Myths of ancient Greece for children about what. Myths of Ancient Greece and Rome. Summary. The myth of Adonis
There is not a single people who would not have their own idea of the universe, the gods who rule life, as well as their struggle for power and influence. The myths of Ancient Greece, a summary of which we will consider in our article, are also special because they pay a lot of attention to man. Mighty heroes are of divine origin, but remain human - mortal and vulnerable, in need of help. And nothing human is alien to them.
What is a myth?
Before studying the myths of Ancient Greece (a brief summary - more is not available to us due to the volume of the article), it is worth understanding what it is - a "myth". In fact, this is a story that reflects people's ideas about the world and order in it, as well as the role of man in the universe. According to ancient authors, people were active participants, and not just a crowd that expected mercy from immortal celestials. But first things first.
Another feature of Greek myths is their high level of order and culture. In addition, their character changed depending on the region of the country, since each policy had its own, more revered gods and heroes, from whom, as the Greeks believed, the population originated. Of course, over time, the legends changed, acquired a different meaning. But the most important thing in them is the content that tells about the life of society in the primitive era, not only in Greece. Researchers note that many stories echo the myths of other peoples who lived at that time, which may indicate that they were created in parallel and carry a grain of truth. The myths of Ancient Greece, the summary of which we are considering, is an attempt to explain the world around us and pass on to descendants views on morality and relations in society.
What are the ancient Greek legends about?
We will talk very briefly about the essence of ancient legends, since many ancient Greek myths have come down to us. A brief summary of them can take a whole book. For example, Nikolai Kun, the most famous researcher of the ancient heritage, collected, streamlined and translated more than two hundred legends. Many of them are presented in the form of cycles. We will try to divide them into several groups. This:
- myths about the origin of the world and gods;
- stories about the titans and the battle of the gods with the titans;
- myths about the gods who lived on Olympus;
- labors of Hercules;
- stories about people and heroes (Perseus, Theseus, Jason); a cycle about the Trojan War, its causes, course and end, as well as the return of the heroes of the battle home (the main characters of the myths are Paris, Menelaus, Helen, Achilles, Odysseus, Hector, Agamemnon);
- myths about world exploration and colonization (Argonauts).
Myths of Ancient Greece (summary). About Zeus the Thunderer
The Greeks paid much attention to the main god of Olympus. No wonder, because the angry Thunderer could punish with lightning for a disrespectful attitude or send another grief, and even turn away from the person, which was even worse. Zeus was considered the youngest son of the titans Kronos and Rhea - time and the mother goddess. Rhea saved him from being swallowed, as Kronos was swallowing all of his children, fearing for his power.
Having matured, he overthrows his tyrant father and brings all his brothers and sisters back to life, and also distributes power between them. He himself was responsible for the wind, clouds, thunder and lightning, storm and hurricane. Zeus could calm the elements or send her, helped the offended and punished those who deserved it. However, he could not control fate.
The love affairs of Zeus also describe the myths of Ancient Greece, a summary of which we are studying. God had a passion for beautiful girls and goddesses and seduced them in every possible way. From them he had many children - gods and goddesses, heroes, kings. Many of them were disliked by Hera, the legal wife of the Thunderer, who often persecuted them and harmed them.
Instead of an epilogue
In the pantheon of the ancient Greeks there were many gods responsible for all branches of their life - agriculture, navigation, trade, war, crafts, the other world. However, there were also beings, demigods, who patronized science and art, followed justice and morality. This means that great attention was paid to these aspects.
Every cultured person should know what the ancient myths of Hellas tell us, so it’s worth reading them at least briefly. But reading them in their entirety allows you to plunge into a wonderful world full of interesting and unusual.
Zeus, Apollo, Artemis, Athena, Hermes, Ares and Aphrodite, Demeter and Persephone, Night, Moon, Dawn and Sun, Dionysus, Pan.
Perseus, Hercules, Theseus, Orpheus and Eureka.
Researchers of ancient Greek mythology divide the process of its development into two periods, pre-Olympic and Olympian. The myths about chthonic (from the Greek word chthon - earth) deities belong to the oldest - before the Olympic - period. Chthonic deities are associated with the elemental, productive power of the earth and with the underworld - the realm of the dead. The Greeks considered Gaia, the goddess of the earth, to be the mother of all gods.
Arising from the primitive chaos, she gave birth to the sky - Uranus. From the marriage of Gaia and Uranus came mountains and seas, as well as twelve titans - six sons and six daughters. The Titans were enormous in stature and possessed extraordinary strength. The eldest among them was the Ocean - the god of the great river washing the earth.
After the titans, Gaia and Uranus gave birth to six monstrous giants - three hecatoncheirs, which means "hundred-armed", and three one-eyed cyclops.
Uranus was frightened by the monsters he spawned and imprisoned them in the bowels of the earth, which caused Gaia to suffer greatly. She hated Uranus and, wanting to prevent the appearance of new, even more terrible children, ordered the youngest of the titans, Kronus, to castrate his father. Aphrodite was born from drops of the blood of castrated Uranus that fell into the sea.
