Mythology English 9 Honors Fall Semester

1. Mythology English 9 Honors Fall Semester

2. Basic Definitions Folk Tales: stories that have been handed down by word of mouth from generation to generation Myth: a folk story that transmits the beliefs and values of a culture. Most often it tells about gods and goddesses, thus carrying religious meaning; or a myth may tell about heroes who symbolize the aspirations of that culture. Epic: A long narrative poem in grand style that tells the story of a folk hero. Saga: a long prose narrative that tells the story of a folk hero. The term is limited almost exclusively to the hero stories of Norway and Ireland.

3. “INTRODUCTION TO CLASSICAL MYTHOLOGY” – E. Hamilton • Folklore is filled with horror, terror, and magic and recounts stories that human sacrifice appeased the gods. • This fits with the basic definition of what makes a religion: • a) Fear: The horrors of the primeval forest • b) Sacrifice: defense from fear • c) Ritual: magic to fend off evil; to control fear.

4. The Iliad is the first written record of Greece with mythology beginning with Homer. • The Greeks fashioned their gods in their own image, unlike other cultures (combinations of unimaginable creatures were the gods of other cultures). • Tiamet (Babylon) • “Human gods…made heaven a pleasantly familiar place” but still the gods were powerful, to be revered and feared. However, they were also a source of amusement and entertainment (Zeus’s love affairs, etc.)

5. The deities existed on earth too, in the rivers and woods (mirroring the beauty of nature). • John Watterman • Hamilton identifies the miracle of Greek mythology: “a humanized world, men freed from a paralyzing fear of an omnipotent unknown.” • “While the myths and stories might be fantastically nonsensical, they are presented and take place in a world which is basically rational and matter of fact.” • Actual locations were associated with the stories & divinities.

6. The Greek myths vary from their counterparts: • Fear of the terrifying irrational doesn’t exist • Magic is rare (no men and only 2 women with supernatural magical powers) • No witches or wizards of dark forests; only Circe and Medea are witches and they are beautiful. • No astrology (belief that stars influence man’s fate and lives) • No magical priests; priests and priestesses were simply mouthpieces of the gods, but were unable to control the deities. • Ghosts don’t appear on earth; “the piteous dead” could only be found in the Underworld.

7. Other characteristics of Greek mythology • While you could not predict the whims of the gods, the beauty of their world was not terrifying like that of other cultures. • The gods were flawed with almost every one of them capable of acting contemptibly or cruelly • There are also beast-gods (satyrs, centaurs, minotaur) • Some stories allude to a time of human sacrifice; yet, unlike their counterparts, incredibly few references to this exist • The creatures (harpies, gorgon, hydra, chimera) give the hero his opportunity for glory

8. Mythology vs Religion • The myths of ancient Greece are not to be read as a bible • A real myth offers an explanation to a natural phenomenon, to explain creation and the creation of different natural objects and phenomena (flowers, trees, animals, thunder, storms) • Mythology is man’s early science • Some myths are purely entertainment (early literature) • There is some religion there • a) some teach values and cultural mores • b) “there is a deepening realization of what human beings need and what they must have in their gods”

9. Zeus is a complex deity • Zeus was once a rain god (creation / nature) • He also doled out justice and punished those who disobeyed the cultural mores ( values & rules) • These mores included: a) Be hospitable • b) Honor the gods • Don’t lie or break oaths • Honor burial practices • He will bring his wrath down on those who do evil on the suppliant (earnest beggar), the stranger, or orphan children • The Greeks recognized justice as a gift from Zeus, setting them above other animals • Hesoid wrote “Fishes and beasts and fowls of the air devour one another; man has justice. Statue of Zeus at Olympia, his temple

10. The Ages 1. Golden Age • Age of happiness and innocence • truth and right prevailed without need of law, • magistrate, or punishments • no weapons • good existed without toil; rivers flowed with milk & • honey

