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MYTHOLOGY
Greek mythology
and epic poetry
What is a myth?
• A myth is an ancient anonymous
story usually involving gods and
goddesses
Why did people create
myths?
• myths conveyed the beliefs and
ideals of its culture
• myths helped people understand
natural events and human action
• myths helped people control their
world
Why study mythology?
• Mythology still has a tremendous
influence in our modern lives
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references and allusions in literature
vocabulary
symbolism
how we form concepts like “heroes”
Allusions in literature
• An allusion is a reference to a
historical or literary figure or event.
It may allude to myth, religion, or to
any other aspect of ancient or
modern culture.
• from “The Raven” by Edgar Allen Poe
“And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting,still
is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my
chamber door”
• from Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
“ Borrow Cupid’s wings,
And soar with them above a common bond.”
We make mythological
references when we speak
• Referring to someone who:
– has the Midas touch
– has an Achilles’ heel
– has opened a Pandora’s box
Mythological allusions show up
everywhere!
Many common words have
mythological beginnings
• panic
• siren
• atlas
• venison
• cereal
• echo
• narcissism
• iridescent
Mythological symbols are
also common
• Business logos
• The caduceus is a
well-known
symbol for the
medical profession
Until Greek mythology, gods and goddesses had
no likeness to anything realistic.
The “Greek miracle” took place when the focus of
all art and thought was human-centered.
The Greeks created
gods and goddesses
that looked just like
them.
These gods lived on
Mt. Olympus and
mirrored Greek
qualities faithfully.
Greek gods were
quarrelsome,
unforgiving deities.
They were depicted in human form with
beautiful and perfect bodies.
The Olympian Gods
Greek mythology started by explaining how the
world began…first, there was Chaos - a nothing.
In Greek mythology, the gods did not create the
universe. Instead, the universe created the gods
to establish a sense of order. The elder gods were
known as the Titans.
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TITANS
Cronus (Saturn) the
“father Titan”
Oceanus (ocean)
Tethys (fresh water)
Hyperion (sun)
Mnemosyne
(memory)
• Iapetus
(underworld)
• Atlas (supported the
heavens)
• Prometheus
(friend/fire-bringer
of humanity)
• Themis (law/order)
The Titans were overthrown by the
Olympian gods. There are 12 Olympian
gods:
• Zeus
• Athena
• Poseidon
• Apollo
• Hades
• Aphrodite
• Hestia
• Hermes
• Hera
• Artemis
• Ares
• Hephaestus
14 Olympian Gods?
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The Twelve Olympians, in Greek mythology, were the principal gods of the
Greek pantheon, residing atop Mount Olympus. There were, at various times,
fourteen different gods recognized as Olympians, though never more than
twelve at one time. Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Ares, Hermes, Hephaestus,
Aphrodite, Athena, Apollo, and Artemis are always considered Olympians.
Hestia, Demeter, Dionysus, and Hades are the variable gods among the Twelve.
Hestia gave up her position as an Olympian to Dionysus in order to live among
mankind (eventually she was assigned the role of tending the fire on Mount
Olympus). Persephone spent six months of the year in the underworld (causing
winter), and was allowed to return to Mount Olympus for the other six months in
order to be with her mother, Demeter. And, although Hades was always one of
the principal Greek gods, his home in the underworld of the dead made his
connection to the Olympians more tenuous. The Olympians gained their
supremacy in the world of gods after Zeus led his siblings to victory in war with
the Titans; Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Hestia, and Hades were siblings; all
other Olympians (with the exception of foam-born Aphrodite) are usually
considered the children of Zeus by various mothers, except for Athena, who in
some versions of the myth was born of Zeus alone. Additionally, some versions
of the myth state that Hephaestus was born of Hera alone as Hera's revenge for
Zeus' solo birth of Athena
There were also other, lesser gods as
well as monsters and other mythical
beings.
