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The ENTIRE Story of Greek Mythology Explained | Best Greek Mythology Documentary

The Life Guide・154 minutes read

Greek Mythology encompasses tales of great heroes, gods, and mortals, detailing stories of creation, heroism, betrayal, and vengeance. Various myths feature prominent figures like Zeus, Hercules, Perseus, and Odysseus, exploring themes of fate, morality, and the consequences of one's actions.

Insights

Greek Mythology, recorded over two thousand years ago, features tales of great heroes, gods, and mortals.
Prometheus created mankind and faced consequences for giving them fire, while Pandora unleashed evils into the world.
Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades divided realms, with Zeus becoming ruler after defeating Cronus and the Titans.
Zeus, symbolized by the thunderbolt and eagle, married multiple times, including to Hera, who tormented his lovers.
Apollo, god of archery and music, avenged his mother Leto, while Asclepius angered Hades with his healing skills.
Hermes, messenger god, guided souls to the Underworld, and Dionysus granted King Midas a tragic wish for gold.
Cerberus guarded the Underworld, while souls faced judgment and punishments in Fields of Asphodel, Elysium, or Tartarus.
Oedipus, Perseus, Heracles, Jason, and Odysseus faced tragic fates and heroic quests, shaping Greek mythology's enduring legacy.

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Who created mankind in Greek mythology?
Prometheus

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Summary

00:00

Ancient Greek Mythology: Gods, Heroes, and Legends

Greek Mythology was recorded over two thousand years ago in ancient Greece by Homer and other famous authors, playwrights, and historians.
The tales included stories of great heroes, gods of Olympus, and mortal men and women.
Zeus waged war against his father, Uranus, and created a great flood to wipe out humanity.
Prometheus created mankind and unleashed the horrors of the world from Pandora's box.
The souls of the dead awaited in Hades, and famous heroes slayed monsters like the Hydra and Medusa.
Zeus defeated his father Cronus and the Titans, becoming ruler of the world.
Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades divided realms, with Zeus ruling the sky, Poseidon the sea, and Hades the Underworld.
Prometheus created man from clay and gave them fire, leading to Zeus punishing humanity.
Pandora opened a box releasing evils into the world, leaving only hope inside.
Deucalion and Pyrrha survived a great flood sent by Zeus, repopulating the earth by throwing stones behind them.

15:15

Zeus: King of Gods and Thunderbolt

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Zeus, the king of the Gods, ruled from Mount Olympus with symbols of the thunderbolt and eagle, controlling weather changes.
Zeus married multiple times, starting with nymph Metis, who bore Athena after Zeus swallowed her to avoid a prophecy.
Zeus then married his aunt Themis, having three children known as The Three Fates, who determined destinies.
Zeus's final wife was his older sister Hera, the goddess of women and marriage, with whom he had many children.
Zeus pursued Europa, transforming into a bull to claim her, leading to the birth of many renowned children.
Hera's jealousy led to her tormenting Zeus's lovers, like Io, whom Zeus transformed into a cow to protect from Hera.
Hermes freed Io from Hera's torment by defeating the monster Argus, leading to Io's escape and transformation back to human form.
Leto, another of Zeus's lovers, faced Hera's wrath while pregnant with twins Apollo and Artemis, who became gods of Olympus.
Apollo, the god of archery, light, and music, avenged his mother Leto by slaying the serpent Python and establishing the Oracle of Delphi.

29:50

Greek Gods and Myths: A Brief Overview

Apollo carried a laurel wreath to remember his lost love, Daphne.
Asclepius, Apollo's skilled physician son, could revive the dead, angering Hades.
Zeus killed Asclepius with a thunderbolt but later resurrected him, making him the god of healing.
Artemis, Apollo's twin sister, was a deadly archer and protector of nature.
Poseidon, god of the seas, punished King Minos for refusing a sacrifice, leading to the birth of the Minotaur.
Poseidon, along with other gods, attempted to overthrow Zeus but failed, leading to punishment.
Athena competed with Poseidon to gift a city, creating the olive tree and winning the city's patronage.
Athena, goddess of war and wisdom, was skilled in mathematics and music, and had a conflict with Arachne.
Aphrodite, born from Uranus, was mischievous and responsible for sexual attraction.
Eros' arrows caused Narcissus to fall in love with his own reflection, leading to his tragic end.

