Introduction to Introduction to MythologyMythology

Sheltered English ISheltered English I

Mrs. Biggs and Mrs. GarciaMrs. Biggs and Mrs. Garcia

Spring, 2011Spring, 2011

What is Mythology?What is Mythology?

• The body of stories associated with a The body of stories associated with a culture, institution, or person. culture, institution, or person.

• Stories concerning the origin of the people, Stories concerning the origin of the people, history, deities, ancestors and heroes. history, deities, ancestors and heroes.

• Stories of forgotten or vague origin, basically Stories of forgotten or vague origin, basically religious or supernatural in nature, which religious or supernatural in nature, which seeks to explain or rationalize one or more seeks to explain or rationalize one or more aspects of the world or a society aspects of the world or a society

Gods and Goddesses of Early Gods and Goddesses of Early CivilizationsCivilizations

The Aztec Gods and The Aztec Gods and GoddessesGoddesses• ReligionReligion was extremely important in Aztec was extremely important in Aztec

life. life. • They worshipped They worshipped hundredshundreds of gods and of gods and

goddesses - goddesses - http://www.river-styx.net/aztec-myth-gods.htmhttp://www.river-styx.net/aztec-myth-gods.htm

– each ruled one or more human activities or each ruled one or more human activities or aspects of natureaspects of nature

– many agricultural gods many agricultural gods

• They believed that the balance of the natural They believed that the balance of the natural world, the processes that make life possible - world, the processes that make life possible - like the rain or solar energy - and that the like the rain or solar energy - and that the destiny of people depended on the will of destiny of people depended on the will of these gods.these gods.

TenochtitlanTenochtitlan•One of the main One of the main

cultural centers cultural centers for the Aztec for the Aztec civilization.civilization.

•All religious All religious ceremonies were ceremonies were directed on the directed on the main temples.main temples.

The Creator GodsThe Creator Gods

•HuitzilopochtliHuitzilopochtli

•Tezcatlipoca Tezcatlipoca

•Quetzalcoatl Quetzalcoatl

•TlalocTlaloc

HuitzilopochtliHuitzilopochtli

• Also called the Also called the “Hummingbird Wizard”“Hummingbird Wizard”

• War and Sun GodWar and Sun God

• Main God of the AztecsMain God of the Aztecs

• Conquered warriors Conquered warriors were sacrificed to him were sacrificed to him yearly. As many as yearly. As many as 20,000 a year may 20,000 a year may have been killed.have been killed.

TezcatlipocaTezcatlipoca

• Also called Also called “Smoking “Smoking Mirror”Mirror”

• God of Night and God of Night and all material all material things.things.

QuetzalcoatlQuetzalcoatl

• ““The Plumed The Plumed Serpent”Serpent”

• The god of The god of civilization, civilization, priesthood and priesthood and learning.learning.

• http://http://www.youtube.com/wwww.youtube.com/watch?vatch?v=V9age8gGR5A=V9age8gGR5A

TlalocTlaloc

• The Rain GodThe Rain God

• Children were Children were drowned as drowned as sacrifices to him.sacrifices to him.

• Main agricultural Main agricultural god.god.

The Mayan Gods and The Mayan Gods and GodessesGodesses

• The ancient Mayans had a complex The ancient Mayans had a complex pantheon of deities whom they pantheon of deities whom they worshipped and offered human worshipped and offered human sacrifices.sacrifices.

• Rulers were believed to be Rulers were believed to be descendants of the gods and their descendants of the gods and their blood was the ideal sacrificeblood was the ideal sacrifice

• 117 gods and goddesses are 117 gods and goddesses are documented for the Mayan culture - documented for the Mayan culture - http://www.river-styx.net/maya-myth-gods.htmhttp://www.river-styx.net/maya-myth-gods.htm

TikalTikal

• 60-square-mile site 60-square-mile site holds numerous holds numerous pyramids, shrines, pyramids, shrines, and ball courts, and ball courts, where Mayans where Mayans played a sometimes played a sometimes dangerous version dangerous version of soccer, reportedly of soccer, reportedly using human skulls using human skulls as balls as balls

ItzamnáItzamná

• Creator of the worldCreator of the world

• ““The alligator god”The alligator god”

• He symbolizes this universeHe symbolizes this universe

• Presides over the divine societyPresides over the divine society

• God of medicine, earth and fireGod of medicine, earth and fire

• Inventor of writing and booksInventor of writing and books

• Sends rain down to EarthSends rain down to Earth

• Four gods in oneFour gods in one

IxchelIxchel

• Itzamna's companion Itzamna's companion • Goddess of the Moon, Goddess of the Moon,

fertility, medicine, fertility, medicine, weaving, rainbows, weaving, rainbows, songs and childbirth. songs and childbirth.

