Mythology Greek Gods and Goddesses An Introduction to

Mythology Greek Gods and Goddesses An Introduction to The Odyssey

Mythology �What is a “myth”? �Myths are traditional stories rooted in primitive folk beliefs of cultures. �Myths use the supernatural to interpret natural events. �Myths explain the culture’s view of the universe and the nature of humanity. �What we call “Greek mythology” was the basis for the religious beliefs in ancient Greece.

In the beginning… �There was Chaos, shapeless nothingness. �From Chaos was born two children: � Night (darkness) � Erebus (death) �Mysteriously, born from Night and Erebus was born Love. �When Love was born, order and beauty began to flourish. �Love created Light and Day. �Earth was created, and Earth bore Heaven to be her shelter, and a home for the gods.

Mother Earth and Father Heaven �Mother Earth was referred to as Gaea. �Father Heaven was referred to as Ouran 0 s. �Gaea and Ouranos gave birth to three kinds of children: � Three Hecatonchires (monsters that had 100 hands and 50 heads) � Three Cyclopes (plural of cyclops, a giant with one eye). � The Titans

The Titans �The titans were the first characters to have the appearance of life and of men. �They were enormous in size and possessed incredible strength. �The notable titans are: � Chronos (Saturn) – the ruler of the titans � Rhea – the wife of Chronos � Ocean – the river that encircled the world � Iapetus – the father of Prometheus, Epimetheus, and Atlas (all also titans)

The Gods and Goddesses � Chronos and Rhea gave birth to six children: � Zeus � Poseidon � Hades � Hera � Hestia � Demeter � These children, as well as their children, became the gods and goddesses of Greek mythology, the Olympians.

Mount Olympus �Mount Olympus was the home of most of the gods and goddesses of Greek mythology. �One major exception was Hades, who was the ruler of the Underworld.

Zeus (Jupiter, Jove) �The god of the sky and weather, especially of rain and lightning. �Zeus is the king of the gods. �As such, he is also the god of civilization and maintains order between cosmic and human affairs.

Hera (Juno) �Zeus’ sister and wife, and the queen of Olympus. �She is the goddess and protector of weddings and marriage. �Though not overly important in literature, she is a revered goddess. �Hera is also very jealous as Zeus had many affairs with mortals.

Poseidon (Neptune) �Poseidon is the brother of Zeus, and embodies the elemental forces of nature. �He is the god of water, earthquakes, and horses. �Poseidon is a crucial figure in The Iliad and The Odyssey, as he punishes Odysseus for his misdeeds, and is the father of the cyclopes.

Demeter (Ceres) �Demeter is the sister of Zeus. �She is the goddess of agriculture, as well as a goddess of fertility.

Hestia (Vesta) �Hestia is the sister of Zeus. �She is the youngest daughter of Chronos. �She is the goddess of the hearth (home). �She was also worshipped as the virgin goddess by cults of women known as the Vestal Virgins in Rome.

Hades (Pluto) �Brother of Zeus �Hades is an Olympian, but he does not live on Mount Olympus. �Hades is the ruler of the Underworld. �He is also the god of fertility and wealth.

Aphrodite (Venus) � Aphrodite was born of the sea when Ouranos was castrated by Chronos. � Occasionally she is depicted as the daughter of Zeus. � Aphrodite is the goddess of love, beauty, and desire. � She is married to the god Hephaestus.

Ares (Mars) �Ares is the son of Zeus and Hera. �He is the god of war. �In some myths, Ares is depicted as the husband of Aphrodite, though many myths say that she is married to Hephaestus.

Hephaestus (Vulcan) �Hephaestus is the son of Zeus and Hera, and brother to Ares. �He is the blacksmith of the gods, and the patron of mens’ handicrafts. �Hephaestus is also worshipped as the god of volcanoes and fire. �Hephaestus is the husband of Aphrodite.

Phoebus Apollo � Apollo is the son of Zeus and Leto, the daughter of a titan. � He has a twin sister, Artemis. � Apollo is the god of prophecy, healing, and the arts. � Apollo was not originally the god of the sun, but has been frequently given this title.

Artemis (Diana) � Artemis is the daughter of Zeus and Leto, and the twin sister of Apollo. � She is the goddess of wild animals, hunting, and archery. � She is also the goddess of virginity. � Artemis is often mistaken as the moon goddess, though she is not.

Athena (Minerva) �Athena was born from the head of Zeus after he swallowed her mother, Metis, a titan. �Athena is the goddess of civilization, war, and wisdom. �Athena is particularly important in Homer’s poem, and she supports the Greek cause.

Dionysus (Bacchus) �Dionysus was born from the thigh of Zeus after he was tricked into killing Dionysus’s mother with a thunderbolt. �Dionysus is the god of the harvest, especially grapevine and ivy. �He is also the god of wine, poetry, and madness.

Hermes (Mercury) � Hermes is the son of Zeus and Maia, the daughter of Atlas. � Hermes is a trickster and a thief. � He was the messenger of the gods, even able to travel to the Underworld. � He was the god of commerce, and a patron of travelers, heralds, and thieves.

Why are the gods and goddesses important? � In Greek mythology, the gods and goddesses frequently interfere with the lives and actions of mortals. � In The Iliad, Aphrodite becomes the patron of the Trojans, often influencing the battle in their favor. � Likewise, Athena becomes the patron of the Greeks, using her influence to assist them, especially Odysseus. � Poseidon also intervened with the war, commanding a serpent to eat the Trojan seer Laocoön, who warned the Trojans not to accept the gifts of the Greeks. � Because the Greeks were unthankful for Poseidon’s assistance, he was quick to punish their disrespect following the war: many never made it home.