It’s All Greek to Me!

It’s All Greek to Me! Introduction to Greek Mythology

Greek Gods • Greek religion was POLYTHEISTIC. • The Greeks created their gods IN THEIR OWN IMAGES. • Greek mythology is largely made up of stories about gods and goddesses, but it CANNOT be read as a Greek Bible.

The Greeks believed . . . • The UNIVERSE created the gods. • Before there were gods, Heaven and Earth had been formed. They were the first parents. • The TITANS were their children, and the gods were their grandchildren.

TITANS or THE ELDER GODS • Enormous size and incredible strength • CRONUS—ruled over the Titans until his son Zeus dethroned him; Cronus then fled to Italy and brought in the Golden Age, a time of perfect peace and happiness.

Other Titans • OCEAN: River that was supposed to encircle the earth • TETHYS: Ocean’s wife • HYPERIOD: Father of the sun, the moon, and the dawn • MNEMOSYNE: Memory • THEMIS: Justice • IAPETUS: Father of Atlas (who bore the world on his shoulders) and Prometheus (who was the savior of mankind) • These gods were NOT banished when Zeus came to power.

MT. OLYMPUS • Home to the Twelve Olympians—the children of the Titans • First held to be GREECE’S highest mountaintop • Or maybe a mysterious region far above the mountains of the earth • Entrance was a great gate of clouds kept closed by the Seasons • Inside, the gods lived, slept, feasted on AMBROSIA and NECTAR, and listened to Apollo’s lyre • No wind, no rain, no snow

Zeus Poseidon Hades Hestia Hera Ares Athena Apollo Aphrodite Hermes Artemis Hephaestus TWELVE OLYMPIANS(How many did you get?)

ZEUS (Jupiter) • Supreme ruler; Lord of the Sky; Rain-god, Cloud-gatherer; wielded the thunderbolt • Not omnipotent nor omniscient • Falls in love with one woman after another • Will do anything to hide his infidelity from his wife • SYMBOLS: eagle, oak

HERA (Juno) • Zeus’ wife and sister • Protector of marriage and heroes • Punishes the many women Zeus falls in love with • SYMBOLS: cow, peacock

POSEIDON (Neptune) • Ruler of the seas • Zeus’ brother and second in eminence • Splendid palace beneath the sea • Gave the first horse to man • Controlled storm and calm • “Earth-shaker” • Carried a trident • Connection with bulls and horses

HADES (Pluto) • Zeus’ brother and third in eminence • Ruler of the Underworld and the Dead • God of Wealth (precious metals hidden in the earth) • Had a cap that made him invisible • Rarely left his dark realm • “King of the Dead” • Wife Persephone—carried her away from earth and made her Queen of the Underworld

PALLAS ATHENA (Minerva) • Daughter of Zeus alone—sprang from Zeus’ head • Battle-goddess; fierce and ruthless • Goddess of the City • Zeus’ favorite child • “gray-eyed” • Embodiment of wisdom, reason and purity • SYMBOLS: Olive tree, owl

PHOEBUS APOLLO • Son of Zeus and Leto • Master musician, plays on his golden lyre • Archer-god • God of Healing • God of Light • God of Truth • Most ‘Greek’ of all the gods • Wears a laurel on his head • SYMBOLS: dolphin, cow

HESTIA (Vesta) • Zeus’ sister • Virgin-goddess • No personality • Goddess of the Hearth • Protector of newborn children

ARES (Mars) • Son of Zeus and Hera • God of War • Hateful • Lover of Aphrodite • Symbol of war • No personality • SYMBOL: vulture

APHRODITE (Venus) • Child of Zeus and Dione • Sprung up from the sea foam • Goddess of Love and Beauty • Beautiful and golden • Soft and weak • Wife of Hephaestus • SYMBOLS: myrtle, dove, sparrow, swan

HERMES (Mercury) • Son of Zeus and Maia (daughter of Atlas) • Graceful and swift • Zeus’ messenger—Messenger between gods and mortals • Winged sandals • Master thief

ARTEMIS (Diana) • Daughter of Zeus and Leto, Apollo’s twin • Maiden goddess of Olympus • Lady of Wild Things; Goddess of the Moon • Huntsman-in-chief • Protector of dewy youth • SYMBOLS: moon, cypress, deer

HEPHAESTUS (Vulcan, Mulciber) • Son of Hera and Zeus • God of Fire and Craftsmen (blacksmith) • Ugly • Kind, peace-loving • Popular on earth and in heaven

Great Gods of Earth • Demeter (Ceres): Goddess of Grain and Agriculture; Harvest; appropriate because women tended to the crops while men were hunting and fishing • Dionysus (Bacchus): God of Wine and Revelry

Lesser Gods of Olympus EROS (Cupid): God of Love; Aphrodite’s companion and son; naughty boy, archer-god PAN: Earth god of woods and fields, half man and half goat; Hermes’ son

NYMPHS: beautiful young goddesses of nature • Dryade: Nymph of the woods • FATES: Three goddesses who control mortal destiny • Clotho (spinner of thread of life), Lachesis (disposer of lots), Atropos (cut thread of death) • MUSES: Nine goddesses of the arts; Daughter’s of Zeus and Mnemosyne • Clio (history) Urania (astronomy), Melpomene (tragedy), Thalia (comedy), Terpsichore (dance), Calliope (epic poems), Erato (love poems), Polyhymnia (songs to Gods), Euterpe (lyrical poems) • NEREIDS: Daughters of Poseidon • GRACES: daughters of Zeus who represented beauty

IRIS: Goddess of the rainbow; messenger • Queen PERSEPHONE: Daughter of Demeter’ was abducted by Hades and made queen of the Underworld • AEOLUS: King of the Winds • SIRENS: Lured sailors to their death with singing

CLASSICAL ALLUSIONS, or references to aspects of Greek mythology, can be spotted in almost any piece of reputable literature.

It’s All Greek to Me!