English I Unit 3

Myths: stories that use fantasy to express ideas about life that cannot easily be expressed in realistic terms. They usually concern a superhuman being or unlikely event and were once believed to be true.

What are myths?

Eight Characteristics of Myths

1. Myths are often an attempt to explain natural phenomena.

2. Myths have many gods.3. The gods and heroes are

superhuman beings.4. Gods have human emotions.5. Myths contain magic6. Gods often appear in disguise.7. Good is rewarded and evil is

punished.8. Myths contain violence.

Scientific: explanations of things in nature

Literary: entertainment; good storytelling

Religious: give meaning to things in life; explain the role of the gods in everyday life

Purposes of Myths

Scientific: explanations of things in nature

Literary: entertainment; good storytelling

Religious: give meaning to things in life; explain the role of the gods in everyday life

They depict and reveal behavior and problems common to all human beings. Remind us that human nature is the same

across time and culture. Reveal that many social, ethical, and

religious attitudes continue through time.They reflect the attitudes,

priorities, and values of the cultures that produced them.

Why do we study myths?

They depict and reveal behavior and problems common to all human beings. Remind us that human nature is the same

across time and culture. Reveal that many social, ethical, and

religious attitudes continue through time.They reflect the attitudes,

priorities, and values of the cultures that produced them.

The Belief System of Ancient Greece

In Greek mythology, gods “did not create the universe… the universe created the gods” (Hamilton 24).

In the beginning… there was only Chaos.

IN THE BEGINNING IN THE BEGINNING BEFORE THE EARTH AND BEFORE THE EARTH AND BEFORE TIME ITSELF THE BEFORE TIME ITSELF THE

COSMOS WAS NOTHING COSMOS WAS NOTHING BUT A FORMLESS MASS BUT A FORMLESS MASS KNOW ONLY AS CHAOS…KNOW ONLY AS CHAOS…

OUT OF CHAOS SPRANG GAIA, OUT OF CHAOS SPRANG GAIA, MOTHER OF THE EARTH,MOTHER OF THE EARTH,

AND FROM GAIA, SPRANG ALL AND FROM GAIA, SPRANG ALL MANNER OF LIVING THINGSMANNER OF LIVING THINGS

BUT GAIA WAS INCOMPLETE BUT GAIA WAS INCOMPLETE AND LONELYAND LONELY

SO SHE CREATED A MATE SO SHE CREATED A MATE WITH WHOM SHE COULD WITH WHOM SHE COULD SHARE HER PLACE IN THE SHARE HER PLACE IN THE

UNIVERSEUNIVERSE

HIS NAME WAS URANUS, HIS NAME WAS URANUS, FATHER OF THE SKY, AND FATHER OF THE SKY, AND LINKED TOGETHER THEY LINKED TOGETHER THEY

FORMED THE EARTHFORMED THE EARTH

GAIA AND URANUS GAVE GAIA AND URANUS GAVE BIRTH TO THREE RACES OF BIRTH TO THREE RACES OF CREATURES THAT WOULD CREATURES THAT WOULD

BECOME THE FIRST BEINGS BECOME THE FIRST BEINGS TO RULE THE EARTHTO RULE THE EARTH

THE THREE CYCLOPESTHE THREE CYCLOPESA RACE OF ONE EYED MONSTROSITIESA RACE OF ONE EYED MONSTROSITIES

THEY WERE THE EMBODIMENT OF THEY WERE THE EMBODIMENT OF THUNDER, THE LIGHTNING FLASH AND THUNDER, THE LIGHTNING FLASH AND

THE LIGHTNING BOLTTHE LIGHTNING BOLT

THEY WERE THE FIRST BEINGS TO THEY WERE THE FIRST BEINGS TO HARNESS THE POWER OF HEAT TO HARNESS THE POWER OF HEAT TO

FORGE METALFORGE METAL

THE THREE HECATONCHEIRESTHE THREE HECATONCHEIRES

GREAT GIANTS WITH 100 ARMS OF ENORMOUS STRENGTHGREAT GIANTS WITH 100 ARMS OF ENORMOUS STRENGTH

AND THE TWELVE TITANSAND THE TWELVE TITANS

THE FIRST GENERATION OF GODSTHE FIRST GENERATION OF GODS

NOW, GAIA LOVED ALL OF HER NOW, GAIA LOVED ALL OF HER CHILDREN,CHILDREN,

BUT URANUS SAW THE CYCLOPES BUT URANUS SAW THE CYCLOPES AND THE HECATONCHEIRES AS AND THE HECATONCHEIRES AS

MONSTROSITIES.MONSTROSITIES.

SO TO HIDE THEM FROM HIS SITE, SO TO HIDE THEM FROM HIS SITE, HE SHOVED THEM DEEP WITHIN HE SHOVED THEM DEEP WITHIN THE PITS OF THE UNDERWORLD THE PITS OF THE UNDERWORLD

AND LOCKED THEM AWAY THERE.AND LOCKED THEM AWAY THERE.

