TIMELESS NARRATIVES OF THE FIRST NATIONS AND GREEK

PEOPLESPART 3

“The great god Zeus had many remarkable children and each

became known for their special talents.”

What is a Character Trait?

Characters do things. They feel things.

They hear things. They say things. They

think things. They go places.

They can walk, run, leap, and jump. They

may sit and rock in a rocking chair. They

may just lie in bed, sleep, and dream.

Greek Origins of Humankind

In ancient Greek narratives, human beings were

said to have been created in the image of the gods,

although the stories do not agree as to whether it

was Zeus himself or a Titan named Prometheus

who actually created them. Of all mortal creatures,

human beings were thought to stand upright so

that they could gaze up at the heavens while most

animals gazed down at the earth.

Prometheus

As we read the myth of Prometheus, make a list about

his special areas of interest and talents. Think about

what his character traits are.

What traits are of those of a god, and those of a

human? List these.

What were Prometheus’ faults? How did these cause

his downfall? Did Prometheus remind you of anyone

you know? Was his personality made up of good traits,

bad traits, or both? Why?

Prometheus

How did the gift of fire change humans’ lives?

Prometheus The gift of the “fire of the immortals” was more than a gift of light and

heat. The fire stolen by Prometheus represented the ability to reason.

What is the “light of reason”? What is an “enlightened” person? State

Prometheus’s traits and explain why you would use these terms to

describe him. What other words would describe him? Suppose

Prometheus had taught humans how to make rain? How might he have

done this? How would humans have been affected? Would Zeus have

been angry?

After Zeus had punished Prometheus, he decided to teach human

beings a lesson. He created a girl named Pandora to help him with his

plan.

Pandora

From the myth video we watched a couple weeks ago, write down all you can remember of “Pandora’s Box”

Pandora

To punish humans for all the crimes of

Prometheus, Zeus ordered that the gods

make an equal creature to both delight

and torment them. They made Pandora

(whose name means “the gift of all the

gods”), the first woman. Zeus put her

among men, with a jar that she had

instructions not to open.

Pandora

How does curiosity get the better of Pandora?

Pandora opened the jar, and out poured all the

illness and grief's of the world. What are the

grief's of the world? What remained inside the

box? What lesson does this narrative teach? How

was Pandora’s curiosity similar to your own ?