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| Cabiri - Certain gods worshipped in Asia Minor and Greece. The religion of the Phrygians was nature worship, in which the Great Mother of the Gods, Rhea, or Cybele, and a male deity, Sabazius, played a big part. The orgiastic rites of this religion influenced the Greco-Roman world. Their center of worship was Samothrace, and their rituals involved scandalous obscenities. The main gods were Axierus, Axiocersa, Axiocersus, and Cadmilus who promoted fertility and guarded mariners. Cacus - He was a three-headed giant, famous in myth for stealing cattle from Heracles. Heracles tracked him down, and, dodging the flame that issued from each of the giant's mouths, chopped off each of his heads. M = Medusa, F = Hephaestus Cadmus - Cadmus and his companions found a sacred grove guarded by a dragon. After the beast killed his companions, Cadmus slew the dragon and, on the advice of the goddess Athena, planted its teeth in the ground. Armed men sprang from the teeth and fought each other until all but five were killed. Cadmus enlisted the help of the victors in founding the new city of Thebes. Caenis - A Greek woman who was brutally raped by Poseidon. She prayed to the gods that she be transformed into an invulnerable man so she could exact revenge against the sex that had harmed her. Her wish was granted and she became a fearful warrior (called Caeneus). She is immortal as well as invulnerable and is buried alive under the weight of the rocks and tree trunks which were hurled upon her by centaurs in a battle. Caerus - Bald god representing favorable memories, which should be cherished. Calais - He and his twin brother were part of the crew of the Argonaut. They saved Phineus from his torment by the Harpies, and were rewarded by being given wings. At their death they were transformed into birds by the gods. F = Calchus - A famous seer who accompanied the Greeks on their expedition against Troy, correctly predicting that the war would last ten years. Calchas dies of grief when he was outwitted by the soothsayer Mopsus. A temple was erected in his honor in Apulia, where the votaries received oracles in their sleep. Callisto - A forest nymph and companion of Artemis. She bore Zeus a son and was then changed into a bear, later being shot by Artemis.She was turned into a constellation, as the she-bear. S = Arcas Cassandra - A Trojan princess who was given the power of prophecy by Apollo. Since she refused his advances he also proclaimed that no one would believe her. She foretold the trojan war, the trojan horse, and the death of Agamemnon. She was killed by Clytemnestra. F = Priam, M = Hecuba Cecrops - Mythic founder of the ancient Acropolis at Athens and the first king of Attica. He is often depicted with a serpents tail. He is known for dividing Attica into 12 communities and also abolishing blood sacrifice. He encouraged the worship of Zeus as well as establishing the first set of laws. Centaurs - Greek mythological beings, said to be the descendants of Ixion. They had the head, arms, and chest of a man but the legs and lower half of a horse. They lived in Thessaly and were mostly depicted as lewd followers of Dionysus, except for the wise Chiron, who trained many heroes. Cerberus - A three-headed hound, who was the guard of the Greek underworld. Heracles has to capture him unarmed as one of his labors. M = Echidna, F = Typhon, B = Hydra, Chimaera Chiron - Unlike others of his race, Chiron was a wise and caring centaur. He was the friend of Apollo and tutor to such heroes as Achilles, Asclepius, and Jason. He lived in a cave on Mount Pelion in Thessaly and was turned into the constellation, Centaurus, when he died. M = Philyra, f = Cronus. Cincinnatus - A roman hero who was instrumental in saving the early Republic. In 458 BC, Rome was in danger of being destroyed by the Aequi, an Italian tribe. To defeat them, the Senate voted to appoint Cincinnatus as dictator, a temporary position with unlimited power. He came from his farm, defeated the enemy, and returned quietly to his farm. He is seen as a perfect example of a Roman citizen. Cronus - The Titan Cronus in order not to be overthrown as was his father Uranus by his children decided to swallow his own children as they were born. The image depicts his wife presenting him with a stone wrapped in swaddling clothes instead of the infant Zeus to whom she had just given birth. Zeus was raised in secrecy and eventually overthrew Cronus anyway, and became ruler of the gods. |
| Key - M = Mother, F = Father, B = Brother(s), Ss = Sister(s), S = Son(s), D = Daughter(s),W = Wife(s), H = Husband(s) |
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