Introduction to Mythology: - PowerPoint Presentation

Introduction to Mythology: Before the Greeks, mankind was afraid of the unknown and used sacrifice as a way to appease angry spirits or predators. The “Greek miracle”: T he Greeks eventually evolve past the idea of human sacrifice to a more enlightened people; gods were used to explain the unknown Myth was used not only as entertainment , but also early science and religion.

Egyptian God Ra Greek Goddess Artemis Gods were made in man’s image to show how humans became the center of the universe. Because they looked like humans, gods showed the perfection of the human form and emphasized the ideal of beauty, strength, wisdom , etc. This also gave the gods flaws , making them more relatable .

Creation of the World From nothing, there came Chaos. Night and Erebus were born of Chaos. Love was born of Erebus . Light and Day were born of Love.

The Birth of the First Creatures: Ouranos (Heaven) and Gaia (Earth) parent the first creatures: 1. Three monsters with 100 hands, 50 heads 2. Three Cyclopes (one-eyed giants) 3. Titans (as powerful as brothers, but not purely destructive *Gaia = geo (prefix meaning earth) * T itanic = enormous, strong, powerful

The Titans: * Cronus (Saturn): most powerful, father of Zeus Ocean: river encircling the earth Hyperion: father of sun, moon, and dawn Mnemosyne: memory Themis: justice * Atlas * Prometheus Brothers, who togetherEpimetheus caused the fall of man*mnemonic = intended to assist the memory

Daddy Issues: Ouranos was a terrible father: hating his 100-handed sons, he locked them in the earth Gaia begged her son Cronus to help Cronus overthrew Ouranos and wounded him From his blood, Giants & Furies are born Cronus is lord of the universe for untold ages He never actually frees his brothers (you know, the reason he was supposed to fight dad in the first place)

War: Gods vs. Titans And More Daddy Issues Cronus & sister-queen Rhea have 6 children Hades, Demeter, Hera, Poseidon, Hestia, Zeus Prophecy: one of Cronus’s children will overthrow him Cronus swallows all his babies whole Rhea is not pleased Secretly sends 6 th baby (Zeus) to Crete Gives hubby a rock wrapped in a blanket, which he swallows Zeus grows up, makes dad throw up his siblings, and war is on

Taking Sides: Titans, obviously, side with Cronus and fight Zeus and his siblings War almost wrecks the universe Titans lose for 2 reasons Zeus frees the 100-handed monsters, who naturally fight on his side Titan Prometheus fights for Zeus

Crime and Punishment : Zeus punishes the Titans in a big way Most are bound in chains under the earth Atlas is forced to carry the earth on his back/shoulders *atlas: a book of maps

Zeus (Jupiter): Lord of the sky, rain god, cloud gatherer Grand but flawed Deceivable Has a serious weakness for females Fate is stronger than he is Breastplate: Aegis Weapon: thunderbolt Bird: eagle Oracle: Dodona (priests interpret his will through the rustling of oak leaves)

Hera (Juno): Wife and sister of Zeus Protector of marriage ONLY in the tale of the Golden Fleece, she protects and inspires heroes Venerated in every home Daughter Ilithyia helps women in childbirth Jealous, spiteful, vindictive Constantly tortures her husband’s lovers Animals: cow, peacock City: Argos

Poseidon (Neptune): Ruler of the sea Second only to Zeus Wife is Amphitrite, a Nereid, granddaughter of Ocean Undersea palace is splendid, but he hangs out on Olympus most of the time Storm and calm are under his control Drives golden car over waters Gave man the first horse Called Earth-shaker Carries a trident

Hades (Pluto) Ruler of the underworld and the dead He is NOT death: Death is Thanatos God of wealth & precious metals under the earth Has a helmet that makes the wearer invisible Not popular on Olympus Unpitying, inexorable, but just Wife is Persephone, daughter of his sister Demeter

Pallas Athena (Minerva): Daughter of Zeus alone: sprang from his head in full armor Zeus’s favorite child: trusted to carry his Aegis and thunderbolt Goddess of the city Protector of civilized life, handicrafts, agriculture Inventor of bridle Gave man the olive tree In the Iliad ONLY, she is a fierce battle goddess The leader of the 3 virgin goddesses In Greek poetry she embodies 3 virtues Wisdom Reason purity City: AthensBird: Owl Tree: olive

Phoebus Apollo: Son of Zeus and Leto The most Greek of all the gods Beautiful Master musician Archer god Teaches men the art of healing God of Light God of Truth: never speaks falsely His oracle at Delphi is the most important oracle Its center is the stone Cronus swallowed instead of Zeus Associated with the sun He is NOT the sun god: the sun god is Helios Dual nature Sometimes beneficent, a peace-maker, communicator of divine will Sometimes cruel and pitiless Tree: laurelAnimals: many, but especially the dolphin and crow

