...What is a Myth? Before defining the term "mythology" one needs to define the meaning of the word "myth". The word itself comes from the Greek "mythos" which originally meant "speech" or "discourse" but which later came to mean "fable" or "legend". So the word "myth" is defined as a story of forgotten or vague origin, basically religious or supernatural in nature, which seeks to explain or rationalize one or more aspects of the world or a society. Furthermore, all myths are, at some stage, actually believed to be true by the peoples of the societies that used or originated the myth. The definition is thus clearly distinguished from the use of the word myth in everyday speech which basically refers to any unreal or imaginary story. A myth is also distinctly different from an allegory or parable which is a story deliberately made up to illustrate some moral point but which has never been assumed to be true by anyone. Some myths describe some actual historical event, but have been embellished and refashioned by various story tellers over time so that it is impossible to tell what really happened. In this last aspect myths have a legendary and historical nature. Definitions of Mythology The word mythology has two related meanings. Firstly it refers to a collection of myths that together form a mythological system. Thus one can speak of "Egyptian Mythology", "Indian Mythology", "Maori Mythology" or "Greek Mythology". In this sense one is describing a system of myths which were...
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...Greek Mythology Intro Greek mythology is the myths and legends the ancient Greeks centered their lives around. The ancient Greeks used these myths to explain the events and components of the world around them. Their religion included gods and heroes, creation stories, and the origins of their civilizations and rituals. It is topic that had been studied and examined in great depth for thousands of years. This fascinating religion's messages and influences are reflected in today’s modern society, and many similarities can be found between Greek mythology and modern religions, such as Christianity. The twelve Olympian Gods and their Myths To begin with, many of the beliefs that the Ancient Greeks believed in were based on the Olympians. The Olympians were a group of twelve gods who ruled after they overthrew the Titans. All of the Olympians are related in some way and they were named after their dwelling, Mount Olympus. The three major gods are Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. Their father, Kronos, was the leader of the Titans, he was cruel and was so determined not to lose his throne that he ate his children alive. But one child, Zeus was spared because his mother, Rhea, fed Krono’s a rock disguised as a baby instead of Zeus himself. Zeus defeated his father by chopping him up into little pieces and scattering his remains across the world. Then Zeus released all of Krono’s children that his father had eaten. These gods were Poseidon, Hades, Hestia, Demeter, and...
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...Without scientific answers, like we have today, the Ancient Greeks created their own answers about the world and what their place was in it. Over 2000 years ago the Greeks created the names and ideas of a myth and mythology. What they created were tales that are now known as myths. “A myth is a story based on tradition” (“Myths and Heroes” PBS.). Merriam Webster’s dictionary defines myth as, “a usually traditional l story of ostensibly historical events that serves to unfold part of the world view of a people or explain a practice, belief, or natural phenomenon.” (Def.1a). These myths described the values and feelings that bounded members of society. The stories explained,...
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...1. Introduction: Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece and are part of religion in modern Greece and around the world as Hellenisms. Greek mythology is known and learned everywhere around the world. A lot of people refer to everything that is happening in the world such as fire, light, water to the Greek mythology. The Greek mythology not only includes myths, but it also includes a lot of details of the lives and adventures of a wide variety of gods, goddesses, heroes, heroines, demigods, monsters and other mythological creatures. Greek mythology has exerted an extensive influence on the culture, the arts, and the literature of more than one civilization. Poets and artists from ancient times to the present have derived inspiration from Greek mythology and have discovered contemporary significance and relevance in these mythological themes. Also, beside gods and myths there are the two world-known epic poems The Iliad and Odyssey, that focus on events surrounding the Trojan War. Before entering upon the many strange beliefs of the ancient Greeks and the extraordinary number of gods they worshipped, first I would like to show what kind of beings these divinities were. Then I will tell the stories of some of the most famous gods that have left a mark...
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...s | Stephanie Highfield | Greek Gods & Goddesses | | | | | The ancient Greek religious history explains the existence of the world and the lives attached to the entire process of various gods, goddesses, heroes, heroines and other mythological characters. Every individual god or goddess was supposed to have a unique feature to him/her. For example: Athena was goddess of wisdom and courage, Ares was the god of war, while some gods such as Hestia (the heart) and Helios (the sun) had specifically this description. May more of these kind existed in their myths. The Greek Mythology not only sheds light on the rituals and culture of the ancient Greeks but also takes measures to explain various metaphysical phenomenon and occurrences the ancient Greeks encountered which were astounding and appealing at the same time for the devotees to submit * Cosmogony – related to the creation of the world * Theogony – concerned with the birth of the Gods The Greek’s God world was man-made; it was created in order to understand the concept of Love, Death, Life, Birth etc. They believed that the universe created Gods, which differs from many other religions that deem God made the universe. These “gods” came into being suddenly without any traces or evidences; hence they are thought to be illusory. These myths can be found in the Greek Literature, Iliad and Odyssey which are two famous epic poems that contribute to the oldest literary sources. However, Hesiod...
