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K What do you know? W What would you like to know? L What did you learn? Start a new section in your notes called The Odyssey. Copy down this chart and fill it out about Greek Mythology. This is NOT a journal! Greek Mythology Greek Mythology Mt. Olympus Circe Zeus Athena Aeolus Poseidon The River Styx Hermes Hades Calypso The Odyssey By: Homer Homer: Who was he? Homer was a Greek poet. He is credited with writing the great epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey. The Iliad is the story of the siege of Troy. The Odyssey, the tale of Odysseus's wanderings and journey to get home from battle. The place of his birth is unclear, but it was probably a Greek colony on the coast of Asia Minor, and his date, once put as far back as 1200 BC, from the style of the poems attributed to him is now thought to be much later. There is little doubt that Homer's works were originally based on ballads (stories passed down orally and performed for the public), but that they were much modified and extended. Of the true Homer, nothing is positively known. Mt. Olympus Olympus was the residence of the divine family, the twelve most important ruling gods and goddesses of ancient Greece, who were called the Olympians. There they all lived together in an enormous palace, high above the clouds. Olympus is generally identified with the actual Mount Olympus, which is the highest mountain in Greece, but very often it is also identified as some mysterious region far above the earth. Zeus Zeus was the youngest son of the Titans Cronus and Rhea. When he had grown up, Zeus caused Cronus to vomit up his sisters and brothers, and these gods joined him in fighting to wrest control of the universe from the Titans and Cronus, their king. Having vanquished his father and the other Titans, Zeus imprisoned most of them in the underworld of Tartarus. Zeus was the supreme god of the Olympians. He was the god of sky and weather, law, order and fate. He was depicted as a royal man, mature with sturdy figure and dark beard. His usual attributes were a lightning bolt, royal scepter, and eagle. Poseidon Poseidon was the brother of Zeus. He was the god of the sea and earthquakes, and he was relied upon by sailors for a safe voyage on the sea. Many men drowned horses in sacrifice of his honor. He lived on the ocean floor in a palace made of coral and gems, and drove a chariot pulled by horses. Poseidon was a very moody god, and his temperament could sometimes result in violence. When he was in a good mood, Poseidon created new lands in the water and a calm sea. When he was in a bad mood, Poseidon would strike the ground with a trident and cause unruly springs and earthquakes, ship wrecks, and drownings. Hades Hades is the brother of Zeus. He is the lord of the Underworld, ruling over the dead. He is a greedy god who is greatly concerned with increasing his subjects. Those whose calling increase the number of dead are seen favorably. He is exceedingly disinclined to allow any of his subjects leave. He is also the god of wealth, due to the precious metals mined from the earth. He has a helmet that makes him invisible. He rarely leaves the underworld. He is unpitying and terrible. The River Styx The River Styx is a river that separates the world of the living from the world of the dead. Styx is said to wind around the Underworld nine times. Its name comes from a Greek word that means hate, so Styx is the river of hate. This river was so respected by the gods of Greek mythology that they would take life binding oaths just by mentioning its name. To cross the River Styx, a soul had to be ferried by Charon, a boatman. He demanded payment, so the Greeks placed coins in the mouths of their dead before burying them. Hades' house stood on the shore of the Styx, and Cerberus, a monstrous three-headed dog, guarded the house. After crossing the river, each soul was assigned to its eternal home by one of three judges. Calypso Calypso was a nymph, the daughter of the Titan Atlas. A nymph is a minor goddess of nature that dwells in the mountains, forests, trees, and waters. She lived on the island of Ogygia. During The Odyssey, Odysseus washes ashore on Ogygia. Calypso imprisons him on Ogygia for seven years. Athena Athena was the Greek goddess of wisdom, war, the arts, industry, justice and skill. She was the favorite child of Zeus. Athena and Poseidon had been the Greeks' greatest allies among the Gods, but when Troy fell all that had changed. They became their bitterest enemies. The Greeks went mad with victory the night they entered the city; they forgot what was due to the Gods; and on their voyage home they were terribly punished. Cassandra was a prophetess. She told the Trojans each time what would happen; they would never listen to her. She declared that Greeks were hidden in the wooden horse; no one gave her words a thought. When the Greeks sacked the city, she was in Athena's temple, under the Goddess's protection. The Greeks found her there and they dared to lay violent hands on her. Not one Greek protested against the sacrilege. Athena's wrath was deep. She went to Poseidon and laid her wrongs before him. "Help me to vengeance," she said. "Give the Greeks a bitter homecoming. Stir up your waters with wild whirlwinds when they sail. Let dead men choke the bays and line the shores and reefs." Athena Because of the wicked way they had treated Cassandra, Athena had been angry at all the Greeks indiscriminately, but before that, during the Trojan War, she had especially favored Odysseus. She delighted in his wily mind, his shrewdness and his cunning; she was always forward to help him. After Troy fell she included him with the others in her wrathful displeasure and he too was caught by the storm when he set sail and driven so completely off his course that he never found it again. Year after year he voyaged, hurried from one perilous adventure to another. Ten years, however, is a long time for anger to last. The Gods had by now grown sorry for Odysseus, with the single exception of Poseidon, and Athena was sorriest of all. Her old feeling for him had returned; she was determined to put an end to his sufferings and bring him home. Hermes Hermes was the herald or messenger of the Olympian