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IntroductionoftheMythsofGreeceandRomeGreekmythsRomanmythsInterrelationshipsMythologicalstoriesGreekmyths01GreekMythologyisagroupoftraditionaltalestoldbytheancientGreeksaboutthedeedsofgods,heroesandtheirrelationswithhumanbeings.TheGreekmythologyisanimportantpartoftheancientculturewhichhasvastanddeepinfluenceonthewholewesternculture.ItsgreatinfluenceupontheEnglishlanguageandliteratureisbeyonddescription.AgreatnumberofwordsandidiomsintheEnglishlanguagecomefromtheGreekmythology.TheancientGreeksworshipedmanygods.Greekgodscanbedividedintoseveralgroups.TheearliestgroupwasTitans,ledbyCronus.ThemostpowerfulgroupwastheOlympians.TheOlympiansareagroupof１２godswhoruledaftertheoverthrowoftheTitans.AlltheOlympiansarerelatedinsomeway.TheyarenamedaftertheirdwellingplaceMountOlympus.OneofthecharacteristicsoftheGreekmythologyisthecomplexrelationshipZeusistheKingoftheGodsinGreekMythology.Zeuswasviewedasakingwhooversawtheuniverse.IntheHomericHymnsheisreferredtoasthechieftainofthegods.HeisalsocalledtheFatherofGodsandmen.HeruledtheOlympiansofMountOlympusinwaysrepresentativeasbothafatherasheadofthefamilyandaking.HewasthegodofskyandthunderinGreekmythology.Hissymbolsarethethunderbolt,eagle,bull,andoak.InadditiontohisIndo-Europeaninheritance,theclassicalcloud-gathereralsoderivescertainiconographictraitsfromtheculturesoftheAncientNearEast,suchasthescepter.Romanmyths02RomanmythsTheRomangodscanbedividedintotwoparts.ThefirstistheoriginalgodinRome,thesecondisintroductionofgodinaparticularperiodinthehistory.Theirspecialtasks,showstheneedofdailylifeatthattimetheRomansociety.RomanmythologyinheritedanddevelopedtheGreekmyth,alsoisthecultureandarttotheworld.Theimageofheroistakingmoreofapoliticalwhoarewillingtosacrificethemselvesandstandofthestatetoseeineverything.Theywouldbeveryrationalratherthanbeclosedtothesideofhumannature.RomanmythsVenusistheRomangodwhoisasymbolofloveandbeauty,alsoasymboloffertilitygoddess.RomanmythsVenusdeMilo,itisbelievedtodepictVenus,thegoddessofloveandbeauty,Itisamarblesculpture,slightlylargerthanlifesizeat203cmhigh.Partofanarmwerelostfollowingitsdiscovery.RomanmythsGodsofMountOlympus,themosthelpless,issmallCupid.Cupidhasbeenasasymboloflove,hehasaverybeautifulgoldenhair,whiteandtenderface,therecouldbefreetoflywings.CupidandhismotherVenusaretheheadofloveandmarriage.Venusrepresentstherationallove.Onthecontray,Cupidrepresentsthecrazylove.Cupid'simagesareblindfolded,itshowsthat,loveisblind.Interrelationships03ThestrengthofGreekmythologylayinitscollectivenature.Amythalwaysstoodonitsown,withaplotandasetofcharactersreadilyunderstoodbythosewholistenedtothestorytellerordramatistmakinguseofit.TheRomanswerenolessimpressedbytherangeandinterestofGreekmythology.TheyadopteditwholesaleandidentifiedmanyoftheirownItaliandeitieswiththoseintheGreekpantheon,evenadoptingothersforwhomtheypossessednorealequivalent.TherewerejusttoomanymythsfortheRomanstoresist,althoughtheychosetoimposeatypicalrestraintonGreekextravagance.04MythologicalstoriesApolloAmongthecrowdofOlympiangodstheonemostwidelyadmiredwasApollo．HewasthesonofZeusandLetto．AccordingtoGreekmythology，LetowasdrivenbyHerafromlandtolandatlastPoseidontookPityonherandbroughttheislandofDelosoutofwaterforhertoliveon．Thereshegavebirthtothetwins，ApolloandArtemis．Apollowasmesun-god．Heworeapurplerobe．Heusuallysatinhisbrighteasternpalaceearlyinthemorningandmadereadytostarthisdailyjourneyacrossthesky．Duringthedayhedrovehiscarriageofgoldandivory，andbroughtlight，lifeandlovetothegreatworldbelow．Iateintheafternoonhecametotheendofhisjourneyinthefarwesternseaandgotonhisgoldenboattoreturntohiseasternhome．Thesun-godApolloApollowasthegodofmusicandpoetry．Hecouldstirupallfeelings．Thesefeelingsareexpressedinloftysongs．WithhislyreofgoldandthesweetaccentsofhisgodlikevoiceheledthechoiroftheMusesatOlympus．ThepleasantmusicfromhislyrewassoexcitingthatstonesmarchedintotheirplacesinrhythmictimeandoftheirownwillwhenhehelpedPoseidonbuildupthewallsofTroy.Ononeoccasion，invitedtoacontestbythehumanmusicianMarsyas，hewonandthenflayedhimtodeathforhispride．Onanotheroccasion，helostouttoPanatamusicalcontestandturnedtheearsofthejudge，KingMidas，intothoseofanass．Apollostoodforyouthfulandmanlybeauty．Hisgoldenhair，statelymannerandairallcombinedtomakehimtheadmirationoftheworld．Abeautifulgirl，bythenameofClytle，wassofondofhisbeautyandglorythatfromdawntoduskshekneltontheground，herhandsoutstretchedtowardsthesungod，andhereyeslookedathisgoldenwheeledcarriageracingacrossthebluesky．Thoughherlovewasnotreturned，shehadneverchangedhermindaboutApollo．Thegodsweremovedatthesadsight，andchangedherintoasunflowerThanksAddupeverythingwhatyoulikeandeverythingwhatyouwant