Greek and Roman Greek and Roman MythologyMythology

English IEnglish I

Class notesClass notes

What is a myth?What is a myth?

The word “myth” The word “myth” comes from the comes from the Greek word Greek word mythosmythos meaning “story” or meaning “story” or “legend.”“legend.”

Definition of mythDefinition of myth

A A mythmyth is a sacred story that is a sacred story that typically revolves around the typically revolves around the activities of a supernatural being, activities of a supernatural being, such as a god, demigod, goddess, such as a god, demigod, goddess, or such entity.or such entity.

Purpose of a mythPurpose of a myth

It will seek to explain at least some It will seek to explain at least some aspect of the origin of things.aspect of the origin of things.

– Example: Example: The Greek The Greek mythmyth of of Prometheus, a human being Prometheus, a human being who stole the secret of fire who stole the secret of fire from the gods and was from the gods and was punished with everlasting punished with everlasting torment, purported to explain torment, purported to explain the origin of mankind's use of the origin of mankind's use of fire.fire.

Who wrote them?Who wrote them?

A myth has no attributable author A myth has no attributable author and would typically have come into and would typically have come into existence through oral tradition.existence through oral tradition.

What is Greek Mythology?What is Greek Mythology?

Greek Mythology is a collection of Greek Mythology is a collection of myths that Greeks used to explain myths that Greeks used to explain their world.their world.

Although we now view these Although we now view these stories as fiction, the Greeks stories as fiction, the Greeks believed them to be true.believed them to be true.

The Greeks & Their The Greeks & Their BeliefsBeliefs

The Greeks had many gods.The Greeks had many gods.

The Olympian gods resembled the The Olympian gods resembled the Greeks’ need to be grandiose.Greeks’ need to be grandiose.

Because the Olympian gods mirrored Because the Olympian gods mirrored the Greeks, they were heavily flawed.the Greeks, they were heavily flawed.

Because the Greeks focused on being Because the Greeks focused on being grandiose, the Olympian gods were grandiose, the Olympian gods were mostly portrayed as physically strong, mostly portrayed as physically strong, beautiful and intelligent. beautiful and intelligent.

The World according to the The World according to the GreeksGreeks

Both good and evil comes from the gods.Both good and evil comes from the gods.

Heroes and monsters came from the Heroes and monsters came from the gods.gods.

This idea has influenced all religions that This idea has influenced all religions that came after. came after.

Many of the conflicts that are portrayed in Many of the conflicts that are portrayed in the myths are between family members.the myths are between family members.

In the beginning...In the beginning...

ChaosChaos– In the beginning there was In the beginning there was

no earth, sky or sea. There no earth, sky or sea. There was only confusion and was only confusion and darkness, called Chaos.darkness, called Chaos.

Chaos had two children:Chaos had two children:– Night (darkness)Night (darkness)– Erebus (death)Erebus (death)

And then...And then...

Mysteriously, Love was born of Mysteriously, Love was born of darkness and death.darkness and death.

Love created Light and Day.Love created Light and Day. Earth was createdEarth was created

– Chaos gave birth to Mother Earth. She Chaos gave birth to Mother Earth. She eventually gave birth to a son, Uranus, also eventually gave birth to a son, Uranus, also known as Father Heaven. Mother Earth and known as Father Heaven. Mother Earth and Father Heaven had many children.Father Heaven had many children.

The First ParentsThe First Parents

Gaea (Mother Earth)Gaea (Mother Earth) Uranus (Father Heaven)Uranus (Father Heaven) They had three kinds of children:They had three kinds of children:

– The monstersThe monsters– The CyclopesThe Cyclopes– The TitansThe Titans

The MonstersThe Monsters

First, they had three First, they had three monstrous sons. monstrous sons.

Each had fifty heads Each had fifty heads and one hundred hands.and one hundred hands.

The CyclopsThe Cyclops

They had three more sons They had three more sons - the Cyclops. - the Cyclops.

They were just as big and They were just as big and just as ugly. just as ugly.

They had one eye in the They had one eye in the middle of their foreheads. middle of their foreheads.

They were as strong as They were as strong as Earthquakes and Earthquakes and Tornadoes combined.Tornadoes combined.

The TitansThe Titans

The first godsThe first gods

Enormous size, incredible strengthEnormous size, incredible strength

Six sons and six daughtersSix sons and six daughters– Brothers: Oceanus, Coeus, Crius, Brothers: Oceanus, Coeus, Crius,

Hyperion, Iapetus, and CronusHyperion, Iapetus, and Cronus

– Sisters: Thea, Rhea, Themis, Sisters: Thea, Rhea, Themis, Mnemosyne, Phoebe, and Tethys. Mnemosyne, Phoebe, and Tethys.

Birth of the OlympiansBirth of the Olympians

Among their children was the Among their children was the greatest Titan, Cronus. greatest Titan, Cronus.

Cronus gained power from his Cronus gained power from his father, Uranus, by castrating father, Uranus, by castrating him. him.

Then, Cronus became ruler over Then, Cronus became ruler over heaven and Earth and married heaven and Earth and married his sister, Rhea. his sister, Rhea.

From their union came the From their union came the Olympian gods.Olympian gods.

Zeus is bornZeus is born

Power changed Cronus and made Power changed Cronus and made him evil. He was so afraid that him evil. He was so afraid that one of his sons was going to do one of his sons was going to do to him what he did to his father to him what he did to his father that he swallowed all of his that he swallowed all of his children immediately after their children immediately after their birth. Rhea secretly gave birth birth. Rhea secretly gave birth to her sixth child, Zeus, and to her sixth child, Zeus, and gave him to Mother Earth.gave him to Mother Earth.

