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Understanding
the Basics of
Greek Mythology
An introduction to the structure of
mythology and the major Gods
Greek myths represent a section
of ancient Greek religion that
originated in present day Greece
and Asia Minor about 1200 b.c.
The ancient texts we call Greek
Myths are mostly from the period
known as Classical Greece, before
500 b.c.
This date reflects when the myths
were written down, although they
originated over 700 years before.
The Structure of the Universe
Mount Olympus: The home of the
Gods; may be a mountain or just
a section of heaven
Earth
The Underworld: Area hidden in the
earth for the dead ruled by Hades
Tartarus: Area far beneath the
underworld; the ultimate prison
Keep in Mind…
The Gods lived atop Mt. Olympus, but
often descended to earth, sometimes
in their own shapes, and sometimes
disguised as humans or animals.
Often times, Gods mated with
humans to form heroes and/or future
Gods.
While the myths may seem like just
stories, they represent an important
part of history as well as literature.
Stop!
1. Find a partner
2. Introduce yourselves.
3. The person with darker color bottoms
starts.
4. With your partner, do a Rally Robin
5. For 45 seconds, you and your partner
will “volley” back and forth, statements
about what you just learned.
Creation
Gaea, known as Mother Earth, joined with
Uranus, the Sky, and gave birth to many
children.
Gaea first gave birth to several monsters,
including the Titans and the Cyclopes.
Uranus was not pleased and threw many of
them into Tartarus. In response to
Uranus’ cruelty, Cronos, one of the Titans,
attacked his father and took over his
power. Cronos was now the lord of the
universe and ruled with cruelty.
Creation Cont’d
Cronos married his Titan sister Rhea, who
gave birth to many children. However,
because he was fearful his children would
overpower him, Cronos swallowed each one.
These actions enraged Rhea, who saved
one of her sons, Zeus, by tricking Cronos
into swallowing rocks instead of the child.
Zeus matured, and his wife Metis tricked
Cronos into vomiting the children he had
last swallowed. This act frightened
Cronos, and he surrendered his powers.
The Olympians
Zeus, the most powerful of all the Gods,
ruled the Universe with the help of his
brothers and sisters, six of his children,
and the goddess of love.
The Gods themselves could never die, and
although they were all-powerful, they
often made choices which we would
consider today as being “un-Godlike.”
Olympian Family Tree
(Cronos+Gaea)
Zeus
Hestia*
(+Maia)
Hera
Hades
(+Zeus)
Demeter
Hermes
Athena
Ares
Hebe?
Hephaestus
(Zeus + Leto)
Aphrodite
*some say Hestia gave her position to
Dionysis, but some don’t agree
Poseidon
Apollo
Artemis
The “correct” gods inhabiting Mount
Olympus are debatable, and depending
on the source, up to 14 gods held a
place on the council
Stop!
1. Find a partner – sticky hands
2. Introduce yourselves.
3. The person with shorter hair
4. With your partner, do a Volley Robin
5. For 45 seconds, you and your partner
will “volley” back and forth,
statements about what you just
learned.
The Olympians
Zeus is considered the superior leader
of the Gods. He is the lord of the sky
and the rain god.
His weapon is the
thunderbolt. He is
married to Hera, but
is known for his many
affairs, as well as his
strict punishments to
those who lie or break
oaths.
The Olympians
Poseidon, the second most powerful God,
is the lord of the sea. His weapon is a
trident, which can shake the earth and
shatter any object.
Poseidon is
known for his
quarrelsome
personality and
greed, often
disputing with
other Gods.
The Olympians
Hades, the god of the underworld and
ruler of the dead, and he is constantly
looking to increase his subjects.
This greedy god is also
the god of wealth, due
to the precious metals
mined from deep in the
earth. He has a helmet
that makes him
invisible.
The Olympians
Hestia, the virgin
goddess, does not
have a distinct
personality and is
not a major part of
the myths. She is
the goddess of the
hearth.
The Olympians
Hera, Zeus’ wife and sister, is the
protector of marriage.
Her sacred animals are
the cow and the peacock.
Many myths center
around Hera’s jealous
revenge for Zeus’
infidelities, as well as her
abilities to outwit him.
The Olympians
Ares, the god of war, is the son of Zeus
and Hera. He is considered murderous
and disliked by the gods—even his
parents.
His bird is the
vulture and his
animal is the dog.
The Olympians
Athena, Zeus’ daughter, sprang full-grown
and in armor from Zeus’ head, therefore
she has no mother. She was Zeus’ favorite
child and allowed to use his thunderbolt.
She is the goddess of
city, handicrafts, and
agriculture and
embodies wisdom,
reason, and purity.
Her tree is the olive,
and her bird is the owl.
The Olympians
Apollo, Aretemis’ twin
brother, is the god of
music and plays the
golden lyre. He is also
the god of healing,
truth, and light. His
biggest task is to drive
the sun across the sky
and is famous for his
oracle at Delphi.
The Olympians
Aphrodite, the goddess of love, desire,
and beauty, has no parents as she sprang
from the sea foam.
The myrtle
tree is her
bird, while the
dove, swan,
and sparrow
are her birds.
The Olympians
Artemis
demeter
Hermes
Hephaestus
Another image of the gods on
Mt. Olympus
Other Lessor Gods
Hebe: goddess of youth; sometimes part
of Olympus
Nemesis: god of vengence
Persephone: queen of the underworld
Dionysus: god of wine; sometimes part of
Olympus
Other Lessor Gods cont’d
Prometheus: stole fire for humans
Pandora: her curiosity unleashed the
world’s miseries
Pan: god of shepherds who looks like a goat
Eris: goddess of discord who is often
involved in war
Even More Lessor Gods and Monsters
-The Graces
-The Muses
-The Fates
-Cyclopes
-Hecatoncheires
-Giants
-Typhoes
-Cerberus
-The Sirens
Works Cited
D’Aulaire, Ingri & Edgar. Book of Greek Myths. Bantam
Doubleday Dell Publishing: New York, 1962.
Messagenet. Greek Mythology. 2002.
www.messagenet.com/myths.
Hunt, J.M. Greek Mythology. 29 Aug 2003.
www.desy.de.
Parada, Carlos. Greek Mythology Link. 1997.
www.homepage.mac.com.