Greek Mythology

1
Greek Mythology

• An Introduction to the Gods (and all their crazy
  problems!)

2
What is a Myth?

• A myth gives a religious explanation for
  something how the world or a particular custom
  began.
• In calling a story a myth we are expressing no
  opinion about whether it is true or not.

3
What is a Myth?

• In the absence of scientific information of any
  kind, long ago societies all over the world
  devised stories to explain the unexplainable
• Why is the sky blue?
• Why is the moon full once a month?
• Why do people fall in love?

4
What is a Myth?

• The need for myth is universal.
• Myths existed via storytelling (word of mouth
  only) for many hundreds of years, beginning
  around 1200 BC
• The stories werent written down until about 500
  BC
• Myths became part of systems of religion, and
  were integrated into rituals and ceremonies,
  which included music, dancing and magic.

5
The Purpose of Mythology

• Creates rites and customs for society
• What happens to the gods is reflected by what
  happens on earth
• Offer stories about creation of nature and human
  behavior
• Illustrate moral principles

6
Myths vs. Legends

• A legend is based on historical events (fact)
• Robin Hood
• Paul Bunyan

7
Myths vs. Tales

• Based on fiction, not fact
• Involve magic and magical creatures (witches,
  dragons, dwarves)
• No connection to religion
• Often evolved into fairy tales
• Cinderella
• Jack and the Beanstalk

8
Myth, Legend, or Tale?

• Santa Claus
• The Tooth Fairy
• Snow White
• King Arthur

9
Greek Mythology captures

• Religious stories of the Mediterranean culture
  that developed around 1200 B.C. and lasted until
  500-600 B.C.
• Polytheism, or the belief in many gods
• Explanation of natural events, human relations,
  and assorted phenomena BEFORE science or
  psychology existed
• A primitive cultures interpretation of the world

10
GREEK vs. ROMAN mythology

• GREEKS
• Came many years before the Romans
• Religion had little to do with the afterlife
• Personalized gods had strengths AND flaws
• Gods were heroic, proud, loving
• Gods were inventors (of animals, like horses, and
  activities (like weaving)
• Gods played with and interacted with mortals
• Gods lives were dramatic and soap-opera-esque

11
GREEK vs. ROMAN mythology

• ROMANS
• The Romans adopted the Greek myths pretty much in
  their entirety.
• Religion was more practical and less imaginative
• Valued WAR more than the Greeks
• There were gods for most important daily tasks
  --gods for plowing fields, gods for cutting wood,
  etc.
• Gods had little personality often not even
  gender was determined.
• Religion was more concerned with the afterlife.

Normal activities were connected
12
Map of Greece
13
Greek Gods Family Tree
14
A Portrait of the Gods
15
Mt. Olympus (home sweet home)
16
Zeus

• GOD OF the sky and rain GOD OF wisdom and mercy
  Ruler of Olympus
• RELATED TO
• Wife is Hera
• Children are Perseus, Heracles, Ares, Hephaestus,
  Athena, Apollo, Artemis
• Symbols Beard, thunderbolt, eagle
• Roman Name Jupiter
• Story Zeus assumed power by leading a revolt
  against his father Cronos. The youngest of six
  children, Zeus fulfilled the prophecy that Cronos
  would be dethroned by his child.

17
Hera

• GODDESS OF marriage and the
• home
• KNOWN FOR being protector of
• married women being jealous of husbands
• infidelities.
• SYMBOLS Peacock
• PATRON GODDESS of Argos
• Roman Equivalent Juno

Story Hera's marriage with Zeus was founded in
strife. Zeus courted her unsuccessfully. He then
tricked her by changing into an injured cuckoo
bird. Feeling sorry for the bird, Hera held it to
her breast to warm it. Zeus then resumed his
normal form and raped her. She then married him
to cover her shame.
18
Athena

• GODDESS OF reason, arts and literature,
• and intelligent activity purity
• RELATED TO Daughter of Zeus
• (was his favorite)
• SYMBOLS Olive tree, owl,
• PATRON GODDESS of Athens
• Roman Name Minerva
• Story Athena was Zeus favorite and was allowed
  to use his thunderbolt in combat. She was known,
  however, as an intelligent warrior who fought
  only to defend either state or home from outside
  enemies.

