with thisthe symbol depicts the goddess of justice - Themis.
In ancient Greece, coins were minted with the image of a cornucopia on the reverse side. This was supposed to attract new money and help keep their property.
In the Middle Ages, the cornucopia was transformed into the Holy Grail, which is the source of eternal life and we alth.
Mercury (Hermes)
Mercury is the god of we alth, trade and the patron of thieves. He is depicted wearing a helmet and sandals with wings, a wand of conciliation, and a bag filled with gold coins.
The Greek god of we alth Mercury was borrowed by the Romans from the Greeks after their conquest. In ancient Greece, Mercury was called Hermes. Initially, it was the god of cattle and cattle breeding. In the time of Homer, he became an intermediary between the gods. It was then that he received wings on his sandals and helmet to move quickly while performing various tasks. He also had a conciliatory stick made of gold, with its help he resolved conflicts and disputes.
With the development of agriculture, he became the patron of bread and grain, later, when market relations were actively developing, he became the god of trade and the patron of merchants. He was approached for help in repurchases, trade transactions and in the exchange of goods.
It is believed that it was Hermes, the Greek god of we alth, who gave the Greeks numbers and taught them how to count. Before that, people paid by eye, not attaching much importance to the amount of money.
Even later, Hermes became the patron saint of thieves: he was depicted with a purse in his hands or withhands next to Apollo - a hint of theft.
When the Romans conquered Greece, they borrowed the god Hermes, renaming him Mercury. For them, it was the god of prosperity, enrichment, trade and profit.
In our time, the image of Mercury can be found on the emblems of banks, large trading companies and auction exchanges.
King Midas and gold
In ancient Greek mythology, Midas was the king of Phrygia. From childhood, he knew that he would be a rich and influential person: all the signs of fate pointed him to this. Even the little ants brought grains and put them in his mouth.
Once Silenus, the teacher of Dionysus, came into the possession of Midas. He got lost in the forest when Dionysus was leading his army through Phrygia. King Midas saw this and added wine to the streams that ran through the forest. Silenus drank water mixed with wine and immediately became intoxicated. Unable to get out of the forest, he wandered through it for a long time until Midas met him and took him to Dionysus.
Happy Dionysus invited Midas to make any wish. He wished for a “golden touch”: that everything that his hand touches becomes golden.
Dionysus obeyed the desire of the king, and he arranged a magnificent celebration, covering the table with various drinks and dishes. But at the table, he realized that he would die of thirst and hunger, because food and drinks in his hands turned into gold.
The king rushed to Dionysus with a request to deprive him of the gift, and he ordered him to bathe in the river Paktol. Midas lost the ability to turn everything into gold, and the river became gold after that.
In our time, the expression "Midas touch" means the ability to quickly earn money "out of thin air" and be successful in all endeavors.
Kairos
Kairos is a revered deity of the ancient Greeks. He was the patron of chance - a happy moment that can give good luck and prosperity, if seized on time. He is always somewhere near Chronos - the patron of the sequence of time. But unlike Chronos, Kratos is very difficult to meet and catch: he appears only for a second and disappears instantly.
The Greeks believed that Kairos could point them to a happy moment, in which luck would smile on them, and the gods would be supportive in all endeavors.
God silently and quickly moves among ordinary mortals, to face him face to face is a great rarity and good luck. At this moment, the main thing is not to get confused, grab Kairos by the long forelock and ask fate for whatever you want. Missing a chance is a great sin, as it is given only once in a lifetime.
Kairos is depicted as a young man with wings behind his back and wearing sandals. On his head is a long golden curl, for which you can try to grab him. Kairos holds a scale in his hands, which indicates that he is fair and sends good luck to those who work hard and wish for success.
Tyuhe
In ancient Greek mythology, this is the goddess of luck, good fortune and the patroness of chance. Tyukhe is the daughter of the ocean and Tetia (mother of the gods and patroness of all rivers).
Tyuhe became a cult deity when ordinary people lost faith in the gods and their abilities. ancientThe Greeks believed that Tyche accompanies people from birth and throughout their lives. Many cities considered Tyukhe their patroness, her image was minted on coins, and her statues adorned houses.
The goddess was depicted wearing a crown and with the main attributes: a wheel (symbolizing the variability of luck, hence the expression "wheel of fortune") and a cornucopia. Tyche often holds little Plutos in her arms, the god of we alth, whom she raised on the island of Crete in secret from his father Zeus.
Fortune
When the Romans conquered Greece, they adopted the goddess Tyche, calling her Fortuna. She is the goddess of good luck, happiness, prosperity and success.
According to mythology, Fortune shed her wings when she arrived in Rome and promised to stay there forever. Over time, the cult of Fortune developed rapidly, overshadowing the rest of the gods. She was thanked for sending good luck and even for failures and grief. She was also called the Firstborn, Happy, Kind and Merciful. All babies and newborns were dedicated to her, her touch determined the fate of a person.
Later, when the moral and ethical foundations began to gradually collapse, the goddess Fortune became the patroness of the hearth, love and family happiness for both women and men.
Fortune adorned Roman coins, and in art was depicted as a woman with a cornucopia on her shoulder, from which riches erupt - fruits, vegetables and gold. Sometimes she held a chariot in her hands or stood at the prow of a ship. It symbolized the change of fate.
Many Greek gods of we alth and good fortune still livein mythology. Is there any truth in this or is a myth always a myth? Everyone has their own opinion on this matter. In any case, it is interesting and informative.
