Transcript File
While the Greeks view of life was reflected in their politics, it was Which brings us to.. expressed most fully in their religion, philosophy and art. The Greek Gods •From earlier civilizations, the Greeks inherited the basic ideas of a polytheistic and anthropomorphic religion They believed that the natural world was controlled by hundred of living beings similar to humans in appearance and personality The difference of the Gods Immortality Even though the Gods were immortal, they were not all powerful. They had to obey fate, which overrided all. • The Fates (or Moirae) are the three sisters, robed in white, who decide human fate. Lachesis sings of the things that were, Clotho those that are, and Atropos (or Atropus) the things that are to be. Of the three, Atropos is the smallest in stature, but the most terrible and feared. Greek Gods Similarities to humans Differences from humans Were Ambition, Prideful, and Jealous Can not die LUSTFUL Perfect and beautiful in shape Subject to Fate Zeus Greek Gods •God of the sky, thunder, lightning. •Leader of all the Gods •His brothers are Hades and Posiedon. •His sister and wife is Hera. Hera Greek Gods •Protector of marriage and the home •Wife (and sister) of Zeus though they were constantly fighting •A vindictive* and jealous wife, who often outsmarted *Having herorhusband showing a strong or unreasoning desire for revenge Aphrodite Greek Gods •Goddess of Love, Desire, and Beauty •Born from… Cronos… •Married the ugly God Hephaestus, but had many, many lovers including Ares Aphrodite is the only character in Greek mythology not to have a mother or father. She was born during the primal murder, when Cronus murdered his father, Oranos, and castrated him. Cronus then threw the severed genitals into the sea. From the foam rose a beautiful maiden standing naked and dripping on a seashell. Wherever she stepped, flowers bloomed and beach sand turned to green grass. She went to Mount Olympus, and Hera immediately decided that Aphrodite should marry. So Zeus gathered all the gods and asked that they make their suit, and that Aphrodite would choose her own husband. Now, Hepheastus had been promised by Hera to have Aphrodite as his bride if he came back to Olympus. So Hera told him exactly what to say when it was his turn to make his suit. Now all the gods offered amazing gifts. Poseidon offered grottos, riddles, and fine undersea treasures. He also pointed out that since she was born of the sea, that she belonged to him. Hermes offered to make her queen of the crossroads where all must come, so she would know every secret in the world. All the other gods made their Poseidon Greek Gods •God of the Sea •Married a beautiful water nymph, but fathers hundreds of children with other female characters of myth •Invented the horse to impress his sister Demeter Greek Gods •Goddess of Corn and the Harvest •Controlled whether or not plants grew •Mother of Persephone, whose father was Zeus (her brother) Hades Greek Gods •God of the Underworld •Was severely jealous of his brothers Zeus and Poseidon. •Married Persephone (his niece) Abduction of Persephone (Greek Mythology) Persephone was the beautiful daughter of Zeus and Demeter. She spent most of her days roaming the lands of the earth. Wherever he stopped, flowers would appear and animals would follow her. One day Hades, the Lord of the Underworld was lonely and depressed so he decided to have Persephone. He kidnapped her using his chariot without anyone seeing him. Persephone’s mother started wandering the earth in search for her daughter. She neglect her duties until her daughter was returned to her. All the plants soon began to die. The earth become frozen. Zeus, in fear of losing everything offered ordered Hades to return Persephone but since she had eaten already six pomegranate seeds (food for the dead), Zeus made an agreement that Persephone would stay 6 months with Hades underworld then 6 months with Demeter on Earth. Athena Greek Gods •Goddess of Wisdom, Justice, War, Civilization, and Peace •Taught man to use tools •Hated Ares Ares Greek Gods •God of War •A ruthless and murderous god ( was symbolic of the many of the faults of man ) •Where he traveled grief, pain, and struggle came. Dionysus Greek Gods •God of Revelry *and Fertility •Huge amounts of ancient Greek poetry is dedicated to him •Created Wine •The two sides of *Lively and noisy festivities, esp. when these involve drinking a large amount of alcohol. Dionysus Zeus came to Semele in the night, invisible, felt only as a devine presence. Semele was pleased to be a lover of a god, even though she did not know which one. Word soon got around and Hera quickly assumed who was responsible. Hera went to Semele in disguise and convinced her she should see her lover as he really was. When Zeus next came to her she made him promise to grant her one wish. She went so far as to make him swear on the River Styx that he would grant her request. Zeus was madly in love and agreed. She then asked him to show her his true form. Zeus, was unhappy, and knew what would happen but, having sworn he had no choice. He appeared in his true form and Semele was instantly burnt to a crisp at the sight of his glory. Zeus did manage to rescue Dionysus and stitched him into his thigh to hold him until he was ready to be born. His birth from Zeus alone conferred immortality upon him.