Download Greek Gods

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Video

Myth:

 Is a story that helps to explain some unexplainable
event.
 For example: how the universe was created, how evil
started, or how fire came about.
 As people became more rational, many of these could
be explained scientifically.
 Mythology= the study of myths
Greek Mythology:


The beliefs and ritual observances of the ancient
Greeks, who became the first Western civilization
about 2000 b.c.
It consists mainly of a body of diverse legends about a
variety of gods.
Who we have to thank:
 Theogony by Greek
poet Hesiod
 The Iliad and the
Odyssey by Greek
poet Homer
 These two poets gave
us many of the myths
that we remember and
study today.
Greek Mythology:
Focuses on…


the weakness of
humans in contrast to
the great and terrifying
power of nature
The Greeks believed
that the gods
controlled all aspects
of nature, and that
these gods were
immortal.
Why we still care:

 Greek mythology can be seen in many
aspects of your daily life
 Advertisements
 Words / language
 Television and Movies
 “Hercules”
 “Clash of the Titans”
 Modern day gods
 superman- Hercules
 batman
 Flash and Quicksilver- Hermes
 Video Games
 “God of War”
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First there were the Titans

 In Greek mythology, the Titans were a race of
powerful deities, descendants of Gaia (earth) and
Uranus (sky).
 The first generation of 12 Titans included Cronus
and Rhea. Cronus overthrew Uranus (his father)
 The Titans were overthrown by a race of younger
gods, the Olympians.
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First there were the Titans

 Cronus sired several children by Rhea: Hestia, Demeter, Hera,
Hades, and Poseidon, but swallowed them all as soon as they
were born, since he had learned that he was destined to be
overcome by his own son as he had overthrown his own father
 When Zeus was about to be born, Rhea devised a plan to save
him.
 Rhea gave birth to Zeus and handed Cronus a rock wrapped in
swaddling clothes, which he promptly swallowed.
 Zeus grew up and fought Cronus – He either gave Cronus a
substance which induced vomiting or he cut his stomach open.
Either way, Zeus’ siblings were released.
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Next we have

The Olympians
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Zeus

 King of the gods and ruler of Mount Olympus; god
of the sky and thunder.
 Symbols include the thunderbolt, eagle, oak tree,
scepter and scales.
 Youngest child of the Titans Cronus and Rhea.
Brother and husband of Hera, although he had many
lovers.
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Hera

 Queen of the gods and the goddess of
marriage and family.
 Symbols include the peacock,
pomegranate, crown, cuckoo, lion and
cow. Youngest daughter of Cronus and
Rhea.
 Wife and sister of Zeus. Being the
goddess of marriage, she frequently
tried to get revenge on Zeus' lovers and
their children.
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Poseidon

 Lord of the seas, earthquakes and horses.
 Symbols include the horse, bull, dolphin and trident.
 Middle son of Cronus and Rhea. Brother of Zeus and
Hades.
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Dionysus

 God of wine. Patron god of the art of theatre.
 Symbols include the grapevine, ivy, cup, tiger,
panther, leopard, dolphin and goat.
 Son of Zeus and the mortal Theban princess Semele.
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Apollo

 God of light, knowledge, music, poetry, prophecy
and archery.
 Son of Zeus and Leto. Twin brother of Artemis.
 Symbols include the sun, lyre, bow and arrow,
raven, dolphin, wolf, swan and mouse.
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Artemis

 Goddess of the hunt, archery and all animals. She also helped
women in childbirth.
 Symbols include the moon, deer, hound, she-bear, snake,
cypress tree and bow and arrow.
 Daughter of Zeus and Leto and twin sister of Apollo.
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Hermes
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 Messenger of the gods; god of commerce and
thieves. He helped guide souls to the underworld
 Symbols include the caduceus (staff entwined with
two snakes), winged sandals and cap, stork and
tortoise (whose shell he used to invent the lyre).
 Son of Zeus and the nymph Maia.
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Athena

 Goddess of wisdom, handicrafts,
defense and strategic warfare.
 Symbols include the owl and the
olive tree.
 Daughter of Zeus and the Oceanid
Metis, she rose from her father's
head fully grown and in full battle
armor after he swallowed her
mother.
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Ares

 God of war, violence and bloodshed.
 Symbols include the boar, serpent, dog, vulture,
spear and shield.
 Son of Zeus and Hera, all the other gods (except
Aphrodite) despised him. His Latin name, Mars,
gave us the word "martial."
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Aphrodite

 Goddess of love, beauty, and desire.
 Symbols include the dove, bird, apple, bee, swan, myrtle and rose.
 Daughter of Zeus and the Oceanid Dione, or perhaps born from
the sea foam after Uranus' blood dripped onto the earth and into
the sea after being defeated by his youngest son Cronus.
 Married to Hephaestus, although she had many adulterous affairs,
most notably with Ares.
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Hephaestus

 Master blacksmith and craftsman of the
gods; god of fire and the forge.
 Symbols include fire, anvil, ax, donkey,
hammer, tongs and quail.
 Son of Hera, either by Zeus or alone.
Married to Aphrodite.
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Demeter

 Goddess of fertility, agriculture, nature, and the
seasons.
 Symbols include the poppy, wheat, torch, and pig.
 Middle daughter of Cronus and Rhea.
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Hades

 God of the Underworld
 He was born into the first
Olympian generation, but he
lives in the Underworld
rather than on Mount
Olympus.
 He is typically not included
amongst the twelve
Olympians.
 Brother of Zeus and
Poseidon
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Persephone

 Queen of the Underworld and a daughter of Demeter and
Zeus. She is also the goddess of spring time.
 She was kidnapped by Hades. The winter season was
created when Demeter was mourning the disappearance
of her daughter, and in her distraction, neglected the
earth, creating its cycles.
 Zeus struck a deal with Hades allowing Persephone to
leave the underworld and rejoin her mother for seven
months each year (spring/summer).
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Helios

 God of the sun
 handsome god crowned with the shining aureole of
the Sun, who drove the chariot of the sun across the
sky each day to earth-circling Oceanus and through
the world-ocean returned to the East at night.
 A Titan
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God/Goddess Poster: Extra
Credit

Due Monday
 Create a poster of one of the gods or goddesses we
have studied over the past two days.
 Must include:
 A description of the god or goddess
 Two images related to the god or goddess
 One image must be of a symbol related to them
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