greek myths

Arachne

a talented weaver. was warned to be humble, but her pride offends Athena.. who kills ____ and turns her into a spider

echo & narcissus

talkative nymph angers Hera, who curses her to only repeat others’ words. ___ falls in love with ____ who rejects her. _____ in punished by nemesis, falling in love with his own reflection.. he is stuck looking at himself, wastes away, and dies. `

pandora

first woman, created to punish humanity. zeus gives a sealed jar and forbids her from opening it… she opens it and releases evils into the world (sickness, suffering). she closes the car in time, keeps HOPE inside

deadalas

skilled inventor, builds Labyrinth to contain Minotaur. minos imprisons him and his son. ______ creates wings for icarus, warns him not to fly too high. he flies by the sun, melts his wings, falls, and drowns.

midas

loves gold. Dionysus grants him a wish, ____ asks for everything he touches to become gold. his food, drink, and daughter turned into gold, he wished for his gift to disappear.

orpheus

musician whose music charms. falls in love with eurydice and marries her. eurydice dies from snake bite, ____ travels to underworld to bring him back. hades/persephone allow her to return, but they must not look back. filled with doubt, he looks back, and eurydice is lost forever

perseus

his grandfather, Acrisius, tries to prevent prophecy that ____ will kill him. he was sent to fetch Medusa’s head, he succeeds. he accidentally fulfills prophecy by killing Acrisius with a discus. (story highlights bravery)

Pyramus & thisbe

2 lovers from feeding families communicate through a wall, fall in love, but are forbidden to marry each other. they plan to elope under a mulberry tree. tragically die after one mistakes other’s bloodied veil as proof of death, leading to him committing suicide. she finds him dead, kills herself with same sword he used. (staining tree’s white berries red in eternal remembrance of forbidden love)

pygmalion

skilled sculptor. creates statue of a “perfect” woman, and fell in love with it. names statue Galatea, treats it as a real person, dressing it/bringing gifts. prays to Aphrodite, she brings statue to life.. ____ and Galatea get married and live a perfect life

theseus

son of king aegeus. proves royal lineage by lifting heavy stone to retrieve father’s stone/sandals. chooses dangerous route, showing bravery. faces minotaur in Crete, kills it, and escapes. forgetting to change sails from black to white, father thinks he died.. leading him to throw himself into the sea