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

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

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

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

Brief Timeline of Greek History

ca. 2000 BC: Clash of the “Indigenous” and “Achaean” civilizations

2000-1100 BC: Mycenean Age (formed by Indigenous and Achaeans)

2000-1450 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 - 800 BC: Archaic Age (Homer and Hesiod)

480 BC - 323 BC: Classical Period

323 BC - 31 BC: Hellenistic-Roman Period

The Mediterranean World, 600 BC

Achaeans vs Indigenous Greeks

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dinner with Cronus

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

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?

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

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

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

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”

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

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

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

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

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

Lots of Sea DeitiesPontus + 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

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

Format of Hour Exam 1

A. (10 pts): Short Answer

B. (20 pts): Matching

C. (10 pts): Retell A Myth

D. (12 pts): Identify by both Greek and Roman Names (6 total)

E. (18 pts): Identify giving THREE pertinent facts (6 total, to be chosen from a list of 10)

F. (30 pts): Write an organized essay in good English answering ONE of the two questions below (these are NOT the exact questions).

1. 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.

2. 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.