oral tradition collection of stories shared within a culture epic poem / saga usually a central...
TRANSCRIPT
Introduction to Mythology
Oral Tradition
collection of stories shared within a culture Epic Poem / Saga
usually a central story of oral tradition may be very complex very changeable
Religion beliefs and customs shared within a culture
Terms to Know
folklore
legend
fable
fairy-tale
myth
Stories, stories....
told, not written
focus: common people
may contain magic, supernatural
explain some element of shared
culture
Folklore
told, not written
focus: possibly a real person/event
usually don’t contain magic,
supernatural
“folklore in historical moments”
“tall-tales” are a version of these
Legend
short story with magical elements
talking / anthropomorphic animals
tells a MORAL tale or shows a
MORAL lesson
Fable
not many in Greek / Roman
typically N. European
often contain witches, elves, dwarves,
goblins, mythical beasts
some versions Christianized
longer than fables, but similar
fantastical compared to legends, but similar
Fairy-Tale
legend like story dealing with gods,
heroes, ancient ancestors
explain a natural, cultural,
psychological phenomenon
often deal with origins of something
Myth
where do we get these
stories? ancient texts
Homer Hesiod Apollodorus Ovid Virgil
are all these writers (and dozens more) consistent?
can anything be learned through archaeology??
Sources...
origins of universe Theogony : birth of the gods creation of the earth, animals, humans
Age of the Gods “settling down” of the universe Olympians defeat the Titans
Age of Gods / Mortals gods and men mix quite a bit birth of a lot of demigods
Age of Heroes fewer god interactions
Greek Myth: Characteristics
Part II
Birth of the Universe
In the beginning, there was Chaos.....
Gaia/Ge (Earth) Earth then divides herself
Ouranos – Heaven Mountains Sea (produces many monsters)
Tartaros (Darkness) Eros (Desire)
Theogony
From Ouranos and Earth (Gaia) comes:
the 12 Titans
Hekatoncheires (who have 100 hands)
Cyclopes (who are friendly engineers)
One of the Titans (Cronos), tired of Father Ouranos’ rule....um....
castrates him
Theogony
Making monsters
mixing of all those early elements creates ‘unnatural’ creatures
Crazy broods of monsters from the sea making enemies for Zeus
Many ‘female’ monsters Typhaon/Typhoeus will return as the
final opponent of Zeus youngest “son” of Gaia
But the Titans are NOT monsters
Phorcys (son of the
Sea and Gaia)
and god of disasters at sea
Medusa(daughter of Phorcys and Ceto, killed by Perseus)
Hydra (killed by Herakles and Iolaus, offspring of Typhaon and
Echidna))
Chimaera (defeated by Bellerophon, offspring of Typhaon and Echidna)
Kerberos (overcome by Herakles, offspring of Typhaon and Echidna)
Sphinx (riddle solved by Oedipus)
Vase painting of Zeus and Typhaon
Birth of Zeus
Kronos (head Titan, who had overthrown his father Ouranos) hears a prophesy that he will be overthrown by his son
So he eats his kids Hera, Poseidon, Hades, Hestia, Demeter
But he is tricked by Rhea, his wife-sister
"Cronus Devouring
His Children"
by Francisco de Goya
(1746-1828)
what is this story?
“Cronus devours his children,”
Peter Paul Rubens (1577 – 1640)
sparagmos
Attic Red-
Figure Vase
depiction of
Rhea’s trick, ca
475 - 425 BC
Relief of Rhea’s trick
Omphalos stone from Delphi (Roman Copy)
the stone Kronos swallowed?
Zeus, King of the Gods
Zeus: King of the Gods
SKY GOD!!!!! Indo-European parallels (sky/day)
Dyaus Pitar (ancient Hindu god) Iuppiter (Dyeus-pater) Tyr (Tiw) Mesopotamian storm-god
Birth and accession to power Raised in Crete, had to hid from Daddy Cronos
Zeus, Authority, Justice
“King of Gods and Men” Gives kings the right to rule Concerned with justice, order, law
An ancient song about Zeus:“Yours is the rulership of Heaven
You oversee the deeds of menVillainous and lawful; you care about
The outrage and right-doing of beasts”
Some epithets NB: Greek deities may have multiple epithets
location attribute province
‘versions’ of the gods may be worshipped only in very specific places, or in specific contexts, or invoked for special reasons syncretism
Zeus Olympios Zeus as he rules over the gods (on Mt. Olympos)
Zeus Xenios Zeus as he watches out for travelers, hospitality, and the
rules of xenia Zeus Polieos, Zeus Boulios
Zeus as he watches over the workings of city Zeus Horkios
Zeus as he protects oaths and punishes oath breakers Zeus Dikaios
Zeus as he governs Justice Zeus Kataibates
Zeus’ lightning bolts Zeus Gamelios
Zeus as protector of marriage
Iconography primary symbols
eagle thunderbolt scepter/staff throne oak
almost always bearded he is the father god after all
Zeus with thunderbolt and eagle
Zeus with thunderbolt,
staff
Zeus enthroned
(staff, eagle, thunderbolt,
throne)
Zeus and Hera enthroned
Statue of Zeus[?]
(thunderbolt lost)