Geras

Ancient Greek deity

For other uses, see Geras (disambiguation).

Geras

Personification of Old age

Geras, detail of an Attic red-figure pelike, c. 480–470 BC, Louvre

Abode| Erebus
Parents| Erebus[1] and Nyx[2]
Equivalents
Roman equivalent| Senectus
Greek deities
series

* Primordial deities
* Titans and Olympians
* Water deities
* Chthonic deities

Personifications

List

*     * Achlys
* Adephagia
* Adikia
* Aergia
* Agon
* Aidos
* Alala
* Alastor
* Algos
* Alke
* Amechania
* Amphillogiai
* Anaideia
* Ananke
* Androktasiai
* Angelia
* Apate
* Arae
* Arete
* Atë
* Bia
* Caerus
* Charites
* Deimos
* Dike
* Dyssebeia
* Dysnomia
* Eirene
* Ekecheiria
* Eleos
* Elpis
* Epiales
* Epidotes
* Epiphron
* Eris
* Eros
* Eunomia
* Eupraxia
* Gelos
* Geras
* Harmonia
* Hebe
* Hedone
* Hedylogos
* Homados
* Homonoia
* Horae
* Horkos
* Horme
* Hybris
* Hygeia
* Hypnos
* Hysminai
* Ioke
* Kakia
* Keres
* Koalemos
* Koros
* Kratos
* Kydoimos
* Lampetia
* Lethe
* Limos
* Litae
* Lyssa
* Machai
* Maniae
* Methe
* Metis
* Mnemosyne
* Moirai
* Momus
* Moros
* Neikea
* Nemesis
* Nike
* Nomos
* Oizys
* Olethros
* Oneiroi
* Palioxis
* Peitharchia
* Phaethusa
* Peitho
* Penia
* Penthus
* Pheme
* Philotes
* Phobos
* Phrike
* Phonoi
* Phthisisi
* Phthonus
* Pistis
* Plutus
* Polemos
* Ponos
* Porus
* Praxidice
* Proioxis
* Prophasis
* Ptocheia
* Soteria
* Telete
* Thanatos
* Themis
* Thrasos
* Tyche
* Zelus

* v
* t
* e

In Greek mythology, Geras /ˈdʒɪərəs/ (Ancient Greek: Γῆρας, romanized: Gễras), also written Gēras, was the god of old age. He was depicted as a tiny, shriveled old man. Gēras's opposite was Hebe, the goddess of youth. His Roman equivalent was Senectus.[3] He is known primarily from vase depictions that show him with the hero Heracles; the mythic story that inspired these depictions has been lost.

## Mythology

[edit]

According to Hesiod, Geras is one of the many sons and daughters that the night goddess Nyx produced parthenogenetically.[4] However, both Hyginus and Cicero add Erebus, Nyx's consort, as his father.[5][6]

In the myth of Tithonus, the mortal prince received immortality, but not agelessness, from the gods so when old age came to him he kept aging and shrinking but never dying. In the end his divine lover Eos turned Tithonus into a cicada.[7] In several ancient Greek vases Geras is depicted fighting Heracles, although no relevant written myth survives. Geras is presented as an old, wrinkled bald man begging for mercy.[8]

Philostratus claimed that the people of Gadeira set up altars to Geras and Thanatos.[9]

## Function

[edit]

Geras as embodied in humans represented a virtue: the more gēras a man acquired, the more kleos (fame) and arete (excellence and courage) he was considered to have. In ancient Greek literature, the related word géras (γέρας) can also carry the meaning of influence, authority or power; especially that derived from fame, good looks and strength claimed through success in battle or contest. Such uses of this meaning can be found in Homer's Odyssey, throughout which there is an evident concern from the various kings about the géras they will pass to their sons through their names.[10] The concern is significant because kings at this time (such as Odysseus) are believed to have ruled by common assent in recognition of their powerful influence, rather than hereditarily.[11][12] The Greek word γῆρας (gĕras) means "old age" or in some other literature "dead skin" or "slough of a snake"; this word is the root of English words such as "geriatric" and "progeria".[13]

## See also

[edit]

* mythology portal
* ancient Greece portal

* Cumaean Sibyl
* Geras, Mortal Kombat character
* Elli, Norse personification of old age
* Gerascophobia

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Hyginus, Fabulae Preface; Cicero, De Natura Deorum 3.17
2. ^ Hesiod, Theogony 225
3. ^ "Collections Online | British Museum". www.britishmuseum.org. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
4. ^ Hesiod, Theogony 225
5. ^ Hyginus, Fabulae Preface
6. ^ Cicero, De Natura Deorum 3.17
7. ^ Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite 218 ff; Scholia on the Odyssey 5.1 Archived 2023-01-03 at the Wayback Machine
8. ^ Williams, Mark E., M.D (June 22, 2016). The Art and Science of Aging Well: A Physician's Guide to a Healthy Body. University of North Carolina Press. p. 137. ISBN 9781469627403.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
9. ^ Philostratus, Life of Apollonius of Tyana 5.4
10. ^ "The Internet Classics Archive | The Odyssey by Homer". classics.mit.edu. Retrieved 2019-07-04.
11. ^ For an example of this, see Homer, The Odyssey, 24.33-34
12. ^ Thomas, C. G. (1966). "The Roots of Homeric Kingship". Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte. 15 (4): 387–407. ISSN 0018-2311. JSTOR 4434948.
13. ^ "Definition of GERIATRIC". Merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 16 December 2021.

