How and when did

you realize that

you were not
well-off in life?
Why are you
really here?
 LEGENDARY
PERSONAGES
IN MYTHS AND
HISTORY
Samples
Question we will answer today:

Who are the

Legendary Who is
What happened
Personages in Theseus
in Trojan War?
myths and and Attica?
history?
 Chinese
MYTHOLOGY
Legendary Personages
Chinese mythology is a rich tapestry
of stories, beliefs, and characters
that have evolved over thousands of
years, deeply intertwined with the
cultural, religious, and philosophical
traditions of China. It encompasses a
wide range of themes, including
creation myths, gods, goddesses,
legendary heroes, and mythical
creatures.
Chang'e, the Chinese moon goddess
chang’e
whose loveliness is celebrated in poems
and novels. She sought refuge in the
moon when her consort, Hou Yi (the Lord
Archer), discovered she had stolen the
drug of immortality given to him by the
gods.
In Chinese mythology, Nüwa (女媧) is
NuWa
considered to be the first being with the ability
to procreate and is the creator of all mankind.
Ancient Chinese society was fiercely
matriarchal, so Nüwa, being the mother of all
humans, was considered a very important
deity. She has a hand in a number of stories but
is most commonly associated with China’s
creation myth and for saving humanity by
mending a hole in the sky after a great flood. .
 Shangdi
Shangdi, ancient Chinese deity, the
greatest ancestor and deity who
controlled victory in battle, harvest, the
fate of the capital, and the weather. He
had no cultic following, however, and
was probably considered too distant
and inscrutable to be influenced by
mortals.
 NORSE
MYTHOLOGY
Legendary Personages
Norse mythology is the body of myths and legends
that belonged to the ancient Norse people,
primarily the Vikings and other Germanic tribes of
Scandinavia. It describes the creation of the world,
the gods and goddesses who inhabit it, and the
cosmic events that shape the universe, such as
Ragnarok (the end of the world).
Odin is the chief god in Norse mythology,
often associated with wisdom, war, death,
Odin
magic, poetry, and prophecy. He is the
Allfather of the gods and ruler of Asgard,
the realm of the gods. Odin is a complex
figure, depicted as both a wise and
powerful leader and a cunning, sometimes
deceitful, god willing to make sacrifices for
knowledge and power.
Thor is a major figure in Norse mythology,
known as the god of thunder, lightning, THOR
storms, strength, and protection. He is one
of the most powerful and popular gods,
often depicted wielding his magical
hammer, Mjölnir, which is capable of
summoning thunder and lightning, as well
as smashing enemies. Thor is the son of
Odin, the chief of the gods, and Jord, the
personification of the Earth.
Loki is a complex and mischievous figure in Norse
mythology, often referred to as the god of mischief,
Loki
trickery, and chaos. Unlike many of the other gods,
Loki does not have a straightforward role, and his
actions range from helpful to harmful, depending on
the situation. He is a shape-shifter, capable of
changing his form into various animals and beings,
which he often uses in his schemes. Loki is a son of
the giant Fárbauti and the goddess Laufey, making
him part giant, but he is also considered a member
of the Aesir, the main pantheon of Norse gods.
 Greek
MYTHOLOGY
Legendary Personages
Greek mythology is a pantheon of gods and goddesses who reside on
Mount Olympus, with Zeus, the king of the gods, ruling over them. Other
prominent deities include Hera (goddess of marriage), Poseidon (god of
the sea), Athena (goddess of wisdom), Apollo (god of the sun and
music), Artemis (goddess of the hunt), and many others. These gods
were believed to have human-like qualities, emotions, and weaknesses,
and they often interacted with mortals, sometimes to help them, but
often causing trouble or creating challenges.