Having mutilated his father and overthrown him from the throne, Cronus reigned over the world. He married one of his sisters, the titanide Rhea. However, Kron was afraid that one of his sons would overthrow him from the throne. Rhea secretly sent her son to the island of Crete, where he grew up, nourished by the milk of the wonderful goat Amalthea.
Having matured, Zeus married a wise oceanid - the daughter of the Ocean, whose name was Metis, and on her advice he drugged Kron with a witchcraft potion.
The Orphic mountain was the habitat of the titans. The gods, led by Zeus, settled on, presumably, Mount Olympus. Hence the name "gods-Olympians"
After the victory over the titans, Zeus and his two brothers, Poseidon and Hades, divided the world between themselves. Zeus became the ruler of the sky (his name means "bright sky"), Poseidon - the sea, Hades - the underworld. elements, but over time he turned into a wise king, controlling the gods and people, retaining, however, the epithet "Thunderer".
The main wife of Zeus was his sister Hera, the goddess of legal matrimony.
Hera independently, without the participation of her husband, gave birth to Hephaestus - the god of fire and blacksmithing.
The wife of Hephaestus was the beautiful Aphrodite. She constantly cheated on her ugly husband, from her connection with the god of war Ares, the god of love, Eros, was born.
One of the most revered deities of the Greek pantheon is Athena, the daughter of Zeus, the goddess of wisdom and fair war (unlike Ares, the god of “insidious, treacherous war”). “Metis” means thought.
Apollo was the son of Zeus and the Titanides Leto. Hera, having learned that her husband had once again cheated on her, forbade the solid earth to receive her pregnant rival. Summer retired to the floating island of Delos and there, under a palm tree, which was later considered sacred, she gave birth to twins - the son of Apollo and the daughter of Artemis.
Apollo is a bright deity, the patron of beauty and fine arts, the leader of the muses. Sometimes he is called the god of the sun.
Apollo's sister Artemis, the goddess of hunting, was originally associated with the world of wildlife, was considered the patroness of forest animals and was sometimes represented in the form of a bear. (One of the interpretations of her name is "bear goddess".) Later, she was depicted as a beautiful young huntress, accompanied by a crowd of nymphs chasing game through the forests and mountains.
Artemis is a virgin goddess, the patroness of chastity. She rejected the love of Zeus, and once turned the hunter Actaeon, who saw her while bathing, into a deer.
Another son of Zeus was Dionysus, the god of fertility, viticulture and winemaking.
Dionysus (his other name is Bacchus) taught people viticulture and winemaking. He walked the earth accompanied by a retinue - drunken Bacchantes - his priestesses and goat-footed satyrs, dancing and playing musical instruments. Such processions were called orgies (from the Greek word "orges" - excitement). It is believed that the first theatrical performances arose from the Dionysian orgies.
In Greek, "nymph" means girl. Nymphs were beautiful, eternally young creatures. The nymphs of the waters were called naiads, the mountains were called oreads, the meadows were called lemoniads, and the forests were called dryads. Satyrs also lived in the meadows, forests and mountains - creatures with a human body and goat legs. Unlike the meek and benevolent nymphs, the satyrs did minor mischief to the peasants,
Chief among the satyrs is Pan. Once he fell in love with the beautiful nymph Syringa, and she turned into a reed to escape his persecution. Pan made a flute from a reed stalk, which became the favorite musical instrument of the Greek shepherds; it is still called Siringa.
On earth there was a tribe of centaurs - half-humans, half-horses. Once upon a time, the king of the Lapith tribe, Ixion, coveted the love of Hera herself.
But one of the centaurs, Chiron, differed in origin and disposition from his fellow tribesmen. Chiron was the son of Cronus, the brother of Zeus himself. One day, Kron, caught by his wife Rhea during a love meeting with the oceanid Felira, turned into a horse out of surprise. Therefore, Chiron, born of Felyra, turned out to be a centaur.
The ancient Greeks were an active and energetic people who were not afraid to explore the real world. The boundless thirst for knowledge overcame their fear of an unknown danger. The very creation of myths was the first step of a person towards creativity and self-knowledge. Gradually, from different legends that originated in various areas of the Greek land, whole cycles about the fate of heroes and the gods who patronized them developed. The ancient Greek gods were like people in everything: kind, generous and merciful, but at the same time often cruel, vindictive
And insidious. Why, then, did the Greek myths form the basis of universal human culture and penetrate deeply into the ideas and way of thinking of modern man? Artists, poets and sculptors were attracted primarily by the depth and artistry of mythical images. But, apparently, not only in this should one seek an explanation of the power of influence on people that Greek mythology carried in itself. It arose as an attempt by the ancients to explain the emergence of life on Earth, the causes of elemental natural phenomena, before which man was powerless, to determine his place in the world around him.
