The world of greek mythology

THE WORLD OF GREEK MYTHOLOGY

In the beginning there was nothing but Chaos – a huge dark mass where everything was hidden. Out of this mass came the goddess Ge (Earth) and then the gods Uranus (the Heavens) and Pontus (the Seas). It was from these that all the ancient world was peopled. Most important were children of Ge and Uranus: twelve gigantic Titans, six male and six female, some horrible one-eyed giants called Cyclopes, and some hundred-handed giants called Hecantoncheires. Uranus hated the sight of his ugly children and sent them to the Underworld. Ge, however, had a pity on them and asked the bravest of the Titans – Cronus – to rise against his father. Cronus therefore attacked Uranus, wounded him, and cast him into chains.

The Reign of Cronus

Cronus now ruled over the world and married a female Titan called Rhea. He did what his mother, Ge, asked of him, and brought back the ugly brothers from the Underworld. But Cronus then became afraid of his own children, because he had been told that he would one day be deposed by his own son. He therefore swallowed the children one by one, but his wife tricked him about the youngest child Zeus. She wrapped a stone in baby clothes and Cronus swallowed that instead. So Zeus grew to manhood in safety.

The Reign of Zeus

The time came for Zeus to seize power from his father. But first his mother Rhea gave Cronus a special drink which made him sick, and he brought up the swallowed children, Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, and Poseidon. Zeus then made himself the chief god of the world and the heavens, and the children cast lots for which parts they should rule. Hades took the lower world of Underworld, and Poseidon the sea. The other Titans either accepted the rule of Zeus or were banished to the Underworld after fierce fighting. Mount Olympus was where Zeus reigned, and it became the home of the gods. By now, however, mortal man had been created, and the most famous gods and goddess mixed with ordinary men and women. Their children became heroes of the Ancient Greece (For example, Heracles was the son of the mortal Alcmene and Zeus). Unlike mortal man, the gods could never die, but they suffered nearly all the troubles that came to mankind.

Vocabulary

there was nothing but… – не было ничего, кроме huge – громадный hide (hid, hidden) – прятаться god, goddess – бог, богиня ancient – древний gigantic – гигантский male – мужчина female – женщина giant – гигант sight – вид have a pity – пожалеть wound – ранить

reign – царствовать, господствовать become afraid (of) – начать бояться bring back – вернуть depose – свергать, смещать therefore – по этой причине, следовательно swallow – глотать trick – обманывать, надувать wrap – завернуть manhood – возмужалость, зрелость seize power – захватить власть

Earth – земля Heavens – небеса rule – править accept – принимать banish – изгонять either …or… – или … или create – создавать ordinary – обычный, заурядный suffer – страдать nearly – почти mankind – человечество

Дата добавления: 2015-11-04