The Artios Home Companion Series Unit 21: The Art of Greece

Teacher Overview

The arts reflect the society that creates them. Nowhere is this truer than in the case of the ancient Greeks. Through their temples, sculpture, pottery and literature, the Greeks incorporated the concept of reaching for excellence and one’s full potential.

Reading and Assignments In this unit, students will:  Complete six lessons in which they will learn about Greek literature, art, philosophy, religion, and myths, journaling and answering discussion questions as they read.  Define vocabulary words.  Explore the following website: ▪ Gods and goddesses of Ancient Greece http://www.ancientgreece.co. uk/gods/explore/exp_set.ht ml  Visit www.ArtiosHCS.com for additional resources.

A recreation in modern materials of the lost colossal statue by Pheidias, Athena Parthenos is housed in a full-scale replica of the Parthenon in Nashville’s Centennial Park. She is the largest indoor sculpture in the western world. Photograph by Dean Dixon, Sculpture by Alan LeQuire (1990), work of art is free according to the terms of the Free Art License.

Leading Ideas In Acts 17, Paul gives a sermon that makes it evident that he understood Greek philosophy. However, he did not stay there in his conversation. He presented the gospel to them. This is a great demonstration of not being “of the world” but being “sent into” the world. — Acts 17 (Read this chapter in ESV at: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+17&version=ESV) Ancient: Middle School Unit 21: The Art of Greece Page 314 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. — Romans 12:2

Vocabulary Lesson 1: Lesson 2: Lesson 3: Lesson 4: polytheistic satyr none pedagogue faun disreputable dryad Lesson 5: revel errant none savory frolic negotiable maim Lesson 6: lyre nimbus none dissent

Key People, Places, and Events Poseidon Hera Plato Homer Hades Narcissus The Republic The Iliad Charon Aeschylus Aristotle The Trojan War King Homer Hippocrates The Odyssey Silenus The Iliad Pythagoras Odysseus Bacchus The Odyssey Euclid Aphrodite Sophocles Archimedes Hera Oedipus Rex Athena Echo Euripides Hermes Diana Socrates

Ancient: Middle School Unit 21: The Art of Greece Page 315 L e s s o n O n e

History Overview and Assignments Flawed Gods

Cameos in raised relief of the Olympic gods. The seven gods depicted are the gods of the planets in correct order to their relationship to the seven days of the week. From left to right they are: Diana the moon for Monday, Mars for Tuesday, Mercury for Wednesday, Jupiter for Thursday, Venus for Friday, Saturn for Saturday, and Apollo for Sunday.

Reading and Assignments

 Review the discussion questions and vocabulary, then read the article: Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes.  Narrate about today’s reading using the appropriate notebook page. Be sure to answer the discussion questions and include key people, events, and dates within the narration.  Define the vocabulary word in the context of the reading and put the word and its definition in the vocabulary section of your history notebook.  Read more about the different gods and goddesses of Ancient Greece. Then play the game on the website to see how much you remember. ▪ Gods and goddesses of Ancient Greece http://www.ancientgreece.co.uk/gods/explore/exp_set.html  Be sure to visit www.ArtiosHCS.com for additional resources.

Vocabulary Key People, Places, and Events polytheistic Zeus Homer The Iliad The Trojan War The Odyssey Odysseus Aphrodite Hera Athena Hermes Poseidon Hades Charon

Ancient: Middle School Unit 21: The Art of Greece Page 316 Discussion Questions 1. Why do you think the Greeks created 5. Each god was a type of ruler of gods in the image of humans? something specific. Tell what each god 2. What were some of the human qualities below was considered to be a god of. that the Greek gods had? Zeus Hera 3. Who was Pandora? What was her story? Aphrodite Athena Hermes Poseidon 4. Was Hercules a god or a hero? What was Hades the difference?

Adapted for Middle School from the book: Ancient Civilizations source: ushistory.org Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes

The ancients Greeks were polytheistic— Many stories about how the Greek gods that is, they worshiped many gods. Their behaved and interacted with humans are major gods and goddesses lived at the top of found in the works of Homer. He created Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in two epic poems: “The Iliad”, which related Greece, and myths described their lives and the events of the Trojan War, and “The actions. In myths, gods often actively Odyssey”, which detailed the travels of the intervened in the day-to-day lives of hero Odysseus. These two poems were humans. Myths were used to help explain passed down orally over many generations.

the unknown and sometimes teach a lesson. “Sing, goddess, the anger of Peleus’ son Achilleus and its devastation, which put pains thousandfold upon the Achaians, hurled in their multitudes to the house of Hades strong souls of heroes, but gave their bodies to be the delicate feasting of dogs, of all birds, and the will of A family portrait of the 12 Olympians. Zeus was accomplished But wait—who’s that crouching by Zeus? since that time when first For example, Zeus, the king of the gods, there stood in division of carried his favorite weapon, the conflict Atreus’ son the lord thunderbolt. When it rained and there was of men and brilliant.” thunder and lightning, the ancient Greeks - “Achilleus,” by Homer, Iliad believed that Zeus was venting his anger. (1951 translation by Richard Lattimore)

Ancient: Middle School Unit 21: The Art of Greece Page 317 anywhere with great speed. Aphrodite, the goddess of love, was the most beautiful being in the universe. Her brother, Ares, the god of war, was sinister, mean, and disliked. Poseidon, ruled the sea from his underwater place and Apollo rode his chariot across the sky, bringing the sun with him.