•Lesser gods:
•Monsters:
Eros: god of love
Medusa:could turn you to stone
Iris: goddess of rainbows
Cyclops:one-eyed giants
Aeolus: god of the 4 winds Scylla:100 snakes w/ dogs’ heads
•Mythical Beings:
•Heroes:
Pegasus: winged horse
Perseus
Minotaur: 1/2 man, 1/2 bull
Heracles (Hercules)
Centaur: 1/2 man, 1/2 horse Jason
Nymphs: beautiful women;
tree-, wood-, stream-, sea-
Odysseus
Heroes were important to
the Greeks. Their stories
followed a certain pattern
known as the “heroic cycle.”
The Heroic Cycle
1.ORIENTATION
3.REORIENTATION
1) The Call
2) Preparation
10. Sharing the
3) Allies
Gift
The
Everyday
World
4) Guardians of
the Threshold
5) Crossing the ________________________________
Threshold
6) Road of Trials
The Underworld
7) Saving Experience or Gift
2.DISORIENTATION
9. The Return
8) Transforming
Changes
Heroes’ stories were usually told by
epic poems.
• EPIC POEM: a long, narrative poem that relied
on memorization to be passed down from
generation to generation
• Epic Poems have certain characteristics:
– recited orally
– centers on a hero or quasi-divine figure on whose
actions depends the fate of a tribe, a nation, or the
human race
– told in elevated language
– epics begin in media res, or in the middle of things
The Epic Hero
• A hero who’s larger than life
• (generally) is on a quest
• setting usually involves an enormous
area of the world
• has immense courage and craft
• supernatural forces invade into the
affairs of men
Gods
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Zeus
Hera
Poseidon
Ares
Athena
Apollo
Artemis
Hephaestus
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Jupiter or Jove
Juno
Neptune
Mars
Minerva
Apollo
Diana
Vulcan
Gods
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Aphrodite
Hermes
Hestia
Demeter
Hades
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Venus
Mercury
Vesta
Ceres
Pluto
Zeus - Jupiter
• King of the gods. He is sometimes angry at
the behavior of gods and people, but he can
also be a gentle and caring ruler. He is
known for hurling destructive lightning
bolts.
Hera - Juno
• Zeus's wife and also his sister. Queen of the
gods and guardian of marriage. She is a
great lady and diplomat. Though she is
often jealous and nag her husband, she can
also be a tender and loving wife.
Poseidon - Neptune
• Zeus’ brother. God of the ocean and of
earthquakes. He is often distinguished in
art by the fisherman’s trident he carries. He
spends most of his time in the ocean.
Ares - Mars
• Son of Zeus and Hera. The god of war
Athena - Minerva
• Daughter of Zeus ( born, it is said, from his
brain when he had a bad headache). She is
the goddess of wisdom, war, patriotism,
arts, crafts, and good citizenship. She is the
protector and namesake for the city of
Athens.
Apollo
• Son of Zeus and the goddess Leto. God of
poetry, music, medicine, archery, and light.
He is associated with the sun.
Artemis - Diana
• Apollo’s twin sister. Goddess of hunting
and of wild things. She is associated with
the moon. She is sometimes called
“Cynthia.”
Hephaestus - Vulcan
• Son of Hera. The lame blacksmith god of
fire and artisans.
Aphrodite - Venus
• The goddess of love and beauty. She is said
to have been born of the sea foam. She is
the wife of Hephaestus. Her son Eros
(Cupid) shoots arrows that cause men and
women to fall in love. Another son, Aeneas,
was a mortal man considered to be the
ancestor of the Romans.
Hermes - Mercury
• Son of Zeus and Maia, a daughter of Atlas.
Swift messenger of the gods. He is also the
god of science and invention. He is the
patron of thieves and rogues.
Hestia - Vesta
• Zeus’ sister. Goddess of the hearth and
home.
Demeter - Ceres
• Zeus’ sister. She is the goddess of grain,
agriculture, and fertility. She provides and
a bond between heaven and earth.
Hades - Plutos
• Although not one of the Olympians, this
brother of Zeus is one of the most important
of the gods. He is the god of the dead and
the underworld. He is a dim, shadowy
figure who stayed in the underworld (also
called Hades) most of the time.