Greek Mythology
Gods and Goddess on Mount Olympus
The Gods of Early Man
1. Gods were created to give an explanation for unexplainable
phenomena;
2. They were created to quell man’s fears;
3. Gods were either monsters or animals;
4. Gods later became half-animal and half-man.
Classical Greek Gods
1. Gods had human appearance and characteristics;
2. They embodied the Greek ideals of human physical and
spiritual beauty;
3. Gods often reflected man’s vanities and short comings;
4. Gods were often humorous;
5. Yet they could be fooled;
6. Gods were important in every aspect of Greek life: home,
architecture, drama, painting, sculpture, and war.
Myths
1. An anonymous story having roots in primitive folk beliefs of races
or nations and presenting supernatural episodes as a means of
interpreting natural events.
2. They attempt to explain creation, divinity, and religion.
3. They probe the meaning of existence.
4. They account for natural phenomena such as lightning (Zeus).
5. They chronicle the adventures or racial heroes (Odysseus).
Origin of the Greek Gods
Gods did not create the universe; it created them!
Origin of the Greek Gods
Gods did not create the universe; it created them!
CHAOS
HEAVEN AND EARTH
(Uranus)
(Gaea)
TITANS
(Rhea & Chronus)
OLYMPIAN GODS
(The children of Rhea and Chronus)
First Things First
•Parents
•Uranus (Heaven)
•Gaea (Mother Earth)
•Children
•Cronus (Saturn) & Rhea (Ops)
•The Elder Gods (The Titans)
First Things First
•Grandchildren (12 Olympians)
•Zeus (Jupiter)
•Poseidon
(Neptune)
•Hades (Pluto)
•Hestia (Vesta)
•Hera (Juno)
•Ares (Mars)
•Athena (Minerva)
•Apollo (Apollo)
•Aphrodite (Venus)
•Hermes (Mercury)
•Artemis (Diana)
•Hephaestus
(Vulcan)
Who’s Who on
Mount Olympus?
Zeus (Jupiter)
Realm
•King of the gods
•Ruler of mankind
Symbol
•Lightning Bolt
Misc.
•Hera’s husband
Poseidon (Neptune)
Realm
•God of sea, horses,
and earthquakes
Symbol
•Trident -3-pronged
spear
Hades (Pluto)
Realm
• God of underworld
Misc.
•Never lived on Mt.
Olympus
•Stole Persephone to
be his wife
Symbol
•Helmet (makes him
invisible)
Hestia (Vesta)
Realm
•
Goddess of hearth
& home
Symbol
•Fireplace
(hearth)
Hera (Juno)
Realm
•Queen of Gods and
protector of married
Women
Misc.
•Zeus’ wife
•Jealous
Symbol
•Cow/Peacock
Realm
Ares (Mars)
•God of war
Symbol
•Vulture/dog
Misc.
•Not liked on
Olympus
Athena (Minerva)
Realm
•Goddess of Wisdom,
war, and weaving
Misc.
•Born from Zeus’ head
Symbol
•Olive tree
Apollo (Apollo)
Realm
•God of sun, music,
poetry, & medicine
Symbol
•Golden lyre/chariot
Aphrodite (Venus)
Realm
•Goddess of Love &
Beauty
Misc.
•Mother to Cupid
•Born from sea foam
Symbol
•Dove/swan
Hermes (Mercury)
Realm
•Messenger god
•God of commerce,
• travelers, & thieves
Symbol
•Winged feet &
helmet
Artemis (Diana)
Facts
•Goddess of the moon &
the hunt
Misc.
•Eternal Maiden
Symbol
•The moon &the deer
Hephaestus (Vulcan)
Realm
•God of fire
•Forger of armor
Misc.
•Ugly and lame
Symbol
•Blacksmith
•Maker of weapons &
armor
Why is
Mythology
Important
to
study???
Many Famous
Sites, Paintings,
and
Sculptures
Across the World
Famous Sites and Paintings
Poseidon
Various Temples to Poseidon
Dethroning of Saturn
Zeus & Hera Enthroned
Psyche & Cupid
Eros (Cupid)
Statue of Ares (Mars)
The Centaur
•Half-man/Half-horse
Achilles and the Centaur
Minerva and The Centaur
Hercules and Telephus
• Son of Zeus
•Famous Greek Hero
•Half-mortal/Half-God
•Telephus (His son)
•Wounded by Achilles’
but healed by the rust
on spear
Arrival of Io in Egypt
Aphrodite Crouching
The Birth of Venus
The Birth of Venus
The Birth of Venus
Venus de Milo
Cerberus at Notre Dame
Cathedral
Charon, Ferryman of Hell
Crossing the River Styx
Hercules Dragging Cerberus
from Hell
Echo and Narcissus
Death of Adonis
Pandora
•Releasing plagues, sorrow, mischief,
and Hope into the world!
Presentation of Pandora by
Vulcan
Prometheus bound
•Prometheus bound to rock by
Force & Violence (Zeus’ servants)
for loving man more than gods
A Satyr & Nymph
The Satyr Pan
The Sirens
The Moirai
(The Three Fates)
Three Fates with the thread of human life
The Fates
The Graiae
The Death of Medusa
Perseus and Medusa
Temples to the gods
•Temple of
Olympian Zeus
•Temple to Vesta in Rome, Italy
•Temple of Apollo
in Delphi, Greece
Allusions to
Mythology in
Literature
Movies, Advertising,
and Pop-Culture
today!
Hercules
Remember Fluffy?
J.K. Rowling’s inspiration was Cerberus, the three
headed dog who guards the gates of the underworld.
Centaurs from Harry Potter
Sinbad
Sirens attack
Sinbad’s Ship
Movies about The Iliad
Movies about The Odyssey
Television
Homer’s Odyssey and
other references
Modern Day Mythology
Companies
• Nike- Shoes, The Goddess of Victory
• Saturn –Automobiles, Zeus's Father
• Olympus – Photography Technology,
•
•
•
•
Mount Olympus
Mars- Candy Bars, God of War
FTD – Hermes Logo, Messenger God
Amazon.com – Books, Race of Warrior
Women
Midas – Golden touch and Mufflers!