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The Homeric Epics and Greek Mythology

The Homeric Epics and Greek Mythology. Western Civilization Ms. Tully. Origins of Greek Mythology. Names and concepts of gods brought to Greece by Mycenaeans Homer’s epics, The Iliad and The Odyssey and Hesiod’s Theogeny , are NOT reliable historical documents

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The Homeric Epics and Greek Mythology

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  1. The Homeric Epics and Greek Mythology Western Civilization Ms. Tully

  2. Origins of Greek Mythology • Names and concepts of gods brought to Greece by Mycenaeans • Homer’s epics, The Iliad and The Odyssey and Hesiod’s Theogeny, are NOT reliable historical documents • Offer Greeks an ideal past – legendary Heroic Age • Polytheistic pantheon of gods located on top of Mt. Olympus

  3. Popular Greek Gods • Aphrodite • Apollo • Ares • Artemis • Athena • Demeter • Dionysus • Eros • Hades • Hephaestus • Hera • Hermes • Hestia • Pan • Persephone • Poseidon • Zeus

  4. Hesiod’s Theogeny • Influenced by Mesopotamian myths • Traces descent of Zeus – moral and gendered origin story • Zeus defeats Gaia, earth goddess – establishes male-dominated system with him at head • Attributes all human problems to the first woman, Pandora • Pandora opened a box that let out all the evils of the world

  5. Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey • Homer credited as the creator of these epic poems • Translated orally for 400 years • Not recorded until ca. 750 B.C.E. • Set at end of Bronze Age/beginning of Dark Age • Stories have been updated and interpreted for hundreds of different audiences • Gods often intervene in human affairs – depicted as having human characteristics • Popular themes: Honor, Fate, Flawed characters

  6. The tale of the Great War: The Iliad • Tells the story of Achaeans (Mycenaeans) vs. Trojans • Paris, son of Priam (King of Troy) steals Helen, the wife of Menelaus and most beautiful woman in the world • Menelaus deprived of honor and wife • Agamemnon, brother of Menelaus, brought army of Achaeans to Troy • Included the famous vicious warrior, Achilles • Focus on conflict between Agamemnon and Achilles

  7. Major turning point – Hector (son of Priam, greatest Trojan warrior) kills Patroklos (Achille’s BFF) – hence, the revenge/rage of Achilles • Kills Hector, drags his body around the city of Troy • King Priam must beg Achilles for Hector’s body

  8. The Trojan Horse • Achaeans feign a retreat, but really hide in horse • Trojans bring in the horse, Achaeans jump out and destroy Troy • Many Achaeans have a long difficult journey home, some do not make it

  9. Are we there yet? The Odyssey • The story of Odysseus’ journey home (one of the Achaean kings) • Great adventure story – encounter many classic monsters • Cyclops, Sirens, sea monsters

  10. Odysseus’ obedient wife, Penelope, waits at home for his return • Fends off suitors who want Odysseus’ kingdom • Model woman/wife • Odysseus returns home after 20+ years, kills off all the suitors

  11. The Historicity of Homer • Oral poet of about 750 B.C., working within a long tradition of oral poetry • First Greek poet within this tradition to survive in writing • Exceptional in length and quality • Sophisticated narrative techniques

  12. 8th century B.C. poet writing about the Mycenean Age, about 1200 B.C. • Mycenean age = 1600-1200 • Fall of Troy = about 1220 • Destruction of Mycene = about 1150 • Dark Ages 1200-800 • By 1870, most of Western Europe agreed there was no Troy and no Trojan war

  13. Heinrich Schielmann – 20 years of excavations at Hissarlik (1871) • Believed to be the location of Troy • Discovered “Priam’s Treasure” (??) • Excavated Mycene and other sites – Mask of Agamemnon? • Now – some correlation between topography described in Homer’s poems & Schielmann’s excavations – but there is no way to know for sure…

  14. Greek Religion • No sacred books, no ethical code of conduct, no ecclesiastical authority • Temples built to honor gods – not the same as a church/synagogue • Festivals, personal offerings • Altar for sacrifices (animals) • Priests/priestesses cared for temples, led rituals • Each city-state had a patron deity with a local cult • Religion was local and domestic – native rights unique to villages

  15. Pan-Hellenic Festivals • Olympia – Zeus (every four years…sound familiar?) or Delphi – Apollo • Attracted visitors from all over Greece • Unifying factors in Greek life

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