• Also watches over Also watches over bodies of water - bodies of water - "Lady of the Sea" "Lady of the Sea"

ResourcesResources

• www.crystalinks.com/www.crystalinks.com/aztecgodsaztecgods.html.html

• http://www.river-styx.net/maya-myth-gods.htmhttp://www.river-styx.net/maya-myth-gods.htm

• http://www.river-styx.net/aztec-myth-gods.htmhttp://www.river-styx.net/aztec-myth-gods.htm

• http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?vwww.youtube.com/watch?v=V9age8gGR5A=V9age8gGR5A

• www.students.sbc.edu/gosline05/www.students.sbc.edu/gosline05/aztecpowerpointaztecpowerpoint..pptppt

Greek and Roman Greek and Roman MythologyMythology

A ReviewA Review

ofof

The Principal Gods and The Principal Gods and GoddessesGoddesses

What is a myth?What is a myth?

• A traditional story rooted in primitive A traditional story rooted in primitive folk beliefs of culturesfolk beliefs of cultures

• Uses the supernatural to interpret Uses the supernatural to interpret natural eventsnatural events

• Explains the culture’s view of the Explains the culture’s view of the universe and the nature of humanityuniverse and the nature of humanity

The Principal GodsThe Principal Gods

• Cronos and Rhea Cronos and Rhea were parents ofwere parents of– Zeus (Jupiter, Jove)Zeus (Jupiter, Jove)– Poseidon (Neptune)Poseidon (Neptune)– Hades (Pluto)Hades (Pluto)– Hera (Juno)Hera (Juno)– Hestia (Vesta)Hestia (Vesta)– Demeter (Ceres)Demeter (Ceres)

• Other Olympians Other Olympians includeinclude– Athena (Minerva)Athena (Minerva)– Ares (Mars)Ares (Mars)– Hebe (Juventas)Hebe (Juventas)– Hephaestus (Vulcan)Hephaestus (Vulcan)– Apollo (Apollo)Apollo (Apollo)– Artemis (Diana)Artemis (Diana)– Hermes (Mercury)Hermes (Mercury)– Aphrodite (Venus)Aphrodite (Venus)– Dionysus (Bacchus)Dionysus (Bacchus)– PersephonePersephone

The OlympiansThe Olympians

ZeusZeus

• Roman Name: Roman Name: Jupiter (also Jove)Jupiter (also Jove)

• Supreme god of Supreme god of the Olympians.the Olympians.

• Fathered many Fathered many characters in characters in mythologymythology

ZeusZeus

HeraHera

• Roman Name: Roman Name: JunoJuno

• Zeus’s sister Zeus’s sister and wifeand wife

• Jealous protector Jealous protector of marriageof marriage

• Punished the Punished the women Zeus fell women Zeus fell in love within love with

PoseidonPoseidon

• Roman Name: Roman Name: NeptuneNeptune

• God of the Seas God of the Seas and Watersand Waters

• ““The The Earthshaker”Earthshaker”

HadesHades

• Roman Roman Name: PlutoName: Pluto

• God of the God of the Underworld/ Underworld/ DeadDead

• Kidnapped Kidnapped PersephonePersephone

HestiaHestia

• Roman Name: Roman Name: VestaVesta

• Goddess of Goddess of HomeHome

• Powerful Powerful ProtectorProtector

DemeterDemeter

• Roman Roman Name: CeresName: Ceres

• Goddess of Goddess of the Harvestthe Harvest

• A Goddess of A Goddess of the Earththe Earth

AthenaAthena

• Roman Roman Name: Name: MinervaMinerva

• Goddess of Goddess of Wisdom and Wisdom and WarWar

• Sprang from Sprang from Zeus’s headZeus’s head

AresAres

• Roman Name: Roman Name: MarsMars

• God of WarGod of War

• Son of Zeus and Son of Zeus and HeraHera

• Bloodthirsty Bloodthirsty and mercilessand merciless

HephaestuHephaestuss• Roman Name: Roman Name:

Vulcan Vulcan (Mulciber)(Mulciber)

• God of God of Fire/ForgeFire/Forge

• Son of Zeus and Son of Zeus and HeraHera

• Kind, unlike his Kind, unlike his brotherbrother

ApolloApollo

• Roman Roman Name: Name: ApolloApollo

• God of God of Light/Sun Light/Sun and Musicand Music

• Brother of Brother of ArtemisArtemis

ArtemisArtemis

• Roman Roman Name: DianaName: Diana

• Goddess of Goddess of the Moon/ the Moon/ HuntHunt

• Sister to Sister to ApolloApollo

HermesHermes

• Roman Name: Roman Name: MercuryMercury

• Messenger of Messenger of the Godsthe Gods

• Appears in Appears in more myths more myths than any other than any other charactercharacter

