UNIT 01

1. UNIT 01 LLT CXXI Classical Mythology Anno Domini MMXII

2. Types of Traditional Tale Divine or “True” Myth • Primordial or fantastical time • Supernatural main characters • Aetiological function: explains why something happens Legend • Historical time • Heroic (larger than life, but human) main characters • Historical function: commemorate great people and events Folktale • Happens in “once upon a” time • Anti-heroic (animals, jokers) main characters • Didactic function: teach a lesson or represent a moral

3. Aetiology • From the Greek “aiteo,” to ask • Gives the reason why a feature of the universe was created, or how a custom came about • Closely allied to the concept of “true myth” • Example: Myth of Demeter and Persephone • Example:hieros gamos

4. Animistic vs. Anthropomorphic Animism • attributing god or goddesshood to inanimate objects, features of the universe, and/or forces of nature • Little or no discernible human personailly • Examples: Uranus, Gaia, Nyx, Erebus, the Clock Anthropomorphism • Believing universe is controlled by deities in human form • Superhuman positive qualities: beauty, strength, immortality • Superhuman negative qualities: lust, greed, stupidity • Examples: Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Clockette

5. Euhemerism Who was Euhemerus? • Greek philosopher and international man of mystery • Late fourth century BC (that is, the late 300s BC) • Lived after the time of Alexander the Great Euhemerus’s theory • Mythology is an attempt to explain natural events (aetiology) • The Greek gods were originally mortal kings and heroes • Considered somewhat atheistic

6. Brief Timeline of Greek History ca. 2000 BC: Clash of the “Indigenous” and “Achaean” civilizations 2000-1100 BC:Mycenean Age (formed by Indigenous and Achaeans) 2000-1450 BC: Minoan Civilization on Crete 1200 BC: Traditional date of the fall of Troy 1100 BC-750 BC: Dark Age (myths passed on orally) 1100 BC - 800 BC: Archaic Age (Homer and Hesiod) 480 BC - 323 BC: Classical Period 323 BC - 31 BC: Hellenistic-Roman Period

7. The Mediterranean World, 600 BC

8. Achaeans vs Indigenous Greeks Indigenous Greeks • Matriarchal – mom ruled the roost; peace-loving • Worshipped a Mother Earth-type goddess or goddesses • Spoke a non-IE language Achaeans • Patriarchal – dad ruled the roost, warlike • Worshiped a crew of anthropomorphic gods • Spoke an Indo-European language, forerunner of Ancient Greek Mycenaean Greeks • Result of the intermingling on January 1, 2000 BC • Officially the warlike Achaeans won out • The tendencies of the Indigenous Greeks were still retained

9. Literacy and Non-Literacy Creators of types of writing • Cuneiform (Sumerians 3000 BC), hieroglyphics (Ancient Egyptians) • Linear A- Indigenous Greeks (we cannot read), • Linear B-Mycenaeans (pictographic) Consequences of end of the Mycenean Era • Greek civilization “forgot” how to write – “Dark Ages” • Literacy brought back in by Phoenicians in the mid 700s BC • Traditional stories assumed written form Changes in written vs. oral literature • Very little additional “invention” left • Becomes more artistic than popular

10. Hesiod’s Theogony (750 BC) Cosmology vs. Theogony • Cosmology: belief that earth was created with purpose by Deity • Theogony:“birth of the Gods” in Ancient Greek Hesiod’s theory of universal creation from Chaos (cosmic void) • Gaia - Earth • Tartarus - underworld (boundary) • Eros - desire/love • Erebus -darkness under earth • Night - darkness above earth

11. The First and Second Generations 1st generation: Gaia’s self-produced offspring (parthenogenesis) • Uranus • Pontus • Mountains 2nd generation: Gaia’s offspring with Uranus (hieros gamos) • The 12 Titans • The 3 Hecatonchires (Hundred-Handers) • The 3 Cyclopes (Goggle-Eyes) Animistic vs. anthropomorphic • 1st generation completely animistic • 2nd generation transitional – some anthropomorphic, some not

