Greek Mythology and Literature

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  1. Aesop
    Greek author of fables (circa 620-560 BC)
    Fables
    Other Greeks told stories to teach people important lessons.Aesop(EE-sahp), for example, is famous for his fables.
  2. Trojan War
    a great war fought between Greece and Troy
    The heroes in Homer’s poems fought in the Trojan War. In this war, the Mycenaean Greeks fought the Trojans, people of the city called Troy.
  3. Hephaestus
    the lame god of fire and metalworking in ancient mythology
    Among the most important Greek gods were the ones in the picture below:

    #

    Zeus, king of the gods
    #

    Hera, queen of the gods
    #

    Poseidon, god of the sea
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    Hades, god of the underworld
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    Demeter, goddess of agriculture
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    Hestia, goddess of the hearth
    #

    Athena, goddess of wisdom
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    Apollo, god of the sun
    #

    Artemis, goddess of the moon
    #

    Ares, god of war
    #

    Aphrodite, goddess of love
    #

    Hephaestus, god of metalworking
    #

    Dionysus, god of celebration, and
    #

    Hermes, t...
  4. Greek mythology
    the mythology of the ancient Greeks
    These gods were at the center of Greek mythology–a body of stories about gods and heroes that try to explain how the world works.
  5. writing style
    a style of expressing yourself in writing
    They copied his writing styles and borrowed some of the stories and ideas he wrote about in his works.
  6. myth
    a traditional story serving to explain a world view
    Myths Explain the World
    The ancient Greeks believed in many gods.
  7. Demeter
    (Greek mythology) goddess of fertility and protector of marriage in ancient mythology; counterpart of Roman Ceres
    Among the most important Greek gods were the ones in the picture below:

    #

    Zeus, king of the gods
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    Hera, queen of the gods
    #

    Poseidon, god of the sea
    #

    Hades, god of the underworld
    #

    Demeter, goddess of agriculture
    #

    Hestia, goddess of the hearth
    #

    Athena, goddess of wisdom
    #

    Apollo, god of the sun
    #

    Artemis, goddess of the moon
    #

    Ares, god of war
    #

    Aphrodite, goddess of love
    #

    Hephaestus, god of metalworking
    #

    Dionysus, god of celebration, and
    #

    Hermes, t...
  8. metalworking
    the activity of making things out of metal in a skillful manner
    Among the most important Greek gods were the ones in the picture below:

    #

    Zeus, king of the gods
    #

    Hera, queen of the gods
    #

    Poseidon, god of the sea
    #

    Hades, god of the underworld
    #

    Demeter, goddess of agriculture
    #

    Hestia, goddess of the hearth
    #

    Athena, goddess of wisdom
    #

    Apollo, god of the sun
    #

    Artemis, goddess of the moon
    #

    Ares, god of war
    #

    Aphrodite, goddess of love
    #

    Hephaestus, god of metalworking
    #

    Dionysus, god of celebration, and
    #

    Hermes, t...
  9. Mycenaean
    of or relating to or characteristic of ancient Mycenae or its inhabitants
    The heroes in Homer’s poems fought in the Trojan War. In this war, the Mycenaean Greeks fought the Trojans, people of the city called Troy.
  10. Greek
    of or relating to or characteristic of Greece or the Greeks or the Greek language
    These gods were at the center of Greek mythology–a body of stories about gods and heroes that try to explain how the world works.
  11. mythology
    the body of stories associated with a culture or institution
    These gods were at the center of Greek mythology–a body of stories about gods and heroes that try to explain how the world works.
  12. epic poem
    a long narrative poem telling of a hero's deeds
    Early Greek writers produced long epic poems, romantic poetry, and some of the world’s most famous stories.
  13. goddess
    a female deity
    Among the most important Greek gods were the ones in the picture below:

