Download Gods and godesses - Ms. Stolerman`s English Classroom 2

Ms. Stolerman
English 10 A/B
THE OLYMPIAN GODS
11/24/10
Period 4/6
Directions: Watch the video on the Greek Olympian gods and goddesses and record important information
about each one.
Zeus (Jupiter) god (supreme) of the Olympians
Hera (Juno) goddess queen of Olympian; Zeus¹ wife
Poseidon (Neptune) god of the sea
Artemis (Diana) goddess of the hunt and chase
Hades (Pluto) god of Hades or the Underworld
Athena (Minerva) goddess of wisdom and reason
Apollo god of Light and Truth (oracle at Delphi)
Aphrodite (Venus) goddess of love and beauty
Hermes (Mercury) messenger god
Hestia (Vesta) goddess of hearth and home
Ares (Mars) god of war
Demeter (Ceres) goddess of corn and harvest
Hephaestus (Vulcan) god of fire and forge
Dionysus (Bacchus) god of vine and wine
Short Myths about the Olympian Gods
Apollo: Apollo fell in love with Cassandra, the daughter of King Priam of Troy. Cassandra was not interested,
but she made a bargain with him. She would agree to his advances, if he would teach her how to prophesy.
Apollo held up his part of the deal, teaching her the art of prophecy, but she again refused him. In anger, he
cursed her with the ability to prophesy, but no one would believe anything she said.
Aphrodite: Though married, she looked other places for affections and started an affair with Ares,
Hephaestus’s stepbrother. Hephaestus learned of the affair and set a trap for the lovers. He told Aphrodite that
he was going to be gone for several days. Aphrodite and Ares decided to take advantage of his absence and
were in bed together. They did not know that Hephaestus had rigged the bed with a metal net that dropped on
them and trapped the two lovers. Not only did Hephaestus find the two together, but the rest of the Olympian
gods were also there to see the unfaithful pair. Poseidon had pity on Aphrodite and asked Hephaestus to make
up with his wife.
Zeus: Zeus was married six times, and he had numerous affairs with goddesses and mortal women alike.
Poseidon: Before Medusa was turned into a monster, she was very beautiful. Medusa and Poseidon had an
affair and decided to make love in Athena’s temple. Athena was so offended she turned Medusa into a monster
with snakes for hair. Athena then helped Peruses kill Medusa. After cutting off Medusa’s head, two offspring
came out, Chrysaor and the flying horse Pegasus.
Artemis: Artemis was not a goddess to be trifled with. Once the queen of Niobe, bragged she was better than
Leto because she had seven sons and seven daughters, where Leto only had two. Both Apollo and Artemis took
offense to this, and Apollo killed all the sons while Artemis killed all the daughters. Another time a hunter came
upon Artemis while she was bathing in a pond. So angered in having been seen unclothed, she turned the hunter
into a deer and allowed his dogs to rip him to pieces.
Athena: Athena is best known for her role in the adventures of several of Greece’s most famous heroes. She
guided and protected Odysseus during the Trojan war and his long journey home. Hercules was aided by
Athena during his twelve labors. She also came to the aid of Jason on his quest for the golden fleece. Athena
also helped Perseus kill Medusa because Medusa had violated Athena’s temple with Poseidon
Demeter: Another story involved a man named Erysichton. Erysichton decided to cut down a grove of oak trees
to build a great hall. The oak trees were sacred to Demeter. A person passing by warned him not to cut down the
trees, and Erysichton responded by chopping off that man’s head with an ax. Demeter appeared to Erysichton
disguised as a priestess. She attempted to warn him, but he ignored her. She then ordered him to stop the
cutting, and he threatened her with his ax. To punish him, Demeter called on Peina, the god of hunger to plague
Erysichton. He was plagued by hunger that could never be satisfied. He used all his wealth trying to feed his
hunger. He became a poor beggar, and even his daughter sold herself into slavery to help him. So ravaged by
hunger, he began to eat his own flesh, which still did not fill his appetite. Eventually he went insane and died.
Task 1: In class, create your own Greek myth! Write a myth about one or several of the Olympian gods. Your
myth should include a conflict (internal/external) and a clever ending. You also have the option of reading one
of the myths above and writing a continuation to the story.
Home Work assignment: 1. Online research the Olympian Gods. Complete your chart on the gods by
including information about their love affairs and interference in the lives of mortal humans. You may use
websites such as: Mythweb.com and click on Gods to read more. 2. Complete your family tree by adding the
Olympians and showing their relationship to each other.