The Statue of Zeus at Olympia was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Zeus was the ruler of the gods, the lord of the skies, and the father of countless deities and demigods of the Greek pantheon. Feidias' statue in gold and ivory was in Olympia's main temple. The statue was 12 meter high and decorated with paintings and precious stones. Woodcut, 1880 Many Greek myths explained the mysteries of nature. The Greeks created gods in the image of The myth of Apollo, for example, describes how the humans; that is, their gods had many sun moves across the sky to rise and set each day. Courtesy NASA and Cislunar Aerospace, Inc. human qualities even though they were gods. The gods constantly fought among Hades was in charge of the dead in the themselves, behaved irrationally and underworld. Almost all people went to unfairly, and were often jealous of each Hades after they died, whether they were other. Zeus, the king of the gods, was rarely good or bad. To get there, the dead had to faithful to his wife Hera. Hera plotted cross the river Styx. Charon was the name of against Zeus and punished his mistresses. the boatman who ferried the souls of the The Greek gods were highly emotional dead across the river Styx to Hades. and behaved inconsistently and sometimes Typically, the gods punished those who immorally. Greek religion did not have a were bad. For example, Tantalus who killed standard set of morals, there were no Judaic his own son and served him to the gods for Ten Commandments. The gods, heroes, and dinner was sent to Hades and made forever humans of Greek mythology were flawed. thirsty and hungry. Although there was a In addition to Zeus and Hera, there were pool of clear, fresh drinking water at his many other major and minor gods in the feet, whenever Tantalus bent down to drink, Greek religion. At her birth, Athena, the the pool would dry up and disappear. goddess of wisdom, sprang directly from the Likewise, over his head hung the most head of Zeus. Hermes, who had winged feet, delicious fruit. However, whenever was the messenger of the gods and could fly Tantalus reached for them, a wind would Ancient: Middle School Unit 21: The Art of Greece Page 318 blow them just out of his reach. The English explains the origins of human misfortune. word “tantalize” derives from the name At the same time, it teaches a moral lesson Tantalus. by warning of the dangers of curiosity. In addition to myths about gods, the ancient Greeks also told stories about heroes. One of the most famous Greek heroes was Hercules, the world’s strongest man. Hercules was the illegitimate son of a mortal woman and Zeus, who tricked the Aphrodite, the goddess of love, sits with the war god, woman by disguising himself as the Ares in this painting by the Renaissance artist woman’s husband. Hera, Zeus’s wife, was Botticelli. Aphrodite is one of several Greek goddesses, angry about Zeus’ affair and sought to and is often referred to by her Roman name, Venus. punish Hercules. Hera tricked Hercules into Pandora’s Box and Hercules’ Labors believing that his entire family were Myths helped explain how the world dangerous beasts, which Hercules then came to be the way it was. In one myth, Zeus proceeded to kill. When Hercules realized created an incredibly beautiful and nearly that he had killed his entire family, he perfect woman named Pandora. Her one agreed to perform 12 tasks to atone for his flaw was that she was very curious and terrible actions. For one of the tasks, suspicious. Hermes, Zeus’s messenger, gave Hercules had to slay the nine-headed Pandora a golden box. He warned her never monster called the Hydra. to open it because terrible things would For another task, he had to clean the occur if she did. filth from Augean stable, which had not But Pandora could not contain her been attended to in 30 years. To do this, curiosity and eventually broke down and Hercules diverted the course of a river that opened the special box. Out from the box washed away the mess. In the end, he flew all the evils that plague humanity: completed the so-called 12 Labors of famine, greed, pain, sorrow, etc. Only one Hercules and made up for the murder of his thing remained in the box: hope—which family. humans managed to hold onto. This myth

Ancient: Middle School Unit 21: The Art of Greece Page 319 God/Goddess Important Attributes

Zeus King of the gods, Zeus killed his father Chronos. He is also the god of thunder.

Hera The wife of Zeus, Hera is the goddess of fertility.

Poseidon The god of the sea.

Hades The god of the underworld.

Hestia A little-known goddess, she is a sister of Zeus and goddess of the hearth.

Chronos The leader of the Titans and father of the Olympians, Chronos ate all his children except for Zeus, who killed him.

Demeter Goddess of the harvest and mother of Persephone.

Apollo God of the sun, music, and art, one of the most versatile gods.

Artemis Goddess of the hunt, Moon, and childbirth. The sister of Apollo, she is also a very versatile Olympian.

Aphrodite The goddess of love and the mother of Eros, known to the Romans as Cupid.

Ares The god of War.

Athena Sprang full-grown from Zeus’s head. She is the Goddess of wisdom. The city of Athens is named for her.

Haephestos The god of the forge. Thrown from the top of Mount Olympus by Zeus, Haephestos is also crippled. The husband of Aphrodite.

Hermes The messenger god wears a winged helmet and winged sandals.

Persephone The daughter of Demeter, Persephone was kidnapped by Hades to be his bride. Because she ate three pomegranate seeds, she is forced to spend three months of the year in Hades. This period of time is known as winter.

Dionysus The god of wine and revelry. had an enormous following throughout the Greek world.

Eros The god of love. Often depicted as a young child, Eros used magical arrows could to cause people to fall in love.

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H i s t o r y Overview and Assignments Tragic Comedy

Reading and Assignments

 Read the article: King Midas of the Golden Touch.  Narrate or illustrate the story of King Midas of the Golden Touch. Be sure to put this in your notebook.  Define the vocabulary words in the context of the reading and put the word and its definition in the vocabulary section of your history notebook.  Be sure to visit www.ArtiosHCS.com for additional resources. Ancient: Middle School Unit 21: The Art of Greece Page 321 Vocabulary Key People, Places, and satyr Events pedagogue disreputable King Midas revel Silenus savory Bacchus negotiable Apollo lyre Pan dissent

Adapted for Middle School from the book: A Book of Myths by Jean Lang King Midas of the Golden Touch

In the plays of Shakespeare we have son, whose destination was the three distinct divisions—three separate marketplace, and whose business was to sell volumes. One deals with Tragedy, another the produce of their little farm and with Comedy, a third with History; and a vineyard—fowls, a goat or two, and a couple mistake often made by the young is that of skins full of strong, purple-red wine. An they do the same thing and keep tragedy eager crowd awaited their entry, and a loud and comedy severely apart, relegating them shout of welcome greeted them. And their to separate volumes that, so they think, have eyes grew round and their mouths fell open nothing to do with each other. But those in amazement when they were hailed as who have passed many milestones on the king and queen and prince of . road of life know that “History” is the only The gods had indeed bestowed upon right label for the Book of Life’s many parts, Gordias, the low-born peasant, a surprising and that the actors in the great play are in gift, but he showed his gratitude by truth tragic comedians. dedicating his wagon to the deity of the This is the story of Midas, one of the oracle and tying it up in its place with the chief tragic comedians of mythology. wiliest knot that his simple wisdom knew, Once upon a time the kingdom of pulled as tight as his brawny arms and Phrygia lacked a king, and in much strong rough hands could pull. Nor could perplexity, the people sought help from an anyone untie the famous , and oracle. The answer was very definite: therefore become, as the oracle had further “The first man who enters your city promised, lord of all Asia, until centuries riding in a wagon shall be your king.” had passed and came to That day there came slowly jogging into Phrygia and sliced through the knot with his the city in their heavy, wooden-wheeled all-conquering sword. wain the peasant Gordias and his wife and In time Midas, the son of Gordias, came

