Greek%20Mythology

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Greek Mythology
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Warm Up Questions

• What is a myth? (I know youve answered this, but
  do it again please so we can discuss the answer)
• Why did the Greeks pray to many gods and
  goddesses
• What does polytheistic mean?

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Creation of Gods

• Many natural disasters and human emotions were
  unexplainable to the ancient Greeks
• The Greeks created fables (stories) about the
  creation of the world, and the birth of the gods
• This way they could answer those unanswerable
  questions
• Life, love, death, birth, earthquakes, tsunamis,
  volcano eruptions, rain, lightning etc.

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Olympians

• The Olympians were the main and strongest gods in
  Ancient Greek religion
• Polytheism the worship of more than one god/gods
• There were 12 main Olympians and they lived on
  Mount Olympus--the highest mountain in Greece
• Why say the gods lived here?
• The overthrew their ancestors, the Titans, and
  became rulers of the heavens and earth

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Olympians cont..

• The gods had many human characteristics the
  looked human (most of them), they married, they
  felt anger, sadness, and all the human emotions
  we feel
• However they never aged, and they never died
• There were 12 total and their leader was Zeus

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Zeus

• The last child of the Titans Cronus and Rhea
• His father, Cronus, jealous of his children,
  swallowed all of them
• BUTZeus managed to escape and overthrew his
  father, setting his siblings free
• He married his sister, Hera, but was not faithful
  
• Zeus had many children due to his marriage and
  numerous affairs

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Zeus cont..

• He sat on the golden throne at the highest point
  on Mount Olympus
• He was the Lord of Justice, punishing those who
  lied, but was considered fair
• Responsible for the weather, and the weather
  reflected his mood
• Happy sunshine
• Sad rain
• Angry watch out!! Throw high winds, lightning
  bolts, and thunder to cause natural disasters

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Zeus cont..

• Zeus powers had their limits
• He could not intervene in the decisions of the
  Fates
• Ones who have the power to decide mankinds
  outcomes
• Very strong, and unpredictable
• His symbols are thunderbolt (a gift from the
  Cyclopes because he freed them from Cronus) and
  the eagle

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Poseidon

• Father and mother were Cronus and Rhea
• Older brother of Zeus
• The Greek god of the seas, responsible for
  various naturally occurring events
• Earthquakes, floods, crumbling rocks, rough and
  calm seas
• Main weapon was the Trident
• So powerful the Trident was, it could shake the
  earth
• Had palaces both on Mount Olympus, and at the
  very bottom of the seas
• Preferred to stay here

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Poseidon cont..

• Married to Amphitrite
• His symbol was the Trident-a three pronged spear
• Sacred animals were the dolphin and the horse
• Which he made to impress a woman named Demeter

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Hades

• Supreme Ruler of the Underworld
• Not the god of death. Thanatos is the god of
  death
• Think of Satan or the devil
• Son of Cronus and Rhea
• Brother to Zeus and Poseidon
• Wife was Persephone
• Kidnapped her from her mother Demeter and brought
  her to the underworld
• Known as the rich one since he possess all the
  riches in the earth

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Hades cont..

• Almost never does Hades leave the underworld
• He prefers to live in darkness and silence
• Hades had two helpers
• Hermes who would bring the souls to the
  underworld
• Charon who would take the souls across the
  river, Styx, from the living world to the world
  of the dead

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Hades cont..

• He was known for having very sad features
• A dark beard
• Long, dark hair that came over his face
• Dark, dark eyes
• He does have a loyal dog
• A soul eating, three headed dog names Cerberus
• His sacred symbol was the helmet, which kept him
  invisible

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