Unit 3-希腊罗马神话提纲

《希腊罗马神话》课程教学大纲课程名称：希腊罗马神话课程类别：选修课适用专业：非英语专业考核方式：考查总学时、学分：68学时4学分其中实践学时：学时一、课程教学目的本课程融故事欣赏与文化解读为一体，通过系统完整的内容介绍，旨在提高学生的英语阅读能力和文学文化鉴赏水平，增进学生对西方文化精神的解读，帮助学生逐渐形成批判性思维习惯，并使之对宇宙自然世界和人类本我达到新的认知。

二、课程教学要求1. To enable the learners, through reading the myths and having fun with them, to gainexposure to some of the major Greco-Roman myths which have shaped western culture and the way western people think;2. To increase intellectual maturation and clarification of learners’ own values throughthe study of ideas and attitudes manifested in western myths and through a comparative study with those of our own nation and epoch;3. To help cultivate in learners a cultural receptivity by encouraging their criticalthinking and cultural reading;4. To help learners better understand the enigma we call life through discussing andevaluating the ways myths shape human consciousness and behavior.三、先修课程大学英语三四册四、课程教学重、难点重点介绍神话的定义和主要阅读方法，以及希腊罗马生简史，旨在帮助学生建立正确的神话观，激发学生学习的兴趣和积极性。

第三单元复习提纲第三单元复习提纲第一希腊、罗马与欧洲古典明一早期爱琴明与城邦国家机构组成职责公民大会全体男性公民投票决定国家大事，最高权力机构从公民中抽签五百人议事会处理日常事务，主要权力机构从公民中抽签陪审法庭审理重大案，最高司法机构你如何理解：“我们的制度之所以被称为民主政治，因为政权是在全体公民手中，而不是在少数人手中。

”积极方面：它具有专制统治所不具备的特点和优点，使公民得以享受更多的权利；消极方面：这一民主制度建立在奴隶制基础上，占人口多数的奴隶、妇女和外国人并没有任何政治权利。

因此，雅典民主制并不像伯利克里所标榜的那样美好，他的话仅说对了一部分。

城邦雅典斯巴达地理环境濒临爱琴海，多良港。

三面环，中间为平原。

经济活动航海、工商业发达农业较发达政治制度奴隶主民主政治少数奴隶主贵族专政社会生活化学术发达尚武，注重军事训练古希腊明的两个城邦的强盛与衰弱的经验与教训？答：①以经济建设为中心，大力发展生产力。

②要增强军事实力，注重国防建设。

③注重身体锻炼，提高全民素质，提倡全民健身。

④要发展社会政治民主，让人民真正当主人。

⑤不能搞霸权主义，争霸的结果只会导致灭亡。

⑥要搞好内部团结，处理好区域间、城市间的矛盾。

二从共和国到大帝国1、王政时代公元前8世纪～公元前6世纪从原始社会向奴隶社会过渡的时期2、共和国时期公元前09年～公元前27年罗马执政官是共和国的最高行政长官，拥有很大的权力。

3、罗马帝国（1）建立的标志公元前27年，屋大维自称“元首”，独揽大权（2）罗马帝国发展的表现2世纪，罗马成为一个地跨欧亚非三洲的大帝国。

（3）罗马帝国的分裂东罗马帝国——拜占廷帝国罗马帝国——（3世纪）西罗马帝国——西罗马帝国灭亡（476年日耳曼人）三西方化之根古希腊和古罗马化表现在哪些方面？1 哲学（古腊语原意为热爱智慧）：古希腊：柏拉图亚里士多德2 自然科学—西方近代科学的头：杠杆定律浮力定律螺旋提水器3 戏剧的故乡：古希腊时期已经出现了戏剧，剧场设计奠定了今天剧院的雏形，反映了当时社会的繁荣和人们的社会生活。

Unit 2 Beginning of the World1. The basic elements common to most creation myths.Common FeaturesChaos/ Darkness as the primal cosmos●Movement (wind, dance)●Female Mother (mostly, early) as the creator●Single-sex production/parthenogenesis 单性繁殖●Incestuous production 近亲繁殖●The universal egg as the original form/container of life●Man as the last creation and coming after NatureDifferences@ reflection of matrilineal order in the old version, the transition to patriarchal order in the later versions@ emphasis of natural elements (wind/ snake/egg hatching/Eros) in the old2. What is the scientific explanation of Chaos and beginning of the universe? For instance, can you relate the different versions to the Big Bang theory?●Substance (basic chemical elements) existent to make up life forms;●Movement engenders life;●Evolution from disorder to order, from movement to comparative stability; from formlessness toa specific shape or structure (binary, quarterly);●Gradual evolution and/or sudden change of form: change of amount/quantity to change of form(Big Bang theory and Darwin’s Evolution theory)3. What revelation do we get from the animalistic element in the myths? How do we see snakes, doves, dogs, bees, etc. in our real life?●Western and eastern snake or dragon myths: etiological explanation of our relation with Nature●The commonalities human beings share with animals●Regional or racial totem 图腾and pets (forest, mountain and seaside) deified神化4. What psychoanalytical motifs can you find in the myths? Discuss the meanings of “Chaos” and “Eros” according to Freudian theories of the unconscious and sexuality.Chaos: formless, void, indefinite, unknown and unknowable, yet very much alive with particles of life---the human unconsciousEros:●original god: Libido as the primal drive of human activity; stimulant & ultimate goal●As the god of order:---the essence of human life is love---positive love and negativegreed---relative relationship of life(Also read p.365-367 Psyche and Eros)4.In terms of structure, what makes up the order of the universe/world? What dualities or binary oppositions are firstconstructed in the creation myths?1→2→ 4disorder→/vs. orderearth→/vs. heavenfemale→/vs. malematriarchal→/vs. patriarchalunion→/vs. separationdarkness→/vs. lightcentre→/vs. edge5.In many versions, the universe began with a goddess, but in some the first being was a (He-)God.Explain this from a historical and cultural perspective, or in accordance with the development of human history.●Matriarchal to patriarchal●Survival upon natural product to survival of the fittest●Worship of life productivity to that of goods productivity●Natural and free grouping to the cultural, ordered communityQuestions for Unit 3:1.What picture of historical development do you get from the account of the Five Ages? Do you agreewith Hesiod? Why?2.What role did Prometheus play in the primal history of mankind? What cultural value does thePromethean fire have in the history of human civilization?3.How do you like the mythical account that Prometheus was unbound and restored to Olympus? Andwhy?4.What is the traditional understanding of Pandora? In what way is she the “lovely evil”?5.Pandora is often regarded as Eve, the first woman in the Bible. How does she resemble Eve? How doyou defend her from the feminist point of view?6.What does it mean that “hope”alone remains in Pandora’s jar/box? What is the significance of“hope”?7.How do you interpret the accounts of human creation by Prometheus and Deucalion and Pyrrha?What scientific proof can you find to support them?8.What similarities can you find in the different accounts of creation of man given here as well as inthe Supplementary Reading?9.From the ending paragraph of the Flood passage, what have you learnt as essential to life? And whatis the nature of life formation after the flood？10.W hat was the most outrageous sin or crime man committed that brought gods’anger andpunishment? (Refer to Supplementary Reading)。

