Three Me !

The three Graces (Roman myth) were followers of the goddess Venus.
In Greek myth they were called the three Charities and were followers of Aphrodite. Aphrodite was the goddess of love. In Roman mythology she goes by the name Venus.

The three Graces gave beauty to the world.

Every attractive human being could thank the three Graces for the gift of beauty. They chose the humans who would receive the gift of physical beauty.

The three Moeraes (Greek myth) /The three Fates (Roman myth)

1. The first was known as “The spinner”. She spun the life web of the humans. Her name was Clotho in Greek Mythology and Nona in Roman Mythology.

2. The second was known as” The Apportioner”.  She decided how long each human was to live. Her name was Lachesis in Greek Mythology and Decima in Roman Mythology.

3. The third was known as “The Inevitable”. She cut the thread of life when it was time for someone to die. Her name was Atropos in Greek Mythology and Morta in Roman Mythology.

The ancient Romans and the ancient Greeks believed that the first seven vowels were invented by the Moeraes/Fates.

The three Erinyes (Greek Myth) / The three Furies  Roman Myth

 

The Three Erinyes were goddesses of revenge.

They were greatly feared as they showed no mercy.

They were particularly upset with anyone who killed a family member.




 

The Three Hesperides  Greek Myth

In some versions of the myth there are Three Hesperides. In other versions of the myth, there are Seven Hesperides .They were the daughters of the Evening Star, Hesperus. Together with the serpent, Ladon, they guarded the tree with the golden apples.

The garden with the tree was located far west, beyond the sunset.

Atlas carried the celestial globe on his shoulders close by the garden.
                                                           "The Garden of the Hesperides" 1892 Painter: Frederic Leighton 

The tree with the golden apples was a gift from Gaia (mother Earth) to Hera (queen goddess) when she married Zeus (chief god). The three Hesperides were: Hespera – Ægle - Erythea

                                                    

The Sacred Tripod of Ancient Greece

The tripod was sacred to the god Apollo.

In the Oracle of Delfi the priestess, Pythia, would take her seat on the tripod before going into trance.

Tripods were also widely used by ordinary people as alters.

 

Cerberus - (Greek Myth)

Cerberus was the hideous three-headed watchdog of the Underworld.
 His job was to stop anyone trying to get back to the land of the living.

Cerberus was the offspring of the monsters Typhon and Echidna.

"Cerberus" by William Blake (1757-1827)

The Three Judges of the Underworld.
The Three children of Europa Greek Myth

The three judges of the Underworld were the three sons of Europe and Zeus. Their names were Minos, Rhadamanthys, and Sarpedon.

Europe was the granddaughter of Poseidon (the Sea god). Zeus saw her on the beach in Phænicia (Lebanon). He changed himself into a beautiful bull.

Europa climbed on the back of the bull (Zeus). The bull jumped into the water and swam across the sea all the way to the island of Crete. Zeus revealed who he really was on the shores of Crete.

                                      "Abduction of Europe" Rembrandt, 1632. The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, USA.
From their union three sons were born. These three sons ended up as the judges of the Underworld, after they died.

Hecate, the three-faced goddess
(Hecate – Greek myth, Trivia, Roman myth)

Hecate was goddess of farmland, earth and fertility during daytime. She could also help women during childbirth. She was also said to have offered protection to travelers, because she could see in all directions at dangerous junctions. Three-faced statues of Hecate were often found at forks in the road looking in three directions.

At night she was a moon-goddess. During the night she was associated with magic and witchcraft. She was the protector of witches, sorcerers and wizards. Hecate could appear quite sinister. She was accompanied by a pack of ghostly and scary dogs. 

The ancient Greeks would offer food at these places to please Hecate or if they needed to do some magic act which needed her approval and blessing.

Hecate was associated with the three phases of the moon.

Painting: Hecate by William Blake, 1795. Tate Galley, London

The Three Norns in Norse Mythology

The three Norns were the goddesses of destiny.

Their names were

 1. Urd (Fate),

  2. Verdani (Present)

   3. Skuld (Future).

They sat spinning the thread of life and had the power to decide the fate of every human being, god, giant and dwarf.

Picture by Ludwig Burger, 1882

The Three Roots of Yggdrasil

1. The first root went to Asgard, where the gods lived. Under this root was the well called Urd. The Norns poured water from this well over Yggdrasil to keep the tree healthy.

2. The second root went to Jotunheim, where the Giants lived. Under this root was Mimes well. Mime was considered to have great wisdom. Odin (the chief god) once traded an eye for the privilege of drinking from this well and thus gaining great wisdom.

3. The third root went to Niflheim, the horrible Underworld. The well under this root was called Hvergelmir.

Three brothers create the world - Norse mythology

In Norse myth the three brothers, Odin, Vili and Ve, killed the first living monster called Ymir and created the world from his body parts.

The blood became the oceans.

The flesh became the land.

The bones turned into mountains.

The teeth turned into stones.

The hair turned into plants.

The brain they threw up into the air and that was how the clouds were created.

Three brothers create the first two humans - Norse Mythology 

The three brothers were walking on the beach.
They found two trees, some say two pieces of wood from two trees. From these two trees the three brothers created the first two humans. They named the man, Ask. He was made from the Ash tree. They named the woman, Embla. She was made from the Elm tree.

