2. GLORIOUS GREEK GODS AND GODDESSES

3. GREEKS BELIEVED: The world was flat and circular It was divided by the Mediterranean and Eixine Seas The River Ocean flowed around the Earth The Hyberboreans lived in the north and the Aethiopians lived in the south The Elysian Plain, or “Isles of the Blessed”, was in the west

4. Ancient Greeks believed that gods and goddesses controlled their everyday lives. These divine beings lived on MT. OLYMPUS

5. MYTHS, or stories, about these gods and goddesses were made up to help them understand their world. CREATION myths tried to explain the origin of the world, the people, and the creation of man. NATURE myths tried to explain the natural phenomena of the universe. ANCIENT GREEKS believed these stories about the gods and goddesses. THE GREEK PEOPLE tried to please the gods with prayers, gifts, and sacrifices. They honored the gods in art, drama, and storytelling.

6. There are eight common characteristics of myths. Not all myths will contain all of the characteristics, but they will show up again and again throughout the stories of the individual gods. These characteristics are illustrated in the following slides. CHARACTERISTICS OF MYTHS

7. MYTHS ATTEMPT TO EXPLAIN NATURAL PHENOMENA

8. MYTHS HAVE MANY GODS

9. GODS AND HEROES ARE SUPERHUMAN BEINGS

10. GODS HAVE HUMAN EMOTIONS

11. MYTHS CONTAIN MAGIC

12. GODS OFTEN APPEAR IN DISGUISES

13. GOOD IS REWARDED EVIL IS PUNISHED ClickClick to read a story about King Midas being rewarded.

14. MYTHS CONTAIN VIOLENCE

15. Literary references - a Herculean task, an Olympian feat Vocabulary enrichment - narcissism Movies and Television - “Clash of the Titans”, “Hercules” Brand Names - Ajax, Nike, Amazon.com Company Logos - Hermes, the FTD Florists symbol Astronomy - the names of the moons and constellations Personal Names - Daphne, Helen, Iris, Melissa, Selena Music lyrics- The Police “Wrapped Around Your Finger” How Are Myths Relevant Today?

16. IN SUMMARY Myths are stories made up by ancient people to help them understand their world. These stories connect us to the Greek culture, enrich our lives, and stimulate our imagination. We are fortunate that Homer and other writers preserved these myths for us to enjoy.