Greek Mythology Practice Testing Flashcards
From where does the word „myth“ / „mythos“ originate from?
The word „myth or mythos“ originates from the Greek/greece
What does it mean?
It means legendary story.
What are they?
They are imagined tales.
How were they passed down?
Orally/from Generation to Generation
What do they revolve around?
around the creation of the world and the adventures of gods and heroes
What is Greek Mythology?
term „Greek mythology“ includes all the myths of ancient Greece
When did it came into being?
came into being about 2500 years ago and lived on until the early middle ages about 1500 years later
How can Greek mythology be divided into two main sections?
Greek mythology can be divided into two sections, one focusing on the gods and their actions, and the other on the adventures of the heroes.
What was the primary purpose of myths in ancient times?
in….the past, people explained everything they didn’t understand with myths, stories of gods, and forces within the elements of nature.
Myths aimed to answer questions about the meaning of life as well as the existence of the world and were passed down from generation to generation.
Why did people turn to myths to explain various aspects of the world and existence?
During that time, major contemporary religions like Islam, Christianity, or Judaism did not exist; instead, people practiced polytheistic religions that included Greek mythology. The goal was to answer questions.
What specific questions did myths aim to answer?
Myths aimed to answer questions about the meaning of life as well as the existence of the world
What was considered to be the highest mountain in Greece and where the twelve main gods lived.
In Greek Mythology, the so-called “Mount Olympus“ was considered to be the highest mountain in Greece and where the twelve main gods lived
What did it represent?
It represented the division between gods and humans
What did take place there?
important divine meetings and decisions took place there
Where was “it” located?
Who was able to reach “it”?
It was located above the clouds, showing the power of the Olympic gods over the world and nature, as it was out of reach for regular people.
What are the three types of gods in greek mythology?
Olympic gods, non-olympic gods, and demigods.
The Olympic gods, which included Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter and many more, were the major gods residing on Mount Olympus, with Zeus as their king.
Non-Olympic gods, like Hades, Hestia, and a few more ruled over specific aspects of life and nature but were not part of the Olympic council because they lacked the comprehensive power of the main Olympic gods and could even die.
Demigods like Hercules were creatures of both divine and human descent. What does that mean? They were mortal, since they possessed both divine and mortal qualities.
Who was the god of gods?
Zeus
Introduce the most important gods, Zeus, Hera, Apollo, Hermes
Explain who they were, tell their domains etc.
What was special about certain gods?
The Olympic Gods were the most powerful gods.
Story Hermes Cleverness
Story…
Story about Labors of Heracles
Story…
Story about Icarus and Daedalus
Story…
Story about Pandora’s Box
Story…
Read and study: How can the stories come across?
strange/absurd/weird
Explain why these stories offer a purpose
- ancient Greeks wanted to answer questions (such as how the world came to be / natural phenomena)
- So they invented gods and goddesses to have these questions simply answered
- And during that time, major contemporary religions did not exitst
What did people practise at that time?
polytheistic religions e.g. Greek Mythology
Explain the moral lessons
…
In addition to moral lessons, what other significant influence does Greek mythology have on the world?
influence…
Can you provide an example of how Greek mythology’s influence is seen in architecture?
column orders
Besides architecture, where else does Greek mythology’s influence extend?
realm of film and entertainment
How does Greek mythology impact the realm of film and entertainment?
film, entertainment, games, stories and books, influence on language
What are some of the key aspects that Greek mythology conveys?
important lessons, cultural identity and inspiration
How does the influence of Greek mythology transcend time?
…
In what ways does Greek mythology reflect human experiences and emotions?
…
What is the main goal of the presentation?
Conclusion + Quote