    #

    Zeus, king of the gods
    #

    Hera, queen of the gods
    #

    Poseidon, god of the sea
    #

    Hades, god of the underworld
    #

    Demeter, goddess of agriculture
    #

    Hestia, goddess of the hearth
    #

    Athena, goddess of wisdom
    #

    Apollo, god of the sun
    #

    Artemis, goddess of the moon
    #

    Ares, god of war
    #

    Aphrodite, goddess of love
    #

    Hephaestus, god of metalworking
    #

    Dionysus, god of celebration, and
    #

    Hermes, t...
  14. Homer
    ancient Greek epic poet who is believed to have written the Iliad and the Odyssey (circa 850 BC)
    Homer and Epic Poetry
    Among the earliest Greek writings are two great epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey, by a poet namedHomer.
  15. Aegean Sea
    an arm of the Mediterranean between Greece and Turkey
    The name of the Aegean Sea comes from Aegeus, a legendary Greek king.
  16. Odysseus
    a famous mythical Greek hero
    The Odyssey describes the challenges that the Greek hero Odysseus (oh-DI-see-uhs) faced on his way home from the war.
  17. fable
    a short moral story
    Fables
    Other Greeks told stories to teach people important lessons.Aesop(EE-sahp), for example, is famous for his fables.
  18. Odyssey
    a Greek epic poem (attributed to Homer) describing the journey of Odysseus after the fall of Troy
    Homer and Epic Poetry
    Among the earliest Greek writings are two great epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey, by a poet namedHomer.
  19. epic poetry
    a literary work celebrating the deeds of some hero
    Homer and Epic Poetry
    Among the earliest Greek writings are two great epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey, by a poet namedHomer.
  20. poem
    a composition in metrical feet forming rhythmical lines
    Early Greek writers produced long epic poems, romantic poetry, and some of the world’s most famous stories.
  21. Iliad
    a Greek epic poem describing the siege of Troy
    Homer and Epic Poetry
    Among the earliest Greek writings are two great epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey, by a poet namedHomer.
  22. Delphi
    an ancient Greek city on the slopes of Mount Parnassus
    For example, many Greeks in need of advice traveled to Delphi, a city in central Greece.
  23. Greece
    ancient Greece
    When her daughter comes home, the goddess is happy, and summer comes to Greece.
  24. stringed instrument
    a musical instrument in which taut strings provide the source of sound
    During a performance, the poet played a stringed instrument called a lyre while reading a poem.
  25. Minotaur
    (Greek mythology) a mythical monster with the head of a bull and the body of a man; slain by Theseus
    According to legend, he traveled to Crete and killed the Minotaur, a terrible monster that was half human and half bull.
  26. Trojan
    of or relating to the ancient city of Troy or its inhabitants
    The heroes in Homer’s poems fought in the Trojan War. In this war, the Mycenaean Greeks fought the Trojans, people of the city called Troy.
  27. Hera
    queen of the Olympian gods in ancient Greek mythology
    Among the most important Greek gods were the ones in the picture below:

    #

    Zeus, king of the gods
    #

    Hera, queen of the gods
    #

    Poseidon, god of the sea
    #

    Hades, god of the underworld
    #

    Demeter, goddess of agriculture
    #

    Hestia, goddess of the hearth
    #

    Athena, goddess of wisdom
    #

    Apollo, god of the sun
    #

    Artemis, goddess of the moon
    #

    Ares, god of war
    #

    Aphrodite, goddess of love
    #

    Hephaestus, god of metalworking
    #

    Dionysus, god of celebration, and
    #

    Hermes, t...
  28. lyric
    of or relating to poetry that expresses emotion
    Lyric Poetry
    Other poets wrote poems that were often set to music.
  29. epic
    a long narrative poem telling of a hero's deeds
    Early Greek writers produced long epic poems, romantic poetry, and some of the world’s most famous stories.
  30. lyre
    a harp used by ancient Greeks for accompaniment
    During a performance, the poet played a stringed instrument called a lyre while reading a poem.
  31. Dionysus
    god of wine and fertility and drama
    Among the most important Greek gods were the ones in the picture below:

    #

    Zeus, king of the gods
    #

    Hera, queen of the gods
    #

    Poseidon, god of the sea
    #

    Hades, god of the underworld
    #

    Demeter, goddess of agriculture
    #

    Hestia, goddess of the hearth
    #

    Athena, goddess of wisdom
    #

    Apollo, god of the sun
    #

    Artemis, goddess of the moon
    #

    Ares, god of war
    #

    Aphrodite, goddess of love
    #

    Hephaestus, god of metalworking
    #

    Dionysus, god of celebration, and
    #

    Hermes, t...
  32. Artemis
    the virgin goddess of the hunt and the Moon
    Among the most important Greek gods were the ones in the picture below:

    #

    Zeus, king of the gods
    #

    Hera, queen of the gods
    #

    Poseidon, god of the sea
    #

    Hades, god of the underworld
    #

    Demeter, goddess of agriculture
    #

    Hestia, goddess of the hearth
    #

    Athena, goddess of wisdom
    #

    Apollo, god of the sun
    #

    Artemis, goddess of the moon
    #

    Ares, god of war
    #

    Aphrodite, goddess of love
    #

    Hephaestus, god of metalworking
    #

    Dionysus, god of celebration, and
    #

    Hermes, t...
  33. Poseidon
    the god of the sea and earthquakes in ancient mythology
    Among the most important Greek gods were the ones in the picture below:

    #

    Zeus, king of the gods
    #

    Hera, queen of the gods
    #

    Poseidon, god of the sea
    #

    Hades, god of the underworld
    #

    Demeter, goddess of agriculture
    #

    Hestia, goddess of the hearth
    #

    Athena, goddess of wisdom
    #

    Apollo, god of the sun
    #

    Artemis, goddess of the moon
    #

    Ares, god of war
    #

    Aphrodite, goddess of love
    #

    Hephaestus, god of metalworking
    #

    Dionysus, god of celebration, and
    #

    Hermes, t...
  34. Aegean
    an arm of the Mediterranean between Greece and Turkey
    The name of the Aegean Sea comes from Aegeus, a legendary Greek king.
  35. Europa
    the 4th largest of Jupiter's satellites
    Europe itself was named after a figure from Greek myth, the princess Europa.
  36. Walt Disney
    United States film maker who pioneered animated cartoons and created such characters as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck; founded Disneyland (1901-1966)
    These films range from early classics to a Walt Disney cartoon.
  37. Sappho
    the Greek lyric poet of Lesbos
    Greek Literature Lives
    The works of ancient Greek writers such as Homer, Sappho, and Aesop are still alive and popular today.
  38. literary work
    imaginative or creative writing
    Homer’s poems are considered some of the greatest literary works ever produced.
  39. poet
    a writer of verse consisting of lines that often rhyme
    Homer and Epic Poetry
    Among the earliest Greek writings are two great epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey, by a poet namedHomer.
  40. Aphrodite
    goddess of love and beauty and daughter of Zeus in ancient mythology; identified with Roman Venus
    Among the most important Greek gods were the ones in the picture below:

    #

    Zeus, king of the gods
    #

    Hera, queen of the gods
    #

    Poseidon, god of the sea
    #

    Hades, god of the underworld
    #

    Demeter, goddess of agriculture
    #

    Hestia, goddess of the hearth
    #

    Athena, goddess of wisdom
    #

    Apollo, god of the sun
    #

    Artemis, goddess of the moon
    #

    Ares, god of war
    #

    Aphrodite, goddess of love
    #

    Hephaestus, god of metalworking
    #

    Dionysus, god of celebration, and
    #

    Hermes, t...
  41. literature
    writings in a particular style on a particular subject
    Greek Literature
    Because the Greeks loved myths and stories, it is no surprise that they created great works of literature.
  42. Hades
    the god of the underworld in ancient mythology
    Among the most important Greek gods were the ones in the picture below:

    #

    Zeus, king of the gods
    #

    Hera, queen of the gods
    #

    Poseidon, god of the sea
    #

    Hades, god of the underworld
    #

    Demeter, goddess of agriculture
    #

    Hestia, goddess of the hearth
    #

    Athena, goddess of wisdom
    #

    Apollo, god of the sun
    #

    Artemis, goddess of the moon
    #

    Ares, god of war
    #

    Aphrodite, goddess of love
    #

    Hephaestus, god of metalworking
    #

    Dionysus, god of celebration, and
    #

    Hermes, t...
  43. mythological
    based on or told of in traditional stories
    Mythological references are also common in today’s popular culture.
  44. oracle
    a shrine where a prophet is consulted
    There they spoke to the oracle, a female priest of Apollo to whom they thought the god gave answers.
  45. Theseus
    (Greek mythology) a hero and king of Athens who was noted for his many great deeds: killed Procrustes and the Minotaur and defeated the Amazons and united Attica
    The people of Athens, for example, told stories about the hero Theseus.
  46. underworld
    (religion) the place of the dead
    Among the most important Greek gods were the ones in the picture below:

    #

    Zeus, king of the gods
    #

    Hera, queen of the gods
    #

    Poseidon, god of the sea
    #

    Hades, god of the underworld
    #

    Demeter, goddess of agriculture
    #

    Hestia, goddess of the hearth
    #

    Athena, goddess of wisdom
    #

    Apollo, god of the sun
    #

    Artemis, goddess of the moon
    #

    Ares, god of war
    #

    Aphrodite, goddess of love
    #

    Hephaestus, god of metalworking
    #

    Dionysus, god of celebration, and
    #

    Hermes, t...
  47. agriculture
    the practice of cultivating the land or raising stock
    Among the most important Greek gods were the ones in the picture below:

    #

    Zeus, king of the gods
    #

    Hera, queen of the gods
    #

    Poseidon, god of the sea
    #

    Hades, god of the underworld
    #

    Demeter, goddess of agriculture
    #

    Hestia, goddess of the hearth
    #

    Athena, goddess of wisdom
    #

    Apollo, god of the sun
    #

    Artemis, goddess of the moon
    #

    Ares, god of war
    #

    Aphrodite, goddess of love
    #

    Hephaestus, god of metalworking
    #

    Dionysus, god of celebration, and
    #

    Hermes, t...
  48. Athens
    the capital and largest city of Greece; named after Athena
    The people of Athens, for example, told stories about the hero Theseus.
  49. short story
    a brief but fully developed prose narrative
    Fables are short stories that teach the reader lessons bout life or give advice on how to live.
  50. poetry
    literature in metrical form
    Early Greek writers produced long epic poems, romantic poetry, and some of the world’s most famous stories.
  51. Disney
    United States film maker who pioneered animated cartoons and created such characters as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck; founded Disneyland (1901-1966)
    These films range from early classics to a Walt Disney cartoon.
  52. classics
    study of the literary works of ancient Greece and Rome
    These films range from early classics to a Walt Disney cartoon.
  53. writer
    a person who is able to write and has written something
    Early Greek writers produced long epic poems, romantic poetry, and some of the world’s most famous stories.
  54. Achilles
    a mythical Greek hero of the Iliad
    The Iliad tells the story of the last years of the Trojan War. It focuses on the deeds of the Greeks, especially Achilles (uh-KIL-eez), the greatest of all Greek warriors.
  55. cartoon
    a humorous or satirical drawing in a newspaper or magazine
    These films range from early classics to a Walt Disney cartoon.
  56. kidnap
    take someone away against their will, often for ransom
    According to Greek myth, Demeter had a daughter who was kidnapped by another god.
  57. sculptor
    an artist who creates three-dimensional artwork
    Great painters and sculptors have used gods and heroes as the subjects of their works.
  58. Troy
    an ancient city in Asia Minor that was the site of the Trojan War
    The heroes in Homer’s poems fought in the Trojan War. In this war, the Mycenaean Greeks fought the Trojans, people of the city called Troy.
  59. Wolf
    Austrian composer (1860-1903)
    “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” warns readers not to play pranks on others.
  60. instrument
    the means whereby some act is accomplished
    During a performance, the poet played a stringed instrument called a lyre while reading a poem.
  61. language
    a means of communicating by the use of sounds or symbols
    In fact, Greek literature has influenced modern language, literature, and art.
  62. film
    a series of moving pictures that tells a story
    Hercules, for example, has been the subject of dozens of films.
  63. romantic
    expressive of or exciting love
    Early Greek writers produced long epic poems, romantic poetry, and some of the world’s most famous stories.
  64. city
    a large and densely populated urban area
    For example, many Greeks in need of advice traveled to Delphi, a city in central Greece.
  65. legend
    a story about mythical or supernatural beings or events
    According to legend, he traveled to Crete and killed the Minotaur, a terrible monster that was half human and half bull.
  66. sea
    a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
    Among the most important Greek gods were the ones in the picture below:

    #

    Zeus, king of the gods
    #

    Hera, queen of the gods
    #

    Poseidon, god of the sea
    #

    Hades, god of the underworld
    #

    Demeter, goddess of agriculture
    #

    Hestia, goddess of the hearth
    #

    Athena, goddess of wisdom
    #

    Apollo, god of the sun
    #

    Artemis, goddess of the moon
    #

    Ares, god of war
    #

    Aphrodite, goddess of love
    #

    Hephaestus, god of metalworking
    #

    Dionysus, god of celebration, and
    #

    Hermes, t...
  67. painter
    an artist who paints
    Great painters and sculptors have used gods and heroes as the subjects of their works.
  68. singing
    the act of singing vocal music
    I passed the days in singing.”
  69. literary
    relating to or characteristic of creative writing
    Homer’s poems are considered some of the greatest literary works ever produced.
  70. Africa
    the second largest continent
    Africa’s Atlas Mountains were named after a giant from Greek mythology who held up the sky.
  71. performance
    the act of doing something successfully
    During a performance, the poet played a stringed instrument called a lyre while reading a poem.
  72. dance
    taking a series of rhythmical steps in time to music
    They then said in derision: “If you were foolish enough to sing all the summer, you must dance supperless to bed in the winter.”
  73. weapon
    any instrument used in fighting or hunting
    At this forge he created weapons and armor for the other gods.
  74. artist
    person whose creative work shows sensitivity and imagination
    Literature and the Arts
    Greek myths have inspired artists for centuries.
  75. perform
    get done
    The myths explain how Hercules fought many monsters and performed nearly impossible tasks.
  76. education
    activities that impart knowledge or skill
    They were central to the ancient Greek education system.
  77. reading
    written material intended to be read
    During a performance, the poet played a stringed instrument called a lyre while reading a poem.
  78. Europe
    the 2nd smallest continent
    Europe itself was named after a figure from Greek myth, the princess Europa.
  79. music
    an artistic form of auditory communication
    Lyric Poetry
    Other poets wrote poems that were often set to music.
Created on Tue Sep 28 11:16:45 EDT 2010

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