12. Hieros Gamos – sacred marriage Original, aetiological function • Usually involves sky god and earth goddess • Storms = sex; rain = semen • Vegetation = offspring Not inherently ridiculous • Greeks were applying a model based on a known process • Affected, however, by trend toward anthropomorphism Three Ancient Greek examples • Uranus and Gaia = animistic • Cronus and Rhea = transitional • Zeus and Hera = anthropomorphic

13. The Twelve Titans Children of Gaia and Uranus • Oceanus and Tethys • Hyperion and Theia • Coeus and Phoebe • Cronus and Rhea • Mnemosyne (mother of the Muses) • Themis (mother of Prometheus and Epimetheus) • Crius • Iapetus Transitional status • Some with genuine personalities • Some inanimate objects

14. HierosGamos(I) Uranus as master of the Universe • Uranus displeased by Hecatonchires and Cyclopes • Forces Gaia to “take them back” • Gaia angry and asks each of the Titans to avenge their siblings • Only Cronus, the youngest, is willing Uranus's castration • Cronus sneaks up with a sickle after sex takes place • Uranus deprived of his two qualifications for rule • Aphrodite and the Furies born Changing of the Guard • Uranus and Gaia go back to their animistic functions • Cronus and Rhea become second Hieros Gamos

15. Dinner with Cronus

16. Hieros Gamos (II) The Deception of Cronus • Cronus and Rhea have 6 sons, afraid of being overthrown by prophesy, he swallows kids • Cronus = human stupidity, jealousy; Rhea = protective, maternal • Rhea gets advice from Gaia, tricks Cronus eating rock and has son • Zeus raised on Crete by Amalthea, goat nurse. Titanomachy (aka Clash of the Titans) • Old Gods (Titans) v. new gods (Olympians vs. Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Hades, Demeter, Hestia) • Zeus has aid from Themis (Justice) • Prometheus - foresight (sided w/ Zeus), • Epimetheus - hindsight  (sided w/ Cronus)- banished to Tartarus

17. Hieros Gamos (III) Three Ancient Greek examples • Uranus and Gaia = animistic • Cronus and Rhea = transitional • Zeus and Hera = anthropomorphic Zeus and Hera – fully anthropomorphic • Zeus has bad temper, cheats on Hera • Hera has bad temper, gets even with Zeus’s lovers • Still, sometimes get it on Ethical Leadership Questions • Is Zeus a good role model? Is he trying? • Are gods and humans difficult to lead?

18. Challenges to Zeus’s authority Zeus and “first wife”Metis • Metis would bear a son stronger than his father • Zeus swallows “wisdom” "HITTITE CRONUS MYTH” • Parallel from Hittite civilization in Turkey (around 1500 BC) • Alalus Sky • Anu castrated by son • Kumarbi • ??? = Teshub storm God/Anarchy Zeus’ two challenges- Gigantonomachy & Typhonomachy • Gaia births 2 giants who bld up mt. to Zeus-defeated • Gaia and Tartarus births Typhon, storm deity-defeated

19. Hesiod vs. Ovid Weltanschauung • German word for “outlook on the world” • Every civilization in every generation has at least one Hesiod • Greek, circa 750 BC • Believed in Greek myths as fundamentally true • Very depressing outlook on life Ovid • Roman, 43 BC- 17 AD • Believed in Greco-Roman myths as subject matter for his poetry • Rather more optimistic outlook on life

20. Creation of Humankind Judeo-Christian tradition • God created humans as pinnacle of Creation • Humans therefore dear to God Creation of MANkind • Man created first, then Woman • Prometheus and the trick at Mekone • Pandora’s Box Ages of Humankind • Humans as metal metaphor • Hesiod’s version fundamentally pessimistic • Ovid’s adaptation less so = Weltanschauung

21. Syncretism Syncretism • Greek word for the “growing together”of divergent cultures • Much more of a process than it is an event Achaeans and Indigenous Greeks • Some time after January 1, 2000 BC • Resulted in formation of Mycenean culture • Probably an instance of “cultural competency” Greeks and Romans • Happened in Southern Italy between 800 and 500 BC • Resulted in formation of Greco-Roman culture • Definite instance of acquiring “cultural competency”