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...Greek gods and goddesses had elaborate and untamed personalities. They had imperfections and shortcomings along with merit and virtue just like humans. Besides their respected powers the Greeks added other things to the gods’ personalities such as: Zeus was known as a philanderer, his wife Hera a nagger, their daughter Aphrodite a loose woman, their son Ares a bully. While the Greeks honored and revered the gods to their faces at the same time making them the butts of countless stories. Many stories depicted them as spoiled, quarrelsome, stingy, jealous, and lacking concern for the human race (Farnell 47). This is pretty much the story for humans in general. If there was one God in Greek mythology it would be Zeus. He is considered the father of the gods and mortals by the Greeks. His roots and overall guidance have been traced back to ancient Indo-Vedic traditions. Zeus and the Vedic sky god, Dyaus, share many similar powers and stories (Smith 189). Zeus is loosely translated to “housemaster” and that is how the Greeks viewed him. The Greek creation stories of Zeus vary widely, but there is one that is generally accepted. Zeus was the youngest son of the Titans Cronus and Rhea and the brother of the deities Poseidon, Hades, Hestia, Demeter, and Hera (Cook v2 17). According to one of the ancient myths of the birth of Zeus, Cronus, fearing that he might be deposed by one of his children, swallowed them as they were born. When Zeus’ birth came to fruition, Rhea wrapped...
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...Greek Culture In ancient Greece, the polytheistic religion practiced in the form of cult practices. Different cities worshipped different gods for example: Athens had Athena; Sparta had Artemis; Corinth worshipped Aphrodite; Delphi and Delos had Apollo; Olympia had Zeus. Zeus de-throned his father Cronus and Zeus banished Cronus with the Titans that fought with Cronus. Titans were also known as the elder gods. They ruled the earth before the Olympians overthrew them. The 12 Olympians were: Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hestia, Hera, Ares, Athena, Apollo, Aphrodite, Hermes, Artemis, and Hephaestus. The other gods were: Asclepius, Demeter, Persephone, Dionysus, Eros, Hebe, Eris, Helius, Thanatos, Pan, Nemesis, The Graces, The Muses, The Erinyes, and The Fates. The Greek religion spans a period from Minoan and Mycenean periods to the days of Hellenistic Greece and its ultimate conquest by the Roman Empire. The religious ideas developed and evolved over the course of history. By the time of the earliest major monument of Greek literature, the lliad attributed to Homer, a consensus had developed with respect to the major Olympian gods. The lliad seems to have been unaware of Dionysus, a god whose worship spread after it was written and who later became important enough to be named one of the 12 chief Olympian gods. The Olympian gods, also known as Heroes, were demigods. They were deified humans who were part of local legendary history; they also had local hero-cults, and often served...
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...People love listening to stories. One of the most fascinating are the Greek myths. These stories are based on gods and goddesses and their heroic tales. It was a part of the Ancient Greece religion, but not many people know how they originated. The earliest Greek myths were a part of an oral tradition that began in the Bronze Age. In 700 B.C. a poet named Hesiod wrote the Theogony, which was the first written origin story of greek mythology. This story was about the creation of the universe and the family tree for the gods and goddesses. After that, other writers expanded on this story. One of the most commonly known things about Greek mythology is the gods and goddesses who live on Mount Olympus which is the highest mountain in Greece. The gods and goddesses ruled every aspect of human life from there. Some of the main ones are Zeus, king of all gods, Hera, queen of all gods, Aphrodite, Apollo, Ares, Artemis, Athena, Demeter, Dionysus, Hephaestus, Hermes, and Poseidon. Some of these stories teach life lessons and heroic attributes of some of the characters. The birth of these gods was quite the story. At the beginning of the story the god of earth, Gaia, and her son, Uranus, mated and had a child named Cronus. When Cronus got powerful, he overthrew his father's...
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...Greek mythology, a way to explain the world and why some things had happened. Myths were born and interconnected with religion; which explained the existence of hundreds of immortal gods, goddesses, and demigods; Zeus loved mortal women, but Hades is one hell of a guy. Also within the gods and goddesses, there were 10 Olympians. Each and every one of them, including demigods, had certain powers and abilities and most were immortal. The religion of following these Greek gods was developed back in Ancient Greece, and during the time period of these religions, the Zodiac signs were made up. Hundreds of thousands of years later we are still learning new things about Greek mythology and the religion that followed. Also, Norse legends have been...
