Greek Mythology

Myth

-traditional story concerning some hero or event with or without a verifiable basis of fact-Deities or demigods.-Explains some human or natural event. Ex. Why the sun rises.

1. Basic Beliefs

Major written works:2. Theogony- Hesiod

3.The Illiad- Homer

4.The Odyssey – Homer

Plan Part I: Greek Myth

Ancient Greeks believed (part 1 of 2)

• Mankind was weak and Gods were powerful. They controlled nature. Gods punished excess.

• Rituals adapted from Egyptians or were exaggerated heroes.

• Each city had a god that watched over them and worship was a part of life.

Ancient Greeks believed (part 2 of 2)

• Sacrifices of animals made the gods happy.• Learn about gods through poetry, songs,

stories• Gods resembled humans and showed extreme

feelings.

Theogony summary • http://youtu.be/o2zYc71i32I

• Cartoon Overview of Greek Gods• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJC

m8W5RZes

The Trojan War: The Illiad

• Eris (discord) not invited. Creates golden apple for the “fairest.”

• Hera (motherhood) , Aphrodite (love), Athena (hunt/ intelligence) fight over it.

• Zeus chooses Paris of Troy. Paris picks Aphrodite. Aphrodite ‘gives’ Helen, wife of Menelaus (Sparta).

• Paris captures Helen.

“The Judgement of Paris”

• Menelaus gathers her suitors. Odysseus (Ithica) pretends to be insane.

• Agamemnon (King of Sparta) sacrifices his daughter.

• Achilles pouts over woman and bf Patroclus is killed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yr4ObNAVM7U

• Hector (Prince of Troy) killed and desecrated.

Odysseus acts insane.

• Paris kills Achilles with arrow to heel.

• Odysseus’ Trojan horse.

• Priam is killed, Cassandra (Apollo’s priest) raped, Priam’s daughter sacrificed.

• Menelaus takes Helen and Trojan woman divided up by Greeks.

• When he returns home, Agamemnon is killed by his wife for daughter’s sacrifice.

Odesseus: The Odyssey

• http://youtu.be/PglAFdKSJ_M• http://youtu.be/BCXRxD85Xc0

• 12 ships Lotus flower-- looses will to go home

• Cyclops (posidon’s son)- blind and sheep (“Nobody has blinded me”)

• Aeolus’ wind (just as they see Ithica…)

• Circe turns them to pigs– Directions: Land of dead*

• Sirens– six headed monster– whirlpool

• Sacred cows. Massive storm kills them all.

• Calypso’s island.

• Odysseus murders Penelope’s suitors

Hades: As witnessed by Odysseus

• 8th C. BCE. Grey and dreary world.

• Shadows/ shades his mother, Agamemnon, Achilles.

• Want to be remembered by living

• Achilles “rather be a landless slave on earth then a King in the underworld”

• Did develop over time: 4th C. BCE Elysium and Tartarus

Some References we will see in class.

• Poe’s “The Raven,” Raven sits on Pallas Athena’s bust and goes to Hades’ Plutonian shore.

• Hamlet– Players act out Hecuba (Priam’s wife) and he wonders how the actor can express so much for someone he didn’t really know while he must be quiet.

• “Myth of Sisyphus”– absurdists use Greek myth as premise for philosophy

• Ondaatje references Odysseus’ brush with sirens in “To a Sad Daughter”

Ancient Greek MythologyWorks Cited

“Greek Mythology” Greek Mythology. Colorado University. N.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2014.

“Myth” Dictionary.com n.d. n.d. Web.

“The History of the Trojan War.” Mortal Women of the Trojan War. Stanford.edu. N.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2014.