GAIA WAS ANGERED THAT HER CHILDREN GAIA WAS ANGERED THAT HER CHILDREN HAD BEEN TREATED LIKE MONSTERS. HAD BEEN TREATED LIKE MONSTERS.

SO SHE, ALONG WITH HER SON, KRONOS, SO SHE, ALONG WITH HER SON, KRONOS, THE YOUNGEST AND MOST AMBITIOUS THE YOUNGEST AND MOST AMBITIOUS

OF THE TITANS, WHO ENVIED THE OF THE TITANS, WHO ENVIED THE POWER OF HIS FATHER URANUS, POWER OF HIS FATHER URANUS,

DEVISED A PLAN TO OVERTHROW HIM.DEVISED A PLAN TO OVERTHROW HIM.

GAIA WOULD FASHION A GAIA WOULD FASHION A WEAPON OF GREAT STRENGTH WEAPON OF GREAT STRENGTH

FOR HER SON AND KRONOS FOR HER SON AND KRONOS WOULD CARRY OUT THE WOULD CARRY OUT THE

HORRIBLE DEED.HORRIBLE DEED.

SO SHE COLLECTED THE SO SHE COLLECTED THE HARDEST MINERALS OF THE HARDEST MINERALS OF THE

EARTH AND FORMED FOR HIM, EARTH AND FORMED FOR HIM, A MASSIVE SICKLE.A MASSIVE SICKLE.

KRONOS, MAD WITH POWER AND RAGE KRONOS, MAD WITH POWER AND RAGE USED THE SICKLE TO CASTRATE HIS USED THE SICKLE TO CASTRATE HIS FATHER AND BANISHED URANUS TO FATHER AND BANISHED URANUS TO

THE SKY.THE SKY.

BUT GAIA WAS WRONG TO TRUST BUT GAIA WAS WRONG TO TRUST HER SON.HER SON.

KRONOS RE-IMPRISONED HIS KRONOS RE-IMPRISONED HIS BROTHERS, THE CYCLOPES BROTHERS, THE CYCLOPES

AND THE HECATONCHEIRES, AND THE HECATONCHEIRES, AND ESTABLISHED HIMSELF AS AND ESTABLISHED HIMSELF AS

KING.KING.

KRONOS TOOK HIS SISTER RHEA AS KRONOS TOOK HIS SISTER RHEA AS HIS WIFE AND TOGETHER THEY HIS WIFE AND TOGETHER THEY

REIGNED AS KING AND QUEEN OVER REIGNED AS KING AND QUEEN OVER THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE EARTH.THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE EARTH.

BUT ALL WAS NOT HAPPY FOR BUT ALL WAS NOT HAPPY FOR KRONOS AND RHEA.KRONOS AND RHEA.

GAIA AND URANUS HAD GAIA AND URANUS HAD FORETOLD THAT ONE DAY A FORETOLD THAT ONE DAY A CHILD OF KRONOS WOULD CHILD OF KRONOS WOULD

RISE UP AND OVERTHROW HIM RISE UP AND OVERTHROW HIM JUST LIKE KRONOS DID WITH JUST LIKE KRONOS DID WITH

HIS OWN FATHER.HIS OWN FATHER.

KRONOS FEARED THIS KRONOS FEARED THIS PROPHECY MORE THAN PROPHECY MORE THAN

ANYTHING.ANYTHING.

HE AND RHEA GAVE BIRTH TO HE AND RHEA GAVE BIRTH TO SIX CHILDREN: HESTIA, HADES, SIX CHILDREN: HESTIA, HADES,

DEMETER, POSEIDON, HERA DEMETER, POSEIDON, HERA AND ZEUS.AND ZEUS.

IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE PROPHECY FROM COMING TRUE, PROPHECY FROM COMING TRUE,

HE SWALLOWED EACH OF HIS HE SWALLOWED EACH OF HIS CHILDREN ONE BY ONE. CHILDREN ONE BY ONE.

EXCEPT FOR ONE…EXCEPT FOR ONE…

THE YOUNGEST, ZEUS, AND ZEUS THE YOUNGEST, ZEUS, AND ZEUS ALONE WAS SPARED THIS ALONE WAS SPARED THIS

TERRIBLE FATE.TERRIBLE FATE.

RHEA HAD WATCHED FIVE OF RHEA HAD WATCHED FIVE OF HER CHILDREN BE CONSUMED HER CHILDREN BE CONSUMED BY HER TERRIBLE HUSBAND.BY HER TERRIBLE HUSBAND.

AND SHE COULD NOT STAND AND SHE COULD NOT STAND THE THOUGHT OF LOSING THE THOUGHT OF LOSING

ANOTHER CHILD.ANOTHER CHILD.

