Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Greek and Roman MythologyNote Packet
Mrs. Tranchemontagne • Ross Lurgio Middle School • 9/24/07
Important Terms
MYTHOLOGY answers the question “why?” The people came up with expla-nations for their experiences to explaine away their fears.
ANTHROPOMORPHISM means the giving of human characteristics to spirits
and gods.
ANIMISM is the belief in spirits and
demons.
ETHNOCENTRISM is the belief that
one’s own society is at the center of the
world.
CHAOS means confusion or the dark
void of space.
SYMBOLISM is the use of something
to stand for or represent something
else. (All Olympians have symbols that represent them.)
CREATION is the act of bringing the world into existence.
RITUAL is a formal or ceremonial act, like marriage, baptism, funeral, etc.
Greek and Roman Mythology Notes
Tranchemontagne • email: [email protected] • Ross Lurgio Middle School 1
Ascanius Hunting the Stag of Silvia, by Claude Lorrain (1682).
Step 1: CHAOS
Step 2: ORDER
Step 3: FIRST MAN
Step 4: MARRIAGE
Step 5: NAMING
Step 6: UNDERSTANDING
In Greek mythology, Chaos or Khaos is the primeval state of existence from
which the first GODS appeared.
MEN MUST marry AND name
THINGS IN CREATION MYTHS.
WOMEN ARE A corrupting/bad IN-
FLUENCE IN CREATION MYTHS
(E.G., ADAM AND EVE, RHEA AND
CRONUS, ETC.)
Greek and Roman Mythology Notes
Tranchemontagne • email: [email protected] • Ross Lurgio Middle School 2
Creation Myths: How the World Began
The Mutilation of Uranus by Cronus, by Vasari and Gher-
ardi. Palazzo Vecchio, Florence.
Greek and Roman Creation Myth
Images of Gaia, Cronus, Uranus, Eros, and the Titans
There are certain things we need to remember when learning about mythology.
1. Gods are immortal. They can never die. They fade out of the stories.
2. Gods feast on ambrosia (food) and nectar (drink).
3. Gods have ichor, NOT blood in their veins.
FIRST THERE WAS: Chaos
(Everything in confusion and darkness)
Eros (or Love) caused the union of :
Night Depth (Erebus)
This union caused order to occur. Out of order came Uranus (Sky)
and Gaia (Mother Earth). Eros married them to each other.
Greek and Roman Mythology Notes
Tranchemontagne • email: [email protected] • Ross Lurgio Middle School 3
URANUS (SKY) GAIA (MOTHER EARTH)
HUNDRED-HANDED CHILDREN CYCLOPS 12 TITANS
Uranus was jealous of his children and afraid they would take
power from him. So he buried them alive in the earth. Gaia plotted with
Cronus (the youngest Titan). Cronus then wounded Uranus with a sickle
and became supreme ruler.
Cronus gathered the Titans from the earth, leaving the Cyclops
and the Hundred-Handed Children still trapped.
CRONUS RHEA
They have 12 children. Cronus EATS each child as it is born. BUT Rhea
fed Cronus a rock wrapped in cloth in place of the last child. This child
was Zeus.
Zeus was sent to Mt. Ida in Crete to hide. Here he was raised in a
sacred dave. When he was a young man, Zeus went to his father’s court
dressed as a page. He fed Cronus poison in his glass of wine. This
caused Cronus to regurgitate all of his children healthy, whole, and
adult.
His brothers and sisters helped Zeus wage war against his father.
They used Mt. Olympus as their headquarters. Zeus’ main allies were his
Greek and Roman Mythology Notes
Tranchemontagne • email: [email protected] • Ross Lurgio Middle School 4
brothers Hades and Poseidon. Zeus also released the Cyclops on the
condition they help him. (They forged lightning bolts for Zeus.) The
poor hundred-handed children were still left trapped. They cause earth-
quakes to this day to show their anger as they try to escape.
After 10 years, Zeus won. Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades had a lottery
to see who would rule. Zeus won that too. He became ruler of the Up-
perworld. Poseidon became ruler of the sea. hades became ruler of the
Underworld. Zeus’ other brothers and sisters also received favors for
their part in the war. They are known as the Olympians.
Greek and Roman Mythology Notes
Tranchemontagne • email: [email protected] • Ross Lurgio Middle School 5
