1. Greek Mythology
A Brief Introduction

2. Introduction
The Greeks were polytheistic in their religious beliefs. Polytheistic means they believed in and worshiped many different gods.
In Greek mythology, the gods often represented different forms of nature.
There was no sacred book or code of conduct to live by.
The most powerful Greek gods were known as the Olympians. The Greeks believed the Olympians lived on the highest mountain in Greece, Mount Olympus.
The Olympian gods included: Zeus, Hera, Apollo, Aphrodite, Ares, Artemis, Athena, Demeter, Hades, Hermes, Hephaestus, Poseidon and Hestia or later she was replaced in some lists by Dionysus.

3. Major Gods and Goddesses
Zeus - King of the Gods
Hera - Queen of the Gods
Aphrodite - goddess of love and beauty
Apollo - god of light, truth, healing, archery, music, poetry
Ares - god of war 
Artemis - goddess of hunt, moon, children 
Athena - goddess of wisdom, war, patriotism and good citizenship
Demeter - goddess of grain, agriculture, fertility
Dionysus - god of wine, vegetation, and theater
Hades - god of the underworld
Hephaestus - god of forge and fire
Hermes - messenger of the gods, god of motion, travelers, commerce, thieves, and sheep
Hestia - goddess of the hearth and home
Poseidon - god of the sea, earthquakes, and horses
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4. Passage 1: Pandora Who is Pandora?
She is the first mortal woman on Earth.
She was created by the Gods as a punishment.
Each God helped create her by giving her unique gifts.
Aphrodite gave her beauty, Apollo gave her music, Hermes gave her persuasion, etc.
Pandora means “all-gifted.”
She is a very curious individual.

5. Passage 2: Arachne Who is Arachne? She is a mortal.
She is a very talented weaver.
She is very arrogant and believed herself to be more talented than the Gods.
She challenged Athena.
The word arachnid was supposedly contrived from her.

6. Passage 3: Echo and Narcissus
Who is Echo?
She is a nymph.
She is cursed by Hera because she talks too much.
Who is Narcissus?
He is a mortal.
He is the son of a river god and a nymph.
He is overwhelmingly proud of his appearance.
He denies Echo’s love.

7. Vocabulary Terms commenced: began; started
descendants: children; heirs
obscure: unknown; unnoticed
obstinacy: stubbornness; reluctance

8. Pandora Paintings Dante Charles Gabriel Rossetti
John William Waterhouse
Giovanni Battista Rosso Fiorentino

9. Arachne’s Loom
Navajo Rug Loom
Traditional Loom
Table Loom

10. Echo and Narcissus

11. Narcissus

12. Narcissus and Vanity
What would happen if people took all the time they spent on their looks and instead used it for studying, theorizing, inventing, and thinking?
What kinds of assumptions, either positive or negative, do people make about those who are exceptionally good-looking?
Do you agree with the saying that good looks are in the eye of the beholder?
What might eventually happen to a person who relies too much on his or her looks?