11. The Ages 2. Silver Age • Zeus shortened spring • and divided the year into • seasons • Men endured extremities • of heat and cold and were • forced to build houses • Toil and sowing now • required for food

12. The Ages 3. Bronze (Brazen) Age • Man was more savage of temper • Readier to strife of arms (battling with weapons) • Man, however, was not altogether wicked • Wars! (Like the Trojan War)

13. The Ages 4. Iron Age • Crime flooded the earth • Modesty, honor and truth fled; replaced by fraud • and cunning, violence, & the wicked love of gain • Trees torn down for vessels which marred the • surface of the ocean • The earth was divided off into possessions • Men began to dig into the earth’s bowels for ores • of metals: first iron then gold • War and weapons • Families could not trust even each other • All gods abandoned the earth; last was Astraea • (innocence and purity) and she finally departed • Zeus / Jupiter summoned all the gods, • explaining the condition of the world, and told of his desire to destroy all inhabitants and start again.

14. The Ages 4. Iron Age : The Great Flood • Zeus besieged the earth with rain and Poseidon released • the rivers to flood the land • Only Mt. Parnassus was left and Deucalion and Pyrrha, of • the race of Prometheus, found refuge • Zeus noted them as good pious people and ceased the rain • and flood • Deucalion & Pyrrha found a temple and entered, asking • the gods what to do • They were told to leave and cast the bones of their • mother behind them. They eventually understood this to mean the stones of the earth (the bones of the ultimate mother – earth) • As they did, the stones turned into humans, those thrown • by Deucalion became men; by Pyrrha, women • For his part (giving fire to man), Prometheus was • punished by being chained to a rock on Mt. Caucasus • where a vulture preyed on his liver.

16. Cosmogony • First there was Chaos • From Chaos came Nyx or Nox (Night) and Erebus (Darkness) • Night and Erebus gave birth to Eros (Love) • Also created were Gaia (Earth) and Tartarus (Underworld) • Some divine force separated the elements (heaven from earth, sea from sky, etc.) • Gaia gave birth to 3 beings: • Ouranos (Uranus): Sky • Pontus: Sea • Mountains • Uranus, born to Gaia in her sleep, mates with his mother to give birth to the remainder of the Earth’s elements (waters, forestry, beasts). They also produced the Titans & Titanesses, Cyclops, and hundred-armed giants with 50 heads (there were only 3 of them, thank goodness), the Hecatoncheires

17. Thanatos (Death) Hypnos (Sleep) Moros (Doom) Nemesis (Retribution) Oizys (Pain) Momus (Sarcasm) Cosmogony (continued) • Nyx mated with Erebus to produce Hemera (Day), Light, • and Aether (Air) • Nyx (by herself) produced: • Eris (Strife) • Keres (female spirits of death) • Geras (Old Age) • Oneiroi (Dreams) • Moirai (Fates) Thanatos NYX

18. Cosmogony (continued) • Ouranos was afraid of many of his children and imprisoned most in Tartarus • He kept the Titans (12 of them) locked in Gaia’s womb • Gaia couldn’t take it anymore so she fashioned a very sharp sickle and give it to the Titans • Cronus, the youngest, offered to help • He separated Dad from Mom; and … it fell into the sea • Aphrodite was born of the foam and emerged from the sea fully grown • From his blood sprang the Giants, the fourth race of monsters, and the Erinys (or the Furies), who pursued sinners, those guilty of unpunished crimes… especially patricide and matricide. They were ghastly with snakes in their hair and their eyes that wept blood.

20. Cosmogony (continued) • Cronus first freed all his siblings then re-imprisoned the Cyclopses and giants out of fear • He married his sister, Rhea. • Knowing of a prophecy that declared one of his children would overthrow him for power, he swallowed all of his children whole. • When her sixth child was born, Rhea appealed to her parents for help. They sent her to Crete where she had Zeus. She wrapped a large stone in swaddling clothes and gave it to Cronus. • When Zeus was old enough, he became a servant of Cronus, gave him an elixir which freed his ingested brethren. • He then, with his siblings, freed the Cyclops and Hecatoncheires, and took the throne from Cronus.

