STORIES FROM GREEK

MYTHOLOGY: “II ON EARTH”

1. earth dolls
This chapter tells how the gods created humans. One of the chapters tells
how Prometheus, after Zeus took fire away from men for not worshiping the
gods, returns fire to them. Men would have to guard it well because if Zeus
sees them with fire, he would punish Prometheus. One day Zeus realized this
and sent Prometheus to the Caucasus where his punishment would be to be
tied to a column on top of an inaccessible rock. But one day Oceanus appeared
to him and wanted to help him, but he told him to leave because he knew
who would dethrone Zeus. So his grandfather left. Suddenly Hermes arrived
and told him that Zeus had told him to reveal that secret that he had been able
to hear, but Prometheus told him that he would not reveal it until Zeus freed
him. An angry Zeus added one more torture: an eagle with a very sharp beak
would dig into his chest until it reached the liver, which would devour him
little by little. But the worst thing was that every night the martyr's destroyed
body returned to its entire being. After years Zeus finally gave up. He allowed
the strong Heracles to free Prometheus and left the use of fire to men. In
return, Prometheus warned Zeus of the very serious danger he ran if he
joined the Nereid Thetis. The great god did not unite with the Nereid and the
order of things remained immutably in the Universe.

2. Stories of Thebes
One of the stories told in this chapter is that of Semele:
Semele is one of the daughters of Cadmus and Harmonia. She had inherited
her mother's beauty and her firm and determined character. Zeus began to
notice Semele when she was beginning to stop being a child. He began to
appear in her dreams, so as not to frighten her too much. In the dream, he said
some passionate words to her that did not displease her at all. One day they
joined together and Zeus visited her secretly every night until dawn. Hera
found out and began to appear to Semele in her dreams, telling her: “Zeus truly
loves her, when he is with you he does not give you even a small part of what
he is. When he is with me he shows all his splendor and you are just a game for
him.” Upon waking up, Semele felt such anguish... When night came, Semele
told Zeus to swear an oath to him from the gods. Zeus, passionate about her,
said yes. She asked him to love her the same as Hera. Zeus put his hands on his
head. It was a trap. Zeus realized it but it was too late, he had made an oath that
was irrevocable. Zeus appeared in his magnificence: Zeus, the god of the
firmament, the god of Day, full of blinding light, spread his being; the god of
thunder, lightning and lightning. Just as only the other gods, their equals, can
resist. Everything burned: the palace and the woman. All Zeus could do was
take out a half-formed creature, still untouched by the fire, and stuff it into his
thigh. After months, he brought it to light, from there Dionysus was born,
Bacchus, the son of Zeus and Semele, the “twice born.”

3. Stories from Athens

One of the stories of Athens was that of the three sisters:
Some sisters, all three very beautiful, were especially loved by Athena, whom
they always venerated and honored with attention and care. One day the
goddess herself appeared before them in person and gave them a basket in
their hands. He also told them to keep it with great care and not to open it
under any pretext. As night came, curiosity grew. In the end they decided to
take a look, but suddenly a horrible noise, like a roar, came from inside the
basket. A horrible monster and other more horrible, angry infernal beings
came out behind them. Seeing themselves persecuted in that way and not
knowing how to get rid of those nightmare creatures, they climbed to the top
of the citadel and threw themselves into the void. The entire city mourned his
death. His parents were heartbroken. But they also knew that men are always
punished when they fail to fulfill the wishes of the gods.

QUESTIONS
1. What did Zeus punish men for? To take away the fire
2. Why did you take the fire away from them? For not worshiping them
3. Who gave fire to men? Prometheus
4. What punishment did Zeus give to Prometheus? Tie him to a column and
have an eagle eat his liver, which was renewed every night.
5. What secret was he hiding? Who was going to dethrone Zeus?
6. Who freed Prometheus? Hermes
7. Who were Semele's parents? Cadmus and Harmony
8. What had Semele inherited from his mother? Her beauty and her character
9. Who appeared to Semele in a dream? Zeus and Hera
10. What did Hera say to Semele? Zeus loved her more
11. What did Zeus promise Semele? Love her as much as Hera
12. What happened? That the palace and she were burned by the power of
Zeus
13. Who did Zeus keep in his thigh? To Dionysus
14. What did Athena give the three sisters? A basket
15. What did these have to do? Don't open it
16. When you opened the basket, what happened? Infernal creatures came out
of it and chased them
17. What did the sisters do? Jump from the top of the city so they would stop
chasing them.