Apples of the Hesperides. The twelfth labor of Hercules The most difficult feat of Hercules in the service of Eurystheus was his last, twelfth feat. Hercules had to go to the great titan Atlas, who holds the vault of heaven on his shoulders, and get three golden apples from his gardens, which were watched by the daughters of Atlas Hesperides. Apples grew on a golden tree grown by the Earth goddess Gaia. But no one knew the way to the Hesperides and Atlas. Hercules wandered for a long time through the countries of Asia and Europe and asked everyone about the path to the gardens of the Hesperides. Finally, he was given advice on how to find out this path: Hercules was supposed to attack the sea prophetic elder Nereus and find out from him. For many months Hercules searched for the elder Nereus. But now he managed to find him and grab him in an iron embrace. Having learned the secret of the way to the gardens of the Hesperides, Hercules released the sea elder and set off on a long journey. Again he had to go through Libya, Egypt and many other countries. Hercules had to meet a lot more on the way of his dangers, until he reached the ends of the earth, where the great titan Atlas stood. With amazement, the hero looked at the titan, holding the entire heavenly vault on his mighty shoulders. Hercules explained the purpose of his coming. And Atlas answered: - I will give you three apples, son of Zeus. You, while I follow them, must take my place and hold the vault of heaven on your shoulders. Hercules agreed. He took the place of Atlas. An incredible weight fell on the shoulders of the son of Zeus. He exerted all his strength and held the vault of heaven. Returning, Atlas said to the hero: Here are three apples. If you want, I myself will take them to Mycenae. And you hold the vault of heaven until my return. Hercules understood Atlas and used cunning against cunning. Okay, Atlas, I agree! he replied. - Just let me make myself a pillow, I'll put it on my shoulders so that the vault of heaven does not press them so terribly. Atlas rose back to his seat and shouldered the weight of the sky. Hercules took the golden apples and said: Farewell, Atlas! With these words, Hercules left the titan, and again Atlas had to hold, as before, the vault of heaven on his mighty shoulders. Hercules returned to Eurystheus and gave him the golden apples. After his twelfth feat, Hercules was freed from the service of Eurystheus.
A comment. Hercules, the son of Zeus, is one of the most beloved heroes of Greece. He fought against everything dark and evil. He is a very strong man (like Atlas, he held the vault of heaven on his shoulders). In addition, he has intelligence, ingenuity and cunning. He performed feats (you have already read about one of them) and suffered a lot. Poets of all times have used the myths about Hercules in their works.
Essays on topics:
- Two generals found themselves on a desert island. “The generals served all their lives in some kind of registry; there they were born, brought up and grew old, therefore, nothing ...
- The day was crisp. It was woven from silence, but it was impossible to say that the day was dumb. Bees, butterflies, insects living...
- During the retreat near Oskol, the regiment abandoned fresh trenches. For defense, the first battalion remains, commanded by Shiryaev and his assistant ...
- Colonel Aleksandrov has been at the front for three months now. He sends a telegram to his daughters in Moscow, invites them to spend the rest of the summer on ...
The most important element of Greek culture was myths, that is, tales, legends, legends dating back to ancient times. They constitute the richest treasury of images and plots. The myths reflected the human need for creativity, for knowledge of the surrounding world and oneself. Myths were created at a very early stage in the development of Greek society, in various regions of continental Greece, in Attica, Boeotia, Thessaly, Macedonia and other areas, on the islands of the Aegean Sea, on Crete, on the coast of Asia Minor. These regions developed their own local cycles of myths. Later, they merged into a single pan-Greek system, in which the artistic talent and religious worldview of the ancient Hellenes manifested themselves.
Birth and death, the change of seasons, the ebb and flow of the sea, thunderstorms and rains, weather changes, flowering and wilting of plants, the appearance of fruits on them - these and many other phenomena of the surrounding world were attributed to the action of some fantastic, divine forces. These phenomena were often presented in the form of concrete, visible images, personified, i.e. identified with living beings. If a person could not explain a natural phenomenon, much less overcome it, such as, for example, a drought or an epidemic, he attributed it to the action of some fantastic forces.
It seems that Greek nature itself predetermined that special multicolor that pervades mythology: valleys and mountain ranges, a sparkling blue sea with many islands, cozy bays, a blinding southern sun, evergreen vegetation, a warm climate. The earth was inhabited by fabulous creatures: mountain nymphs hid in the mountains - oreads, dryads in the forests, naiads in the rivers. But myths were not only a bold flight of human fantasy. They often reflect folk wisdom, observations of the surrounding life, penetration into human nature. Therefore, Greek mythology has rightfully become a part of human culture. That is why situations and heroes of myths have entered our everyday speech in expressions and phrases that have become winged.
We use the expression "Sisyphean labor", referring to hard, meaningless work. This is the origin of this concept. According to the myth, Sisyphus, the king and founder of Corinth, and according to another version, the father of Odysseus, was famous for his enviable cunning and was punished in the underworld for his frauds. He had to roll a heavy stone up the mountain, which, having reached the top, fell down, after which everything was repeated all over again. We are talking about "titanic" efforts, "giant" sizes. In myths, titans and giants are huge giants who fought the gods themselves.
