Transcript Introduction to Greek Mythology

Introduction to Greek
Mythology
Mythology in Most Primitive cultures
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horror; magic; human sacrifice
Gods had no resemblance of reality
The Bestial Gods in Egyptian
Mythology
The Bestial Gods in Egyptian
Mythology
The Bestial Gods in Egyptian
Mythology
The Bestial Gods in Egyptian
Mythology
The Particularity of Greek
Mythology:
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The Greeks made their gods in their own image.
Mankind became the center of the universe.
The universe became rational.
The ancient Greeks were preoccupied with the
visible; they were finding the satisfaction of
their desires in what was actually in the world
around them. Ex. Apollo as the fulfillment of
their search for beauty.
Olympus
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Human gods naturally made heaven a pleasantly
familiar place.
Zeus as a capital figure of fun
Hera as stock character of comedy
Such stories made for a friendly feeling.
Laughter—perfectly natural in Olympus—made
the gods companionable.
The Deities’ Residence on Earth
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On earth, the deities were exceedingly &
humanly attractive.
A humanized world, men freed from the
paralyzing fear of an omnipotent Unknown.
The ancient Greek mythmakers disliked the
irrational and had a love for facts.
Even the most non-sensical take place in a world
which is essentially rational & matter-of-fact.
The Features of Greek
Mythology
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A familiar local habitation gave reality to all the
mythical beings.
The terrifying irrational has no place in it:
No magic: Circe & Medea two exceptional
figures
There are stories about stars; but we see no trace
of their influence on human lives.
The Features of Greek
Mythology
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Ghosts never appear on earth.
The Greeks were not afraid of the dead: “the
pious dead” in the Odyssey
The world of Greek mythology was not a place
of terror for the human spirit.
The whole divine company were entrancingly
beautiful with a human beauty.
The early Greek mythologists transformed a
world full of fear into a world full of beauty.
Some Dark Spots in this Bright
Picture
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Gods often acted in a way no decent man or
woman would.
A very limited sense of right & wrong prevailed
in Homer’s heaven.
Some Dark Spots in this Bright
Picture
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These are features shared with other primitive
cultures; however, they are so few in comparison.
Traces of a time when there were beast-gods:
Satyrs & Centaurs.
Shadows of human sacrifice.
Mythical monsters to glorify heroes: Gorgons;
hydras (九頭海蛇怪); chimeras (吐火獸)
The Significance of Greek
Mythology
Early science: An explanation of something in
nature; ex. the cause of thunder & lightning.
 Pure entertainment
 Early literature
 A tint of religion:
(but not so thick as the Hebrew Bible)
 The evolution of human civilization
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