Greek Mythology

&Epic Poetry

Notes

Greek Mythology• Mythology is the study of myths• Myths are stories involving

gods, goddesses, and heroes.

Why did myths begin?• To entertain• To explain natural

phenomena• To explain the relationship of

god to man• To teach lessons and morals

Homer’s The Odyssey

The Odyssey is an epic poem based on Greek mythology

What is an Epic Poem?

A long narrative poem about a national or legendary hero.

Characteristics of an Epic Poem:

• Incorporate myth, legend, folk tale, and history

• Have a grand tone• Heroes and their adventures

appear larger than life (Epic Hero)• Many were drawn from oral

tradition

What is Oral Tradition

• Oral tradition is the tradition of verbal transmission of cultural material and from one generation to another

• Used in lieu of written language• Messages or testimony are verbally

transmitted in speech or song and may take the form, for example, of folktales, sayings, ballads, songs, or chants

The Ancient Gods of Greek Mythology-The Family Tree

LET’SREVIEW

THEGREEK

CREATIONMYTH

It All Started with It All Started with ChaosChaos

• The world was formed The world was formed from a great mass called from a great mass called Chaos. Chaos.

• Out from Chaos came Out from Chaos came Gaea, the earth Goddess. Gaea, the earth Goddess.

• She gave birth to a son, She gave birth to a son, Uranus, and together they Uranus, and together they had six children. Three 50 had six children. Three 50 headed & 100-handed headed & 100-handed giants and three one-eyed giants and three one-eyed Cyclopes. Cyclopes.

• Uranus hated these Uranus hated these children and sent them to children and sent them to the underworld. the underworld.

• On their second On their second try, Uranus and try, Uranus and Gaea produced Gaea produced seven Titans:seven Titans:

- CLYMENE- CLYMENE - HYPERION- HYPERION - CRONUS- CRONUS - PHALLA- PHALLA - PHOEBE- PHOEBE - RHEA- RHEA - TETHYS- TETHYS

The Betrayals The Betrayals Continue . . .Continue . . .• Gaea, however, was Gaea, however, was

still upset that Uranus still upset that Uranus banished their other banished their other children.children.

• She told the Titans She told the Titans what Uranus had done what Uranus had done and asked them to and asked them to seek revenge. seek revenge.

• Cronus (their son) did Cronus (their son) did seek revenge by seek revenge by castrating Uranus, and castrating Uranus, and becoming the new becoming the new ruler.ruler.

• But, when he saw the But, when he saw the other children, he other children, he agreed they were too agreed they were too ugly to allow out of ugly to allow out of the underworld. the underworld.

• Cronus married Rhea.Cronus married Rhea.• They had five They had five

children, but since children, but since Gaea had warned him Gaea had warned him that one of his kids that one of his kids would overthrow him, would overthrow him, Cronus swallowed his Cronus swallowed his own children.own children.

• Rhea was tired of Rhea was tired of this, so she hid the this, so she hid the sixth child, Zeus, in sixth child, Zeus, in Crete. Crete.

• When Cronus asked When Cronus asked for the child, Rhea for the child, Rhea wrapped a rock in wrapped a rock in clothes and Cronus clothes and Cronus swallowed it. swallowed it.

Zeus Takes Vengeance

• Zeus grows up, Rhea tells him the story about his siblings, and he plots revenge against Cronus.

• He poisons Cronus, and his siblings pop out of Cronus’s belly (after the rock, of course).

• After this, Zeus tries to take over, but the other Titans wont recognize him, so they start a war.

• Gaea tells Zeus about her first six children, and with their help he wins against the Titans. Then he takes the whole family to Mt. Olympus (Thus the name Olympian Gods).

THEGREEKGODS

Zeus• After overthrowing his

father Cronus, Zeus drew straws with his brothers Poseidon and Hades. Zeus won the draw and became the supreme ruler of the gods.

• He is lord of the sky, the rain god.

• His symbol is a thunderbolt which he hurls at those who anger him.

• He is married to Hera, but is famous for his many affairs with goddesses and mortals.

• He is also known to punish those that lie or break oaths.

Zeus’s Wife, Lovers & Kids

Poseidon• Brother of Zeus and Hades• Lord of the sea. • To impress Demeter,

Poseidon created the first horse. In some accounts, his first attempts were unsuccessful and he created a variety of other animals in his quest.