## References

[edit]

* Gaius Julius Hyginus, Fabulae from The Myths of Hyginus translated and edited by Mary Grant. University of Kansas Publications in Humanistic Studies. Online version at the Topos Text Project.
* Hesiod, Theogony from The Homeric Hymns and Homerica with an English Translation by Hugh G. Evelyn-White, Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1914. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library. Greek text available from the same website.
* Marcus Tullius Cicero, Nature of the Gods from the Treatises of M.T. Cicero translated by Charles Duke Yonge (1812-1891), Bohn edition of 1878. Online version at the Topos Text Project.
* Marcus Tullius Cicero, De Natura Deorum. O. Plasberg. Leipzig. Teubner. 1917. Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library.

* v
* t
* e

Time in religion and mythology

* Calendar
* Deities
* Destiny
* Divination
* Eschatology
* Eternity
* Eviternity
* Heortology
* Golden Age
* Prophecy
* Wheel of the Year
* Yuga

* v
* t
* e

Ancient Greek deities

Primordial
deities|

* Aether
* Ananke
* Chaos
* Chronos
* Erebus
* Eros
* Gaia
* Hemera
* Nyx
* The Ourea
* Phanes
* Pontus
* Tartarus
* Uranus

Titans|

| Titans (male)|

* Coeus
* Crius
* Cronus
* Hyperion
* Iapetus
* Oceanus

|

Titanides (female)|

* Dione
* Mnemosyne
* Phoebe
* Rhea
* Tethys
* Theia
* Themis

Children of Hyperion|

* Eos
* Helios
* Selene

Children of Coeus|

* Asteria
* Leto

Children of Crius|

* Astraeus
* Pallas
* Perses

Children of Iapetus|

* Atlas
* Epimetheus
* Menoetius
* Prometheus

Olympian
deities|

| Twelve Olympians|

* Aphrodite
* Apollo
* Ares
* Artemis
* Athena
* Demeter
* Dionysus
* Hephaestus
* Hera
* Hermes
* Hestia
* Poseidon
* Zeus

|

Olympian Gods|

* Asclepius
* Eileithyia
* Enyo
* Eris
* Iris
* Harmonia
* Hebe
* Heracles
* Paean
* Pan

Muses|

* Daughters of Zeus
* Calliope
* Clio
* Euterpe
* Erato
* Melpomene
* Polyhymnia
* Terpsichore
* Thalia
* Urania
* Daughters of Apollo
* Apollonis
* Borysthenis
* Cephisso
* Boeotian Muses
* Aoide
* Melete
* Mneme
* Muses of the Lyre
* Hypate
* Mese
* Nete
* Muses at Sicyon
* Polymatheia

Charites (Graces)|

* Aglaea
* Antheia
* Euphrosyne
* Hegemone
* Pasithea
* Thalia

Horae (Hours)|

* Dike
* Eirene
* Eunomia

Children of Styx|

* Bia
* Kratos
* Nike
* Zelus

Water
deities|

| Sea deities|

* Amphitrite
* Benthesikyme
* Brizo
* Calliste
* Calypso
* Ceto
* Eurybia
* Glaucus
* The Ichthyocentaurs
* Leucothea
* Melicertes
* Nereus
* Nerites
* The Nesoi
* Oceanus
* Old Man of the Sea
* Phorcys
* Pontus
* Poseidon
* Proteus
* Rhodos
* Tethys
* Thalassa
* Thaumas
* Thetis
* Triton

|

Oceanids|

* Acaste
* Admete
* Amalthea
* Asia
* Callirhoe
* Ceto
* Clymene (consort of Helios)
* Clymene (wife of Iapetus)
* Clytie
* Dione
* Dodone
* Doris
* Electra
* Eurynome
* Idyia
* Melia (consort of Apollo)
* Melia (consort of Inachus)
* Metis
* Perse
* Philyra
* Pleione
* Plouto
* Styx
* Telesto
* Theia
* Zeuxo

Nereids|

* Amatheia
* Amphithoe
* Amphitrite
* Arethusa
* Cymatolege
* Cymo
* Dynamene
* Galatea
* Galene
* Protomedeia
* Psamathe
* Sao
* Spio
* Thalia
* Thetis

Potamoi|

* Achelous
* Almo
* Alpheus
* Anapus
* Asopus
* Asterion
* Axius
* Caanthus
* Cebren
* Cephissus
* Clitumnus
* Enipeus
* Kladeos
* Meander
* Nilus
* Numicus
* Phyllis
* Peneus
* Rivers of the Underworld
* Acheron
* Cocytus
* Eridanos
* Lethe
* Phlegethon
* Styx
* Sangarius
* Scamander
* Simoeis
* Strymon