21. Cosmogony (continued) • Cronus’s army of Titans was imprisoned to Tartarus. • Atlas escaped, but got a worse punishment: to hold the weight of the sky and earth on his shoulders. • The Giants also tried to rebel, but were beaten by the gods with the help of Hercules. They, too, were sent to Tartarus.

22. MALE Cronus (Saturn) Oceanus Hyperion Iaptus Ophion Cosmogony (continued) • More mythological trivia: The Titans • FEMALE • Rhea (Ops) • Themis • Mnemosyne • Eurynome Zeus battles the Titans

23. Cosmogony (continued) • Cronus yields power to Zeus • Oceanus to Poseidon • Hyperion to Apollo (Hyperion was the father of Sun, • Moon, and Dawn • There are two accounts of Cronus’s / Saturn’s rule: • a) his reign is said to be the Golden Age of innocence and purity • b) he is a monster who swallowed his own children • Zeus first marries Metis (Prudence) [she was the • daughter of Oceanus & cousin to Zeus] who gives Cronus • a draught causing him to disgorge his children. • Titans were vanquished; Olympians assumed the rule of • the world • Zeus is given control of the heavens; Poseidon, the • ocean; Hades, the realm of the dead (Pluto / Dis)

24. God of the heavens / king of the gods Thunder: his weapon Aegis: shield Eagle: favorite bird Oak: tree All of these are symbols of power, strength, & size Known for his philandering – slept with almost every goddess, nymph & mortal woman, and had MANY children The Major Olympian Gods Zeus (Jupiter or Jove)

25. god of the seas, rivers, oceans & of earthquakes Symbols: trident (a symbol of power), horses, & bulls Married to Amphitrite, but had several affairs (including one with Medusa – before she was ugly) Powerful… but was unable to win any argument or conflict with his niece, Athena. Sometimes depicted as greedy and quarrelsome All sea-faring city-states worshipped him (such as Troy & Phaeacia) The Major Olympian Gods Poseidon ( Neptune )

26. God of the Underworld Claimed ownership of all metals & gems below surface of the earth Private & a loner; did not welcome “visitors” & rarely let anyone who entered the Underworld leave again Symbols: helmet of invisibility (it allowed him to leave the Underworld unseen, as he was not a welcome visitor), and a cornucopia (usually filled with precious gems). The Major Olympian Gods Hades (Pluto / Dis) dis = wealth (Latin)

27. The Underworld / Tartarus was guarded by Cerberus, a vicious three-headed watchdog The Underworld could only be accessed by Charon, the ferryman on the River Styx While Hades was cold & grim, he was neither vicious or evil (except for that incident with Persephone). He oversaw all of the punishments of the dead mandated by the gods (like Tantalus) The Major Olympian Gods Hades

28. Queen of the gods Jealous & vindictive Protector of wives; goddess of marriage & childbirth The peacock is her sacred bird (Argus) Also associated with the cow (seen as an animal providing nourishment & watchfulness – like Hera over her subjects) Iris, goddess of the rainbow, is her personal messenger Constantly chases her husband around – and punishes his lovers. The Major Olympian Gods Hera (Juno)

29. Goddess of the hearth & home Firstborn daughter of Cronus & Rhea Symbol is the hearth-fire, symbolic of home & family Always kept the peace Few official temples were built to her, but every hearth was a tribute to her. Every city has a public hearth dedicated to her that was never allowed to go out Remained a virgin goddess in order to settle a fight between Apollo & Poseidon over her; she felt maintaining her chastity would be the most peaceful way to end it. The Major Olympian Gods Hestia (Vesta)

