1 / 13

Exploring Greek Mythology: The Roles of Olympian Male Deities

Chapter Seven delves into the complex roles of male deities in Greek mythology, focusing on Poseidon, Hades, and Apollo. Poseidon, the Lord of the Deep, represents fertility and is married to Amphitrite, while Hades, the King of the Dead, governs the afterlife and the wealth associated with the earth. Apollo, known as the Far-Darter and God of Prophecy, incorporates various competencies from healing to the arts. This examination reveals how these gods reflect the activities and values of ancient Greek society.

alaqua
Download Presentation

Exploring Greek Mythology: The Roles of Olympian Male Deities

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Chapter Seven, Lecture One Myths of the Olympians

  2. Male Deities • Reflect range of activities consistent with the roles Greek men played in their society

  3. Poseidon, Lord of the Deep • Husband (posis) • An Indo-european male fertility god • This explains the tangle of his competencies • original: springs, horses, earthquakes • acquired: sea • Married to “Amphitrite” • Father of Triton

  4. Poseidon, Lord of the Deep • The competition in Athens • He offers the Athenians salt water?? • Lost also in Argos • Impregnated Medusa • Pegasus born when Medusa killed by Perseus

  5. Hades, King of the Dead • the invisible” (Helmet from the Cyclops) • “Pluto” (wealth) • Lord of the dead who inhabit the top layer of soil • Abduction and Marriage to Persephone (daughter of Demeter), discussed in Chapter 11

  6. Apollo, the Far-Darter, God of Prophecy • One of the most complex • His competencies are a tangle of different areas • His history is complex and inconsistent • His role at Delphi makes him, next to Zeus, the most important Olympian

  7. Apollo, the Far-Darter, God of Prophecy • His epithet shows his origin • Lycia or Lycus • Delian (Twin of Artemis) • Other stories associate him with the north – swans carried him to the land of the Hyperboreans – and thereafter he spent the winters there.

  8. Apollo, the Far-Darter, God of Prophecy • Looking for a place for his shrine, he is misled by Telephusa away from Boeotia – goes to Parnassus • Originally Delphi was the site for Ge-Themis • Must slay a dangerous dragon, eventually named Typhon • Goes back and punishes Telephusa

  9. Apollo, the Far-Darter, God of Prophecy • Pan-Hellenic, even world site 800 BC – AD 394 • Center of the world, marked by the omphalos • Apollo spoke through a prophetess, the Pythia, seated on a tripod in the temple • Obscurity: e.g., Croesus; “the wooden walls”

  10. Apollo, the Far-Darter, God of Prophecy • Sender of plagues • God of mice • Healing • Asclepius and the story of Coronis

  11. Apollo, the Far-Darter, God of Prophecy • Acquired features of a sun god • The god of male beauty • Apollo’s list of failed romances

  12. Apollo, the Far-Darter, God of Prophecy • Cassandra • Sibyl of Cumae (like Tithonus): “As many years as grains of sand she could scoop up in her hands.” • Daphnê (laurel tree) • Marpessa • Hyacinth

  13. Next Time Hephaestus Ares Hermes

More Related