Greek and Roman Greek and Roman MythologyMythology

An introduction toAn introduction to

the Principal Gods and the Principal Gods and GoddessesGoddesses

What is a myth?What is a myth?

A traditional story rooted in A traditional story rooted in primitive folk beliefs of culturesprimitive folk beliefs of cultures

Uses the supernatural to interpret Uses the supernatural to interpret natural eventsnatural events

Explains the culture’s view of the Explains the culture’s view of the universe and the nature of humanityuniverse and the nature of humanity

The Greek mythology of today was The Greek mythology of today was the religion of yesterday.the religion of yesterday.

For the Greeks…For the Greeks…

The gods and goddesses were The gods and goddesses were directly responsible for the success directly responsible for the success or failure of human life, so the or failure of human life, so the Greeks prayed, gave offerings and Greeks prayed, gave offerings and built temples to please them.built temples to please them.

Unlike religions prior to the Greeks Unlike religions prior to the Greeks and most religions today, the and most religions today, the Greek gods were Greek gods were anthropomorphicanthropomorphic—they looked and acted like —they looked and acted like humans.humans.

In the beginning...In the beginning... ……was Chaos (shapeless was Chaos (shapeless

nothingness)nothingness) From out of Chaos, Gaea, or From out of Chaos, Gaea, or

Mother Earth was formed.Mother Earth was formed. Gaea made Uranus (Father Sky) Gaea made Uranus (Father Sky)

to cover her and to be a home to cover her and to be a home for the gods.for the gods.

With Uranus, Gaea created the With Uranus, Gaea created the Titans, the Elder Gods.Titans, the Elder Gods.

The Titans (The Elder The Titans (The Elder Gods)Gods)

There were many of them, enormous in There were many of them, enormous in size with incredible strength.size with incredible strength.

Cronus (Saturn): Ruler of the TitansCronus (Saturn): Ruler of the Titans Rhea: Wife of Cronus, mother of the Rhea: Wife of Cronus, mother of the

OlympiansOlympians Oceanus: River that encircled the worldOceanus: River that encircled the world Mnemosyne: Memory, mother of the Mnemosyne: Memory, mother of the

musesmuses

Then…Then… Cronus, with Gaea’s blessing, defeats Uranus Cronus, with Gaea’s blessing, defeats Uranus

by castrating him and becomes the ruler of all.by castrating him and becomes the ruler of all. Worried that one of his children will do the Worried that one of his children will do the

same to him, he swallows them as soon as same to him, he swallows them as soon as they are born. they are born.

After Cronus swallows five of his children After Cronus swallows five of his children (Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Hestia, and Demeter), (Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Hestia, and Demeter), Rhea gives birth to Zeus.Rhea gives birth to Zeus.

Rhea saves her son by tricking Cronus into Rhea saves her son by tricking Cronus into swallowing a rock in a baby blanket.swallowing a rock in a baby blanket.

The Fall of the Titans The Fall of the Titans

Zeus grows up in hiding and returns Zeus grows up in hiding and returns to challenge Cronus. to challenge Cronus.

He poisons is father in order to He poisons is father in order to rescue his brothers and sisters.rescue his brothers and sisters.

After a prolonged battle, Zeus and After a prolonged battle, Zeus and the gods eventually overcome the the gods eventually overcome the Titans, and become rulers of the Titans, and become rulers of the world.world.

The OlympiansThe OlympiansThe gods ruled from The gods ruled from a palace on the a palace on the summit of Mt. summit of Mt. Olympus, built for Olympus, built for Zeus by the Zeus by the Cyclopes.Cyclopes.

ZeusZeus

Roman Name: Roman Name: JupiterJupiter

Supreme god of Supreme god of the Olympiansthe Olympians

God of the Sky, God of the Sky, Thunder and Thunder and LightningLightning

Symbols: eagle, Symbols: eagle, lightning boltlightning bolt

HeraHera Roman Name: Roman Name:

JunoJuno Zeus’s sister Zeus’s sister

and wifeand wife Goddess of Goddess of

MarriageMarriage Punished the Punished the

women Zeus fell women Zeus fell in love within love with

Symbols: Symbols: peacock, cowpeacock, cow

PoseidonPoseidon

Roman Name: Roman Name: NeptuneNeptune

God of the Seas God of the Seas and Watersand Waters

““The The Earthshaker”Earthshaker”

Symbols: trident, Symbols: trident, horsehorse

HadesHades

Roman Name: Roman Name: PlutoPluto

God of the God of the Underworld/ DeadUnderworld/ Dead

Kidnapped Kidnapped PersephonePersephone

Symbols: cap of Symbols: cap of invisibility, invisibility, Cerebus (3-headed Cerebus (3-headed dog)dog)

DemeterDemeter

Roman Roman Name: CeresName: Ceres

Goddess of Goddess of the Harvest & the Harvest & AgricultureAgriculture

Symbols: Symbols: sheaf of sheaf of wheat, cornwheat, corn

HestiaHestia

Roman Name: Roman Name: VestaVesta

Goddess of the Goddess of the Hearth & Hearth & HomeHome

Powerful Powerful ProtectorProtector

Symbol: Symbol: fireplacefireplace

AthenaAthena Roman Name: Roman Name:

