Intertwined with many stories of the ancient Greek gods is the theme of transformation. Many gods transform themselves to appear to humans or transform for their own personal purposes. Beyond simply physical transformation, some gods and goddesses are innately connected to transformations. Beginning with their specific Homeric hymns, both Artemis and Hermes have unique ties to fluidity, movement and transformation. In honoring theses immortals and in rites to them, transformation is clearly evident. The Hermaea and the rites to Artemis at Brauron are both full of metamorphoses. Artemis’ fluid transition between goddess and huntress and Hermes’ mercurial nature link both of them to transitions such as comings of age for both genders, travel and the passage from life to death; in the rites to them it is clear that transformations are an uncertain time that requires guidance and role models.
In the scheme of the Olympian gods, both Artemis and Hermes have their places. Artemis is one of Zeus’ daughters. She and her twin brother, Apollo, were born to the goddess Leto on the Island of Demos. Leto was struggling to find a place to birth her twins because she had offended Hera. She are her brother Apollo are very closely tied to each other; both of them are very fond of bows and arrows and Artemis is associated with the moon and Apollo with the sun. Artemis is the goddess of the hunt, of wild animals, and of childbirth. Hermes’ is the youngest of the established Olympians, born of Zeus and the nymph Maia, the daughter of Atlas. Hermes was born is a secluded cave, so Hera never knew Zeus had been with his mother. Hermes is the god of shepherds, travelers, merchants and tricksters and also the messenger of the gods and of Hades. After each...
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...s transition from child to adult. Amongst all of their immortal duties, both Artemis and Hermes took time to help the young.
Artemis and Hermes have transitions intertwined with who they are and how they are honored. Artemis’ nature is one that shifts with transitions, from nurture to cold-heartedness. In honoring her, young girls focused on her fluid nature with sacrifices of Artemis’ wild animals and transformations to the bears of Brauron. The Hymn to Hermes is full of transitions, both metaphorical and real; Hermes grows from a lying child to a mischievous but decently honest adult and from a young god to a grown Olympian. The Hermaia and other more daily rites to Hermes all capitalized on Hermes’ domain over transitions of many kinds. Transitions are inherently unstable but an immortal hand can provide just enough stability for a small reduction in stress.
Undoubtedly Artemisia made a big effort to rehabilitate from the story of the rape through a combined marriage, but especially through her career. Unfortunately, the episode clouded part of the artistic achievements of Artemisia, who was long considered a “curiosity...
For the Greeks, Homer's Odyssey was much more than just an entertaining tale of gods, monsters, and men, it served as cultural paradigm from which every important role and relationship could be defined. This book, much more so than its counter part The Iliad, gives an eclectic view of the Achean's peacetime civilization. Through Odyssey, we gain an understanding of what is proper or improper in relationships between father and son, god and mortal, servant and master, guest and host, and--importantly--man and woman. Women play a vital role in the movement of this narrative. Unlike in The Iliad, where they are chiefly prizes to be won, bereft of identity, the women of Odyssey are unique in their personality, intentions, and relationship towards men. Yet, despite the fact that no two women in this epic are alike, each--through her vices or virtues-- helps to delineate the role of the ideal woman. Below, we will show the importance of Circe, Calypso, Nausicaa, Clytaemestra, and Penelope in terms of the movement of the narrative and in defining social roles for the Ancient Greeks.
In Greek Mythology a rivalry always occurs between certain Gods and Goddesses. In the case of Apollo and Dionysus there is no exception. They are half brothers, both sons of Zues and they compete just as most brothers do. Though the two Greek Gods, Apollo and Dionysus, were actually very similar in some ways, they severely contrasted in others.
The Greek gods and goddess have sparked my interest ever since seventh grade when I read The Percy Jackson Series. All throughout the books my attention was grasped by their power and demanding personalities, one specific goddess that stood out to me was Athena. Her charm and dominant personality fascinated me and definitely caught my attention. Before reading The Percy Jackson Series, I knew very little about Athena or the gods and goddess’ in general. Later, I took it upon myself to find out more about who the gods were and why they are important to the series I was reading at the time. My knowledge came in handy during the research I did to complete my paper. During my research I found that Athena was very important in not only The Odyssey, but in Greek mythology. She was one of the most confident and practical goddess’, and she was very well respected by the Greek people because of how she helped them.
Nothing can be more life changing than when a god chooses to interact with a mortal man. Much of Greek mythology describes the natures of these interactions. The Olympian Gods meddle with the mortals they rule over constantly, but what is the result for these interactions, and how do they impact the mortals? The question that this paper tries to address is what is the nature of these divine interaction, and how does each side truly perceive each other? The Gods and mortals interact in a variety of ways, but the true natures of these interactions truly describe how the ancient Greeks perceived their gods.