Ancient: Middle School Unit 21: The Art of Greece Page 322 to inherit the throne and crown of Phrygia. striving on the rocky uplands of Phrygia, Like many another not born and bred to the looked a little sadly in the eager face of purple, his honors sat heavily upon him. Midas and answered: “Be it as thou wilt. From the day that his father’s wain had Thine shall be the golden touch.” entered the city amid the acclamations of Then Bacchus and Silenus went away, a the people, he had learned the value of rout of singing revelers at their heels, and power, and therefore, from his boyhood Midas quickly put to proof the words of onward, power, always more power, was Bacchus. what he coveted. Also his peasant father had An olive tree grew near where he stood, taught him that gold could buy power, and and from it he picked a little twig decked so Midas ever longed for more gold, that with leaves of softest grey, and lo, it grew could buy him a place in the world that no heavy as he held it, and glittered like a piece descendant of a long race of kings should be of his crown. He stooped to touch the green able to contest. And from Olympus the gods turf on which some fragrant violets grew, looked down and smiled, and vowed that and turf grew into cloth of gold, and violets Midas should have the chance of realizing lost their fragrance and became hard, solid, his heart’s desire. golden things. He touched an apple whose Therefore one day when he and his court cheek grew rosy in the sun, and at once it were sitting in the solemn state that Midas became like the golden fruit in the Garden required, there rode into their midst, tipsily of the Hesperides. The stone pillars of his swaying on the back of a gentle full-fed old palace as he brushed past them on entering, grey donkey, ivy-crowned, jovial and blazed like a sunset sky. The gods had not foolish, the satyr Silenus, guardian of the deceived him. Midas had the Golden Touch. young god Bacchus. Joyously he strode into the palace and With all the deference due to the friend commanded a feast to be prepared—a feast of a god Midas treated this disreputable old worthy of an occasion so magnificent. pedagogue, and for ten days and nights on But when Midas, with the healthy end he feasted him royally. On the eleventh appetite of the peasant-born, would have day Bacchus came in search of his eaten hungrily of the savory food that his preceptor, and in deep gratitude bade Midas cooks prepared, he found that his teeth only demand of him what he would, because he touched roast kid to turn it into a slab of had done Silenus honor when to dishonor gold, that garlic lost its flavor and became him lay in his power. gritty as he chewed, that rice turned into Not even for a moment did Midas golden grains, and curdled milk became a ponder. dower fit for a princess, entirely “I would have gold,” he said hastily. unnegotiable for the digestion of man. “Much gold. I would have that touch by Baffled and miserable, Midas seized his cup which all common and valueless things of wine, but the red wine had become one become golden treasures.” with the golden vessel that held it; nor could And Bacchus, knowing that here spoke he quench his thirst, for even the limpid the son of peasants who many times had water from the fountain was melted gold gone empty to bed after a day of toilful when it touched his dry lips. Only for a very

Ancient: Middle School Unit 21: The Art of Greece Page 323 few days was Midas able to bear the there was yet more suffering in store for the affliction of his wealth. There was nothing tragic comedian. now for him to live for. He could buy the He had now no wish for golden riches, whole earth if he pleased, but even children nor even for power. He wished to lead the shrank in terror from his touch, and hungry simple life and to listen to the pipings of Pan and thirsty and sick at heart he wearily along with the goatherds on the mountains dragged along his weighty robes of gold. or the wild creatures in the woods. Thus it Gold was power, he knew well, yet of what befell that he was present one day at a worth was gold while he starved? Gold could contest between Pan and Apollo himself. It not buy him life and health and happiness. was a day of merry-making for and In despair, at length he cried to the god fauns and dryads, and all those who lived in who had given him the gift that he hated. the lonely solitudes of Phrygia came to “Save me, O Bacchus!” he said. “A listen to the music of the god who ruled witless one am I, and the folly of my desire them. For as Pan sat in the shade of a forest has been my undoing. Take away from me one night and piped on his reeds until the the accursed Golden Touch, and faithfully very shadows danced, and the water of the and well shall I serve thee forever.” stream by which he sat leapt high over the Then Bacchus, very pitiful for him, told mossy stones it passed and laughed aloud in Midas to go to Sardis, the chief city of his its glee, the god had so gloried in his own worshipers, and to trace to its source the power that he cried, “Who speaks of Apollo river upon which it was built. And in that and his lyre? Some of the gods may be well pool, when he found it, he was to plunge his pleased with his music, and mayhap a head, and so he would forevermore be freed bloodless man or two. But my music strikes from the Golden Touch. to the heart of the earth itself. It stirs with It was a long journey that Midas then rapture the very sap of the trees, and awakes took, and a weary and a starving man was he to life and joy the innermost soul of all when at length he reached the spring where things mortal.” the river Pactolus had its source. He crawled Apollo heard his boast, and heard it forward and timidly plunged in his head and angrily. shoulders. Almost he expected to feel the “Oh, thou whose soul is the soul of the harsh grit of golden water, but instead there untilled ground!” he said, “wouldst thou was the joy he had known as a peasant boy place thy music, that is like the wind in the when he washed his face and drank at a cool reeds, beside my music, which is as the spring when his day’s toil was ended. And music of the spheres?” when he raised his face from the pool, he And Pan, splashing with his goat’s feet knew that his hateful power had passed amongst the water lilies of the stream on the from him, but under the water he saw grains bank of which he sat, laughed loudly and of gold glittering in the sand, and from that cried, “Yea, would I, Apollo! Willingly would time forth the river Pactolus was noted for I play thee a match—thou on thy golden its gold. lyre—I on my reeds from the river.” One lesson the peasant king had learnt Thus did it come to pass that Apollo and by paying in suffering for a mistake, but Pan matched against each other their music,

Ancient: Middle School Unit 21: The Art of Greece Page 324 and King Midas was chosen to be one of the longed and fought no more, and man had judges. ceased to desire the impossible. Throbbing First of all Pan took his fragile reeds, and nature and passionately desiring life faded as he played, the leaves on the trees into dust before the melody that Apollo shivered, the sleeping lilies raised their called forth, and when his strings had heads, and the birds ceased their song to ceased to quiver and only the faintly listen and then flew straight to their mates. remembered echo of his music remained, it And all the beauty of the world grew more was as though the earth had passed away beautiful, and all its terror grew yet more and all things had become new. grim, and still Pan piped on and laughed to For the space of many seconds all was see the nymphs and the fauns first dance in silence. joyousness and then tremble in fear, and the Then, in low voice, Apollo asked, “Ye buds to blossom, and the stags to bellow in who listen—who is the victor?” their lordship of the hills. When he ceased, And earth and sea and sky, and all the it was as though a tensely-drawn string had creatures of earth and sky, and of the deep, broken, and all the earth lay breathless and replied as one, “The victory is thine, Divine mute. And Pan turned proudly to the Apollo.” golden-haired god who had listened as he Yet was there one dissentient voice. had spoken through the hearts of reeds to Midas, sorely puzzled, utterly un- the hearts of men. understanding, was relieved when the “Canst, then, make music like unto my music of Apollo ceased. “If only Pan would music, Apollo?” he said. play again,” he murmured to himself. “I Then Apollo, his purple robes barely wish to live, and Pan’s music gives me life. I hiding the perfection of his limbs, a wreath love the woolly vine-buds and the fragrant of laurel crowning his yellow curls, looked pine-leaves, and the scent of the violets in down at Pan from his godlike height and the spring. The smell of the fresh-ploughed smiled in silence. For a moment his hand earth is dear to me, the breath of the kine silently played over the golden strings of his that have grazed in the meadows of wild lyre, and then his fingertips gently touched parsley and of asphodel. I want to drink red them. And every creature there who had a wine and to eat and love and fight and work soul felt that that soul had wings, and the and be joyous and sad, fierce and strong, wings sped them straight to Olympus. Far and very weary, and to sleep the dead sleep away from all earth-bound creatures they of men who live only as weak mortals do.” flew, and dwelt in magnificent serenity Therefore he raised his voice and called amongst the Immortals. No longer was very loud: “Pan’s music is sweeter and truer there strife, or any dispeace. No more was and greater than the music of Apollo. Pan is there fierce warring between the actual and the victor, and I, King Midas, give him the the unknown. The green fields and thick victor’s crown!” woods had faded into nothingness, and With scorn ineffable the sun-god turned their creatures, and the fair nymphs and upon Midas, his peasant’s face transfigured dryads, and the wild fauns and centaurs by his proud decision. For a little the god

