Transcript Greek Mythology PowerPoint

Bell Ringer
On your desk, there is a map.
Please begin working on it.
Greek Mythology
Can you think of examples of Greek
gods and goddesses in other cultures?
Mythology

A rich collection of stories about the exploits
of gods and goddesses that sought to explain
natural phenomena and life events
The Significance of Greek Mythology


Often there were multiple, opposite stories about
the gods and goddesses
 This is possible because there is no sacred
text and no single set of beliefs could be
elevated as supreme.
 Therefore, people are fairly religiously tolerant,
there are no heretics (someone who does not
conform to a certain belief system)
Religion brought the community together and
faith was a more personal affair
Greek Gods and Goddesses




Polytheistic
Represent human qualities
Incorporated into western art and literature
Evident in Greek art and architecture
Zeus



God of the gods
Hurled lightening bolts
at those who
displeased him
Famous for having
multiple affairs and
fathering many
other gods
Hera


Goddess of marriage
and wife of Zeus
Most stories dealing
with Hera involve her
getting back at Zeus for
his cheating
Hades


God of the Underworld
Also the god of
metal because
metal come from
the earth
Athena



Goddess of Wisdom
Legend of the Birth of
Athena
 Zeus was once married
to Metis, who was
renowned for her wisdom
 When Metis became
pregnant, Zeus was
warned that a son born to
Metis would overthrow
him
 Zeus swallowed Metis
and in time he was
overcome with a splitting
headache from which he
birthed Athena
Goddess of Athens
The Parthenon – temple built and dedicated to the
Athena in Athens
Aries



God of war
Patron god of Sparta
Legends of Aries:
 Though an immortal
deity, he was bested
by Hercules in battle
and was almost killed
when stuffed into a jar
by two giants
 When another hero
wounded him during
the Trojan War, he
received scant
sympathy from his
father Zeus
Hermes

Messenger of the gods and guide of
dead souls to the Underworld
Aphrodite


Goddess of love and beauty
Daughter of Zeus
Apollo


God of music
Legends of Apollo:
 When someone died
suddenly, he was said
to have been struck
down by one of
Apollo's arrows
 Homer's epic of the
Trojan War begins with
the god causing a
plague by raining
arrows down upon the
Greek camp
Artemis



Goddess of hunting
and the moon
Daughter of Zeus and
twin sister of Apollo
Patron goddess of the
city-state Ephesus
Greek Mythology in Western Civilization

Many of Western civilization’s symbols,
metaphors, words, and idealized images
come from ancient Greek mythology, such
as…
Nike – Goddess of Victory
Atlas – Astronomy and Navigation


Doomed to hold the
heavens on his
shoulders
Examples include an
atlas (book of maps),
as well as the moving
company which bears
the same name
Apollo – God of Music

Apollo Theatre in New York
City
Trident


The three-pronged spear of
Poseidon, god of the seas
Trident is a popular brand of gum
 'Tria' is Greek for 'three' and 'donti'
means 'tooth'; hence, Trident
translates literally as 'three-teeth',
or 'triple-toothed‘
 Trident Gum, if one is to believe
the advertising, helps to clean your
teeth, thus the allusion
Exit Ticket:


How did mythology help the early Greek
civilization explain the natural world and the
human condition?
What impact did Greek mythology have on
later civilizations and the contemporary
world?