Title of the
Myth
The Myth of
Icarus and
Daedalus
The Myth of
Narcissus
The Myth of
Eros and
Psyche
The Myth of
Pygmalion and
Galatea
The Myth of
Dionysus
The Myth of
Perseus
The Myth of
Midas
The Myth of
Orpheus and
Eurydice
Summary of the Myth
Purpose of the Myth
-Daedalus constructs a labyrinth for King Minos to imprison the Minotaur, but the King also imprisons Daedalus (the skilled
craftsman) to protect the secrets of the labyrinth.
-Daedalus plots an escape with his son Icarus by making wings of out of wax. He warns his son to not fly too low to the water for it
will wash off his wings or too close to the sun for it will melt.
-When Icarus escapes he becomes so happy and excited that he flies too close to the sun and his wings melt and he falls into the sea
and drowns while his father Daedalus watches.
-Also Daedalus is jealous of his nephew, Perdix’s accomplishments so he pushes him off of a cliff but Athena transforms Perdix into
a partridge to save him.
-Echo is a nymph with a beautiful voice and song that many (even the gods) long for. However, she tricks Hera and Hera punishes
her by making her only be able to repeat others’ words.
-Echo falls in love with Narcissus but he rejects her and sees himself in the water. Paralyzed with love for himself he gazes into his
reflection for eternity. A flower (the Narcissus) grows in its place.
-Psyche is revered as the most beautiful of all women, even more beautiful than Venus/Aphrodite. Aphrodite, jealous, enlists Cupid
to help.
-However, Cupid falls in love with her. They only spend nights together because she cannot see him. She peeks one night with her
candle (because her jealous sisters prompt her) and the wax drops on him, burning him. He is angry and everything vanishes.
-Psyche prays to Aphrodite for Cupid to forgive her and she makes her endure numerous trials. She marries Cupid and they have a
child “Pleasure.”
-Pygmalion is disgusted with women because they are so sinful and he decides to abstain from women (misogynist!)
-He builds a sculpture of a beautiful woman and falls in love with her. He prays to Venus dutifully and she makes the sculpture,
Galatea, real.
Dionysus is born of Zeus and Semele (she wants to see him as a god; he reveals himself and she burns to death) but Zeus is able to
rescue the unborn baby by sewing him into his thigh. Dionysus wants revenge on Pentheus because he did not believe that his
mother, Semele, was pregnant with Zeus’ child so he makes him mad and lures him into the jungle where he witnesses the Maenads
worshipping Dionysus and in a drunken rage they tear Pentheus to pieces.
Don’t fly too close to the
sun. Do not be consumed
with self-achievement and
ambition. Do not become
too arrogant.
-Acrisius receives an Oracle that he will be killed by Perseus so he sends him into the sea with his mom, Danae in a wooden chest.
He lands on Polydectes Island and wants him dead so he can marry Danae. He sends him on a mission to find and bring the head
of Medusa back as a wedding present.
-Perseus prayed to the gods (Hermes and Athena). They provided him with a sword and shield that allows him to cut off Medusa’s
head. Medusa was a beautiful woman who was raped by Poseidon in the Temple of Athena. Angered, Athena turned her into a
Gorgon. It is said that it is the blood from her head that created the snakes that we have in the world today.
-King Midas returns one of Bacchus’ servants to him and so Bacchus offers to grant him any wish.
-King Midas wishes for everything that he touches to turn to gold. However, he regrets this decision after he accidently turns his
daughter to gold.
-In a baptismal scene, Bacchus revokes his wish due to Midas’ prayers.
-Orpheus is an amazing musician that falls in love with Eurydice. As soon as they are married, Eurydice is bit by a viper and dies.
-Orpheus goes ‘to the end of the world’ (aka the Underworld) to rescue her. She can be saved as long as he does not look back to see
if she is following him. He resists the urge until he walks out and looks back but she is still partially in the Underworld.
-He must witness for a second time the death and loss of his beloved wife.
-He sings songs of his tragedies that inspire many of the myths we know today.
-He is also killed by Dionysus’ Maenads (like Pentheus) in the woods.
To not be self-obsessed;
To not trick the gods; To
not boast of one’s talents
Love is blind; don’t give
into peer pressure; don’t
be too curious.
To respect and pray to the
gods; To live a moral life
To explain why wine was
created; to warn of the
dangers of alcohol. To
warn of the relations
between gods and mortals
To explain how snakes are
made; to demonstrate the
power of prayer.
To reveal the dangers of
greed
To trust that your loved
ones are with you; To do
everything you can to be
with the ones you love; To
go on even through
tragedy.