44:11

Gods' Love Stories: Psyche, Hephaestus, Ares, Eos

Eros, moved by Psyche's efforts, uses an arrow to save her from eternal sleep.
Zeus arranges a grand wedding for Psyche and Eros, granting her immortality.
Psyche becomes a goddess, symbolizing the union of Love and Soul with their daughter Hedone.
Hephaestus, born lame, is thrown off Olympus by Hera but later becomes a skilled inventor.
Hephaestus crafts various items for the gods, including Athena's breastplate and Achilles' armor.
Ares, the god of war, has an affair with Aphrodite and Eos, causing drama among the gods.
Eos falls in love with Tithonus, asking Zeus for immortality but forgetting eternal youth.
Tithonus ages painfully, leading Eos to transform him into the first cicada.
Hermes, the messenger god, helps guide souls to the Underworld and fathers Pan, the god of nature.
Dionysus, the god of wine, grants Midas the power to turn everything he touches into gold, leading to tragedy.

57:35

Journey through Underworld: Charon, Judges, Punishments

Charon was the only guide across the River Styx, requiring coins under the tongue for passage.
Souls wandering the River Styx shores for 100 years if unable to pay Charon's fee.
Souls reaching the Underworld faced Cerberus at adamantine gates.
Souls judged by three judges based on their actions in life.
Souls directed to Fields of Asphodel, Elysium, or Tartarus based on judgment.
Fields of Asphodel for average souls, Elysium for heroes and good mortals, Tartarus for criminals.
Various punishments in Tartarus, such as Danaides filling a leaking tub.
Sisyphus rolling a boulder uphill as punishment for tricking the gods.
Furies avenging the dead by tormenting the living who committed grave crimes.
Underworld's various areas, including Fields of Mourning and the land of dreams ruled by Morpheus.

01:11:52

Oedipus: Tragic Fate Unveiled

Laius consulted the Oracle of Delphi about his lineage's future, learning he would die at his son's hands.
Laius bound his first son's feet and left him to die on a tree, but a shepherd saved the child, naming him Oedipus.
Oedipus was raised by the king and queen of Corinth, unaware of his true parentage.
Oedipus, upon reaching manhood, sought answers about his parents from the Oracle of Delphi.
Oedipus learned he was destined to kill his father and marry his mother, leading him to avoid Corinth.
Oedipus unknowingly killed his true father, King Laius, on his journey to Thebes.
Oedipus solved the Sphinx's riddle, becoming a hero and marrying Queen Jocasta, his mother.
Oedipus and Jocasta had children, but a plague struck Thebes due to Oedipus' crimes.
Oedipus, upon discovering his true identity, blinded himself and was exiled from Thebes.
Oedipus spent his remaining years as a beggar with his daughter Antigone, realizing fate's inevitability.

01:24:38

Perseus and Heracles: Greek Heroes' Journeys

Perseus, hailed as a hero for slaying Medusa, accidentally kills his grandfather, King Acrisius, with a discus during an athletics tournament in Argos.
Perseus, due to the accidental killing of a family member, founds his own kingdom, Mycenae, with the help of a cyclops, becoming a powerful city in Greece.
Perseus rules Mycenae with Andromeda, having many children, including a descendant who would become the famous hero Heracles.
Zeus fathers Heracles with Alcmena, but Hera, seeking revenge, manipulates events to make another descendant of Perseus, Eurystheus, the king instead.
Heracles, known for his strength and short temper, accidentally kills his music teacher, Linus, due to frustration during a lesson.
Heracles marries Megara and has three children, but Hera, resentful, orchestrates their deaths, leading Heracles to a blind rage where he kills them.
Heracles, realizing the severity of his crimes, seeks guidance from the Oracle of Delphi, who instructs him to serve King Eurystheus for 10 years to atone for his actions.
Heracles begins his 10 labours, starting with slaying the Nemean Lion, whose pelt he uses as armor and a club as a weapon.
Heracles faces the Lernaean Hydra, assisted by his nephew Iolaus, who helps him defeat the beast by cauterizing its necks to prevent regrowth.
Despite defeating the Hydra, Heracles is tasked with an additional 11th labour due to assistance, leading to the creation of the constellation Cancer as a tribute to the giant crab involved.

