HISTORY SUMMARY CHAPTER 2.2

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2. Greek myths and learning

Greek gods and myths

Gods:

Zeus: the king of gods. God of the heavens. --> married with Hera: goddess of marriage.        

			Hephaestus splits open Zeus’ head: the goddess Athena is born out of Zeus’ head.

Poseidon: brother of Zeus. God of the seas.

Hades: brother of Zeus. God of the underworld.

Athena: daughter of Zeus. Goddess of war and wisdom.

Aphrodite: daughter of Zeus. Goddess of love.

The stories about gods or myths were written down by poets at a later time. The poet Homer wrote two great epics: the Iliad (about the battle of Troy) and the Odyssey (about the travels of king Odysseus after the fall of Troy).

Through these written sources we know how the Greeks thought about the gods.

What did the Greeks thought?:

That the gods greatly influenced what happened around them.

But the Greeks also used their minds to try understand the world around them.

Philosophers such as Socrates (around 420 BC) and Plato around 375 BC) were searching for wisdom.

Socrates: they asked all kinds of questions, for instance what is the best way to live? In discussions he would try to find the answer.

Plato: One of Socrates students. He studied the meaning of friendship and justice and the question how society can best be governed.