introduction to greek
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A PowerPoint introducing Mythology and the gods/goddesses.TRANSCRIPT
Introduction to Introduction to GreekGreek
MythologyMythology
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Introduction to Greek MythologyPrepare yourself for a spectacular and
scandalous journey filled with:
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Unit ObjectivesStudents will be able to…
define mythology and explain its purpose.
identify mythological vocabulary and its relevance in today’s world.
identify the gods and goddesses and explain their relevance to today’s world.
identify the archetypes of mythology and explain their relevance to today’s world.
read and analyze stories from Greek Mythology to make connections between these classic stories and modern society.
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Why We Study Greek Mythology
It provides insight into the human condition (human nature).
It grants us a glimpse at an ancient people trying to make sense of phenomena they could not explain.
It is the source for many names and terms we use today.
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Big Ideas of the Unit
Greek Mythology has provided the foundation of our modern vocabulary.
The plots, themes, and characters of classical literature still resonate today because they illustrate human nature.
Archetypes are symbols used in literature to effectively communicate their ideas.
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What is a myth?
Myth comes from the Greek “mythos” which meant “speech” or “discourse” and
now means “fable” or “legend.”
A myth is “a story of forgotten or vague origin, basically religious or supernatural in nature, which seeks to explain or rationalize one or more aspects of the world or a society.” - Pantheon.org
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Summary of Greek Mythology
Polytheistic – They had more than just one god
Gods were different from the representation of the Catholic deity. They were more human in personality and likeness and had many human flaws.
Gods and goddesses controlled many elements and aspects of the earth, skies, heavens, and underworld.
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Zeus / Jupiter
King of the gods
God of air
Uses Thunderbolts as his
weapon
Womanizer – married his own
sister
Most powerful
Symbols: the royal
scepter and the lightning
bolt.
Jupiter is so named because it is so big –
it is the “King of Planets”
Poseidon / Neptune
God of the sea and earthquakes
Known as the "Earth
Shaker."
Made horses
Trident is weapon and symbol
Zeus’ brother
2nd most powerful Neptune is so named
because the blue looks like
water
Hades / PlutoGod of the Underworld and Wealth
King of the dead but he is not Death
Zeus’ brother
Son of Cronos and Rhea
Has a helmet that makes the wearer
invisible
Persephone (Spring) is his wife
NOT EVIL! (but he is unpitying)
3rd most powerful
Symbols: the key of Hades, the
Helm of Darkness, and the three-
headed dog, Cerberus.
Hera / Juno
Queen of the gods
Protector of marriage
Wife/sister of Zeus
The peacock is her symbol
Cows are sacred to her (ox-eyed
Hera)
JealousNo planet, but there is an asteroid named after her
plus a city in Alaska
Apollo
God of truth, light, archery, and
healing
Sun god in some myths (Helios is the
sun god in other myths)
Son of Zeus and Leto
Symbols are a laurel wreath, a
bow and quiver, a raven, and a
lyre.
Wolves, dolphins, and crows are
sacred to him
Has the Oracle of Delphi
Apollo asteroids are near-earth
asteroids
Artemis / Diana
Apollo’s Twin sister
Goddess of the hunt, wild
things, and crossways
She is the moon goddess
sometimes
Virgin goddess
As Diana, she is also a
goddess of light
Symbols: bow, hunting
spears
Stags are sacred
The Artemis navigation
satellite
Aphrodite / VenusGoddess of beauty and
love
Mother of Eros/Cupid
Wife of
Hephaestus/Vulcan but
lover of Ares/Mars and
other guys
Her symbols include
the rose, the scallop
shell, and the myrtle
wreath. Her sacred
animal is the dove.
•Born from the foam in the sea caused by the attack of Cronos/
Saturn on Ouranus/Uranus
Venus is so named because it is a beautiful
planet and can be easily seen with just the
eye
Ares / Mars
God of War
Son of Zeus and Hera, but
both hate him
Symbols: golden armor
and a bronze-tipped
spear
He has three children with
Aphrodite: Phobos (panic) and
Deimos (fear) are twins
Mars and its moons,
Phobos and
Deimos
Athena / Minerva
Goddess of wisdom and
defensive war
Daughter of Zeus and Metis (titan)
– she popped out of his head after
he swallowed the pregnant Metis
She carries a shield with
Medusa’s head on it
Her symbols include the
aegis (represented by spear)
and the olive tree.Minerva was a tiny
robot designed by the Japanese to land on an asteroid, but got lost in
space.
Hephaestus / VulcanGod of fire and the forge
Son of Zeus and Hera
Ugly
Lame because he was thrown off Mt. Olympus
for interfering with a fight between Hera and Zeus
Husband to Aphrodite
His symbols are the hammer, tongs, and
anvil.
Hermes / MercuryMessenger god and the god of
thieves
Greek Trickster figure
Very fast
Son of Zeus and Maia
Loves Aphrodite
Greeks believed he guided
souls to Hades
Symbols: herald's wand or
caduceus, winged sandals,
and a traveler's cap.
Mercury revolves around the sun so fast, it was named for the messenger god. One year is faster than one day on Mercury
The Hermes Asteroid
Hestia / Vesta
Zeus’ sister – Oldest of the
original gods
Goddess of the hearth and
home
Symbols are the
hearth and kettle
Asteroid Vesta
Eros / Cupid
God of love
Son of Ares and Aphrodite
Often portrayed as a child, but
not always.
He has wings
Uses a bow and arrow – arrows
cause one to fall in love
Eros is a near earth asteroid
Demeter / Ceres
Goddess of vegetation
Had powers of growth and
resurrection
Her daughter is Persephone
Her symbols are the
Cornucopia (horn of plenty),
wheat-ears, the winged serpent
and the lotus staff.
The asteroid Ceres was the first asteroid ever discovered and is one of the largest
(about the size of Texas). It almost became a designated as a planet
Dionysus / Bacchus
Son of Zeus and Semele
God of wine and
happiness
Symbols: the
thyrsus (a pinecone-
tipped staff), drinking
cup, grape vine, and
a crown of ivy.
The Bacchus asteroid