Transcript The Greek Arts

The Greek Arts
Essential Learning
• Art & Architecture - students will
understand and recognize the various
architectural and artistic achievements of
specific ancient civilizations.
Literature
• This was considered the greatest
contribution to western civilization.
– Aesop’s Fables
– Sophocles – Oedipus (video\song)
– Thucydides – Wrote history of the
Peloponnesian Wars
– Euripides – Tragic playwright (Heracles –
Hercules)
– Aristophanes – Comedic Playwright
– Aristotle
Aesop’s Fable
• The Ant and the Dove
•
AN ANT went to the bank of a river to quench its thirst, and
being carried away by the rush of the stream, was on the
point of drowning. A Dove sitting on a tree overhanging the
water plucked a leaf and let it fall into the stream close to her.
The Ant climbed onto it and floated in safety to the bank.
Shortly afterwards a bird catcher came and stood under the
tree, and laid his lime-twigs for the Dove, which sat in the
branches. The Ant, perceiving his design, stung him in the
foot. In pain the bird catcher threw down the twigs, and the
noise made the Dove take wing.
» One good turn deserves another
The Frogs and the Well
• Two Frogs lived together in a marsh. But one hot
summer the marsh dried up, and they left it to look for
another place to live in: for frogs like damp places if they
can get them. By and by they came to a deep well, and
one of them looked down into it, and said to the other,
"This looks a nice cool place. Let us jump in and settle
here." But the other, who had a wiser head on his
shoulders, replied, "Not so fast, my friend. Supposing
this well dried up like the marsh, how should we get out
again?"
– "Look before you leap."
Architecture
• Most buildings were built from marble or
limestone.
• Most remarkable were the temples.
• Roofs were held up with columns. They
had to be technically excellent as there
was no cement used.
Doric
Ionic
The Doric style is rather
The Ionic style is
sturdy and its top (the
thinner and more
capital), is plain. This
elegant. Its capital is
style was used in
decorated with a scrollmainland Greece and
like design (a volute).
the colonies in southern This style was found in
Italy and Sicily.
eastern Greece and the
islands.
Corinthian
The Corinthian style is
seldom used in the
Greek world, but often
seen on Roman
temples. Its capital is
very elaborate and
decorated with
acanthus leaves.
Architecture
• Made great use of columns and were very
symmetrical in design.
• The decorated area between the top of the
column and the roof is called a frieze.
Ionic Style
Corinthian
Parthenon
Secrets of the Parthenon Movie
Sculptures
• Made from marble and bronze.
• Phidias was the most well known. His
work is seen in the Acropolis and the
British museum.
Venus de Milo
Paintings
• Paintings were more famous than the
painter.
• Most that remain are on vases.
Music
• Central to life in Ancient Greece.
• Most Greeks could play some musical
instrument.
• The main ones were:
– Lyre (stringed instrument)
– Cithara
– Aulos
Lyre
Cithara
Aulos
Philosophy & Science
• 1st to ask:
• “What is the world made of?”
• “Why is it the way it is?”
• Famous philosophers in Greece were
called “Sophists”.
• People followed and respected the
decisions made by the sophists.
• Socrates was out to prove them wrong.
Socrates
Socrates’ Death
• In 399bc he was put on trial at the age of 70.
– Charged with denying the gods, corrupting the young,
and trying to overthrow the government.
• He was found guilty and forced to drink
poisonous hemlock juice.
• People later regretted executing him and put up
a statue in his honour.
• (He left no writings)
• All we know of him was left by his students.
Plato
• Plato was Socrates’ most famous student.
• He set up a school outside Athens called
“Academy”
– He taught there for almost 40 years.
• The Academy lasted for 900 yrs. After Plato
died.
• He wrote several books, his main one was “The
Republic” was the 1st book written on Political
Science.
• His other famous one was “The Dialouges”
where he discussed Truth and loyalty.
Aristotle
• Aristotle was one of Plato’s students.
• He attended the Academy.
• He later founded his own school and wrote over
200 books.
• He was the first to classify plants and animals.
• He founded logic or scientific reasoning (a=b,
b=c then a=c)
– Ex.
• Aristotle is an Athenian
• Athenians are Greeks
• Therefore Aristotle is a Greek
• He taught Julius Caesar.