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Folklore, Fantasy, and SF
Echoes from Mt. Olympus: “Creating Context” (Intro to Greek Mythology)
DIRECTIONS: ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS IN YOUR FOLKLORE NOTEBOOK. (Do NOT
scribble responses onto this page!)
 Questions 1-7 are due on Monday, February 22.
 Questions 8-25 are due on Tuesday, February 23.
“The All-Too-Human Gods” (pages 9-13)
1. a) The textbook compares the ancient Olympian gods to a modern “dysfunctional”
family. According to your book, what were the good and/or bad points of each of the
following gods and goddesses?
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

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Zeus
Hera (Zeus’s wife)
Hermes
Aphrodite
b) Answer for in-class discussion: Name some modern characters – from TV, film,
comic books, etc. – who are similarly “dysfunctional.”
2. Briefly explain how Hades’ actions caused the winter season to enter the world.
3. What comments does the book make about the goddess Hestia?
4. What is the relationship between the Greek gods and the Roman gods?
5. For all their great cultural and intellectual achievements, the Greek and Roman
civilizations both had great respect for the “flawed” Olympian gods and goddesses.
According to the textbook, what was a possible reason for this respect?
6. For what reasons would modern Americans criticize the great civilizations of ancient
Greece and Rome?
“Gallery of Gods and Goddesses” (pages 12-13)
7. Write down the “Roman Name” and “Job Description” for each god and goddess.
(Start with their Greek names, of course.)
“Myth Into Language” (pages 14-16)
8. Why is the Achilles heel a symbol of weakness?
9. Give an example of a modern celebrity who could be considered an Adonis.
10. What modern-day dessert is named for “the food of the gods”?
11. Which word is derived from the name of Aphrodite, goddess of love?
12. Which modern words are derived from the name of the mortal whom Athena
turned into a spider? What was that mortal’s name?
13. Which goddess is responsible for cereal?
14. How does the Cupid of myth differ from the Cupid found on Valentine’s Day cards?
15. How did the Three Fates determine how long a person’s life would be?
16. Whose wheel determined how luck would be distributed to morals?
17. From which gods do the months January and June get their names? (Tell the gods’
names AND their functions.)
18. What function did the nine Muses perform?
19. Is narcissism a good quality for a person to have? Explain by telling what happened
to Narcissus.
20. What is the origin of the expression “extending the olive branch”?
21. What is an oracle?
22. Why are owls symbols of wisdom?
23. How did the name Pan become associated with panic?
24. What happened to Tantalus – and what word is derived from his name?
25. Why is it ironic that so many sports teams (not to mention a certain large ocean
liner) have names based on the word Titans?