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TRANSCRIPT
1. Greek Mythology: Olympian Gods and Goddesses In Greek mythology, twelve gods and goddesses ruled the universe from atop Greece's Mount Olympus. These Olympians had come to power after their leader, Zeus, overthrew his father, Kronos. All the Olympians are related to one another. All major decisions that needed to be made, such as war, would be put before the Gods for approval. The Romans will adopt most of these Greek gods and goddesses, but they will be given new names.
Zeus: The most powerful of all, Zeus was god of the sky and the king of Olympus. His temper affected the weather, and he threw thunderbolts when he was unhappy. He was married to Hera but had many other lovers. His symbols include the oak and the thunderbolt.
Hera: Goddess of marriage and the queen of Olympus. She was Zeus's wife and sister; many myths tell of how she sought revenge when Zeus betrayed her with his lovers. Her symbols include the peacock and the cow.
Poseidon: God of the sea. He was the most powerful god except for his brother, Zeus. He lived in a beautiful palace under the sea and caused earthquakes when he was in a temper. His symbols include the horse and the trident (a three-‐pronged pitchfork).
Hades: God of the Underworld/Death. He lived in the underworld, the heavily guarded land where he ruled over the dead. He was the brother of Zeus and the husband of Persephone, Demeter's daughter, whom he kidnapped.
Aphrodite: Goddess of love and beauty, and the protector of sailors. She may have been the daughter of Zeus and the Titan Dione, or she may have risen from the sea on a shell. Her symbols include the myrtle tree and the dove.
Ares: God of war. He was both cruel and a coward. Ares was the son of Zeus and Hera, but neither of his parents liked him. His symbols include the vulture and the dog, and he often carried a bloody spear.
Athena: Goddess of wisdom. She was also skilled in the art of war, and helped heroes such as Odysseus and Hercules. Athena sprang full-‐grown from the forehead of Zeus, and became his favorite child. Her symbols include the owl and the olive tree.
Questions: 1. What is Greek Mythology, based on what you see in this document? 2. Why do you think the Greeks had different Gods/Goddesses with various
responsibilities? 3. Explain the significance of Mount Olympus.
2. Trojan War
Once upon a time, a long time ago, there was an ancient city named Troy. Troy was located on the coast of Asia, across the sea from the Greek city-‐state of Sparta. In those days, people used to build walls around their city to help protect them. Some walls were only a few feet high. Others as much as twenty feet high! The people built gates in the wall. The gates could be opened to let people inside the city. In times of war, the gates could be closed and locked to stop intruders from getting inside.
Along the wall, inside of the city, a set of stairs wound up to the top. Warriors could stand at the top of the stairs and shoot arrows down at intruders who were trying to get inside the city. There were also holes built high on the wall. Archers could shoot arrows though the holes as well. If the wall was high enough and strong enough, it could do a pretty good job keeping intruders from coming inside.
The walls around Troy were very high and very strong. According to the legend of Trojan Horse, for ten long years, the Greeks had been trying to get over the wall around the city of Troy. But the Greeks could not get over the wall. And the Trojans could not drive the Greeks away. Year after year they fought. And year after year, neither side won.
One day, a Greek general, Odysseus, had a tricky idea. "Let's pretend to sail away," he suggested. "We'll leave a gift for Troy, a gift to announce the end of the war, a wooden horse with 30 men hidden inside. At night, these men can sneak out and open the gate of Troy!" That was the way things were done back then. When you admitted defeat, you supplied a gift. It could be a gift of money, art, slaves, anything really. It made sense to leave a gift of art. The Greeks were famous for their art.
The Greeks thought it was a brilliant idea. They had their best artists build the horse. It was a magnificent horse. When it was ready, the Greeks brought the huge wooden horse as close to Troy's city gates as they could get without being shot full of arrows. The Greeks pretended to sail away.
When the Trojan archers at the top of the stairs saw the Greeks leaving, they could not believe their eyes. Were the Greeks giving up at last? Had the Trojans won the war? It certainly appeared so! The Trojans dragged the horse inside their city and closed the gates. Some people wanted to burn the horse, which would have been a sad fate for the Greek soldiers hidden inside. But the Trojan people said, "NO! It's too beautiful! We'll keep it forever as a reminder of our victory!" (The Greeks had counted on that reaction. The Greeks might be famous for their art, but the Trojans were famous for their bragging. The Greeks were sure the Trojans would want to display the magnificent horse. Sure enough, that's exactly what happened, or so legend says.)
That night, while the Trojan people slept soundly, exhausted from their celebrations, the 30 Greek men hidden inside the wooden horse climbed out and opened the gates of Troy and let the Greek army inside. That was the end of Troy. There is an old saying, one still used today -‐ Beware of Greeks bearing gifts! That old saying refers to the legend of the Trojan Horse. (from MrDonn.org)
Question:
1. After reading this article about Troy, put yourself in the shoes of a Greek soldier who was inside the horse: Write a diary entry in which you describe what it was like to prepare for this battle, and how the Greeks were able to beat the Trojans.
3. Movie Clip from “Troy” At the start of the clip you are about to watch, keep the following in mind: • The Greeks and Trojans had been fighting for 10 years. • At this point in the war, the Greeks had advanced all the way to Troy, home
of the Trojan people. • The dead men on the beach are Greeks, left behind by their army in a fake
“retreat” from the battle. • The men who find the horse are from Troy. • These Trojans bring this “gift” into their walled city…
Watch the movie from the start of Chapter 38 until 2:22:00. After the clip is finished, answer the following… Questions:
1. What was the Greek battle strategy? 2. Why did the Trojans accept the horse? Think belief systems… 3. Why do you think the Greeks were forced to use this deception? 4. What can you tell about the Greeks and Trojans from the fight that ensues?