What did we do in class today....Wednesday, September 8th, 2009

Athena turning Arachne into a spider

Hera, Queen of the Gods

Zeus, King of the Gods and Sky

Dear Mythology Students,

If you missed class on Wednesday, September 8th, we did the following:

1. Took practice quiz covering the 13 Olympians
2. Took actual quiz covering the 13 Olympians
3. Corrected quiz
4. Started obtaining additional information on all the gods. We completed Zeus, Hera and Athena. When you return to class, you will need to obtain the GREEN handout which is where we are recording the additional information about the gods. The following information was discussed for each:

Zeus

• controls all aspects of the weather


• trick Hera into marrying him by transforming into a cuckoo bird


• Hera is his second wife
  
• Metis is his first wife (she is the mother to Athena)


• shapeshifts into animals in order to woe women
  
• has numerous affairs


• Just
  
• has difficulties in making decisions
  
• god of athletes/athletic events were held in his honor
  

Hera

• Zeus transforms into a cuckoo bird. Hera loves animals, and finds a "cuckoo bird" outside her window trapped in a storm. She brings the bird to her breast and states, "I will love you forever, cuckoo bird, and I swear by the River Styx that I will honor this vow." At this point, Zeus returned to his true form, raped Hera, and told her that she had to honor her vow by marrying him. If you swore by Styx your oath could not be broken.


• She loves animals.


• Hephaestus is her son without a father. Hera was angry that Zeus had given birth to Athena without the assistance of a mother, so she gave birth to Hephaestus without a father. He was born ugly and unshapen, so she cast him off Mt. Olympus.
  
• Due to Zeus' affairs, Hera takes her anger and frustrations out on Zeus' lovers and children.

Athena

• Zeus swallowed Athena's mother, Metis, because an oracle had informed Zeus that if Metis birthed a son that child would overthrow his father. Zeus felt that he could not risk this, so he swallowed Metis. Athena grew within her father, until one day he experience a terrible headache. Hephaestus, the God of Inventions, sliced open Zeus' head and Athena was born wearing full battle armour and holding a shield and spear.
  
• Athena values mankind. She taught them how to create tools, use numbers, create nets, weaving and ships.
  
• Athena expected mankind to give gratitude to the gods of Olympus. If they were disrespectful, she punished them. She turns a mortal woman names Arachne into a spider because she failed to thank Athena for her gift. In addition, she said that she was a better weaver than Athena.


• Athena and Poseidon both wanted Attica as their city-state. The people decided they would select their patron god based upon a gift they offered the people. Athena gave the people an Olive Tree, and Poseidon gave the people a spring of salt water. The people selected Athena as their patron deity; consequently, Poseidon detested Athena.