Ancient: Middle School Unit 21: The Art of Greece Page 325 gazed at the mortal king in silence, and his return, while all Phrygia wondered at the look might have turned a sunbeam to an strange headdresses of the king. icicle. But although much gold had bought his Then he spoke: silence, the court barber was unquiet of “The ears of a donkey have heard my heart. All day and all through the night he music,” he said. “Henceforth shall Midas was tormented by his weighty secret. And have donkey’s ears.” then, at length, silence was to him a torture And when Midas, in terror, clapped his too great to be borne. So he sought a lonely hands to his crisp black hair, he found place, there dug a deep hole, and, kneeling growing far beyond it the long, pointed ears by it, softly whispered to the damp earth: of a donkey. Perhaps what hurt him most, as “King Midas has donkey’s ears.” he fled away, was the shout of merriment Greatly relieved, he hastened home and that came from Pan. And fauns and nymphs was well content until, on the spot where his and satyrs echoed that shout most joyously. secret lay buried, rushes grew up. And when Willingly would he have hidden in the the winds blew through them, the rushes woods, but there he found no hiding place. whispered for all those who passed by to The trees and shrubs and flowering things hear, “King Midas has donkey’s ears! King seemed to shake in cruel mockery. Back to Midas has donkey’s ears!” Those who listen his court he went and sent for the court very carefully to what the green rushes in hairdresser, that he might bribe him to marshy places whisper as the wind passes devise a covering for these long, peaked, through them, may hear the same thing to hairy symbols of his folly. Gladly the this day. And those who hear the whisper of hairdresser produced for him helmets and the rushes may, perhaps, give a pitying scarves, accepting many and many coin thought to Midas—the tragic comedian of oboli, many and many golden gifts in mythology.

Ancient: Middle School Unit 21: The Art of Greece Page 326 L esson Three

History Overview and Assignments Is There an Echo in the Room?

Narcissus and Echo, Placido Costanzi (1702-1759), 18th century

Reading and Assignments

 Review the discussion questions and vocabulary, then read the article: Echo and Narcissus.  Narrate or illustrate the story of Echo and Narcissus. Be sure to put this in your notebook.  Define the vocabulary words in the context of the reading and put the word and its definition in the vocabulary section of your history notebook.  Be sure to visit www.ArtiosHCS.com for additional resources.

Ancient: Middle School Unit 21: The Art of Greece Page 327 Vocabulary nymph dryad frolic nimbus faun errant maim

Key People, Places, and Events Echo Diana Hera Narcissus

Adapted for Middle School from the book: A Book of Myths by Jean Lang Echo and Narcissus

In the solitudes of the hills we find her, laughter, she laughs in merry response. and yet we may come on her unawares in They may fear her when the sun has gone the din of a noisy city. She will answer us down, and when they are left all alone they where the waves are lashing themselves begin to dread her mockery. Yet the nymph against the rugged cliffs of the British coast, who sought for love and failed to gain what or we may find her where the great yellow she sought must surely find some comfort pillars of fallen temples lie hot in the sun on those bright days of summer and of close to the vivid blue water of the African spring when she gives the little children sea. At nightfall, on the lonely northern happiness and they give her their love. moors, she mimics the cry of a wailing bird When all the world was young, and that calls for its mate, but it is she who nymphs and fauns and dryads dwelt in the prolongs the roll of the great organ in a vast forests, there was no nymph more lovely cathedral, she who repeats the rattle and and more merry than she whose name was crack and boom of the guns, no matter in Echo. Diana would smile on her for her what land the war may be raging. In the fleetness of foot when she followed her in desolate Australian bush she makes the the chase, and those whom she met in the crash of the falling limb of a dead gum tree leafy pathways of the dim, green woods, go on and on, and tortures the human being would pass on smiling at the remembrance who is lost, hopelessly lost and facing a cruel of her merry chatter and her tricksy humor. death, by repeating his despairing calls for It was an evil day for Echo when she help. Through the night, in old country crossed the path of Hera, queen of the gods. houses, she sports at will and gives new life The jealous goddess sought her errant to sad old tales of the restless dead who husband, who was amusing himself with restlessly walk. But she echoes the some nymphs, and Echo, full of children’s voices as they play by the mischievous glee, kept her distracted with seashore or pick primroses in the woods in talk until the nymphs had fled to safety. spring, and when they greet her with Hera was furious indeed when she found

Ancient: Middle School Unit 21: The Art of Greece Page 328 out that a frolicsome nymph had dared to And “Come!” replied the glad voice of play on her such a trick, and ruthlessly she Echo, while the nymph, with fast-beating spoke fair Echo’s doom. heart, felt that her day of happiness had “Henceforth,” she said, “the tongue with come indeed. which thou hast cheated me shall be in “Why do you shun me?” then called bonds. No longer wilt thou have the power Narcissus. to speak in greeting. To the tongues of “Why do you shun me?” Echo repeated. others shall thy tongue be slave, and from “Let us join one another,” said the lad, this day until time shall cease thou shalt and the simple words seemed turned into speak only to repeat the last words that have song when Echo said them over. fallen on thine ears.” “Let us join one another!” she said, and A maimed nymph indeed was Echo then, not Eos herself, as with rosy fingers she yet whole in all that matters most, in that turns aside the dark clouds of night, could her merry heart was still her own. But only be fairer than was the nymph as she pushed for a little while did this endure. aside the leaves of the trackless wood, and Narcissus, the handsome son of a nymph ran forward with white arms outstretched to and a river god, was hunting in a lonely him who was lord of her life. forest one day when Echo saw him pass. To her he seemed more fair than god or man, and once she had seen him she knew that she must gain his love or die. From that day on, she haunted him like his shadow, gliding from tree to tree, nestling down amongst thick fern and undergrowth, motionless as one who stalks a wild thing, watching him afar off while he rested, gladdening her eyes with his beauty. So did she feed her hungering heart, and sought to find contentment by looking on his face each day. To her at length came a perfect moment when Narcissus was separated from his companions in the chase and, stopping suddenly where the evening sun checkered the pathway of the forest with black and gold, heard the nymph’s soft footfall on the rustling leaves.

