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LLT CXXI Classical Mythology Anno Domini MMXII

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1 LLT CXXI Classical Mythology Anno Domini MMXII
UNIT 01 LLT CXXI Classical Mythology Anno Domini MMXII

2 Types of Traditional Tale
Divine or “True” Myth Primordial or fantastical time Supernatural main characters Aetiological function: explains why something happens Legend Historical time Heroic (larger than life, but human) main characters Historical function: commemorate great people and events Folktale Happens in “once upon a” time Anti-heroic (animals, jokers) main characters Didactic function: teach a lesson or represent a moral

3 Aetiology From the Greek “aiteo,” to ask
Gives the reason why a feature of the universe was created, or how a custom came about Closely allied to the concept of “true myth” Example: Myth of Demeter and Persephone Example: hieros gamos

4 Animistic vs. Anthropomorphic
Animism attributing god or goddesshood to inanimate objects, features of the universe, and/or forces of nature Little or no discernible human personailly Examples: Uranus, Gaia, Nyx, Erebus, the Clock Anthropomorphism Believing universe is controlled by deities in human form Superhuman positive qualities: beauty, strength, immortality Superhuman negative qualities: lust, greed, stupidity Examples: Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Clockette

5 Euhemerism Who was Euhemerus?
Greek philosopher and international man of mystery Late fourth century BC (that is, the late 300s BC) Lived after the time of Alexander the Great Euhemerus’s theory Mythology is an attempt to explain natural events (aetiology) The Greek gods were originally mortal kings and heroes Considered somewhat atheistic

6 Brief Timeline of Greek History
ca BC: Clash of the “Indigenous” and “Achaean” civilizations BC: Mycenean Age (formed by Indigenous and Achaeans) BC: Minoan Civilization on Crete 1200 BC: Traditional date of the fall of Troy 1100 BC-750 BC: Dark Age (myths passed on orally) 1100 BC BC: Archaic Age (Homer and Hesiod) 480 BC BC: Classical Period 323 BC - 31 BC: Hellenistic-Roman Period

7 The Mediterranean World, 600 BC

8 Achaeans vs Indigenous Greeks
Matriarchal – mom ruled the roost; peace-loving Worshipped a Mother Earth-type goddess or goddesses Spoke a non-IE language Achaeans Patriarchal – dad ruled the roost, warlike Worshiped a crew of anthropomorphic gods Spoke an Indo-European language, forerunner of Ancient Greek Mycenaean Greeks Result of the intermingling on January 1, 2000 BC Officially the warlike Achaeans won out The tendencies of the Indigenous Greeks were still retained

9 Literacy and Non-Literacy
Creators of types of writing Cuneiform (Sumerians 3000 BC), hieroglyphics (Ancient Egyptians) Linear A- Indigenous Greeks (we cannot read), Linear B-Mycenaeans (pictographic) Consequences of end of the Mycenean Era Greek civilization “forgot” how to write – “Dark Ages” Literacy brought back in by Phoenicians in the mid 700s BC Traditional stories assumed written form Changes in written vs. oral literature Very little additional “invention” left Becomes more artistic than popular

10 Hesiod’s Theogony (750 BC)
Cosmology vs. Theogony Cosmology: belief that earth was created with purpose by Deity Theogony: “birth of the Gods” in Ancient Greek Hesiod’s theory of universal creation from Chaos (cosmic void) Gaia - Earth Tartarus - underworld (boundary) Eros - desire/love Erebus -darkness under earth Night - darkness above earth

11 The First and Second Generations
1st generation: Gaia’s self-produced offspring (parthenogenesis) Uranus Pontus Mountains 2nd generation: Gaia’s offspring with Uranus (hieros gamos) The 12 Titans The 3 Hecatonchires (Hundred-Handers) The 3 Cyclopes (Goggle-Eyes) Animistic vs. anthropomorphic 1st generation completely animistic 2nd generation transitional – some anthropomorphic, some not