Artemis (Diana): Apollo’s twin, daughter of Zeus and Leto One of the 3 virgin goddesses Lady of the wild things, huntsman for the gods Protects the young Carries silver arrows Dual nature Protects young, helps women with swift, painless death Fierce and vindictive Associated with the moon She is NOT the moon goddess: the moon goddess is Selene Tree: cypress Animals: all wild animals, but especially the deer

Aphrodite (Venus): Goddess of love and beauty Laughter-loving Beguiling: steals the wits of the wise Laughs at those she conquers Parentage is questionable In the Iliad : daughter of Zeus and Dione In later poems: sprang from the foam of the sea, landed on Cyprus Dual nature Beautiful, brings light, joy, loveliness Treacherous and malicious Wife of Hephaestus, the only ugly god Tree: myrtle Birds: dove, sparrow, swan (drives a chariot pulled by swans)*aphrodisiac = something that arouses desire *venereal = pertaining to sexual desire

Hermes (Mercury): Son of Zeus and Maia (daughter of Atlas) Zeus’s messenger Graceful and swift Wings on sandals, hat, & wand (the Caduceus) Most cunning of gods: master thief The day he was born, he stole Apollo’s herds Won Apollo’s forgiveness by giving him his invention: the lyre God of commerce and the market Guide of the dead Appears more often in myths than any other god *****mercurial = quick-witted, lively, changeable hermaphrodite = has reproductive organs of both sexes (comes from a myth about Hermes’s child with Aphrodite)

Ares (Mars): Son of Zeus & Hera: they can’t stand him God of war Hateful and ruthless Homer calls him murderous and bloodstained Innately a coward, runs away when wounded Attendants Eris: goddess of discord Strife: Eris’s sister Enyo: war goddess, who hangs with Terror, Trembling, and Panic Romans liked Mars better than Greeks did Ares Figures very little in myth Lover of Aphrodite No cities where he is worshipped Bird: vulture Animal: dog

Hephaestus (Vulcan or Mulciber): Questionable parentage Sometimes son of Zeus and Hera Sometimes just Hera’s son (like Athena is just his) God of fire The only ugly god, and has a limp to boot Some myths say Hera saw he was ugly & threw him off Olympus Others say he defended Hera against Zeus, so Zeus threw him Workman of the immortals Makes their dwellings, armor, furnishings, weapons Has handmaidens he made out of gold His workshop can be found under this or that volcano WifeIliad: one of the three Graces Odyssey: Aphrodite Kindly, peace-loving, popular with mortals Patron of handicrafts, as is Athena *volcano

Hestia (Vesta): Sister of Zeus One of the 3 virgin goddesses Goddess of the hearth and home Mortal meals begin & end w/ offering to her Each city had a public hearth in her honor Newborns must be carried around hearth to be received into the family In Rome, her priestesses are virgins, called Vestals No distinct personality, plays no part in myths *vestal = virginal

Eros (Cupid): God of love, his home is in men’s hearts Represented blindfolded Said to be Aphrodite’s son Dual nature Cannot do or allow wrong; force can’t come near him In later myths, mischievous or even evil Attendants Anteros: avenges slighted love Himeros: longing Hymen: god of wedding feast * erotic = arousing desire cupidity = greed

Demeter (Ceres): Goddess of the harvest Mother of Persephone Lost her daughter Persephone wandered too far, enticed by a flower Hades dragged her through a chasm to the underworld Demeter left Olympus to search for Persephone Neglected the earth, harvests suffered Zeus is alerted by suffering humanity, sends Hermes for Persephone Persephone ate pomegranate seeds in the underworld: if you eat anything down there, you can’t leave Compromise Persephone must live with Hades in underworld for 4 months per year When Persephone is gone, Demeter mourns, fields are barren = winter On Persephone’s return, life returns = spring Persephone is the goddess of the spring *****cereal

Dionysus (Bacchus): Son of Zeus and Semele Hera, jealous, tricks Semele: make Zeus promise (by the Styx) to show himself in all his glory Semele is killed by the burning light of his glory Zeus snatches the child, near birth, to store in his thigh God of the vine: born of fire, nursed by rain wanders the earth, teaching the culture of the vine Worshipped everywhere but his country Followers are Maenads, or Bacchantes Women frenzied with wine rush across fields & woods in ecstasy, tear wild creatures & devour Dionysus feeds them and helps them sleep it off Their beauty is counteracted by their bloody feasts Dual nature Beneficent and kind Cruel, driving men to terrible deeds *bacchanal = an occasion of drunken revelry