“Who’s here?” he called. Echo hunted Narcissus like his shadow. “Here!” answered Echo. Narcissus, peering amongst the trees’ With cold eyes and colder heart the one long shadows and seeing no one, called she loved beheld her. “Come!” “Away!” he cried, shrinking back as if

Ancient: Middle School Unit 21: The Art of Greece Page 329 from something that he despised. “Away! I sympathetic ears of the goddess of Love, would rather die than that you should have and implored her to punish Narcissus. me!” Hot and tired from the chase, Narcissus With cold eyes and colder heart the one sought one day a lonely pool in the woods, she loved beheld her. there to rest and to quench his thirst. “Away!” he cried, shrinking back as if from something that he despised. “Away! I “In some delicious ramble, would rather die than that you should have he had found me!” A little space, with boughs “Have me!” cried Echo pitifully, but she all woven round; pled in vain. Narcissus had no love to give And in the midst of all, a her, and his scorn filled her with shame. clearer pool Thenceforth in the forest revels she Than e’er reflected in its nevermore was seen, and the nymphs pleasant cool danced gaily as ever, with never a care for The blue sky here, and her who had faded and gone away as there, serenely peeping completely as though she were a blossom in Through tendril wreaths the passing of spring. In the solitude of fantastically creeping.”1 mountain cliffs and caves and rocky places, and in the loneliest depths of the forest, As he stooped down to drink, a face Echo hid her grief, and when the winds blew looked at his through the crystal clear water, through the dark branches of the trees at and a pair of beautiful eyes met his own. His night, moaning and sighing, they could hear surprise and joy at the sight of what he felt far below them the voice of Echo repeating sure must be the most beautiful creature on their lamentations. For her, long nights earth, was evidently shared by the nymph of followed hopeless days, and nights and days the pool, who gazed fearlessly up at him. only told her that her love was all in vain. Round her head she had a nimbus of Then came a night when the winds no curls than which that of Adonis—nay, of the longer saw the figure of the nymph, white sun-god himself, was not more perfect, and frail as a broken flower, crouching close while her eyes were like the brown pools of to the rocks they passed over. Grief had water in a rippling mountain stream, slain the body of Echo. Only her voice was flecked with sunshine, yet with depths left to repeat their mocking laughter, their untold. When Narcissus smiled at her in wistful sighs—only her voice that lives on rapture, her red lips also parted in a smile. still though all the old gods are gone, and He stretched out his arms towards her, and but few there are who know her story. her arms were stretched to him. Almost Heartwhole and happy, Narcissus, trembling in his delight, he slowly stooped slayer of happiness who gave his love to to kiss her. Nearer she drew to him, nearer none, went on his way, and other nymphs still, but when his mouth would have given besides fair Echo suffered from loving him itself to that other mouth that was formed in vain. One nymph, less gentle than Echo, like the bow of Eros—a thing to slay hearts— poured the tale of her scorned love into the only the chilly water of the pool touched his

Ancient: Middle School Unit 21: The Art of Greece Page 330 lips, and the thing of his delight vanished Stygian river of death, it stooped over the away. In passionate disappointment side of the boat that it might try to catch a Narcissus waited for her to return, and as glimpse of the beloved one in the inky soon as the water of the pool grew still, once waters. more he saw her exquisite face gazing Echo and the other nymphs were wistfully up into his. Passionately he pled avenged, yet when they looked on the with the beautiful creature—spoke of his beautiful dead Narcissus, they were filled love—besought her to have pity on him, but with sorrow, and when they filled the air although the face in the pool reflected his with their lamentations, most piteously did every look of adoration and of longing, time the voice of Echo repeat each mournful cry. and again he vainly tried to clasp in his arms Even the gods were pitiful, and when the what was but the watery, mirrored likeness nymphs would have burned the body on a of himself. funeral pyre which their own fair hands had In full measure had the avenging built for him, they sought it in vain. For the goddess meted out to Narcissus the restless Olympians had turned Narcissus into a longing of unsatisfied love. By day and by white flower, the flower that still bears his night he haunted the forest pool, and ere name and keeps his memory sweet. long the face that looked back at his was pale as a lily in the dawn. When the moonbeams “A lonely flower he spied, came straying down through the branches A meek and forlorn flower, and all the night was still, they found him with naught of pride, kneeling by the pool, and the white face that Drooping its beauty o’er the the water mirrored had the eyes of one of watery clearness, the things of the woods to which a To woo its own sad image huntsman has given a mortal wound. into nearness; Mortally wounded he truly was, slain, like Deaf to light Zephyrus it many another since his day, by a hopeless would not move, love for what was in truth but an image, and But still would seem to that an image of his own creation. Even droop, to pine, to love.”2 when his shade passed across the dark

1, 2 from Keats, John, I Stood Tip-toe Upon a Little Hill.

Ancient: Middle School Unit 21: The Art of Greece Page 331 Lesson Four

History Overview and Assignments Writing Formed With Letters

Idealized portrayal of Homer dating to the Hellenistic period. British Museum.

Reading and Assignments

 Review the discussion questions then read the article: Greek Literature.  Narrate about today’s reading using the appropriate notebook page. Be sure to answer the discussion questions and include key people, events, and dates within the narration.  Be sure to visit www.ArtiosHCS.com for additional resources.

Key People, Places, and Events Aeschylus The Odyssey Euripides Homer Sophocles The Iliad Oedipus Rex

Ancient: Middle School Unit 21: The Art of Greece Page 332 Discussion Questions 1. Who was the most famous Athenian 6. Describe the Greek theaters? playwright? 7. How could a Greek actor play several 2. Who was Homer? roles in the same play? 3. How was Homer’s poetry passed down 8. What type of theater did the three most to future generations? famous Greek playwrights write? 4. What did the poet Hesiod write? What 9. Describe the characteristics of a Greek did that work contain? tragedy? 5. What flourished during the age of 10. What did Greek plays often poke fun at? Pericles?

Adapted for Middle School from the book: Ancient Civilizations source: ushistory.org Greek Literature

Attendance at dramas was considered such a valuable experience that sometimes the government would pay for the tickets.

Iliad, Theogony, and Poetry Among the earliest Greek literature were Homer’s epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey. The Iliad is a detailed telling of the Trojan War while the Odyssey recounts Odysseus’ 20-year journey home following Greek theaters were built into the sides of hills. the Trojan War. This not only provided excellent seating arrangements, Created as early as 900 B.C., Homer’s but remarkable acoustics as well. poems were not written down since Greek Thousands would come from far and civilization lacked a written language at that wide to see the opening of the latest drama time. Instead, these massive poems were by Aeschylus, the most famous of Athenian passed down from generation to generation playwrights. The citizens of Athens felt it by word of mouth. was a part of their civic duty to attend as many dramas as possible. An Excerpt from the Iliad: The dramas typically dealt with The passage which follows is from Book important issues of the day, posed tough XXII of the Iliad. It describes a scene from questions, and educated theatergoers. the Trojan War that occurs just before

Ancient: Middle School Unit 21: The Art of Greece Page 333 Achilles, the Greek warrior, slays the Trojan savage; and you need not think that, hero, Hector: if he kills you, I shall lay you on a bier “Old King Priam was the first to see and weep for you, my own, my Achilles rushing towards the Trojans darling boy; nor will your richly over the fields. As Achilles ran, the dowered wife; but far away from both bronze on his breast flashed out like of us, beside the Argive ships, you the star that comes to us in autumn, will be eaten by the nimble dogs.’ ” outshining all its fellows in the –Translated by Reverend William T. evening sky—they call it Orion’s Dog, McNiff, The Pageant of Literature: Greek and Roman Writers.