Rhea’s PlanRhea’s Plan

When Cronus asked to When Cronus asked to see the sixth child, see the sixth child, Rhea handed him a Rhea handed him a rock wrapped in a rock wrapped in a blanket. Just like her blanket. Just like her previous children, previous children, Cronus swallowed the Cronus swallowed the rock without hesitation, rock without hesitation, just as she had just as she had planned. planned.

Zeus’ PromiseZeus’ Promise

Zeus was safely being raised Zeus was safely being raised by Nymphs and shepherds. by Nymphs and shepherds. Eventually Zeus grew up and Rhea, Eventually Zeus grew up and Rhea, his mother, told him about what his mother, told him about what Cronus did to his siblings. Zeus Cronus did to his siblings. Zeus made a promise to his mother that made a promise to his mother that he would make Cronus pay for he would make Cronus pay for what he didwhat he did

Zeus’ RevengeZeus’ Revenge

When Zeus returned to his When Zeus returned to his mother, she disguised him as a mother, she disguised him as a servant and concocted a servant and concocted a poisonous potion for him to put poisonous potion for him to put into Cronus’ drink. The into Cronus’ drink. The concoction caused Cronus to concoction caused Cronus to vomit up each of his five vomit up each of his five children, one by one. Once children, one by one. Once everyone was freed, the six everyone was freed, the six children decided to battle children decided to battle against Cronus.against Cronus.

After the battle was over…After the battle was over…

The war lasted ten years. Finally, when it The war lasted ten years. Finally, when it ended, Zeus and his siblings were ended, Zeus and his siblings were victorious.victorious.

Now that the battle was over, the three Now that the battle was over, the three brothers had to decide who was going to brothers had to decide who was going to rule the universe. It was decided that rule the universe. It was decided that Hades would rule the underworld, Hades would rule the underworld, Poseidon would rule the sea and Zeus Poseidon would rule the sea and Zeus would rule the heaven and become ruler would rule the heaven and become ruler of all the gods of Mt. Olympus.of all the gods of Mt. Olympus.

The Principal GodsThe Principal Gods

Cronos and Rhea were parents Cronos and Rhea were parents ofof– Zeus Zeus

– PoseidonPoseidon

– Hades Hades

– Hera Hera

– Hestia Hestia

– Demeter Demeter

ZeusZeus

PoseidonPoseidon

HadesHades

HeraHera

HestiaHestia

DemeterDemeter

Your Research ProjectYour Research Project

You will research one of the Greek You will research one of the Greek gods or goddesses and create a gods or goddesses and create a PowerPoint presentation to present PowerPoint presentation to present orally to the class.orally to the class.

Research and Outline Research and Outline

You will choose or be assigned a You will choose or be assigned a god or goddess from mythology god or goddess from mythology to researchto research

You will have three days to You will have three days to gather information and create gather information and create your presentationyour presentation

Create a PowerPoint Create a PowerPoint PresentationPresentation

Begin by typing your information Begin by typing your information into the PowerPoint document. into the PowerPoint document.

Once you have your information in, Once you have your information in, you may add pictures, animation, you may add pictures, animation, etc.etc.

Presentation Requirements:Presentation Requirements:

Your Power Point Presentation should include at Your Power Point Presentation should include at least six (6) slides with the following information:least six (6) slides with the following information:– Your NameYour Name– Name of god/goddess Name of god/goddess – A picture of god/goddessA picture of god/goddess– Roman NameRoman Name– NicknameNickname– Job of the god/goddess Job of the god/goddess – Symbol or emblem of god/goddess Symbol or emblem of god/goddess – Weapon of the god/goddessWeapon of the god/goddess– Family Genealogy (parents, wife/husband, lovers, children, etc.)Family Genealogy (parents, wife/husband, lovers, children, etc.)– Other interesting factsOther interesting facts– Bibliography (Sources)Bibliography (Sources)

EvaluationEvaluation

The teacher will use a rubric to The teacher will use a rubric to critique each presentation. critique each presentation.

Students will use the information Students will use the information from all reports to successfully from all reports to successfully pass a test on Mythology.pass a test on Mythology.

Storing Your Storing Your InformationInformation

– Each student should have a Each student should have a personal flash drive on which to personal flash drive on which to save his/her document. save his/her document.

– If you do not have a flash drive, If you do not have a flash drive, you will need to save your you will need to save your presentation to google docs.presentation to google docs.

– It is your responsibility to have It is your responsibility to have your presentation saved and your presentation saved and ready to present on the day it is ready to present on the day it is due!!!due!!!

Final wordFinal word

If you have a computer, PowerPoint and Internet If you have a computer, PowerPoint and Internet at home, you may work on this project at home; at home, you may work on this project at home; however, for those students who don't have these however, for those students who don't have these advantages, we will spend adequate time in class advantages, we will spend adequate time in class to complete the project if you work diligently. to complete the project if you work diligently.

If you would like to work on it outside of the If you would like to work on it outside of the classroom or find you need more time to classroom or find you need more time to complete any section that involves a computer, complete any section that involves a computer, you can use the computers in the library before you can use the computers in the library before school, after school, or during lunch; I will be school, after school, or during lunch; I will be happy to write you a pass.happy to write you a pass.

Gods/GoddessesGods/Goddesses

ZeusZeus HeraHera PoseidonPoseidon HadesHades HestiaHestia Demeter Demeter AthenaAthena ApolloApollo

ArtemisArtemis AphroditeAphrodite HermesHermes AresAres HephaestusHephaestus DionysusDionysus The ErinyesThe Erinyes The GorgonsThe Gorgons

AthenaAthena

ApolloApollo

ArtemisArtemis

AphroditeAphrodite

HermesHermes

AresAres

HephaestuHephaestuss

DionysusDionysus

The Erinnyes (The Furies)The Erinnyes (The Furies)

The GorgonsThe Gorgons