1 The Beginning of the worldBefore earth and sea and heavens became known the face of nature was one crude, formless mass. Land and sea and air were mingled together. The universe was a uniform darkness, without sun and moon, and the earth was no more than an embryo heap. In the middle of the pervading gloom sat Chaos and his wife, the goddess of Night (Nyx), who reigned but did not rule, for the whole space was lifeless. Centuries later, with the birth of Light and Day, earth and sea and air came into existence. Still later, the union of Gaea (Earth) and Uranus (Heaven) gave birth to the Titans, the Cyclopes and the Centimani, all giants in stature and strength. Afraid that his own gigantic children might usurp his throne, Uranus drove them all back to the earth, and thus roused the resentment of the mother Gaea. At her instigation one of her sons, Kronus (Saturn), attacked and wounded Uranus with a sickle he had taken from his mother, and took over as supreme ruler of the universe. He married his own sister Rhea and entrusted the management of the sun to his brother Hyperion and the moon to his sister Phoebe. He ruled his realm peacefully until an oracle prophesied that he would one day be dethroned by one of his own children. To avert the disaster he took the excessive precaution of swallowing up all his five children one by one immediately after their birth. These were Hestia (Vesta), Demeter (Ceres), Hera (Juno), Poseidon (Neptune) and Hades (Pluto). When Rhea bore the last child, Zeus (Jupiter) by name, Kronus wanted to get rid of him in the same fashion. But the mother wrapped up a piece of stone in the infant’s swathes and handed it over to the unsuspecting father. Thus Zeus was saved, and sent to Mt Ida, where the mountain nymphs did all their power to protect him from any harm. By the time Kronus became aware of the deception it was too late, for young Zeus suddenly appeared before him and easily deposed him. With the help of a nauseous potion, Zeus forced his father to disgorge his five brothers and sisters. But Kronus and his Titans were not reconciled to their defeat. They made war on Zeus and his brothers and sisters. Acting on the advice of his mother Rhea, Zeus released the Cyclopes from under the earth and armed himself of their thunderbolts, for the Cyclopes were thunderbolt-makers. The rebellious Titans were soon reduced to submission and cast down into Tartarus. Zeus became the undisputed ruler on Olympus. He made his sister Hera his queen, and distributed power among his brothers and sisters and his sons and daughters. Among others, Poseidon ruled over the vast expanse of seas and oceans, and Pluto was created lord of the lower world. Thus, for untold centuries, the Olympians reigned supreme in the universe, lording it over man and beast alike, until they were dethroned and superseded by a new, monotheistic faith.2 The Olympian GodsBetween Macedon and Thessaly of northern Greece there stood a lofty mountain range whose cloudy summit rushed into the very heavens. On the culminating point of the range, Mt Olympus, was bathed in bliss and brightness the home of the gods,where Zeus ruled as the father of gods and men. Zeus was not an autocrat by any standards. All the gods submitted to his final word, it was true, but Zeus made them all sit on a committee, a council of twelve members, embracing six gods and six goddesses. First in the Olympian crowd sat Zeus himself, the overlord of gods and men and the wielder of the thunderbolt. Next to him was Hera, his proud and jealous queen. Poseidon, as has been told earlier, was ruler of the sea, and Hades, king of the lower world, had no seat in the council chamber. Apollo was the god of the sun, music, poetry and prophecy, while his twin sister Artemis (Diana) was the goddess of the moon and the chase. Athena (Minerva), the goddess of wisdom and patroness of domestic arts, personified pure intellect; Hestia, the goddess of the hearth, represented home life and family happiness. The blustering Ares (Mars) was the god of war, and the charming Aphrodite (Venus) the goddess of love and beauty. The lame god of fire, Hephaestus (Vulcan), was the forger of the thunder-bolts of Zeus and the fashioner of arms and all sorts of metal work for the gods and heroes. The wing-footed messenger Hermes (Mercury) was the god of invention and commerce and patron of thieves. And the goddess of grains and harvests, Demeter, supervised agriculture and stood for mother of civilization.All the major gods mentioned above assumed human forms of peerless beauty and grace. Often moved by human feelings and desires, they frequently gave way to fits of anger and jealousy and became involved in the ceaseless brawls of the world of man. Among themselves at Olympus they intrigued and scrambled for supremacy; down in the world of mortals they experienced rivalries and frustrations, and enjoyed earthly friendships and loves. A crowed of immortal celestials who looked and behaved in a perfectly human fashion-- that is what the pantheon at Olympus actually was.3 PrometheusPrometheus (forethought) was a Titan. In the war between Zeus and the giants he had stood on the side of the new Olympian gods. Out of clay he fashioned the first man, to whom. Athena gave soul and holy breath. Prometheus bestowed on his creation the gift of fire, which raised man above all animals. Later, at a joint meeting of gods and men held to decide what part of burnt offerings should be allotted to the gods and what to men, Prometheus cut up an ox and divided it into two portions: under the skin he placed the flesh, and under the fat he put the bones, for he new the greedy Zeus loved fat, Zeus saw through the trick and felt displeased at the Titan’s favor towards men. So in a masterful fashion he deprived mankind of the gift of fire. However, Prometheus managed to steal fire from heaven and secretly brought it down to men. Flying into a rage at this wanton act of defiance, Zeus had him chained to a rock on Mount Caucasus, where a ravenous vulture ever tore at his liver which ever grew again. His period of ordeal was to be thirty thousand years. Prometheus faced his bitter fate firmly and never quailed before all the fiery majesty of Zeus. The two were at last reconciled by Heracles (Hercules), who, coming over in quest of the golden apples (see p.164), slew the eagle and set the benefactor of mankind free.4 PandoraAfter the theft of fire Zeus became increasingly hostile to men. One day he commanded his son Hephaestus to mold an image of a beautiful maiden out of clay and asked the gods and goddesses to endow her with different kinds of gifts. Among others, Athena clothed her in a gorgeous robe and Hermes gave her the power of telling lies. A charming young lady, she was the first woman that ever lived. Zeus called her Pandora, for she had received from each of the gods and goddesses a gift which was harmful to men.Zeus decided to send her down to men as a present. So Hermes the messenger brought her to Epimetheus (afterthought), brother of Prometheus. The greatness of her beauty enslaved the hearts of all who looked upon her, and Epimetheus joyfully received her into his house. He had quiet forgotten Prometheus’warning never to accept anything from Zeus. The pair lived a happy life for some time. Then misfortune befell the human world.When he was preoccupied with teaching men the art of living, Prometheus had left a big cask in the care of Epimetheus. He had warned his brother not to open the lid. Pandora was a curious woman, and had been feeling bitterly frustrated