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Home , Cronus, Rhea (mythology)

What is ?

Greek • Greek Mythology is a collection of and legends that Greeks used to explain their world. • Although we now view these stories as fiction, the Greeks believed them to be Mythology true.

English I Class notes

The Greeks and Their Continued: The Greeks & Beliefs Their Beliefs • The Greeks were “a tough, restless, • The Greeks had many gods. ambitious, hard-living, imaginative race.” • The Olympian gods resembled the Greeks need to be grandiose. • The Greeks loved life. • Because the Olympian gods mirrored the • They believed in living life to the fullest, Greeks, they were heavily flawed. because death was going to happen • They were quarrelsome, unforgiving, jealous, whether you wanted it to or not. vengeful, spiteful, sinful deities. • Because the Greeks focused on being • The only response to death was to make a grandiose, the Olympian gods were mostly mark on the world. Be a legend…be portrayed as physically strong, beautiful and grandiose. intelligent. • The same applies to the heroes in their legends and myths.

1 The World according to the The World according to the Greeks Greeks In the Beginning…

• Both good and evil comes from the gods. In the beginning there was no earth, sky or sea. There was only confusion and darkness, called . Chaos gave birth to • Heroes and monsters came from the gods. Mother Earth. She eventually gave birth to a son, , also known as Father Heaven. Mother Earth and Father Heaven had many • This idea has influenced all religions that children. came after. • First, they had three monstrous sons. Each had fifty heads and one • Many of the conflicts that are portrayed in hundred hands. •Then, they had three more sons. They were just as big and just as the myths are between family members. ugly. They were called Cyclops. They had one eye in the middle of their foreheads. They were as strong as Earthquakes and Tornadoes combined. •Finally, they had the first gods, six sons and six daughters called the .

The bigger you are, the harder you Among their children was the fall greatest Titan, (Kronus). Cronus Power changed Cronus and made him evil. gained power from his father, Uranus, by He was so afraid that one of his sons was going castrating him. Then, Cronus became to do to him what he did to his father that he ruler over heaven and Earth and married swallowed all of his children immediately after his sister, . From their union came their birth. One by one, Cronus swallowed , , , , and . the Olympian gods. When Rhea was pregnant with her sixth child, she thought of a plan. She secretly gave birth to her sixth child, , and gave him to Mother Earth.

2 Mother Earth decided that the child would be safe if she Mythology and Art hid him as far away from Cronus as she could. When Cronus asked to see the sixth child, Rhea handed him a rock wrapped in a blanket. Just like her previous children, Cronus swallowed the rock without hesitation, just as she had planned. Rhea was happy and could not wait for the day Zeus would grow up and destroy his father .

Rhea and Zeus’ plan

Zeus was safely being raised by When Zeus returned to his mother, she and shepherds. Eventually Zeus disguised him as a servant. Rhea grew up and Rhea, his mother, told him concocted a poisonous potion and Zeus, about what Cronus did to his siblings. acting as a servant, put it in Cronus’ drink. The concoction caused Cronus to get sick Zeus made a promise to his mother that and vomit. First, Cronus vomited up the he would make Cronus pay for what he rock. Then each of his five children, one by did. one. Zeus was seen as a hero for saving his siblings. They were extremely thankful. Once everyone was freed, the six children decided to battle against Cronus.

3 The battle between After the battle was over… Now that the battle was over, the three brothers had father and sons to decide who was going to rule the universe. They decided the fairest way to choose was to draw lots. The war lasted ten years. Neither side Hades won the underworld. Poseidon won the sea and could get the upper hand because they Zeus won the heaven and became ruler of all the gods of were equal in strength. Mother Earth Mt. Olympus. suggested that Zeus and his brothers go free the Cyclops and have them fight on their side. Zeus and his brothers did as they were advised and freed their uncles, the Cyclops. The Cyclops gave them the advantage they needed. Finally, the war was over. Zeus and his siblings were victorious.

• Chief god The gods and goddesses • Lord of sky of Mt. Olympus • God of thunder & • Mt. Olympus was the lightening largest mountain in Greece. It was the • Married his sister Hera home of the gods and • Populated the heavens goddesses. and the Earth • Gods and goddesses were immortal, they • “promiscuous liaisons”. could not die. • No humans were allowed on top of Mt. Olympus, but the Olympians were allowed on Earth.

4 Zeus and Hera

• Wife and sister of Zeus • Goddess of marriage, protector of childbirth & heroes • Portrayed as extremely jealous and vindictive

• God of the sea, horses and earthquakes • Lives in a palace beneath the ocean • Carries a three-pronged • Gave people the horse • Married a sea named • Like his brother, he fathered many children. • Very fond of his sister Demeter

5 • god of the underworld and the dead • god of wealth • Owned all of the precious metal on Earth • Wore a cap that made him invisible • Kidnapped his niece and made her his wife

• Demeter means “Barley-mother” • Zeus’ third sister • Another name for her • goddess of hearth family and is Ceres, from the home word cereal • her only job was to keep the • Goddess of the fire lit in the hearth on Mt. cornfield, mistress of Olympus planting and harvesting, lady of growing things • She had a son and a daughter. Her daughter’s name was . • Her daughter was kidnapped by Hades. (reasons for the seasons)

6 All of Zeus’ children

• Zeus had eight children on Olympus • god of light, music • The twins: and Artimis and poetry • • most beautiful god • • also the god of • medicine • • taught people the art • of healing • (not really Zeus child, but he took her • fine marksman in) • could predict the future

• Zeus’ favorite • goddess of wisdom, strategy, protector of cities and civilizations • goddess of handicrafts • goddess of hunting, wild and art things, unmarried girls and the moon She sprang from her • She decided never to father’s head fully marry clothed and in armor. Once when she was Hephaestus, Zeus’ son, bathing under the had to release Athena moonlight a human was by cutting his head open watching her. She threw with an ax. rain drops on him and changed him into a stag. Then she had him killed by his own dogs.

7 • Zeus’ graceful, happy son by the • god of fire goddess, • God of shepherds, merchants, • The only ugly god, but he was peaceful, travelers and thieves • Very mischievous and tricky loving and popular. • Stole Apollo’s cows the day he was born • Guided the newly dead to the • He walks with a limp because Zeus threw underworld • Invented the alphabet, astronomy, over the palace walls one day when he scales, playing cards and card games • Zeus’ messenger took his mother’s side over Zeus’. • Wore winged sandals and a winged cap • Made all the Olympians’ thrones, armor, • Had a son named . He was half furniture and weapons goat. • Married Aphrodite

• god of wine • Zeus’ youngest son • god of war • His mother, , was • Boastful, cruel and had a princess and a mortal no manners woman • Son of Zeus and Hera • His mother was • Loved to fight, but was a consumed by fire when coward once he got hurt she was tricked by Hera • Wherever he went there • He was saved by Hermes. was violence and • Taught people the art of bloodshed wine making & the • the curse of mortals consequences of too much wine

8 • Goddess of love and beauty • Goddess of desire • Wherever she walked flowers sprang up beneath her feet • she appeared from the foam of the sea • Her son is (Cupid) The myths & the gods…to be continued

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