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Believed that the ancient Gods were pattered after heroes who actually lived at one time.
PHILOLOGISTS
o
This study claims that man repeating things their ancestors said, understood them in a
different sense and because of that, misunderstanding created myths.
ANTHROPOLOGISTS
o
Emile Durheim
French sociologist
He believed that people got so excited during their tribal festivities that they thought that
a great power came to them from an object in their camp.
SOURCES of MYTHOLOGY
Greek and Roman mythology
The Romans had no system of mythology of their own. They adopted the mythology of
the Greeks, but changed the name of the Gods. The Romans and Greeks had not only the
same Gods, but the same demigods.
NORSE MYTHS
came from Scandinavian countries.
In here, the ruler of the heavens and earth is ODIN. FREYA corresponds to
APHRODITE, Greek goddess of love, THOR to MARS.
The home of the Gods was the great Hall of Valhalla in Odins Palace. Odins
maiden messenger, the Valkyries, brought the souls of heroes slain in battle to live forever in
honor and glory in the hall of Valhalla.
GERMAN MYTHS
The names of ditties in German myths differ only slightly from those of the Norse.
Odin becomes Wotan, Sigurd and Brynhild become Siegfried and Brunhilde as in the Wagnerian
Operas.
TYPES of MYTH STORIES
POURQUOI
why stories
Ex.
Why the Sunflower turns to the Sun
Why the Woodpecker Has a Red Head
Why Archne Was Changed into a Spider
ALLEGORY
Symbolic story
An acceptable story for children is the story of King Midas who wanted everything that
he touched would turn into gold.
A type of myth story deals with the ways of the gods with other Gods and with
men. This is a complex type of story and is not suitable for young children.
The Classicists
Greek mythology existed for hundreds of years before these stories were ever recorded with
written words.
The scholars/poets who recorded the myths are known as classicists.
The major classicists of Greek Mythology include Virgil, Homer, and Ovid.
The Importance of Myths
Myths were critical to the ancient Greeks
These stories touched all aspects of Greek life, including art, music, architecture, military
endeavors, religion, and education.
Greek myths and sunlight are represented by moral quality. Heroes are set in sunlight, monsters
belong to the darkness.
Categories of Myths
Myths of creation: these explain the beginning of time, space, and man
Myths of explanation: these explain the great questions of the universe
Myths of morality: these teach lessons and reinforce cultural morality
Why Study Mythology?
Greek myths are the foundations for the arts as we know them, including movies, television,
commercial products, sports, music, and comic books.
A knowledge of Greek mythology enhances a persons ability to understand and appreciate the
world as a whole.
Mythology: A Brief Timeline
The beginning: according to popular belief
The Titans lived for many years under Uranuss cruel reign
Cronus killed his cruel father and assumed his role as king of the Titans.
Before Uranus died, he predicted that Cronus would be killed by one of his sons, just as
he had been.
Because he feared his sons, Cronus ate his first two sons whole
Fed up with his baby-gobbling, Rhea gave birth to her third son in secret
Rhea dressed a boulder up as a baby and Cronus ate the rock unknowingly
These offspring were considered Titans, but would later become the gods and
goddesses of Greek Mythology
An epic battle ensues between Cronus and his sons for the right to rule Mt. Olympus and
the universe.
Zeus and his brothers are assisted by the monsters Cronus had abused and tortured for
years in captivity.
These monsters included the Cyclopes (3) and the Hundred-Handed Ones (3)
The Battle Between the Gods and the Titans by Wtewael Art Institute of Chicago,
Chicago
Cronus is Defeated!
Magically and mysteriously, the children of Cronus become immortal, and become gods
and goddesses.
The twelve main gods and goddesses are known as the Pantheon.
The Pantheon
There are many gods, goddesses, demi-gods (half-gods) and supernatural beings in
Greek Mythology.
The twelve main gods and goddesses are known as the Pantheon.
Zeus
Zeus:
Cheated on wife countless times, and had numerous children with mortals, gods, and
other creatures
Zeus
Hera
HERA
Athena
Athena
Taught men how to use an ax, plough, wheel, sail. Taught women how to spin and
weave (Arachne story...)