The myths also include a wide range of heroes, such as Heracles

(Hercules), Achilles, Theseus, and Perseus, whose adventures and
quests are central to many of the stories. These heroes often face
monsters like the Minotaur, Medusa, or the Hydra, and their journeys
reflect themes of courage, fate, and the struggle between human
limitations and divine intervention.
 MEDUSA
Medusa is a figure from Greek mythology, known
as one of the Gorgons. She is often depicted as a
woman with snakes for hair, and her gaze had the
power to turn anyone who looked directly at her
into stone. Medusa's story is tragic: she was once a
beautiful mortal, but after being violated by
Poseidon in Athena's temple, Athena punished
Medusa by transforming her into a monstrous
figure.
ACHILLES Achilles is a legendary figure in Greek
mythology and one of the greatest
warriors of the Trojan War, as depicted
in Homer's *Iliad*. He was the son of the
mortal Peleus, king of the Myrmidons,
and the sea-nymph Thetis. Achilles is
best known for his unmatched strength,
courage, and skill in battle, but also for
his tragic vulnerability—his "Achilles'
heel."
PERSEUS Perseus is one of the greatest heroes in Greek
mythology, best known for slaying the Gorgon
Medusa. He is the son of Zeus, the king of the gods,
and Danaë, a mortal princess. According to myth,
Perseus was conceived after Zeus visited Danaë in the
form of a golden shower while she was imprisoned by
her father, King Acrisius of Argos. Acrisius had been
warned by an oracle that his grandson would one day
kill him, so he locked Danaë away to prevent her from
having children. After Perseus was born, Acrisius cast
both Danaë and her son into the sea in a chest, but
they survived and were eventually rescued by a
fisherman.
 Theseus is a legendary hero in Greek
Theseus mythology, best known for his role
in slaying the Minotaur and his
adventures as a king of Athens. He is
often considered one of the greatest
Greek heroes, embodying strength,
intelligence, and justice. Theseus’
mythological background is
complex, as he is the son of both
King Aegeus of Athens and the god
Poseidon, depending on the version
of the story.
Theseus and
AtticA
The beginning of
hero
Aegeus, the king of the city of Athens,
had several women but none of them
managed to give him a male heir.
After having heard what the Phythia had said to Aegeus, the sagacious Pittheus
immediately understood the prophecy so the King of Troezen inebriated his host
with his daughter spending the night with a drunk Aegeus
During the same night the princess Aethra was visited by the goddess Athena in
a dream who told her to go to the beach and make an offering to the gods and
her offspring will be blessed by them. The princess went to the beach, and as
she stepped on the water, Poseidon the god of the Sea appeared and unified
himself with the princess, impregnating her with his divine seed.
Aegeus became aware of Aethra's pregnancy and told her if it is a boy, not to tell
her son who his real father was until he came of age
Aegeus lifted a huge rock and put his sandals and sword beneath it. When he has
the strength to lift this rock, ask him to go to Athens and assume his position as
the prince of Attica.
A beautiful and strong boy was born, and his name was Theseus.
He was raised by his wise grandfather, who shaped him to be a
true hero.
When he was 16 Theseus decided to lift the
rock where Aegeus kept his sandals and
sword he put on his father sandals and
warned his mother that he was ready to go
to Athens.
When he was still a child, Hercules
visited the palace of Theseus, Zeus's son
was amazed by the courage of the small
boy.
The Journey to
athens
On his way, the young boy faced several
thieves, among them was Periphetes,
famous for his Iron club.
Next came Skiron who blocked the
narrow sea passage through the
rocks of Megara. Theseus kicked Skiron
into the sea to be eaten by his own
accomplice.
He also crossed paths with Cercyon who
challenged everyone he met to a one-
on-one fight without any weapons
involved and killed those he defeated.
 After having exterminated the beast. the hero faced Procrustes,
the most feared character in the region, However, this villain
was no match for the hero, who threw him in the small bed and
let him taste his own poison.
Theseus
in
athens
Theseus arrived in Athens
 He was warned by the sorceress
Medea who had foreseen the
arrival of the King's heir
apparent but he was not told
the truth.
The King offered his guests a poisoned cup of wine. Theseus
raised the cup and proposed a toast to the King's health.
When he raised his arm, the sword that on e belongs to
the king was exposed and reacted to the poison and
Theseus recognized it immediatey.
Theseus was about to drink the
wine when the king knocked the
cup out with his hand and
embraced his son who finally
arrived back home. Aegeus
expelled the sorceress Medea from
his kingdom and established
Theseus as the crowned prince of
the city of Athens.
Theseus and the
minotaur
 Watch the video
“The Labyrinht of Minotaur”
 Why does Theseus
forgot to raised the
white sails?
During their escape from Crete,
Theseus received the visit from the
god Dionysus who demanded the
end of the affair since Aridne was
promised to the god of wine.
Since he feared from the god, Theseus abandoned
Ariadne in the island of naxos, disheartened. The young
man depart towards Athens, the separation was such a
source od sadness for Theseus that he forgot to raised the
white sails.
King Aegeus who was anxiously
waiting for the return of his adored
son feel a strong pinch in his heart
when he spotted the black sails and
so he jump feom the top of the
rocks into the water, the sea served
as the king’s tomb would later be
called the Aegean Sea.
It had been a triumphal return yet become
melancholy event, but the whole Attica praised
Theseu, the young man who killed the minatour
and who are now reigned over the whole Athens.
Theme:
Theseus is one of the best examples of
Greek heroes. Not only he does use
cunning and strength to kill the
Minotaur, but he also wors to reunite
his Family and his kingdom.
About
homer
The ancient Greek attributed him
the epic poem “Iliad and Odessey”.
Many scholars believed that Homer
lived around late 8th or early 9th
century BCE in Ionia which is now a
city in Turkey.
 Iliad and Odessey
Are considered as the oldest
composition.

