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Mythology. Heroes, Gods and Monsters Troncale 2013. Definition of Mythology. Mythology – a fictional tale that explains the actions of gods or heroes, or the origins of elements of nature. There is a theme of good versus evil in mythology. Zeus.
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Mythology Heroes, Gods and Monsters Troncale 2013
Definition of Mythology • Mythology – a fictional tale that explains the actions of gods or heroes, or the origins of elements of nature. • There is a theme of good versus evil in mythology.
Zeus • Zeus was the god of the sky and ruler of the Olympian gods. Zeus overthrew his Father Cronos. He is lord of the sky, the rain god. His weapon is a thunderbolt which he hurls at those who displease him. He is married to Hera but, is famous for his many female relationships. He is also known to punish those that lie or break oaths. He was the rain god, and the cloud gatherer, who wielded the terrible thunderbolt.
Hera • Hera is Zeus’s wife and sister. She is the supreme goddess, goddess of marriage and childbirth and takes special care of married women. • Hera's marriage was founded in strife with Zeus and continued in strife. Zeus courted her unsuccessfully, then finally turned to trickery to possess her hand in marriage. Once when Zeus was being particularly overbearing to the other gods, Hera convinced them to join in a revolt. Her part in the revolt was to drug Zeus, and in this she was successful. The gods then bound the sleeping Zeus to a couch taking care to tie many knots. This done they began to quarrel over the next step. Briareusoverheard the arguments and still full of gratitude to Zeus, he slipped in and quickly untied the many knots. Zeus sprang from the couch and grabbed up his thunderbolt. The gods fell to their knees begging and pleading for mercy. He seized Hera and hung her from the sky with gold chains. She wept in pain all night. Her weeping kept Zeus up and the next morning he agreed to release her if she would swear never to rebel again. She had little choice but to agree.
Athene • Athenais the Greek goddess of reason, intelligence, warfare, arts and literature. Athena is the daughter of Zeus. She sprang full grown in armour from his forehead. She is fierce and brave in battle. She is the goddess of the city, handicrafts, and agriculture. She is the embodiment of wisdom, reason, and purity. She was Zeus's favorite child and was allowed to use his weapons. Minervais the Roman goddessidentified with Athena.[3] • Athena is also a shrewd companion of heroes and is the goddess of heroic endeavour. The Athenians founded the Parthenon on the Acropolis of her namesake city, Athens (Athena Parthenos), in her honour.[3] • In her role as a protector of the city (polis), many people throughout the Greek world worshiped Athena as Athena Polias"Athena of the city").
Hero and Leander • Hero and Leander were famous lovers in Greek mythology. Hero, who lived in the town of Sestos, served as a priestess of the goddess Aphrodite* (Venus). Leander was a youth from the nearby town of Abydos, located across a narrow strip of water called the Hellespont. • Hero and Leander met at a festival and fell in love. However, because she was a priestess of Aphrodite, Hero had to remain a virgin and was forbidden to marry. The two lovers decided to see each other secretly. Each night Hero would leave a lampburning in a window of the tower in which she lived, and Leander would swim across the Hellespont, using the light to guide his way. One winter night, the wind blew out the flame in the lamp, causing Leander to lose his way and drown. The next morning, when Hero saw his lifeless body washed up on the shore, she killed herself by jumping out of the tower. • Several ancient poets, including Ovid* and Virgil*, told the tale of Hero and Leander. In 1598 the English author Christopher Marlowe used the story as the basis of his poem Hero and Leander. Lord Byron, John Keats, and Lord Tennyson were other well-known poets who wrote of the lovers. The tale also inspired paintings by Rubens, Turner, and Rossetti.
Poseidon • Poseidon is one of the twelve Olympian deities of the pantheon in Greek mythology. His main domain is the ocean, and he is called the "God of the Sea". Additionally, he is referred to as "Earth-Shaker"[1] due to his role in causing earthquakes, and has been called the "tamer of horses".[2] He is usually depicted as an older male with curly hair and beard.
Hades • HADES was the King of the Underworld, the god of death and the dead. He presided over funeral rites and defended the right of the dead to due burial. Hades was also the god of the hidden wealth of the earth, from the fertile soil with nourished the seed-grain, to the mined wealth of gold, silver and other metals.
Cephalus, though he had lost his dog, still continued to take delight in the chase. He would go out at early morning, ranging the woods and hills unaccompanied. Fatigued with hunting, when the sun got high he would seek a shady nook where a cool stream flowed, and, stretched on the grass and enjoy the breeze. Sometimes he would say aloud, "Come, sweet breeze, come and fan me, to allay the heat that burns me." Someone passing by one day heard him talking in this way to the air, and, foolishly believing that he was talking to some maiden, went and told the secret to Procris, Cephalus's wife. • Procris said, "It cannot be true; I will not believe it unless I myself am a witness to it." So she waited, with anxious heart, till the next morning, when Cephalus went to hunt as usual. Then she stole out after him, and concealed herself in the bushes. Cephalus came to rest as usual, and stretched himself on the green bank, saying, "Come, sweet breeze, come and fan me; you know how I love you! " He was running on in this way when he heard a sob in the bushes. Supposing it some wild animal, he threw his javelin at the spot. A cry from his beloved Procris told him that the weapon had met its mark. He rushed to the place, and found her bleeding. Cephalus raised her from the earth, strove to stop the bleeding, and called her to revive and not to leave him miserable.She opened her feeble eyes, and forced herself to utter these few words: "I implore you, if you have ever loved me, my husband, grant me this last request; do not marry that odious Breeze!" This disclosed the whole mystery; but alas! What advantage to disclose it now? She died; but her face wore a calm expression, and she looked pityingly and forgivingly on her husband when he made her understand the truth .
Demeter • In ancient Greek religion and myth, Demeteris the goddess of the harvest, who presided over grains and the fertility of the earth. She is known as the giver of food or grain[2
Allusion to Literature • In Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night’s Dream, there is an allusion to Cephalusand Procris, although the spelling leaves much to be desired.Pyramus says, "Not Shafalus to Procrus was so true."Thisbe. "As Shafalus to Procrus, I to you."
Cephalus and Procris • Cephalus was a beautiful youth and fond of manly sports. Aurora saw him when she first looked forth, fell in love with him, and stole him away. But Cephalushad just married Procris, a charming wife whom he loved devotedly. She was a favorite of Diana, the goddess of hunting, who had given her a dog which could outrun every rival, and a javelin which would never fail of its mark; and Procris gave these presents to her husband. Cephaluswas so happy in his wife that he resisted all the entreaties of Aurora, and she finally dismissed him in displeasure, saying, "Go, ungrateful mortal, keep your wife, whom, if I am not much mistaken, you will one day be very sorry you ever saw again.“ Cephalusreturned, and was as happy as ever in his wife and his woodland sports. • Now it happened some angry deity had sent a ravenous fox to annoy the country; and the hunters turned out in great strength to capture it. They came to Cephalusto borrow his famous dog, whose name was Lelaps. No sooner was the dog let loose than he darted off, quicker than their eye could follow him. Cephalusand others stood on a hill and saw the race. The fox tried every art; he ran in a circle and turned on his track, the dog close upon him, with open jaws, snapping at his heels, but biting only the air. Cephaluswas about to use his javelin, when suddenly he saw both dog and game stop instantly. The heavenly powers who had given both, were not willing that either should conquer. In the very attitude of life and action they were turned into stone. So lifelike and natural did they look, you would have thought, as you looked at them, that one was going to bark, the other to leap forward.