Zeus became paranoid that his child would harm him, so he eats her whole.
Athena jumped out of Zeus skull, full-grown and wearing battle armor.
Poseidon
Poseidon
God of water
Never had children with sea nymph-Thetis because any son of Thetis would be greater
than Poseiden
Thetis had a son from Peleus whose name was Achilles therefore the prophecy came
true.
Was trying to perfect the horse for Demeter and that is why we have the camel, hippo,
giraffe, donkey, and zebra
Ruled over seas, oceans, rivers and all the sea creatures
Hades
HADES
Greeks buried their dead with a coin so that when they entered "Hades" they
could pay the fare on their way to the river Styx
Hades
The Eumenides or the " kindly ones" would wander the earth in search of evil-doers and
ones that escaped punishment and their attention persuaded people to suicide
Demeter
Demeter
Responsible for the winter and summer seasons, since Persephone ate the 6
pomegranate seeds, she will have to stay in the underworld with Hades for 6 months,
and nothing will grow on earth because Demeter will mourn.
Artemis
Artemis
Zeus granted her whatever she wanted: remain a maiden, many names, silver bow and
arrow, deerskin tunic, 50 ocean nymphs, 20 wood nymphs, hounds, mountains, and one
city
Went by Goddess of the Moon, Maiden of the Silver Bow, Lady of the Wild Things,
Huntress, Maiden
Apollo
Apollo
God of the sun, patron of music, math, medicine and poetry. Preached moderation
Precocious
Taught Apollo to play the lyre and traded Apollo pipes for his herdsman's golden staff
Hermes became Zeus's messenger and known as the patron of liars, thieves, and
gamblers, God of Commerce, framer of treaties, guardian of travelers, took newly dead
to Tartarus
Told Zeus to disguise himself and join in on many adventures of the mortals
Hermes
Hera gave him Cyclops for helpers and Aphrodite for a bride
Was emotionally scarred by Aphrodites affair with Ares, the god of war
Aphrodite
Born out of primal murder - when Cronus killed his father Oranus/Uranus a body floated
up from the foam and taken to Olympus
Hera wanted her married immediately, Aphrodite chose Hephaestus because he worked
late ( though she planned to meet her other suitors)
Aphrodites Creation
Version #2: Aphrodite was born of Zeus and the daughter of one of his arch enemies
But both of these stories are less-than-accurate twists on the real version
Aphrodite
Hera, fearing a relationship between Zeus and Aphrodite, insisted that she marry
Hephaestus, her ugliest child
Cronus castrated his father before death, and threw the part into the ocean
Ares
Ares
God of warfare
Roman Mythology
The Origin of the Milky
In The Origin of the Milky Way (1575-1580; National Gallery, London, England) by Italian
artist Tintoretto, the Roman god Jupiter places his infant son Hercules on the goddess
Junos breast. According to legend, Junos milk spilled up while feeding the boy, and the
Milky Way was formed. In Roman mythology, Juno was the queen of the gods.
The Romans based their religion on Greek Mythology
They were also polytheistic
Many of the gods/goddesses were the same, but the Romans changed their names
The gods explained human qualities and life events
The Roman Gods
Jupiter
God of light and sky
Supreme ruler of the gods
JUPITER
Jupiter was the king of the gods. He was responsible for law and order.
Apollo
God of music, light and healing
Diana
Goddess of fertility and hunt
DIANA
Diana was the goddess of hunting and the moon. She was Apollos twin sister.
She was famous for seducing other gods, like Mars or Vulcan.
Mars was the god of war. He was one of Romes most popular gods.
Mercury was the messenger of the gods. He had wings on his sandals and carried a
staff with two snakes around it.
NEPTUNE
Neptune was the god of the sea. His symbol was a trident, which he used to control the
seas.
Asgard heaven
Midgard Earth
Balder
Freyja
Blind
Mother Goddess
Wife of Odin
Hel
Weaves clouds
Daughter of Loki
Giantess
Precursor of Odin
Hel / Helheim
The underworld
Heimdall
World Brightener
God of the dawn
Great hearing (can hear grass grow)
and eyesight