Classical Greek
Mythology
Literature
Mrs. Schultz
Mythology
• Oral tradition
• Rewritten many times over
• Many discrepancies
Purpose of Myths
• Explain events in nature
• Teach a lesson or moral: explain how
things were supposed to be or how
humans were supposed to act
• To entertain
Classical Mythology
• “Coming of the Immortals”
p. 2
• “Zeus and His Family”
p. 6
• “Hephaestus and the Birth of Hermes” p. 21
Coming of the Immortals
• By Roger Lancelyn Green
• Known for entertaining retellings
Greece
• Origin of mythology lies in Greece
• Mountains of Greece and their beauty inspired
the immortals that are believed to have lived
there.
• Gods and Goddesses lived on Mount Olympus
Stories were told, and told, and
told…
• There are many discrepancies between
names and actual events for different
stories because humans retold the stories
and changed “facts”.
Questions to Consider
• Who are the immortals?
• The immortals were gods and goddesses
believed to have powers greater than
humans.
Questions to Consider
• Why did the Greeks tell stories about
them?
– The purpose was to explain events in nature
– to explain how things were supposed to be or
how humans should act
– to entertain
Questions to Consider
• What is the tone of “Coming of the
Immortals” and what does it suggest about
the author’s approach to mythology?
– Humorous tone
– The approach is informal and fun
“Zeus and His Family”
• Who were the first gods?
– Gaea, Mother Earth
– Uranus, God of the Sky
– Cronus, Son of Gaea and Uranus
• See family tree chart handout
Cronus
– Son of Gaea and Uranus
– Married his sister Rhea and had six children:
• Demeter, Hestia, Hera, Zeus, Poseidon, & Hades
– Swallowed his children whole because of the
prophecy that they would kill him.
Cronus
• Rhea had Cronus swallow a rock wrapped
in a blanket so that she could save Zeus.
• Zeus fulfilled the prophecy and killed
Cronus.
Zeus
•
•
•
•
King of the Gods
God of the Sky
More powerful than the other gods
Children of Zeus:
– Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Heracles, Dionysus,
Ares, Hephaestus, Hermes, & Persephone
Zeus Shared Powers
• Shared powers with brothers and sisters
– Hades, God of the Underworld
– Poseidon, God of the Sea
– Aphrodite, Goddess of Love
– Demeter, Goddess of the Harvest
– Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth
– Hera, Queen of the Gods
Zeus Shared Powers
• Shared powers with children
– Ares, God of War
– Hermes, Messenger God
– Athena, Goddess of Wisdom
– Apollo, God of the Sun
– Artemis, Goddess of the Moon
– Dionysus, God of the Vine
Questions to Consider
• Who were Zeus’s allies against Cronus?
– His allies were Metis who helped make the
potion for Cronus to throw up his children and
then they too helped Zeus.
– Prometheus and Epimetheus (former Titans)
Questions to Consider
• Who are the twelve gods and goddesses
of the Olympiad?
– Zeus’s five brothers and sisters, six children,
and Aphrodite.
Questions to Consider
• What makes Zeus so much more powerful
than the other gods?
– Zeus had his thunderbolts, and he was
stronger than all of the gods put together.
“Hephaestus and
the Birth of Hermes”
• Hephaestus
– Son of Zeus and Hera
– Hera was not happy when he was born
because he was so ugly.
– She threw him over a cliff to die.
– Raised by Thetis
Hephaestus
• He was a great craftsman
• God of Smithing
• Made the thunderbolts, trident, and most
of the palaces
• Married Aphrodite
Hermes
• Son of Zeus and Maia
• Messenger God (winged feet)
• Grew to age 4 in one day
• Worked for Hades, great inventor
Questions to Consider
• Why is it that no one celebrated the birth
of Hephaestus?
– He was small and ugly
– His mother, Hera, threw him off a cliff
Questions to Consider
• Do you feel sorry for Hephaestus? Why or
why not?
– Yes, he should not have been treated that
way. He is constantly used for his talents.
Questions to Consider
• What is the importance of the trade
between Hermes and Apollo?
– This set up a relationship between the two
and Hermes is seen as a good negotiator. He
is really slick.
Questions to Consider
• Which of Hermes inventions are most
important?
– The alphabet and arithmetic because these
are used for anything and everything today.
Classical Mythology
• “Aphrodite”
p. 25
• “Demeter and Persephone”
p. 98
• “Midas”
p. 183
Aphrodite
• Goddess of Love
• Most beautiful woman in the world
• Magic girdle—all men were under her spell
• Born from the dismembered body of
Uranus in the foam of the ocean
Questions to Consider
• How was Aphrodite born?
– Aphrodite was born out of the dismembered
parts of Uranus floating in the foam of the
ocean.
Questions to Consider
• Why do you think that Hera insisted she
be married right away?
– Aphrodite was so beautiful that Hera thought
there would be problems. She also wanted
her for her son Hephaestus.
Questions to Consider
• What did each of the gods offer her to become
her husband?
– Poseidon offered gifts from the sea
– Apollo offered a golden chariot and the Muses as her
maids
– Hermes offered to make her queen of the crossways
– Hephaestus offered nothing but said he would make a
good husband
Questions to Consider
• Why did she choose Hephaestus?
– He was good at making beautiful things and
he acted like he would give her space.