The image that has been produced over time about the Goddess of Desire, the renowned Aphrodite, is one of a longhaired beauty, riding atop a scallop shell to bestow her beauteous wonders upon the mortal earth and Olympus. This is an icon of femininity and perfection, the most stunning of the already statuesque gods and goddesses. Doves and sparrows are her counterparts as is the sweet and playful Cupid in later Roman myths. However, this seemingly flawless picture of delicacy and sensual delights is far from perfect. In fact, when looked at a little more closely, the mien of Aphrodite becomes distorted, her beauty playing out to actually be her curse. In the next pages we will delve into the true nature of the Love Goddess, contemplate the source of her ‘deeds’ and then determine how high a pedestal she actually rests upon.
In this essay, I hope to provide answers to how the actions of Hippolytus and Phaedra relate to the gods, whether or not the characters concern themselves with the reaction of the gods to their behavior, what the characters expect from the gods, how the gods treat the humans, and whether or not the gods gain anything from making the humans suffer. Before we can discuss the play, however, a few terms need to be defined. Most important would be the nature of the gods. They have divine powers, but what exactly makes the Greek gods unique should be explored. The Greek gods, since they are anthropomorphic, have many of the same characteristics as humans.
Athena is the daughter of Zeus, the king of the Greek gods. She is one of the 12 Olympians that live on top of Mount Olympus. Athena is the goddess of wisdom, strategy, skill, and justice, and the owl is her sacred bird. In Mandelbaum verse translation of the epic poem the Odyssey of Homer, Athena helped Odysseus by providing guidance, physical, and internal help. Without this help, Odysseus would have to forge the path home by himself and face the challenges that are to come alone. He would be left to face the wrath of both Zeus and Poseidon without another major god’s help. Athena aided Odysseus in the trials he was to face, which gave him the guidance and help he needed to return to his home, Ithaca.
The depiction of the Greek and roman myths are given unique insights from different authors. The Hymn to Demeter and Ovid's Metamorphosis provide and insight to Demeter's love for her daughter, Persephone, and explores its affect on the surrounding environments. The theme of separation and isolation is present in both of these myths, however, in Ovid's Metamorphosis, he symbolizes the environment in important events, has characters playing different roles, and empowers female deities.
In this shifting Greek society the cultural value that will experience the most dramatic shift is idealism. Fleming’s Arts and Ideas describes idealism as, “An idea or mental image that tries to transcend physical limitations, aspires toward a fulfillment that goes beyond actual observation and seeks a concept close to perfection” (55). Euripides begins his play with Dionysus describing the events that occurred until the present. Dionysus was a half-god, born of a human mother and Zeus; this is first example of the “ideal” being questioned. The fact that Dionysus describes himself as a god is the heaviest blow to the “ideal” however. Dionysus states on multiple occasions, “(I), appearing as a god to mortal men” (ln. 42), and “I was born a god” (ln.63). These statements reflect Dionysus’s ignorance to who he is, and the forgotten Greek sentiment of “know thy self”. It is not only the audience who recognizes that Dionysus is lacking the ‘ideal” attitude of a god but reasonable characters of the play will pick up on this as well.
This also meant the environment that these women grew up would also support this career choice and path that the aspiring priestess choose. Studying and examining both the roles and environment that Ancient Greek priestess were a path of would lead to one better understand women’s roles in Ancient Greek religi...
In the myths of the Centauromachy and the Amazonomachy, the Greeks found a manuscript for moral and disciplinary guidance in their dealings with the women of the time. By assigning the women of Greece hybris, Greek men targeted the women of Greece to intense programs of subjugation and social retribution in order to prevent the emergence of Centaurian or Amazonian traits, which would destroy the patriarchal nature of Archaic Greek culture. Generally, Greek myths tend to exemplify gender profiling as a way to polarize the sexes in order to maintain a stable and workable patriarchy. This is evidenced in the Centauromachy and Amazonomachy, which identify undesirable and inherent qualities in the women of Greece.
Athena was the Greek Goddess of many ideas, but she was famous mostly for her superior wisdom, her cunning skills in times of war, and her implausible talent for household tasks, such as weaving and pottery. She was celebrated more than any other God in ancient mythology, was the supposed inventor of countless innovations, and her figure gave reason for Greek woman to gain rights long before others of their time. The goddess of war, the guardian of Athens, and the defender of Heroes; Athena’s impact on the lives of Ancient Greeks is outstanding.
Because of the under development of science, Ancient Greeks used mythologies and associated to the gods anything that they could not explain or understand, which also have revealed many aspects of their culture and society, including their views toward gods. Through the survived works of ancient Greeks, one can see that the concept of exchange plays a center role in the relationship between human beings and gods; and that the ancient Greeks had absolutely and undeniably respect for their gods, who are human-like and demand to be glorified.
To view the links that are instilled between mortals, immortals, and fate in The Iliad, it is worthwhile to examine each on its own to observe how they connect. The characteristics of the three are inherently unique in relation to each other, though in some areas there is overlap. Man is defined as a mortal, someone who can die from old age and disease. Products from mortal and immortal procreation, such as the hero Achilles, fall into a sort of category all their own, but Achilles himself suggests that he would die from old age if he were to return home (9:502-505). In this weakness of the flesh they differ from the immortal gods, who cannot die from natural causes. Nevertheless, the gods share the imperfections of man: disloyalty, deceit, anger, and even lust. They see themselves as above man, and yet their actions are often as selfi...