Greece

1. Greece A Brief Background

2. Geography Greece is located on the continent of Europe, to the east of Italy in the Mediterranean Sea. The capital of Greece is Athens. Greece is located on the Balkan Peninsula.

3. Geography

4. Think fast! • Show me on your fingers: • Greece is located on the • 1. Florida peninsula • 2. Balkan peninsula • 3. Baklava peninsula • 4. Bavarian peninsula

5. History The beginning of Greek culture is thought to be between 3000 and 1600 BCE (Before Common Era). Around 800 BCE the Greek alphabet was created. In 508 BCE Athens became the first democracy in the world.

6. History By the late third century BCE the Roman empire was beginning to gain strength, and by the middle second century BCE Greece had come under Roman control completely. When Rome conquered Greece, the Romans adopted many of the customs, religious beliefs, and myths of the Greeks.

7. Think Fast! • Show me on your fingers: • The Greek empire was eventually ruled by the: • 1. Balkans • 2. Turks • 3. Romans • 4. Greeks

8. Religion & Culture Ancient Greeks were polytheistic, which means they believed in many gods and goddesses. A group of gods and goddesses is called a pantheon (Zeus is the leader of the Greek pantheon). The Greeks believed the gods lived on Mt. Olympus (a real mountain in Greece). The Greeks developed the Olympic Games.

9. Literature Many words in the English language can be traced to the Greek language. Homer was a legendary early Greek poet traditionally credited with writing the major Greek epics The Iliad and The Odyssey. These two works represent a brilliant retelling of myths and legends.

10. Pair Up! • Share with your partner one thing you just learned about Greek religion, culture, or literature. • Now ask your partner to share one thing they learned about Greek religion, culture, or literature.

11. Myths A myth is a story that explains events or objects that occur in nature or the origin of customs or traditions. The myths we are familiar with today are the product of generations of story telling. The myths used to be passed down from one generation to the next by word of mouth. This is called the oral tradition.

12. Myths Myths may contain real events, characters and places, but they should not be read as historically true. Typical themes in myths include superhuman deeds, heroism, love, jealousy, war, tragedy, triumph and the effects of the gods’ adventures and powers on the mortal world.

13. Think Fast! • Show me on your fingers: • Myths should be read as historically true. • 1. This is true. • 2. This is false.

14. Epic Poetry An Introduction

15. An epic poem… An extended narrative poem recounting actions, travels, adventures, and heroic episodes and written in a high style May be written in hexameter verse, especially dactylic hexameter, and it may have twelve books or twenty four books

16. Epic Poetry Epic poems share the same characteristics Epic poets follow the same conventions when composing epic poetry There is also a pattern that is often followed in epic poetry

17. Characteristics The main character or protagonist is heroically larger than life, often the source and subject of legend or a national hero The deeds of the hero are presented without favoritism, revealing his failings as well as his virtues

18. Characteristics The action, often in battle, reveals the more-than-human strength of the heroes as they engage in acts of heroism and courage The setting covers several nations, the whole world, or even the universe The gods and lesser divinities play an active role in the outcome of actions

19. Characteristics All of the various adventures form an organic whole, where each event relates in some way to the central theme The episodes, even though they may be fictional, provide an explanation for some of the circumstances or events in the history of a nation or people

20. Pair Up! • Share with your partner two of the characteristics of the Epic Poem. • Now ask your partner to share two of the characteristics of the Epic Poem.

21. Conventions Poet beings by stating his theme The poet invokes a muse to inspire and instruct him The story begins in medias res (in the middle of things) Poet includes catalogs of warriors, ships, armies, etc

22. Conventions Poet makes use of the epic simile (an extended simile elaborated in such detail or at such length as to eclipse temporarily the main action of a narrative work, forming a decorative digression) Long, formal speeches by important characters Use of patronymics (calling son by father's name)

23. Conventions Frequent use of epithets (an adjective or adjectival phrase describing a characteristic quality of a person or thing: "Aeneas the true"; "rosy-fingered Dawn"; "tall-masted ship") Journey to the underworld Use of the number three (attempts are made three times, etc.) Previous episodes in the story are later recounted

24. Pair Up! • Share with your partner two conventions found in Epic Poetry. • Now ask your partner to list two conventions found in Epic Poetry.

25. Epic Patterns Council of Gods: the plan of events Appearance of a goddess: a hint of the future Captivity in the arms of a woman: the hero held from his destiny The messenger of the gods sends the hero on

26. Epic Patterns The hero visits fabulous places: they obscure his sense of destiny or reveal it The narrator gives the history of times past The hero makes a descent into the underworld The death of a hero is celebrated with games

27. Epic Patterns The hero fights a great battle: First encounter indecisive The enemy victorious The hero enters and brings about victory The hero is reunited with his beloved or family

28. Pair Up! • With your partner, list all ten parts of the Epic Pattern. • Raise your hand when you’ve got it.

29. It’s QUIZ TIME!!! • Take out a separate sheet of notebook paper. • You MAY use your notes.

30. Quiz Questions Greece is located on: A. North America B. South America C. Europe D. Asia BCE stands for: A. Before Christ B. Beyond Christ’s Entrance C. Beyond Common Era D. Before Common Era The Romans adopted many Greek: A. Myths B. gods C. customs D. A, B and C.

31. Quiz Questions A group of gods is called: A. pantheon B. clique C. pentagon The Odyssey was written by: _________. Myths tell: A. exciting stories B. heroic stories C. why things occur D. how things used to be Another example of an epic poem is: _____________________.

32. Quiz Questions The prefix hex- means: A. witch B. six C. seven D. nine One characteristic of an epic is: __________________________________. The Muses are goddesses of: A. the arts B. sciences C. schools D. A and B “Rosy-fingered Dawn” is an example of: A. epic simile B. patronymics C. epithet

33. Quiz Questions List two events that are part of the epic pattern. Which goddess favors Odysseus? ______________________ Tell one other thing you remember from the lecture. Tell two things you learned from Tuesday’s presentations.

34. The Odyssey A Beginner’s Guide

35. Characters - the gods p. 862

36. Characters - men p. 862

37. Reading Hints - p. 856

38. Setting

39. Odysseus’ Route

40. Timeline

41. Video ClipsThe Truth of TroyThe (Lego) Trojan WarThe 15 Second Odyssey