Mythology

Why does mythology exist? “Myth has two main functions,” the poet and scholar Robert Graves wrote in “The first is to answer the sort of awkward questions that children ask, such as ‘Who made the world? How will it end? Who was the first man? Where do souls go after death?’…The second function of myth is to justify an existing social system and account for traditional rites and customs.” Explain nature, religious rituals, give meaning to the world

Origins Early stories began around the Aegean & on Crete around 3000 BCE Beliefs that all natural objects had spirits Became legends of natural objects, animals, & gods in human form

Origins Oral traditions from around Greece Blending of stories – written in the 400s BCE Explain natural phenomena, re-tell historical events, have a connection between people & the gods

Worship & Beliefs Emphasized the weakness of humans in contrast to the great & terrifying powers of nature. Gods were immortal - controlled all aspects of nature. Human lives were completely dependent on the good will of the gods. Relationship between people and gods was generally friendly. ▫Gods delivered severe punishment to mortals who showed unacceptable behavior  indulgent pride  extreme ambition  excessive prosperity.

Worship & Beliefs The mythology was interwoven with every aspect of Greek life. Each city devoted itself to a particular god(s) ▫citizens built temples of worship. Regularly honored gods in festivals ▫poets recited or sang great legends and stories. ▫Many Greeks learned about the gods through poets.

Worship & Beliefs Also learned about the gods by word of mouth at home, where worship was common. Different parts of the home were dedicated to certain gods ▫an altar of Zeus in the courtyard ▫Hestia was honored at the hearth.

Worship & Beliefs No official church organization, they universally honored certain holy places. Delphi was a holy site dedicated to Apollo. ▫A temple built at Delphi contained an oracle, or prophet, whom brave travelers questioned about the future. ▫A group of priests represented each holy site - interpreted the words of the gods but did not possess any special knowledge or power. ▫In addition to prayers, often offered sacrifices to the gods, usually of a domestic animal such as a goat.

Purpose of Greek Mythology Entertainment & education ▫Responsibilities of humans ▫Weaknesses and strengths of humans ▫Emotions ▫Rivalry and conflicts ▫Ideas about evil and good ▫Ideas about love and hate ▫Right and wrong behavior ▫Ideas about the nature and role of women, men, and children ▫Family relationships and inter-generational conflicts ▫Explanations of nature and the physical world ▫Stories of ▫Attitudes toward heroism and courage ▫Explanations of the mysteries of life

Purpose of Greek Mythology Elements of fantasy, adventure, and violence Paradeigma – education by example Warnings to human beings about behavior the gods found unacceptable Greek gods sometimes personified ideas or events in human life that are difficult to understand ▫Peace ▫Time ▫Fate/Destiny ▫Justice Gods gifted knowledge & skills to humans ▫Medicine ▫Music

Gods Most Greek gods had similar characteristics, both good and bad, to human beings. Portrayed as men or women ▫immortal ▫held special powers. The gods could exercise powers on one another & humans as they wished, for their own vengeance or pleasure.  important to pay attention to the gods  appease them with food offerings or animal sacrifices

Heroes, Monsters, & Other Figures Heroes – one parent is a god(dess) ▫Bridged the gap between gods & mortals ▫Qualities to aspire to:  Perseverance – Hercules (performed 12 “impossible” feats)  Fidelity – Persephone (waited for Odysseus’s return)  Other Heroes: Achilles, Jason, Perseus, Odysseus,

Heroes, Monsters, & Other Figures Tales of warning: ▫King Midas – everything he touched turned to gold ▫Pandora – warned not to open the box that contained all evils of the world ▫Arachne – master weaver turned into a spider for her arrogance ▫Narcissus – fell in love with his reflection

Heroes, Monsters, & Other Figures Creatures may represent chaos and lack of reason ▫Pegasus – winged horse ▫Cyclops – one-eyed “man” ▫Sphinx – body of a lion, head of a woman ▫Centaur – body of horse, torso of a man Fierce & fantastic creatures often emphasize the difficulty of the tasks heroes are set ▫Many-headed Hydra to be killed by Hercules, ▫gorgon Medusa (hair of snakes) whose look could turn you into stone & whom Perseus had to behead ▫Chimera - a fire-breathing mix of lion, goat and snake - which Bellerophon killed with the help Pegasus.

Heroes, Monsters, & Other Figures Perhaps unfamiliar experiences were also explained in myth, for example, one can imagine that a Greek visiting King Minos’ sophisticated and many-roomed palace at Knossos might have thought it a labyrinth, and the worship there of bulls and the sport of bull-leaping might be the source of the Minotaur - is it coincidence it was killed by the visiting Athenian, Theseus? Could Jason’s expedition for the Golden Fleece be a reference to the rich gold of the Caucasus and a Greek expedition to plunder this resource? Do the Amazons represent an encounter with another culture where women were treated more equally than in the Greek world? Do the myths of the Sirens and Charybdis warn of the dangers of travel beyond familiar territory?