01:37:48

Heracles' Labours: Hind, Boar, Stables, Bull

Heracles was tasked with capturing the Hind, a beautiful creature resembling a stag with bronze hooves and golden antlers.
The Hind was extremely fast, taking Heracles a year to capture, infuriating Eurystheus.
Heracles was then sent to capture the Erymanthian Boar for his fourth labour.
Visiting his friend Pholus, a centaur, Heracles attended a dinner party where he accidentally caused chaos by drinking sacred wine.
Heracles defended himself against the enraged Centaurs, accidentally poisoning his teacher Chiron.
Heracles completed the labour by capturing the boar and scaring Eurystheus into hiding.
For his fifth labour, Heracles cleaned the Augean stables in a day by diverting rivers to wash away the filth.
Eurystheus refused to count this labour, leading to an additional task, bringing the total to 12 labours.
Heracles then drove away man-eating birds from Lake Stymphalus by using Athena's rattles to scare them off.
Heracles was sent to capture a mad bull causing havoc in King Minos' kingdom, successfully riding it across the seas to Mycenae.

01:51:08

Heracles' Labors and Immortal Transformation

Heracles traveled along the African coastline, encountering intense heat and threatening the Sun with his bow.
The Sun, in human form as Helios, offered Heracles his golden 'Cup' to sail with less intense sunlight.
Heracles reached Erytheia, killed the giant Geryon with a poisoned arrow, and stole his cattle.
For his eleventh labor, Heracles sought the golden apples from the garden of the Hesperides, guarded by Ladon.
Heracles freed Prometheus, who revealed the garden's location and advised seeking help from Atlas.
Heracles traded with Atlas to hold up the sky in exchange for collecting the golden apples.
Atlas returned with the apples, and Heracles tricked him into taking back the sky, completing the task.
Heracles captured Cerberus as his final labor, returned him to King Eurystheus, and was granted freedom.
Deianira, Heracles' wife, unknowingly used Nessus' poisoned blood on a robe, causing Heracles immense pain.
Heracles, tormented by the poison, built a funeral pyre, was transformed into an immortal by Zeus, and became a constellation.

02:03:45

Jason reclaims kingdom with Golden Fleece.

Jason, heir to Iolcus, raised by Chiron, learns athletics, speechcraft, and warfare.
Banished by uncle Pelias, who seized Iolcus, Jason sets out to reclaim his kingdom.
Pelias, warned of a man with one sandal, faces Jason demanding his kingdom.
Pelias challenges Jason to retrieve the Golden Fleece from Colchis to keep the throne.
Jason gathers renowned heroes like Heracles, Zetes, Calais, Dioscuri, Peleus, Telamon, Orpheus.
Argus, with Athena's help, builds the Argo, a swift ship for the heroes.
Argonauts, led by Jason, journey to Colchis to retrieve the Golden Fleece.
Medea, daughter of King Aeetes, falls in love with Jason, helps him subdue the dragon.
Argonauts escape with the Golden Fleece, Medea's aid, pursued by Aeetes' fleet.
Medea tricks her brother Apsyrtus, buys time for Argonauts to escape, defeat Talos, and return to Iolcus.

02:17:53

Medea's Betrayal and Theseus' Triumph in Athens

Medea and Jason create a family, but Jason's eyes wander, leading him to abandon Medea for Princess Creusa.
Betrayed, Medea seeks revenge by sending a cursed robe to Creusa, resulting in her and her father's death.
Discovering the extent of Medea's rage, Jason finds their two sons dead at her feet, leading to a tragic end.
Medea flees to Athens, seduces King Aegeus, and bears him a son, challenging the city's rightful heir, Theseus.
Aegeus had tried to father an heir unsuccessfully until he met Aethra, leading to the birth of Theseus, who had Poseidon's blood.
Theseus, after proving his worth as a warrior, is nearly killed by Medea but is saved by Aegeus, who recognizes him as his son.
Medea is banished from Athens, while Theseus becomes the rightful heir and king.
Theseus volunteers to slay the Minotaur in Crete to end the sacrifices, aided by Ariadne, whom he later abandons.
Theseus slays the Minotaur, forgets to change his ship's sails to white, leading to Aegeus' tragic death.
Theseus becomes King of Athens, a renowned hero who helps Heracles and Oedipus, while Daedalus constructs the labyrinth.

