Intro to MythologyIntro to Mythology

A preview of The IliadA preview of The Iliad

What is a myth?What is a myth?

• A legendary story that explains the A legendary story that explains the beliefs of a group of people, or their beliefs of a group of people, or their idea about nature. Myths were idea about nature. Myths were created before organized religioncreated before organized religion

Why did people tell Why did people tell myths?myths?

• Myths were created in an oral Myths were created in an oral society, when people did not know society, when people did not know how to write.how to write.

• Myths were used to help make sense Myths were used to help make sense out of things that were hard to out of things that were hard to explain (EX: trying to find the explain (EX: trying to find the reason for a tragedy)reason for a tragedy)

What was the purpose of What was the purpose of myths?myths?

• Offered role modelsOffered role models• Gave meaning to lifeGave meaning to life• Explained the unexplainableExplained the unexplainable• Presented guidelines for learning Presented guidelines for learning

(children remembered morals and (children remembered morals and rules through the stories they heardrules through the stories they heard

Greek MythologyGreek Mythology

• Greeks were passionate about their godsGreeks were passionate about their gods• Greeks believed their gods were Greeks believed their gods were

enormous. They believed some gods enormous. They believed some gods were over 25 feet tallwere over 25 feet tall

• Gods had both good and bad powers, as Gods had both good and bad powers, as well as good and bad intentionswell as good and bad intentions

• Gods and goddesses ate ambrosia and Gods and goddesses ate ambrosia and drank nectar- this was special to them drank nectar- this was special to them onlyonly

The Greek GodsThe Greek Gods

• The TitansThe Titans• The OlympiansThe Olympians• The Lesser GodsThe Lesser Gods

The TitansThe Titans

• The Titans, also known as the elder The Titans, also known as the elder gods, ruled the earth before the gods, ruled the earth before the Olympians overthrew themOlympians overthrew them

• Their leader, Cronus, was defeated by Their leader, Cronus, was defeated by his son, Zeushis son, Zeus

• During their rule, the Titans were During their rule, the Titans were associated with the various planetsassociated with the various planets

• There are 18 gods that belong to the There are 18 gods that belong to the TitansTitans

The OlympiansThe Olympians

• The Olympians are a group of 12 The Olympians are a group of 12 gods who ruled after the overthrow gods who ruled after the overthrow of the Titansof the Titans

• All the Olympians are related in All the Olympians are related in some waysome way

• They are named after their dwelling They are named after their dwelling place, Mount Olympusplace, Mount Olympus

http://www.history.com/videos/greek-ghttp://www.history.com/videos/greek-gods#greek-godsods#greek-gods

Important GodsImportant Gods

• Zeus- overthrows Cronus; leader of gods; Zeus- overthrows Cronus; leader of gods; • Hades- brother of Zeus; leader of Hades- brother of Zeus; leader of

underworldunderworld• Hera- Zeus’s wife and sister; protector of Hera- Zeus’s wife and sister; protector of

marriagemarriage• Poseidon- god of the seaPoseidon- god of the sea• Ares- god of warAres- god of war• Aphrodite- goddess of love, desire and Aphrodite- goddess of love, desire and

beautybeauty

Intro to Intro to The IliadThe Iliad

• A wedding took place in which the A wedding took place in which the goddess Eris was not invited. In revenge goddess Eris was not invited. In revenge she threw a golden apple inscribed “to she threw a golden apple inscribed “to the fairest” into the banquet hall, hoping the fairest” into the banquet hall, hoping to cause troubleto cause trouble

• The choice of the fairest came down to The choice of the fairest came down to three goddess: Aphrodite, Athena and three goddess: Aphrodite, Athena and HeraHera

• Zeus was asked to make the final Zeus was asked to make the final decision- he refuseddecision- he refused

The IliadThe Iliad

• Zeus sent them to Mount Ida to find Zeus sent them to Mount Ida to find Paris and have him make the final Paris and have him make the final decision (Paris’s father, Priam, sent decision (Paris’s father, Priam, sent him away from Troy because of a him away from Troy because of a prophecy that he would one day bring prophecy that he would one day bring destruction to the city)destruction to the city)

• Each of the three goddesses offers Each of the three goddesses offers Paris a bribe to name her the fairestParis a bribe to name her the fairest

• Hera offers to make him lord of Hera offers to make him lord of Europe and AsiaEurope and Asia

The IliadThe Iliad

• Athena promises to make him a great Athena promises to make him a great military leadermilitary leader

• Aphrodite promises that he would Aphrodite promises that he would have the most beautiful woman in the have the most beautiful woman in the world for his wifeworld for his wife

• Paris picks Aphrodite, which angers Paris picks Aphrodite, which angers both Hera and Athena and causes both Hera and Athena and causes them to dislike the Trojans in generalthem to dislike the Trojans in general

The IliadThe Iliad

• The most beautiful woman in the world The most beautiful woman in the world was Helen. Unfortunately, Helen was was Helen. Unfortunately, Helen was already married to Menelaus, the king of already married to Menelaus, the king of SpartaSparta

• Before Helen married Menelaus, her Before Helen married Menelaus, her father made all of her suitors swear to father made all of her suitors swear to protect her eventual husband if he ever protect her eventual husband if he ever needed itneeded it

• Paris visits Menelaus, abducts Helen, Paris visits Menelaus, abducts Helen, (seemingly with her cooperation) and (seemingly with her cooperation) and takes some of his fortunetakes some of his fortune

