1. Classical Mythology

2. Greeks
• Once lived a savage, brutal, and ugly life.
• The myths – creation of great poets
• The Iliad – attributed to Homer
– First written record of Greece
– Contains the oldest Greek literature

3. • In Greece, man first
realized what mankind
was.
• The Greeks made their
gods in their own
image.
• Before, gods had no
semblance of relaity
• Pre- Greek –
worshipped sphinx ( a
lion’s body with a
woman’s face)
• In Egypt – god for them
was a rigid figure, a
woman with a cat’s
head, suggesting
inflexible, inhuman
cruelty.

4. • All the art and all the though of Greece is
centered in human beings.
• Human gods naturally made heaven a pleasantly
familiar place.
• On earth, too, the deities was exceedingly and
humanly attractive.
• The miracle of Greek mythology – a humanized
world, men freed from the paralyzing fear of an
omnipotent Unknown.

5. The terrifying irrational has
The terrifying irrational has
NO PLACE in classical
NO PLACE in classical
mythology; same with Magic,
mythology; same with Magic,
witches (Circe and Medea are
witches (Circe and Medea are
the only witches, but they are
the only witches, but they are
young and of surpassing
young and of surpassing
beauty – delightful, not
beauty – delightful, not
horrible.), no astrology,
horrible.), no astrology,
magical priest, and even
magical priest, and even
ghosts.
ghosts.
The Greeks were NOT AFRAID
The Greeks were NOT AFRAID
of the dead.
of the dead.

6. The early Greek mythologists
The early Greek mythologists
transformed a world full of
transformed a world full of
fear to a world full of beauty.
fear to a world full of beauty.

7. However, the gods often acted
However, the gods often acted
in a way no decent man or
in a way no decent man or
woman would.
woman would.
They could act cruelly or
They could act cruelly or
contemptibly.
contemptibly.

8. Other Dark Spots:
Other Dark Spots:
There were beast-gods.
There were beast-gods.
Satyrs – goat-men (wood-dwelling
Satyrs – goat-men (wood-dwelling
creature with the head and body of a man
creature with the head and body of a man
and the ears, horns, and legs of a goat
and the ears, horns, and legs of a goat
Centaur – half man, half horse (a creature
Centaur – half man, half horse (a creature
with the head, arms, and torso of a man
with the head, arms, and torso of a man
joined to the body of a horse at its neck.
joined to the body of a horse at its neck.

9. Mythical Monsters:
Mythical Monsters:
Gorgon --monstrous woman with snakes for hair
Gorgon monstrous woman with snakes for hair
who turned those who looked at her into stone
who turned those who looked at her into stone
Hydra --a monster that had nine heads and was
Hydra a monster that had nine heads and was
killed by Heracles. When one head was cut off,
killed by Heracles. When one head was cut off,
another grew instantly in its place.
another grew instantly in its place.
Chimaera --a female fire-breathing monster,
Chimaera a female fire-breathing monster,
typically represented as a combination of a lion's
typically represented as a combination of a lion's
head, goat's body, and serpent's tail
head, goat's body, and serpent's tail

10. Greek Mythology – is largely made
up of stories about gods and
goddesses.
Myth – real myth has nothing to do
with religion
-An explanation of something in
nature
- it is an early science.

11. The Lesser Gods of Olympus
Eros – God of Love ( Cupid in Latin)
According to Hesiod – he is the “fairest of the
deathless gods”
Plato – “Love – Eros – makes his home in men’s hearts,
but not in every heart, for where there is hardness,
he departs. His greatest glory is that he cannot do
wrong nor allow it; force never comes near him. For
all men serve him of their own free will. And he
whom Love touches not walks in darkness.”

12. The Lesser Gods of Olympus
Eros – in other accounts he was not Aphrodite’s
son, but merely her occasional companion. In
the latter poem, he was her son and invariably
a mischievous, naughty boy, or worse.
- Often represented as blindfolded
Anteros - avenger of slighted love; sometimes the one
who opposes love
Himeros – Longing
Humen – God of the Wedding Feast

13. The Lesser Gods of Olympus
Hebe – Goddess of Youth
- daughter of Zeus and Hera
- married to Hercules
Iris – Goddess of the Rainbow and a messenger
of the gods, in the Iliad the only messenger.