that her husband had repeatedly forbidden het to take a look at the contents of the cask. One day, when Epimetheus was out, she lifted the lid and out from it came strife and war, plague and all the sickness, theft and violence, grief and sorrow, and all the other evils that the human world was henceforward to experience. Only hope stayed within the mouth of the jar and never flew out. So men always have hope within their bosoms.5 The Four AgesThere had been four ages since the human world first came into existence, the Golden Age, the Silver Age, the Age of Bronze and the Age of Iron.The Golden Age was the best of all. It was an age when Kronus sat on the throne. Bounteous nature satisfied all the wants of men. There were no extremes of cold and heat. And the evils of the human world were still kept in the cask which Epimetheus guarded and Pandora was not yet made to open. Men lived a blissful life, for ever young, always feasting and revelling, and knowing neither toil nor sorrow. When death came it came like a peaceful sleep, and they became good spirits watching over mortal men.The Silver Age was one in which the human race was somewhat inferior in body and mind. The period of helpless infancy lasted a hundred years, and the time of manhood, short and troubled, men spent in ignorance and evil. They no longer worshipped the gods and offered no sacrifices. However, as the race of the Silver Age was not entirely devoid of virtue, they had some honor and lived on as spirits under the earth. During the Age of Bronze men further degenerated. Clad in bronze and armed with weapons of bronze, they lived in houses of bronze. Ruthless and ferocious, theydelighted in war and perished in ceaseless internecine strife. When they died they descended into the darkness of the lower world.The last age, that of Iron, was one of endless care and grief. There was no family love, no sense of filial duty, and no friendship and hospitality. Nor was there any faith, truth and justice. Evil was rampant, might was right, and the flames of war scorched the earth. It was a race of men deserted by gods.6 The FloodTowards the end of the Age of Bronze the human world became very wicked. Men grew greedy, insolent and impious. Neither right nor law respected any longer, and the rule of hospitality was forgotten. Disguised in human form, Zeus visited Arcadia and Thessaly, and was disguised with the deadly sins of men. He decided to clear the earth of them all. Without hesitation he released the rainy south wind and called upon the merciless Poseidon to help. Soon the whole world was submerged in a boundless ocean, and the entire human race perished in the unprecedented flood, all but two humble Thessalians.These were an old childless couple, kind and pious and contented with life. The man was called Deucalion and his wife Pyrrha. Son of Prometheus, Deucalion had been forewarned by his father of the forthcoming flood and had made himself a huge chest. When the roaring deluge came the couple took refuge in it and floated for nine days until it touched land again on Mt Parnassus.The once bustling world presented an unnerving sight. It was now all death and devastation. Feeling lonely and insecure, the old couple prayed to the gods for help. An oracle instructed them to cast the bones of their mother about. The son of the wise Titan, having divined the true meaning of the mysterious command, started throwing stones behind him. A miracle occurred. The stones that the man cast became men; those that the woman threw were turned into women. To Deucalion a son was born later, Hellene by name, who had three sons, Aeolus, Dorus and Xuthus. Aeolus and Dorus became the ancestors respectively of the Aeolians and Dorians. Xuthus had two sons, Ion and Achaeus: the former the progenitor of the Ionians, and the latter of the Achaeans. The land was repeopled, and the Heroic Age had begun.7 Zeus and HeraAfter he had deposed his father, Zeus looked about for a spouse. And one of his sisters, the beautiful and majestic Hera, won his heart. He wooed the lady and was only too readily accepted. At the marriage feast, to which all the residents of Olympus were invited, Hera was declared queen of Heaven and goddess of marriage. They were perfectly happy for a time, but not for long. For Zeus was somewhat lecherous while Hera was intolerably jealous. Despite the fact that Zeus was all-ruling and all powerful, he frequently found it necessary to be on the look-out for his queen. Whenever he slipped down Olympus to seek new love, he saw to it that someclouds were spread to throw his wife off the scent. Hera, for her part, while ultimately submitting to the will of Zeus, kept the father of gods and men under close and constant observation, and was never accommodating enough to reconcile herself with her husband’s new attachments. She had been for ever on the run, trying to keep track of Zeus and devise ways of revenge not always on the all-conquering god, but rather on his hopeless mistresses. Zeus was always able to get away, but the ladies were often left behind to the tender mercies of the queen. Zeus’ zest for life knew no limits, while Hera’s persecution of her rivals and their children were relentless and not at all always justifiable. She viciously transformed comely Callisto into an ungainly bear; she maliciously kept Io wandering in the form of a heifer, giving her no peace; and she spared no effort to molest Heracles until the hero was tormented to a miserable death. Not infrequently did she inflame the rage of Zeus so that the father of gods and men punished her severely. On one occasion Zeus hung her in the clouds, tying two heavy anvils to her dangling feet. But apart from these petty squabbles and miner imperfections of character, they were quite a happy, almighty couple, revered as king and queen of heaven, he, a sky-god, bringer of light, arbiter of right and wrong and giver of reward and punishment, and she, a special guardian of women and a goddess who presided over childbirth.Zeus and Hera had three children, Ares, Hephaestus and Hebe. Ares (Mars) was the hateful god of war and Hephaestus the physically handicapped god of forge. But Hebe was for ever young, rosy and blooming, representing youth and happiness. At the celestial table on Olympus she had served to bear cups of wine to the gods and was ever at the wish of Zeus to pour out nectar. On one solemn occasion, however, the goodness tripped over something and fell, and was thus forced to resign her office. She was endowed with the power of restoring youth and vigor to gods and men. When Heracles had lived out his earthly life span and his soul had come up to Olympus to take his rightful seat there, she married the hero and lived a blissful life .8 IoIo was the daughter of a river-god. She was loved, wooed and won by Zeus. Hera became so jealous that she flew down from Olympus one day to wreak vengeance on her rival. Zeus, however, had foreseen her arrival and changed Io into a beautiful white heifer. Seeing the deceit, Hera requested the heifer as a present and Zeus had to yield to her wish. Then she entrusted the heifer to the care of a hundred-eyed monster, Argus, from whose ever-wakeful eyes no escape was possible. Unable to endure to see her so unhappy, Zeus sent Hermes down to destroy the monster. Disguised as a shepherd, Hermes lulled Argus to sleep with his dulcet songs and tedious stories, then slew him and set Io free. But Hera’s jealous wrath was not to be appeased yet. She sent a gadfly to harry the heifer and drive her from land to land. In