Iliad was a tragedy,

while Odessey was

an epic tale.
The trojan war
 Trojan WAR
More than a thousand years before Christ, near the
eastern end Mediterranean was a great city
second to none on earth, it was the city of Troy.

The cause of the war stated in the poem Iliad, was

cause by a dispute between three jealous
goddesses.
 HEra Athena Aphrodite

Goddess of Goddess of War Goddess of Love

Women, Marriage, and Wisdom and Beauty
and Childbirth
Lets watch the
video
 Helen
The fairest woman in
the world was Helen,
the daughter of Zeus
and Leda.
The abduction of
helen
The Goddess of Love and beauty
knew where the most beautiful
woman on Earth can be found. She led
Paris to Sparta where Menelaus and
Helen received him generously as a
guest.
When Menelaus got back, he
found out that Helen was gone
and that she sail back with
Paris going to Troy. So he
called all the Greece to help
him get his wife back to him.
Recruiting of Greek Heroes
Helen’s jilted husband
Menelaus convinced his
brother Agamemnon, king of
Mycenae, to lead an
expedition to retrieve her
(Helen).
The last soothsayer, Calchas,
declared that Artamis was angry and
the only way to calm the wind and
ensure a safe voyage to Troy was to
appease by sacrificing to her a royal
maiden, the daughter of
Agamemnon, Iphigenia.
Reaching Troy
The thousand ships carried a great
host of fighting men and the Greek
army was very strong, but the Trojan
city was strong too.

Priam the king and his wife Hecuba,

had many brave sons to lead the
attack and defend the walls, one
above all was Hector, while Achilles
was the greatest warrior of Greek.
Achilles had been told by
his mother that he would
die before the Troy was
taken.
The nine-year
siege of troy
For nine years victory
wavered, now to this side,
now to that. Until the time
that a quarrel flared up
between two Greeks, Achilles
and Agamemnon.
Chryseis, daughter of Apollo’s
priest, whon the Greek carried off
and given to Agamemnon. Her
father beg to guve her daughter
back but Agamemnon refused.
Then the priest prayed to Apollo
and the God shot fiery arrows to the
Greek army and men sickened and
died so that the puneral pyers were
burning continually.
So the angered king
Agamemnon wants to bring
back his honor by taking the
maiden Briseis from Achilles.
Patroclus, he uses Achilles
armor and led the
Myrmidons, Achilles’ men,
to battle.
The victorious
return of
achilles
Achilles maddened with
grief, swore vengeance.

After slaying a vast number

of Trojans, Achilles
eventually got the fight he
wanted, Hector himself.
Achilles refuse to surrender
Hector’s body to Trojans for
his burial, instead he
desecrated it by dragging it
with his chariot in front of
the city walls.
THANK YOU!