Mythology

What Is It? Anonymous stories Attempt to explain natural phenomena, human behavior Roots of primitive folk belief Narrative, oral tradition Less historical than legends, more supernatural characteristics

Every country has its own mythology, narrative tradition Mythology was used for education in Greece and Rome

Natural Phenomena Supernatural explanations for natural phenomena Volcanoes erupting, phases of the moon, rising, changing of the seasons, and setting of the sun Persephone, the kidnapped daughter of Zeus by Hades; her return to earth symbolized the flourishing of crops and weather, while her return to the Underworld explained winter and fall Belief that the world was understandable led to modern day science

Human Behavior Gods reflected culture and cultural values Recurring moral lessons taught about the vices greed and arrogance Emphasis on human relationships, such as strong family values Rituals and ceremonies, such as sacrifices to the gods were prevalent Disregarding the gods, such as Odysseus’s towards Poseidon had dire consequences

World View Gave Greeks a sense of pride, as well as moral lessons Stories of a certain people, and their place in the world Gave Greeks a sense of pride, as well as moral lessons Chronicled adventures of a national hero to rally soldiers and a nation against infidels Similar to motivational speeches by coaches to spark intensity before/during competition

Societal Values Live an ethical life Be hospitable Respect your elders Have pride in your country

Cosmic View Gave a sense of place in the universe, their position was to please the gods Heaven and hell, they feared and respected the afterlife Relationship between man and gods, it wasn’t uncommon for a man to speak to a god or travel to the Underworld Gods oftentimes disguised themselves as beggars to check the hospitality of the humans

Cosmic Explanation Creation Divinity Religion Existence Death