30. Mother earth; goddess of grain, agriculture, fertility and the harvest; known as the corn-goddess. First loaf of bread from the harvest is sacrificed to her Symbols: poppy, narcissus, ear of corn Her daughter with Zeus, Persephone (Proserpine), became Hades’ wife Associated with the changing seasons (story of Hades & Persephone) The Major Olympian Gods Demeter (Ceres)

31. God of war Symbols: weapons, armor (obviously – they symbolize war) Bird: vulture (prey on the dead) Sacred animal: dog Son of Zeus & Hera (neither one of which liked him very much) Embodied the destructive forces of war (unlike Athena who was in charge of the intelligent & orderly use of war to defend the city) The Greek people didn’t like him very much Athena defeated him anytime he fought opposed to her The Major Olympian Gods Ares (Mars)

32. He was ferocious, loud, and generally unpleasant to be around – but was also tall and handsome Lover to Aphrodite (goddess of love & beauty). Together, Ares & Aphrodite represented the wild impulses the subvert order & organization – the irrational They had three sons: Eros (Cupid): God of Love Deimus (Fear) Phobus (Panic) The Major Olympian Gods Ares

33. Goddess of wisdom, military strategy (war), handicrafts, the arts, justice, and industry; patron of Athens Invented the bridle, yoke, pot, trumpet, flute, chariot, and the ship Born fully from the head of Zeus (mother was Metis, who was devoured by Zeus when he heard a prophecy that after Metis had the daughter she was impregnated with, she would have a son who would overthrow him) She wore a helmet & breastplate and carried a shield with the head of Medusa on it (Medusa / Poseidon/ Pegasus story) Symbols: owl, olive tree (her gift to Athens), often accompanied by her pet snake (Athenians believed it protected the city) The Major Olympian Gods Athena (Minerva)

34. Daddy’s little girl! Had the honor of carrying Zeus’s aegis: a poncho-like garment made of goatskin with a fringe that was impervious to any weapon, including Zeus’s own lightning (The US Navy has a class of warships called the Aegis Combat System cruisers) Also known as Pallas, a name she assumed after the death of her friend Her pet city was Athens, but was seen as a patron goddess to most civilized cities. She protected cities, encouraged crafts & agriculture, and taught humans to tame wild horses The Major Olympian Gods Athena

35. Won the city of Athens from Uncle Poseidon, who also wanted it. She usually won whatever she wanted anyway. Athena’s temple: Parthenon on the Acropolis One of the three virgin goddesses The Major Olympian Gods Athena

36. Son of Zeus & Leto Twin brother to Artemis Portrayed as an extremely handsome man – but had lots of trouble in his love life God of light, prophecy, healing (taught man medicine), poetry, and music Also an athlete Sacred tree was the laurel (story of Daphne) Sponsor of the oracle at Delphi Symbols: The lyre (Greek harp which he invented) Bow (identifies him as the Archergod Laurel Tree Dolphin Also known as Phoebus, bright or shining The Major Olympian Gods Apollo / Phoebus (Apollo) Apollo & Daphne

37. Apollo’s twin; daughter to Leto & Zeus Loved the woods and wild animals Goddess of the hunt & wild things Watched over young animals Another of the virgin goddesses (asked Zeus for permission to remain a chaste huntress when besieged by suitors on Mt. Olympus) Symbols: bow and arrow, the moon, the stag, the cypress tree Beautiful…but not a goddess to trifle with Aceton, a hunter, accidentally spied her bathing in a pond. She turned him into a stag & he was ripped apart by his own dogs Demanded chastity from her followers The Major Olympian Gods Artemis (Diana)

39. Goddess of love and beauty She actually predated Zeus & the other Olympians (created from Uranus…sort of) Some myths depicted as flaky & ridiculous, others as generous & benevolent, all as passionate. Symbols: the shell that carried her to shore; swan, sparrow, dove; myrtle tree, the rose She had a magic girdle that made its wearer an object of desire for everyone who saw her Married to Hephaestus (she knew he wouldn’t cheat on her, but she could cheat on him.) The Major Olympian Gods Aphrodite (Venus)

