Mythology1 Argumentative Essay Example

personalities to the forces of nature and worshiping them. Unlike other mythologies, there was no worship of animals or gods in animal form. Greek gods and goddesses were depicted as resembling men and women, but with more heroic stature, outstanding beauty and proportion, and greater power than humans. However, they also possessed human weaknesses; they could be jealous, envious, spiteful, and petty. Among them, only Zeus was known as the Just.

The Mycenaean civilization, which thrived from 1450 to 1200 B.C., left behind clay tablets that provide the earliest evidence of Greek mythology. This civilization encompassed various city-states in Greece, including Mycenae. Hesiod's "Theogony" and Homer's "Iliad" and "Odyssey," written around the 700s B.C., are key sources for classical Greek mythology. Both Hesiod and Homer are esteemed as great poets of ancient Greece who introduced a wide range of characters and Greek gods, organized into different groups.

The first group is led by Cronus, known as the Titans. According to Greek belief, they were born from Earth (Gaea) and heaven (Uranus). The twelve Titans include Oceanus, Coeus, Crius, Hyperion, Iapetus, Cronus (brothers), Thea, Rhea, Themis, Mnemosyne Phoebe,and Tethys (sisters). Influenced by their mother Gaea's prompting they rebelled against their father Uranus and were banished to Tartarus—the underworld realm.

The most powerful group in Greek mythology is the Olympians. They resided on Mount Olympus where they lived harmoniously in a community filled with light and joy while occasionally meddling in human affairs.Under the leadership of Cronus, they overthrew Uranus, making Zeus their king. Zeus was the youngest son of Rhea and Cronus and the sibling of Poseidon, Hades, Hestia, Demeter, and Hera. According to mythology, there was fear that

Zeus's father Cronos would be overthrown by one of his children when Zeus was born. To address this concern, Cronos swallowed his children at birth. However, when Zeus was born, his mother Rhea cleverly disguised a stone to look like her baby and hid Zeus in Crete. As he grew older, Zeus compelled Cronus to vomit up his siblings. Now grown up, the other children were eager to seek revenge against their father. In the ensuing battle, the Titans fought alongside Cronus but ultimately Zeus and the other gods emerged victorious. The defeated Titans were then captured and imprisoned in Tartarus - an underworld realm. As ruler of the sky, Zeus ascended while his brothers Poseidon and Hades took control over the sea and underworld respectively. Together unitedly as three brothers govern over earth.

According to Homer, Zeus was the father of both gods and mortals. He served as the protector and ruler of both the Olympian family and humanity. Known as the lord of the sky, Zeus was considered to be the rain god and cloud gatherer who wielded the thunderbolt. His breastplate was represented by his aegis, while his associated symbols were the eagle and oak tree. Shrines dedicated to Zeus could be found in Dodona, known for its ancient oracle located in an area abundant with oak trees, and in Olympia where the Olympian Games were held every four years to honor him. Additionally, Nemean games near Argos were also dedicated to Zeus.
Homer's writings depict Zeus in two contrasting ways; one portraying him as a god of justice and mercy who defends the weak while punishing wrongdoers and rewarding those who do good

deeds. Hera, a goddess herself became Zeus's wife and queen of all gods. They had two children together- Ares and Hephaestus.
Zeus also engaged in numerous love affairs with both goddesses and mortal women which resulted in children such as Apollo, Dionysus, Hermes, Heracles (Hercules), Perseus, Athena (who sprang fully-grown from his head), along with nine Muses.Some myths indicate that Zeus alongside goddess Themis are parents to Fates - three goddesses responsible for controlling human destinies.
In Greek mythology Poseidon is known as god of sea,horses earthquakes,and storms at sea.He is son of Cronus Rhea ,and younger brother than zeus.His wife was Amphitrite,a sea goddessPoseidon, the god of the sea, had several children known for their wildness and cruelty. Among them were Orion, a giant, and Polyphemus, a Cyclops. Poseidon and the Gorgon Medusa were the parents of Pegasus, the famous winged horse. In his attempt to gain control over Athens, Poseidon engaged in a battle with Athena but was ultimately unsuccessful. Seeking revenge against Troy, he unleashed a sea monster to ravage their land. During the Trojan War, Poseidon sided with the Greeks. In works of art portraying him, Poseidon is depicted as a bearded figure holding a trident while riding a chariot pulled by horses. He is often accompanied by dolphins.

Hades was another deity in Greek mythology who held dominion over the dead and ruled over the underworld kingdom known as Hades. He was born to Cronus and Rhea and was also an older brother to Zeus and Poseidon. Hades infamously abducted Persephone to rule alongside him in his realm below ground after taking her from the world above. Despite being regarded as grim

and pitiless, Hades was not considered evil; however, he remained unyielding even when faced with prayers or sacrifices.
He earned recognition as both lord of riches due to crops and precious metals believed to originate from his underground domain.
The underworld itself bore his name - Hades - which encompassed Erebus where souls passed immediately upon death along with Tartarus—its deeper region where Titans had been imprisoned.
Tartarus served as a gloomy place inhabited by vague figures and shadows guarded by Cerberus—a three-headed dog with a dragon's tailSinister rivers separate the underworld from the world above, and Charon, the aged boatman, ferries the souls of the dead across these waters. Hades' palace is located somewhere in the darkness of the underworld. It is portrayed as a many-gated, dark and gloomy place, filled with guests, and situated amidst shadowy fields and a landscape haunted by apparitions. In later legends of the underworld, it is described as where rewards await the good and punishments are inflicted upon the wicked.

