Welcome to Mythology

1. Welcome to Mythology

2. Rev up your VAGOs…First word: MYTHS • Myths are traditional fictional stories, often dealing with supernatural beings, ancestors, or heroes.

3. Myths • often explain natural phenomena • describe the psychology, customs, or ideals of a society • address the theme of good conquering evil • express a culture's view of the universe

4. Myths • Typically have the forces of nature personified

5. True or False? • Myths hold universal qualities and themes relevant to life today… • What do you think? • Let’s watch a video!

6. Greek and Roman Influence in our Language • VAGO: ETYMOLOGY • The origin of a word. • The study of word origins and the history of words--especially how words can be traced back to a root, ie, an earlier source word

7. It is hard to imagine reading or writing without drawing upon myth-oriented adjectives or idioms.

8. Atlas • A mythical giant who supported the heavens on his shoulders • The book of maps known as an atlas is named after a legendary African king, sometimes thought to be descended from the Atlas of Greek myth

9. Hercules • Also known as Heracles, the greatest hero of Greece. • A particularly great exertion is said to be a “Herculean effort.” The Disney version The Greek Version

10. Midas: • A king who had the power to change all he touched to gold. This blessing became a curse. • We know this gift as “The Midas touch.”

11. Pan: • Shepherd god, son of Hermes, with legs and horns of a goat. • Pan was considered to be the cause of the sudden fear that sometimes comes for no reason, especially in lonely places. That's why it's called "panic".

12. Procrustes: • Man who offered his "one-size-fits-all" bed to passing travelers, adjusting his guests to the bed by stretching or chopping them as appropriate. • An article in The New York Times refers to art historians who try to force the famous painter Pablo Picasso into "the Procrustean bed of theories.”

13. Sisyphus: • Sinner condemned to roll a rock (boulder) uphill for eternity, then watching it roll back down. • A Sisyphean task.

14. Tantalus: • A king allowed to partake of the nectar of the gods. He abused this privilege by stealing the divine beverage to share with his human friends. • For this sin he was condemned to the Underworld, where he stood in fresh water that receded whenever he tried to drink and under a tree filled with ripe fruit always just beyond reach. • We use the word “tantalize” in his honor.

15. Titans: • An ancient race of giants who were overcome by Zeus in a struggle that shook the world. • We use the word “titanic” to demonstrate the massive size of something fierce.

16. SING ALONG to the tune of the Brady Bunch! Here's the story of a lovely ladywho was starting up a great, big nasty warShe was married to MenalausBut she found him to be ugly and a bore Here's the story of a man named Pariswho was a handsome prince from the kingdom TroyHe was promised by AphroditeShe would find a wife for him to bring him joy ‘Til the one day when fair Helen met prince Parisand he took her to his distant land and shoreIt was there, that she became his girlfriend fairestthat's the way they started up the Trojan War The Trojan war…The Trojan war…That's the way they began the Trojan war

17. Gods and Goddesses • http://www.wingedsandals.com/ Take the quiz and find out: What God are you most like?