Kabeiroi
( Kabiroi, Latin Cabeiri )
Greek fertility gods whose cult involved the celebration of mysteries typically associated with vegetation deities. They originated in Greek Anatolia, possibly in Phrygia, and subsequently spread to the islands of the Aegean, to Macedonia, and to northern and central Greece. In classical times there were two, though their numbers seem to have varied over time. They included the gods Axiocersus and his son Cadmilus. A female pair were also mentioned, Axierus and Axiocersa, although their role was of secondary importance. Their cult was particularly prominent on the islands of Lemnos and Samothrace, where their mysteries displayed an Orphic influence. The Kabiroi are the children of Hephaestus and Kabiro, a Thracian woman, daughter of Proteus, the seer who is known as the Old Man of the Sea. The known names of the Kabiroi are Alcon and Eurymedon. Three of them, unnamed, are said to be the children of Cadmilus, who is also a son of Hephaestus and Kabiro. But Stabo said that the Corybantes, and Kabiroi are sons of Zeus and Calliope. The Nymbs Cabiroides are the daughters of the Cabiroi, though three of them are said to be the children of Hephaestus and Kabiro. The Kabiroi were honoured in Imbros, Lemnos, and some other cities of the Trojans.
Kalypso
( Latin: Calypso )
The most famous one was the Greek immortal nymph mentioned first by Homer in the Odyssey. Queen of the island of Ogygia, she kept Odysseus there for seven years and bore him four sons - Latinus, and Telemarchus, Nausithous and Nausinous. She offered him immortality but he wanted to return to his wife, Penelope, and finally on the insistence of Zeus did so.
The whole seven years that Odysseus stayed with Kalypso began with Zeus striking dead the sailors who had eaten some of the immortal cattle when they stayed on the Island of the Sun. Helios was furious at them for their insolence and asked Zeus to destroy them, which he did while they were at sea so those who were not killed were outright drowned, and it was only Odysseus lashed to a mast as a precaution against the singing of the Sirens Charybdis and Scylla who was washed alive ashore on he island of Ogygia (He broke free of the bonds because they had been weakened by the swirling water). When he washed ashore Kalypso came down from her cave sheltered by aspens, pines alders and cypress trees. This is a typical arrangement of temples to very ancient earth and fertility goddesses. Also typical was the bower of grapes at the entrance to a garden in front of the cave and in the case of Kalypso there were four streams going into the four cardinal directions. Because the prayers of Odysseus were constant to return to his wife, Athena convinced Zeus that this was enough punishment and Zeus ordered Hermes to tell Kalypso to help Odysseus leave her island.
"...Now Zeus bids you to send Odysseus off without delay. He is not doomed to end his days on this island, away from all his friends. On the contrary, he is destined to see them yet, to reach his native land, and to step beneath the high roof of his house."
[Hermes to Calypso 3. Homer, Odyssey 5.112]
She tried to persuade him to stay but he would not. When all persuasion failed Calypso, obeying the gods and keeping her oath, gave him tools and led him to the farthest part of the island, where Odysseus cut the timber down. She also brought him cloth to make the sail, and in the fifth day Odysseus left the island in the new built boat, which the goddess filled with provisions, such as wine, water, corn and meats.
Although no one mentioned who her mother was, her father was Atlas. She was a Nereid. There is another Nereid with the same name just mentioned by Apollodorus, and an Oceanid with that name just mentioned by Hesiod in the Theogony.
Kastor and Polydeukes
( Dioskuroi, Latin: Castor and Pollux, Discouri )
When Zeus raped Leda, she made love with her husband the same day. So of the two eggs, from one came the two brothers, one the immortal Polydeukes, and the other the mortal Kastor. Their sisters were the immortal Helen, and the mortal Clytemnestra. When Helen was a woman she was abducted by Theseus and her brothers. He had taken her to Aphidnea in Attica. The two brothers stormed the city and took her back to her home. In revenge Helen took the mother of Theseus, Aethra. The Discouri married by carrying off the daughters of Leucippus. One day the brothers were stealing cattle in Arcadia with the two Messenian brothers, Idas and Lynceus. They allowed Idas to divide the spoil and he cut a cow in four pieces saying that one half of the booty should be his who ate his share first, and that the rest should be his who ate his share second. And before the Discouri could even react to that proposal Idas had swallowed his share, and his brother had done the same. The Discouri marched against Messenia, took the cattle they had lost and much else besides. Kastor was killed by Idas. Polydeuces attacked and chased them killing Lynceus, but was himself struck on the head and passed out. Idas was killed by Zeus with a thunderbolt.
Polydeukes renounced his immortality (not actually possible) but Zeus put him and Kastor into the sky as the constellation the Greeks call Discouri and in English is now Gemini.
Ker
( pl. Keres, Cer )
In Greek belief, a destructive or malevolent female spirit of the dead. Although some sources seem to refer to a single Ker, the more common belief was in a host of Keres. They were said to be the daughters of Nyx and Erebos. In the Attic festival of the Anthesteria, the spirits of the dead, or Keres, were driven from the house.
Klio
( Latin Clio )
Greek muse of history.
Kolanthes
( none )
Greco-Roman Egyptian god.
Kore
( none )
Greek: 'girl', alias of Persephone.
Korybantes
( none )
Demonic companions of Phrygian Kybele.
Kouretes
( Kuretes, Curetes )
Semi-divine beings who were believed to have been early inhabitants of Crete. It was the Kouretes who prevented Cronos from discovering the hidden infant Zeus by dancing and clashing their weapons to prevent his cries from being heard. They were often equated with the Korybantes. The Kouretes may have had their origin as worshippers of Zeus Kouros (Zeus as a young man), perhaps dating back to Minoan times.
Kratos
( none )
"Power". Greek god of strength. Brother of Bia (force).
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