The IliadThe Iliad

• Menelaus, and his brother Menelaus, and his brother Agamemnon, call on Helen’s suitors Agamemnon, call on Helen’s suitors and others to help recover Helenand others to help recover Helen

• 1200 ships sail to Troy where they 1200 ships sail to Troy where they fight for years to take the cityfight for years to take the city

• The story opens in the tenth year of The story opens in the tenth year of the war.the war.

http://www.history.com/videos/ancienthttp://www.history.com/videos/ancient-mysteries-the-trojan-war#ancient-my-mysteries-the-trojan-war#ancient-mysteries-the-trojan-warsteries-the-trojan-war

Part 1 – Part 2Part 1 – Part 2

• Nine years after the start of the Trojan Nine years after the start of the Trojan War the Greeks (Achaeans) capture a War the Greeks (Achaeans) capture a pair of beautiful women, Chryseis and pair of beautiful women, Chryseis and Briseis. Briseis.

• Agamemnon, the leader of the Achaean Agamemnon, the leader of the Achaean forces takes Chryseis as his prize, and forces takes Chryseis as his prize, and Achilles, the Achaeans greatest Achilles, the Achaeans greatest warrior, claims Briseis. warrior, claims Briseis.

• Chryseis’s father, Chryses offers a Chryseis’s father, Chryses offers a ransom for his daughter, but ransom for his daughter, but Agamemnon refuses to give her back.Agamemnon refuses to give her back.

Part 1 - 2 (Cont.)Part 1 - 2 (Cont.)

• Chryses prays to Apollo, who sends Chryses prays to Apollo, who sends a plague to the Achaeans. a plague to the Achaeans.

• When Agamemnon learns that When Agamemnon learns that Chryseis is the cause, he gives her Chryseis is the cause, he gives her back but demands Briseis from back but demands Briseis from Achilles as compensation.Achilles as compensation.

• Furious, Achilles refuses to fight Furious, Achilles refuses to fight for Agamemnon any longer. for Agamemnon any longer.

Part 1-2 (Cont.)Part 1-2 (Cont.)

• Achilles asks his mother the sea nymph Thetis Achilles asks his mother the sea nymph Thetis to enlist the help of Zeus to destroy the to enlist the help of Zeus to destroy the Achaeans.Achaeans.

• With Zeus supporting the Trojans and Achilles With Zeus supporting the Trojans and Achilles refusing to fight, the Achaeans suffer great refusing to fight, the Achaeans suffer great losses. losses.

• After a long time of fighting, the Trojans push After a long time of fighting, the Trojans push the Achaean army all the way behind the the Achaean army all the way behind the ramparts and destroy their ships. ramparts and destroy their ships.

• Defeat seems certain, since the Achaeans are Defeat seems certain, since the Achaeans are stranded in Troy with no ships.stranded in Troy with no ships.

Part 2Part 2

• Achilles feels guilty, so he agrees to a Achilles feels guilty, so he agrees to a plan that will allow his beloved friend plan that will allow his beloved friend Patroclus to take his place in battle.Patroclus to take his place in battle.

• Patroclus helps the Achaeans push the Patroclus helps the Achaeans push the Trojans away from the ships and back Trojans away from the ships and back to the city walls. to the city walls.

• The counterattack soon falters and The counterattack soon falters and Aplollo knocks Patroclus to the ground Aplollo knocks Patroclus to the ground where Hector slays him.where Hector slays him.

Part 3-4 (Cont.)Part 3-4 (Cont.)

• Achilles is so sad about Patroclus he Achilles is so sad about Patroclus he agrees to reconcile with agrees to reconcile with Agamemnon. Agamemnon.

• Thetis goes to Mount Olympus and Thetis goes to Mount Olympus and persuades the god Hephaestus to persuades the god Hephaestus to forge Achilles a new suit of armor. forge Achilles a new suit of armor.

Part 3-4Part 3-4

• The Trojans believe they are safe, so they The Trojans believe they are safe, so they do not expect Achilles to return to battle.do not expect Achilles to return to battle.

• Achilles catches the Trojans off guard and Achilles catches the Trojans off guard and slaughters many. slaughters many.

• The Trojans flee behind city walls. The Trojans flee behind city walls. • Hector, the greatest of the Trojan Hector, the greatest of the Trojan

warriors, fights Achilles. Achilles kills warriors, fights Achilles. Achilles kills him in battle and drags his body (hooked him in battle and drags his body (hooked to the back of his horse) back to the to the back of his horse) back to the Achaeans’ camp.Achaeans’ camp.

Part 3-4Part 3-4

• Each day for the next 9 days Achilles Each day for the next 9 days Achilles drags Hector’s body in circles around drags Hector’s body in circles around Patroclus’s funeral.Patroclus’s funeral.

• Finally the gods agree that Hector should Finally the gods agree that Hector should be properly buried. Hermes escorts King be properly buried. Hermes escorts King Priam, Hecor’s father, into the Achaean’s Priam, Hecor’s father, into the Achaean’s camp.camp.

• Priam evokes the memory of Achilles’s Priam evokes the memory of Achilles’s father Peleus and Achilles agrees to father Peleus and Achilles agrees to return the body.return the body.

• The war comes to a temporary truce.The war comes to a temporary truce.