SO WHEN THE TIME CAME FOR SO WHEN THE TIME CAME FOR KRONOS TO CONSUME THE KRONOS TO CONSUME THE

CHILD, ZEUS, RHEA HID HIM CHILD, ZEUS, RHEA HID HIM AWAY.AWAY.

SHE BROUGHT TO HER HUSBAND A ROCK SHE BROUGHT TO HER HUSBAND A ROCK

WRAPPED IN A CHILD’S CLOTH, AND WRAPPED IN A CHILD’S CLOTH, AND

WITHOUT A GLANCE HE SWALLOWED IT,WITHOUT A GLANCE HE SWALLOWED IT,

NEVER KNOWING THAT ONE CHILD NEVER KNOWING THAT ONE CHILD

SURVIVED,SURVIVED,

AND THAT THAT ONE CHILD WAS THE CHILD AND THAT THAT ONE CHILD WAS THE CHILD

WHO WAS THE SUBJECT OF THE PROPHECY.WHO WAS THE SUBJECT OF THE PROPHECY.

ZEUS GREW UP IN SECRET AND ZEUS GREW UP IN SECRET AND BECAME POWERFUL AND BECAME POWERFUL AND

STRONG.STRONG.

WHEN HE HAD FINALLY GROWN, WHEN HE HAD FINALLY GROWN, HE RELEASED THE POWERFUL HE RELEASED THE POWERFUL MONSTERS HIS GRANDFATHER MONSTERS HIS GRANDFATHER HAD IMPRISONED FROM THE HAD IMPRISONED FROM THE PITS OF THE UNDERWORLD.PITS OF THE UNDERWORLD.

THE CYCLOPES FASHIONED HIM A THE CYCLOPES FASHIONED HIM A WEAPON OF UNIMAGINABLE WEAPON OF UNIMAGINABLE POWER, THE THUNDERBOLT.POWER, THE THUNDERBOLT.

WITH THIS NEW POWER ZEUS WITH THIS NEW POWER ZEUS OVERTHREW KRONOS AND CUT OVERTHREW KRONOS AND CUT

HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS FROM HIS FATHER’S STOMACH. FROM HIS FATHER’S STOMACH.

KRONOS WAS FOREVER BANISHED KRONOS WAS FOREVER BANISHED TO THE UNDERWORLD, NEVER TO TO THE UNDERWORLD, NEVER TO

RETURN.RETURN.

HIS SONS, ZEUS, POSEIDON, AND HIS SONS, ZEUS, POSEIDON, AND HADES, SPLIT HIS KINGDOM AND HADES, SPLIT HIS KINGDOM AND BECAME THE RULERS OF ALL OF BECAME THE RULERS OF ALL OF

THE EARTH AND HEAVENS.THE EARTH AND HEAVENS.

ZEUS WAS FIRST TO CHOOSE ZEUS WAS FIRST TO CHOOSE AND BECAME THE GOD OF THE AND BECAME THE GOD OF THE

SKY AND THE HEAVENS SO SKY AND THE HEAVENS SO THAT HE COULD LOOK DOWN THAT HE COULD LOOK DOWN

UPON ALL CREATION.UPON ALL CREATION.

POSEIDON WAS SECOND, AND POSEIDON WAS SECOND, AND CHOOSE TO HOLD DOMINION CHOOSE TO HOLD DOMINION

OVER THE SEAS, WHICH OVER THE SEAS, WHICH COVERED MOST OF THE EARTH.COVERED MOST OF THE EARTH.

HADES WAS LAST. HE DID NOT GET TO HADES WAS LAST. HE DID NOT GET TO CHOOSE BUT INSTEAD WAS FORCED TO CHOOSE BUT INSTEAD WAS FORCED TO REIGN OVER THE LAND AND ALL THAT REIGN OVER THE LAND AND ALL THAT

LIES BELOW IT. LIES BELOW IT.

HE WAS SENT TO REIGN FROM THE HE WAS SENT TO REIGN FROM THE UNDERWORLD, WHICH WAS RENAMED FOR UNDERWORLD, WHICH WAS RENAMED FOR HIM: HADES, BOTH GOD AND TERRITORY.HIM: HADES, BOTH GOD AND TERRITORY.

ZEUS, HIS SIBLINGS, AND THEIR ZEUS, HIS SIBLINGS, AND THEIR OFFSPRING WOULD RULE FROM OFFSPRING WOULD RULE FROM MOUNT OLYMPUS AND BECAME MOUNT OLYMPUS AND BECAME

KNOWN AS THE OLYMPIANS.KNOWN AS THE OLYMPIANS.

THEY WOULD BE WORSHIPED BY THEY WOULD BE WORSHIPED BY THE GREEK AND ROMAN PEOPLES THE GREEK AND ROMAN PEOPLES

FOR NEARLY 3000 YEARS. FOR NEARLY 3000 YEARS.