Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta Mythology and Picture. Mostrar todas las entradas
Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta Mythology and Picture. Mostrar todas las entradas

martes, 26 de abril de 2011

God of the sea, protector of all waters. Poseidon is the brother of Zeus. After the overthow of their Father Cronus he drew lots with Zeus and Hades, another brother, for shares of the world. His prize was to become lord of the sea. He was widely worshiped by seamen. He married Amphitrite, a granddaughter of the Titan Oceanus.

lunes, 4 de abril de 2011

Apollo and Daphne is a story from ancient  Greek mythology, retold by Hellenistic  and Roman  authors in the form of an amorous vignette;

" Apollo and Daphne " by   Antonio Pollaiuolo 
The curse of Apollo, the god of the sun and music, was brought onto him when he insulted the young Eros for playing with bow and arrows. 
Apollo was a great warrior and said to him, "What have you to do with warlike weapons, saucy boy? Leave them for hands worthy of them. Behold the conquest I have won by means of them over the vast serpent who stretched his poisonous body over acres of the plain! Be content with your torch, child, and kindle up your flames, as you call them, where you will, but presume not to meddle with my weapons"
The petulant Eros took two arrows, one of gold and one of lead . The gold one was supposed to incite love, while the lead one was supposed to incite hatred. With the leaden shaft, Eros shot the nymph Daphne and with the golden one, he shot Apollo through the heart. Apollo was seized with love for the maiden, Daphne, and she in turn abhorred him. In fact, she spurned her many potential lovers, preferring instead woodland sports and exploring the woods. Her father, Peneus, demanded that she get married so that she may give him grandchildren. However, she begged her father to let her remain unmarried, like Apollo's sister, Artemis.
He warned her saying, "Your own face will forbid it." By saying this he meant that she was too beautiful to keep all her potential lovers away forever.
Apollo continually followed her, begging her to stay, but the nymph continued her flight. They were evenly matched in the race until Eros intervened and helped Apollo gain upon Daphne.
Seeing that Apollo was bound to catch her, she called upon her father, "Help me, Peneus! Open the earth to enclose me, or change my form, which has brought me into this danger!"
Suddenly, her skin turned into bark, her hair became leaves, and her arms were transformed into branches. She stopped running as her feet became rooted to the ground. Apollo embraced the branches, but even the branches shrank away from him. Since Apollo could no longer take her as his wife, he vowed to tend her as his tree, and promised that her leaves would decorate the heads of leaders as crowns, and that her leaves were also to be depicted on weapons. Apollo also used his powers of eternal youth and immortality to render her ever green. Since then, the leaves of the Bay laurel tree have never known decay.
Roman name Venus. Aphrodite was the goddess of love. Aphrodite lived on Mount Olympus with the other supreme deities and was married to the homely craftsman-god, Hephaestus. She was said to have been born from the foam of the sea. She was born when Cronus cut off Uranus' genitals and threw them into the sea, and from the sea foam (aphros) arose Aphrodite.Aphrodite is also known as Cytherea and Cypris. It's in the Uffizi gallery.
 
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lunes, 28 de marzo de 2011

DIONYSOS/ BACCO


 Read the myth and look for information about the Caravaggio´s picture: Bacco

DIONYSOS
Dionysos was the great Olympian god of wine, vegetation, pleasure and festivity. He was depicted as either an older bearded god or a pretty effeminate, long-haired youth. His attributes included the thyrsos (a pine-cone tipped staff), drinking cup, leopard and fruiting vine. He was usually accompanied by a troop of Satyrs and Mainades (female devotees or nymphs).

The tree Graces

reads the myth and look for pictures in

http://www.museodelprado.es/en/visit-the-museum/15-masterpieces/work-card/obra/the-three-graces/

They are the three daughters of Zeus and the nymph Eurynome and they are the goddesses of “Radiance,” “Joy,” “Fruitfulness,” “Splendor,” “Mirth,” “Good Cheer,” and many other things.  The three of them preside over happy events amongst mortals and gods -- gatherings with friends, dances and celebrations. They would also dance for Apollo to the beautiful music from his lyre, and they would inspire mortal artists with abilities – similar to the Muses.

lunes, 14 de marzo de 2011

Artemis

She was goddess of chastity, virginity, the hunt, the moon, and the natural environment. Artemis is the daughter of Zeus and Leto. Her twin brother is Apollo. She is the lady of the wild things. She is the huntsman of the gods. She is the protector of the young. Like Apollo she hunts with silver arrows. She became associated with the moon. She is a virgin goddess, and the goddess of chastity. She also presides over childbirth, which may seem odd for a virgin, but goes back to causing Leto no pain when she was born. She became associated with Hecate. The cypress is her tree. All wild animals are scared to her, especially the deer.