Troublesome Momus: Deity Of Irony, Ridicule, Sarcasm And Harmful Jokes In Greek And Roman Mythology

A. Sutherland – AncientPages.com – According to the Theogony by Hesiod (8th – 7th century BC), Momus was initially an advisor to the Olympian gods, but due to exaggerated, unpleasant, and constant criticism towards others, he was thrown to the earth.

Momus, god of satire and mockery – Painting by Hippolyte Berteaux, Théâtre Graslin ceiling – Nantes. Image credit: Selbymay  – CC BY-SA 3.0

Momus was a bad guy among minor gods of the Olympians, therefore, he was more disliked by them than any other Greek divinity.

The Greek pantheon was very diverse. Each of the gods had a separate range of activities, attributes, and weaknesses. The Greek gods differ from the gods of the great monotheistic religions—the god Momus displays many characteristics similar to those of humans.

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