Greek Mythology Defying The Gods

Themes The Greek gods and goddesses were much like people. They had pride, jealousy, love, and the thirst for revenge. When the Greeks gave their gods human qualities it was a “miracle” and created a new “humanized world” of gods. The gods rewarded honorable behavior and obedience, while people who dishonored themselves or defied the gods paid a high price.

The stories of defying the Gods Arachne Athena Prometheus Zeus Pandora Daedalus and Icarus

Arachne

Characters-Arachne Arachne was a great mortal weaver who boasted that her skill was greater than Athena’s.

Characters-Pallas Athena Athena was the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, justice and skill.

Plot Arachne was a young woman who arrogantly offended the goddess Athena. The offended goddess set a contest between the two weavers. Ultimately, the goddess turned Arachne into a spider. Arachne simply means "spider“ in Greek. To this day spiders are called “arachnids” in English.

Theme The story of Arachne’s scornful and overweening pride was told throughout ancient Greece and it helped serve as a warning to all mortals to respect the gods.

Prometheus

Characters-Prometheus Prometheus (forethought)is a Titan, and brother to Atlas, Epimetheus and Menoetius. He was a champion of mankind, known for his wily intelligence. He stole fire from Zeus and gave it to mortals, for which he was punished.

Characters-Epimetheus Epimetheus (afterthought) was the brother of Prometheus. While Prometheus is characterized as ingenious and clever, Epimetheus is depicted as foolish.

Characters-Zeus Zeus the "Father of Gods and men" ruled the Olympians of Mount Olympus as a father ruled his family. He is the god of sky and thunder in Greek mythology.

Plot Prometheus was asked to create mankind. However, his brother Epimetheus, had already given other animals the best qualities. Prometheus then stole fire from Zeus. Zeus punished Prometheus for his crime by having him bound to a rock while an eagle ate his liver every day, only to have it grow back to be eaten again the next day. Hercules tried to convince Prometheus to surrender to Zeus, but he refused.

Pandora

Characters-Pandora Pan=all, across Pandora was the first female on earth. Zeus ordered Hephaestus, the god of craftsmanship, to create her, using water and earth. Each god helped create her by giving her “seductive” gifts. Hence her name: Pandora, "all-gifted" Pan=all, across Dora=gift

Plot When Prometheus stole fire from heaven, Zeus took vengeance by presenting Pandora to Epimetheus, Prometheus' brother. Pandora had her jar of gifts, which she was not to open under any circumstance. The jar is always called a “box” nowadays, “Pandora’s box.”

Plot Overcome by her natural curiosity, Pandora opened the box, and all evil it contained escaped and spread over the earth. She hastened to close the lid, but the contents of the box had escaped. Only one thing remained, which lay at the bottom. This was Hope. Hope saved Mankind.

Daedalus and Icarus

Characters-Daedalus Daedalus was a skillful craftsman and artisan. Daedalus Means “cunning worker.”

Characters-Icarus Icarus is the son of the master craftsman, Daedalus. He Would become the mythical pioneer of the attempt to overcome the skies.

Plot Icarus attempted to escape from Crete using wings that his father had constructed from feathers and wax. He ignored his father’s instructions not to fly too close to the sun, and the melting wax caused him to fall to his death.

Theme The exhilaration of being able to fly went to Icarus’s head, and he became over-ambitious, forgetting that it his power was only temporary and fragile. This is the “sin of pride.”

The End