Download this PPT - By the Bellamy River

Welcome!
Please take out your
composition books
In Your Composition Book:
1. What are the three types of myths?
2. How did Zeus come to be king of
Mount Olympias?
3. WHY do we study Greek myths?
Greek Gods & Goddesses
(A brief overview…)
7 Bellamy Social Studies
• Chief god
• Lord of sky
• God of thunder &
lightening
• Married his sister Hera
• Populated the heavens
and the Earth
• “promiscuous liaisons”.
• Wife and sister of
Zeus
• Goddess of
marriage,
protector of
childbirth &
heroes
• Portrayed as
extremely jealous
and vindictive
• God of the sea, horses and
earthquakes
• Lives in a palace beneath the
ocean
• Carries a three-pronged trident
• Gave people the horse
• Married a sea nymph named
Amphitrite
• Like his brother, he fathered
many children.
• Very fond of his sister Demeter
• Demeter means “Barleymother”
• Another name for her is
Ceres, from the word
cereal
• Goddess of the cornfield,
mistress of planting and
harvesting, lady of growing
things
• She had a son and a
daughter. Her daughter’s
name was Persephone.
• Her daughter was
kidnapped by Hades.
(reasons for the seasons)
• god of the
underworld
and the dead
• god of wealth
• Owned all of
the precious
metal on Earth
• Wore a cape
that made him
invisible
• Kidnapped his
niece and
made her his
wife
• Zeus’
third sister
• goddess of hearth
family and home
• her only job was
to keep the fire lit in
the hearth on Mt.
Olympus
All of Zeus’ children
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Zeus had eight children on Olympus
The twins: Apollo and Artimis
Athena
Hephaestus
Hermes
Ares
Dionysus
Aphrodite (not really Zeus child, but he took her
in)
• god of light, music and
poetry
• most beautiful god
• also the god of
medicine
• taught people the art of
healing
• fine marksman
• could predict the future
• goddess of hunting, wild
things, unmarried girls and
the moon
• She decided never to marry
Once when she was
bathing under the moonlight a
human was watching her.
She threw rain drops on him
and changed him into a stag.
Then she had him killed by
his own dogs.
• god of fire
• The only ugly god, but he was peaceful,
loving and popular.
• He walks with a limp because Zeus threw
over the palace walls one day when he
took his mother’s side over Zeus’.
• Made all the Olympians’ thrones, armor,
furniture and weapons
• Married Aphrodite
• Goddess of love and
beauty
• Goddess of desire
• Wherever she walked
flowers sprang up beneath
her feet
• she appeared from the
foam of the sea
• Her son is Eros (Cupid)
• Zeus’ graceful, happy son by the
goddess, Maia
• God of shepherds, merchants, travelers
and thieves
• Very mischievous and tricky
• Stole Apollo’s cows the day he was born
• Guided the newly dead to the underworld
• Invented the alphabet, astronomy,
scales, playing cards and card games
• Zeus’ messenger
• Wore winged sandals and a winged cap
• Had a son named Pan. He was half
goat.
• Zeus’ favorite
• goddess of wisdom,
strategy, protector of
cities and civilizations
• goddess of handicrafts
and art
She sprang from her
father’s head fully
clothed and in armor.
Hephaestus, Zeus’ son,
had to release Athena
by cutting his head open
with an ax.
• god of war
• Boastful, cruel and had no
manners
• Son of Zeus and Hera
• Loved to fight, but was a coward
once he got hurt
• Wherever he went there was
violence and bloodshed
• the curse of mortals
• god of wine
• Zeus’ youngest son
• His mother, Semele, was
a princess and a mortal
woman
• His mother was
consumed by fire when
she was tricked by Hera
• He was saved by Hermes.
• Taught people the art of
wine making & the
consequences of too
much wine
Characters of Greek Mythology
Nymphs –
beautiful maidens who guarded various parts of nature
dryads – forests
nereids- sea
Fates- controlled destiny of every man
Clotho- spun thread of youth
Lachesis- directed your course
Atropos- cut the thread
Muses- goddesses of arts and
sciences
Terpsichore – choral song & dance
Calliope- epic poetry
Euterpe- lyric poetry
Melpomone- tragic drama
Erato- love poetry
Urania- astronomy
Polyhymnia- sacred poetry
Clio- history
Thalia- comic drama
Festivals
• Greeks held many religious festivals in honor of
their gods
• Their purpose was to please the gods and
persuade them to grant the people’s wishes
• Festivals were not just religious ceremonies
– Athletic competitions or theatrical performances were
also held
• Festivals/events included specific things to
please the particular god
– Zeus’ symbols – thunderbolt, eagle and oak
tree
– Dionysus’ symbols – wine
The period of the festival was a public
holiday so that everyone could participate