1. Odin blew the breath of life into Ask and Embla.

2. Vili gave them movement and intelligent minds.

3. Ve gave them shape, hearing, sight and speach.

Picture of Ask and Embla byRobert Engels (1866 -1920)

The Three Fimbulwinters - Norse Mythology

The Fimbulwinters were three hard and extremely cold successive winters with no summer in between. The three Fimbulwinters were the last three winters before Ragnarok (the end of the world). Fimbul means "great". It may be noted that there was a climate change in the Bronze Age around 650 B.C.

Heimdall - Three Nights - Three Lovers - Three Social Classes -
Norse Mythology

Heimdall was the god who guarded the rainbow bridge (Bifrost). He was the son of nine mothers.

Once he disguised himself as a mortal, calling himself Rig.


1. He visited a poor couple and dined with them. He was invited to sleep in their bed. Three nights he slept in their bed. When the husband was sound asleep he made love to the wife. Nine months later the wife gave birth to a son. This boy became the ancestor of the serfs.

2. The second couple he visited was better off. The same thing happened in this house. The wife gave birth to a son, he became the ancestor of the peasants.

3. The third couple lived in a wealthy home. Again he spent three nights making love to the wife when the husand was sleeping. Her son became the ancestor of the nobility. This is how the Vikings explained that the three social classes were created by the Heimdall, the rainbow god.
 

The three children of Loki Norse Myth

Loki was a jotunn (giant) and a god.

He lived with the gods and caused them much trouble.

He had three well known children.    
   

Picture by Willy Pogany

1. Hel - She was the ruler of the Underworld called Niflheim. Those who died of sickness or old age were sent to Hel. It was not a pleasant place.

2. Fenrir - Fenrir was the gruesome wolf, who would eventually kill Odin (the chief god) at Ragnarok, the end of the world.

3. Jormungand (Midgard Serpent) - The huge and monstrous serpent. Odin threw the serpent into the sea that lies around all lands.

 Hel, the ruler of the Underworld had a three-legged horse. The three-legged horse was called Helhest.

Gullveig Died Three Times and Rose from the Dead Three Times -
Norse Mythology

Gullveig was a master of witchcraft and black magic. She showed up mysteriously in Asgard (the home of the gods). She was filled with greed for gold and power. Gullveig was described as an evil woman.

The gods decided to kill her. The gods stabbed her with a spear and threw her into the flames.

Three times they burned her. Three times Gullveig came back to life.

Three Areas / The First God Created in Three Days -
Norse Mythology Creation Story

In the beginning of time, before the world was created there were three different areas:

Niflheim – Land of mist

Ginnungagap – the great void between Niflheim and Muspelheim

Muspelheim – Land of fire

In Ginnungagap the first Jotun (troll) was formed. His name was Ymir.
Also in Ginnungagap the primeval cow named Audhumla resided. Ymir enjoyed
drinking milk from the teats of the
cow. Audhumla loved salt. The cow found a salty rock and started to lick it.

1. On the first day hair came out from the rock.

 2. On the second day a head grew from the rock.

3. On the third day the rest of the body emerged from the rock.



The very first god (Aesir) had been created. His name was Buri. Buri was to become the grandfather of Odin.

The Three Attemps of Creating Mankind - Mayans
 

According to the Popol-Vuh, it took three attemps to create mankind. 

1. The first man was made of clay, but it was destroyed by a flood.

2. The second man was made of wood, but was washed away in a storm.

3. The third was made from maize, from whom we are all descended.

Inanna Rose from the Dead after Three Days and Three Nights - Sumerian
 

Inanna, the Queen of Heaven and Earth, descended to the Underworld to attend her brother-in-laws funeral.  Ereshkigal (her sister) was the Queen of the Underworld, which was a dark and gloomy place. After arriving Inanna was killed.

For three days and three nights her corpse hung on a hook.

Enki (the god of freshwater, magic and culture), created two sexless creatures and sent them to the Underworld to save Inanna.

On the third day, Inanna returned to the world of the living. Her sister had demanded that someone was to take her place in the Underworld.

When Inanna discovered her husband, Dumuzi, had not mourned her death she was furious and ordered him to take her place in the Underworld. Dumuzi was terrified and tried to escape, but a fly conveniently informed Inanna where he was to be found.

Dumuzi's sister was in great despair and offered to take his place. It was finally agreed that Dumuzi was to spend one half of the year in the Underworld and his sister the other half.

Manuk Manuk and the Three Eggs - Sumatran Mythology

Manuk Manuk was the name of the fabulous blue chicken. This blue chicken belonged to the supreme god. On day Manuk Manuk laid three huge eggs. From these three eggs emerged three new gods. These three gods created the three different levels of the universe;

1. the heaven (upper world),

 2. the earth (lower world)

3. the underworld.

The three god/spirits of the entrance - Roman mythology
 

In Ancient Rome there were gods and goddesses for almost everything. The entrance of a home was protected by three different gods. They had the power to keep evil demons from entering the house. Cardea was especially good at keeping small children safe at night.

The three gods were:
Forculus - god of doors, Cardea - goddess of hinges and door handles and Limentinus - god of thresholds.

Ancient Babylonia   

Ancient Babylonia told stories of the trinity creator gods.

Their names were:

Anu – Bael - Ea