Transcript No Slide Title

GLORIOUS GREEK
GODS AND GODDESSES
GREEKS BELIEVED:
•
•
•
•
The world was flat and circular
It was divided by the Mediterranean and Eixine Seas
The River Ocean flowed around the Earth
The Hyberboreans lived in the north and the
Aethiopians lived in the south
• The Elysian Plain, or “Isles of the Blessed”, was in the
west
Ancient Greeks believed that gods and goddesses controlled
their everyday lives. These divine beings lived on
MT. OLYMPUS
• MYTHS, or stories, about these gods and
goddesses were made up to help them understand
their world.
• CREATION myths tried to explain the origin of
the world, the people, and the creation of man.
• NATURE myths tried to explain the natural
phenomena of the universe.
• ANCIENT GREEKS believed these stories about
the gods and goddesses.
• THE GREEK PEOPLE tried to please the gods
with prayers, gifts, and sacrifices. They honored
the gods in art, drama, and storytelling.
CHARACTERISTICS OF MYTHS
There are eight common characteristics
of myths. Not all myths will contain all of the
characteristics, but they will show up again
and again throughout the stories of the
individual gods.
These characteristics are illustrated in
the following slides.
MYTHS ATTEMPT TO
EXPLAIN
NATURAL PHENOMENA
MYTHS HAVE
MANY GODS
GODS
AND
HEROES
ARE
SUPERHUMAN
BEINGS
GODS
HAVE
HUMAN
EMOTIONS
MYTHS CONTAIN
MAGIC
GODS
OFTEN
APPEAR
IN
DISGUISES
Click to read a story about King Midas being rewarded.
GOOD IS REWARDED
EVIL IS PUNISHED
MYTHS
CONTAIN VIOLENCE
How Are Myths Relevant Today?
• Literary references - a Herculean task, an Olympian feat
• Vocabulary enrichment - narcissism
• Movies and Television - “Clash of the Titans”, “Hercules”
• Brand Names - Ajax, Nike, Amazon.com
• Company Logos - Hermes, the FTD Florists symbol
•Astronomy - the names of the moons and constellations
• Personal Names - Daphne, Helen, Iris, Melissa, Selena
• Music lyrics- The Police “Wrapped Around Your Finger”
IN SUMMARY
Myths are stories made up by
ancient people to help them understand
their world. These stories connect us to
the Greek culture, enrich our lives, and
stimulate our imagination. We are
fortunate that Homer and other writers
preserved these myths for us to enjoy.