40. Her real love was Ares (Love & War) Had 4 (or 5?) children with Ares: Deimos & Phobos (Fear & Terror/Panic) and Eros (Love) were among them. Always happy to help young lovers, and enjoyed causing her fellow gods to fall in love with mortals Harshly punished those who refused to honor her…or thought others were as beautiful as she She fell in love with Adonis, the most handsome of mortal men. He was killed by a wild boar. She couldn’t help him, but she kissed him as he died and everywhere his blood touched the ground, blood-red anemones, or windflowers, sprang up. The Major Olympian Gods Aphrodite (Venus)

41. God of fire & the forge (god’s blacksmith); sculpture, and metals Symbols: anvil & forge Extremely skillful; could make anything he wanted; provided gods with special armor & weapons Hera’s son alone (her retaliation against Zeus for having Athena by himself)…of course a goddess couldn’t begin anything wonderful on her own, unlike Zeus. He was so ugly, Hera threw him off of Olympus He grew up on the island of Lemnos, which was thenceforth sacred to him The Major Olympian Gods Hephaestus (Vulcan)

42. Later in life, lived on Mt. Olympus and enjoyed a certain amount of respect Married to Aphrodite (but remained frustrated by her affairs) Ancient Greeks believed his forge was under a volcano and volcanic eruptions meant that he was working Liked by most gods, except Ares (not so good for a war-god!) Athens worshipped him too because he was peaceful and kind, and was a patron of craftsmen The Major Olympian Gods Hephaestus

43. Messenger god, particularly to Zeus God of commerce, traders, wrestling, and other gymnastic exercises, astronomy, thieving, and all that required skill & dexterity Son of Zeus & Maia, daughter of Atlas Symbols: wore a winged cap (the Petasus) & winged sandals (the Talaria) -- both show the speed of a messenger; also symbolic was the caduceus (ancient symbol of heralds) that he carried, and the shepherd’s crook Beautiful young man The Major Olympian Gods Hermes (Mercury)

44. God of wine, vegetation, fertility Son of Zeus & Theban princess Semele Had a strange birth: actually born from Zeus’s thigh (to protect Dionysus from Hera who already led Semele to her death….incineration, actually) After Dionysus was born, Hermes brought him down to earth to be raised by nymphs Symbols: vine or ivy; the masks worn in theater also symbolized Dionysus Last to join Olympus (Hestia shared her seat on the Pantheon with him) Viewed as a promoter of civilization, a lawgiver, and a lover of peace. The Major Olympian Gods Dionysus (Bacchus)

45. Disney’s take on mythology:Fantasia

47. God of love Son of Aphrodite Shot arrows / darts of desire into the hearts of men & gods – even Zeus was not immune to his arrows Sometimes depicted as wearing a blindfold (Cupid) as love is often blind. Married to Psyche Spartans paid homage to him before battle The Lesser Deities Eros (Cupid) Eros & Psyche

48. Sometimes represented as the avenger of slighted love Sometimes the symbol of reciprocal affection / mutual love The Lesser Deities Anteros

49. 9 daughters of Zeus & Mnemosyne (Memory) Resided over the arts, literature & science. The Lesser Deities The Muses • Calliope: epic history • Thalia: comedy • Clio: history • Euterpe: love poetry • Melpomene: tragedy • Erato: love poetry • Polyhymnia: sacred poetry • Urania: astronomy • Terpsichore: Choral dance & song “He is happy whom the Muses love” - Hesoid

50. Goddesses presiding over the banquet, the dance, and all other social enjoyments and the elegant arts; goddesses of charm, beauty, nature, human creativity, and fertility 3 of them The Lesser Deities The Graces • Euphrosyne: Mirth • Aglaia: Splendor or Beauty • Thalia: Good Cheer