Term Papers on Greek Mythology

Term Paper Title	Greek Mythology
# of Words	1177
# of Pages (250 words per page double spaced)	4.71

Greek Mythology

Greek Mythology

Mythology was an integral part of the lives of all ancient peoples. The myths of Ancient
Greece are the most familiar to us, for they are deeply entrenched in the consciousness of
Western civilization.

The myths were accounts of the lives of the deities whom the Greeks worshipped. The
Greeks had many deities, including 12 principal ones, who lived on Mt. Olympus. The
myths are all things to all people – a rollicking good yarn, expressions of deep
psychological insights, words of spine-tingling poetic beauty and food for the imagination.
They serve a timeless universal need, and have inspired great literature, art and music,
providing archetypes through which we can learn much about the deeper motives of
human behavior.

No-one has the definitive answer as to why or how the myths came into being, nut many
are allegorical accounts of historical facts.

The Olympian family were a desperate lot despite being related. The next time you have a
bowl of corn flakes give thanks to Demeter the goddess of vegetation. The English word
"cereal" for products of corn or edible grain derives from the goddess’ Roman name,
Ceres. In Greek the word for such products is demetriaka. Demeter was worshipped as
the goddess of earth and fertility.

Zeus was the king and leader of the 12. His symbol was the thunder and in many of his
statues he appears holding one.

Poseidon, god of the sea and earthquakes, was most at home in the depths of the Aegean
where he lived in a sumptuous golden palace. When he became angry (which was often)
he would use his trident to create massive waves and floods. Ever intent upon expanding
his domain, he challenged Dionysos for Naxos, Hera for Argos and Athena for Athens.

Ares, god of war, was a nasty piece of work – fiery tempered, bloodthirsty, brutal and
violent. In contrast Hestia, the goddess of the hearth, symbol of security, happiness and
hospitality, was as pure as driven snow. She spurned disputes and wars and swore to be a
virgin forever.

Hera was not a principal deity; her job was a subservient one – she was Zeus’ cupbearer.

Athena, the powerful goddess of wisdom and patron of Athens, is said to have been born
(complete with helmet, armor and spear) from Zeus’ head, with Hephaestus acting as
midwife. Unlike Ares, she derived no pleasure from fighting, but preferred settling
disputes peacefully using her wisdom; however, if need be she went valiantly into battle.

Hephaestus was worshipped for his matchless skills as a craftsman. When Zeus decided to
punish men he asked Hephaestus to make a woman. So Hephaestus made Pandora from
clay and water, and, as everyone knows, she had a box, from which sprang all the evils
afflicting humankind.

Apart fro one misdemeanor, Hephaestus’ character seems to have been exemplary. During
the Trojan War Athena asked the god to make her a new suit of armor. Poseidon, on
hearing this, teased Hephaestus by saying that when Athena came to his forge she would
expect him to make mad passionate love to her. As Athena wrested herself from the eager
Hephaestus, he ejaculated against her thigh. She removed his seed with wool and threw it
away, and Gaea, who happened to pass by, was inadvertently fertilized. When Gaea’s
unwanted offspring was born, Athena brought him up, and he eventually became King
Erichthonius of Athens.

Apollo, god of the sun, and Artemis, goddess of the moon, were the twins of Leto and
Zeus. Many qualities were attributed to Apollo, for the Ancient Greeks believed that the
sun not only gave physical light, but that its light was...

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