Myths are closely related to folk cultures and beliefs. They often absorbed popular common sense. So, the ancient Hellenes had the custom of sacrificing to the gods; and a good deal of good meat was wasted. Then the titan Prometheus found a way to help people. Having stabbed the sacrificial bull, he butchered it so that two unequal piles were formed: one contained bones and tripe, and the other - pieces of edible meat. Prometheus covered both heaps with skins and invited the supreme god Zeus to choose one of them. Zeus was flattered by a larger pile. This incident, reproduced in myth, consolidated the rule: after the ritual of sacrifice, the Greeks began to leave inedible parts to the gods, and to themselves what could be eaten. In Greek mythology, various creatures operate: demons, satyrs, unbridled and frisky; demi-humans and chimeras, fire-breathing creatures, etc. The main characters of mythology are gods and heroes.
At the heart of the Greek religion was anthropomorphism - assimilation to man. The gods had a human appearance, were beautiful, and most importantly - immortal. They have a variety of human qualities, though manifested with special strength, intensity: generosity, generosity, jealousy, deceit. Gods and heroes not only resembled ordinary people, but also communicated with them, mere mortals, could enter into love relationships. Some ancient Greek aristocrats counted gods in their ancestors, were proud of their divine origin.
The Greek gods were divided into several categories according to their importance. The twelve main, supreme gods lived on the snow-covered, about 3,000 meters high, Mount Olympus. At the top of Olympus were the palace of Zeus and the dwellings of other gods, who were called the Olympians. The very name Olympus is close to the concept of "sky". The Greeks believed that there were three generations of gods, and, according to legend, the younger ones overthrew the power of the older ones. In mythology, thus, the rivalry between individual clans and tribes for supremacy was reflected.
The main supreme god, the father of all gods and people, was Zeus. He was considered the son of Kron, the god of time, and therefore was called Kronid. Zeus rode across the sky in a golden chariot, he was depicted sitting on a throne with an eagle and a scepter in his hands and a beam of lightning as the main attributes of power. From the heights of Olympus, he scattered his gifts to people and established order on earth, established laws.
The wife of Zeus Hera was the supreme Greek goddess, the queen of the gods, who patronized marriage, conjugal love and childbirth. She was portrayed as a majestic woman of rare beauty. Zeus's brother Poseidon was the god of the sea, all springs and waters, as well as the earth's interior and their riches; At the bottom of the sea was his palace. The god of death was another brother of Zeus - Hades, who reigned deep underground. The kingdom of Hades, where the rays of the sun did not penetrate, looked gloomy-terrible and cold, and the afterlife was a real misfortune. The son of Zeus Apollo is the god of harmony and spiritual activity, the god of the arts. He received from Hermes the lyre he invented and became the patron of the muses, hence his nickname: Apollo Musaret, that is, the leader of the muses.
The Muses were called goddesses, companions of Apollo, patronesses of sciences, poetry and arts: Clio - history, Euterpe - lyric poetry, Melpomene - tragedy, Thalia - comedy, Terpsichore - dancing, Calliope - epic poetry, Polyhymnia - hymns, pantomime, Urania - astronomy, Erato - love, erotic poetry.
The sister of the golden-haired Apollo was Artemis, the goddess of hunting, fertility, the patroness of animals, as well as everything that lives on earth, grows in the forest and in the field. In sculptures, she was depicted with a bow and a quiver over her shoulders, hunting in forests and fields. The goddess Athena, one of the most revered in Greece, was born by Zeus himself, appeared from his head. She was the goddess of wisdom, the main city of Greece was named in her honor and the main temple of the Parthenon was erected. Athena patronized the city-states of Greece, gave them wise advice, saved them in a moment of danger. The son of Zeus Hermes is a god who patronizes travelers, crafts, and trade. The god of war Ares, the son of Zeus and Hera, usually acted in the guise of a heavily armed warrior - a hoplite. This is the most unloved of the descendants of Zeus, who was not tolerated because of his militancy and bloodthirstiness. The son of Zeus and Hera was the god of fire, as well as the art of blacksmithing Hephaestus. He was depicted in an apron and with a blacksmith's hammer, among sparks and smoke. Hephaestus, the only Olympian involved in productive labor, was considered a skilled forger.
The wife of Ares, the most beautiful Aphrodite, the goddess of love, outwardly personified the Hellenic ideal of female beauty. She awakened love in the hearts of both gods and mortals, and therefore possessed an all-conquering power, reigned over the world. One of the greatest goddesses was considered the sister of Zeus Demeter, the goddess of fertility, the patroness of agriculture: without her mighty power, nothing was born.
The favorite god was also the son of Zeus Dionysus, the patron of viticulture and winemaking. Festivities in honor of the god Dionysus played a big role in the development of the Greek theater. In addition to the main Olympic gods, there were numerous gods, as it were, of the “second grade”. Among them are Eros, the son of Ares and Aphrodite, a playful teenager, a winged archer, the god of love; Hypnos - the god of sleep; Thanatos - the god of death; Hymen: - the god of marriage; Asclepius, son of Apollo and Coronis, the god of healing; Eris - goddess of strife; Nike - the goddess of victory, etc.
