Greek Achievements

Greek Achievements 5.3 pp 142-149

Greek Achievements • Greek Philosophy • “Philosophy” means “love of wisdom” • 3 most famous Greek philosophers were • Socrates • Plato • Aristotle

Socrates • First great Greek philosopher • Socratic method – use of questions to guide people to truths • Interested in ideas about truth, justice, virtue • We know about Socrates because his student, Plato, wrote about him

Socrates • Socrates made many enemies • In 399 B.C. he was found guilty of disrespect for the gods and corrupting children • He was sentenced to die by drinking poison

Plato • Student of Socrates • Founded The Academy, an early school • Most famous work: The Republic • Says philosophers make the best leaders • Question: would Plato have supported Athenian democracy? Why or why not?

Aristotle • Student of Plato • Founded a school called The Lyceum • Used reason and logic to study the natural world • Reason: clear and ordered thinking • Logic: process of drawing conclusions- using what you know to learn new facts • Was a tutor of Alexander the Great

Greek Literature • Poetry • Lyric poetry – poems that deal with emotions and desires; often accompanied by a lyre • Epic poetry – tell stories of great events and heroes

Homer • Blind Greek bard, or poet • Two famous works • The Iliad- tells of the Trojan war between Troy and Greece • The Odyssey- the tale of Odysseus’ journey home • Poems not written- they were memorized and sung

The Iliad • 10 year war between Troy (also called Ilium) and the Greeks • Helen, wife of Menelaus, is kidnapped by Paris, a Prince of Troy • Menelaus and his brother Agamemnon lead the Greeks to Troy to get Helen back

Iliad tells stories of heroes like Achilles and Odysseus, Ajax, Hector, and Aeneas The gods play important parts in the events of the story “Sing, goddess, the rage of Achilles the son of Peleus,the destructive rage that sent countless ills on the Achaeans... “ - opening lines of the Iliad The Iliad

The Odyssey • After the war, Odysseus spends 10 years trying to return home • Odyssey has come to mean any long and difficult journey

Greek Literature • History • First historians were Greeks • Herodotus – wrote about the Persian Wars • Thucydides – wrote about the Peloponnesian War

Greek Drama • 2 types of drama, or playwriting • Tragedy • Comedy • Dramas were performed as part of religious festivals honoring Dionysus

Greek Tragedies • Tragedies focused on hardships faced by Greek heroes • Great tragedy writers • Aeschylus (Ess-ka-luss) wrote the Oresteia • Sophocles wrote Oedipus the King • Euripides wrote Medea

Greek Comedies • Comedies were satires – they used humor to point out flaws in society • Aristophanes criticized the religion, the treatment of women in Athens, and warfare

Greek Architecture • Most famous Greek building: the Parthenon – a temple to Athena, on the Athenian acropolis

Greek Sculpture • Greeks sculpted realistic statues of humans • Showed the ideal human form • Famous sculptors • Phidias • Myron • Praxiteles

Greek Painting • Greeks painted mostly in red and black • Paintings found on vases, plates, bowls, cups • Show scenes from everyday life or myths • Painted frescoes and murals on walls

Greek Achievements