1. Greek and Roman Mythology

2. What is a myth?
Is a set of beliefs, myths and religions hosted by Greek civilization
Uses the supernatural to interpret natural events
Explains the cultures view of the universe and the nature of humanity
3. In the beginning...
was Chaos (shapeless nothingness)
Chaos had two children:
Night (darkness)
Erebus (death)
All was black, empty, silent, endless.
Mysteriously, Love was born of darkness and death.
4. And then...
When Love was born, order and beauty began to flourish.
Love created Light and Day.
Earth was created.
She was the solid ground, but also a personality.
The Earth bore Heaven to cover her and be a home for the gods.
5. The First Parents
Mother Earth = Gaea (Gaia)
Father Heaven = Ouranos (Uranus)
They had three kinds of children:
Three monsters with 100 hands and 50 heads
Three Cyclopes (Giant of the giants of mythology)
The titans
These were the first characters that had the appearance of life, although it was unlike any life known to man.
6. The Titans (The Elder Gods)
There were many of them.
Enormous size, incredible strength
Cronos (Saturn): Ruler of the titans
Rhea: Wife of Cronos
Ocean: River that encircled the world
Iapetus: Father of Prometheus,Epimetheus, and Atlas (also titans)
7. The Principal Gods
Cronos and Rhea were parents of
Zeus (Jupiter, Jove)
Poseidon (Neptune)
Hades (Pluto)
Hera (Juno)
Hestia (Vesta)
Demeter (Ceres)
Other Olympians include
Athena (Minerva)
Ares (Mars)
Hebe (Juventas)
Hephaestus (Vulcan)
Apollo (Apollo)
Artemis (Diana)
Hermes (Mercury)
Aphrodite (Venus)
Dionysus (Bacchus)
Persephone
8. The Olympians
9. Zeus
Roman Name: Jupiter (also Jove)
Supreme god of the Olympians.
Fathered many characters in mythology
King of the gods and its ruler, a god of thunder and lightning.
10. Zeus
11. Hera
Roman Name: Juno
Zeuss sister and wife
Jealous protector of marriage (Goddess of (marriage
Punished the women Zeus fell in love with
12. Poseidon
Roman Name: Neptune
Brother of Zeus and Hades
God of the Seas and Waters
The Earthshaker
13. Hades
Roman Name: Pluto
Brother of Poseidon and Zeus
God of the Underworld/ Dead
Kidnapped Persephone
14. Hestia
Roman Name: Vesta
Goddess of Home& fireplace
Powerful Protector
Relinquished her position as one of the major Olympian gods Dionysius.
15. Demeter
Roman Name: Ceres
Goddess of the Harvest
A Goddess of the Earth
16. Athena
Roman Name: Minerva
Goddess of Wisdom , Planning ,and War
Sprang from Zeuss head
Favorite daughter of Zeus.
17. Ares
Roman Name: Mars
God of War and Revenge
Son of Zeus and Hera
Bloodthirsty and merciless
18. Hephaestus
Roman Name: Vulcan (Mulciber)
God of Fire/Forge
Son of Zeus and Hera
Kind, unlike his brother
Husband of Aphrodite, who was forced to marry him
19. Apollo
Roman Name: Apollo
God of arts, including music and poetry is also a sun god
Brother of Artemis
20. Artemis
Roman Name: Diana
Goddess of hunting, shooting, birth, virginity, protector of young animals and humans, and in some legends, the goddess of the moon
Sister to Apollo
21. Hermes
Roman Name: Mercury
Messenger of the Gods
God of travel, thieves, Trade
Appears in more myths than any other character
22. Aphrodite
Roman Name: Venus
Goddess of Love and Beauty
Sprang from the ocean foam
23. Dionysus
Roman Name: Bacchus
God of Wine
Patron god of the Greek stage
A God of the Earth
24. Persephone
Roman Name: Proserpina
Goddess of the Underworld
Daughter of Zeus and Demeter
Abducted by Hades
25. Hebe
Roman Name: Juventas
Goddess of Youth
Restored youth to the aged
26. Eros
Roman Name: Cupid
Young God of Love
Son of Aphrodite and Hephaestus
27. Iris
Goddess of the Rainbow
Messenger for Zeus and Hera
Daughter of the titan Thaumus and the nymph Electra
28. The Muses
Goddesses who presided over the arts and sciences
He is happy whom the muses love.
Nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne
Inspired artists of all kinds
Clio, Urania, Thalia, Melpomene, Erato, Calliope, Euterpe, Terpsichore, Polyhymnia
29. The Graces
Three Goddesses of Grace and Beauty
They give life its bloom.
Aglaia (Splendor)
Euphrosyne (Mirth)
Thalia (Good Cheer)
30. The Erinnyes (The Furies)
Roman Name: Furiae or Dirae (The Furies)
Three Goddesses of Vengeance
Tisiphone
Alecto
Megaera
They punish evildoers.
31. The Fates
Roman Name: Parcae, Moirae
Three sisters
Clotho (The Spinner)
Lachesis (The disposer of lots)
Atropos (The cutter)
They weave, measure, and cut the thread of life for humans.
32. The Satyrs
Gods of the woods and mountains
Shepherd gods
Goat men (like Pan)
Companions of Dionysus
They like to drink, dance, and chase nymphs.
33. The Gorgons
Three snake-haired monsters
Medusa is most well-known
Their look turns men to stone.
34. The Centaurs
Half man, half horse
Savage creatures (except Chiron)
Followers of Dionysus
35. ......To be continued
36. Sources
Graphics in this presentation were taken from the following web sites:
http://www.bulfinch.org/fables/search.html
http://www.pantheon.org/
http://www.messagenet.com/myths/
http://mythman.com/
http://web.uvic.ca/grs/bowman/myth/index.html
http://www.paleothea.com/
http://www.entrenet.com/%7Egroedmed/greekm/myth.html
37. Thank You