her agony the heifer passed over the strait which divides Europe and Asia. Whence the stripe of water got its name Bosporus, the way of the cow. She wandered over the sea, which incidentally derived from her its name the Ionian Sea. Eventually she arrived in Egypt where she was restored to her natural form. She settled downand gave birth to a son. Some of her descendants remained in Egypt and ruled as kings for a long time.9 CallistoIn the charming retinue of Artemis (Diana) there was a beautiful nymph called Callisto. Zeus loved her passionately and often sought her company. Before the year was out she bore him a son, Arcas by name, who later became the eponymous ancestor of the Archadians. Zeus’frequent absences from Mt Olmpus aroused Hera’s suspicions. In time the vengeful queen discovered the truth and devised an effectual scheme of retaliation. One day Callisto suddenly found herself changed into a bear, with monstrous bushy jaws and blood-shot eyes, though she remained human in heart. She instantly left her son and went into hiding in the forest.Years passed. Little Arcas had matured to youthful manhood. He was hunting merrily in the woods one day when a huge gray bear suddenly appeared before him. Both were amazed, he terrified at the sight of the grisly bear, and the bear having recognized her own son in the young hunter. The young man leveled his spear at the slowly approaching bear and was about to pounce upon it when Zeus intervened to stop the folly. For he had not been able to find the whereabouts of his beloved mistress until quite recently and he had been secretly shielding her from all danger and harm. Now he transformed his son into a little bear, and sent both mother and son into the high heavens, where they have remained to this day, known as the constellation of the Great and Little Bear.10 AthenaOn one occasion Zeus suffered a racking headache. When all the gods, including Apollo, the god of medicine, had tried in vain to offer an efficacious remedy, the father of gods and men summoned Hephaestus to split open his head. This the god of fire did, and to the wonder of all the Olympians, a goddess, full-grown and full-armed, issued from the cleavage, radiating light and splendor. She was Athena, goddess of wisdom and knowledge and patroness of Athens.The story of Athena becoming patron goddess of Athens concerns the rivalry between the goddess and Poseidon. When the city of Athens was first built by a Phoenician, both Poseidon and Athena vied for the honor of naming it. It was then agreed that whoever offered the most useful object for men would became the patron of the city. Poseidon struck the ground with his trident and produced a horse, whereas Athena had an olive tree to present, an emblem of peace and plenty. As the horse was deemed as signifying strife and sorrow. Athens was named after the goddess, who forthwith took the city under her protection.Athena was the goddess of arts and crafts and woman’s handiwork. She was so deft with her hands the she tolerated no challenge to her skill in this respect. A Lydian maid, Arachne by name, did not seem to think much of A thena’s dexterity, for she frequently boasted that she could beat the goddess if she had the opportunity to doso. The goddess was quite irritated. Disguised as an old woman, she went to advise Arachne to be modest. But the ignorant craftswoman wantonly dared the goddess herself to come down and compete with her. At this blatant piece of defiance the goddess cast down her disguise and accepted the challenge. The two contestants immediately set about embroidering different designs. While the goddess worked on the story of her rivalry with Poseidon, Arachne began to weave a delicate web. When both pieces were finished, Arachne saw, to her surprise, that she had been beaten, for the goddess’ design was infinitely superior. She felt so chagrined that she tied a piece of silk to hang herself. But just before she breathed her last the goddess changed her into a spider, condemning her to weave for ever.Though often represented as fully armed, helmet and breastplate and all that, she favored patriotic defence. Almost the only goddess who was virgin and free of scandal, Athena seldom exhibited the weaknesses of the gentler sex. She cut a pretty martial figure in the world of myth, and enjoyed worship among the ancients.11 ApolloAmong the crowed of Olympian gods the one most widely worshipped was Apollo, son of Zeus and Leto (Latona). According to Greek mythology, Leto was driven by Hera from land to land until at last Poseidon took pity on her and brought the island of Delos out of water for her to live on. There she gave birth to the twins, Apollo and Artemis.Apollo was the sun-god. Dressed in a purple robe, he sat in his bright eastern palace at dawn and made ready to start his daily journey across the sky. During the day he rode in his chariot of gold and ivory, and brought light, life and love to the vast world below. At dusk he came to the end of his journey in the far western sea and got on his golden boat to return to his eastern abode.Apollo was the god of music and poetry. He was the inspirer of all emotions which find expression in lofty song. With his lyre of gold and the harmonious accents of his god-like voice he led the choir of the muses at Olympus . The dulcet music from his lyre was so inspiring that stones marched into their places in rhythmic time and of their own volition when he help Poseidon build up the walls of Troy . On one occasion, challenged to a contest by the mortal musician Marsyas, he first excelled him and then flayed him to death for his presumption. On another he lost out to Pan at a musical contest and transformed the ears of the judge, King Midas, into those of an ass.His son, Orpheus, inherited such skill from the father that his harp moved man and beast alike .Apollo was the god of prophecy. As revealer he made known the hidden things of Zeus. Men turned to him for advice and guidance in cases of perplexity. Though seldom in direct intercourse with mortals, he granted a special communication of counsel through oracles. His oracle at Delphi was the most renowned because the most stoutly believed of all.Apollo represented youthful, manly beauty. His golden hair, stately bearing andradiant air all combined to make him the admiration of the world. A fair maiden, by the name of Clytie, was so enamoured of his beauty and glory that from dawn to dusk she knelt on the ground, her hands outstretched towards the sun-god, and her eyes gazing at his golden-wheeled carriage racing across the azure sky. Though her love was not requited she had never changed her mind about Apollo. The gods were moved at the pathetic sight, and metamorphosed her into a sunflower.Apollo was also the god of health and healing. His son, Aesculapius, possessed such magic power to call back the dead to life that Zeus felt it advisable to get rid of the mortal physician with his thunderbolt and thus put an end to such interference with his divine authority. Apollo was not happy about this at all. As the Cyclopes had helped make the thunderbolts for Zeus, Apollo would have certainly slain the meddlesome giants had the father of gods and men not intervened himself. Apollo was banished from Olympus to serve a mortal on earth for a year . Because of his more intimate intercourse with the human world he knew more about the bitter life of the mortals, and he was obviously more sympathetic towards them. He slew Python, the monster, which made havoc on a vast area around, and was incidentally known