Greek Mythology and Gods Essay

* People today have scientific explanations for events like thunder, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. * The ancient Grecians did not-they believed their gods ca utilize these events to happen, and they created myths to explain the gods modus operandiions.* The classicals saw the work of the gods in events all around them. * For archetype, the Greeks lived in an area where volcanic eruptions were common. * To explain these eruptions, they told stories ab egress the god Hephaestus, who lived underground. * The fire and lava that poured out of volcanoes, the Greeks said, came from the huge fires of this gods forge. * At this forge he created weapons and outfit for the other gods.* The Greeks did not think the gods spent all their time creating disasters, though. * They excessively believed the gods caused daily events.* For example, they believed the goddess of agriculture, Demeter, created the oceansons. * According to Greek myth, Demeter had a daughter who was kidnapped by other god. * The desperate goddess begged the god to allow her daughter go, and eventually agreed to let her return to her mother for 6 months. * During the winter, Demeter is separated from her daughter and misses her. In her grief, she doesnt let plants grow. * When her daughter comes home, she is happy and summer comes.* To keep the gods happy, the Greeks built nifty temples to them all around Greece. * In return, however, they expected the gods to give them help when they take it. * For example, many Greeks in need of advice traveled to Delphi, a urban center in central Greece. Then they spoke to the Oracle, a female priest of Apollo to whom they horizon the god gave answers.* Not all Greek myths were almost gods.* Many told about the adventures of spacious hacekes. Some of these people were real heroes, and others were not. * The Greeks loved to tell the point of heroes who had special abilities and faced terrible monsters. * The people of each city had their darling hero, usually someone from there.* The people of capital of Greece, for example, told stories about the hero Theseus. * According to legend, he traveled to Crete and killed the Minotaur, a terrible monster fractional bull half man. * People from northern Greece told stories about Jason and how he sailed across the seas in bet of a great treasure, fighting enemies the whole way.* Perhaps the most noted of all Greek heroes was a man named Hercules. * The myths explain how Hercules fought many monsters and performed about impossible tasks. * For example, he fought and killed the hydra, a huge snake with 9 heads and condemnable fangs. * Every time Hercules cut off one of the monsters heads, 2 more grew in place. * But Hercules finally figured to comely cut off the whole neck. -_-* Because the Greeks loved myths and stories, it is no surprise that they created great works of literature. * Early Greek writers produced epic poems, the Iliad, and the Odyssey by a poet named mark. * kindred most epics, both poems describe the deeds of great heroes. * The heroes in Homers poems fought in the Trojan War. * In this war, the Mycenaean Greeks fought the Trojans, the people of city called Troy.* The Iliad tells the story of the last years of the Trojan War. * It focuses on the deeds of the Greeks, oddly Achilles, the greatest of all Greek warriors. * It describes in great detail the battles mingled with Troy and Greece.* Homers poems were central to Greek education.* People memorized broad passages of the poems as lessons.* Homers poems influenced later writers.* They copied his writing style and used his ideas.* Homers poems are considered the greatest literature.* Other poets wrote poems that were often caboodle to music.* During a performance, a POET played a stringed instrument called a lyre mend reading a poem. * These poets were called lyric poets after their instruments, the lyre. * Today, the words of these songs are called lyrics.* most poets in Greece were men, but the most famous poet was a woman named Sappho, poet stunning and emotional, poems about love and relationships with friend and family.* Other Greeks told stories to teach people lessons.* Aesop for example is famous for his fables.* Fables are short stories that teach the readers lessons about life or how to live. * In most of Aesops fables, animals are main characters. * The animals talk and act like humans.* Probably the most obvious way we see Greek influence is by language. * Many English words and expressions come from Greek mythology. * For example, we call a long journey and odyssey after Odysseus, the wandering hero of Homers poem. * Something big and powerful is called the Titanic, coming from Greek mythic titans.* Places today are also named after Greek myth.* Ex Athens named after Athena, Atlas mtns named after giant from Greek mythology, Aegean sea come from Aegeus.