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...Greek Mythology Lindsey Schneider Monday, Wednesday, Friday 8:00 A.M\ Mrs. Martin Greek mythology is the body of myths and teachings that belong to the ancient Greeks. Greek mythology concerned the gods and heroes of the Greek religion, the nature of the world in which they lived, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. The myths that these Greeks came up with were the answers to everything (History.com). The times were much simpler and they did not have real explanations for anything that happened around them. They could not answer questions about the weather, or why things happen in the way that they do. The myths and the ideas of immortal beings, being in control of everything around them gave them a sense of understanding. The idea of gods and goddesses helped to justify the social system in which they lived and gave some meaning to the world people saw around them (History.com). In Greek Mythology, perhaps one of the most rudimental yet one of the most important elements are the Greek Gods and Goddesses. Unlike religious gods today, though, the Greek gods resembled human being in their form and their emotions, and suffered from the same dilemmas humans throughout time have faced ranging from love triangles to the loss of a child and even in plenty of cases, childish fights. The ancient Greeks believed in a numerous amount of gods and depicted them to be very much like people. The gods were said...
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...June 15, 2011 Comparing Gods and Goddesses Myths are narrative stories that describe the creation of the world and how the first humans came into existence. According to Leonard and McClure (2004), human societies began as goddess-oriented and matrifocal (women-centered). Human societies evolved from primitive beginnings to a superior culture system of patriarchy (Leonard & McClure, 2004, p. 104). Although myths may differ from culture to culture, common elements and roles exist in each myth. In today’s society, myths and legends are fantasy-filled tales from ancient societies long gone. Therefore, Team A will describe the elements and functions of goddess myths, and compare two myths of the female divine from different cultures. Second, the team will describe the elements and functions of god myths, and compare two myths of the male divine from different cultures. Last, the team will summarize the elements and functions shared by both divines. According to the euhemerist Gimbutus, goddesses have three basic roles life, death, and regeneration (Leonard & McClure, 2004, p. 114). The goddesses of life are Mother Earth, nature, sea, and universe. These goddesses are nurturers and overseers of security and contentment, prosperity and growth, and creativity and artistry. The mother earth goddesses are creators of earth and universe, such as Gaia of the ancient Greeks, and Tellus of the Romans. These two Earth goddesses gave birth to the sky, mountains, sea, moon, and...
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...Overview of Prehistory and the Ancient World Subtitle: EP’s fast forward background This “mini-lecture” gives you a sense of the main points I would like to make before we study Hellenic and Hellenistic Greece . Our text is lacking some of the literary and philosophical examples I think you need – we are trying to have as “interdisciplinary” a study as possible, so I’m adding background I think is pertinent and is just fun stuff to know! Prehistory: The text discussed the period when man was still nomadic and groups subsisted as hunter/gatherers. There are two art works that are remarkable as “mirrors of mind” of those earliest people. Don’t be confused by the sequence of the illustrations in your book – the very earliest of the artistic works we have is the “Woman [or ‘Venus’] of Willendorf”. Was this a sculpture of a specific woman? Does it show details? Is its nudity indicative of a lusty sexual obsession of the artist? Why would this subject be a priority for early expression? Really ponder these questions independently for a moment before reading on. If early Mankind was aware of anything, it was that life is CYCLICAL. There are cycles of the moon, of rivers flooding, menstrual cycles, childbearing cycles, seasonal cycles, cycles of the day from sunrise to sunset, etc.. Woman is the source of life and the womb and breasts nourish new life. No, this is not a statue of a particular woman – the features are very abstract and generic. The artist pays homage...
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...Generosity Submitted To; Mrs. Lilibeth Vargas (Subject teacher) Trojan War . In Greek mythology, the Trojan War was waged against the city of Troy by the Achaeans (Greeks) after Paris of Troy took Helen from her husband Menelaus king of Sparta. The war is one of the most important events in Greek mythology and has been narrated through many works of Greek literature, most notably through Homer's Iliad. The Iliad relates a part of the last year of the siege of Troy; the Odyssey describes the journey home of Odysseus, one of the war's heroes. Other parts of the war are described in a cycle of epic poems, which have survived through fragments. Episodes from the war provided material for Greek tragedy and other works of Greek literature, and for Roman poets including Virgil and Ovid. The war originated from a quarrel between the goddesses Athena, Hera, and Aphrodite, after Eris, the goddess of strife and discord, gave them a golden apple, sometimes known as the Apple of Discord, marked "for the fairest". Zeus sent the goddesses to Paris, who judged that Aphrodite, as the "fairest", should receive the apple. In exchange, Aphrodite made Helen, the most beautiful of all women and wife of Menelaus, fall in love with Paris, who took her to Troy. Agamemnon, king of Mycenae and the brother of Helen's husband Menelaus, led an expedition of Achaean troops...
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...My research paper is about the Greek Titan Kronos also known in Greek as Cronus or Saturn in Latin. According to pop culture, he is depicted as a monster who was the father of the Olympians. He was also the king of the Titans, who were overthrown by their own children the Olympians in Greek mythology. Today when we read the Greek myths about him, all we really know about him is his ending. We barely know how his life started and what he was like in the middle of his life. The purpose of this paper is to describe the rise and collapse of Kronos, the god of time and King of Titans. The Titans’ timeline was rather brief in comparison to the Olympians in Greek mythology. However, they have a very strong story about their creation. In the...
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