Myths are stories that reveal important questions about birth and death, love and hate, hardship and justice. Mythology is the study of these stories

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Mariah Robbins
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1 MYTHOLOGY WALCH PUBLISHING

2 Myths are stories that reveal important questions about birth and death, love and hate, hardship and justice. Mythology is the study of these stories and the gods, heroes, and humans that populate them. People often use the word myth to suggest that an idea is unreal. Does it matter if a story literally took place? Reveal one of your own ideas about the human condition by writing a paragraph about a fictional person. 1

3 An enduring question for all cultures is Did the universe have a beginning? Greek mythology suggests that everything sprang from Chaos, an abyss or the unknown. The earth, Gaia, rose up from Chaos, according to the Greek poet Hesiod. What is the difference between rising up from nothing and rising up from the unknown? Explain. 2

4 Another wild god was Pan, from whose name comes the word panic. He spent much of his time in the mountains, playing his pipes and chasing nymphs. In battle or in the forest, he would let out a terrifying shout. What does it mean to panic? Write a paragraph about it. 2 4

5 Dionysus once granted a wish to Midas, King of Phrygia, for being a generous host. Midas wanted everything he touched to turn to gold. Unfortunately for Midas, his wish came true. He could not even eat, because the food turned to metal when it touched his lips. What do you think this story says about the desire for wealth? What does it say about wishes? Write your thoughts below. 2 5

6 Heracles sixth labor was to rid Lake Stymphalus of its enormous flock of man-eating birds. He did so by frightening them with a pair of bronze castanets. Birds are often graceful, but the Stymphalian birds had long legs, claws, wings of bronze, and poisonous excrement. Write a paragraph about something that does not look or behave as you would expect. 6 5

7 Heracles s eighth labor was to capture the man-eating horses of King Diomedes. Diomedes had trained his horses to eat the flesh of his guests. When Heracles caught the horses, Diomedes pursued him. Eventually, Diomedes was fed to his horses. He was destroyed by his own invention. Characters in mythology often suffer when they try to alter natural laws. We have already seen what happened to Endymion when he tried to change the law of aging. List some other laws of nature that people would like to change. Then write a myth about what happens when one of those laws is changed. 6 6

8 Eris was not a popular goddess because of the fighting she inspired. After this goddess, also known as Discord, was not invited to the marriage of King Peleus and Thetis, she decided to make trouble. She tossed into the banquet hall a golden apple with the words For the Fairest engraved on it. Naturally, several goddesses believed themselves to be the intended recipient of the apple. Draw a picture of what this scene might have looked like. Use facial expressions and physical characteristics you know about the goddesses to differentiate them. 105

9 Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite asked Zeus to judge which of them should receive the golden apple for being the most beautiful, but he refused to do so. Why did Zeus decline? Would you be willing to judge such proud and powerful deities? What do you think would have happened to Zeus if he had judged the goddesses, one of whom was his wife? Explain. 106

10 Odysseus is often described as shrewd or a rogue. What is a rogue? If you had fought in the Trojan War, would you have wanted Odysseus on your side? Why? Explain. 148

11 Penelope and Telemachus, Odysseus son, wanted to wait for Odysseus to return, but their palace had been invaded by selfish suitors. These men treated Telemachus with contempt and demanded that Penelope choose a new husband. They ate and drank all the stores Penelope had in her palace. How do you think the gods reacted to this behavior? Write a paragraph about this, remembering the importance of hospitality to the Greeks. 149

Introduction to Greek Mythology. Gender Unit Mod. Humanities/Grad. Project

Introduction to Greek Mythology Gender Unit Mod. Humanities/Grad. Project What is Greek Mythology? The people of ancient Greece shared stories called myths about the gods, goddesses, and heroes in which