MYTH-501 Lessons

Mythology Y5 L1

Intro to Antiquity and Greco-Roman Mythology

The door to the Mythology classroom opens once again after a long break. The students file in excitedly, but seem a bit puzzled as they see who is standing at the front of the classroom. Professor Morgan beckons them in with a smile, raises her wand for silence, and clears her throat.

Welcome back to Mythology, my dears! Yes, there has been a bit of a change from what I told you would happen last year. I am afraid that Professor Stevens has left Hogwarts over the break as she was asked to consult on some very prestigious ongoing projects with the Ministry.

Before we begin our studies on Mythology in Europe, let’s have a quick overview of this year’s class, plus expectations for assignments, OWLs and that sort of thing.

Year Five Outline

Unless something dramatic changes over the course of the year - and I doubt it will - our studies will follow this general outline:

Lesson 1: Intro to Antiquity (Graeco-Roman period), The Great Myth Makers, Greco-Roman  Pantheon, and Zeus’ Infidelities

Lesson 2: Greco-Roman Heroes and Voyagers

Lesson 3: Greco-Roman Beasts and Monsters

Lesson 4: Greco-Roman Forces of Nature, Giants, Influence on Magic

Lesson 5: Norse Pantheon, Valkyrie, and Heroes MIDTERMS

Lesson 6: Norse Treasures, Talismans, Magic, and the End of All Things (Ragnarok)

Lesson 7: Celtic Pantheon, Otherworlds, Seers, and Enchantments

Lesson 8: Celtic Heroes and Lovers

Lesson 9: European Mythology - Summary and comparison. FINALS

Grading, Expectations, and OWLS

The grading rules and rubrics have not changed from last year. Here is a reminder on how this class works in terms of assignments:

There will be a mix of essays, quizzes, and extra-credit assignments for this class, but do expect to write at least one short essay every week or two. There will be mandatory essays for both the midterm and final. I will clearly state the grading rubric in the prompt for each assignment.

Appeals: Appeals will only be considered for grades below 85. Please note that, as with other courses, an appeal may result in a higher, equivalent, or lower grade, and the decision made by myself on any appeal will be final.

Extra Credit: EC will not be given out for every assignment. If an assignment is eligible for extra credit, I will make a note of it in the assignment prompt.

Plagiarism: By this point in your studies at Hogwarts, you should have realized that plagiarism of any sort will not be tolerated. Any plagiarism will receive an automatic 1% and no amount of pleading will allow you to retake the assignment.

Assignment Questions: If you are having difficulty understanding an assignment, please Owl a PA or myself for clarification before submitting your assignment.

Non-English Language Speakers and Students with a Learning Disability or Challenge: Any students facing challenges such as these should Owl me directly. Additionally, you will need to put NES or LD at the beginning of all of your essays so that they can be graded accordingly. Students in this category will receive a greater allowance for word count and will not be graded on their spelling or grammar.

Standard Grading Rubric

This rubric will be used to mark all of the essays submitted for this class, unless otherwise noted in the assignment prompt.

5% - Identifying Marks

(please do NOT include your name, house, or other identifying features on any assignment)

10% - Spelling and Grammar

15% - Word Requirement

(You have a 10% leeway in terms of word count both for going below the minimum and for going above the maximum. NES and LD students receive a 15% leeway)

70% - Content (Marks are assignment specific and will be outlined in each assignment prompt)

One thing to note, dear students, is that I am more than happy to speak with you regarding an assignment if you are finding that you don’t understand the question, or need clarification on something. Please feel free to send me an Owl or an email at liria.morgan@gmail.com if you have a question. I am here to help you learn!

OWLS

Good news on this front - there are no OWLS for Mythology. That said, you will need to maintain an Exceeds Expectations in this class to pursue upper level classes such as Curse Breaking.

Now enough with the administrative tasks, let’s jump right into our studies!

Introduction to Antiquity, and the Great Myth Makers

In year four of Ancient Studies we discussed the Roman annexation of Greece and several other civilizations. I am not going to bore you by repeating all of the information in this lecture, but if you are wondering why we are studying the Greco-Roman myths together instead of separately, I highly suggest you reread your notes from last year. If you haven’t been taking Ancient Studies, suffice to say that the Romans freely adopted and adapted much of Greek mythology, and separating the two is not necessary for the depth of study that we will be undertaking this year.

