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GreekMythologyWhat is Greek Mythology? Greek Mythology is a collection of mythsand legends that Greeks used to explaintheir world. Although we now view these stories asfiction, the Greeks believed them to betrue.English IClass notesThe Greeks and TheirBeliefs The Greeks were “a tough, restless,ambitious, hard-living, imaginative race.” The Greeks loved life. They believed in living life to the fullest,because death was going to happenwhether you wanted it to or not. The only response to death was to make amark on the world. Be a legend begrandiose.Continued: The Greeks &Their Beliefs The Greeks had many gods. The Olympian gods resembled the Greeks needto be grandiose. Because the Olympian gods mirrored theGreeks, they were heavily flawed. They were quarrelsome, unforgiving, jealous,vengeful, spiteful, sinful deities. Because the Greeks focused on beinggrandiose, the Olympian gods were mostlyportrayed as physically strong, beautiful andintelligent. The same applies to the heroes in their legendsand myths.1

The World according to theGreeks Both good and evil comes from the gods. Heroes and monsters came from the gods. This idea has influenced all religions thatcame after. Many of the conflicts that are portrayed inthe myths are between family members.The World according to the GreeksIn the Beginning In the beginning there was no earth, sky or sea. There wasonly confusion and darkness, called Chaos. Chaos gave birth toMother Earth. She eventually gave birth to a son, Uranus, also knownas Father Heaven. Mother Earth and Father Heaven had manychildren. First, they had three monstrous sons. Each had fifty heads and onehundred hands. Then, they had three more sons. They were just as big and just asugly. They were called Cyclops. They had one eye in the middle oftheir foreheads. They were as strong as Earthquakes and Tornadoescombined. Finally, they had the first gods, six sons and six daughters called theTitans.Among their children was thegreatest Titan, Cronus (Kronus). Cronusgained power from his father, Uranus, bycastrating him. Then, Cronus becameruler over heaven and Earth and marriedhis sister, Rhea. From their union camethe Olympian gods.The bigger you are, the harder youfallPower changed Cronus and made him evil.He was so afraid that one of his sons was goingto do to him what he did to his father that heswallowed all of his children immediately aftertheir birth. One by one, Cronus swallowedHestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, and Poseidon.When Rhea was pregnant with her sixth child,she thought of a plan. She secretly gave birth toher sixth child, Zeus, and gave him to MotherEarth.2

Mythology and ArtMother Earth decided that the child would be safe if shehid him as far away from Cronus as she could. WhenCronus asked to see the sixth child, Rhea handed him arock wrapped in a blanket. Just like her previouschildren, Cronus swallowed the rock without hesitation,just as she had planned. Rhea was happy and could notwait for the day Zeus would grow up and destroy hisfather.Rhea and Zeus’ planZeus was safely being raised byNymphs and shepherds. Eventually Zeusgrew up and Rhea, his mother, told himabout what Cronus did to his siblings.Zeus made a promise to his mother thathe would make Cronus pay for what hedid.When Zeus returned to his mother, shedisguised him as a servant. Rheaconcocted a poisonous potion and Zeus,acting as a servant, put it in Cronus’ drink.The concoction caused Cronus to get sickand vomit. First, Cronus vomited up therock. Then each of his five children, one byone. Zeus was seen as a hero for savinghis siblings. They were extremely thankful.Once everyone was freed, the six childrendecided to battle against Cronus.3

The battle betweenfather and sonsThe war lasted ten years. Neither sidecould get the upper hand because theywere equal in strength. Mother Earthsuggested that Zeus and his brothers gofree the Cyclops and have them fight ontheir side. Zeus and his brothers did asthey were advised and freed their uncles,the Cyclops. The Cyclops gave them theadvantage they needed. Finally, the warwas over. Zeus and his siblings werevictorious.The gods and goddessesof Mt. Olympus Mt. Olympus was thelargest mountain inGreece. It was thehome of the gods andgoddesses. Gods and goddesseswere immortal, theycould not die. No humans wereallowed on top of Mt.Olympus, but theOlympians wereallowed on Earth.After the battle was over Now that the battle was over, the three brothers hadto decide who was going to rule the universe. Theydecided the fairest way to choose was to draw lots.Hades won the underworld. Poseidon won the sea andZeus won the heaven and became ruler of all the gods ofMt. Olympus. Chief god Lord of sky God of thunder &lightening Married his sister Hera Populated the heavensand the Earth “promiscuous liaisons”.4

Zeus and Hera Wife and sister ofZeus Goddess ofmarriage,protector ofchildbirth &heroes Portrayed asextremely jealousand vindictive God of the sea, horses andearthquakes Lives in a palace beneath theocean Carries a three-prongedtrident Gave people the horse Married a sea nymph namedAmphitrite Like his brother, he fatheredmany children. Very fond of his sisterDemeter5

god of theunderworldand the dead god of wealth Owned all ofthe preciousmetal on Earth Wore a capthat made himinvisible Kidnapped hisniece andmade her hiswife Demeter means“Barley-mother” Another name for heris Ceres, from theword cereal Goddess of thecornfield, mistress ofplanting andharvesting, lady ofgrowing things She had a son and adaughter. Herdaughter’s name wasPersephone. Her daughter waskidnapped by Hades.(reasons for theseasons) Zeus’ third sister goddess of hearth family andhome her only job was to keep thefire lit in the hearth on Mt.Olympus6

All of Zeus’ children Zeus had eight children on OlympusThe twins: Apollo and ArtimisAthenaHephaestusHermesAresDionysusAphrodite (not really Zeus child, but he took herin) goddess of hunting, wildthings, unmarried girlsand the moon She decided never tomarryOnce when she wasbathing under themoonlight a human waswatching her. She threwrain drops on him andchanged him into a stag.Then she had him killedby his own dogs. god of light, musicand poetry most beautiful god also the god ofmedicine taught people the artof healing fine marksman could predict thefuture Zeus’ favorite goddess of wisdom,strategy, protector ofcities and civilizations goddess of handicraftsand artShe sprang from herfather’s head fullyclothed and in armor.Hephaestus, Zeus’ son,had to release Athenaby cutting his head openwith an ax.7

god of fire The only ugly god, but he was peaceful,loving and popular. He walks with a limp because Zeus threwover the palace walls one day when hetook his mother’s side over Zeus’. Made all the Olympians’ thrones, armor,furniture and weapons Married Aphrodite god of war Boastful, cruel and hadno manners Son of Zeus and Hera Loved to fight, but was acoward once he got hurt Wherever he went therewas violence andbloodshed the curse of mortals Zeus’ graceful, happy son by thegoddess, MaiaGod of shepherds, merchants,travelers and thievesVery mischievous and trickyStole Apollo’s cows the day he wasbornGuided the newly dead to theunderworldInvented the alphabet, astronomy,scales, playing cards and card gamesZeus’ messengerWore winged sandals and a wingedcapHad a son named Pan. He was halfgoat. god of wine Zeus’ youngest son His mother, Semele, wasa princess and a mortalwoman His mother wasconsumed by fire whenshe was tricked by Hera He was saved by Hermes. Taught people the art ofwine making & theconsequences of toomuch wine8

Goddess of love andbeauty Goddess of desire Wherever she walkedflowers sprang upbeneath her feet she appeared fromthe foam of the sea Her son is Eros(Cupid)The myths & the gods to becontinued9

Greek Mythology English I Class notes What is Greek Mythology? Greek Mythology is a collection of myths and legends that Greeks used to explain their world. Although we now view these stories as fiction, the Greeks believed them to be true. The Greeks and Their Beliefs The Greeks were "a tough, restless,