Download Greek gods

Greek and Roman Mythology
A Review
of
The Principal Gods and Goddesses
What is a myth?
• A traditional story rooted in primitive folk
beliefs of cultures
• Uses the supernatural to interpret natural
events
• Explains the culture’s view of the universe and
the nature of humanity
“Know from whence you
came. If you know
whence you came, there
are absolutely no
limitations to where you
can go.”
~ James Arthur Baldwin
MYTH
from Gk. mythos "speech, thought, story, myth,"
of unknown origin.
Myths are "stories about divine beings, generally arranged in a coherent
system; they are revered as true and sacred; they are endorsed by rulers and
priests; and closely linked to religion.
-logy
is a suffix in the English language, used with words
originally adapted from Ancient Greek language
ending in -λογία (-logia). The study of-
, the suffix is derived originally from -λογ- (-log-) (a variant of -λεγ-, -leg-), from the
Greek verb λέγειν (legein, "to speak"). The suffix has the sense of "the character or
department of one who speaks or treats of [a certain subject]", or more succinctly, "the
study of [a certain subject]".
Mythology
• a branch of knowledge that deals with myth or
more commonly, the study of myths
Why Study Mythology?
• For culture:
To study the development of Greek and
western culture, literature, and civilization.
Temple of Apollo
Why Study Mythology?
• For enjoyment:
It contains stories about human nature,
appeals to emotions, and is rich in
symbolism.
Why Study Mythology?
• To know allusions (indirect references)
Examples:
- Achilles’ Heel
- Herculean Task
Hercules! Hercules!
Why Study Mythology?
• To widen your vocabulary
Examples:
- synchronize
- somnambulism
- psychology
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.
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.
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
– The titans
• These were the first characters that had the appearance of life, although it
was unlike any life known to man.
The Titans (The Elder Gods)
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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)
The Principal Gods
• Cronos and Rhea were
parents of
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Zeus (Jupiter, Jove)
Poseidon (Neptune)
Hades (Pluto)
Hera (Juno)
Hestia (Vesta)
Demeter (Ceres)
• Other Olympians include
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Athena (Minerva)
Ares (Mars)
Hebe (Juventas)
Hephaestus (Vulcan)
Apollo (Apollo)
Artemis (Diana)
Hermes (Mercury)
Aphrodite (Venus)
Dionysus (Bacchus)
Persephone
The Olympian Gods
– Zeus (Jupiter, Jove)
– Poseidon (Neptune)
– Hades (Pluto)
– Hera (Juno)
– Hestia (Vesta)
– Athena (Minerva)
– Ares (Mars)
– Hephaestus (Vulcan)
– Apollo (Apollo)
– Artemis (Diana)
– Hermes (Mercury)
– Aphrodite (Venus)
The Olympians
Zeus
• Roman Name: Jupiter
• Supreme god of the
Olympians. The rain god.
• Brother to Poseidon,
Hades, Hera, & Hestia.
• Married to Hera
• Father to many.
• Symbol: Aegis, Eagle,
Tree
Hera
• Roman Name: Juno
• Zeus’s sister and wife
• Goddess of marriage
and childbirth
• Punished the women
Zeus fell in love with,
very jealous.
• Symbol: cow and
peacock
Poseidon
• Roman Name: Neptune
• God of the Seas and
Waters
• “The Earthshaker”,
greedy
• Symbol: trident
Hades
• Roman Name: Pluto
• God of the Underworld
and wealth
• Rules over the Dead, but
not Death (Thanatos)
• Kidnapped Persephone
• Symbol - Helmet
Hestia
• Roman Name: Vesta
• Goddess of Home
• Powerful Protector
• Each city had a public,
sacred hearth; fire never
allowed to go out.
Demeter
• Roman Name:
Ceres
• Goddess of the
Harvest
• A Goddess of
the Earth
Athena
• Roman Name: Minerva
• Goddess of Wisdom and
War
• Sprang from Zeus’s head
• Bird – Owl
• Tree - Olive
Ares
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Roman Name: Mars
God of War
Son of Zeus and Hera
Bloodthirsty and merciless
Bird – Vulture
Animal - Dog
Hephaestus
(he-FEE-stus)
• Roman Name: Vulcan
• Only god to be physically
ugly
• God of Fire/Forge
• Son of Zeus and Hera??
• Kind and Peace loving
• Smith and Armorer of the
gods
Apollo
• Roman Name: Apollo
• God of Sun and Music
• Brother of Artemis
(Twins) and son of Zeus
and Leto
• Bird – Crow
• Tree – Laurel
• Animal – Dolphin
• Oracle at Delphi
Artemis
• Roman Name:
Diana
• Goddess of the
Moon/ Hunt
• Sister to Apollo
(Twins) parents
Zeus and Leto
• Animal – deer
• Tree - Cyprus
Hermes
• Roman Name: Mercury
• Messenger of the Gods
• Appears in more myths
than any other character
• God of thieves
• Escorted the dead to the
Underworld
• Tree - Olive
Aphrodite
• Roman Name:
Venus
• Goddess of Love
and Beauty
• Sprang from the
ocean foam
• Tree – myrtle
• Birds – dove,
sparrow, swan
Dionysus
• Roman Name:
Bacchus
• God of Wine
• Patron god of the
Greek stage
• A God of the Earth
Persephone
• Roman Name:
Proserpina
• Goddess of the
Underworld
• Daughter of Zeus
and Demeter
• Abducted by
Hades
Hebe
• Roman Name:
Juventas
• Goddess of Youth
• Cupbearer to the
Gods
• Restored youth to
the aged
Eros
• Roman Name:
Cupid
• Young God of Love
• Son of Aphrodite
and Hephaestus
Iris
• Goddess of the
Rainbow
• Messenger for
Zeus and Hera
• Daughter of the
titan Thaumus and
the nymph Electra
The Muses
• Nine daughters of Zeus
and Mnemosyne
• Inspired artists of all
kinds
• Goddesses who
presided over the arts
and sciences
• “He is happy whom
the muses love.”
Clio, Urania, Thalia, Melpomene, Erato, Calliope, Euterpe,
Terpsichore, Polyhymnia
The Graces
• Three Goddesses of Grace
and Beauty
• “They give life its bloom.”
• Aglaia (Splendor)
• Euphrosyne (Mirth)
• Thalia (Good Cheer)
The Erinnyes (The Furies)
• Roman Name: Furiae or
Dirae (The Furies)
• Three Goddesses of
Vengeance
– Tisiphone (Avenger)
– Alecto (Unresting)
– Megaera (Jealous)
• They punish evildoers.
The Fates
• Roman Name: Parcae
• Three sisters
– Clotho (“The Spinner”)
– Lachesis (“The disposer of lots”)
– Atropos (“The cutter”)
• They weave, measure, and cut the thread of
life for humans.
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.
The Gorgons
• Three snake-haired
monsters
• Medusa is most
well-known
• Their look turns
men to stone.
The Centaurs
• Half man, half
horse
• Savage creatures
(except Chiron)
• Followers of
Dionysus
Sources
• Graphics in this presentation were taken from the
following web sites:
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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