Introduction To Greek Mythology Arbor Hills GATEEnglish Greek
Introduction To Greek Mythology Arbor Hills GATE/English
§ Greek history can be traced back over 40, 000 years § Land that is now called Greece and Turkey § At the time of the myths, the area was divided into many small states –States are in all Caps, cities are in normal print
What is a Myth? § A story which is the product of imagination § Myths were more than just folk tales to the Ancient Greeks—it was more like a religion – Closely related to the religious beliefs. § About supernatural events and gods § Combines a religious purpose with an explanatory purpose – For example a mythmaker tries to interpret nature through personification (gods and mortals) through it
What is a Myth? § Myths were attempts to explain things that would nowadays be explained scientifically. § Ancient people had no scientific knowledge so they used their imagination to fill in the gaps. § Explained natural phenomena that could not be explained otherwise § Like the daily motion of the sun across the sky § Explained how people acquired basic things § (Speech, fire, grain, wine, oil, honey, agriculture, metal work, and other skills and arts)
Purpose of Greek Myths § To explain human emotions § To answer questions people asked about the world around them and the natural events that occurred in it § To teach morals by justifying their social system and its customs
Forms of Greek Myths § Motif of the quest – Jason and the Golden Fleece – The Odyssey § Stories of heroes – Heracles – Theseus § Stories of wars – Trojan War § Stories of the creation of the world § Explanations for natural phenomena
Combining Gods and Myths § Myths evolved over many centuries – During times of war and invasions in Ancient Greece § Conquerors and settlers brought their own gods with them – Took over or merged with similar deity (god) figures that already existed in Greece § Most notably Rome – Different versions of stories about gods § Conflicting stories of parents, birth place, etc. § Probably changed less once the myths were written down
Strange Behavior § The gods did many strange things in the myths – Greeks accepted this because the gods were supernatural beings – Ordinary people would not have been allowed to do these strange things § Examples – Gods often married very close members of their family such as siblings or parents – Grew up instantly – Able to do miraculous things right away
Religion § The stories told in the Greek myths formed part of the religion of Ancient Greece. – The myths illustrated the nature of the gods – The myths taught was pleased or angered the gods § Teaching morals, values § The myths did not set out religious rules or ideals like the Bible or the Koran
What the Gods Were Like § The Greeks thought of their gods as being like themselves – Human shaped – Got married and had children – Made friends and enemies – Had human-like faults § Jealousy, bad temper, bad behaviors
Religion and Everyday Life § Religion was a part of everyday life § Greeks often said a quick prayer to the particular god before doing something – In hopes of it bringing success § Each god was responsible for some aspect of life § People worshiped the gods they found relevant – Pan was the god of shepherds, for example.
Temples § Many magnificent temples were built to the gods. § Priests or priestesses looked after the temples and carried out religious ceremonies. § People had shrines in their homes. – Daily prayers and private ceremonies § Remains of the temple of Poseidon, the god of the Ocean, at Cape Sounion.
Festivals and Drama § The Greeks had special feast days for the gods – Processions and sacrifices – Plays were performed telling the gods’ lives. § Greek Comic Actor § Much of what we now know about Greek myths comes from these plays.
The Creation Myth § The Ancient Greek religion tried to explain how the world began. – Again, not based on science but rather based on imagination § It all started from Chaos – Before anything existed, there was a dark nothingness call Chaos – Gradually the shape of Mother Earth, Gaea, emerged from the emptiness and formed the world.
Mother Earth’s Children § Gaea (Mother Earth) produced a son, Uranus, who was the sky – They had children together § Rain fell from the sky onto Earth – Making plants grow and animals appeared from the rivers and the seas
Mother Earth’s Children § Many strangely-shaped monsters and giants were born – Including the three one-eyed Cyclopes § Uranus treated them cruelly and banished them to the Underworld § Human-shaped giants called Titans were born who became the first gods and goddesses.
The Revolt of the Titans § Gaea, (Mother Earth) could not forgive Uranus for his treatment of her first children (cyclops) and encouraged the Titans, led by Cronos, to rebel. – Cronos attacked and overcame Uranus with a sickle and took power.
The Birth of Zeus § Cronos married his sister, Rhea, and became King of the Titans. § They had five children – Cronos had been warned that one of them would kill him – He swallowed each one as it was born § To save her sixth child, Rhea tricked Cronos into swallowing a stone wrapped in baby’s clothes and hid the real child among some lesser goddesses called nymphs. – This child was Zeus and was raised safely by the nymphs.
Zeus’s Revenge § When he grew up, Zeus returned home in disguise § Slipped a potion into Cronos’s drink – Made him choke § The children Cronos had swallowed were coughed out, whole and safe – Daughters—Hestia, Demeter, and Hera – Sons—Hades and Poseidon
Zeus’s Revenge § A fierce battle took place § Zeus freed the Cyclopes – Made thunderbolts for Zeus to hurl – Made a forked trident for Poseidon – Made a helmet that made its wearer invisible for Hades
Zeus’s Revenge § Most of the Titans and giants sided with Cronos – Remember the giants and Titans (the first gods and goddesses) were children of Mother Earth and Uranus— Brothers/Sisters of Cronos § After a terrible struggle, the children of Cronos (the New Gods) were victorious. § The Titans were banished – One of them, Atlas, was made to hold up the heavens as punishment
What the World Was Like § The victorious gods divided the world amongst themselves by drawing lots – Zeus became ruler of the sky and king of all the gods. – Poseidon was made king of the Ocean – Hades was made god of the Underworld.
Olympus § The home of the gods was the peak of Mount Olympus § There was a real mountain in the north of Greece called Mount Olympus – Seemed very high and remote to most Ancient Greeks § Seemed a likely place for the gods to live – Gradually, Olympus was associated less with the actual mountain and became more an imaginary place high above the Earth. § Zeus married his sister, Hera, and they ruled as king and queen. § No-one but the gods could visit Olympus, except by special invitation.
The Underworld § Ruled by Zeus’s brother, Hades § Everyone went there when they died § Three parts – Asphodel Fields § Ordinary people wandered here as “shades” where they were shadowy versions of their earthly selves – Tartarus § Place of punishment for really evil people – Elysian Fields § Exceptionally good or heroic people § Golden, blissful place of rest
The Underworld § You could be sent back to Earth to live another life, but if you earned a place in the Elysian Fields three times, you were allowed to go to the Isles of the Blessed, and never had to leave. § The Styx – The Styx was the name of the river you had to cross to enter the Underworld. – You had to pay the boatman, Charon, one obol (Ancient Greek coin) to ferry you across § People were buried with a coin so they could pay Charon
Ocean § Poseidon’s Kingdom – Controlled the winds and waves – Important to sailors § Made sacrifices to appease Poseidon – Poseidon was powerful, but had to obey Zeus
Earth § Where humans lived § Many weird and dangerous creatures lived there too – Greek heroes had to fight these monsters § Gods frequently visited the Earth – Sometimes made friends with humans – Came in disguise, rewarding or punishing people according to how they treated the gods – Sometimes they fell in love with humans and had children with them § Heroes of the Greek myths were born in this way—half human, half god (demi-god)
Family Tree § http: //ludios. org/greekgods/
Why Should We Study Greek Mythology? § Ancient Greek culture has been kept alive by the oral and later written stories handed down through thousands of years. § Modern plays, novels, television programs, movies, and even advertisements refer to Greek gods, goddesses, and heroes in their stories.
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