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A Mirror to a culture
The Myth and Religion and the Ancient
Greeks
* Myth: Stories that began centuries ago that offer
explanations of natural phenomena or a culture’s
customs and beliefs
* It is what the culture at the time believed to be
true
* Psychologist Karl Jung believed that in order for us
to understand who we are today, we must
understand those who came before us. We can do
that by reading myths.
How the Greeks Saw their Gods
Their gods were very human, possessing traits such
as love, loyalty, jealousy, pettiness, or anger
Different from humans because they are ageless,
immortal, and more powerful
They did not control human being. Everyone
controlled his/her own fate and destiny
Gods may help or hinder depending on your
relationship, character or talents, or whether
you gave proper respect through rituals and
offerings
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* Also called Erinyes,
usually seen as three
sisters. In Greek
mythology, they
pursued sinners on
earth. They were
cruel, but also known
for being fair.
* Greek goddesses who
presided over the arts
and sciences. They
were believed to
inspire all artists,
especially poets,
philosophers and
musicians. They were
daughters of Zeus and
Mnemosyne, goddess
of memory.
*
* Son of Zeus and Leto
and brother to
Artemis, he is the god
of music, the archer
god, the god of
healing, and the god of
truth who cannot tell a
lie. He was often seen
with a laurel branch.
*
* The daughter of Zeus alone, she
sprang from his head in full
armor and full grown. Fierce and
brave in battle, she wars only to
defend state and home from
enemies. Goddess of the city,
agriculture, and handicrafts, she
invented the bridle, trumpet and
flute, to name a few. She was
the embodiment of wisdom,
reason, and purity.
*
Daughter of Atlas, she
inhabits the island of
Ogygia, on the coast of
which Odysseus was
thrown when shipwrecked.
She fell in love with him
and promised immortality
and eternal youth if he
stayed with her. She
detained him for seven
years.
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* From a race of
minor
gods, he is the son of
Poseidon, a semi-human
monster with a single eye
in the center of his
forehead. He had
dreadful features and
liked to eat human
beings. He lived in a cave
where he kept sheep and
goats.
*
* A sea monster, daughter
of Poseidon and Gaia,
who swallowed huge
amounts of water three
times each day, then
belched them back out
again, destroying all the
ships around her. It took
the form of a huge vortex
that lived on one side of
a narrow channel.
*
* A beautiful witch who
lived on the island
Aeaea, near Italy. Her
father was the sun god
Helios and her mother
the sea nymph Perse.
When Odysseus lands
on her island, she
turns his men into
swine, but he is not
effected by the potion.
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* The Greek sun god, he
was the personification
of the sun. He was
overshadowed by
Apollo, the lord of the
sun, so he didn’t play a
major role in Greek
myths.
*
* A group of people who
lived in a state of
“languorous
forgetfulness” induced
by eating the fruit of
the lotus plant.
*
* God of the sea,
earthquakes and horses,
he was one of the supreme
gods on Mount Olympus.
He was brother to Zeus
and Hades. These three
gods divided up creation:
Zeus became ruler of the
sky and ruler of all gods;
Hades got dominion of the
Underworld; Poseidon was
given all water, both fresh
and salt.
*
* A sea monster that lived
underneath a dangerous
rock of the strait of
Messia, opposite the
whirlpool Charybdis.
Below her waist her body
was made up of hideous
monsters. She had twelve
feet and six heads, each
with three rows of teeth.
Any time a ship passed,
she would eat members
of the crew.
*
* Seductive female
creatures in Greek
mythology. Their
enchanting voices and
singing lured sailors to
their deaths. It is not
known what they
looked like, for no one
who saw them ever
returned.
*
* God of the sky and ruler of
the Olympian gods, he
overthrew his father Cronus.
His weapon was the
thunderbolt which he hurled
at those who displeased him.
He was married to Hera but
was famous for his many
affairs. He was also known to
punish those who lied or
broke oaths. Represented as
the god of justice and mercy,
protector of the weak, and
punisher of the wicked.
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* Hermes (called Mercury in Roman
mythology) was considered the
messenger of the Olympic gods.
According to legend, he was the son
of Zeus (king of Mount Olympus) and
Maia, a nymph. As time went on, he
was also identified with luck,
shepherds, athletes, thieves, and
merchants.
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