Download Chapter 8, Section 3 (Greek Mythology and Literature) Student Notes

Name: _______________________________ Block: _______
Date: ________________
Chapter 8 – Ancient Greece
Section 3 – Greek Mythology and Literature
Essential Questions: Why did Greeks create myths? How has Greek literature influenced our world today?
I.
Myths Explain the World
A. Greek Gods
1. People today have __________________ explanations for events like thunder,
earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions.
2. The ancient Greeks did not have these scientific explanations. Instead, they believed
their ____________ caused these events to happen.
3. They created _______________ to explain the gods’ ______________.
B. Gods and Mythology
1. The Greeks saw the work of gods in _____________ events all around them.
2. They had myths that explained the common _______________________.
3. The also had a goddess of agriculture, ____________________, that created the
___________________.
4. To keep the gods happy, the Greeks built great _______________ to honor them all
around them.
5. In return, however, they expected the gods to give them _____________ when they
needed it.
6. Many Greeks in need of advice traveled to ______________ to speak to the
_________________, a female priest of __________________ to whom they thought
the god gave answers.
C. Heroes and Mythology
1. ___________ all the Greek myths were about ____________.
2. The Greeks loved to tell stories of heroes who had special _______________ and faced
terrible ___________________.
3. Perhaps the most famous of all Greek heroes was man named _______________ who
fought many ___________________ and performed nearly impossible
_______________.
II.
Family Life
A. Homer and Epic Poetry
1. Among the earliest Greek writings are two great epic poems, ______ __________ and
______ ______________, by a poet named ________________.The Iliad tells the story
of the last three years of the _____________ ______. It focuses on the deeds of the
Greeks, especially _______________, the greatest of all Greek _________________.
2. The Odyssey describes the challenges that the Greek hero ______________ faced on his
way home from the ____________.
3. Homer’s poems were central to the ancient Greek _________________ system.
4. Homer’s poems ____________________ later writers. They copied some his writing
______________ and borrowed some of the stories and ideas he wrote about in his
works.
5. His poems are considered some of the ________________ literary works ever produced.
B. Lyric Poetry
1. Other poets wrote poems set to _______________.
2. During the _____________________ the poet played a string instrument called a
__________ while he read the poem.
3. Most poets in Greece were ___________, but the most famous lyric poet was a woman
named ________________. Most of her poems were about ________ and
___________________.
C. Fables
1. Other Greeks told stories, called ____________, to teach people important
________________ or give advice on how to _______________.
2. _______________, famous for his fables, used _______________ as the main characters
in his stories. They typically has ________________ qualities.
3. Two of Aesop’s most famous fables are: “The ____________ and the _________” and
“The ________ Who Cried _________”
III.
Greek Literature Lives
A. Language
1. Many English __________, ______________, and __________ come from Greek
mythology.
a) Titanic (something very _________ and ____________) comes from the
____________, a group of large and powerful gods in Greek myth
b) The expression “_______________ heel” (a person’s weak spot) comes from the
great warrior Achilles who was killed when an ____________ struck his heel.
c) The name of the ________________ Sea comes from Aegeus, a legendary Greek
__________.
B. Literature and the Arts
1. Great ____________ and ________________ have used gods and heroes as the subjects
of their works.
2. ________________ have retold ancient stories set in modern times.
3. _____________________ have also borrowed stories from ancient myths. (ex:
____________)
4. Many ______________ teams have adopted the names of powerful figures from myths.
(ex: Titans)