This document discusses several ancient Greek myths involving Prometheus, Io, Europa, the Cyclops Polyphemus, and flower myths centered around Narcissus, Hyacinth, and Adonis. It provides background on Prometheus as a champion of mankind who stole fire from Zeus and was punished, and his interaction with Io. It also summarizes the myths of Europa's abduction by Zeus, Polyphemus' role in the Odyssey, and the stories of how the flowers narcissus, hyacinth, and anemone came to be named after beautiful young men who died.

1. The Earliest Heroes

2. Prometheus and Io
Elsie Russell's Prometheus

3. Prometheus
• A Titan, the son of Lepetus and Themis
• A champion for mankind
• Known for his intelligence
• To whom Zeus gives the task of creating humans
• Stole “fire” to mankind and thus was punished by
Zeus
Prometheus's Theft of Fire,
Christian Griepenkerl
(1839-1916)

4. Prometheus & Epimetheus
• Brothers
• Prometheus -- Forethought
• Epimetheus -- Afterthought

5. The Story Between
Prometheus and Io
• Punished by Zeus, Prometheus was bound to
the rocky peak on Caucasus. There, he met a
strange visitor, Io.
• Prometheus recognized Io, comforted and
pointed her to the distant future.
• It was Io’s descendant, Hercules, to whom
Prometheus would owe his freedom.

6. Prometheus Being Rescued by Hercules,
by Christian Griepenkerl

7. Europa
Abduction of Europa by Jean Baptiste Marie Pierre 1750

8. The Story of Europa
• The goddess of Love and her son, Cupid, shot
an arrow into Zeus’ heart.
• Zeus fell madly in love with Europa.
• Zeus approached Europa as he changed into
the most beautiful bull in the world.
• Zeus took Europa to Crete, where they
married and gave birth to many famous men.

9. Europa is, by far, the most
fortunate girl Zeus fell in love with.

10. The Cyclops Polyphemus
• Pivotal role in Odyssey
• the gigantic one-eyed
son of Poseidon and
Thoosa, one of the
Cyclopes.
• Another side of
Polyphemus in the love
story with Galatea.

11. Polyphemus appeared as a gigantic monster in
Odyssey

12. Galatea and Polyphemus

13. Acis, Galatea, and Polyphemus by François Perrier

14. Flower Myths
• The flowers the come into being through the
death of beautiful young men?

15. Flower myths -- Narcissus

16. Narcissus
• Narcissus is a scorner of
love.
• The goddess of Love
made him fall in love with
his own reflection.
• “Echo” watched his death.

17. Narcissus and Echo

18. Narcissus’ death

19. Flower myths -- Hyacinth

20. Hyacinth
• Apollo’s dearest companion.
• Hyacinth died in the contest with Apollo
competing discus throwing. (the discus hit
Hyacinth’s head)
• It’s Apollo or the West Wind, Zephyr, that
caused Hyacinth’s death?

21. Apollo and Hyacinth’s Death

22. Flower myths -- Adonis

23. Adonis
• Aphrodite and Persephone both fell in love
with him.
• Zeus decided that Adonis should spend half
year with each goddess.
• Love hunting, and also died in the hunting of a
boar.

24. Aphrodite and Adonis

25. The Death of Adonis

26. Q&A
• Which word come into being to describe those
who really adore themselves?
• Can you come up with any other examples of
objects’ names come into being because of
the deaths of related people?