The Greek Mythology ( Ancient Greek), Assignments of Ancient Greek

Download The Greek Mythology ( Ancient Greek) and more Assignments Ancient Greek in PDF only on Docsity! GREEK MYTHOLOGY I. Background and Overview The name Greece comes from the latin Graecia which in turn comes from the Greek word Graikoi, the original name of the people living in Dodona. However, the word is used to address people living in Greece. The original Greek name was and still is Hellas, the land of the Helens. Originally, this was a small area south of Thessalia, but it was widely used for people with a Greek background and culture, stretching from the West Coast of Asia Minor, southern Italy and Sicily to the Pyrenes and Northern Africa. From the beginning its writers were Greeks living not only in Greece proper but also in Asia Minor, the Aegean Islands, and Magna Graecia (Sicily and southern Italy). The history of ancient Greek literature may be divided into three periods: Archaic (to the end of the 6th century BC); Classical (5th and 4th centuries BC); and Hellenistic and Greco-Roman (3rd century BC onward). In the Archaic period, the Greeks created poetry before they made use of writing for literary purposes, and from the beginning their poetry was intended to be sung or recited. Some of the writings during this period are epics, didactic poetry, lyric poetry, choral lyric with musical accompaniment, tragedy, comedy and Aesop fables. Classical period, true tragedy was created by Aeschylus and continued with Sophocles and Euripides in the second half of the 5th century. Some of the writings during this period are tragedy, middle comedy, new comedy and Greek prose. This was also a golden age for rhetoric and oratory. During the Hellenistic and Greco-Roman periods, Artistic creation now came under private patronage, and, except for Athenian comedy, compositions were intended for a small, select audience that admired polish, erudition, and subtlety. The task of accumulating and preserving knowledge begun by the Sophists and continued by Aristotle and his adherents was for the first time properly endowed. Through the researches of the Alexandrian scholars, texts of ancient authors were preserved. II. Greek Gods and Goddesses Greek Name: Αθροδιηη APHRODITE was the Olympian goddess of love, beauty, pleasure and procreation. She was depicted as a beautiful woman often accompanied by the winged godling Eros (Love). Her attributes included a dove, apple, scallop shell and mirror. In classical sculpture and fresco she was usually depicted nude. Greek Name: Απολλων APOLLON (Apollo) was the Olympian god of prophecy and oracles, music, song and poetry, archery, healing, plague and disease, and the protection of the young. He was depicted as a handsome, beardless youth with long hair and attributes such as a wreath and branch of laurel, bow and quiver of arrows, raven, and lyre. Greek Name: Αρης ARES was the Olympian god of war, battle lust, courage and civil order. In ancient Greek art he was depicted as either a mature, bearded warrior armed for battle, or a nude, beardless youth with a helm and spear. Greek Name: Αρηεμις ARTEMIS was the Olympian goddess of hunting, the wilderness and wild animals. She was also a goddess of childbirth, and the protectress of the girl child up to the age of marriage--her twin brother Apollon was similarly the protector of the boy child. Together the two gods were also bringers of sudden death and disease--Artemis targetted women and girls, Apollon men and boys. Greek Name: Αθηνη ATHENE (Athena) was the Olympian goddess of wisdom and good counsel, war, the defence of towns, heroic endeavour, weaving, pottery and various other crafts. She was depicted as a stately woman armed with a shield and spear, and wearing a long robe, crested helm, and the famed aigis--a snake-trimmed cape adorned with the monstrous visage of the Gorgon Medousa (Medusa).