Download Greek Mythology

Greek Mythology
Let the Adventure Begin!
Miss Neri
8th Grade English
Where is Greece?
Greece (A Closer View)
Role of Mythology in
Ancient Society
 Religion
is over 2000 years old!
-Greeks were very religious; many gods
-made sacrifices to their gods
 Explain
the Unknown
-Science wasn’t as advanced as it is today
-why the sun disappears
-Origin of certain constellations
-Why certain creatures behave the way they do
-How evils- sickness, death, grief were released upon the world
-How fire came to man
-The changing of the seasons
Role of Mythology cont’
 Creates natural and Social order
-humans place in the world
-teaches humans how to act right; behave, and you’ll be rewarded in
the afterlife.
 Entertainment
-Oral tradition
-exciting tales of heroes and monsters
-Remember! Play station, Wii and the Internet were not
around 2000 years ago, people had to make their own
fun
So why are we learning this?
 We come across Greek Mythology almost
everyday. Very popular in Literature, Art and
Movies


Literature-Odyssey, Iliad
Movies-Troy, Hercules, Fantasia, Little Mermaid
 Many words are derived from Greek Mythology
Olympic Games
Narcissism
Titanium
Zodiac symbols
Pandora’s box
Constellations
Arachnid
Apollo
Panic
 Entertaining – break from writing!
Mount Olympus (Home of the Gods)
 It’s a
Real
Place!
The Gods at Home
Zeus
 Supreme ruler of the Gods
 Lord of the Sky
 Weapon was the thunderbolt which he
would throw at anyone who made him
angry
 Married to Hera
Zeus
 A real
sculpture
of Zeus
Hera
 Zeus’ wife
 She was the protector of marriage and
took special care of married women.
 Most stories about Hera talk about her
jealousy because Zeus was not the most
faithful husband.
Hera
Sanctuaries of Hera
Poseidon
 Brother of Zeus
 He was the lord of the sea
 Weapon was the trident, which could shake the Earth
and shatter any object
 Second only to Zeus in power
 Under the ocean he had a beautiful golden palace
 He rose to the surface in a a chariot drawn by dolphins,
sea-horses and other marine creatures
 Reputation of having a very bad temper
Poseidon
Hades
 Brother of Zeus
 Lord of the Underworld – ruled over the dead
 Greedy god, very concerned with increasing
his subjects
 Also the god of wealth
 He had a helmet that made him invisible
 He was unpitying and terrible-became enraged
when anyone tried to leave.
Hades
Hestia




Zeus’ sister
Goddess of the Home
Newborn children
Hestia also symbolizes the alliance
between the colonies and their mothercities
Hestia
Ares




Son of Zeus and Hera
He was disliked by both parents
God of War
He is considered murderous but also a
coward
Ares
Athena
 Daughter of Zeus
 She sprang full grown in armor from his
forehead and had no mother
 She was fierce and brave in battle but only
fought to protect the state
 Goddess of city, and agriculture and permitted
man to tame horses
 She stood for wisdom, reason and purity
 She was Zeus’ favorite and was allowed to use
his weapons
Athena
Apollo






Son of Zeus and Leto-not his wife
Twin sister Artemis
God of the archer-he shot with a silver bow
God of healing-taught man medicine
God of light and truth
Important daily task was to harness his chariot
with four horses and drive the sun across the
sky
Apollo
 Why would
Rockets be
named Apollo?
Aphrodite
 The goddess of love, desire and beauty
 She had a magical girdle that made
people fall in love with her
 Vain, ill-tempered and easily offended
Aphrodite