Greek and Roman Mythology

1. Greek and Roman Mythology A Review of The Principal Gods and Goddesses

2. Since ancient people didn’t have science as we know it, they created myths to… • Answer questions about life and death • Explain phenomena in nature • Explain their religion • Explain the glorious deeds of man • Explain the supernatural powers of gods

3. ”All was black, empty, silent, endless.” In the beginning... • …was Chaos (shapeless nothingness) • Chaos had four children: • Night • Darkness • Love • Earth

4. The First Parents • Mother Earth = Gaea (Gaia) • Father Heaven = Ouranos (Uranus) • They had three kinds of children: • Three monsters with 100 hands and 50 heads • Three cyclopes • The titans • These were the first characters that had the appearance of life, although it was unlike any life known to man.

5. The Titans (The Elder Gods) • There were many of them. • Enormous size, incredible strength • Cronos (Saturn): Ruler of the titans • Rhea: Wife of Cronos • Ocean: River that encircled the world

6. The rise of the Olympian Gods • It was prophesized that a son of Cronos would overthrow him • To try and prevent this… • He ATE HIS CHILDREN?!?!? • Rhea saved her last child, Zeus, by giving Cronos a rock wrapped in a blanket

7. Cronos and Rhea were parents of Zeus (Jupiter, Jove) Poseidon (Neptune) Hades (Pluto) Hera (Juno) Hestia (Vesta) Demeter (Ceres) Other Olympians include Athena (Minerva) Ares (Mars) Hephaestus (Vulcan) Apollo (Apollo) Artemis (Diana) Hermes (Mercury) Aphrodite (Venus) Dionysus (Bacchus) Persephone The Principal Gods

8. The Olympians

9. Zeus • Roman Name: Jupiter (also Jove) • Supreme god of the Olympians & god of the Sky • Fathered many characters in mythology • Symbols: eagle, thunderbolt, oat tree, bull Day 1

10. Hera • Roman Name: Juno • Zeus’s sister and wife • Jealous protector of marriage & queen of the gods • Punished the women Zeus fell in love with • Symbols: cow, lion, pomegranate, peacock Day 1

11. Athena • Roman Name: Minerva • Goddess of Wisdom, War, Weaving • Sprang from Zeus’s head (swallowed her mother, Metis) • Symbols: owl, olive tree, Aegis (a shield with Medusa’s picture) Day 1

12. Persephone • Roman Name: Proserpina • Goddess of the Underworld • Daughter of Zeus and Demeter • Abducted by Hades

13. Hestia • Roman Name: Vesta • Goddess of Hearth & Home • Powerful Protector • Symbol: Hearth Fire

14. Dionysus • Roman Name: Bacchus • God of Wine, Drama, Revelry • Patron god of the Greek stage • Symbols: ivy, grapes, leopards

15. Ares • Roman Name: Mars • God of War & Violence • Son of Zeus and Hera • Bloodthirsty and merciless, loves war • Symbols: sword, shield, dogs, vultures, wild boar, bloody spear

16. Poseidon • Roman Name: Neptune • God of the Seas and Waters • Symbol: trident (3-pronge spear), dolphin, white horse, sea horse Day 2

17. Hades • Roman Name: Pluto • God of the Underworld/ Dead • Kidnapped Persephone & made her his wife • Symbols: bident (2-pronged spear), Cerberus (3-headed dog), cypress, snake, gold & silver Day 2

18. Demeter • Roman Name: Ceres (where we get the name for cereal) • Goddess of Agriculture • Symbols: sheaf of wheat, poppies, cornucopia Day 2

19. Artemis • Roman Name: Diana • Goddess of the Moon, Hunt, Maidens, Childbirth • Twin sister to Apollo • Symbols: crescent, stag, silver bow & arrows, she-bear, deer, dog Day 3

20. Apollo • Roman Name: Apollo • God of Light/Sun, Music, poetry, medicine, archery • Twin Brother of Artemis • Symbols: lyre, golden arrows, sun chariot, dolphins, white mouse Day 3

21. Hermes • Roman Name: Mercury • Messenger of the Gods, Commerce, Theft • Appears in more myths than any other character • Symbols: winged cap & sandals, caduceus, hazel stick Day 4

22. Hephaestus • Roman Name: Vulcan • God of Fire/Forge, Blacksmith to the gods, Mechanic • Crippled Son of Zeus and Hera • Kind, unlike his brother • Symbols: anvil, forge, quail, fire Day 4

23. Aphrodite • Roman Name: Venus • Goddess of Love and Beauty • Sprang from the ocean foam • Symbols: doves, sparrows, girdle, golden goose Day 4

24. Eros • Roman Name: Cupid • Young God of Love • Son of Aphrodite and Hephaestus

25. Iris • Goddess of the Rainbow • Messenger for Zeus and Hera • Daughter of the titan Thaumus and the nymph Electra

26. Nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne Inspired artists of all kinds Goddesses who presided over the arts and sciences “He is happy whom the muses love.” The Muses Clio, Urania, Thalia, Melpomene, Erato, Calliope, Euterpe, Terpsichore, Polyhymnia

27. The Graces • Three Goddesses of Grace and Beauty • “They give life its bloom.” • Aglaia (Splendor) • Euphrosyne (Mirth) • Thalia (Good Cheer)

28. The Erinnyes (The Furies) • Roman Name: Furiae or Dirae (The Furies) • Three Goddesses of Vengeance • Tisiphone • Alecto • Megaera • They punish evildoers.

29. The Fates • Roman Name: Parcae, Moirae • Three sisters • Clotho (“The Spinner”) • Lachesis (“The disposer of lots”) • Atropos (“The cutter”) • They weave, measure, and cut the thread of life for humans.

30. The Satyrs • Gods of the woods and mountains • “Shepherd gods” • Goat men (like Pan) • Companions of Dionysus • They like to drink, dance, and chase nymphs.

31. The Gorgons • Three snake-haired monsters • Medusa is most well-known • Their look turns men to stone.

32. The Centaurs • Half man, half horse • Savage creatures (except Chiron) • Followers of Dionysus

33. Sources • Graphics in this presentation were taken from the following web sites: • http://www.bulfinch.org/fables/search.html • http://www.pantheon.org/ • http://www.messagenet.com/myths/ • http://mythman.com/ • http://web.uvic.ca/grs/bowman/myth/index.html • http://www.paleothea.com/ • http://www.entrenet.com/%7Egroedmed/greekm/myth.html • This presentation is for educational purposes only; it has not been and should not be sold or used as a vehicle to make money.