Greek Mythology

Greek Religious Beliefs Polytheistic – believed in many gods Believed they could communicate

directly with the deities Gods were anthropomorphic – possessed

human characteristicsGods experienced: conflict, joy, anxiety, love,

jealousy, deceitfulness, dilemmas, passion, aggression, euphoria

In short… Greek myths represented the trials and tribulations of the human condition

Gods believed to control all aspects of human life and death

Passed down through myths and legendsBook of Orpheus○ Collection of teachings of Greek priests

and comes close to a sacred text Duty of all Greeks to visita shrine, altar, or temple to the gods and say a prayer and leave a small gift

How the World Began Gaea (Mother Earth) rose out of

chaos She gave birth to a son, Uranos

(Sky), who became her husband They had many children – most

important were the 14 TitansCronos led others in a rebellion against

their father and deposed him

Cronos married his sister, Rhea

Their son Zeus led his siblings against the Titans; he deposed Cronos and became leader of the new gods

New rulers lived on Mount Olympus and were known as Olympians

Omens Specially trained priests

read signs to determine the will of the gods

Divining – reading the entrails (liver) of animals

Augury – reading flight patterns of birds

Soothsayers (i.e. oracles) could see into the future

Oracles People would inquire about personal

or national problems to the gods through oracles

Most famous oracle at Delphi where Apollo spoke through his priestess, the Pythia

The Pythia gave oracles once a year but Delphi became so popular that they were given every week and two priestesses were needed

Oracles to Delphi The Pythia gave her oracles in an

inner sanctuary First she bathed in a holy fountain,

drank from a sacred spring, inhaled smoke of burning laurel leaves

Temple priests posed people’s questions to the Pythia

They then interpreted her replies… often vague and could be interpreted multiple ways

Death and the Underworld (Hades) Styx

River marking the boundary between world of the living and the underworld

Charon (Ki-Ron)Ferryman who took dead across River StyxDead had to have a coin to pay for the

crossing or the soul would wander lost on the riverbank

CerberusThree-headed guard dog at the gates of HadesJob was to stop souls from leaving Hades and

the living from entering the Underworld

TartarusSouls of wicked sent to Tartarus where they

were condemned to eternal punishmentWorst sin to commit was to abuse the gods’

hospitality Asphodel

Souls of common people who had not been too bad or too good were sent to this grey, lifeless, boring place to drift aimlessly for eternity

People here lost all of their memory and therefore had nothing to talk about

Elysian FieldsSouls of those who were virtuous were sent

to a happy place filled with golden sunlight