ANTHROPOMORPHIC: The nature of the Olympian Gods

1. ANTHROPOMORPHIC:The nature of the Olympian Gods

2. Olympian gods • Idealized (im)mortals endowed with - physical beauty - intense emotions - superhuman powers to: * change shape * become invisible * fly

3. Divine anatomy • ICHOR = divine blood • NECTAR = divine drink • AMBROSIA = divine food

4. Olympian Deities • Twelve major deities • Dwelling in splendid houses on Mt. Olympus • Worshiped by mortals in temples and shrines

5. Chthonic Deities(Gods of the Earth) • Associated with the underworld and earth • E.g.: Erinyes (Furies) • (Hades is both an Olympian and a chthonic deity)

6. Nymphs • Female spirits who animate aspects of nature • Not necessarily immortal • NAIADS inhabit waters • DRYADS inhabit trees

7. FOURTEEN MAJOR GREEK DEITIES Zeus’ “Cabinet” = his immediate family • 6 children of Cronus and Rhea (including Zeus himself) • 7 children of Zeus • Aphrodite

8. Children of Cronus and Rhea • The sky is the domain of ZEUS/JUPITER, the supreme ruler of the gods. • The sea is the domain of POSEIDON/NEPTUNE. • The underworld belongs to HADES/MERCURY. • HERA/JUNO is Zeus’ wife the queen of heaven. • DEMETER/CERES and HESTIA/VESTA reign on Earth, the first has the jurisdiction of the space within the house, the second of the open space of the Earth.

9. Children of Zeus …and Hera • HEPHAESTUS/VULCAN, metalworker of the gods • ARES/MARS, god of war …and Leto • APOLLO, god of arts, healing, disease • ARTEMIS/DIANA, goddess of wilderness

10. More Children of Zeus …and Metis • ATHENA/MINERVA, goddess of wisdom and domestic arts and crafts …and Maia • HERMES/MERCURY, god of cunning, communicaton, business, and theives …and Semele • DIONYSUS/BACCHUS, god of wine, theatre, and madness

11. The 12th Olympian: APHRODITE/VENUS, goddess of desire

12. ZEUS AND HERA • ZEUS: god of the sky • Representations: A bearded man with a scepter and a bolt of lightening and thunder in his hand. • Often carries his shield, the AEGIS HERA: originally an earth mother goddess. • Usually accompanied by IRIS goddess of rainbow

13. Sacred Marriage • Sacred marriage • A metope from a temple in Selinunte (Sicily) • Hera loosens her veil in front of the groom.

14. FATESPersonifications of Destiny • Daughters of Zeus and Themis (or Night and Erebus) • CLOTHO: "spinner," spins out the thread of life. • LACHESIS: "apportioner," measures the thread. • ATROPOS: "inflexible," cuts the thread.

15. Birth and Youth of HEPHAESTUS Version A • Son of Hera alone • Lame from birth • Cast out of Olympus by Hera

16. Birth and Youth of HEPHAESTUS Version B • Son of both Zeus and Hera • Interfered in a quarrel between parents on behalf of Hera • Hurled down from Olympus by Zeus • Landed on the island of Lemnos, which became his cult-place.

17. “Adult” Life of Hephaestus • Restored to Olympus • Married Aphrodite • God of the forge and its fire • Assisted by the three Cyclopes • Created masterpieces

18. HEPHAESTUS, APHRODITE, AND ARES • Ares and Aphrodite had an affair • Hephaestus ensnared the lovers in a magical net • He summoned other gods to witness the scene

19. A Digression: Life of Myth Tintoretto Vulcan surprises Venus and Mars (Old Pinakotheka, Munic)

20. Tintoretto (1518-1594) • True name: Jacopo Robusti • Lived in Venice • Studied with Titian • Wore a beard

21. Aphrodite’s Progeny • BY ARES: Anteros, Deimos, Phobos, Harmonia, (? +) Priapos, (?+ Eros) • BY HERMES: Eros, Hermaphroditus • BY ANCHISES: Aeneas • BY ADONIS: ancestor figures of several tribes

22. GANYMEDES • Zeus kidnapped GANYMEDES • G. became cupbearer to the gods

23. 9 MUSES: DAUGHTERS OF ZEUS AND MNEMOSYNE MNEMOSYNE= “Memory” MUSES: Reminders: Goddesses of the arts. • They live - either in Pieria in northern Thessaly and are called the PIERIDES - or near the fountain Hippocrene on Mt. Helicon in Boeotia

