1. Mythology, Folk Tales, and Fables Introduction Definitions Notes

2. INTRODUCTION Ancient myths were told by people to explain their history and the natural world around them. Ancient myths originated in the area around the Mediterranean Sea: Greece and Rome. Ancient myths were passed on orally from generation to generation

3. NOTES A.Myths teach us about great GREEK & ROMAN civilizations B. Modern Day Influences: 1.Art or law 2.Architecture 3.Astronomy

4. 4. Mathematics 5. Philosophy 6. Medicine 7. Monetary systems 8. Government C. Democracy D. Reveal truths about ourselves

5. II. What is a myth? Religious Explains mysteries of the universe Explains the creation Explains a person’s role in the world

6. III. Collectors of the Myths A.Originated around the Mediterranean Sea B. Passed by word of mouth C. Famous Greek poets were: 1.Homer who wrote The Iliad & The Odyssey 2. Hesiod who wrote Theogony & Works and Days

7. D. Famous Roman poets were: 1.Less serious about religion 2. Ovid who wrote Metamorphoses 3. Virgil who wrote Aeneid

8. IV. Uses of Mythology A.Never merely silly or superstitious B. Used for these purposes: 1.To explain the creation of the world 2.To explain natural phenomena 3.To give story form to ancient religious practices

9. 4. To teach moral lessons 5. To explain history 6. To express, as dreams do, the deepest fears & hopes of the human race

10. V. Myths of Creation A.There were many stories B. Hesiod wrote a creation story C. Patriarchal means male-dominated D. The story begins with Chaos & birth of Earth (Gaea – Earth Mother & Sky (Uranus – Earth Father) E. Golden Age follows F. Rise of Zeus

11. VI. Gods and Goddesses A. Myths tell about gods & goddesses B. Divinities lived on Mount Olympus C. Spend time with ordinary people D. Represent good & evil

12. MYTHOLOGY DEFINITIONS MYTH: a story that explains something about the world and typically involves gods or other super human beings ORIGIN MYTH: stories that explain how something in the world came to be FABLE: a brief story in prose or verse that teaches a moral or gives a practical lesson about how to get along in life

13. MYTHOLOGY DEFINITIONS QUEST: a long and perilous journey taken in search of something of great value PARTS OF A QUEST: a hero, villains representing evil, obstacles to overcome, riddles or puzzling questions to answer, a reward at the end

14. MYHTOLOGY DEFINITIONS FOLK TALE: a story, with no known author, that originally was passed on from one generation to another by word of mouth TALL TALE: an exaggerated, fanciful story that gets “taller & taller” & more far- fetched, the more it is told and retold