-Greek and Roman mythology is quite generally -Greek and Roman mythology is quite generally supposed to show us the way the human race supposed to show us the way the human race thought and felt untold ages ago.thought and felt untold ages ago.

-We have come to appreciate the Greek and -We have come to appreciate the Greek and Roman mythology because:Roman mythology because:

-Little distinction was made between the real -Little distinction was made between the real and unreal;and unreal;

-They are unlike the uncivilized peoples -They are unlike the uncivilized peoples everywhere who lived in prehistoric everywhere who lived in prehistoric wilderness, where terror and magic and wilderness, where terror and magic and human sacrifice were rampant. Greeks have human sacrifice were rampant. Greeks have the naiads, dryads and nymphs in their the naiads, dryads and nymphs in their forests; the daughters of Poseidon in the seas forests; the daughters of Poseidon in the seas and the Four winds in the skyand the Four winds in the sky

-The Greeks too had their roots in primeval slime, -The Greeks too had their roots in primeval slime, but what the myths show is how they have risen but what the myths show is how they have risen from the ancient filth.from the ancient filth.

-The first written record of Greece is the Illiad by -The first written record of Greece is the Illiad by Homer, which is believed to be written not later Homer, which is believed to be written not later than a thousand years before Christ.than a thousand years before Christ.-People often speak of the “Greek miracle”, or the -People often speak of the “Greek miracle”, or the new birth of the world with the awakening of new birth of the world with the awakening of Greece.Greece.-With the coming forward of Greece, mankind -With the coming forward of Greece, mankind became the center of the universe, because in became the center of the universe, because in Greece, mankind knew what mankind was.Greece, mankind knew what mankind was.

-The Greeks made their gods in their own images, -The Greeks made their gods in their own images, something that never entered the mind of something that never entered the mind of mankind before. Of course, human gods made mankind before. Of course, human gods made heaven pleasantly familiar so that the Greeks will heaven pleasantly familiar so that the Greeks will be at home with it.be at home with it.

-The world of Greek mythology turned a world full -The world of Greek mythology turned a world full of terror to a world full of beauty.of terror to a world full of beauty.

-But of course, the bright side has its dark spots. -But of course, the bright side has its dark spots. The human gods were a slight improvement for a The human gods were a slight improvement for a long time, but it changed.long time, but it changed.

-Greek mythology is made up of stories about -Greek mythology is made up of stories about gods and goddesses, but it SHOULD NOT BE READ gods and goddesses, but it SHOULD NOT BE READ AS A GREEK BIBLE.AS A GREEK BIBLE.

OVIDOVID HOMERHOMER HESIODHESIOD PINDARPINDAR AESCHYLUS AESCHYLUS ARISTOPHANESARISTOPHANES APULEIUSAPULEIUS LUCIANLUCIAN APOLLODORUSAPOLLODORUS PAUSANIASPAUSANIAS VIRGILVIRGIL

OVIDOVID -A Latin poet who wrote during the reign of -A Latin poet who wrote during the reign of

Augustus.Augustus.

- He is compendium of mythology. No Greek - He is compendium of mythology. No Greek writer can compare to him in this respect.writer can compare to him in this respect.

-“I prate of ancient poets’ monstrous lies, -“I prate of ancient poets’ monstrous lies, Ne’er seen or now of then by human eyes.”Ne’er seen or now of then by human eyes.”-In his hands, factual and solemn truth -In his hands, factual and solemn truth becomes idle tales, witty and diverting often becomes idle tales, witty and diverting often sentimental and distressingly rhetorical.sentimental and distressingly rhetorical.

HOMERHOMER

-One of the chief writers.-One of the chief writers.

-Illiad and Odyssey, which he wrote, contain -Illiad and Odyssey, which he wrote, contain the oldest writings we have.the oldest writings we have.

HESIODHESIOD

-Hesiod was a poor farmer who lived a bitter life in -Hesiod was a poor farmer who lived a bitter life in the eight or ninth century.the eight or ninth century.

-He wrote the Theogony, an account of the -He wrote the Theogony, an account of the creation of the Universe and the generation of creation of the Universe and the generation of the gods, and it is very important for mythology.the gods, and it is very important for mythology.

PINDARPINDAR

-The greatest lyric poet of Greece who -The greatest lyric poet of Greece who began to write towards the end of the sixth began to write towards the end of the sixth century.century.

-He wrote odes in honor of the victors at the -He wrote odes in honor of the victors at the great national festivals of Greece.great national festivals of Greece.

AESCHYLUSAESCHYLUS -The oldest of the three tragic poets and a -The oldest of the three tragic poets and a

contemporary of Pindar’s.contemporary of Pindar’s.

-All their plays have mythological subjects.-All their plays have mythological subjects.

ARISTOPHANESARISTOPHANES

-The great writer of comedy who lived in the -The great writer of comedy who lived in the last part of the fifth century..last part of the fifth century..

-His works often refers to the myths, as do -His works often refers to the myths, as do two great prose writers, Herodotus and two great prose writers, Herodotus and Plato. Plato.

APOLLONIUS APOLLONIUS OF RHODESOF RHODES -Told at length the Quest of the Golden -Told at length the Quest of the Golden

Fleece, and also a number of myths. He and Fleece, and also a number of myths. He and other three Alexandrians (Theocritus, Bion other three Alexandrians (Theocritus, Bion and Moschus) wrote myths which lost the and Moschus) wrote myths which lost the simplicity of Hesiod’s and pindar’s works, simplicity of Hesiod’s and pindar’s works, but which does not have Ovid’s frivolity.but which does not have Ovid’s frivolity.

APULEIUSAPULEIUS

-A Latin writer in second century A.D. who -A Latin writer in second century A.D. who wrote the famous story of Cupid and Psyche.wrote the famous story of Cupid and Psyche.

-He writes very much like Ovid.-He writes very much like Ovid.

LUCIANLUCIAN -A Greek writer in the second century A.D. -A Greek writer in the second century A.D.

who writes like no one except himself. who writes like no one except himself. 

-He satirized the gods.-He satirized the gods.

APOLLODORUSAPOLLODORUS

-He is the most voluminous ancient writer -He is the most voluminous ancient writer on mythology, but his works are very on mythology, but his works are very matter-of-fact and dull.matter-of-fact and dull.

PAUSANIASPAUSANIAS -The author of the first guidebook ever -The author of the first guidebook ever

written.written.

-Being an ardent traveler, he has a good deal -Being an ardent traveler, he has a good deal to say about mythological events reported to to say about mythological events reported to have happened in the places he visited.have happened in the places he visited.

VIRGILVIRGIL

-A Roman writer who did not believe in -A Roman writer who did not believe in myths any more than Ovid did, whom he myths any more than Ovid did, whom he was a contemporary of.was a contemporary of.

-He brought mythological personages to life -He brought mythological personages to life as no one had done since the Greek as no one had done since the Greek

tragedianstragedians..

OTHERSOTHERS -Other Romans like CATULLUS and HORACE -Other Romans like CATULLUS and HORACE

wrote several myths and alluded to them, wrote several myths and alluded to them, but neither is important in mythology.but neither is important in mythology.