and though it is the brightest of all the stars it bodes no good, bringing much fever, as it does, to us poor wretches. The old man gave a groan. He lifted up his hands and beat his head with them. In a voice full of terror he shouted entreaties to his beloved son, who had taken his stand in front of the gates in the fixed resolve to fight it out with Achilles. “Hector!” the old man called, stretching out his arms to him in piteous appeal. “I beg you, my dear son, not to stand up to that man alone and unsupported. You are courting defeat and death at his hands. He is far stronger than you, and he is savage. The dogs and vultures would soon be feeding on his corpse (and what a load would be lifted from my heart!) if the gods loved him as little as I do—the man who has robbed me of so many splendid sons, killed them or sold Originally used in religious rituals, Greek masks them off as slaves to the distant isles. became an essential part of every Greek performance. So come inside the walls, my child, to This is a replica of an Ancient Greek theatrical mask be the savior of Troy and the Trojans; of Zeus, licensed under the Creative Commons and do not throw away your dear life Attribution license by Carole Raddato to give a triumph to the son of Peleus. Another poet, Hesiod, wrote the Have pity too on me, your poor Theogony around 700 B.C. The Theogony is father, who is still able to feel. As he came to an end, Priam plucked a genealogy of the gods. Some scholars at his gray locks and tore the hair credit Hesiod with being one of the first to from his head; but he failed to shake actually write down his work. Hector’s resolution. And now his Around the same time of Hesiod, there mother in her turn began to wail and was another growing group of writers weep. ‘Hector, my child,’ she cried, ‘deal with your enemy from within known as the Lyric poets. One of the most the walls and do not go out to meet famous of the Lyric poets was Sappho. that man in single combat. He is a Sappho wrote about the world.

Ancient: Middle School Unit 21: The Art of Greece Page 334 festival celebrated the renewal of the grape vines. On stage, actors could play several roles by wearing different masks. A “chorus” of several people in the background chanted from time to time, serving as a kind of narrator and helping move the plot along.

Tragic Literature All three of the most famous ancient Greek writers specialized in tragedies. Tragedy is a form of drama in which a strong central character or hero ultimately Immortalized on the walls of the Roman city, Pompeii, fails and is punished by the gods. Usually, the Greek poet Sappho has been highly regarded the hero has a fatal flaw that causes his for centuries. Some people consider Sappho to be the first modern poet. Rather than writing undoing. epic poetry of heroic deeds, she wrote short, very personal pieces about love and loss.

The Age of Pericles The years between 461 and 429 B.C. marked The Age of Pericles. Named after an Athenian leader, arts and literature flourished in this era. Outdoor theaters were built in Athens and other city-states for performances of the latest dramas. Made of stone, the theaters were positioned so that scenes of natural beauty served as backdrops for the stage. For example, the Greek theater at Taormina in Sicily is built high upon a rocky In Sophocles’ great play Oedipus Rex, hill. Behind the audience’s back lay the blue Oedipus must solve the Sphinx’s riddle in order to save the city of Thebes. waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Perfectly centered behind the stage and facing the For many years, Aeschylus (525-456 audience, sits the active, smoldering B.C.) was the most successful dramatist in volcano, Mount Etna. Athens winning several competitions. One The Greeks held drama festivals in of his rivals, the Athenian writer Sophocles which plays competed against one another (496-406 B.C.), wrote the famous play for the audience’s favor. During these Oedipus Rex, (Oedipus the King). In this festivals, the Greeks performed the plays as play, the main character, Oedipus is fated by a tribute to the gods. The first major drama the gods to kill his father and marry his own festival of the spring in Athens honored mother. Despite Oedipus’s efforts to avoid Dionysus, the god of grapes and wine. This this outcome, it happens just as the gods

Ancient: Middle School Unit 21: The Art of Greece Page 335 predicted. In shame, Oedipus blinds himself Chorus Didst hear, O Zeus, thou earth, and is then banished. and thou, O light, the piteous A third major writer named Euripides note of woe the hapless wife is (484-406 B.C.) focused more on people uttering? How shall a yearning than gods in his writing. Among Euripides’ for that insatiate resting-place most famous works are Electra and The ever hasten for thee, poor Trojan Women. reckless one, the end that death alone can bring? Never pray for An Excerpt from “Medea” that. And if thy lord prefers a by Euripides: fresh love, be not angered with In this tragic story, Medea has been him for that; Zeus will judge deserted by her husband Jason, who has ’twixt thee and him herein. left to marry the daughter of King Creon. Then mourn not for thy In revenge, Medea ultimately kills the two husband’s loss too much, nor children she and Jason share and then waste thyself away. herself. The chorus enters. The following lines between the Nurse, Chorus, and Medea Great Themis, and husband of Medea are sung: (from Themis, behold what I am Chorus I heard the voice, uplifted loud, within) suffering now, though I did of our poor Colchian lady, nor bind that accursed one, my yet is she quiet; speak, aged husband, by strong oaths to dame, for as I stood by the me! O, to see him and his bride house with double gates I heard someday brought to utter destruction, they and their a voice of weeping from within, and I do grieve, lady, for the house with them, for that they sorrows of this house, for it presume to wrong me thus hath won my love. unprovoked. O my father, my country, that I have left to my Nurse ’Tis a house no more; all that is shame, after slaying my own passed away long since; a royal brother. bride keeps Jason at her side, while our mistress pines away Nurse Do ye hear her words, how in her bower, finding no loudly she adjures Themis, oft comfort for her soul in aught invoked, and Zeus, whom men regard as keeper of their oaths? her friends can say. On no mere trifle surely will our Medea Oh, oh! Would that Heaven’s mistress spend her rage. (from levin bolt would cleave this within) head in twain! What gain is life Chorus Would that she would come forth for us to see, and listen to to me? Woe, woe is me! O, to die and win release, quitting the words of counsel we might this loathed existence! give, if haply she might lay aside the fierce fury of her

Ancient: Middle School Unit 21: The Art of Greece Page 336 wrath, and her temper stern. Chorus I heard a bitter cry of Never be my zeal at any rate lamentation! loudly, bitterly denied my friends! But go thou she calls on the traitor of her and bring her hither outside the marriage bed, her perfidious house, and tell her this our spouse; by grievous wrongs friendly thought; haste thee ere oppressed she invokes Themis, she do some mischief to those bride of Zeus, witness of oaths, inside the house, for this who brought her unto Hellas, sorrow of hers is mounting the land that fronts the strand high. of Asia, o’er the sea by night through ocean’s boundless Nurse This will I do; but I doubt gate.

whether I shall persuade my mistress; still willingly will I –Translated by Reverend William T. McNiff, undertake this trouble for you; The Pageant of Literature: Greek and Roman albeit, she glares upon her Writers servants with the look of a lioness with cubs, whenso Another type of play was the comedy. anyone draws nigh to speak to The most significant writer of comedies in her. Wert thou to call the men ancient Greece was Aristophanes, whose of old time rude uncultured works included “The Frogs” and “The boors thou wouldst not err, Clouds.” seeing that they devised their hymns for festive occasions, for An Excerpt from “The Frogs”: banquets, and to grace the Enter Dionysus on foot dressed in the skin board, a pleasure to catch the of the Nemean Lion, and the club of ear, shed o’er our life, but no Heracles in his hand, and Xanthias heavily man hath found a way to allay laden on a donkey. hated grief by music and the Xanthias Master, should I tell one of minstrel’s varied strain, those usual jokes which always whence arise slaughters and fell make the audience laugh? strokes of fate to o’erthrow the homes of men. And yet this Dionysus By Zeus, say what you want— were surely a gain, to heal except “I’m hard pressed.” men’s wounds by music’s spell, Forget that one, it’s really but why tune they their idle quite annoying. song where rich banquets are Xanthias Nothing else witty either? spread? For of itself doth the rich banquet, set before them, Dionysus Anything but “What a strain!” afford to men delight. Xanthias What then? Can I say the really funny one?