Along with the gods, heroes, or titans, were "involved" in the myths. Heroes were considered semi-divine personalities, standing between gods and people. Heroes were also people who really existed, historical figures - the Athenian commander (Miltiades), statesmen. (Solon), the founders of philosophical schools, the greatest poets, whose work played a big role in the life of the Greeks. Their tombs were often located in the center of cities as a reminder of past exploits. There were heroes and legendary figures created by folk fantasy.
One of the most famous and noble martyr heroes in mythology was Prometheus, who rendered an invaluable service to the human race. Among the favorite folk heroes was Hercules, endowed with great power. Literally, his name means "performing feats because of the persecution of Hera." When Hera planned to kill the infant Hercules by setting two snakes on him, Hercules strangled them. Surpassing everyone in strength, not knowing rivals in military exercises, Hercules performed 12 labors. Among them is the killing of a monstrous lion; the destruction of the hydra - a monster with a snake body and nine dragon heads; the extermination of the Stymphalian birds that devastated the area, chasing animals and people, tearing them apart with their copper beaks, and many others. These and other episodes form a whole cycle of exciting short stories.
Among the popular heroes of Greece, Perseus, the son of Zeus and Danai, well-known in many myths, also performed many feats. Like Prometheus, he is depicted in the works of world art, on the canvases of Rubens, Rembrandt and Titian. Theseus was also considered the greatest hero of Greece, who was credited with the creation of the ancient state system in Athens. The legendary singer Orpheus was revered as heroes; the greatest architect and architect Daedalus; the rich man Tantalus, so proud that he considered himself equal to the gods, and for this he was severely punished; Pygmalion, a sculptor who can even bring his creations to life.
Mythology played a huge role in the development of ancient Greek literature. Plots and images of myths were used in many works: in the Iliad and Odyssey by Homer, in the tragedies of Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides. At the same time, cults and traditions associated with mythology served as the basis for the creation of certain genres and forms of literature, such as lyrics, tragedy, comedy, and ancient theater.
The myth of Pygmalion
Aphrodite favors those who faithfully serve her. She brought happiness to Pygmalion, a great artist from the island of Cyprus. Pygmalion lived in solitude, avoided women, was not married. But one day he made a statue of a girl, inexpressibly beautiful, out of white ivory. Looking at his creation, he admired its perfection and vitality. It seemed that the girl was breathing, that she was alive. As a result, Pygmalion fell in love with his own creation. Powerless to control his passion, he even addressed the statue with words, but she was mute. Then, at a feast in honor of the golden Aphrodite, he sacrificed to her a heifer with gilded horns and prayed to the goddess of love to give him a wife as beautiful as his statue. After that, the flame of the altar flared brightly. It was a sign that the goddess heard his request. When Pygmalion returned home, he saw that the beautiful statue was alive. So the goddess of love gave Pygmalion a beautiful girl as his wife. This plot, originally rethought, underlies the famous play by Bernard Shaw "Pygmalion".
The myth of Adonis
The goddess of love Aphrodite fell in love with the son of the king of Cyprus - the beautiful young man Adonis, who surpasses the beauty of all mortals. Forgetting everything in the world, Aphrodite spent time with Adonis in Cyprus, hunting with him in the mountains and forests of the island. She tried not to part with him, but leaving him for a while, she asked him to be careful, to avoid formidable animals, such as lions and wild boars. Once, when Aphrodite was not around, the dogs attacked the trail of a huge boar and rushed after him in pursuit. Adonis was about to strike the beast with his spear when the boar rushed at him and inflicted a mortal wound on him.
Having learned about the death of Adonis and grieving it, Aphrodite went barefoot along the mountain slopes and gorges in search of him, her tender feet left bloody footprints on the stones. Finally, she found the murdered Adonis and began to lament bitterly over him. Wishing to keep the memory of him forever, the goddess ordered a beautiful anemone flower to grow from the blood of the young man. And where drops of blood fell from the wounded legs of the goddess, scarlet roses appeared. They were luxurious, and their color is as bright as the blood of the goddess. Then Zeus took pity on the grief of Aphrodite. He ordered his brother Hades, the god of the underworld of the dead, to release Adonis to earth from the kingdom of shadows every six months. After spending half a year in the kingdom of Hades, Adonis at the same time returns to earth to meet the bright rays of the sun and the arms of the golden Aphrodite. All nature rejoices, rejoicing in their love.
