Greek Mythology for the Inquiring Mind

This website presents three myths from Greek Mythology that help explain how certain things came to be. At the end of each myth, I have provided a few questions for you to answer, regarding each myth. There are also a couple different websites that will be useful in further studies of Greek Mythology. At the end, I have provided your final project.

Objectives:

The student will be able to

• understand and explain certain myths in Greek Mythology.
• compare and contrast today's culture with the Greek culture.
• effectively use the internet to explore for information regarding Greek Mythology.

Please read the final project assignment before you begin, in order to journal properly.

Let us begin with the first myth.

Myth #1: "Athena's Gift

Arachne was famous throughout the country for her weaving skills. The cloth she made was truly fit for a god! But Arachne was not at all humble about her talent. She bragged that no one could match her skill, not even the goddess Athena. One day Athena, dressed as a ragged old woman, knocked on Arachne's door. She told Arachne that she had offended the goddess Athena with her prideful remarks. She did not care. In fact, Arachne challenged Athena to a weaving contest. All of the sudden, the old woman disappeared and there in the doorway stood Athena. Arachne was not at all frightened. The two set up their looms and began to weave. Athena's cloth was lovely indeed. Her designs told great stories of the wonderful deeds of the gods. Arachne's work was also beautiful. But the pattern she wove told stories of the gods at their worst behavior! As Athena looked at Arachne's work, she became enraged. The girl was truly gifted, but she dared to openly insult the gods! Athena raised her arm and with a single blow destroyed Arachne's loom. Athena promised Arachne that she would be "rewarded" for her pride. As Athena spoke, Arachne's arms and legs began to shrivel up. Her head and body grew smaller. Six new, hairy legs sprouted from her body. Arachne's eyes filled with horror as she felt her face change from human to something else. Athena then told Arachne to go and weave all she wished. It is for this reason that we have spiders.

Questions to Answer in Journal:

1. What does the statement, "But Arachne was not at all humble about her talent," mean?
2. Athena told Arachne that she would be "rewarded" for her pride. What was Arachne's reward?
3. Look up irony in the dictionary. Explain how Arachne's reward was filled with irony.
4. Name some things that you have done that you are proud of.
5. Explain the difference between pride and boastfulness.

*Website #1*

This is an excellent website that provides information on every god and goddess in Greek Mythology. Check it out!!
An Encyclopedia of Greek mythology

MYTH #2: Phaeton's Wish

The young boy Phaeton stood before the sun god Apollo. Phaeton's mother had told him that Apollo was his father, but others did not believe it. So Phaeton asked Apollo to give him proof. Apollo told him that it was true and told Phaeton that he could ask anything of Apollo and it would be his. Phaeton looked boldly at Apollo. "Father, my wish is to drive the chariot of the sun across the sky." Apollo knew that he was the only one that could control the horses that pulled the chariot. A young boy definetly could not do it. However, Apollo could not go back on his promise to his son, so he got the horses ready. When Phaeton began to drive the chariot, the horses knew that he could not control them. They ignored his directions and began to run wild. The chariot of the sun dropped too close to the earth and set everthing on fire. Zeus knew that he must save the earth, so he cast a lightening bolt at Phaeton and struck him dead. The fires soon stopped but the boy's mother and sisters wept bitterly over his grave. In pity, the gods changed Phaeton's mother and sisters into poplar trees, which to this day weep their golden leaves into rivers all over the world. We know these as "weeping willow" trees.

Questions to Answer in Journal:

1. Why do you think Phaeton wanted to drive the chariot of the sun across the sky?
2. Why did Apollo let Phaeton take on such a dangerous task?
3. Have you ever wanted to do something your parents did not want you to do? What was it? What happened?
4. What else might Zeus have done to save the earth?

*Website #2*

Here is the next website that I would like you to explore. I would like you to get a partner and tell him/her one story that you learned about from this website.

Our Favorite Mythological Characters

MYTH #3: Queen of the Dead

Persephone, the daughter of the goddess Demeter, was walking alone by the river. At the same time, Hades, god of the underworld, was driving his chariot near the river. When he saw Persephone, he thought she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. He then decided that he would take her for his queen. Before Persephone could move, Hades had lifted her into his chariot. Persephone was terrified and cried out for her mother. But it was too late, Hades had carried her deep inside the earth to the Kingdom of the Dead. Demeter heard the cries of her daughter but could not find her for days. Finally Apollo took pity on her and told her the truth. The news made Demeter even more sorrowful than before. However, there was nothing Demeter could do. She lived on earth for a year. Since Demeter was the goddess of the harvest, she caused the seeds to stop sprouting and the fruit to die on the vine. Nothing grew and the people starved to death. Zeus saw that he must do something, so he ordered his brother, Hades, to give Persephone back to her mother. This made Hades sad so he went to Zeus and worked out a plan. Persephone would be allowed to return to earth, but only for eight months of the year. She must spend the other four months in the underworld with her husband. And so it has been since that time. Each year when Persephone is with her mother, the earth is green and crops flourish. But when Persephone returns to the underworld, the earth turns cold. The fields are empty. Nothing grows. Human beings call this time of year winter.

Questions to Answer in Journal:

1. Many of the Greek myths try to explain things that happen in nature. What does the story of Persephone try to explain?
2. Harvest means "the gathering of crops when they are ripe." Demeter was the goddess of the harvest. What were her responsibilities? Why did the earth suffer when she did not do her job?
3. Do you think that the plan of Zeus and Hades was fair? Why or why not?

*FINAL PROJECT*

For your final project for this unit, I would like you to create your own mythology journal. In this journal, create a section to write down dreams that you've had. Another section will be reserved for questions that you answer from this cybertour and also throughout the unit in class. The third section will be entirely devoted to "modern media." In this section, you will collect newspaper clippings, advertisements, movie and book reviews, and anything else that makes reference to Greek mythology. You will put this journal together for the rest of the unit and hand it in the last day in class. Creativity will be applauded! Good luck and have fun!

Now you have explored a small portion of Greek mythology. You should be familiar with most of the gods and goddesses. Later in this unit, you will be given the opportunity to create your own god and/or goddess and a myth to go along with them. I encourage you to explore each of these websites more and familiarize yourselves with each facet of Greek mythology. Until then, keep up the good work!