19
Poseidon

• GOD OF the sea, protector of all waters
• KNOWN AS powerful, violent, and greedy, he
  created earthquakes and tidal waves
• RELATIONSHIPS
• Wife Amphitrite Children Orion, Triton,
  Pegasus
• SYMBOL Trident
• Roman Name Neptune
• Story At one point he desired Demeter. To put
  him off, she asked him to make the most beautiful
  animal in the world. To impress her Poseidon
  created the first horse. He liked this land
  animal so much that he created herds for himself
  to live beneath the sea.

20
Hades

• GOD OF the Underworld wealth and riches
• Known as unpitying, greedy, and grim
• SYMBOL spear, helmet of invisibility
• ROMAN NAME Pluto
• RELATED TO brother of Zeus marries Persephone

Story In one of his rare visits to earth, Hades
abducted the beautiful Persephone and made her
his queen. Demeter, the goddess of the harvest,
mourned her daughters abduction for so long that
nothing grew and great famines occurred.
21
Demeter

• GODDESS OF corn, fruit, fertility, and
  agriculture in general.
• KNOWN FOR Demeter makes the crops grow each year
• SYMBOLS grain, livestock and agricultural
  products, poppy, and the crane
• ROMAN NAME Ceres
• CREATED the seasons

Story Hades abducted Demeters daughter,
Persephone. Demeter was so upset that nothing
grew on the land. After a while, she worked a
deal with Hades that Persephone would get to be
with her half the year. Thus, we have the
seasons.
22
ARTEMIS

• GODDESS OF chastity, virginity, the hunt, the
  moon, and the natural environment
• SYMBOLS cypress tree, silver bow, pack of hounds
• KNOWN FOR Wild animals are scared of her,
  especially the deer. She turned Actaeon into a
  stag and had him killed for watching her bath in
  a spring.
• RELATED TO Twin brother Apollo father Zeus
• Roman Name Diana

Story Artemis presides over childbirth, which
may seem odd for a virgin, but it goes back to
causing Leto no pain when she was born.
23
Apollo

• GOD OF the sun music, healing, light, and
  truth.
• KNOWN FOR his Oracle at Delphi teaching
  medicine to man being honest his beauty
• ROMAN NAME Apollo
• SYMBOLS Golden lyre, laurel tree, dolphin,
• RELATED TO twin sister, Artemis father Zeus

Story One of Apollo's more important daily tasks
is to harness his chariot with four horses and
drive the Sun across the sky.
24
Hermes

• GOD OF communication thieves, liars, gamblers,
  commerce, and travelers
• KNOWN FOR being messenger of the gods most
  clever god guiding the dead to the underworld
• RELATIONSHIPS Son of Zeus
• SYMBOLS Winged sandals, and helmet
• ROMAN NAME Mercury
• CREATED alphabet, astronomy, the musical scales

Story Hermes invented the lyre in a deal with
Apollo and had a workshop on Olympus where he
invented the alphabet, astronomy, and scales. As
the god of gamblers, he also invented playing
cards and card games.
25
Hephaestus

• GOD OF fire/work
• KNOWN FOR
• being the gods smith and armorer the Cyclopes
  serve as his work force
• Only god to be physically lame and ugly, but is
  known as kind and peace loving
• SYMBOLS anvil and hammer
• Relationships Son of Hera and Zeus Wife
  Aphrodite
• Roman Name Vulcan

Story At Hephaestus birth, Hera, upset by
having an ugly child, flung him from Mount
Olympus into the sea, breaking his legs. Thetis
saved him, and he later returned to Olympus.
26
Aphrodite
censored

• GODDESS OF love, desire, and beauty
• KNOWN FOR Having many lovers, but Ares is her
  favorite jealous
• RELATIONSHIPS Daughter of Zeus and Dione, or
  from the remains of Cronos Husband was
  Hephaestus son is Cupid
• SYMBOLS dove, swan
• Roman Equivalent Venus

Story Aphrodite could have had any god as a
husband, but she chose Hephaestus because he
said, I work late.
27
ARES

• GOD OF war
• KNOWN FOR being vain and cruel most hateful and
  hated of all Olympians was loved by Aphrodite
• RELATED TO son of Zeus and Hera brother is
  Hephaestus
• SYMBOLS helmet
• WEAPONS spear
• CREATED Fear and Terror (his sons)
• ROMAN NAME Mars

28
THE END!