The myth of the Trojan War
Zeus and the god of the sea Poseidon argued about the love of Thetis. The goddess of justice Themis, intervening in the dispute, predicted that Thetis would have a son who would surpass the strength of his own father. To save themselves from possible danger, the gods decided to marry Thetis to a mere mortal Peleus. At the wedding of Thetis and Peleus, which took place in the cave of the centaur Chiron, all the Olympic gods gathered and generously presented the newlyweds with gifts. At the same time, the goddess of discord Eris was not invited to the feast. Stung by such neglect, she decided to punish the gods in a very sophisticated way. She threw a golden apple on the banquet table with the inscription: "To the most beautiful." Since then, it has become known as the "apple of discord." Three goddesses began to argue about who it should belong to: Hera, Athena and Aphrodite, who were by no means devoid of female vanity. Even Zeus refused to comment on this. He sent Hermes to the vicinity of Troy, where among the shepherds was the handsome Paris, the son of the Trojan king Priam. According to the prophecy, Paris, the son of Priam and Hecuba, was destined to become the culprit in the death of Troy. To avoid this fate, Priam ordered Paris to be carried to the thicket and left there. But the son of Priam did not die, he was raised by a bear. When Hermes turned to Paris with a proposal to resolve this dispute, he was embarrassed. Each of the goddesses urged the young man to award the apple to her. At the same time, they promised him enviable gifts: Hera - promised power over all of Asia; Athena - military glory and victory; Aphrodite - in wife the most beautiful of mortal women. After a brief hesitation, Paris gave the apple to Aphrodite. Since then he became the favorite of Aphrodite, and Hera and Athena, as we shall see, came to hate Troy and the Trojans.
This beautiful woman was Helen, the wife of the Spartan king Menelaus. Soon Paris came to visit him. Menelaus welcomed him cordially, arranged a feast in his honor. Seeing Helen, Paris fell in love with her. But even she was struck by a beautiful stranger, dressed in luxurious oriental clothes. Leaving for Crete, Menelaus asked her to take care of the guest. But Paris repaid him with black ingratitude. Taking advantage of her husband's absence, he took Elena away and at the same time seized his treasures.
Menelaus regarded this not only as a personal insult, but also as a blow to all of Greece. After all, Elena was her national treasure. He gathers the leaders of the Greek tribes and goes on a campaign against Ilion (the ancient name of Troy, from where the title of the poem comes from). The commander-in-chief of the army is the brother of Menelaus Agamemnon, king of Argos, belonging to the Atrid family, over whom, as we will see later, a curse weighs. In the ranks of the Achaean (Greek) warriors are Odysseus, the king of the island of Ithaca, the courageous warrior Diomedes, the brave Ajax, the owner of magic arrows Philoctetes.
The most courageous was the young Achilles, the king of the Myrmidon tribe. At birth, a long and happy life was determined for him if he did not take part in the war, and a short, brilliant one if he began to fight. Hoping to outwit fate, Thetis ransomed Achilles in the waters of the underground river Styx, making his body invulnerable. Only his heel was unprotected, for which she held the baby (hence the expression "Achilles' heel"). Mother tried to hide Achilles, not to give him the opportunity to take part in the campaign. She hid him by dressing him in women's clothes, but Achilles gave himself away. He became part of the Greek army, numbering, according to legend, more than a hundred thousand people and more than a thousand ships. The army sailed from the harbor of Avdida and landed near Troy. The demand for the extradition of Helen in exchange for lifting the siege was rejected. The war dragged on. The most important events took place in the last, tenth year.
The myth of Orpheus and Eurydice
Orpheus, the great singer, the son of the river god Eagra and the muse of chants Calliope, lived in Thrace. His wife was the tender and beautiful nymph Eurydice. The beautiful singing of Orpheus, his playing the cithara not only fascinated people, but enchanted plants and animals. Orpheus and Eurydice were happy until a terrible disaster struck them. Once, when Eurydice and her nymph friends were picking flowers in a green valley, they were ambushed by a snake hiding in thick grass and stung Orpheus's wife in the leg. The poison quickly spread and ended her life. Hearing the mournful cry of Eurydice's friends, Orpheus hurried to the valley and, seeing the cold body of Eurydice, his dearly beloved wife, fell into despair and groaned bitterly. Nature sympathized deeply with him in his grief. Then Orpheus decided to go to the realm of the dead to see Eurydice there. To do this, he descends to the sacred river Styx, where the souls of the dead have accumulated, whom the carrier Charon sends on a boat to the possessions of Hades. At first, Charon refused Orpheus's request to smuggle him. But then Orpheus played on his golden cithara and charmed the gloomy Charon with wonderful music. And he transported him to the throne of the god of death Hades. In the midst of the cold and silence of the underworld, the passionate song of Orpheus sounded about his grief, about the torment of a broken love for Eurydice. Everyone who was nearby was amazed at the beauty of the music and the strength of his feelings: both Hades and his wife Persephone, and Tantalus, who forgot about the hunger that tormented him, and Sisyphus, who stopped his hard and fruitless work. Then Orpheus stated his request to Hades to return his wife Eurydice to earth. Hades agreed to fulfill it, but at the same time he stated his condition: Orpheus must follow the god Hermes, and Eurydice will follow him. During the journey through the underworld, Orpheus should not look back: otherwise, Eurydice will leave him forever. When the shadow of Eurydice appeared, Orpheus wished to hug her, but Hermes told him not to do this, since there was only a shadow in front of him, and a long and difficult path lay ahead.