Naiads|

* Aegina
* Achiroe
* Aganippe
* The Anigrides
* Argyra
* Bistonis
* Bolbe
* Caliadne
* Cassotis
* Castalia
* Cleocharia
* Creusa
* Daphne
* Drosera
* Harpina
* The Ionides
* Ismenis
* Larunda
* Lilaea
* Liriope
* Melite
* Metope
* Minthe
* Moria
* Nana
* Nicaea
* Orseis
* Pallas
* Pirene
* Salmacis
* Stilbe
* The Thriae
* Corycia
* Cleodora
* Melaina
* Tiasa

Chthonic
deities|

| Theoi Chthonioi|

* Angelos
* Gaia
* Hades
* Hecate
* The Lampads
* Macaria
* Melinoë
* Persephone
* Zagreus

|

Erinyes (Furies)|

* Alecto
* Megaera
* Tisiphone

Earthborn|

* Cyclopes
* Gigantes
* Hecatonchires
* Kouretes
* Meliae
* Telchines
* Typhon

Apotheothenai|

* Aeacus
* Minos
* Orpheus
* Rhadamanthus
* Triptolemus
* Trophonius

Personifications|

| Children of Eris|

* Algos
* Amphillogiai
* The Androktasiai
* Atë
* Dysnomia
* Horkos
* Hysminai
* Lethe
* Logoi
* Limos
* Machai
* Neikea
* Phonoi
* Ponos
* Pseudea

|

Children of Nyx|

* Apate
* Eleos
* Eris
* Geras
* Hesperides
* Hypnos
* The Keres
* The Moirai
* Atropos
* Clotho
* Lachesis
* Momus
* Moros
* Nemesis
* Oizys
* The Oneiroi
* Philotes
* Thanatos

Children of Phorcys|

* Echidna
* The Graeae
* Deino
* Enyo
* Pemphredo
* The Gorgons
* Medusa
* Stheno and Euryale
* The Sirenes
* Aglaopheme
* Leucosia
* Ligeia
* Molpe
* Parthenope
* Peisinoe
* Thelxiepeia

Children of Thaumas|

* Arke
* The Harpies
* Aello
* Celaeno
* Ocypete
* Podarge
* Iris

Children of
other gods|

* Aergia
* Aidos
* Alala
* Aletheia
* Angelia
* Arete
* Astraea
* Caerus
* The Younger Charites
* Eucleia
* Eupheme
* Euthenia
* Philophrosyne
* Corus
* Deimos
* The Erotes
* Anteros
* Eros
* Hedylogos
* Hermaphroditus
* Hymen
* Pothos
* Ersa
* Eupraxia
* Hedone
* Homonoia
* Iacchus
* The Litae
* Peitho
* Phobos
* Tyche

Others|

* Achlys
* Adephagia
* Alala
* Alke
* Amechania
* Anaideia
* Alastor
* Apheleia
* The Arae
* Dikaiosyne
* Dyssebeia
* Chrysus
* Eiresione
* Ekecheiria
* Eulabeia
* Eusebeia
* Gelos
* Heimarmene
* Homados
* Horme
* Ioke
* Kakia
* Koalemos
* Kydoimos
* Lyssa
* The Maniae
* Methe
* Nomos
* Palioxis
* Peitharchia
* Penia
* Penthus
* Pepromene
* Pheme
* Phrike
* Phthonus
* Poine
* Polemos
* Poros
* Praxidice
* Proioxis
* Prophasis
* Soter
* Soteria
* Thrasos

Other deities|

| Sky|

* The Anemoi
* Boreas
* Eurus
* Notus
* Zephyrus
* The Astra Planeti
* Stilbon
* Hesperus
* Phosphorus
* Pyroeis
* Phaethon
* Phaenon
* Astrape and Bronte
* Aura
* Chione
* The Hesperides
* The Hyades
* Nephele
* The Pleiades
* Alcyone
* Sterope
* Celaeno
* Electra
* Maia
* Merope
* Taygete
* Sirius
* Tritopatores

|

Agriculture|

* Aphaea
* Demeter
* Despoina
* Eunostus
* Opora
* Philomelus
* Plutus

Health|

* Asclepius
* Aceso
* Darrhon
* Epione
* Iaso
* Hygieia
* Paean
* Panacea
* Telesphorus

Rustic
deities|

* Aetna
* Agdistis
* The Alseids
* Amphictyonis
* The Anthousai
* Aristaeus
* Attis
* The Auloniads
* Britomartis
* The Cabeiri
* Comus
* The Dryades
* Erato
* The Hamadryades
* Chrysopeleia
* The Epimeliades
* Hecaterus
* Leuce
* The Maenades
* The Meliae
* The Napaeae
* The Nymphai Hyperboreioi
* The Oreads
* Adrasteia
* Cyllene
* Echo
* Helice
* Iynx
* Nomia
* Oenone
* Pitys
* The Pegasides
* Priapus
* Rhapso
* Silenus
* Telete

Others|

* Alexiares and Anicetus
* Aphroditus
* Enodia
* Circe
* Enyalius
* Palaestra
* Pasiphaë
* Sosipolis

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template