14. The Lesser Gods of Olympus
Two Lovely Sisters – Muses and Graces
Graces:: daughters of Zeus and Eurynome (child
Graces daughters of Zeus and Eurynome (child
of the titan, Ocean)
of the titan, Ocean)
1.Aglaia (Splendor)
1.Aglaia (Splendor)
2.Euphrosyne (Mirth)
2.Euphrosyne (Mirth)
3.Thalia (Good Cheer)
3.Thalia (Good Cheer)
--Saidto be always together, a triple incarnation of
Said to be always together, a triple incarnation of
grace and beauty
grace and beauty
--Consideredas “queens of song”
Considered as “queens of song”
--Dancedenchantingly to Apollo’s lyre
Danced enchantingly to Apollo’s lyre

15. The Lesser Gods of Olympus
Two Lovely Sisters – Muses and Graces
Muses ::nine in number; daughters
Muses nine in number; daughters
Zeus and Mnemosyne or
Zeus and Mnemosyne or
Memory
Memory
-- Not distinguished from each
Not distinguished from each
other
other
-- Are all of one mind, their hearts
Are all of one mind, their hearts
are set upon song and their
are set upon song and their
spirit is free from care
spirit is free from care
-- When they sing, men forget
When they sing, men forget
their dark thoughts and
their dark thoughts and
remembers not their troubles
remembers not their troubles
1.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
4.
4.
5.
5.
6.
6.
7.
7.
8.
8.
9.
9.
Clio ––Muse of History
Clio Muse of History
Urania ––Muse of Astronomy
Urania Muse of Astronomy
Thalia ––Muse of comedy
Thalia Muse of comedy
Terpsichore ––Muse of Dance
Terpsichore Muse of Dance
Calliope ––Muse of Epic
Calliope Muse of Epic
Poetry
Poetry
Erato ––Muse of Love Poetry
Erato Muse of Love Poetry
Polyhymnia – Muse of songs
Polyhymnia – Muse of songs
to the gods
to the gods
Euterpe – Muse of Lyric
Euterpe – Muse of Lyric
Poetry
Poetry
Melpomene ––Muse of
Melpomene Muse of
Tragedy
Tragedy

16. The Lesser Gods of Olympus
Themis – Right or Divine Justice
Dike – Human Justice
Nemesis – Righteous Anger

17. Gods of the Waters
Poseidon – Lord and Ruler of the Sea (Mediterranean)
Poseidon – Lord and Ruler of the Sea (Mediterranean)
and the Friendly Sea (Black Sea). Underground rivers
and the Friendly Sea (Black Sea). Underground rivers
were his.
were his.
Ocean – a Titan, Lord of the river Ocean, a great river
Ocean – a Titan, Lord of the river Ocean, a great river
encircling the earth. Tethys,,Ocean’s wife; Oceanids,,
encircling the earth. Tethys Ocean’s wife; Oceanids
the nymphs of this great river, were their daughters;
the nymphs of this great river, were their daughters;
gods of all the rivers were their sons.
gods of all the rivers were their sons.

18. Gods of the Waters
Pontus – which means Deep Sea, son of Mother
Pontus – which means Deep Sea, son of Mother
Earth and the father of Nereus, a sea-god
Earth and the father of Nereus, a sea-god
Nereus – the Old Man of the Sea ((the
Nereus – the Old Man of the Sea the
Mediterranean); wife is Doris, a daughter of
Mediterranean); wife is Doris, a daughter of
Ocean
Ocean
--had 50 lovely daughters, the nymphs of
had 50 lovely daughters, the nymphs of
the Sea, called Nereids, one of whom Thetis,
the Sea, called Nereids, one of whom Thetis,
was the mother of Achilles. Poseidon’s wife,
was the mother of Achilles. Poseidon’s wife,
Amphitrite, was another.
Amphitrite, was another.

19. Gods of the Waters
Naiads – water nymphs; dwelt in brooks
Naiads – water nymphs; dwelt in brooks
and springs and fountains
and springs and fountains
Triton – trumpeter of the Sea; his trumpet
Triton – trumpeter of the Sea; his trumpet
was a great shell; son of Poseidon and
was a great shell; son of Poseidon and
Ampitrite.
Ampitrite.
Proteus – Poseidon’s son, sometimes his
Proteus – Poseidon’s son, sometimes his
attendant; has power of foretelling and
attendant; has power of foretelling and
changing his shape at will.
changing his shape at will.

20. The Underworld
Hades or Pluto and his wife
Hades or Pluto and his wife
Persephone ruled the
Persephone ruled the
Underworld.
Underworld.
Underworld – lies beneath the
Underworld – lies beneath the
secret places of the earth (in
secret places of the earth (in
the Iliad)
the Iliad)
-- The way to it leads over the
The way to it leads over the
edge of the world across Ocean
edge of the world across Ocean
(in the Odyssey).
(in the Odyssey).
Two Main Divisions of
Underworld
Tartarus - the prison of
the Sons of Earth
Erebus – it is where the
dead pass as soon as
they die.

21. Three Judges:
1.Rhadamanthus
2.Minos
3.Aeacus
- They pass sentence
and send the wicked to
everlasting torment and
the good to a place of
blessedness called the
Elysian Fields.
Three other rivers:
1.Phlegethon – the
river of fire
2.Styx – the river of
unbreakable oath by
which the gods swear
3.Lethe – the river of
forgetfulness

22. The Erinyes (the Furies) – punish
evildoers; pursue sinners on the earth
Sleep and Death- brothers