Quickly passing the kingdom of Hades, the travelers reached the River Styx, where Charon ferried them on his boat to a path leading steeply up to the surface of the earth. The path was cluttered with stones, darkness reigned around, and the figure of Hermes loomed ahead and the light barely dawned, which indicated the proximity of the exit. At that moment, Orpheus was seized with deep anxiety for Eurydice: whether she was keeping up with him, whether she was behind, whether she was lost in the dusk. Listening closely, he could not make out any sound behind him, which heightened the unsettling feeling. Finally, unable to stand it and violating the ban, he turned around: almost next to him he saw the shadow of Eurydice, stretched out his hands to her, but at the same instant the shadow melted into the darkness. So he had to re-experience the death of Eurydice. And this time it was my own fault.
Terrified, Orpheus decides to return to the shores of the Styx, re-enter the kingdom of Hades and pray to God to return his beloved wife. But this time, the prayers of Orpheus no longer touched the old Charon. Orpheus spent seven days on the banks of the Styx, but did not soften the harsh heart of Charon, and on the eighth he returned to his place in Thrace.
Four years have passed since the death of Eurydice, but Orpheus remained faithful to her, not wanting to marry any of the women. Once, in early spring, he sat down on a high hill, picked up a golden cithara and sang. All nature listened to the great singer. At this time, Bacchantes, possessed by rage, appeared, celebrating the holiday of the god of wine and fun, Bacchus. Noticing Orpheus, they rushed at him shouting: "Here he is, a hater of women." In a frenzy, the Bacchantes surround the singer and shower him with stones. Having killed Orpheus, they tear his body apart, tear off the head of the singer and, together with his cithara, throw him into the fast waters of the Hebra River. Carried away by the current, the cithara strings continue to sound, mourning the singer, and the shore answers them. All nature mourns Orpheus. The head of the singer and his cithara are carried by the waves into the sea, where they swim to the island of Lesbos. Since then, marvelous songs have been heard on the island. The soul of Orpheus descends into the realm of shadows, where the great singer meets his own, Eurydice. Since then, their shadows have been inseparable. Together they wander through the gloomy fields of the realm of the dead.
Images of poetic myth are exceptionally popular in world art. Based on his motives, the paintings of the great painters Tintoretto, Rubens, Brueghel were painted; the operas "Orpheus" were created by Verdi and Gluck, the ballet "Orpheus" - by I. Stravinsky; Jacques Offenbach wrote the operetta Orpheus in Hell. The original interpretation of the myth was given by the American playwright Tennessee Williams in the drama Orpheus Descends. For many years in Poland, Sopot hosted the international festival of singers "Golden Orpheus".
Myths and religion of ancient Greece briefly
Read also other articles in the section:
-
Nature and population of ancient Greece
Myths of Ancient Greece briefly
In their legends - myths - the Greeks tried to explain the origin of everything that surrounded a person: natural phenomena, relationships between people. In myths, fiction is closely intertwined with reality. Myths are the creativity of the people of that era when there was no written language and fiction. By studying myths, we penetrate into the remotest times of human history, get acquainted with the ideas and beliefs of ancient people.
Myths formed the basis of the works of Greek poets, artists, sculptors. They captivate with their poetry, spontaneity, rich imagination and are the property of all mankind.
Many Greek myths tell about the exploits of heroes who were distinguished by extraordinary strength, courage, and courage.
One of the most beloved heroes of the people was Hercules. The Greeks told about twelve feats he performed. Hercules fought predators that attacked people, fought giants, performed the hardest work, traveled to unknown lands. Hercules was distinguished not only by his enormous strength, courage, but also by his intelligence, which allowed him to defeat stronger opponents.
Already at that time there were people who understood that man owes victories over nature not to the gods, but to himself. So the myth of the titan Prometheus appeared. In this myth, the main Greek god Zeus 
portrayed as a cruel and powerful king, seeking to maintain his dominance and therefore interested in people always being in darkness and ignorance.
Prometheus is the liberator and friend of humanity. He stole fire from the gods and brought it to the people. Prometheus taught people crafts and agriculture. People have become less dependent on nature. The cruel god punished Prometheus, ordering him to be chained to a rock in the Caucasus. Every day, the eagle flew to Prometheus and pecked out his liver, and at night it grew again. Despite the torment, the courageous Prometheus did not humble himself before God.
In the myth of Prometheus, the Greeks glorified the desire of mankind for freedom and knowledge, the resilience and courage of heroes who suffer and fight for the people.
Religion of Ancient Greece briefly
The Greeks explained many incomprehensible phenomena by the intervention of the gods. They imagined them to be similar to people, but strong and immortal, living on the top of the high Mount Olympus (in Northern Greece). From there, the gods, as the Greeks thought, rule the world.
Zeus was considered the "Lord of Gods and Men". In the mountains, lightning often killed shepherds and cattle. Not understanding the causes of lightning, the Greeks attributed it to the anger of Zeus, who struck with his fiery arrows. Zeus was called the Thunderer and the Cloudbreaker.
