Greek and Roman Mythology

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Greek and Roman Mythology

• A Review
• of
• The Principal Gods and Goddesses

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What is a myth?

• A traditional story rooted in primitive folk
  beliefs of cultures
• Uses the supernatural to interpret natural events
• Explains the cultures view of the universe and
  the nature of humanity

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Why do we study mythology?

• Ancient Greek culture ? American culture
• Greek myths are alluded to in literature
• Stories are beautiful about love, anger,
  passion, betrayal, humanity

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Greeks view of the world

• Earth flat circular
• Greece center
• Central of Greece
• Mount Olympus, where gods lived OR
• Delphi, famous for its oracle

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Earth (flat, circular disk)

• Divided in half by ocean (Mediterranean Sea)
• The River Ocean flowed around earth
• To north Hyperboreans
• To south Aethiopeans
• To west Elysian Fields (where mortals, if
  favored by gods, were sent to live in eternal
  bliss)

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Mount Olympus

• Gods lived on summit in separate dwellings
• Great hall gods feasted each day on ambrosia
  (food) and nectar (drink)
• Spoke of affairs of heaven and earth
• When the sun set, the gods retired to sleep in
  their respective dwellings

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In the beginning...

• was Chaos (shapeless nothingness)
• Chaos had two children
• Night (darkness)
• Erebus (death)
• All was black, empty, silent, endless.
• Mysteriously, Love was born of darkness and death.

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And then...

• When Love was born, order and beauty began to
  flourish.
• Love created Light and Day.
• Earth was created.
• She was the solid ground, but also a personality.
• The Earth bore Heaven to cover her and be a home
  for the gods.

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The First Parents

• Mother Earth Gaea (Gaia)
• Father Heaven Ouranos (Uranus)
• They had three kinds of children
• Three monsters with 100 hands and 50 heads
• Three cyclopes
• The titans
• These were the first characters that had the
  appearance of life, although it was unlike any
  life known to man.

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The Titans (The Elder Gods)

• There were many of them.
• Enormous size, incredible strength
• Cronos (Saturn) Ruler of the titans
• Rhea Wife of Cronos
• Ocean River that encircled the world
• Iapetus Father of Prometheus, Epimetheus, and
  Atlas (also titans)

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The Principal Gods

• Cronos and Rhea were parents of
• Zeus (Jupiter, Jove)
• Poseidon (Neptune)
• Hades (Pluto)
• Hera (Juno)
• Hestia (Vesta)
• Demeter (Ceres)

• Other Olympians include
• Athena (Minerva)
• Ares (Mars)
• Hebe (Juventas)
• Hephaestus (Vulcan)
• Apollo (Apollo)
• Artemis (Diana)
• Hermes (Mercury)
• Aphrodite (Venus)
• Dionysus (Bacchus)
• Persephone

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The Olympians
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Zeus

• Roman Name Jupiter (also Jove)
• Supreme god of the Olympians.
• Fathered many characters in mythology

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Zeus
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Hera

• Roman Name Juno
• Zeuss sister and wife
• Jealous protector of marriage
• Punished the women Zeus fell in love with

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Poseidon

• Roman Name Neptune
• God of the Seas and Waters
• The Earthshaker

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Hades

• Roman Name Pluto
• God of the Underworld/ Dead
• Kidnapped Persephone

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Hestia

• Roman Name Vesta
• Goddess of Home
• Powerful Protector

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Demeter

• Roman Name Ceres
• Goddess of the Harvest
• A Goddess of the Earth

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Athena

• Roman Name Minerva
• Goddess of Wisdom and War
• Sprang from Zeuss head

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Ares

• Roman Name Mars
• God of War
• Son of Zeus and Hera
• Bloodthirsty and merciless

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Hephaestus

• Roman Name Vulcan (Mulciber)
• God of Fire/Forge
• Son of Zeus and Hera
• Kind, unlike his brother

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Apollo

• Roman Name Apollo
• God of Light/Sun and Music
• Brother of Artemis

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Artemis

• Roman Name Diana
• Goddess of the Moon/ Hunt
• Sister to Apollo

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Hermes

• Roman Name Mercury
• Messenger of the Gods
• Appears in more myths than any other character

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Aphrodite

• Roman Name Venus
• Goddess of Love and Beauty
• Sprang from the ocean foam

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Dionysus

• Roman Name Bacchus
• God of Wine
• Patron god of the Greek stage
• A God of the Earth

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Persephone

• Roman Name Proserpina
• Goddess of the Underworld
• Daughter of Zeus and Demeter
• Abducted by Hades

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Hebe

• Roman Name Juventas
• Goddess of Youth
• Cupbearer to the Gods
• Restored youth to the aged

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Eros

• Roman Name Cupid
• Young God of Love
• Son of Aphrodite and Hephaestus

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Iris

• Goddess of the Rainbow
• Messenger for Zeus and Hera
• Daughter of the titan Thaumus and the nymph
  Electra

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The Muses

• Nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne
• Inspired artists of all kinds

• Goddesses who presided over the arts and sciences
• He is happy whom the muses love.

Clio, Urania, Thalia, Melpomene, Erato, Calliope,
Euterpe, Terpsichore, Polyhymnia
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The Graces

• Three Goddesses of Grace and Beauty
• They give life its bloom.
• Aglaia (Splendor)
• Euphrosyne (Mirth)
• Thalia (Good Cheer)

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The Erinnyes (The Furies)

• Roman Name Furiae or Dirae (The Furies)
• Three Goddesses of Vengeance
• Tisiphone
• Alecto
• Megaera
• They punish evildoers.

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The Fates

• Roman Name Parcae, Moirae
• Three sisters
• Clotho (The Spinner)
• Lachesis (The disposer of lots)
• Atropos (The cutter)
• They weave, measure, and cut the thread of life
  for humans.

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The Satyrs

• Gods of the woods and mountains
• Shepherd gods
• Goat men (like Pan)
• Companions of Dionysus
• They like to drink, dance, and chase nymphs.

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The Gorgons

• Three snake-haired monsters
• Medusa is most well-known
• Their look turns men to stone.

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The Centaurs

• Half man, half horse
• Savage creatures (except Chiron)
• Followers of Dionysus

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Sources

• Graphics in this presentation were taken from the
  following web sites
• http//www.bulfinch.org/fables/search.html
• http//www.pantheon.org/
• http//www.messagenet.com/myths/
• http//mythman.com/
• http//web.uvic.ca/grs/bowman/myth/index.html
• http//www.paleothea.com/
• http//www.entrenet.com/7Egroedmed/greekm/myth.ht
  ml
• This presentation is for educational purposes
  only it has not been and should not be sold or
  used as a vehicle to make money.