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Lesson 7 Greek Mythology; Introduction to Greek Mythology
Topic Started: Mar 25 2005, 07:39 AM (99 Views)
Dark Mistress
HoM Professor/DE Leader
Professors
Lesson 7
Introduction to Greek Mythology. Come discover the magic of the Gods in the times of ancient Greece.

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Opening the door to the History of Magic classroom you find yourself surrounded by pillars of stone, great statues of Zeus, Hades, and other Greek Gods, a cloud like fog which appears to be coming from the floor. The surroundings are peaceful for you hear quite music being played by a harp and flute. From out of the fog your instructor appears dressed in a white shroud with a wreath of gold leaves upon her head.

Welcome class to our new section of study on Greek Mythology. I hope you all will find these assignments to be fun and informative. In order for us to understand Greek Mythology we must first learn where most of the myths take place. So today’s lesson will be on places most commonly mentioned throughout Greek Mythology.

Our first topic of discussion is Mount Olympus, which towers from the center of the earth. Here the Major Gods live and hold court. Myths are somewhat vague on whether it is an actual mountain or a region of the heavens. The actual Mt. Olympus is 2911 meters high, and the name means “The Luminous One” in classic Greek language.

The Underworld hidden in the earth is the Kingdom of the dead and is ruled by Hades. He was a greedy God who is only concerned with increasing his subjects. As his subjects increased he would hold them captives, and not allow them to leave the underworld. Life in the underworld was not particularly unpleasant. It’s like a miserable dream, full of dark shadows, without sunlight or joy. It is said that the dead slowly fade into nothingness. The underworld is surrounded by a series of rivers.
The Acheron- River of woes.
The Cocytus- River of Lamentation
The Phlegethon- River of Fire
The Styx- River of unbreakable oaths by which the Gods swear.
The Lethe- River of forgetfulness
Once across the river you will find the entrance guarded by the Cerberus (A dog with a snake tail, snake heads protruding from its back). Deep in this Kingdom is the palace of Hades.

Upon death the soul is lead by Hermes to the entrance of the underworld and the ferry will take them across the Acheron. This single ferry run by Charon requires payment before the soul can be taken across the river. When an individual passes in order to assure passage to the underworld a coin is placed on the lips so that Charon will take them across the river to the entrance. Those who do not have the coin will be trapped between two worlds. As the souls enter the gate a panel of three will judge them. If you were good you moved onto the “Elysian fields”, if you were bad you were used as an example to others later.

Tartarus is a deep place beneath even the underworld. To reach Tartarus an anvil is dropped from the surface and would fall for nine days. You will find this place below the
roots of earth and sea. Surrounded by a bronze fence with gates of iron it is used as the ultimate place of imprisonment. This is the place that Zeus imprisoned most of the Titans. The Hecatoncheires or “hundred hands”, gigantic creatures with fifty heads and a hundred strong arms, heavily guard it. There were three in all: Briareus, Cottus, Gyges.

Now that you have a better understanding of the different places associated with Greek Mythology we can move onto our Lesson on the Titans.

You may now proceed to your written assignments.

Answer to be in complete sentences. Put in your own words. Each question is worth 2pts each.

1. Who is Charon?
2. What is Tartaran?
3. What guards the entrance to the underworld?
4. Who guards Tartaran?
5. What is Mount Olympus?
6. What God leads the dead to the underworld?
7. What river has to be crossed to reach the underworld?
8. What happens to those who do not have a coin to give to Charon?
9. Which rivers surround the underworld?
10. Who did Zeus imprison in Tartaran?

References:
http://www.desy.de/gna/interpedia/greek_my...tan.html#Titans
http://edweb.sdsu.edu/people/bdodge/scaffo...e.html#Tartarus

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Mount Olympus
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Cottonmouth
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Cottonmouth
Slytherin

[size=7]Good work! You received 18pts for Slyterin House.[/size]
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Samantha_Malfoy
Graduated
Samantha Malfoy
Slytherin

[size=7]Nice Job! 16pts to Slytherin[/size]
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Lexi
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Headmistress/Gryffindor Head of House
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Elsbeth
Gryffindor
[/B][size=7]Nice work and great picture. 20 pts plus an additonal 5 for the picture. 25 pts to Gryffindor[/size]
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Ellen Nelle
3rd Year
Ellen Nelle
Ravenclaw



[size=7]Nice work Ellen, 25pts to Ravenclaw this includes 5pts for the pictures.[/size]
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