An entire course could be taught on Greco-Roman mythology, and a multi-year course at that. The Greeks are often referred to as the “great myth makers” of Europe. Their myths are so numerous, varied, and detailed that they far outstrip those of their European contemporaries. In fact, it was the famous Greek philosopher, Plato, who coined the term “mythologia” - today’s English mythology. Alas, we have but four weeks devoted to Greco-Roman mythology, and we will barely be able to do it justice. That said, we will certainly give it our all! Let’s begin by examining the Greco-Roman Pantheon, which is the foundation for the mythologies we will be studying.

Greco-Roman Pantheon

Greco-Roman Pantheon  

Greek and Roman name equivalents

To ensure we are all on the same page, and to lessen future confusion, please have a look at the images above if you are able. . The first chart shows the extent of Greco-Roman Pantheon and the second provides both the Greek and Roman names for the gods. For the sake of clarity and consistency, I will be using the Greek names for this course, however it would be wise to know the Roman counterparts if you are ever doing outside research.

As you can see from the charts, the Pantheon is subdivided into three sections of gods: The Primordial Gods, the Titans, and the Olympians. Many of you will be at least familiar with the Olympians; however let’s start at the top and work our way down.

The first group of gods are the Primordial Gods. Similar to the creation myths from Africa and the Middle East that we studied in Year 4, these gods are tied to the creation of the world. That said, these gods differ from those we studied last year in that they are a result of creation, not the cause of it.

The children of the Primordial Gods are the Titans. These staggeringly enormous creatures (Atlas, for example, held up the entire world on his shoulders) wreaked havoc on the Earth, and were for the most part little more than tyrannical monsters. For example, Cronos (sometimes spelled Kronos), their leader, was told that one of his offspring would overthrow him and the Titans, and so he ate all of his offspring. Only one of his children was hidden and survived - the future king of the Olympians, Zeus.

And so we have come, finally, to the group of gods whom most people think of when they hear mention of Greek and Roman gods - the Olympians. Now, we will learn more about these gods as we progress through the next few lessons of this year, however it is interesting to note that, unlike the gods and goddesses of Africa and the Middle East, the Greco-Roman gods are primarily humanoid in appearance. In fact, most of these gods remained in human form throughout the mythology, except for Zeus who changed into a variety of creatures in order to pursue women.

Zeus’s Infidelities

Indeed, while Zeus was married to Hera, his infidelities were legendary and, in turn, bred legends. He was fond of changing form - into a swan or bull, for example, although he also disguised himself as a simple mortal at times. He would then pursue and seduce the loveliest women he could find, often taking them away from their families to bear his offspring.

While we would consider this behaviour quite shameful, without it there would be a significant lack of mythology for us to study this year. The results of his indiscretions include the great heroes Perseus and Heracles. He also fathered King Minos of Crete, and the famous Helen of Troy.

Being an illegitimate child of Zeus, however, was not something to brag about, no matter your accomplishments. Hera was incensed by her husband’s infidelities and would take out her anger on these offspring with the tyrannical nature that only a god could command. The entire Trojan war can be placed at her feet as the sole instigator due to her hatred of Helen. Even so, Hera was venerated by all Greco-Roman families, for she was the goddess of family and women. It was she who was invoked in magic spells and curse tablets (which we learned about in Ancient Studies last year) in order to protect the family, and punish men who were unfaithful.

The Trojan war, the feats of Perseus and Heracles, and many other myths are awaiting us in future lessons this year, however we have covered more than enough material today. Next class we shall focus on the Heroes and Voyagers of Greco-Roman mythology, and their impact on magic use in ancient times. You will have a quiz to complete today, although please be prepared to write your first short essay next lesson. Until then, make sure to dust off your togas - we may need them yet!

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Definitions:

Mythologia: according to Plato, imaginative accounts of divine actions (as opposed to historical events). English “mythology” derived from this Greek word.
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Sources:

Cotterell, Arthur & Storm, Rachel. 1999. The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Mythology. Hermes House Anness Publishing Ltd. New York.

Grimal, Pierre. Ed. 1989. Larousse World Mythology. Gallery Books, New York.

Hamilton, Edith. 1940. Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes. Mentor Books, New York.