User talk:Crazy mx kid

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Crazy mx kid (talk) 16:29, 14 April 2008 (UTC)

• this is the first essay for my term paper. please leave comments*

Greek Mythology

Zeus, Hercules and Artemis are a few of the most well known gods of ancient Greece. Many countries have myths and legends that are an important part of its culture. Greece’s culture and history extends back for thousands of years. The gods and goddesses of Greece are a significant part of Greece’s culture. Gods, heroes and goddesses helped rule, protect and watch over the world. The ancient gods of Greece reveal how the Greeks viewed and respected life. The beginning of Greek-god mythology begins with the overthrow of the Titans (who were a group of powerful deities) and the making of a new pantheon of gods. The Olympians, one of the factions of younger gods, resided on Mount Olympus. To honor this overtaking of the Titans, many famous writers came together and composed the Homeric Hymns. Each of the thirty-one hymns honors a god or goddess. The gods and goddesses of ancient Greece each have their own personalities and a “field of expertise,” such as Aphrodite, who is the goddess of love and beauty, Ares, who is the god of war, and Hades, who is the god of the dead. Local variations of the hymns cause problems because often one story does not agree with another. The temples where people would go to worship these gods would vary in size. The bigger and more elaborate temples were for fewer gods. The gods of ancient Greece were the heart of the country at the time. Heroes were like gods, but unlike gods, they were the offspring of a god and a mortal (Wiki). Hercules is the most renowned hero of Greek mythology. His father is Zeus, but his mother is not known. Zeus’s queen was jealous of Hercules and sent two snakes to kill him when he was a baby. Hercules was found with a dead snake in each hand, which he had killed himself. Hercules grew to be extraordinarily strong and strapping. One myth tells how he killed his sons in anger. When his cousin, the king of the province, heard of this, he had Hercules perform a series of “labors” (which were a type community service). Most of these labors included killing monsters such as the Nemean lion, and the Hydra, a multi-headed monster. Hercules performed scores of labors throughout his life until he died from poisoning by the venom of the Hydra. Even after his death, people remembered how great he was. Hercules could have been a god, if not for his mother.

Artemis and Apollo (top) Goddesses were female gods and were as well respected as the male gods. Artemis is one of the most popular goddesses in Greek mythology. Artemis’ name means “hunter” or “arrow pouring” (depending on the dialect). She was a tomboy goddess who had a quick temper but was also known for helping the younger gods and goddesses.. Even though she spent most of her time hunting, she still spent time defending fellow Olympians from the giants that constantly threatened them. One of the most important things to known about Artemis was that she demanded perfection from her followers.

Gods ruled the world, heroes protected it, and goddesses watched over the weak and young. The Greeks deserve honor for the mythological past that they were able to weave.