at times by the alias Pythia. “The fire-robed god” thus was a blessing to the world of man.12 DaphneDaphne was a lovely blooming nymph. As she was frolicking in the woods one day she saw Apollo the sun-god gazing at her with more than amazement and admiration in his eye. The beaming face of the sun put her to flight. The eager Apollo followed her closely behind, calling out to her to stop. His passion having been kindled by her beauty and grace, he was afraid that this might be the last time he saw her. The nimble nymph made the best of her legs, but the ardent Apollo pressed hard upon her. Through rough fields and pathless woods she ran, but the sound of his pursuing feet ever grow nearer. As he ran he entreated his beloved to slow down, for he feared that she might tumble over and bruise her sparkling skin on the rugged roads. But the fugitive nymph never cared so much as to throw one glance backwards. At last she was quite breathless and cried to her father, a river-god, for help. No sooner had prayer been uttered than answered, for she had instantly found herself glued to the ground and a layer of soft bark growing over her fair skin. She had been turned into a laurel tree. Sighing, Apollo embraced the tree trunk, which responded by shrinking back. To show his undying love for the nymph, he decided that the laurel would be his favourite tree and should be the prize of honour and renown for deathless poets and poetry. Thus the most accomplished poet always desires to be made a poet laureate.13 NiobeNiobe, the queen of Thebes, had indeed good reason to be proud of herself. On both sides of her family, she was descended from the gods. Her husband was a gifted andaccomplished musician. And she was both wealthy and powerful. But what made her the happiest lady in the world was her fourteen children, seven manly sons and seven beautiful daughters. They were all so strong and fair that the whole world looked upon them with admiration.It happened at the time that every spring the Theban women gathered at the temple of Leto to offer laurels at the altars of the great mother who had given birth to two grand children, Apollo and Artemis. The piety and reverence shown by her women made Niobe jealous and wrathful. When the priestess of Leto called the women again to the shrine of the mistress of Zeus one spring, Niobe decided to put an end to the folly once and for all. In her pretty flowing robe she came to the gathering and reproached the crowd for their fanatical faith in a goddess whom they had never seen. She declared herself nobler and greater, and demanded to be worshipped in place of Leto, who, she said, was no more than a humble mother of two children. The frightened women yielded their allegiance to the queen, and left the shrine in silence. Leto was neglected.Standing on top of a hill overlooking Thebes, Leto saw all this and was bent on her vengeance. She sought out Apollo and Artemis and told them the story. Before long, the impatient avengers arrived outside Thebes in hidden clouds. The seven sons of Niobe were frolicking on the playground, two practising horsemanship and two wrestling while the other princes happily stood by. Apollo held out his bow. One by one the princes fell under his unfailing shafts. Even the youngest, who prayed for mercy, was not spared.Niobe was utterly changed. She was all sorrow and grief, but her insolent spirit was not subdued. She came to the dead bodies of her sons with her daughters and let out a torrent of irreverent language at Leto and her children. This time it was Artemis’turn to draw her bowstring. Almost in a twinkling of an eye all the seven vivacious daughters fell, weltering in their blood, and soon ceased to breathe. Niobe became numb of feeling. She sat amidst the fourteen dead bodies, motionless, her eyes blank, her tears coursing down her cold cheeks. Her excruciating anguish had turned her into a stone! Later, a gust of wind swept her to her homeland in Asia, where she could still be seen sitting on top of a hill, tears of bitterness streaming out of her strong sockets.14 ArtemisJust as Apollo drove his golden chariot across the heavens during the day, worshipped as the sun-god, so Artemis raced across the sky in solemn pomp at night, revered as the moon-goddess. Sitting in an airy chariot drawn by milk-white steeds, “the queen of wide air” shed silver light all over the sleeping world below. Though she remained single all her life the maiden heart of the goddess was at least for once thrilled as she saw the beautiful youth Endymion sleeping. She might have felt tenderness towards Orion, but she had probably regarded him more as a hunting companion. She was chaste and fair and serene. She was the paragon of maiden modesty andgrace. Just as Apollo represents manly beauty, so Artemis stands for feminine chastity and virginity. As their patron goddess she took it upon herself to protect marrying girls and young women in trouble. It was to her altar that those maidens turned for love and happiness.The twin sister of Apollo was also the goddess of hunting and wild life. Dressed in a short hunting-suit coming up to the knee and followed by a team of boisterous lovely nymphs, Artemis had always her bow of pearl and crystal-shining quiver with her and roamed the forest in pursuit of game. When she felt hot and tired she would retire to a spring to bathe. It was here that young Actaeon inadvertently came and suffered cruel treatment at the hands of the goddess. Indeed, the goddess could be thoroughly ruthless and ceased to be lovely the moment the wicked side of her nature got the upper hand in her. The tragedy of Niobe was just a case in point.15 ActaeonWhen she was tired with hunting Artemis used to bathe in a little mountain spring．One hot summer afternoon she was refreshing herself in the cool，quiet brook with her nymphs when she heard a rustle behind the bushes ．She felt quite annoyed to find that a young hunter was peeping admiringly at her naked form．Her nymphs gave a shrill cry and crowded around the goddess．But young Actaeon had seen the huntress．Actaeon loved the chase．He had been scouring the woods every day．On this particular afternoon he felt so tired with running about that he unwittingly came over to the spring in search of water，and thus surprised t Artemis bathing．The irritated goddess was not to be appeased．She splashed water in the hunter's face，and no sooner had the water drops fallen on Actaeon than he was transformed into a stag ．Just at this moment he heard the howling of his pack of fifty hounds coming up to him．He was suddenly seized with fear ，and presently fled．The dogs，all driven mad by the goddess，pursued him closely behind．Running as fast as his legs could carry him，Actaeon was soon out of breath ．Feeling certain that he was doomed，he dropped to the ground and made no further attempt to stir．The dogs closed in on their former master and tore him to pieces．16 OrionOrion was a giant hunter．He was the beautiful son of Poseidon．One day，when hunting in the forest，he caught sight of Artemis' nymphs，the seven Pleiades．He was so fascinated with their beauty that he started chasing them．In despair the charming maidens prayed to Artemis for help and were sent up by the goddess to the heavens as a constellation. Later he fell in love with another maiden，Merope by name，but impetuous and impatient，he ravished the maiden and enraged her father，King Oenopion of Chios．The king made him drunk and put out his eyes ．Following the sound of the Cyclopes' hammer，he went to Hephaestus，who sent a guide to travel。

