Objective (Students will…)
Discuss what constitutes Greek epic
poems and fables.
Greeks told stories
about their heroes
(not just gods)
Early Greek history
comes from stories
(and long poems)
passed down
Epics
Homer composed the
most famous epics
Blind
Still famous today!
Epics
Long poems about
a hero’s
adventures
Two famous works Iliad and Odyssey
Both based around the Trojan War
War between Troy and Greece over a women
(Helen)
Iliad:
Portrayal of Heroes (Achilles)
Greek warrior
As a baby dipped in a special river (protected
from injury)
Was killed during the Trojan War after being
stuck by an arrow in the heal
Achilles heal
Odyssey:
Adventures of a Greek hero Odysseus
(Ulysses)
Everywhere protected but heal.
10 year trip home through mysterious lands
and wild adventures after angering Poseidon
Adventures of Ulysses
Stories influence our culture today
Achilles heal = persons weakest area
Odyssey = challenging trip or adventure
MINI VAN!
To help “guide” society (people)
Greeks used fables
Aesop given credit for most
Greek fables
Aesop is a slave (ancient
historians)
Aesop is a name invented (modern
historians)
“The Hare & the Tortoise”
Hare makes fun of tortoise (being
slow)
Tortoise challenges hare to a race
Hare doesn’t take seriously
Fable
Short story that usually involves
animals and teaches a moral
(lesson)
Hare takes a nap, while the
tortoise keeps pushing on
Hare wakes up too late and
tortoise wins the race.
Story teaches people to keep
working (pressing through) and
to not rush or be too confident
Slow and steady wins the race!