Greek Mythology and Gods & Goddesses of The Odyssey

1. Greek Mythology and Gods & Goddessesof The Odyssey

2. What is Mythology? • An organized collection of stories (i.e., "myths") by which we explain our beliefs and our history. • Myths usually confront major issues such as the origin of humanity and its traditions, and the way in which the natural and human worlds function on a profound, universal level. • Other myths seem merely to narrate the deities' daily activities -- their love affairs and pleasures, their jealousies and rages, their ambitions and schemes, and their quarrels and battles.

3. Myths, Legends, Folktales & Fables • We commonly use the word "myth" interchangeably with the following terms: • 1.Legends. Do not have religious or supernatural content. Legends emphasize the story more than the significance of the story. An example of a legend is the tale of Atlantis. • 2.Folklore. Generally known to be fictitious; often told only within a limited geographical area . Examples include the stories of Paul Bunyan and Rip Van Winkle from early American history. • 3.Fables. Acknowledged to be fictional -- certainly when the characters include talking animals. A fable's emphasis is on a "moral."

4. The Gods & Goddesses of Mount Olympus • The Olympians were the twelve (and as many as fourteen) most important ruling gods and goddesses who lived high above the clouds on majestic Mount Olympus, partying and plotting lurid intrigues. • Children of Cronus and Rhea: • Zeus, King of the Olympians • Hades, ruler of the Underworld • Poseidon, ruler of the Seas • Hera, sister and wife to Zeus • Demeter and Hestia

5. Zeus • Zeus is the supreme god and ruler of Olympus. • To the ancient Greeks, he became the undisputed master of the universe; he caused rain, drought, good weather and bad weather. • Nobody dared challenge his fearsome thunderbolts. • Zeus was the sixth child born to Cronus and Rhea. • Cronus was warned by an oracle that one of his own children would overthrow him, just like he overthrew his father, Uranus. • To prevent this from happening he swallowed his first five children as each was born to Rhea.

6. Zeus ~ King of the Gods • The three brothers then drew lots to determine who gets what. • Zeus drew the heavens and became supreme ruler. • Poseidon became the god of the sea and Hades the ruler of the Underworld. The earth remained common ground.

7. Athena ~ Goddess of Wisdom • Athena is Zeus’ daughter and his favorite child. Her mother is believed to be Metis. • An Oracle of Gaea (Mother Earth) then prophesied that Metis' first child would be a girl, but her second child would be a boy that would overthrow Zeus as had happened to his father (Cronus) and his grandfather (Uranus). • Zeus swallowed Metis to prevent a possible overthrow. • This was the end of Metis but, possibly the beginning of Zeus's wisdom, for many claim that Zeus really had no brains until he swallowed his wife.

8. Zeus has a headache • Zeus developed the “mother” of all headaches. • The smiths god, Hephaestus, to take an axe and split open Zeus's skull. • Out of the skull sprang Athena, full grown and in a full set of armor. • The very ancient Greeks believed that men were solely responsible for conception of a child, and the woman’s only role was to carry it until it was born, that's why Metis is not given any credit for Athena birth.

9. Athena ~ Zeus’s favorite child • Athena was perhaps the most recognizable of the gods. • She was always depicted with her unmistakable helmet and the ever-present spear. • Because she was Zeus’ favorite she was allowed to use his weapons and armor, including the awful aegis (a shield) and even his thunderbolts. • Her shield was also very distinctive: after Perseus defeated the gorgon Medusa, Athena affixed its head to her shield.

10. Poseidon ~ Ruler of the Sea • Poseidon is the ruler of the sea, a powerful god in Greek mythology who is often called the "Earth-shaker." • Poseidon was very powerful, second only to Zeus himself. • Equal to Zeus in dignity, though not in power, he was reputed to be a surly and quarrelsome figure.

11. Poseidon marries Amphitrite • Poseidon wasn't a very faithful husband and engaged in numerous affairs with goddesses, nymphs, and even mortals. • Understandably jealous, Amphitrite punished many of her husband's lovers, just like Hera did to her husband Zeus' women. • She was particularly upset with Poseidon's infatuation with the gorgeous Scylla and was determined to punish her. • Amphitrite threw magical herbs into Scylla's bathing pool, and when the woman took her bath, at once she transformed into a barking monster with six heads and twelve feet.

12. Hades ~ God of the Underworld • Hades is Zeus' brother and ruler of the Underworld and the dead. • Because of his dark and morbid personality he was not especially liked by neither the gods nor the mortals. • His character is described as "fierce and inexorable", and by far of all the gods he was most hated by mortals. • He was not an evil god. • Hades ruled the Underworld and therefore most often associated with death, but he was not Death itself • The actual embodiment of Death was another god, Thanatos.

13. The Land of the Dead • Hades strictly forbade his subjects to leave his domain and would become quite enraged when anyone tried to leave, or if someone tried to steal his prey from him. • Very few people ever visited the Underworld and were permitted to leave • Heracles, Achilles, Odysseus, Aeneas, and Theseus are among those heroes who descended to Hades while they were still living.

14. Hades marries Persephone • Persephone did not marry Hades willingly, but was abducted by him one day. • When even Zeus could not get her back, eventually a deal was made: • Persephone would spend half the year with her mother, the goddess of the harvest. • The Greeks believed that while Persephone was with Hades, her mother missed her so much that she withdrew her gifts from the world and winter came. In the spring, when Persephone rejoined her mother, Demeter would make things grow again.

15. Hermes • The fastest of the gods, and he was a messenger to Zeus and all the other gods. • He was the Divine Herald • The guide who would lead the souls of the dead down to the Underworld. • His distinguishing qualities were cunning, ingenuity, knowledge and creativity. • His realm included Gymnastics • Greek artists represented Hermes as a handsome youth with beautiful limbs developed by athletic exercises and gymnastic excellence.

16. Calypso • A sea nymph • also known as Atlantis • Confined to the island of Ogygia for supporting her father and the Titans during the War of the Titans. • She imprisons Odysseus on her island in order to make him her immortal husband • After seven years Athena asks Zeus to spare Odysseus of his torment on the island

17. Muses – • The goddesses or spirits who inspire the creation of literature and the arts.

18. Sirens • Three dangerous bird-women, portrayed as seductresses. • Sailors who sailed near were compelled by the Sirens' enchanting music and voices to shipwreck on the rocky coast.

19. Circe • A minor goddess of magic (or sometimes a nymph, witch, enchantress or sorceress) living on the island of Aeaea.