GRST 209 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: False Etymology, Heinrich Schliemann, Euhemerism

• School: University of Calgary
• Department: Greek and Roman Studies
• Course: GRST 209
• Professor: Bryan Natali

Document Summary

Stories in which the main characters are supernatural beings; these stories generally explain why the world, or some aspect of it, is the way it is. These are the creation myths of the ancient greeks. Nyx (night): in greek myth is the abstract concept of night given a few human characteristics. The union of nyx and erebus (darkness) produced their opposites, aether radiance", and hemera day". (such personification is called anthropomorphism. ) Originally referred to christian stories about the lives of saints. Stories of the great deeds of human (or semi-divine) heroes. Legends narrate the events of the human past. Stories of the trojan war and the exploits of achilles are such examples. Heinrich schliemann believed that homer"s stories about troy (iliad & odyssey) were based on historical truth. Funded archaeological digs at troy and, later, at mycenae. Found a huge horde of gold and jewels priam"s treasure . Stories whose characters are ordinary people or animals.