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Introduction to
Greek Mythology
Myths & Mythology
Q. What are myths?
A. Myths are SUPERNATURAL stories used to
explain NATURAL events & to teach
MORALS.
• Supernatural= Of or relating to existence
outside the natural world; something
attributed to a power that seems to violate
or go beyond natural forces.
• They have less historical background than
LEGENDS, and more supernatural
elements! A MYTH is a type of FOLKTALE.
Divine Intervention
• What is divine intervention?
• Gods & goddesses play a major role in
ancient world cultures and the need to
make sense of the world around them.
Through FOLKTALES, we learn how
ancient people may have viewed the
spiritual word.
Q. How are Greek gods &
goddesses different than
Mesopotamian gods?
A. Gods from Mesopotamia and Egypt
are part animal, such as part bird or
part lion.
Greek gods are primarily human in
form and feature.
Gods & Goddesses
in Gilgamesh
Ishtar - The goddess of love and
fertility, as well as the goddess of war.
Ishtar is frequently called the Queen of
Heaven.
ANU- The father of the gods & the
god of the firmament. “Firmament,”
means the dome of the sky (or heaven).
Shamash- The god of the sun.
Enlil- The god of earth, air, and
agriculture.
•“Poly” means many.
•“Mono” means one.
•The Sumerians were
polytheistic meaning
they believed in MANY
gods.
The Greeks also practiced a polytheistic religion
with many gods & goddesses of the Pantheon on
Mount Olympus…who were some of these gods?
Zeus
Leader of the Olympian Gods
• He ruled the Olympians.
• He was the god of the
sky, lightning and
thunder carrying a
thunderbolt as his
symbol.
• He married Hera, his
sister, which was a family
habit.
• He fathered many
children with various
goddesses and mortals.
Hera – Wife of Zeus
• She was the protector of
marriage and the home.
• She was associated with
the peacock, because of
her great beauty.
• She and Zeus were
always quarreling.
• She was called the queen
of intriguers, a vindictive
and jealous wife, who
frequently outwitted her
husband, Zeus.
Aphrodite-Goddess of Love
and Beauty
• She is the goddess of desire
born from sea foam. Another
myth credits her mother as
Dione and her father as Zeus.
• After all the gods on Mount
Olympus courted her, she
married Hephaestus, the
ugliest of the gods.
• Because she was judged the
most beautiful of all the
goddesses on Mount Olympus
by Paris, the other goddesses
envied her.
Hermes- God of Mischief and
Messenger of the Gods
• He was the precocious
son of Zeus and Maia, a
Titaness.
• He carried Apollo’s
golden
staff and flew around the
heavens and earth on
winged sandals.
Why Should We Study
Greek Mythology?
• The Ancient Greek culture has
been kept alive by the oral and
later written stories handed
down through thousands of
years.
•Modern plays,
novels,
television programs,
movies and even
advertisements refer
to Greek gods,
goddesses,
heroes and their
stories.
•There is still a moral
to be learned in every
story.
Epic Hero vs. Tragic Hero
EPIC
• Larger than life
• Brave & virtuous
• Has a flaw, but
does not give in
which results in
his resurrection
TRAGIC
= same
= same
= Has a flaw and
does give in
which results in
a tragic downfall
The Quest for the Golden Fleece
• The Greek myth of Jason and the
Golden Fleece is one of the oldest
myths of a hero's quest.
• It is a classic story of a hero’s epic
deeds; however, betrayal and
vengeance become the focus, and like
many Greek myths, this story has a
tragic ending.
• Let’s start reading it!