Download Western Civ. 8.29.2007

What’s mythology?
Refers to the (usually) oral retelling of
myths
 Myths are stories that cultures share. In
many cases, they offer explanations for:

 Natural
events
 The state of humanity
 The origins of the universe
 Historical events

The mythology of ancient Greece serves
these purposes
Greek Mythology
Believed all nature contained gods/goddesses the
natural world was alive
 Gods lived on Mt. Olympus
 Difference between gods and humans:
IMMORTALITY and MORTALITY
 Gods could and did marry mortals


“…stories about Olympian deities reflect the human
world of ancient Greece—its understanding of
nature, its personal relationships, and its wars.”
–Barry R. Katz, Ph.D. Adjunct Assistant Professor of Classics at New York
University, in Alice Low’s Greek Gods and Heros.
Who you should know..
Name
God of:
Aphrodite
Love and Beauty
Apollo
Light and Music
Ares
War
Athena
Wisdom and Art
Dionysus
Fertility
Poseidon
The Sea
Zeus
King of the Gods