Introduction to Greek Mythology

1. Introduction to Greek Mythology

2. Where did Greek Mythology begin? GREECE

3. Long, long ago in ancient Greece, people toldstories that explained the mysteries of life…

4. So What is Greek Mythology? • Mythology is a collection of myths, or anonymous, traditional stories that explain our beliefs and customs, the wonders ofnature, and our own history. • Myths usually deal with major issues such as the origin of humanity and the mysteries of life • Remember that every culture has its own myths, i.e. American Indians, Mayans, Buddhists, Hindus, Africans, etc…

5. The Greek mythology of today wasthe religion of yesterday • Long ago, the Greeks and Romans believed in the stories we now call myths. • The Gods and Goddesses ruled the Greek world and were believed to be directly responsible for the success or failure of human life. • So, the Greeks worshipped their Gods and regularly prayed, gave offerings, and built temples to please the Gods.

6. The Unique Greeks • The Greeks were distinctly different from all previous civilizations because they were the first to create Gods in their own image The Egyptian Sphinx was certainly not a very human-like God

7. The Immortal Gods were also easierto relate to than previous Gods • Unlike religious Gods today, the Greek Gods looked and acted human • They married, loved and quarreled • They had love affairs (and children) with both Gods and mortals; they also loved games, challenges and trickery • But, the Gods were immortal and would never die because ichor, not blood, ran in their veins

8. Mount Olympus • The Gods and Goddesses lived at the top of Mt. Olympus in Greece behind a gate of clouds. • There they ate only ambrosia and drank only nectar. • They also kept an eye on the mortals down on earth, whom they could visit at any time.

9. As I Present: • Record the name of each God/Goddess in the blank family tree provided • Please include an “M” beside the name if the individual is male • Please include an “F” beside the name if the individual is female • Beside/under each name jot down a brief description of the God/Goddess. (BE BRIEF- We will explore them in detail later this weekas our first embedded assessment).

10. Chaos Chaos (Greek χάος khaos) refers to the formless or void state preceding the creation of the universe or cosmos in the Greek creations myths, more specifically the initial "gap" created by the original separation of heaven and Earth.

11. From Chaos Came: • Oranos (M) Ouranos meaning "sky" or "heaven“- was the primal Greek God personifying the sky. • Gaea (F) was the Goddess or personification of Earth in ancient Greek religion, one of the Greek deities. Gaia was the great mother of all: the heavenly Gods, the Titans and the Giants were born from her union with Uranus.

12. Born from Uranus and Gaia: Cyclops Hecatonchires Titans

13. Some of the Titans Include: • Prometheus (M) a Titan, culture hero, and trickster figure who in Greek mythology is credited with the creation of man from clay and the theft of fire for human use, an act that enabled progress and civilization. He is known for his intelligence, and as a champion of mankind.

14. Cronus (M): the leader and the youngest of the first generation of Titans, divine descendants of Gaia, the earth, and Uranus, the sky. He overthrew his father and ruled during the mythological Golden Age, until he was overthrown by his own son, Zeus and imprisoned in Tartarus.

15. Rhea (F): Titaness daughter of the sky God Uranus and the earth Goddess Gaia, in Greek mythology. In early traditions, she was known as "the mother of Gods" and was therefore strongly associated with Gaia

16. Epimetheus (M): was the brother of Prometheus ("foresight", literally "fore-thinker"), a pair of Titans who "acted as representatives of mankind" They were the inseparable sons of Lapetus, who in other contexts was the father of Atlas. While Prometheus is characterized as ingenious and clever, Epimetheus is depicted as foolish.

17. From the Titans Came the Olympians • Hestia (F) In Ancient Greek religion Hestia is the virgin Goddess of the hearth, architecture, and the right ordering of domesticity, the family and the state. In Greek mythology she is a daughter of Cronus and Rhea.[1] • Poseidon (M) is one of the twelve Olympian deities of the pantheon in Greek mythology. His main domain is the ocean, and he is called the "God of the Sea“ • Zeus (M) Who rules the Olympians of Mount Olympus as a father rules the family. He is the God of sky and thunder in Greek mythology. • Hera (F) was the wife and one of three sisters of Zeus in the Olympian pantheon of Greek mythology and religion. Her chief function was as the Goddess of women and marriage. • Hades (M) meaning "the unseen"[1]) was the ancient Greek God of the underworld. • Demeter (F) is the Goddess of the harvest, who presided over grains and the fertility of the earth

18. From Zeus and Hera Came: • Ares (M): God of War • Hebe (F): Goddess of Youth • Hephaestus (M): Greek God of technology, blacksmiths, craftsmen, artisans, sculptors, metals, metallurgy, fire and volcanoes.

19. From Demeter Came: • Persephone (F): the daughter of Zeus and the harvest-Goddess Demeter, and queen of the underworld.

20. Zeus’ Other Children Include: • Dionysys (M): the God of the grape harvest, winemaking and wine, of ritual madness and ecstasy. • Apollo • Apollo has been variously recognized as a God of light and the sun, truth and prophecy, healing, plague, music, poetry, and more. Apollo is the son of Zeus and Leto, and has a twin sister, the chaste huntress Artemis. • Artemis (M&F TWINS) • Next slide..

21. Zeus’ Other Children Include Cont: • Artemis (F): the Hellenic Goddess of the hunt, wild animals, wilderness, childbirth, virginity and protector of young girls, bringing and relieving disease in women; she often was depicted as a huntress carrying a bow and arrows. • Hermes (M): God of transitions and boundaries

22. On the bottom: • Aphrodite (F) From the Ocean Waves and Blood: The Greek Goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation.

23. On the bottom: • Athena (F) Out of Zeus’ Head: The Goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, law and justice, just warfare, mathematics, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, and skill.

24. On the bottom: • Cupid/Eros--Son of Aphrodite and her husband Ares

25. The war between the old Gods and the new Godslasted 10 years – but finally Cronus and the Titans were defeated. • When Mother Earth was finally peaceful, the rule of the Universe was divided between the 3 brothers: Poseidon became the God of the sea Zeus became the King of Gods & God of Heaven and Earth Hades became the God of the underworld

26. Let’s check our answers!

28. HERE ARE YOUR ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE EA: GOD/GODDESS POSTER: • Aphrodite – TABLE 1, RED • Apollo – TABLE 1, BLACK • Ares - TABLE 2, RED • Artemis - TABLE 2, BLACK • Athena - TABLE 3, RED • Demeter - TABLE 3, BLACK • Hades - TABLE 4, RED • Dionysus - TABLE 4, BLACK • Hephaestus - TABLE 5, RED • Hera - TABLE 5, BLACK • Hermes - TABLE 6, RED • Persephone - TABLE 6, BLACK • Poseidon - TABLE 7, RED • Zeus - TABLE 7, BLACK • Eros - TABLE 8, RED • Nike - TABLE 8, BLACK