“Demeter and Persephone”
• Demeter
– Goddess of Crops and Agriculture
– Happy—fields are green, grasses grow
– Sad—fields and grass suffer
– Mother of Persephone
– Myth explains seasonal changes
Questions to Consider
• What can you infer about the speaker of
this poem?
– The speaker is angry and upset. At times it
seems as if Demeter is the speaker.
Questions to Consider
• Why does Demeter disguise herself before
she goes to the village of the mortals?
– She does not want the mortals to know that
she is Demeter. The goddess that has been
in control of their crops and harvest.
Questions to Consider
• Why does Demeter grow angry with
Metaneira?
– Metaneira does not realize that Demeter is a
goddess and she thinks that Demeter will hurt
her son. Demeter is angry when she takes
her son back.
Questions to Consider
• What do you think is the purpose of this
myth?
– This myth was told to explain a natural event,
the changing of the seasons.
Classical Mythology
• “Midas”
p. 183
• “Prometheus”
p. 185
• “Pandora”
p. 190
Midas
• King Midas was given a reward from
Bacchus (Dionysus)
• He asked that all that he touches turn to
gold
• He wanted to get rid of the power
• He went to the River Factolus and plunged
in to get rid of the “curse”
Questions to Consider
• At what point does Midas realize that his
wish was foolish?
– When he can’t even eat bread he realizes that
his wish is foolish.
Questions to Consider
• Why is Bacchus sorry that Midas had not
made a better choice?
– Bacchus sees things and their consequences
and knows that this is not a good choice.
Questions to Consider
• What would be your wish if you could have
anything that you asked for?
Prometheus
• Titan thought to create humankind
• Defies Zeus and brings fire back to
humans
• Was chained to a rock for years by Zeus
as a punishment
Questions to Consider
• Why does Zeus take fire from the mortals?
– He thinks that they are not thinking about the
gods as they should. The mortals are only
concerned about finding riches.
Questions to Consider
• Why do the gods and goddesses want it
returned?
– They are tired of looking down on a world so
cold and black.
Questions to Consider
• In what ways is Prometheus a champion
of the “little people”?
– He is trying to do the right thing and help them
get something back that they truly need for
survival.
Questions to Consider
• In your opinion, was Prometheus wise or
foolish? Explain.
“Pandora”
• Zeus’s revenge on Prometheus and
humans for stealing back fire was
Pandora.
• Hephaestus molded her out of clay and
Zeus was said to have breathed life into
her. Modeled after Aphrodite.
“Pandora”
• A wedding gift of a beautiful box was given
to Pandora, but she was told not to open
it.
• Hera gave her curiosity. HMMM…
“Pandora”
• Pandora’s curiosity got the better of her
and she opened the box.
• Disease, famine, insanity, and all other
foul kin were released into the world.
• Foreboding did not get released.
Classical Mythology
• “The Trojan War: Paris and Helen” p. 234
• “The Trojan War: Odysseus” p. 239
The Trojan War: Paris and Helen
• Eris was not invited to a wedding so she
caused problems with a golden apple that
signified being the fairest between Athena,
Aphrodite, and Hera.
• Zeus decided that Paris would choose
which goddess was the most beautiful.
The Trojan War: Paris and Helen
• Aphrodite was chosen because she
promised him the most beautiful woman
he wanted.
• He chose Helen and this started the
Trojan War because she was married to
King Menalaus, King of Sparta.
Questions to Consider
• Why did Aphrodite help Paris?
– He chose her as the most beautiful.
Questions to Consider
• Is Paris a likeable person? Explain.
• Whom do you think is most responsible for
causing the Trojan War?
The Trojan War: Odysseus
• Odysseus is the Greek hero that devised
the plan for the Trojan Horse.
• His plan helped the Spartans take the city
of Troy.
Questions to Consider
• Why are the Greek soldiers so desperate
for the war to end?
– It had been 10 long years. They miss their
homes and families. They are tired.
Questions to Consider
• What is the purpose of the Trojan Horse?
– It allows them to get into the city. This is what
has been holding them back for ten years.
Questions to Consider
• Why is the inscription from Athena so
important?
– This is what will convince the soldiers that it is
a gift and they will have to take it into their
city. It “proves” that it is not a trick.
Classical Mythology
• “Arachne the Spinner”
p. 331
• “The End of the Olympians”
p. 366
“Arachne the Spinner”
• Arachne was a mortal girl.
• She committed the sin of arrogance which
was felt to be the worst sin according to
the gods.
• Athena disguised as an old woman heard
Arachne’s arrogant remarks.
“Arachne the Spinner”
• Athena challenged her to a weaving
contest.
• Athena won and turned Arachne into a
spider.
Questions to Consider
• What is Arachne’s greatest fault, and how
does it contribute to her downfall?
– She is conceited and it is her downfall
because she had bragged too much and the
wrong people heard.
• Why do you think Athena first disguises
herself as an old lady?
– Athena disguises herself so that she can hear
what the mortals truly think and believe.
“The End of the Olympians”
• Map of Greece
Questions to Consider
• 1. According to Graves, what religion
followed the worship of the Olympians?
– Christianity
Questions to Consider
• 2. Why did the rule of the gods and
goddesses have to end?
– The last king that believed in them was killed.
Questions to Consider
• 3. What remains of the Olympiad today?
– Constellations
– Greek mythology inspired many things
Questions to Consider
• Which god or goddess did you enjoy the
most?
Questions to Consider
• Would you say Athena’s punishment fit the
crime?