Jennifer Meister EME 4406

1. GREEK MYTHOLOGY Jennifer Meister EME 4406

2. Table of Contents • Origins of Greek Mythology • Mount Olympus • The Major Greek Gods • Zeus • Hera • Poseidon • Hades • Aphrodite • Hestia • Ares • Athena • Apollo • Artemis • Hermes • Hephaestus • Demeter • Persephone • Dionysus • Eros • Heracles • The Muses • Your Assignment • For more information

3. The Origins of Greek Mythology • Resulted from a common belief of the people of ancient Greece and Asia Minor in a group of gods known as The Olympians • The remains of an ancient Greek religion

4. Mount Olympus • Where the major gods live • Also where they assemble to hold court • It is unclear whether Mt. Olympus was actually a mountain or a part of the heavens

5. The Major Greek Gods

6. Zeus • Roman name Jupiter • God of the sky and ruler of all gods • After overthrowing his father, Cronus, he drew straws with brothers Poseidon and Hades and won, becoming the Supreme ruler of gods • Weapon is a fire-bolt, punishes those who lie • Hera is his wife, but is famous for his affairs • Represented as the god of justice and mercy, protector of the weak and punisher of the wicked

7. Hera • Roman name Juno • Zeus’s wife and sister • Supreme goddess, goddess of marriage and childbirth • Zeus courted her unsuccessfully, turned himself into a bird, when she held the bird he turned back into his natural shape and raped her. She married him to cover her shame • Jealous of Zeus’s affairs

8. Poseidon • Roman name Neptune • Brother of Zeus and Hades • Drew lots with brothers after defeating father, became God of the sea and protector of all waters • Wife Amphitrite, granddaughter of the Titan Oceanus • Second only to Zeus in power amongst the gods • Greedy

9. Hades • Roman name Pluto • Drew the worst lot with brothers Zeus and Poseidon • Lord of the Underworld, ruled over the dead • Greedy, wanted to increase his subjects • God of wealth and King of the dead • Wife is Persephone, he abducted her • Has a helmet that makes him invisible

10. Aphrodite • Roman name Venus • Goddess of love, desire and beauty • Wife to Hephaestus • Daughter of Zeus and Dione • Mother of Aineias • Lover to Ares • Owner of a magic girdle that makes anyone she wishes want her • Represented sex, affection, and the attraction that binds people together

11. Hestia • Roman name Vesta • Zeus’s sister • Virgin goddess, goddess of the Hearth • Holds no part in myths • Of all the gods, she is the mildest, most upright, and most charitable

12. Ares • Roman name Mars • Son of Zeus and Hera, disliked by both • God of war • Considered murderous, but a coward as well • Lover of Aphrodite

13. Athena • Roman name Minerva • Virgin goddess of reason, intelligent activity, arts and literature • Daughter of Zeus, sprang out of his head fully grown in armor • Invented the bridle which allowed man to tame horses, the trumpet, flute, pot, rake, plow, ship, and chariot • The embodiment of wisdom, reason and purity • Zeus’s favorite child, she was allowed to use his weapons, including his fire-bolt

14. Apollo • Son of Zeus and Leto • Twin brother to Artemis • God of music, healing, light, and truth • Archer, hunts with arrows • Most important daily task is to harness his chariot with four horses and drive the sun across the sky

15. Artemis • Roman name Diana • Twin sister of Apollo • Daughter of Zeus and Leto • Goddess of chastity, virginity, the hunt, the moon and the natural environment • Protector of the young • Caused her mother no pain when she was born, came to preside over childbirth

16. Hermes • Roman name Mercury • Son of Zeus and Maia • Cleverest of all gods • Messenger to the gods, wore winged sandals, a winged hat and carried a magic wand • God of thieves and commerce • Guided the dead to the underworld • Invented the pipes, the musical scale, astronomy, weights and measures, boxing, and gymnastics

17. Hephaestus • Roman name Vulcan • Son of Zeus and Hera • The only god to be physically ugly • God of fire and forge • Smith and armorer to the gods • Wife is Aphrodite • Kind and peace-loving

18. Demeter • Roman name Ceres • Goddess of corn, grain and the harvest • Daughter of Cronus and Rhea • Makes the crop grow each year • Daughter Persephone, was abducted by Hades to be his wife. She got so angry that she set a curse on the world that made the plants wither and die. Zeus sought to get Persephone back, but since she had eaten while in the underworld, Hades had a claim to her. It was ruled that she would spend four months each year in the underworld. During these months Demeter would grieve and the plants would die, creating winter. Her daughter’s return brought about spring

19. Persephone • Roman name Proserpina • Daughter of Zeus and Demeter • Goddess of Springtime • Wife of Hades • Symbolized the sprouting of the seeds of springtime • Known as Kore, “The Maiden”

20. Dionysus • Son of Zeus and Semele • Only god to have a mortal parent • God of fertility and wine • Patron of the arts • Invented wine • As the ability to drive a man mad • Hated by Hera

21. Eros • Roman name Cupid • Son of Aphrodite • God of love • Represented blindfolded because love is usually blind • Used arrows that magically produced either unmanageable love or incredible indifference in the first person seen by the victim after wounding

22. Heracles • Roman name Hercules • Last mortal son of Zeus • Only man born of mortal woman to become a god upon his death • Strongest of all mortals, stronger than many gods • Lack of wisdom • Many of his great deeds were done while performing penance for stupid acts done in anger or carelessness • Sense of justice, was willing to do penance for his actions • Hated by Hera

23. The Muses • Daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne • Known for the music of their song, brings joy to all who hear it • Nine muses each with their own specialty: • Clio History • Urania Astronomy • Melpomene Tragedy • Thalia Comedy • Terpsichore Dance • Calliope Epic Poetry • Erato Love Poetry • Polyhymnia Songs to the gods • Euterpe Lyric Poetry

24. Your Assignment • Using the knowledge you now have of Greek mythology, get into groups of four and create your own myth. The myth can have a moral but does not require one. Include in your myth descriptions of gods and heroes. Try to incorporate at least four of the gods we have talked about into your myth. You can also include your own gods. If you choose to do this, describe in detail these gods and what their talents are. You may want to include pictures (drawn yourself or collages from magazines or the Internet) of what these gods might look like. We will later compile these myths into an anthology of mythology.

25. For More Information • All information in this presentation was found at: • www.messagenet.com/myths/html • www.greekmythology.com/ • For more information on this presentation, click on the above links