Ancient: Middle School Unit 21: The Art of Greece Page 337 Dionysus Of course, go right ahead—but Xanthias But I’ve got all this! don’t let me catch you saying Dionysus How so? this.

Xanthias What’s that? Xanthias Most heavily!

Dionysus That you must shift your pack Dionysus The weight you carry—isn’t it to ease yourself. carried by the donkey?

Xanthias Well, can’t I say I’ve got such a Xanthias Absolutely not; not what I’m load on me, unless someone holding and carrying. takes it off, I’ll bust a gut? Dionysus How can you carry, for God’s Dionysus Please don’t, unless you wish sake, when you yourself are carried by another? to make me sick.

Xanthias So why should I have to carry Xanthias I don’t know, but my all this stuff, without doing any shoulder’s sure hard pressed. of the jokes that Phrynichus Dionysus Well, since you say the donkey and Lycis and Ameipsias doesn’t help. Suppose you take always make the baggage- your turn and carry him. carriers say in all their comedies? Xanthias Unhappy wretch! Why didn’t I join the navy? Then I’d tell you Dionysus Just don’t. Since when I’m in to whistle a different tune! the theater and hear any of these stupid jokes, I go away Dionysus You scoundrel, get on down! just older by a year. Here’s the door I’m walking to, the first place I must stop. Ho, Xanthias Alas, poor wretched me! My porter! porter there, I say. neck is really strained, but can’t crack the joke. –Translated by Reverend William T. Dionysus Now is this not outrage and McNiff, The Pageant of Literature: Greek utter insolence, That I myself, and Roman Writers Dionysus, son of Winejug, must walk, and let this fellow His plays were witty and sarcastic. More ride, so he might feel no pain often than not, comedies poked fun and and bear no burden? made light of the major political figures of the day. Fortunately, the government of Xanthias What? I bear no burden? Athens tolerated this style of criticism. Dionysus How can you bear anything? You’re riding.

Ancient: Middle School Unit 21: The Art of Greece Page 338 Lesson Five

History Overview and Assignments Excellence

Ruins of the theatre and of the temple of Apollo at Delphi. Photographer Adam Carr, permission granted under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License

Reading and Assignments

 Review the discussion questions then read the article: Greek Art and Architecture.  Narrate about today’s reading using the appropriate notebook page. Be sure to answer the discussion questions and include key people, events, and dates within the narration.  Be sure to visit www.ArtiosHCS.com for additional resources.

Discussion Questions 1. Reread the first paragraph of today’s article. Do you agree? Why or why not? Give examples to back up your position.

Ancient: Middle School Unit 21: The Art of Greece Page 339 2. What did Greek art often emphasize? 7. How did the Greeks see the human 3. How did the government support the body? arts? 8. What is considered the most famous 4. What was an acropolis and what was its Greek statue? purpose? 9. What were two types of Greek pottery? 5. What is considered to be the finest 10. How do you think the Greek’s art and example of Greek architecture? architecture reveals the worldview of 6. Name the three types of columns found their society? in Greek architecture?

Adapted for Middle School from the book: Ancient Civilizations source: ushistory.org Greek Art and Architecture

beings. Even though much of Greek art was meant to honor the gods, those very gods were created in the image of humans. Much artwork was government sponsored and intended for public display. Therefore, art and architecture were a tremendous source of pride for citizens and could be found in various parts of the city. Typically, a city-state set aside a high- altitude portion of land for an acropolis, an important part of the city-state that was reserved for temples or palaces. The Greeks One popular form of Greek art was pottery. held religious ceremonies and festivals as Vases, vessels, and kraters served both practical well as significant political meetings on the and aesthetic purposes. This krater depicts Helios, acropolis. the sun god, and dates from the 5th century B.C. Greek Excellence: The Acropolis The arts reflect the society that creates In ancient Athens, Pericles ordered the them. Nowhere is this truer than in the case construction of several major temples on of the ancient Greeks. Through their the acropolis. Among these was a temple, temples, sculpture, and pottery, the Greeks the Parthenon, which many consider the incorporated a fundamental principle of finest example of Greek architecture. their culture: arête. To the Greeks, arête Built as a tribute to Athena, the goddess meant excellence and reaching one’s full of wisdom for whom the city-state Athens potential. was named, the Parthenon is a marvel of Ancient Greek art emphasized the design, featuring massive columns importance and accomplishments of human contrasting with subtle details.

Ancient: Middle School Unit 21: The Art of Greece Page 340 no roof and in near ruin. In later years, tourists hauled away pieces of the Parthenon as vacation souvenirs.

Beauty in the Human Form Ancient Greek sculptures were typically made of either stone or wood and very few of them survive to this day. Most Greek sculpture was of the freestanding, human form (even if the statue was of a god) and The Parthenon was built in honor of the goddess many sculptures were nudes. The Greeks Athena, who represented the human aspiration for saw beauty in the naked human body. knowledge and the ideal of wisdom. The Parthenon in Nashville's Centennial Park is a Early Greek statues called kouros were full-scale copy of the original Greek Parthenon. rigid and stood up straight. Over time, This photograph was released to Commons Greek statuary adopted a more natural, Wikimedia under the Creative Commons Attribution relaxed pose with hips thrust to one side, license by user Mayur Phadtare. knees and arms slightly bent, and the head Many barely noticeable enhancements turned to one side. to the design of the Parthenon contribute to Other sculptures depicted human its overall beauty and balance. For example, action, especially athletics. A good example each column is slightly wider in the middle is Myron’s Discus Thrower Another famous than at its base and top. The columns are example is a sculpture of Artemis the also spaced closer together near the corners huntress. of the temple and farther apart toward the The piece, called “Diana of Versailles,” middle. In addition, the temple’s steps depicts the goddess of the hunt reaching for curve somewhat—lower on the sides and an arrow while a stag leaps next to her. highest in the middle of each step. Among the most famous Greek statues is

the Venus de Milo, which was created in the second century B.C. The sculptor is unknown, though many art historians believe Praxiteles to have created the piece. This sculpture embodies the Greek ideal of beauty. Three different types of columns can be found in The ancient Greeks also painted, but ancient Greek architecture. Whether the Doric, Ionic, very little of their work remains. The most or Corinthian style was used depended on the region enduring paintings were those found and the purpose of the structure being built. decorating ceramic pottery. Two major Sadly, time has not treated the styles include red figure (against a black Parthenon well. In the 17th century, the background) and black figure (against a red Turks, who had conquered the Greeks, used background) pottery. The pictures on the the Parthenon to store ammunition. An pottery often depicted heroic and tragic accidental explosion left the Parthenon with stories of gods and humans.