24. The domains of the Muses • CALLIOPE: epic poetry • CLIO: history, lyre playing • ERATO: love poetry • EUTERPE: lyric poetry, flute playing • MELPOMENE: tragedy and lyre playing • POLYHYMNIA: sacred music • TERPSICHORE: choral dancing • THALIA: comedy • URANIA: astronomy

25. Poseidon and Sea Deities • POSEIDON: anthropomorphic god of the sea • AMPHITRITE: Nereid, wife of Poseidon • PONTUS: “open sea” produced by Gaia • OCEANUS: the stream of Ocean • TRITON: son of Poseidon and Amphitrite • NEREUS: Old Man of the Sea 1 • PROTEUS: Old Man of the Sea 2

26. TRITON • Human above the waist, fish-shaped below • Often blew on a conch shell and thus he was known as the trumpeter of the sea.

27. PROTEUS • Pre-Olympian deity who became an attendant or son of Poseidon and Amphitrite • Old man of the sea who could foretell the future and could also change his shape at will (shape-shifter)

28. NEREUS • Old man of the sea • Could foretell the future and change his shape • Son of Pontus and Gaia • Fathered fifty daughters called NEREIDS • Among them THETIS, GALATEA, and AMPHITRITE

29. PELEUS AND THETIS • Thetis was destined to bear a son mightier than his father, and so the gods (specifically Zeus) avoided her • A man named Peleus become her husband • The wedding of Peleus and Thetis was famous (Eris and the apple… “to the fairest”) • They became the parents of Achilles

30. SCYLLA • Poseidon made advances to SCYLLA • Amphitrite threw magic herbs into Scylla's bathing place • Scylla turned into a vicious monster, encircled with a ring of dog's heads.

31. SCYLLA and CHARYBDIS

32. CHARYBDIS • Daughter of Poseidon and Gaia • Drew in mountains of water and spewed them out again.

33. ATHENA GODDESS OF WISDOM, WAR, AND WEAVING

34. ATHENAHer mother is Metis (“cunning”)Born from the head of Zeus, her father

35. APPEARANCE OF ATHENA • Often accompanied by an owl or a snake • Helmet, spear, and shield or aegis with a depiction of the head of Medusa • NIKE [nee'kay]= ”Victory"

36. THE CONTEST BETWEEN ATHENA AND POSEIDON • Object: Control of Athens and Attica • Poseidon produces a salt spring or a horse • Athena creates an olive tree and is proclaimed the victor

37. THE PANATHENAEA OR PANATHENAIC FESTIVAL • Annual festival celebrating the birthday of Athena • Sacrifices and games • Panathenaic amphoras • Embroidered robe (peplos)

38. THE PARTHENON AND ITS SCULPTURE • PARTHENON the great temple to Athena Parthenos on the Acropolis of Athens • Athena Parthenos: monumental statue of Athena • PALLAS ATHENA TRITOGENEIA • Linked with Triton, a river-god • PALLAS

39. ATHENA AND ARACHNE • ARACHNE challenged Athena to a weaving contest • Athena lost and turned her rival into a spider

41. Aphrodite and Eros THE DUALITY OF APHRODITE (VENUS): • Aphrodite Urania: HEAVENLY, or CELESTIAL, APHRODITE of philosophy and religion. • Aphrodite Pandemos: "Aphrodite of the People" or "Common Aphrodite," the goddess of sex and the procreation of children, whose concerns are of the body and not of the mind, the spirit, or the soul.

42. ATTENDANTS OF APHRODITE CHARITES: the Three Graces • feminine personifications of charm and loveliness. HORAE (2 - 4): Hours or Seasons • Daughters of Zeus and Themis • Represent the attractive attributes of the various times/seasons of the year

43. PRIAPUS • Son of Aphrodite, personifies the elemental, sexual side of his mother's nature

44. PYGMALION • Pygmalion falls in love with his own creation, a sculpture of a woman named Galatea • Aphrodite gives live to the statue

45. APHRODITE AND ADONIS • Aphrodite’s love for Adonis • Adonis’s death • PERSEPHONE also falls in love with in Adonis • They have to share: Adonis will spend one part of the year below with Persephone and one part in the upper world with Aphrodite

46. APHRODITE AND ANCHISES • Aphrodite seduces the Trojan Anchises by tricking him into believing that she was a mortal • AENEAS, son of Aphrodite and Anchises, becomes the great hero of the Romans

47. EROS • EROS 1 came out of Chaos before the birth of Aphrodite. • EROS 2 the son of Aphrodite and Ares