AphroditeAphrodite

• Roman Roman Name: VenusName: Venus

• Goddess of Goddess of Love and Love and BeautyBeauty

• Sprang from Sprang from the ocean the ocean foamfoam

DionysusDionysus

• Roman Name: Roman Name: BacchusBacchus

• God of WineGod of Wine

• Patron god of Patron god of the Greek the Greek stagestage

• A God of the A God of the EarthEarth

PersephonPersephonee

• Roman Name: Roman Name: ProserpinaProserpina

• Goddess of the Goddess of the UnderworldUnderworld

• Daughter of Daughter of Zeus and Zeus and DemeterDemeter

• Abducted by Abducted by HadesHades

ErosEros

• Roman Name: Roman Name: CupidCupid

• Young God of Young God of LoveLove

• Son of Son of Aphrodite and Aphrodite and HephaestusHephaestus

IrisIris

• Goddess of the Goddess of the RainbowRainbow

• Messenger for Messenger for Zeus and HeraZeus and Hera

• Daughter of Daughter of the titan the titan Thaumus and Thaumus and the nymph the nymph ElectraElectra

The MusesThe Muses

• Nine daughters of Nine daughters of Zeus and Zeus and MnemosyneMnemosyne

• Inspired artists of Inspired artists of all kindsall kinds

• Goddesses who Goddesses who presided over the presided over the arts and sciencesarts and sciences

• ““He is happy whom He is happy whom the muses love.”the muses love.”

Clio, Urania, Thalia, Melpomene, Erato, Calliope, Euterpe, Terpsichore, Polyhymnia

The GracesThe Graces

• Three Goddesses of Three Goddesses of Grace and BeautyGrace and Beauty

• ““They give life its They give life its bloom.”bloom.”

• Aglaia (Splendor)Aglaia (Splendor)

• Euphrosyne (Mirth)Euphrosyne (Mirth)

• Thalia (Good Cheer)Thalia (Good Cheer)

The Erinnyes (The Furies)The Erinnyes (The Furies)

• Roman Name: Furiae Roman Name: Furiae or Dirae (The Furies)or Dirae (The Furies)

• Three Goddesses of Three Goddesses of VengeanceVengeance– TisiphoneTisiphone– AlectoAlecto– MegaeraMegaera

• They punish evildoers.They punish evildoers.

The FatesThe Fates

• Roman Name: Parcae, MoiraeRoman Name: Parcae, Moirae

• Three sistersThree sisters– Clotho (“The Spinner”)Clotho (“The Spinner”)– Lachesis (“The disposer of lots”)Lachesis (“The disposer of lots”)– Atropos (“The cutter”)Atropos (“The cutter”)

• They weave, measure, and cut the They weave, measure, and cut the thread of life for humans.thread of life for humans.

The SatyrsThe Satyrs

• Gods of the woods and Gods of the woods and mountainsmountains

• ““Shepherd gods”Shepherd gods”

• Goat men (like Pan)Goat men (like Pan)

• Companions of Companions of DionysusDionysus

• They like to drink, They like to drink, dance, and chase dance, and chase nymphs.nymphs.

The GorgonsThe Gorgons

• Three snake-Three snake-haired haired monstersmonsters

• Medusa is most Medusa is most well-knownwell-known

• Their look Their look turns men to turns men to stone.stone.

The The CentaursCentaurs

• Half man, half Half man, half horsehorse

• Savage Savage creatures creatures (except (except Chiron)Chiron)

• Followers of Followers of DionysusDionysus

SourcesSources

• Graphics in this presentation were taken from Graphics in this presentation were taken from the following web sites:the following web sites:– http://www.bulfinch.org/fables/search.htmlhttp://www.bulfinch.org/fables/search.html– http://www.pantheon.org/http://www.pantheon.org/– http://www.messagenet.com/myths/http://www.messagenet.com/myths/– http://mythman.com/http://mythman.com/– http://web.uvic.ca/grs/bowman/myth/index.htmlhttp://web.uvic.ca/grs/bowman/myth/index.html– http://www.paleothea.com/http://www.paleothea.com/– http://www.entrenet.com/%7Egroedmed/greekm/myth.htmlhttp://www.entrenet.com/%7Egroedmed/greekm/myth.html

• This presentation is for educational purposes This presentation is for educational purposes only; it has not been and should not be sold or only; it has not been and should not be sold or used as a vehicle to make money.used as a vehicle to make money.