Heroes, Gods, and Monsters A Look into the Worlds Oldest Soap Opera That is Mythology

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Heroes, Gods, and MonstersA Look into the
Worlds Oldest Soap Opera That is Mythology
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Purpose of Mythology

• To entertain

To teach
To explain natural phenomena
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Why we study mythology

• Our main concern in studying mythology is so we
  can understand and recognize allusions later on
  in literature.
• An allusion is a reference to a well-known story,
  character, etc. Allusions commonly come from
  mythology, stories of the Bible, and pop culture.
• Ex. If I said that I had the strength of
  Hercules, how many people would know what I was
  referring to?
• If I went over to a friends house and he had two
  dogs, two cats, and two birds, I might say, Hey
  Noah, do you have your boat ready?

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Allusions in our society
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The Mighty Zeus Reigning Under Thunder and
Lightning

• Parents are Cronus and Rhea
• Brothers are Poseidon and Hades
• Married to Hera (not a healthy relationship)
• Zeus ruled over Olympus with wisdom and justice
  (yeah right)
• Mortals learned to not mess with Zeus
• Weakness Insatiable lust of women

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Hera Goddess of Marriage and Childbirth

• Wife/sister of Zeus (yes this is gross, but
  whats a God to do?)
• Often outwitted Zeus
• Upset with Zeus because of his infidelities
• Children were Ares, Hephaestus, and Eris
• Weakness jealousy a violent temper

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This Means War!! The Goddess of War Athena

• Daughter of Zeus Metis
• Born out of the head of Zeus
• Also known for her mercy
• Also called the virgin goddess of arts and crafts
• Introduced the plow, rake, yoke, and bridle to
  farmers
• Designed the first chariot and ship
• Taught mathematics, spinning, weaving, and
  cooking

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Poseidon
Ruler of the Seas

• God of horses and earthquakes
• Lived in an underwater palace
• Married to Thetis, a water nymph
• Pursued Demeter
• Argued with Athene over claim to Athens
• Weakness quarrelsome changeful

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Hades God of the Underworld

• The unluckiest of brothers, he had to take the
  Underworld to rule
• Kidnapped Persephone while she was picking
  flowers to be his bride in the Underworld
• Demeter, her mother, searched for her daughter
  for 9 days
• Demeter destroyed land, crops and livestock
• Zeus stayed neutral in the issue

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Persephone HadesA Hellish Union

• Hades tricked Persephone to eat a single
  pomegranate seed, thus not permitting her to
  leave the Underworld
• As an agreement, Persephone had to spend 6 months
  as Queen of the Underworld
• and 6 months with
• Demeter.

The story of Persephone helps explain the change
in seasons. When she goes to the Underworld, the
Earth becomes colder and less fertile.
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Demeter

• Barley mother, lady of growing things
• Mother of Persephone
• Sister of Zeus, but she also had two kids with
  him, one of whom was Persephone
• Responsible for the change of seasons (see
  Persephone)

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Artemis

• Goddess of the moon eternal chastity
• Favored spoiled by Zeus
• Likes hunting
• Her color is silver
• Tomboy
• Will remain a child forever

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Apollo

• Color Gold
• Responsible for riding his golden chariot across
  the sky
• Best-looking of all the gods likes the ladies
  like his father
• Aristeus, his son, taught man beekeeping, olive
  culture, cheese-making, and other useful arts
• Asclepius, his son, became a famous
  surgeon/doctor. He had the ability to bring the
  dead back to life.

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Hermes

• Stole Apollos cows
• Has the gift of augury
• Became the messenger God the last to enter the
  Pantheon
• Became Patron god of liars, thieves, gamblers
• God of commerce, framer of treaties
• Guardian of travelers
• Delivers souls to Tartarus
• Invented the alphabet, astronomy, scales, playing
  cards, and games

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Hephaestus

• Smith-god, forger of weapons
• Kicked out of Olympus by Hera
• Ugliest of all gods
• Adopted by Thetis, a naiad
• Made beautiful jewelry
• Welcomed back to Olympus after Hera saw his
  handiwork
• Was given a workshop with Cyclopes as helpers
• Wishes to serve his mother
• Has Aphrodite as a bride

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Oh Baby, Baby, its Aphrodite

• Goddess of love beauty
• Has a magic girdle
• Born out of primal murder Cronus murdered his
  father, his body was flung off of Mt. Olympus,
  the body mixed with sunlight produced a naked and
  beautiful goddess
• Hera was jealous of her and wanted her married
  off
• Suitors lined up

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Fire, Fire! The
Contribution of Prometheus

• Was a young Titan
• Argued with Zeus about giving man fire
• Defied Zeus and also gave man water to control
  the fire
• As a result, man progressed and started
  building ships, weapons, etc.
• Zeus almost destroys man but instead lets them
  destroy themselves
• Punishes Prometheus by chaining him to a mountain
  and lets vultures eat at his stomach and liver
  forever
• Eventually rescued by Heracles

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Pandoras Box

• created by Hephaestus out of clay and modeled by
  Aphrodite
• possessed all the great qualities of the Gods
• Hermes gave her the box
• Hera gave her curiosity
• Married Epimetheus
• When box was opened, lizard-like creatures came
  out became old age, disease, famine, insanity
• Closed box in enough time to keep Foreboding in
  box which restored hope for mankind

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Daedalus