Understanding

the Basics of
Greek Mythology
An introduction to the structure of
mythology and the major Gods
Greek myths represent a section
of ancient Greek religion that
originated in present day Greece
and Asia Minor about 1200 b.c.

The ancient texts we call Greek

Myths are mostly from the period
known as Classical Greece, before
500 b.c.
This date reflects when the myths
were written down, although they
originated over 700 years before.
 The Structure of the Universe
Mount Olympus: The home of the
Gods; may be a mountain or just
a section of heaven

Earth

The Underworld: Area hidden in the

earth for the dead ruled by Hades

Tartarus: Area far beneath the

underworld; the ultimate prison
 Keep in Mind…
The Gods lived atop Mt. Olympus, but
often descended to earth, sometimes
in their own shapes, and sometimes
disguised as humans or animals.
Often times, Gods mated with humans
to form heroes and/or future Gods.

While the myths may seem like just

stories, they represent an important
part of history as well as literature.
 Stop!
1. Find a partner
2. Introduce yourselves.
3. The person with darker color bottoms
starts.
4. With your partner, do a Rally Robin
5. For 45 seconds, you and your partner
will “volley” back and forth, statements
about what you just learned.
 Creation
Gaea, known as Mother Earth, joined with
Uranus, the Sky, and gave birth to many
children.
Gaea first gave birth to several monsters,
including the Titans and the Cyclopes.
Uranus was not pleased and threw many of
them into Tartarus. In response to
Uranus’ cruelty, Cronos, one of the Titans,
attacked his father and took over his
power. Cronos was now the lord of the
universe and ruled with cruelty.
 Creation Cont’d
Cronos married his Titan sister Rhea, who
gave birth to many children. However,
because he was fearful his children would
overpower him, Cronos swallowed each one.

These actions enraged Rhea, who saved

one of her sons, Zeus, by tricking Cronos
into swallowing rocks instead of the child.
Zeus matured, and his wife Metis tricked
Cronos into vomiting the children he had
last swallowed. This act frightened
Cronos, and he surrendered his powers.
 The Olympians

Zeus, the most powerful of all the Gods,

ruled the Universe with the help of his
brothers and sisters, six of his children,
and the goddess of love.

The Gods themselves could never die, and

although they were all-powerful, they
often made choices which we would
consider today as being “un-Godlike.”
 Olympian Family Tree
(Cronos+Gaea)

Zeus Hera Hades

Hestia* (+Zeus) Demeter Poseidon

(+Maia) Hermes Hebe?

Hephaestus
Athena Ares
(Zeus + Leto)
Aphrodite

*some say Hestia gave her position to

Dionysis, but some don’t agree Apollo Artemis
The “correct” gods inhabiting Mount
Olympus are debatable, and depending
on the source, up to 14 gods held a
place on the council
Stop!
1. Find a partner – sticky hands
2. Introduce yourselves.
3. The person with shorter hair
4. With your partner, do a Volley Robin
5. For 45 seconds, you and your partner
will “volley” back and forth,
statements about what you just
learned.
 The Olympians
Zeus is considered the superior leader
of the Gods. He is the lord of the sky
and the rain god.

His weapon is the

thunderbolt. He is
married to Hera, but
is known for his many
affairs, as well as his
strict punishments to
those who lie or break
oaths.
 The Olympians
Poseidon, the second most powerful God,
is the lord of the sea. His weapon is a
trident, which can shake the earth and
shatter any object.
Poseidon is
known for his
quarrelsome
personality and
greed, often
disputing with
other Gods.
 The Olympians
Hades, the god of the underworld and
ruler of the dead, and he is constantly
looking to increase his subjects.
This greedy god is also
the god of wealth, due
to the precious metals
mined from deep in the
earth. He has a helmet
that makes him
invisible.
The Olympians

Hestia, the virgin

goddess, does not
have a distinct
personality and is
not a major part of
the myths. She is
the goddess of the
hearth.
 The Olympians
Hera, Zeus’ wife and sister, is the
protector of marriage.

Her sacred animals are

the cow and the peacock.
Many myths center
around Hera’s jealous
revenge for Zeus’
infidelities, as well as her
abilities to outwit him.
 The Olympians
Ares, the god of war, is the son of Zeus
and Hera. He is considered murderous
and disliked by the gods—even his
parents.

His bird is the

vulture and his
animal is the dog.
 The Olympians
Athena, Zeus’ daughter, sprang full-grown
and in armor from Zeus’ head, therefore
she has no mother. She was Zeus’ favorite
child and allowed to use his thunderbolt.

She is the goddess of

city, handicrafts, and
agriculture and
embodies wisdom,
reason, and purity.
Her tree is the olive,
and her bird is the owl.
The Olympians
Apollo, Aretemis’ twin
brother, is the god of
music and plays the
golden lyre. He is also
the god of healing,
truth, and light. His
biggest task is to drive
the sun across the sky
and is famous for his
oracle at Delphi.
 The Olympians
Aphrodite, the goddess of love, desire,
and beauty, has no parents as she sprang
from the sea foam.
The myrtle
tree is her
bird, while the
dove, swan,
and sparrow
are her birds.
The Olympians
Artemis
demeter
Hermes
Hephaestus
Another image of the gods on
Mt. Olympus
 Other Lessor Gods

Hebe: goddess of youth; sometimes part

of Olympus

Nemesis: god of vengence

Persephone: queen of the underworld

Dionysus: god of wine; sometimes part of

Olympus
 Other Lessor Gods cont’d

Prometheus: stole fire for humans

Pandora: her curiosity unleashed the

world’s miseries

Pan: god of shepherds who looks like a goat

Eris: goddess of discord who is often

involved in war
Even More Lessor Gods and Monsters

-The Graces
-The Muses
-The Fates
-Cyclopes
-Hecatoncheires
-Giants
-Typhoes
-Cerberus
-The Sirens
 Works Cited

D’Aulaire, Ingri & Edgar. Book of Greek Myths. Bantam

Doubleday Dell Publishing: New York, 1962.

Messagenet. Greek Mythology. 2002.

www.messagenet.com/myths.

Hunt, J.M. Greek Mythology. 29 Aug 2003.

www.desy.de.

Parada, Carlos. Greek Mythology Link. 1997.

www.homepage.mac.com.