希腊罗马神话知识点总结希腊罗马神话是古希腊和古罗马文化中重要的一部分，它是这两个文明的重要组成部分，贯穿其宗教、文学、艺术等多个领域。

神话中的神祗和英雄，以及相关的故事、传说和符号，对于理解古希腊和古罗马文化，以及欧洲文化的发展都具有至关重要的意义。

以下将对希腊罗马神话中的一些重要知识点进行总结。

1.希腊罗马神话的起源和特点希腊罗马神话起源于古希腊和古罗马的宗教信仰和文化传统，它是古希腊和古罗马人对自然现象、人类生活和命运等问题的一种解释和表达方式。

希腊罗马神话具有宗教性、传说性和艺术性的特点，它不仅是古希腊和古罗马宗教信仰的一个重要组成部分，还贯穿了古希腊和古罗马的文学、戏剧、雕塑、绘画等多种艺术形式。

2.希腊罗马神话的神祗希腊罗马神话中的神祗是神话的核心内容，他们是古希腊和古罗马世界观的象征和体现，也是人们对自然和社会现象的一种解释和想象。

希腊罗马神话中的神祗包括宙斯、赫拉、波塞冬、雅典娜、阿波罗、阿瑞斯等众多神祗和半神半人的英雄人物，他们具有超人的力量和智慧，也拥有丰富的人性和情感，是古希腊和古罗马文化中的重要象征和精神支柱。