Ancient: Middle School Unit 21: The Art of Greece Page 341 L e s s o n S i x

History Overview and Assignments Serious Business

Bust of Socrates. Marble, Roman copy after a Greek original from the 4th century BC. From the Quintili Villa on the Via Appia.

Reading and Assignments

 Review the discussion questions then read the article: Greek Thinkers.  Narrate about today’s reading using the appropriate notebook page. Be sure to answer the discussion questions and include key people, events, and dates within the narration.  Be sure to visit www.ArtiosHCS.com for additional resources.

Ancient: Middle School Unit 21: The Art of Greece Page 342 Key People, Places, and Events Socrates The Republic Hippocrates Euclid Plato Aristotle Pythagoras Archimedes

Discussion Questions 1. Of what did the prosecution accuse 7. How did Plato envision society? Be Socrates? specific. 2. What made Socrates controversial? 8. What did Aristotle study and write 3. What was Socrates’ goal in questioning about? What was his emphasis as everything? opposed to that of his teacher?

4. Describe and name the teaching style of 9. Hippocrates is said to be the father of Socrates? modern______?

5. Name a famous student of Socrates. 10. What did Pythagoras develop?

6. Describe the contents of Plato’s book, 11. In what field did Euclid work? The Republic. 12. What field did Archimedes develop?

Adapted for Middle School from the book: Ancient Civilizations source: ushistory.org Greek Thinkers

The citizens of Athens were fed up with the old “wise” man. Socrates, one of ancient Greece’s most learned philosophers, found himself on trial for his teachings. The prosecution accused Socrates of corrupting the youth of Athens. A jury of hundreds found Socrates guilty and sentenced him to death. At the age of 70, Socrates willingly drank hemlock, a powerful poison that put an end

to his controversial life. How did it happen th This painting, The Death of Socrates, by the 18 - that Athenians put to death a great century artist Jacques-Louis David, portrays the famous story of Socrates’ death. Convicted of religious heresy philosopher such as Socrates? and contamination of the youth, he was condemned to Throughout his entire life, Socrates death by drinking hemlock after the people of Athens questioned everything from Athenian turned against him. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. government to Greek religion and the gods themselves. His ultimate goal was finding

Ancient: Middle School Unit 21: The Art of Greece Page 343 the truth, which he believed could be questioning and searching for the truth reached through reason and knowledge. were seen as dangerous by many and Socrates was a teacher, but he did not have ultimately led to his death. a classroom, any books, or even a school. Instead, Socrates lectured publicly. Anyone Plato’s Republic interested in what he had to say was invited Plato, a student of Socrates, also to listen. achieved greatness as a philosopher. Unlike Socrates, however, Plato chose to write his ideas down. In one of his most renowned works, The Republic, Plato outlined his vision of the ideal state.

Greek philosophers were quite prolific and left behind many wonderful dialogues on life, morality, death, and In the Renaissance artist Raphael’s School of Athens, religion. Plato (shown on the left) argues that one should search for truth from above, while his pupil Aristotle argues Surprisingly, Plato’s ideal republic was that answers can be found through observation on not very democratic. Plato was greatly Earth. disturbed at the way the mass of Athenians Socrates practiced a style of teaching had agreed to put to death his brilliant that has since become known as the Socratic teacher and mentor, Socrates. Plato Method. Essentially, Socrates taught believed that uneducated people should not through questioning. He started with have the right to make important decisions simple questions then progressed to more for everyone. complex, deeper questions. Through the Instead, Plato envisioned a society with application of reason and logic, Socrates many classes in which each class revealed answers to many questions that led contributed what it could. In his ideal to a greater understanding of the world. society, farmers grew the food for the Problems arose because Socrates often republic, soldiers defended the republic, questioned the very fundamentals and and a class of intelligent, educated traditions of Greek society. His constant philosophers ruled the republic. Not

Ancient: Middle School Unit 21: The Art of Greece Page 344 surprisingly, Plato lived at a time when obliterate many obnoxious democratic society in Athens was in decline: passages, beginning with the verses...” “Such then, I said, are our -Plato, The Republic, (360 B.C.), Book III principles of theology—some tales excerpt, translated by Benjamin Jowett are to be told, and others are not to be told to our disciples from their One of Plato’s students, Aristotle, also youth upwards, if we mean them distinguished himself as a thinker. Aristotle to honor the gods and their wrote about and studied many subjects, parents, and to value friendship including biology, physics, metaphysics, with one another. literature, ethics, logic, art, and more. He emphasized the importance of observation Yes; and I think that our principles and the gathering of data. are right, he said. Although Aristotle made important But if they are to be courageous, discoveries in many areas, his explanation must they not learn other lessons concerning the movement of heavenly besides these, and lessons of such a bodies was wrong. Aristotle believed that kind as will take away the fear of the earth was the center of the universe and death? Can any man be that all heavenly bodies revolved around the courageous who has the fear of earth. This makes sense from a strictly death in him? observational standpoint. Looking up at the sky, it looked to Aristotle like everything Certainly not, he said. (sun, moon, and stars) circled the earth. In And can he be fearless of death, or this case, Aristotle’s reliance on observation will he choose death in battle led him astray. In reality, the earth revolves rather than defeat and slavery, on its own axis, causing the illusion of it who believes the world below to be being the center of everything. real and terrible? A Golden Age of Thought Impossible. Besides the three great philosophers Then we must assume a control described above, ancient Greece produced over the narrators of this class of many other important thinkers. In the tales as well as over the others, realm of science, Hippocrates applied logic and beg them not simply to but to the field of medicine and collected rather to commend the world information on hundreds of patients. His below, intimating to them that work helped advance people’s their descriptions are untrue, and understanding of the causes of disease and will do harm to our future death and swayed people from believing in warriors. supernatural explanations. Greek thinkers applied logic to That will be our duty, he said. mathematics as well. Pythagoras deduced Then, I said, we shall have to multiplication tables as well as the

Ancient: Middle School Unit 21: The Art of Greece Page 345 Pythagorean Theorem relating to right Many of these advancements and triangles. Euclid revolutionized the field of revelations seem obvious by today’s geometry, and Archimedes worked with the standards. But 2,500 years ago most force of gravity and invented an early form humans were concerned with providing of calculus. food and protection for their families and In the realm of the social sciences, little else. Most of them were ruled by kings Herodotus is often credited with being the or pharaohs who had supreme decision- first modern historian. Another historian, making power. The Athenian democracy Thucydides, tried to be as objective as encouraged countless innovative thoughts possible in reporting the history he among its citizens. recorded. To the ancient Greeks, thinking was serious business.

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