In Greek mythology, Hera is queen of the gods. She is daughter to Titans Cronus and Rhea and sister/wife to Zeus. Hera holds dominion over marriage and serves as protector for married women. Ares (god of war), Hephaestus (god of fire), Hebe (goddess of youth), and Eileithyia (goddess of childbirth) are her children. Known for her vindictive nature as a jealous wife, she often persecutes Zeus's mistresses and offspring.

Hera aids the Greeks in their war against Troy out of anger towards Trojan Prince Paris who chose Aphrodite over her own self until Troy's destruction comes about.Zeus transforms his mistress Io into a cow to shield her from Hera's wrath but she eventually

discovers Io's true identity appointing Argus, a monster with 100 eyes,to watch over her.Hermes follows Zeus's orders by beheading Argus.In tribute to Argus,Hera places his eyes on her favorite bird,the peacock.Moreover,Hera torments Io through sending a gadfly that stings her.Greek artists present Hera as beautiful,dignified,and matronly.Apollo, the son of Zeus and Leto, is a major god in Greek mythology. Alongside his twin sister Artemis, Apollo is known as the god of light, purity, and the sun. He excelled at playing the lyre and writing poetry, which made him a patron of musicians and poets. Additionally, Apollo possessed healing powers and was revered for them.

One famous tale about Apollo is his slaying of Python, a dragon at Delphi. This event established Delphi as a significant center for worship dedicated to Apollo. As the god of prophecy, he used his oracle at Delphi to reveal future events.

The Greeks held Apollo in high regard as an ideal young man who embodied qualities such as handsomeness, honesty, intelligence, and strength. However, he also displayed cruel tendencies when he killed Niobe's children—a queen from Thebes—who had spoken pridefully about surpassing Leto. Furthermore, Apollo accidentally caused the death of a young boy with a discus.

Despite these incidents, Apollo remained dearly beloved by many.

Athena is another prominent figure in Greek mythology; she is considered the goddess of warfare and wisdom. According to legend, Athena emerged fully grown and dressed in armor from Zeus' forehead upon her birth. She represented warfare's intellectual aspect but was also worshipped as the patroness of arts and crafts.

One myth tells how Athena punished a mortal woman who challenged her to a weaving contest by transforming her into

a spider—this served as punishment for daring to compete against Athena's skills in spinning and weaving.

Unlike other gods/goddesses associated with marriage or love affairs,Athena never married.Athens' Acropolis features one particularly famous temple dedicated to Athena—the ParthenonThe people of Attica in ancient Greece were faced with a decision on what to name their primary city. They had the options of naming it after either Poseidon or Athena, depending on which god bestowed upon them the most beneficial gift. Poseidon was said to have created the horse in one myth and a spring in another, while Athena was credited with creating the olive tree. Ultimately, it was decided that Athena's gift held greater value, thus leading to the city being named Athens with Athena as its patron goddess. Artists from antiquity often depicted Athena wearing a helmet and holding the magical shield called aegis. The owl served as an important symbol representing Athena.

Hercules, the renowned hero in Greek mythology, was born to Zeus and Alcmene, a princess. However, Hera, Zeus's wife, held deep resentment towards Alcmene and Hercules. At one point during his marriage to Megara, a princess from Thebes, Hera drove him to madness. This resulted in Hercules accidentally burning down his own home and causing the death of his wife and children. Eventually regaining his sanity, Hercules sought guidance from the Oracle at Delphi. According to the prophecy given by the Oracle, Hercules had to serve Eurystheus for twelve years – his cousin who also happened to be the King of Argos. Eurystheus assigned twelve difficult tasks for Hercules to complete: slaying the Nemean Lion as his first task followed by facing numerous venomous heads

of Hydra serpent for his second task.
The third labor of Hercules involved capturing a wild boar in the Arcadian mountains, while the fourth labor required him to capture a stag in the same location. These tasks were successfully completed by Hercules and presented before Eurystheus. After this accomplishment, Hercules was tasked with driving away destructive birds for his fifth labor, and then cleaning King Augeas' stables within one day for his sixth challenge. The seventh labor involved capturing the savage bull of Minos, King of Crete. The eighth task entailed capturing the man-eating mares belonging to King Diomedes in Thrace. For his ninth labor, Hercules needed to obtain the girdle owned by Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons.

To complete his tenth labor, Hercules traveled westward beyond the Pillars of Hercules to obtain the cattle of Geryon, a monstrous creature. In his second-to-last task, he had to bring back the Apples of Hesperides to Eurystheus. For his twelfth and final labor, Hercules was required to deliver Cerberus, the watchdog of the Underworld, to Eurystheus. These last three labors symbolized Death and served as a means for achieving immortality.

After Hercules' death, his friends laid him on a funeral pyre and cremated him. He then ascended to Olympus and became a god. Greek Mythology is filled with numerous gods, goddesses, legends,and heroes that cannot all be detailed here; however we continue to remember these stories today and pass them on to others.We have all enjoyed many Greek myths inthe pastand will continue doing so inthefuture

Bibliography:
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