22. Olympian Values Old views versus new • HierosGamos • Weltanschauung • Animism vs. Anthropomorphism Examining our sources for cultural competency • Greeks and Romans wrote very few sociology texbooks • We have to comb through Greek and Roman literature • Examination of our own culture is equally instructive Good examples • Family life of Zeus and Hera • Poseidon and various sea gods • Prometheus

23. Children of Hyperion and Theia Selene (Luna) = moon • Drives two-horse chariot with moonal crown • Falls in love with Endymion • Endymion chooses eternal sleep Eos (Aurora) = dawn • Rosy-fingered anthropomorphic goddess • Falls in love with Tithonus • Aetiology of grasshopper Helios (Sol) = sun • Chariot, four horses “sun crown” • Clymene one of his many affairs • Phaethon demands to drive his chariot

24. Official Children of Zeus and Hera Ares (Mars) = war • Very buff and studly god, looks spiffy • Lots of girlfriends • Often winds up as a laughingstock Hephaestus (Vulcan) = metal shop • Handicapped, possibly parthenogenetic • Likeable; Mr. Aphrodite Eilethyia = childbirth Hebe = youth • Beautiful personification of youth • Eventually becomes Mrs. Heracles

25. The Olympian Gods Children of Cronus and Rhea • Permanent members:Zeus (Jupiter), Hera (Juno), Demeter (Ceres), Poseidon (Neptune) • Hades (Pluto) and Hestia (Vesta) later drop out Children of Zeus by various loooovvvve deeds • Ares (Mars) and Hephaestus (Vulcan) = sons of Zeus and Hera • Artemis (Diana) and Apollo (Apollo) = twin daughter and son of Zeus and Leto • Hermes (Mercury) = son by Maia • Athena (Minerva) = daughter by Metis • Aphrodite (Venus) = two different versions of her birth • Dionysus (Bacchus) = son by Semele

26. Father of Gods and Men Why does Zeus have to be such a sleaze? • Zeus is the force for justice in the universe • The most important gods and goddesses MUST be his offspring • Therefore, he has to father lots of kids with lots of moms • Big huge Ethical Leadership problem! Children of Zeus by various loooovvvve deeds • Muses = nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne • Persephone = daughter of Zeus and Demeter • Aphrodite Pandemos (Venus) = daughter of Zeus and Dione • Graces = daughters of Zeus and Eurynome • Fates and Seasons = daughters of Zeus and Themis • Aphrodite (Venus) = two different versions of her birth

27. Lots of Sea Deities Pontus + Gaia • Nereus (marries Doris and has 50 daughters) • Thaumas“Monster” (father of Iris and of the Harpies) • Phorcys and Keto (parents of the Gorgons and the Graeae) Children of Nereus and Doris • Thetis - destined to bear a son greater than his father • Galatea – love interest of mullet wearing Cyclops Polyphemus • Amphitrite – the long suffering Mrs. Poseidon Oceanus + Tethys • Both are Titans; he’s water and she’s not portrayed at all • Thousands of Oceanids, the most important of whom is Doris

28. Poseidon (Neptune) Children of Poseidon (Neptune) • Triton(merman) = only child with his wife Amphitrite • Arion(horsie) = love child with Demeter • Proteus(Old Man of the Sea) = Poseidon may not be his daddy • Antaeus (giant) = son with Gaia, later whupped by Heracles • Charybdis (whirlpool) = daughter with Gaia • Pegasus and Chrysaor = children with Medusa Poseidon’s personality and myths: totally anthropomorphic • Carries trident and causes earthquakes • Gets into an argument with his niece Athena (Minerva) over the city which is eventually named Athens

29. Format of Hour Exam 1 • (10 pts): Short Answer • (20 pts): Matching • (10 pts): Retell A Myth • (12 pts): Identify by both Greek and Roman Names (6 total) • (18 pts): Identify giving THREE pertinent facts (6 total, to be chosen from a list of 10) • (30 pts): Write an organized essay in good English answering ONE of the two questions below (these are NOT the exact questions). • Discuss the hieros gamos as it appears in Greek myth, its aetiological significance, its developments through time, and possible social and religious reasons for these developments. • Discuss the transition from animism to anthropomorphism in Greek myth, using the sea gods as an example. Talk about the Greeks’ changing understanding of the world around them, and the strengths and shortcomings of anthropomorphic deities.