Discussion: The Gods, the Creation, and the Earliest Heroes of Greek and Roman Mythology

Prompt

This is a multi-step prompt in which you have to answer each of the questions posed to you.

The first part of this prompt is to assess your overall interest and knowledge of mythology: How familiar are you with the myths we have read this first week, and what are you looking forward to learning about the most? Please carefully review the syllabus and the myths we are covering in order to answer this part of the question.

Next, consider how the gods interact with one another and with human beings. In doing so, be 

careful to explain your impression of them, using examples and/or quotes from the text to 

support your answer.

This final part of the prompt is quite complex, so please address the instances that interest you 

the most from this week’s reading: look very carefully at how male and female characters (this includes the gods and goddesses) are portrayed in the myths we have read this week. Do you see instances where one gender is portrayed more negatively than the other? What does this reveal about ancient ideas of gender and power? Be certain to refer to specific passages and/or quotes from the text to support your answer. 

Guidelines

• Your initial response should be at least 500 words in length

• Use MLA format for any quotations or citations that you use to support your answer

• Use size 12 font, one-inch margins, and double-spacing

• Consult the MLA Formatting and Style Guide to understand how to format citations and 

references and for general writing assistance (writing style, mechanics, grammar, etc.). 

Readings

Hamilton, Edith. Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes. Grand Central Publishing, 2011.

• Introduction to Classical Mythology, pp. 1–16

• Part One: The Gods, the Creation, and the Earliest Heroes, pp. 17–120

Odysseus and Polyphemus 

• Book nine of Homer’s The Odyssey 

Additional Resources: External Links

• History et cetera: The Newly Discovered Tablet V of the Epic of Gilgamesh – https://etc.worldhistory.org/exhibitions/giglamesh-enkidu-humbaba-cedar-forest-newest-discovered-tablet-v-epic/?fbclid=IwAR1xOWTwq9Ys4pFgDq-WWcXHkRj_b1SQStFU4TFjX1dESBZFzXR4bir9eYw

• Zecharia sitchin index: The Pyramid Texts – https://zsitchinindex.wordpress.com/ancient-texts/the-pyramid-texts/

• The Internet Classics Archive: Metamorphoses by Ovid – http://classics.mit.edu/Ovid/metam.html