gods. Hermes is the god of shepherds, land travel, merchants, weights and measures, oratory, literature, athletics and thieves, and known for his cunning and shrewdness. It was his duty to guide the souls of the dead down to the underworld. Hermes is usually depicted with a winged cap, winged sandals and the heralds staff. Aeolus Aeolus was the god of the four winds. He lived on one of the rocky Lipara islands, close to Sicily. In the caves on this island were imprisoned the winds, and Aeolos, directed by the higher gods, let out these winds as soft breezes, gales, or whatever the higher gods wished. Circe Circe was the daughter of the sun. She was a sorceress best known for her ability to turn men into animals with her magic wand. She is renowned for her knowledge of magic and poisonous herbs. Epic Poetry very imposing or impressive; What does the wordthe epic mean? surpassing ordinary heroism, bravery, majesty, great tragedy,have? and great triumph What qualities or attributes doeshorror, an epicgreat story/event Homer's Illiad and Odyssey What are examples of epics? Raiders of the Lost Ark The Lord of the Rings Milton's Paradise Lost Dante's Divine Comedy Star Wars What is perhaps the most famous epic of all time? Homer's The Odyssey Epic Poetry Turn to page 1094! Cyclops Epic Characteristics Chart Characteristic Titles/Definitions Examples from the Odyssey Epic Hero Epic Plot Epic Setting Fill out this chart as we read The Odyssey. Archetypes You will use this later. Epic Themes Epic Poetry With a partner, answer #'s 1-3 on page 1095. Cyclops The Language of Homer: Keys to Reading The Odyssey 1. The Simile: Also called an Extended, Epic, or Homeric Simile ·an extended simile often running for several lines, used typically to intensify the heroic stature of the subject and to serve as decoration ·elaborate comparisons, or in chains of comparisons, by which the ordinary world is "braided" into the heroic world of the epic plot ·Often used to describe scenes or characters and compare them to easily understandable everyday events/objects. Homeric Simile Examples: ·As when the shudder of the west wind suddenly rising scatters across the water, and the water darkens beneath it, so darkening were settled the ranks of Achaians and Trojans in the plain. ·But swift Aias the son of Oïleus would not at all now take his stand apart from Telamonian Aias, not even a little; but as two wine-coloured oxen straining with even force drag the compacted plough through the fallow land, and for both of them at the base of the horns the dense sweat gushes; only the width of the polished yoke keeps a space between them as they toil down the furrow till the share cuts the edge of the ploughland; so these took their stand in battle, close to each other. What are the similes in these two passages? Circle them. 2. Epithets: brief descriptive phrases used to characterize a particular person or thing. Main characters are often named by prominent characteristics ·"Hector of the loud war-cry“ ·"Achilles, breaker of men" ·"the man whose name was known for courage“ Main characters are often named by kin association or clan allegiance, to recall famous lineage and to link sons or vassals deeds to their fathers' or leaders' fame. ·"Halfdane's Son" Many times they look like appositive phrases (if written as nouns)! ·Odysseus, raider of cities, stormed the island. Catherine the Great, baby boomers, The Refrigerator-these epithets are used to characterize an empress, a generation, and a football player. Homer uses many epithets as formulas to characterize places and people. When Penelope is referred to as "faithful Penelope," we all are instantly reminded of her outstanding character trait. A Famous Epithet Mystery One of Homer's most famous epithets is the descriptive phrase "the wine-dark sea." Since wine is red or white or yellowish, and the sea is none of these hues, the description is puzzling. Some say that the ancient Greeks diluted their wine with water and that the alkali in the water changed the color of the wine from red to blue. Others think the sea was covered with red algae. Still others suggest that the Greeks were colorblind. But Robert Fitzgerald, the great translator of the Odyssey, thought about the question when he was sailing on the Aegean Sea: "The contrast of the bare arid baked land against the sea gave the sea such a richness of hue that I felt as though we were sailing through a bowl of dye. The depth of hue of the water was like the depth of hue of a good red wine." Epithet Practice Write your answers in your notebook. 1. Dawn is described as "rosy-fingered." What does this epithet help you see? 2. Make up epithets for at least two characters that are popular on TV or in the new today (sports stars? singers?). Make at least one an appositive phrase. 3. Allusion: reference to a famous person, place, or event. Example When Odysseus' son first sees the palace of Menelaus, he says "This is the way the court of Zeus must be." Circle the allusion. Turn to page 1097! Answer #'s 1 and then 1-2 Scylla Turn to page 1098! Scylla Reading the Epic Remember, it is a poem, so there will be sound devices used. Alliteration: repetition of a consonant sounds at the beginning of words "but never have I seen one like Odysseus for steadiness and stout he Assonance: repetition of vowel sounds within nonrhyming words. “Try to light the fire” Consonance: repetition of consonant sounds within and at the end of words "He struck a streak of bad luck" Turn to page 1099 and answer #'s 1-5. Also, what reading skill is used in each one? www.liquiddragon.com/odyssey.php <http://www.liquiddragon.com/odyssey.php> The Odyssey Scavenger Hunt on page 1104 Objective: Work together to better understand and interpret The Odyssey. Directions: 1. Open up your group discussion by talking about the journal. 2. You are going to work together as a group to compile all of the answers for the scavenger hunt. Friendliness and Support. 3. Write your answers on one piece of paper, but put all of your names on it. Also, everyone must write answers at some point! Don't write on the handouts. 4. I will call up ONE group at a time to use the Smartboard to answer #2. 5. Remember, everyone should have their books out and looking up answers and discussing the questions.