MinervaMinerva Goddess of Goddess of

Wisdom and Wisdom and Just WarJust War

Sprang from Sprang from Zeus’s headZeus’s head

Symbols: owl, Symbols: owl, oliveolive

AresAres

Roman Name: Roman Name: MarsMars

God of WarGod of War Son of Zeus and Son of Zeus and

HeraHera Bloodthirsty, Bloodthirsty,

merciless & merciless & cowardlycowardly

Symbols: dog, Symbols: dog, vulturevulture

HephaestuHephaestuss

Roman Name: Roman Name: Vulcan Vulcan

God of Fire/ForgeGod of Fire/Forge Son of Zeus and Son of Zeus and

HeraHera Kind, unlike his Kind, unlike his

brother Aresbrother Ares Symbol: anvilSymbol: anvil

ApolloApollo Roman Name: Roman Name:

ApolloApollo God of Sun, Truth, God of Sun, Truth,

Healing, Prophesy Healing, Prophesy & Music& Music

Most handsome of Most handsome of the godsthe gods

Brother of ArtemisBrother of Artemis Symbols: sun, Symbols: sun,

laurellaurel

ArtemisArtemis

Roman Name: Roman Name: DianaDiana

Goddess of the Goddess of the Moon, the Moon, the Hunt & YouthHunt & Youth

Sister to Sister to ApolloApollo

Symbols: deer, Symbols: deer, the moon the moon

HermesHermes

Roman Name: MercuryRoman Name: Mercury Messenger of the GodsMessenger of the Gods Protector of shepherds Protector of shepherds

& thieves& thieves Appears in more Appears in more

myths than any other myths than any other charactercharacter

Symbol: winged Symbol: winged sandalssandals

AphroditeAphrodite Roman Name: VenusRoman Name: Venus Goddess of Love & Goddess of Love &

BeautyBeauty Sprang from the ocean Sprang from the ocean

foamfoam Married to HephaestusMarried to Hephaestus Mother of Eros (Roman Mother of Eros (Roman

Name: Cupid)Name: Cupid) Symbols: shell, dove, Symbols: shell, dove,

sparrowsparrow

DionysusDionysus

Roman Name: Roman Name: BacchusBacchus

God of Wine & God of Wine & FestivityFestivity

Patron god of the Patron god of the Greek stageGreek stage

Symbols: drinking Symbols: drinking cup, leopard, cup, leopard, grape vinegrape vine

PersephonPersephonee

Roman Name: Roman Name: ProserpinaProserpina

Goddess of the Goddess of the UnderworldUnderworld

Daughter of Zeus Daughter of Zeus and Demeterand Demeter

Abducted by HadesAbducted by Hades Symbols: wreath of Symbols: wreath of

flowers, flowers, pomegranatepomegranate

The MusesThe Muses

Nine daughters of Nine daughters of Zeus and Zeus and MnemosyneMnemosyne

Inspired artists of Inspired artists of all kindsall kinds

Goddesses who Goddesses who presided over the presided over the arts and sciencesarts and sciences

““He is happy whom He is happy whom the muses love.”the muses love.”

Clio, Urania, Thalia, Melpomene, Erato, Calliope, Euterpe, Terpsichore, Polyhymnia

The FatesThe Fates

Roman Name: Parcae, MoiraeRoman Name: Parcae, Moirae Three sistersThree sisters

– Clotho (“The Spinner”)Clotho (“The Spinner”)– Lachesis (“The disposer of lots”)Lachesis (“The disposer of lots”)– Atropos (“The cutter”)Atropos (“The cutter”)

They weave, measure, and cut the They weave, measure, and cut the thread of life for humans.thread of life for humans.

The GracesThe Graces

Three Goddesses Three Goddesses of Grace and of Grace and BeautyBeauty

Aglaia (Splendor)Aglaia (Splendor) Euphrosyne (Mirth)Euphrosyne (Mirth) Thalia (Good Thalia (Good

Cheer)Cheer)

The FuriesThe Furies

Three Goddesses of Three Goddesses of VengeanceVengeance– Tisiphone (Avenging Tisiphone (Avenging

Murder)Murder)– Alecto (Unceasing)Alecto (Unceasing)– Megaera (Grudging)Megaera (Grudging)

They punish evildoers.They punish evildoers.

The GorgonsThe Gorgons

Three snake-Three snake-haired haired monstersmonsters

Medusa is most Medusa is most well-knownwell-known

Their look turns Their look turns men to stone.men to stone.

The Lego The Lego PantheonPantheon

SourcesSources

Graphics in this presentation were taken Graphics in this presentation were taken from the following web sites:from the following web sites:– http://www.bulfinch.org/fables/search.htmlhttp://www.bulfinch.org/fables/search.html– http://www.pantheon.org/http://www.pantheon.org/– http://www.messagenet.com/myths/http://www.messagenet.com/myths/– http://mythman.com/http://mythman.com/– http://web.uvic.ca/grs/bowman/myth/index.htmlhttp://web.uvic.ca/grs/bowman/myth/index.html– http://www.paleothea.com/http://www.paleothea.com/– http://www.entrenet.com/%7Egroedmed/greekm/myth.htmlhttp://www.entrenet.com/%7Egroedmed/greekm/myth.html– http://www.flickr.com/photos/dunechaser/103708543/in/http://www.flickr.com/photos/dunechaser/103708543/in/

photostream/photostream/