Warm Up Activity Please respond to this question in your journal: What do you know about myths and mythology?

Even in 2010 Mythology is all around us! Have you seen it?

Home and Garden Hyacinthus According to Greek mythology, Hyacinthus was a youth who was loved, and accidentally killed by, Apollo. From his blood sprang the hyacinth that we see today. Crocus Crocus was changed by the gods into a white and yellow plant because he loved without being loved again. Narcissus Narcissus, for reasons you will find out later, was transformed into a flower that still bears his name. For reasons you will learn later, Atlas was condemned by Zeus to support the world and the heavens on his shoulders. Ajax Ajax was a hero and a solider in the Trojan War who fought against the Greeks. Hence, the Ajax slogan “Tough on Grease.”

Town and City The rod of Asclepius The rod of Asclepius is an ancient Greek symbol associated with astrology, and with healing the sick through medicine. Asclepius, the son of Apollo, was practitioner of medicine in ancient Greek mythology. Themis, The blind symbol of justice is said to be based off of Themis, the goddess of law and order.

TV and Advertisements In Greek mythology, Nike is the winged goddess of victory. odyssey The term odyssey, which means a long quest or adventurous voyage, comes from the travels of the famous Greek hero, Odysseus. Hermes Hermes, pictured here, was the messenger of the Gods. He was also considered the guardian of roads, commerce, invention, cunning and theft. As you will read later, King Midas wished that all he touched would turn to gold. Hence, the Midas slogan “Trust the Midas Touch”

“Human beings have always been mythmakers.” Karen Armstrong, author of A Short History of Myths

An Introduction to Greek Mythology What is Greek Mythology? A collection of myths and legends that represent the remains of the ancient Greek religion. So, what are myths? Myths are ancient stories that teach a moral lesson and usually explain how something came to be. The characters in these stories represent metaphors that the ancient Greeks used to make sense of the world around them and of life in general.

What do you want to look for when reading a myth? 1.The Moral Lesson: What is this myth trying to teach us? 2.An Explanation: Does it explain how something came to be? If so, what? 3.Connections: How does this myth connect to other myths, modern day literature, or our daily lives?