About Mythology
Mythology
Began…
HOWHow
THE
WORLD
BEGAN
ACCORDING TO GREEK MYTHOLOGY
What is Mythology?
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It is the study of myths.
Myths are stories about supernatural beings,
in early times handed down orally from one
generation to another.
Mythology includes a collection of stories
about people—such as Greeks, Romans,
and Celtics.
Myths attempt to explain such things as:
1. Nature
2. Man
3. Gods
NATURE
• Where did man come from?
1.Heavens
- sun, moon, stars, etc.
2.Seasons
- rain, fertility
3.Geography
- oceans, mountains, forests
Man
• Where did man come from?
1. His life
-
birth, growth, reproduction, death
2. His victories
- glories in battle
3. His defeats
- misfortune
4. His end
- Rewards and punishments
Gods
•
Where did the gods come from?
1. Number of gods
-
how many, their religions
2. Role of gods
- their power and weaknesses
Chief Source of Our Knowledge
• The chief source of our knowledge of ancient
myths is from literature!
• Mythology is interesting, entertaining, shows
how the ancient people viewed their world—
and because you’ll find constant references
to mythology all of your life!
Why Is Mythology Important?
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In literature
In music
In the arts
In advertising
In history
In language
Mythology is Especially Interesting
to…
• Psychologists, who see in myths the
expression of subconscious needs.
• Theologians, who study religions and
myths to understand people.
• Students of literature, who must
understand myths to understand much
poetry and other works.
Purposes Myths Serve
– People of many cultures have created myths to
explain their world and themselves. For
example, myths can be used:
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To explain elements of the natural world (why there
are seasons, how the oceans are created)
To explain the origins of good and evil (why there is
suffering in the world)
To teach valuable moral lessons about living
(lessons about controlling anger, overcoming greed)
To explain human behavior (understanding about
love, jealousy, etc.)
Differences Between Greek and
Roman Myths
• Roman myths came after Greek myths.
• Often the only difference are in the names
given to the figures.
HOW THE WORLD BEGAN
ACCORDING TO GREEK MYTHOLOGY
OUT OF
CHAOS
(CONFUSION)
EMERGED 2
BEINGS
GAEA
URANUS
(MOTHER EARTH)
(HEAVENS)
Whose children were 12 Titans, including these 8:
OCEANUS
TETHYS
HYPERION
(oh-see-a-nus)
(tee –this)
(hy-pair-ee-on)
RULED THE SEA
RULED THE SEA
SUN
THEA
RHEA
THEMIS
(thee-ah)
(ree-ah)
(thee-mis)
MOON
GREAT MOTHER
LAW AND JUSTICE
MNEMOSYNE
CRONUS
(ne-mos-i-nee)
(kroh-nus)
MEMORY
YOUNGEST/STRONGEST
Plus 4 Monsters:
HECATONCHIRES
(hek-a-ton-kee-reez)
HUNDRED HANDS
3 CYCLOPES
(sy-klohp-eez)
ONE-EYED
THE PLOT
• Uranus hated all of his children, but
particularly the monsters—and these he
sent to Tartarus (the underworld).
• Gaea asked the Titans to rescue the
monsters but only Cronus agreed to
help—and he overthrew his father,
Uranus.
THE PLOT
• From Uranus’s blood came Giants and
Erinyes (furies).
– Giants were more like men than gods.
• They were fierce fighters
– Erinyes were furies with hair of writhing
serpents.
• They were winged.
THE PLOT
• Cronus and Rhea are married.
• They are now the rulers of the earth.
• Cronus and Rhea have 6 children.
3 DAUGHTERS
HESTIA
DEMETER
HERA
(hes-tee-uh)
(de-mee-ter)
(hee-ra)
3 SONS
HADES
POSEIDON
ZEUS
(hay-deez)
(poh-sy-don)
(zoos)
THE PLOT CONTINUES
• Cronus now feared that his children would
destroy him—so he swallowed all of them
but Zeus, who escaped.
• When Zeus grew up, he and Rhea waged
war against Cronus.
• A long battle followed—Cronus disgorged
(vomited up) his children.
• The monsters helped Zeus and gave him
weapons.
THE PLOT CONTINUES
• Cronus, who was assisted by some of the
Titans, was defeated.
• Zeus divided the world amongst his
brothers and sisters and himself.
HOW THE WORLD WAS DIVIDED
• Hera was the goddess of love and
marriage.
– Symbols: diamonds, all white flowers,
peacocks
• Hestia was the goddess of hearth and
home.
– Symbols: keys, living flame, and home
• Demeter was the goddess of agriculture.
– Symbols: wheat, poppies, cornucopia (wealth)
HOW THE WORLD WAS DIVIDED
• Hades was in charge of the underworld.
– Symbols: cerberus, bident, cypress
• Poseidon was in charge of the oceans,
horses, and earthquakes.
– Symbols: trident, dolphins, horses
• Zeus was in charge of gods and men from
Mt. Olympus.
– Symbols: eagle, thunder bolt, oak
MEANWHILE…
•
1.
2.
3.
4.
Meanwhile, the FOUR AGES OF MAN
pass by.
GOLDEN AGE
SILVER AGE
BRONZE AGE
IRON AGE
GOLDEN AGE
• Under Cronus was a “Garden of Eden”
existence.
• There was eternal spring, no work, men
were happy and good, no fighting, no
poverty.
SILVER AGE
• Under Zeus was the beginning of the
“Fall.”
• The four seasons were created.
• Work was necessary, hunger and cold
became an issue, shelters were needed.
• Men were courageous but overbearing.
BRONZE AGE
• During the Bronze Age, men learn to use
arms and go to war.
• Prometheus tried to help man during the
Bronze Age.
IRON AGE
• The Iron Age was a period of crime and
dishonor.
• The gifts of the gods were abused.
• Man sinks into degradation (poverty).
Where Did They Live?
• The Greek gods and goddesses lived on Mt.
Olympus, along with Zeus and his 12 wives!
• Mount Olympus had a 10,000 feet altitude.
• Its top is always covered with snow.
• Mount Olympus was between Macedonia
and Thessaly.
Mt. Olympus
COUNCIL OF 13 GODS
• The COUNCIL OF 13 GODS was formed.
• It consisted of the following gods/goddesses:
Zeus, Hera, Athena, Ares, Apollo, Hestia,
Poseidon, Hades, Hephaestus, Artemis,
Hermes, Aphrodite, and Demeter.
• Zeus was in charge of everything—gods and
man, good and evil, law and order, even the
weather.
• The council meets and oversees the world.
3 MOIRAE (FATES)
• All gods and goddesses, including Zeus,
obeyed the 3 Moirae (mo-ih-ry) or Fates.
• They were:
– Clotho (kloh-thoh), who spun the web of life.
– Lachesis (lak-uh-sis), who gave each man his
fate.
– Atropus (at-roh-pus), who cuts out the fatal
web.
3 REGIONS OF THE
UNDERWORLD
1. TARTARUS
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A place of misery and torture.
The Titans lived here.
2. ELYSIUM
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In the West, ruled by Cronus, a paradise which
had its own sun and stars.
Great poets came here.
3. ACHERON
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A place where people wandered aimlessly.
Home of the majority of those who died.
5 RIVERS OF THE
UNDERWORLD
1. STYX
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Where you wait for
Cheron’s ferry
2. LETHE
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Where you forget
your past
3. ACHERON
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The river of woe
4. PHLEGETHON
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The river of fire
5. COCYTUS
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The river of wailing