Prometheus and Pandora
Character to know: Zeus King of the gods. Has a queen, Hera, a daughter, Athena, and two brothers, Poseiden and Hades. Had many wives, and Hera wasn’t happy about it. Symbols- Eagle and thunderbolt
Character to know: Prometheus Young titan Didn’t agree with the way Zeus ruled man Thought the humans needed fire
Character to know: Heracles God of Strength Strongest of all the mortals The only man born of mortal woman to become a god
Character to know: Pandora CClay girl that was made by Hephaestus MMade to punish the humans for accepting the gift of fire
Character to know: Hermes Messenger god God of thieves Loved adventure Symbols- winged sandals and golden hazel staff
Key Point 1 Prometheus went to talk to Zeus. He didn’t agree with the way he ruled man, he thought the humans needed fire. But Zeus didn’t change his mind, and said,”No fire for man!”
Key Point 2 To bring fire to man, Prometheus went to the top of Mt. Olympus and lit a reed on fire with the rising sun’s heat.
Key Point 3 Zeus got mad at Prometheus for giving man fire, so he had his guards take him to Mt. Caucasus and chain him to the peak, where an eagle would peck at his liver forever. (Every night it would regenerate)But one day, a brave man names Heracles unchained him.
Key Point 4 To punish the humans for accepting Prometheus’s fire, Zeus made Hephaestus make a clay girl. He then had Aphrodite make her pretty. This girl was later named Pandora.
Key Point 5 Zeus had all the Gods give Pandora gifts. Hermes gave her a golden box, and said never to open it. After his gift, Hera gave Pandora the gift of curiosity.
Key Point 6 Pandora didn’t want to open the golden box Hermes gave her. In fact, she wanted to stay as far away from it as possible. To solve this problem, Pandora buried it in her backyard.
Discussion Questions for the Class