Greek Mythology

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Greek Mythology

• An Introduction

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What are the characteristics of a myth?

• A traditional or ancient story
• Originally told by word-of-mouth
• Deals with supernatural beings (Gods and
  Goddesses) or heroes
• Explains a belief or natural happening
• Seeks to answer some of lifes fundamental
  questions Who are we? Why are we here?

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Why were myths told?
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Universal Themes

• Myths were told to teach lessons about life.
• These are called Universal Themes
• Universal Themes are common across many different
  cultures. (EX the danger of greed)
• Identify the theme by focusing on the main
  character and identifying the conflicts.

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How did the time and place influence these
stories?
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Athens, Greece BC

• Constant warfare between city-states
• Very little understanding of science or the
  natural world
• Constant threat of earthquakes, floods, droughts,
  disease

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Greek Temple - built to certain gods - Greeks
would go into temples and pray to their gods for
help. These beliefs in powerful gods influenced
their stories.
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Epic Tale a long narrative story or poem
dealing with Gods and Heroes.

• A long and perilous journey in search of
  something valuable.
• Heroes face trials, tests, and temptations.
• Helped along the way by Gods, friends, or
  animals.
• In the end, the hero is glorified.

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Perseus/Heracles Family Tree
Demi-God When a God had a child with a mortal,
that child often had greater power than normal
people. However, demi-gods could be killed.
They were not immortal.
These are the characters in the movie Clash of
the Titans.
Heracles is the Greek name for Hercules. He was
Perseuss great-grandson.
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The Greek Gods

• Why were there so many of them?

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The Greeks were polytheists

• Today, many people believe in one god
  (monotheism)
• Many centuries ago, when the stories of mythology
  began, people believed in many gods (polytheism)
  and each god had authorities over certain powers.

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The Origin of the Gods

• In the beginning heaven (Uranus) and earth (Gaia)
  had children monsters with 50 heads and 100
  arms.
• The monsters were so ugly that Uranus threw the
  monsters into Tartaurus-the pit at the bottom of
  Hades.
• Then Uranus and Gaia had a new group of children
  called Titans. They are the elder gods called
  Titans.
• One day Uranuss son Cronus wanted to be king, so
  he chopped his father into small pieces and threw
  HIM into the pit of Tartarus.

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Clash of the Titans vs. the Olympians

• Cronus was now the lord of the Universe.
• He feared that his children would one day kill
  him, so as they were born, he swallowed them
  whole.
• His wife, Rhea grew tired of her husband eating
  her children, so when the youngest son Zeus was
  born, she fed her husband a rock and hid Zeus on
  an island.
• When Zeus was grown, Rhea poisoned her husband
  Cronus who vomited up Zeuss brothers and
  sisters.
• Zeus led his brothers and sisters in a war
  against the Titans and defeated them, imprisoning
  them in Tartarus.

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The Greek God Family Tree

• How does this relate to Percy Jackson?

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The Titans
The Olympians
Hestia did not live on Mt. Olympus.
Lived in the underworld.
The 12 Olympians were the supreme gods who lived
in a palace on top of Mount Olympus. These are
the gods mentioned in Percy Jackson.
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The Greek Gods And Their Powers

• Which god does what?

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Zeus

• Roman name Jupiter
• King of the gods sky
  weather
• Interesting Information
• Wrestled with and almost
  beaten by Heracles

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Hera

• Wife of Zeus queen of gods
  women marriage
• Interesting Information
• Hated Heracles always
  trying to hurt him

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Apollo

• God of the sun youth music archery
  healing prophecy
• Patron of athletes
• Men often visited his temples to ask questions
  about the future

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Artemis

• Twin sister of
  Apollo
• Goddess of the
  moon hunting wild
  animals unmarried
  girls
• Carried a silver bow
  and deadly arrows

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Hades

• King of the underworld
  where the spirits of the
  dead belong
• Also called Pluto
• One of two brothers
  of Zeus, but not as
  powerful

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Poseidon

• Ruler of the seas
• The other brother of
  Zeus, but not as
  powerful as Zeus

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Aphrodite

• Goddess of Love
• One of the twelve
  supreme gods
• Her son is Eros, also
• known as cupid.

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Athena

• Goddess of wisdom crafts
  war
• Wore a helmet and breastplate and
  carried a spear
• Born from Zeuss head

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Ares

• God of war
• His throne on Mount
  Olympus was covered in
  human skin
• Interesting Information
• Was beaten by Hercules
  in a battle
• Was stuffed in a jar by
  two giants
• Not Zeuss favorite

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Hephaestus

• God of fire metalworker
• lame
• Interesting Information
• Interceded in a fight
  between Zeus and Hera
  and was thrown from Mount
  Olympus to Earth which
  made him lame

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Hermes

• Messenger god
• God of secrets tricks
• Wore golden, winged
  sandals which carried him
  over sea and land
• Guided dead souls to the
  Underworld

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Demeter

• Goddess of agriculture
  earth corn
• Sister of Zeus

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Persephone

• Daughter of Demeter
• Queen of Hades
• Abducted by Hades
  forced to spend six
  months of the year in the
  underworld

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How does this apply to us today?

• Do we see mythology in our lives today?

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Saturn - The Planet

• Roman equivalent to Cronus, Zeuss Father

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Jupiter

• The Roman equivalent of Zeus

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NIKE

• Nike was the goddess of victory

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Clash of the Titans

• The epic tale of Perseus, Medusa, and Andromeda

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Read all about Percy Jackson and the Olympians in
the novels by Rick Riordan.
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Thor

• Thor was one of the Germanic gods who was the God
  of Thunder. The ancient Vikings believed that
  thunder was the result of Thors hammer, Mjilnor.

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Now that weve discussed Greek mythology, look
for references to the Gods in movies and
literature. Bring to class anything
mythology-related for extra credit.