3.希腊罗马神话的故事和传说希腊罗马神话中蕴含着丰富多彩的故事和传说，这些故事和传说包括了神祗的起源和命运、英雄的冒险和传奇、人类的命运和情感等多种主题。

其中，最为经典的故事和传说包括《奥德赛》《伊利亚特》《神话传说》《城邦的兴衰》等，这些作品代表了古希腊和古罗马文学艺术的巅峰之作，也成为后世文学艺术的重要源泉和灵感之源。

4.希腊罗马神话的艺术表现希腊罗马神话对古希腊和古罗马的艺术发展产生了深远影响，它不仅在文学、戏剧、雕塑、绘画等多个艺术领域中得到了充分表现，还成为了西方文化艺术的重要源头和灵感之源。

古希腊和古罗马的雕塑作品中经常出现神祗和英雄的形象，这些形象既具有超人的力量和美丽，又具有丰富的人性和情感，成为古希腊和古罗马雕塑的重要主题和表现形式。

5.希腊罗马神话的影响希腊罗马神话对西方文化的发展产生了深远影响，它不仅为欧洲文学、艺术、哲学、政治等多个领域提供了丰富的素材和灵感，还为欧洲文化和思想打开了新的天地。

Unit 3 Five Ages of Man---Human Alienation from the DivineHome Assignment:Comment on human creation myths (Deucalion, Chinese , Indian, Hopi).Prepare the questions 1-4, 6, and 9 on page 54.Five Ages of Mankind1.Golden Age黄金时代(c. 3000 B.C.-?)Paradise; Cronus’s reign, Old Stone Age, Pre-agricultural timesA．men born spontaneously from the earth or fashioned from earth and water by PrometheusB．ruled by Cronus (and Mother Earth), but without lawsC．life peaceful, care-free, labor-free, painless, but vegetarian (acorns and honey from the trees) D．everlasting youth until peaceful death in sleepE．spirits as genii神怪/invisible protectors or helpers of later generations(a life of plenty, freedom and primitiveness;ending with Pandora’s creation)2.Silver Age白银时代(?-1900B.C.)the Moon goddess’s reign, Middle and New Stone Age, Agricultural/ matriarchal periodA．the first race created by the OlympiansB．beginning of agriculture and primitive domestic life (bread)C．the rule of Mothers and men the despised sexD． a full 100 years’ childhood, but only a short time’s adult lifeE．death from “reckless violence”F．savage, ungrateful to creatorsG．spirits as demons( eradicated with the flood?)3.Bronze Age青铜时代(1900-1250B.C.)New Stone Age + Copper Age,agriculture and manufacture,a hunting and warring age, an age of men A．created by Zeus alone, reputedly from ash trees桉树，白蜡树B．ate bread as well as fleshC．bronze houses, bronze armors, and bronze tools or weaponsD．great warriors pursuing brutal, violent conflictsE．spirits went down to Hell(ending with Black Death or Deucalion flood)4.Bronze Age or Age of Heroes青铜/英雄时代(1250-1100B.C.)A．children out of gods’ or goddesses’union with mortals; semi-godsB． a nobler race, “better and more just” than the preceding or succeeding generationC．heroes who fought at Troy (Unit 9) or Thebes (p.386-393)D．their spirits went to the Happy Isles/the Isles of the Blest/ Homeric Edenic Elysium极乐岛to live forever in peace and happiness5.Iron Age黑铁时代(1100-600 B.C.)loss of ParadiseA．all evils and corruptions, injustice and strivesB．toil for survival and suffer endless miseryC．spirits condemned1. What picture of historical development do you get from the account of the Five Ages? Do you agreewith Hesiod? Why?A Human life is in a process of decline (spiral/ circular/ linear downward) with each stage of devolution 退化represented by a metal of inferior value to the one preceding it.B As men degenerate both physically and spiritually, they alienate themselves from the gods; the farther away from thegods/divinity, the nearer to the earthly/earth; also there is alienation between mind and heart/ instinct.C The human sufferings are self-induced punishment by gods; Natural disasters are ways of punishing humans.D Human civilization/knowledge/power leads to its separation from Divinity and Nature.E The account is symbolic and apocalyptic 启示性的: According what has happened to the 5 earlier ages, what is tohappen is predicted. Human history is thus a painful lesson teaching mortals to obey the gods.II. Gods’ Punishment of HumansDeucalion Flood myththe Biblical legend of Noah’s Ark p.282-3●Lycaon or his fifty sons or Tantalus●Historically several big floods in remote pastIII. PrometheusWhat role did Prometheus play in the primal history of mankind? What cultural value does the Promethean fire have in the history of human civilization?How do you like the mythical account that Prometheus was unbound and restored to Olympus? And why?●Family historyTitan Iapetus +Clymen e, daughter of Oceanos--- Atlas holding the broad sky at the ends of the earth---Hesperides p.307-310--- Menoetius sent by Zeus to Erebus---Prometheus ( Forethought先觉者)--Deucalion---Epimetheus(Afterthought后觉者) ---Pyrrha●Creator of humans:---dust/earth (with Uranus’s seeds)---wet the earth with water (water of life)---fashioned it into the image of Gods---to put life into it, confined good and evil of animals into human body, making it half living being(animal life)---Athene gave it soul/psyche and breath of life●Human benefactor:---fire---arts of healing, medicine---mathematics---astronomy---navigation航海---divination占卜---architecture---metallurgy冶金●Defender of human interest:---cheating at sacrifice---leaving meat to men---bringing the needed fire, the symbol of civilization (the Forbidden Fruit)[Promethean Fire: the Forbidden Fruit, which makes civilization possible and simultaneously severs humanity’s primal bond with Nature (Eden/animal)]●Savior of mankind:Christ-like, to suffer for the sake of mankind●Rebel against tyranny:refused to tell the secret (Zeus/Poseidon+Thetis ) and give in to ZeusPrometheus’s acceptance to Olympus: a compromise or a triumph?IV. PandoraWhat is the traditional understanding of Pandora? In what way is she a “lovely evil”?Pandora is often regarded as Eve, the first woman in the Bible. How does she resemble Eve? How do you defend her from the feminist point of view?What does it mean that “hope” alone remains in Pandora’s jar/box? What is the significance of “hope”?1. Nature of Woman●“all-gifted”有着一切天赋的女人●“the root of all evils”, the symbol of extravagance and ill-nature●the being with “curiosity”●the first woman, Greek Eve● a complementary curse and blessing for men[If a man refuses to marry, he has a dismal old age with no one to look after him and no family to inherit his possessions. If a man has a good wife, he has at least a mixture of good and evil.]2. Different accounts of the jarA．all good things flew back to heaven, only Hope was caughtB．both good and evil, Hope the last one to fly out before the jar was shutC．all evils in the jar flew out to attack humans, only Hope remained3. Cultural interpretation of Pandora● a product of earth and a gift of malevolence, the polar opposite of Prometheus’s gift, thecelestial flame that ignites the spark of civilization●this “lovely evil”, the lovely blessing an d curse, like Eve, is the catalyst催化剂of human“decline” and marks the beginning of tension between male and female●with the opening of her jar or box ends the Golden Age, shattering the link between humanityand divinity, and plunging human history into an irreversible downward spiral● a being of complexity with distinctive features of female good and evil, e.g. Ares’s , Hermes’s, Athene’s,Aphrodite’s, etc. as a blessing necessity as well as a curse to men4. Feminist Reading of Pandora●Gods punish men for civilization/brutality, women become the scapegoat.●Her story is really about men’s gullibility (Epimetheus) or innate weakness.●Women have played a decisive role in human civilization: It is human nature to be curious, and itis female curiosity/intelligence/cunning that leads to human civilization/knowledge.---Is female curiosity/intelligence bringing downfall of mankind or initiating Man into larger possibilities of civilized awareness?---Would you rather live contentedly in ignorance or suffer with a good knowledge of what you。

