Greek Mythology

What is Greek Mythology? Greek Mythology is a collection of myths and legends that Greeks used to explain their world. Although we now view these stories as fiction, the Greeks believed them to be true.

Continued: The Greeks & Their Beliefs The Greeks had many gods. Because the Olympian gods mirrored the Greeks (people), they were heavily flawed. They were quarrelsome, unforgiving, jealous, vengeful, spiteful, sinful deities. Because the Greeks focused on being grandiose, the Olympian gods were mostly portrayed as physically strong, beautiful and intelligent. The same applies to the heroes in their legends and myths.

The World according to the Greeks Both good and evil comes from the gods. Heroes and monsters came from the gods. Many of the conflicts that are portrayed in the myths are between family members.

After the battle was over… Now that the battle was over, the three brothers had to decide who was going to rule the universe. They decided the fairest way to choose was to draw lots. Hades won the underworld. Poseidon won the sea and Zeus won the heaven and became ruler of all the gods of Mt. Olympus.

The gods and goddesses of Mt. Olympus Mt. Olympus was the largest mountain in Greece. It was the home of the gods and goddesses. No humans were allowed on top of Mt. Olympus, but the Olympians were allowed on Earth. Gods and goddesses were immortal; they could not die.

The Odyssey Background

What is an Epic? A long narrative poem about the deeds of a hero.

Characteristics Hero often portrays the goals and values of society The hero is a figure of great national or international importance. The setting is large in scale. Hero often portrays the goals and values of society

Characteristics of an epic action involves heroic deeds in battle or on a long and arduous journey. Gods, Goddesses and other supernatural beings take an interest and active part.

Characteristics of epic poetry The poet begins by asking the Muses to help him with his story telling. The muses were the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory. They were believed to inspire all artists, especially poets, philosophers and musicians. The narration usually begins in the middle point of the action; the events that happened before the narrative opening are introduced later. Flashbacks

Narrative features of epic poetry Epic poems were initially performed as oral traditions by wandering professional bards, also called minstrels or rhapsodes.

Features continued… The repetition of epithets- descriptive words or phrase that become a fixed formula. These develop the characterization by reinforcing particular aspects of a character. Examples: “Honest Abe” “wine-dark sea” “the gray-eyed goddess Athena”

Features Continued… The physical setting is created by: Imagery Homeric Similes - extended similes which compare heroic or epic events to everyday things metaphors Personification

Homer not Simpson Poet – traveling rhapsode/minstrel thought to be blind lived around Chios (Asia Minor)

Homer Authored the Iliad - war epic Authored the Odyssey – journey epic Passed down orally; written down by someone else Stories about events between 900 and 700 B.C.

Homer Ancient Greeks believed Homer’s stories to be true. The Greeks of the 5th century B.C. used the epics as ethical textbooks in their schools. Many believed that Troy was located in modern day Turkey. Real battles would have taken place as early as 1200 B.C.

The Iliad -- The Trojan War Background for the Odyssey Action is set in the tenth and final year of the Trojan War According to the epic, the Greeks attacked Troy to avenge the insult suffered be King Menelaus when his wife ran off with Paris of Troy (Believed to be Western Turkey). The audience for the Odyssey would already know this story.

Ancient Greece

Modern Greece

The beginning of the war: Paris, Prince of Troy Paris was initially raised as a shepherd because of a prophecy that he would be the downfall of Troy. Zeus (King of the Gods) decided that Paris would settle a quarrel between Hera, Athena and Aphrodite.

The Quarrel Peleus and Thetis got married They didn’t invite Eris, the goddess of discord She threw an apple into the banquet inscribed “To the most beautiful” The goddesses fought over it Paris was called to settle the fight

The Bribe The goddesses tried to bribe Paris. Athena offered Paris wisdom and skill in battle. Hera offered Paris political power and control of all of Asia. Aphrodite offered Paris the love of the most beautiful woman in the world.

Paris Chooses Paris awarded the golden apple to Aphrodite Aphrodite suggested Helen of Sparta as the most beautiful mortal woman. She was already married

Helen of Sparta Helen was so beautiful and wealthy that her father was not sure who she should marry. He feared retaliation from those not selected to wed Helen. Helen of Sparta is better known as Helen of Troy.

Helen of Sparta A plan was proposed that whoever was chosen would be defended by all of Helen’s suitors. Helen chose Menelaus to wed.

Helen of Sparta & Paris of Troy Paris went on a diplomatic mission to Sparta. With Aphrodite’s help, Paris seduced or kidnapped her (accounts vary) and took her back to Troy as his wife. All the Kings of Greece were called upon to make good on their oaths to retrieve Helen.

The Spartan Fleet A fleet of more than a thousand ships was gathered and commanded by Agamemnon (Menelaus’ brother). The forces consisted of 28 contingents from mainland Greece, the Peloponnese, the Dodecanese Islands, Crete and Ithaca, amassing a force of 100,000 soldiers.

Ancient Greece

The War The Greek armies besieged Troy for nine long years, but were never able to penetrate the city walls of Troy. The events of Homer’s Iliad begin at this point.

The End of the War The Greek army appeared to have set sail for home. They left the giant wooden horse as a peace offering - at least that is what the Trojans thought. - The Trojans moved the giant horse from the shoreline into the city of Troy. The Trojans were overjoyed that the ten year siege was over.

The Ruse Succeeds The city of Troy erupted into a drunken celebration. The Greek soldiers suddenly emerged from the giant wooden horse. The Greeks opened the city gates to allow their fellow soldiers into the city of Troy.

The Trojan Horse

The Odyssey The story of the journey of Odysseus and his men trying to get home after the Trojan War. 10 years an epic about humans on the journey of life overcoming temptations along the way.

Odyssey The word has come to mean an epic voyage in modern English.

An English example of the dactylic hexameter: The Odyssey was written in a regionless poetic dialect of Greek and comprises 12,110 lines of dactylic hexameter. An English example of the dactylic hexameter: Down in a | deep dark | hole sat an | old pig | munching a | bean stalk