12 Hieros Gamos – sacred marriage
Original, aetiological function Usually involves sky god and earth goddess Storms = sex; rain = semen Vegetation = offspring Not inherently ridiculous Greeks were applying a model based on a known process Affected, however, by trend toward anthropomorphism Three Ancient Greek examples Uranus and Gaia = animistic Cronus and Rhea = transitional Zeus and Hera = anthropomorphic

13 The Twelve Titans Children of Gaia and Uranus Oceanus and Tethys
Hyperion and Theia Coeus and Phoebe Cronus and Rhea Mnemosyne (mother of the Muses) Themis (mother of Prometheus and Epimetheus) Crius Iapetus Transitional status Some with genuine personalities Some inanimate objects

14 Hieros Gamos (I) Uranus as master of the Universe
Uranus displeased by Hecatonchires and Cyclopes Forces Gaia to “take them back” Gaia angry and asks each of the Titans to avenge their siblings Only Cronus, the youngest, is willing Uranus's castration Cronus sneaks up with a sickle after sex takes place Uranus deprived of his two qualifications for rule Aphrodite and the Furies born Changing of the Guard Uranus and Gaia go back to their animistic functions Cronus and Rhea become second Hieros Gamos

15 Dinner with Cronus

16 Hieros Gamos (II) The Deception of Cronus
Cronus and Rhea have 6 sons, afraid of being overthrown by prophesy, he swallows kids Cronus = human stupidity, jealousy; Rhea = protective, maternal Rhea gets advice from Gaia, tricks Cronus eating rock and has son Zeus raised on Crete by Amalthea, goat nurse. Titanomachy (aka Clash of the Titans) Old Gods (Titans) v. new gods (Olympians vs. Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Hades, Demeter, Hestia) Zeus has aid from Themis (Justice) Prometheus - foresight (sided w/ Zeus), Epimetheus - hindsight  (sided w/ Cronus)- banished to Tartarus

17 Hieros Gamos (III) Three Ancient Greek examples
Uranus and Gaia = animistic Cronus and Rhea = transitional Zeus and Hera = anthropomorphic Zeus and Hera – fully anthropomorphic Zeus has bad temper, cheats on Hera Hera has bad temper, gets even with Zeus’s lovers Still, sometimes get it on Ethical Leadership Questions Is Zeus a good role model? Is he trying? Are gods and humans difficult to lead?

18 Challenges to Zeus’s authority
Zeus and “first wife” Metis Metis would bear a son stronger than his father Zeus swallows “wisdom” "HITTITE CRONUS MYTH” Parallel from Hittite civilization in Turkey (around 1500 BC) Alalus Sky Anu castrated by son Kumarbi ??? = Teshub storm God/Anarchy Zeus’ two challenges- Gigantonomachy & Typhonomachy Gaia births 2 giants who bld up mt. to Zeus-defeated Gaia and Tartarus births Typhon, storm deity-defeated

19 Hesiod vs. Ovid Weltanschauung German word for “outlook on the world”
Every civilization in every generation has at least one Hesiod Greek, circa 750 BC Believed in Greek myths as fundamentally true Very depressing outlook on life Ovid Roman, 43 BC- 17 AD Believed in Greco-Roman myths as subject matter for his poetry Rather more optimistic outlook on life

20 Creation of Humankind Judeo-Christian tradition
God created humans as pinnacle of Creation Humans therefore dear to God Creation of MANkind Man created first, then Woman Prometheus and the trick at Mekone Pandora’s Box Ages of Humankind Humans as metal metaphor Hesiod’s version fundamentally pessimistic Ovid’s adaptation less so = Weltanschauung

21 Syncretism Syncretism
Greek word for the “growing together”of divergent cultures Much more of a process than it is an event Achaeans and Indigenous Greeks Some time after January 1, 2000 BC Resulted in formation of Mycenean culture Probably an instance of “cultural competency” Greeks and Romans Happened in Southern Italy between 800 and 500 BC Resulted in formation of Greco-Roman culture Definite instance of acquiring “cultural competency”

