Greek Mythology

Warm Up Questions  What is a myth? (I know you’ve answered this, but do it again please so we can discuss the answer)  Why did the Greeks pray to many gods and goddesses  What does polytheistic mean?  What is a myth? (I know you’ve answered this, but do it again please so we can discuss the answer)  Why did the Greeks pray to many gods and goddesses  What does polytheistic mean?

Creation of Gods  Many natural disasters and human emotions were unexplainable to the ancient Greeks  The Greeks created fables (stories) about the creation of the world, and the birth of the gods  This way they could answer those unanswerable questions  Life, love, death, birth, earthquakes, tsunamis, volcano eruptions, rain, lightning etc.  Many natural disasters and human emotions were unexplainable to the ancient Greeks  The Greeks created fables (stories) about the creation of the world, and the birth of the gods  This way they could answer those unanswerable questions  Life, love, death, birth, earthquakes, tsunamis, volcano eruptions, rain, lightning etc.

Olympians  The Olympians were the main and strongest gods in Ancient Greek religion  Polytheism: the worship of more than one god/gods  There were 12 main Olympians and they lived on Mount Olympus--the highest mountain in Greece  Why say the gods lived here?  The overthrew their ancestors, the Titans, and became rulers of the heavens and earth  The Olympians were the main and strongest gods in Ancient Greek religion  Polytheism: the worship of more than one god/gods  There were 12 main Olympians and they lived on Mount Olympus--the highest mountain in Greece  Why say the gods lived here?  The overthrew their ancestors, the Titans, and became rulers of the heavens and earth

Olympians cont..  The gods had many human characteristics: the looked human (most of them), they married, they felt anger, sadness, and all the human emotions we feel  However: they never aged, and they never died  There were 12 total and their leader was Zeus  The gods had many human characteristics: the looked human (most of them), they married, they felt anger, sadness, and all the human emotions we feel  However: they never aged, and they never died  There were 12 total and their leader was Zeus

Zeus  The last child of the Titans Cronus and Rhea  His father, Cronus, jealous of his children, swallowed all of them  BUT…Zeus managed to escape and overthrew his father, setting his siblings free  He married his sister, Hera, but was not faithful  Zeus had many children due to his marriage and numerous affairs  The last child of the Titans Cronus and Rhea  His father, Cronus, jealous of his children, swallowed all of them  BUT…Zeus managed to escape and overthrew his father, setting his siblings free  He married his sister, Hera, but was not faithful  Zeus had many children due to his marriage and numerous affairs

Zeus cont..  He sat on the golden throne at the highest point on Mount Olympus  He was the Lord of Justice, punishing those who lied, but was considered fair  Responsible for the weather, and the weather reflected his mood  Happy= sunshine  Sad= rain  Angry= watch out!! Throw high winds, lightning bolts, and thunder to cause natural disasters  He sat on the golden throne at the highest point on Mount Olympus  He was the Lord of Justice, punishing those who lied, but was considered fair  Responsible for the weather, and the weather reflected his mood  Happy= sunshine  Sad= rain  Angry= watch out!! Throw high winds, lightning bolts, and thunder to cause natural disasters

Zeus cont..  Zeus’ powers had their limits  He could not intervene in the decisions of the Fates  Ones who have the power to decide mankind’s outcomes  Very strong, and unpredictable  His symbols are thunderbolt (a gift from the Cyclopes because he freed them from Cronus) and the eagle  Zeus’ powers had their limits  He could not intervene in the decisions of the Fates  Ones who have the power to decide mankind’s outcomes  Very strong, and unpredictable  His symbols are thunderbolt (a gift from the Cyclopes because he freed them from Cronus) and the eagle

Poseidon Father and mother were Cronus and Rhea  Older brother of Zeus  The Greek god of the seas, responsible for various naturally occurring events  Earthquakes, floods, crumbling rocks, rough and calm seas  Main weapon was the Trident  So powerful the Trident was, it could shake the earth  Had palaces both on Mount Olympus, and at the very bottom of the seas  Preferred to stay here Father and mother were Cronus and Rhea  Older brother of Zeus  The Greek god of the seas, responsible for various naturally occurring events  Earthquakes, floods, crumbling rocks, rough and calm seas  Main weapon was the Trident  So powerful the Trident was, it could shake the earth  Had palaces both on Mount Olympus, and at the very bottom of the seas  Preferred to stay here

Poseidon cont..  Married to Amphitrite  His symbol was the Trident-a three pronged spear  Sacred animals were the dolphin and the horse  Which he made to impress a woman named Demeter  Married to Amphitrite  His symbol was the Trident-a three pronged spear  Sacred animals were the dolphin and the horse  Which he made to impress a woman named Demeter

Hades  Supreme Ruler of the Underworld  Not the god of death. Thanatos is the god of death  Think of Satan or the devil  Son of Cronus and Rhea  Brother to Zeus and Poseidon  Wife was Persephone  Kidnapped her from her mother Demeter and brought her to the underworld  Known as the “rich one” since he possess all the riches in the earth  Supreme Ruler of the Underworld  Not the god of death. Thanatos is the god of death  Think of Satan or the devil  Son of Cronus and Rhea  Brother to Zeus and Poseidon  Wife was Persephone  Kidnapped her from her mother Demeter and brought her to the underworld  Known as the “rich one” since he possess all the riches in the earth

Hades cont..  Almost never does Hades leave the underworld  He prefers to live in darkness and silence  Hades had two helpers  Hermes: who would bring the souls to the underworld  Charon: who would take the souls across the river, Styx, from the living world to the world of the dead  Almost never does Hades leave the underworld  He prefers to live in darkness and silence  Hades had two helpers  Hermes: who would bring the souls to the underworld  Charon: who would take the souls across the river, Styx, from the living world to the world of the dead

Hades cont..  He was known for having very sad features  A dark beard  Long, dark hair that came over his face  Dark, dark eyes  He does have a loyal dog  A soul eating, three headed dog names Cerberus  His sacred symbol was the helmet, which kept him invisible  He was known for having very sad features  A dark beard  Long, dark hair that came over his face  Dark, dark eyes  He does have a loyal dog  A soul eating, three headed dog names Cerberus  His sacred symbol was the helmet, which kept him invisible