The terrible sea, in front of which sailors were often powerless, the Greeks gave into the power of Zeus's brother - Poseidon. Another brother of Zeus, Aid, was granted the kingdom of the dead. Entrance
this gloomy kingdom was guarded by the terrible three-headed dog Kerber
Zeus' favorite daughter was Athena. She entered into a rivalry with Poseidon for the possession of Attica. The victory should have belonged to the one who would give the people the most valuable gift. Athena gave the inhabitants of Attica an olive tree and won.
The lame-footed Hephaestus was considered the god of fire and blacksmithing, Apollo was the god of the sun, light, poetry and music.
In addition to these main Olympic gods, each region of Greece had its own. Every stream, every natural phenomenon was deified by the Greeks. The winds that bring heat and cold were also considered divine.
The Greek religion, like other religions, inspired a person that he depends on the gods in everything, whose mercy can be achieved with the help of rich gifts and sacrifices. In temples, at the altars, cattle were slaughtered; believers brought bread, wine, vegetables, fruits here. The priests spread rumors about supposedly miraculous healings of the sick by the will of the gods, and people donated to the temple images of sick parts of the body cast from precious metals. 
In some Greek temples, the priests allegedly learned the will of the gods and predicted the future according to various signs. The places where predictions were given, and the soothsayers themselves, were called oracles. Particularly famous was the oracle of Apollo in Celphi (Central Greece). Here in the cave there was a fissure from which poisonous gases came out. The priestess, blindfolded, sat down by the crevice. From the action of gases, her consciousness was clouded. She shouted out incoherent words, and the priests passed them off as the divinations of Apollo and interpreted them according to their own interests. Delphic priests received rich gifts for predictions. They profited from the superstitions of the people.
Religion is a distorted reflection of reality. Religion reflects life
of people. When the Greeks began to process metal, they formed the myth of the blacksmith god Hephaestus. The Greeks imagined the relationship between the gods on Olympus to be the same as the relationship between people. Zeus arbitrarily ruled the gods. When one day the wife of Zeus Gera was guilty, he ordered her to be hung by her hands to the sky and heavy anvils tied to her feet. This myth reflected the powerless position of a woman who is completely dependent on the head of the family. Believers endowed Zeus with the traits of a cruel, domineering, unfair basileus.
The image of the blacksmith god Hephaestus symbolizes the transition of the Greeks to metal processing, but the myths attributed to God such wonderful products that blacksmiths could not create: invisible nets, self-propelled carts, etc.
The myths of the ancient Greeks, their religion convey reality distortedly.
Poems "Iliad" and "Odyssey"
The Greeks preserved legends about the war between Mycenae and Troy. These legends formed the basis of the great poems "Iliad" and "Odyssey". Their author is called the ancient poet Homer. Nobody knows where and when he was born. The verses from Homer's poems were first passed down by word of mouth and then were written down. They depict the life of Greece in the 11th-9th centuries. BC e. This time is called Homeric.
The Iliad is a story about the tenth year of the Greek war with Troy or Ilion, as the Greeks otherwise called it.
The Mycenaean king Agamemnon was the supreme leader of the Greek army. Mighty and glorious heroes participated in the war on both sides: Achilles among the Greeks, Hector among the Trojans.
In the early years of the war, the Greeks were victorious. But one day Agamemnon quarreled with Achilles. The Greek hero refused to fight, and the Trojans began to push the Greeks. A friend of Achilles, Patrbkl, knowing that the enemies are afraid of one kind of Achilles, put on Achilles armor and led the Greeks behind him. The Trojans, mistaking Patroclus for his friend, fled. But at the gates of Troy, Hector spoke out against Patroclus. He killed Patroclus and took the armor of Achilles.
Upon learning of the death of a friend, the Greek hero decided to take revenge on the Trojans. In new armor, forged for him by the god of blacksmithing, on a war chariot, he rushed into battle. The Trojans hid behind the walls of the city. Only one Hector did not retreat. He fought desperately with Achilles, but fell in battle.
The Greek hero tied the body of the vanquished to the chariot and
dragged the Greeks to the camp.
Other myths tell of the death of Achilles and the end of the Trojan War. Achilles was killed by Hector's brother. He hit with an arrow in the only weak spot of the hero - the heel. This is where the expression "Achilles' heel" came from, that is, a vulnerable spot.
The Greeks took Troy by cunning. One of the Greek leaders, Odysseus, proposed to build a huge wooden horse and put warriors in it. The Trojans, taking the amazing horse for a gift from the gods, dragged him into the city. At night, getting out of the horse, the Greeks killed the guards and opened the gates of Troy.
After the fall of Troy, Odysseus went to the shores of his native island of Ithaca. "Odyssey" is a story about the wanderings of Odysseus, about his return to his beloved homeland.
The poems "Iliad" and "Odyssey" are a wonderful monument of fiction; people loved and preserved these poems. Courage, courage, ingenuity in the fight against difficulties are sung in them.
In sonorous verses, Homer glorified friendship, comradeship, and love for the motherland. Based on the poems of Homer, we get acquainted with the life of the Greeks of the Homeric era. The Iliad and the Odyssey are the most valuable source of historical knowledge about ancient Greece. They reflected the social structure of the Greeks over a number of centuries.
