Exam research

Part III – Essay (25 points)

Mythology

56. Choose FOUR Greek or Roman gods or goddesses and write a five paragraph academic essay comparing and contrasting those characters including at least two stories about each deity. Be as specific as possible and use your thesis statement to answer the following question: Why is mythology important? Make sure to give your definition of ‘important’.

Be sure to cite all resources in an MLA format bibliography -- only one may be Wikipedia and if you use Wiki, you must cite no less than four other sources.

So long as you are up to date with 100 saves, you may use your Delicious account as a starting point. otherwise, no web access except for your blog.

Mythology was a very important part of ancient  people's lives. Many of their lives revolved around their gods, and goddesses. There were many god, each god had different powers, and ruled over different things. There were many time that people would go to war because of a god, or the other way around. Mythology is so important because it hlped shape the world we live in today.

The first god is Zeus. He is the king of the gods, and the ruler of the human race. when Zeus was born unlike his brother's and sisters, his mom hid him from his father. She did this because Zeus's father would swallow his children whole for fear that they would over throw him. Zeus was hidden in the Diktaion  cave, where he was nursed by Amaltheia. when Zeus grew up he freed his brothers and sisters, and overthrew the Titans. When he did this he was named king of the gods. Zeus was a very strong and imposing god, and he often had long curly hair. He had the ability to throw lightning bolts down on earth. He received the power of his lightning bolt because he freed the cyclopes, and as a reward they gave him lightning bolts.

Another god is Hades. Hades was the king of the underworld, the god of death and the dead. When Zeus defeated the titans the three brother gods split up the cosmos, hades received the dark dismal realm of the underworld as his domain. Hades had a three headed watch dog named Cerberus. Cerberus would make sure that no body got in that wasn't supposed to and wouldn't let anyone out. After awhile Hades desired a wife. He petitioned to Zeus to grant him one of his daughters for a wife. The god offered him Persephone, the daughter of Demeter. Knowing the goddess would resist the marriage he had to abduct her. When Demeter found out she was furious, she caused a great dearth to fall on the earth. Hades had to concede least mankind parish. But when Persephone was down in the under world she had a bite of the pomegranate, because she did that she has to return to the under world a portion of every year. Making winter.   

The third major Greek god that split the cosmos was Poseidon. He is the god the seas rivers floods droughts earthquakes and horses. He is normally depicted holding a trident. Poseidon had a sea monster named the Ethiopian Cetus. Poseidon sent him to ravage the land of  Aithiopia as punishment for the queen's boasts that her daughter was more beautiful than Nereides. To sooth the gods she was chained to a rock as a sacrafical offering to the dragon. Poseidon also fought Polybotes in the war of the gods. Poseidon persued him across the sea and crushed him beneath the rock of Nisyros which formed the tip of the island of  Kos. 

Athena was also another well known god, she is best known for her rule over Athens (which was named after her). She was a god of wise counsel, war, the defense of towns, heroic endeavor, weaving, pottery and other crafts. Athena is the daughter of Zeus. Athena fought Poseidon for the control of Athens. Athena won establishing her control over Athens.