Inroduction
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So Greek...
There are undeniably various
Greek influences around the
world, particularly in the
field of arts, architecture,
governance, and most
especially, language. In fact,
the terms Pandora’s box,
Achilles’ heel, and nemesis
are Greek influences that
originated from Greek
mythology.
Before we start our discussion, what is
Mythology?
A mythology is a collection of myths or stories
about a specific person, culture, religion, or
any group with shared beliefs.
Greek Gods
Greek mythology is composed mainly of stories about gods and goddesses, but it is not an
account of Greek religion. Instead, these stories were written to serve as a way of explaining
how things came to be.
For example, there are stories to explain how the animals, the trees, the sun, the moon, and
the stars came to exist and why earthquakes, storms, and eruptions happen.
In Greek mythology, thunder and lightning occur when
Zeus throws his thunderbolt. A volcanic eruption happens because a terrible creature is trapped
in the mountain and strives to break free from time to time.
Some stories in Greek mythology were also written to teach about various subjects such as the
responsibilities of humans, right and wrong behavior, love and hate, emotions, strengths and
weaknesses of humans,family relationships, and rivalry and conflicts, among others.
However, there are also myths that do not serve to explain anything. These function as a form
of
pure entertainment and were told by ancient Greeks to each other to pass the time. The
story of Pygmalion, for example, does not have any connection with nature.
There are three works that served as the basis for
classical Greek Mythology. These are the Theogony by
Hesiod and the Iliad and the Odyssey, both of which
were written by Homer. These three works contain
most of the basic themes and characters found in Greek
mythology.
Among the prominent characters
of Greek mythology are the
divinities. The Greek
divinities
may be divided into several
groups, among which are the
following:
A.Titans - earliest group. The
Titans are led by Cronus.
Belowis the Titans’ family
tree:
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Titans
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Oceanus
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Thetis
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Hyperion
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Mnemosyne
Coeus
Phoebe
Crius
Titans
Lapetus
Cronus
Themis
Rhea
Theia
B. Olympians - the most powerful group.
They are called Olympians because they
lived on Mount Olympus. The Olympians
overthrew the Titans. This group
consists of several ranks of divinities,
with twelve gods and goddesses making up
the top rank.
C. Minor divinities - other
gods and goddesses aside from
the twelve Olympians, some of
whom are the following:
Minor
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Divinites
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Eros
Furies
Dionysus
Muses
Nymphs
Fates
Nymphs
Fates
Furies
Muses
D. Aside from gods and goddesses, Greek
mythology also featured the following:
1.Demigods - partly divine, partly
mortal beings; one example is Heracles
(Hercules in Roman mythology), who
symbolized strength and endurance
2. Heroes - mostly or fully mortal
beings, many of whom had gods as
ancestors
3.Monsters - terrifying creatures
4.Men - mortals, not a divinity at all.
Thank you for
listening!
That concludes the
introduction to Greek
Mythology.