• His symbol is a trident, which can shake the earth and shatter any object.

• He is second only to Zeus in power among the gods.

• He has a difficult, quarrelsome personality, is greedy, and has many disputes with other gods.

Hades• Brother of Zeus and Poseidon. • He had the worst draw and was

made lord of the underworld, ruling over the dead.

• He is a greedy god who is greatly concerned with increasing his subjects and doesn’t want any of them to leave.

• God of wealth, due to the precious metals mined from the earth.

• He has a helmet that makes him invisible.

• He rarely leaves the underworld. He has no pity and is mean.

• His symbol is a scepter—a two pronged staff.

Athena• Daughter of Zeus, she sprang from

his forehead—full grown and in armor.

• The goddess of wisdom, war, the arts, justice and skill.

• She is fierce and brave in battle.• She invented the bridle, which

permitted man to tame horses, the trumpet, the flute, the pot, the rake, the plow, the yoke, the ship, and the chariot.

• She represents wisdom, reason, and purity. She was Zeus's favorite child and was allowed to use his weapons, including his thunderbolt.

• Her symbols are the olive tree and the owl.

• She is a virgin goddess.

Hermes • Hermes is the son of Zeus and Maia.

• He is the god of messengers, safe travel, good fortune, trickery, and truth.

• While Hermes can never tell a lie, he may not always tell the whole truth.

• He is the fastest of the gods. • He wears winged sandals, a

winged hat, and carries a magic wand.

• He guides the dead to the underworld.

• He invented the lyre, the pipes, the musical scale, astronomy , weights and measures, boxing, gymnastics, and the care of olive trees.

Circe• Circe, daughter of

the sun god Helios, was a sorceress best known for her ability to turn men into animals with her magic wand.

• She was jealous of Scylla, a beautiful young woman, and turned Scylla into a sea monster.

The Sirens

• The Sirens are creatures with the head of a female and the body of a bird.

• They lived on three small rocky islands, and with the irresistible charm of their song, they lured sailors to their death on the rocks surrounding the island.

Scylla• Circe, jealous of Scylla,

poisoned the water where Scylla bathed.

• Scylla became a monster with twelve feet and six heads, each with three rows of teeth. Below the waist her body was made up of hideous dog-like monsters.

• She threatened passing ships, and in the Odyssey she ate six of Odysseus’s companions.

Helios• The god of the sun.• His chariot rises in

the East and descends in the West (like the sun).

• Warm, friendly and compassionate, Helios respects truth and honesty.

• Helios was keeper of the sacred cattle.

• His symbol is the chariot.

Calypso• Calypso was a nymph, the

daughter of the Titan Atlas.

• She lived on the island of Ogygia.

• Calypso fell in love with Odysseus, taking him as her lover and promising him immortality if he would stay with her.

• In Greek mythology, nymphs are spirits of nature. They are minor female goddesses and the protectors of springs, mountains, and rivers.

The Muses• These are the 9 daughters

of Mnemosyne and Zeus• Each is in charge of a

different art or science and inspires those who excel at these pursuits.

Clio = historyUrania = astronomyMelpomene = tragedyThalia = comedyTerpsichore = danceCalliope = epic poetryErato = love poetryPolyhymnia = songsEuterpe = lyric poetry

HomerHomer• Author of Author of The IliadThe Iliad and and

The OdysseyThe Odyssey• The IliadThe Iliad tells the story tells the story

of the Trojan War.of the Trojan War.• The OdysseyThe Odyssey tells the tells the

story of Odysseus’s story of Odysseus’s long trip home after long trip home after the war.the war.

• Scholars think Homer Scholars think Homer lived between 1500 lived between 1500 B.C and 700 B.C.B.C and 700 B.C.

• Most scholars believe Most scholars believe he was blind, but there he was blind, but there is no evidence to is no evidence to verify this.verify this.

Homer Continued• Homer used the

legendary material of the Trojan war as the basis for his poems – adding original plot structure, realistic characters, dialogue and detail, and tales of fabulous monsters.

• The study of Homer’s epics became the basis of Greek education.

• Homer made his characters believable by giving them both good and bad traits.

THE ENDOf taking notes, anyway.