古希腊罗马神话故事概要摘要：一、欧罗巴与宙斯的传说1.欧罗巴与女伴在海边玩耍2.宙斯变成白色公牛引诱欧罗巴3.欧罗巴骑上公牛，被带到克里特岛4.宙斯与欧罗巴生下三个儿子，其中米诺斯成为克里特岛国王二、米诺斯与波塞冬的冲突1.米诺斯冒犯波塞冬2.波塞冬让米诺斯王后爱上公牛3.王后生下牛头人身怪物米诺牛4.米诺斯为囚禁米诺牛修建迷宫三、金羊毛的故事1.埃俄罗斯统治底萨莱2.埃俄罗斯七个儿子寻求幸福3.五个女儿嫁給邻邦王子4.子女们因傲慢惹怒神道四、奥林匹斯山诸神的起源1.宇宙之初，混沌卡俄斯诞生众神2.宙斯等神祇统治世界3.普罗米修斯偷火种给人类4.宙斯为抵消火带来的好处，让灾难降临人间正文：古希腊罗马神话故事丰富多彩，涵盖了众神、英雄、传说等多个方面。

以下四个故事均为古希腊罗马神话中的经典传说。

第一个故事讲述了欧罗巴与宙斯的传说。

欧罗巴原本是一个美丽的女子，与女伴在海边玩耍时被宙斯看中。

宙斯为了引诱欧罗巴，变成了一头白色公牛。

欧罗巴被公牛吸引，骑上牛背，并被带到克里特岛。

在岛上，宙斯与欧罗巴共度美好时光，并生下了三个儿子。

其中，小儿子米诺斯成为了克里特岛的国王。

第二个故事是关于米诺斯与波塞冬的冲突。

米诺斯冒犯了海神波塞冬，导致波塞冬愤怒不已。

为了惩罚米诺斯，波塞冬让他的王后爱上了一头公牛。

王后受神谕影响，生下了一个牛头人身怪物——米诺牛。

为了囚禁这个怪物，米诺斯下令修建了一座迷宫，迷宫内的通道错综复杂，使米诺牛无法逃脱。

第三个故事是金羊毛的故事。

在古代时候，有一个名为埃俄罗斯的国王，统治着产良马的底萨莱。

埃俄罗斯有七个儿子，他们四处寻求幸福。

此外，他还拥有五个美貌的女儿，纷纷嫁给了邻邦的王子。

然而，子女们在各自的新生活中逐渐变得傲慢，激怒了神道。

一场灾难降临，使得底萨莱王国陷入困境。

最后一个故事讲述了奥林匹斯山诸神的起源。

在宇宙之初，一切混沌不清，无影无形。

这时，混沌之神卡俄斯诞生了。

卡俄斯拥有强大的生命力，孕育出了大地之母盖亚、地狱深渊之神塔耳塔洛斯、黑暗之神厄瑞波斯和黑夜女神尼克斯。