Does the culture of the Greeks transcend into our own?

Ancient Greek Culture and its Relevancy

VocabularyAllusion: an expression designed to call

something to mind without mentioning it explicitly; an indirect or passing reference.

Example: Last year you read Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech. MLK Jr. alluded to the “Gettysburg Address” by starting his speech with “Five score years ago…”. MLK Jr. did this to show the parallels between these two historic events.

Example: Taylor Swift’s “Love Song” alludes to William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, she is making the comparison of unrequited love.

Directions:Look at the picture and all of its details.

Write what you see and what value you think it holds in Greek Culture.

Write what you believe would be the American equivalent

(if any).Share with your partner.

Let’s Practice!

Think, Write, Share

The Parthenon is a temple on the Athenian Acropolis dedicated to goddess Athena. Construction of the Parthenon began in 447BC and was completed in 438BC. It is one of the most important surviving buildings of classical Greece.

Athena of Lemnia by

Phidias 450BC

Athena of Lemnia by Phidias 450BCThis statue was very important to the Greeks,

it had an honored place on Acropolis, believed by the Athenians to be one of Athena’s most sacred sites in the world.

The Acropolis of Athens is an ancient fortress located above Athens. It contains several ancient buildings, one of which is the Parthenon.

“Lancoon and His Sons” 25BC

Lancoon believed the massive wooden horse known as the Trojan horse would destroy Troy. When no one believed Lancoon, he stabbed a sword into the side of the horse. The horse was thought to be an offering gift for Athena. For punishment, Lancoon and his sons were strangled by serpents from the sea.

The Diskobolus of Myron, 480-470BCThe moment captured in this statue is

an example of rythmos, which means harmony and balance.

This statue could represent the Olympics or games the Greek's played.

Kronus and Rhea, 474-425BCThis is a painted ancient Greek vase of

Rhea handing over the rock for Kronus to swallow instead of baby Zeus.

Allusions

References to well-known people, places, or things in history.*Please add this definition to your

vocabulary worksheet.

Does Greek Culture transcend through more than just art?

Allusions in Movies The Lion KingThe Little MermaidThe Star Wars Trilogy2001 A Space OdysseyMy Big Fat Greek Wedding

Allusions in Television

Xena: Warrior Princess

Allusions in Music

STYX- a band popular in the 1970s and 1980s - a reference to the Styx, the River of Oaths, that was crossed by souls on their journey to the underworld.

Achilles Last Stand, by Led Zeppelin, tells the story of Achilles.

Also, the band Queen modeled the epic poem style with their song “Bohemian Rhapsody.” A rhapsody was an epic poem in Ancient Greece, recited by rhapsodes.

Allusions in Video GamesThe central character of the series is

Kratos, a Spartan warrior tricked into killing his wife and child by his former master, the God of War Ares. Kratos eventually kills Ares at the command of the goddess Athena and takes his place as the new God of War, but is still haunted by the nightmares of his past. Kratos is eventually betrayed by Zeus, the King of the Olympian Gods. Revealed to be a demigod and the son of Zeus, Kratos now seeks revenge against the gods for their machinations (scheming way to bring evil). What follows is a series of attempts to free himself from the influence of the gods and the Titans and exact revenge. Each game chapter forms part of a saga with vengeance as a central theme.

Allusions in Advertisements

The Honda Odyssey is an allusion to Odysseus’

journey because it references that the van can

sustain long arduous distances just like

Odysseus’ odyssey.

Allusions in Businesses

Ajax: Ajax is a popular cleaning agent, but the company itself gets its name from Ajax, a Greek warrior in the Trojan war who "Cleaned up," in battle. This is from where the name derived. This allusion explains the company's name and makes the product seem more effective.

Goodyear: The Goodyear logo alludes to the winged shoes of Hermes, the messenger of the gods in Greek mythology. The shoes in the Goodyear logo appear to be sandals with wings on the side, and Hermes always wore his winged sandals that allowed him to fly anywhere. This allusion helps make the company's tires seem better and faster.

Nike: The company Nike gets its name from Nike, the Winged goddess of Victory, who can run and fly at great speeds. Nike is a famous company that sells footwear and other items. This allusion makes the product seem better than its competitors.

1. Post Reading: Does the culture of the Greeks transcend into our own? Provide specific examples to support your answer. 2. What characteristics of Greek culture have remained a prominent value of the society we our most familiar with?

3. What does that say about the aspects of life humans most value?

Ancient Greek Culture and its Relevancy

Please Answer the three questions on the back of your paper using complete

sentences.