22 Olympian Values Old views versus new Hieros Gamos Weltanschauung
Animism vs. Anthropomorphism Examining our sources for cultural competency Greeks and Romans wrote very few sociology texbooks We have to comb through Greek and Roman literature Examination of our own culture is equally instructive Good examples Family life of Zeus and Hera Poseidon and various sea gods Prometheus

23 Children of Hyperion and Theia
Selene (Luna) = moon Drives two-horse chariot with moonal crown Falls in love with Endymion Endymion chooses eternal sleep Eos (Aurora) = dawn Rosy-fingered anthropomorphic goddess Falls in love with Tithonus Aetiology of grasshopper Helios (Sol) = sun Chariot, four horses “sun crown” Clymene one of his many affairs Phaethon demands to drive his chariot

24 Official Children of Zeus and Hera
Ares (Mars) = war Very buff and studly god, looks spiffy Lots of girlfriends Often winds up as a laughingstock Hephaestus (Vulcan) = metal shop Handicapped, possibly parthenogenetic Likeable; Mr. Aphrodite Eilethyia = childbirth Hebe = youth Beautiful personification of youth Eventually becomes Mrs. Heracles

25 The Olympian Gods Children of Cronus and Rhea
Permanent members: Zeus (Jupiter), Hera (Juno), Demeter (Ceres), Poseidon (Neptune) Hades (Pluto) and Hestia (Vesta) later drop out Children of Zeus by various loooovvvve deeds Ares (Mars) and Hephaestus (Vulcan) = sons of Zeus and Hera Artemis (Diana) and Apollo (Apollo) = twin daughter and son of Zeus and Leto Hermes (Mercury) = son by Maia Athena (Minerva) = daughter by Metis Aphrodite (Venus) = two different versions of her birth Dionysus (Bacchus) = son by Semele

26 Father of Gods and Men Why does Zeus have to be such a sleaze?
Zeus is the force for justice in the universe The most important gods and goddesses MUST be his offspring Therefore, he has to father lots of kids with lots of moms Big huge Ethical Leadership problem! Children of Zeus by various loooovvvve deeds Muses = nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne Persephone = daughter of Zeus and Demeter Aphrodite Pandemos (Venus) = daughter of Zeus and Dione Graces = daughters of Zeus and Eurynome Fates and Seasons = daughters of Zeus and Themis Aphrodite (Venus) = two different versions of her birth

27 Lots of Sea Deities Pontus + Gaia
Nereus (marries Doris and has 50 daughters) Thaumas “Monster” (father of Iris and of the Harpies) Phorcys and Keto (parents of the Gorgons and the Graeae) Children of Nereus and Doris Thetis - destined to bear a son greater than his father Galatea – love interest of mullet wearing Cyclops Polyphemus Amphitrite – the long suffering Mrs. Poseidon Oceanus + Tethys Both are Titans; he’s water and she’s not portrayed at all Thousands of Oceanids, the most important of whom is Doris

28 Poseidon (Neptune) Children of Poseidon (Neptune)
Triton (merman) = only child with his wife Amphitrite Arion (horsie) = love child with Demeter Proteus (Old Man of the Sea) = Poseidon may not be his daddy Antaeus (giant) = son with Gaia, later whupped by Heracles Charybdis (whirlpool) = daughter with Gaia Pegasus and Chrysaor = children with Medusa Poseidon’s personality and myths: totally anthropomorphic Carries trident and causes earthquakes Gets into an argument with his niece Athena (Minerva) over the city which is eventually named Athens

29 Format of Hour Exam 1 (10 pts): Short Answer (20 pts): Matching
(10 pts): Retell A Myth (12 pts): Identify by both Greek and Roman Names (6 total) (18 pts): Identify giving THREE pertinent facts (6 total, to be chosen from a list of 10) (30 pts): Write an organized essay in good English answering ONE of the two questions below (these are NOT the exact questions). Discuss the hieros gamos as it appears in Greek myth, its aetiological significance, its developments through time, and possible social and religious reasons for these developments. Discuss the transition from animism to anthropomorphism in Greek myth, using the sea gods as an example. Talk about the Greeks’ changing understanding of the world around them, and the strengths and shortcomings of anthropomorphic deities.

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