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Greek Mythology
The Odyssey and some of the
Principal Gods and Goddesses
The Odyssey
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Epic poem – a long narrative poem about the
deeds of a hero
Written by the blind poet Homer (850-800
BC)
Poems were often composed of poetic lines
accompanied by instruments to aid memory
Homer, the first to combine isolated tales into
a whole epic poem
Characteristics of the Epic
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Begins “in media res” (in the middle)
Begins w/ invocation to the muse (asking the
muse for inspiration to tell his tale)
References to the supernatural (gods/goddesses)
Epic similes and hyperbole (extreme
exaggeration)
Repetitive phrases, speeches, incidents, and use
of flashbacks
Long sentences, complex words
Passed down orally (told person to person)
Homer’s Epics Bkgd: Iliad and
The Odyssey
Based on the Trojan War (1200 BC)
 100,000 Greeks sailed to Asia Minor to
conquer Troy
 All based on revenge b/c Paris
kidnapped Helen, the most beautiful
woman in the world
 Iliad is the first / Odyssey is the sequel
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Trojan War Map
Before The Odyssey
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Odysseus
– Helped build the
wooden horse filled
w/ Greek warriors
– Crept out at night
and sacked Troy
The Odyssey (con’t)
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Gods took sides w/ the
Greeks and Trojans
Poseidon was angered
by the Trojan loss
Made Odysseus journey
home long and difficult
(10 years to get home)
The Odyssey describes
Odysseus journey home
The Odyssey (con’t)
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Odysseus wanted to
return home to
Ithaca to his wife,
Penelope, and his
son, Telemachus
He had to survive
storms, temptations,
and enemies at
home
The Odyssey (con’t)
More popular than The Iliad
 Universal story of a national hero
 We all spend years trying to reach our
goals and we all must endure tests,
temptations, and obstacles
 We use the word today to describe our
journey, our odyssey
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What is a myth?
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Highly imaginative tales that attempt to
explain the mysteries of life
Every culture has them
Homer’s illustrates the character of the hero
He overcomes temptations of idleness (lotuseaters)
He uses reason and will power to overcome
the Sirens, a symbol of the pleasure of the
senses
The Olympians
Zeus
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Roman Name: Jupiter
(also Jove)
Son of Chronus
Reigns over the
heavens (Mt.
Olympus)
Oak; Eagle; Lighting
Bolt
King of gods; fathered
many characters in
mythology
Zeus
Hera
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Roman Name:
Juno
Zeus’s sister and
wife; reigns over
Mt. Olympus
Cow/peacock
Jealous protector
of marriage and
punished the
women Zeus fell in
love with
Poseidon
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Roman Name:
Neptune
Son of Cronus;
brother of Zeus
God of the Seas
and Waters
Trident; horses or
bulls
“The Earthshaker”
and controls storms
Hades
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Roman Name:
Pluto
Son of Cronus;
brother of Zeus
and Poseidon
Invisibility
helmet
God of the
Underworld/
Dead and
Wealth
Athena
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Roman Name:
Minerva
Daughter of Zeus
Olive; owl;
Athens
Goddess of
Wisdom and War
Sprang from
Zeus’s head and
his favorite
Apollo
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Roman Name:
Apollo
Son of Zeus and
Leto
Crow and dolphin
God of Light/Sun,
Music and
Archery
Master musician
Sources
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Graphics in this presentation were taken from
the following web sites:
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http://www.bulfinch.org/fables/search.html
http://www.pantheon.org/
http://www.messagenet.com/myths/
http://mythman.com/
http://web.uvic.ca/grs/bowman/myth/index.html
http://www.paleothea.com/
http://www.entrenet.com/%7Egroedmed/greekm/myth.html
This presentation is for educational purposes
only; it has not been and should not be sold
or used as a vehicle to make money.