02:31:15

Calydonian Boar Hunt: Atalanta's Triumph and Tragedy

King Oeneus sends messenger birds across Greece to invite heroes to hunt the Calydonian Boar.
Meleager leads over 50 warriors, including the Argonauts, Theseus, Iolaus, Nestor, and Laertes, to join the hunt.
Atalanta, a skilled archer and follower of Artemis, joins the hunt to claim the boar as a prize.
Atalanta faces mockery from the warriors but is allowed to join by Meleager, who falls in love with her.
The hunters surround the boar, causing chaos and casualties until Atalanta delivers the first blow, and Meleager kills the beast.
Meleager insists Atalanta take the boar's hide, leading to a deadly dispute with his uncles.
Queen Althea, Meleager's mother, in grief, burns the log that kept her son alive, causing his death.
Atalanta becomes famous after the hunt, rejecting suitors by challenging them to a footrace.
Hippomenes wins Atalanta's hand in marriage by using golden apples from Aphrodite to distract her during the race.
Atalanta and Hippomenes are transformed into lions by Aphrodite and Zeus as punishment for neglecting to thank the goddess.

02:44:41

"The Trojan War: Love, Betrayal, and Revenge"

Paris, enticed by Aphrodite's promise of the most beautiful woman, gives her the apple and is instructed to go to Sparta to make Queen Helen fall in love with him.
Paris and Helen fall in love, leading to her abduction from Sparta to Troy despite opposition from Spartan guards.
Cassandra prophesies that Helen's arrival will lead to Troy's downfall, but her warnings are dismissed.
Menelaus, upon learning of Helen's abduction, raises armies to attack Troy, calling upon Helen's suitors to join him.
Agamemnon, the most powerful Greek King, leads the Greek forces to retrieve Helen, joined by other powerful kings and warriors.
Achilles, the greatest warrior, joins the Greek forces, with his invulnerability except for his heel being highlighted.
Agamemnon's fleet faces a standstill due to Artemis' anger, requiring the sacrifice of his daughter Iphigenia to appease her.
Agamemnon's actions lead to a plague, resolved only when he returns Chryseis to her father, causing Achilles to withdraw from the war.
Achilles' withdrawal prompts Patroclus to wear his armor and enter battle, leading to his death at the hands of Hector.
Achilles, fueled by revenge, kills Hector, dragging his body around Troy until Priam pleads for its return, marking a somber end to Hector's story.

02:58:22

"Fall of Troy, Rise of Rome: Mythical Odyssey"

Paris, guided by Apollo, shot Achilles with a poisoned arrow in his only mortal part, leading to his death.
Greeks, witnessing Achilles' death, sought revenge on Paris.
Odysseus devised a plan to infiltrate Troy by constructing a wooden horse to hide Greek warriors.
Trojans, deceived by the horse, brought it within their walls, leading to the Greek warriors' attack.
Pyrrhus, son of Achilles, killed Priam and took Andromache into slavery after Troy's fall.
Aeneas led survivors to Italy, founding Rome, while Menelaus and Helen ruled Sparta.
Agamemnon faced a tragic fate, with Clytemnestra killing him and Orestes avenging his father.
Orestes faced the Furies' wrath for killing his mother, Clytemnestra.
Odysseus faced challenges on his journey home, including blinding Polyphemus and facing Poseidon's curse.
Odysseus encountered Circe, a powerful witch, on his journey back to Ithaca.

03:11:44

Odysseus' Journey: Circe, Sirens, and Sacrifice

Odysseus splits his men into two groups, with one group searching for food while he stays by the ship.
The men encounter Circe, who serves them a meal that turns them into pigs, except for one who alerts Odysseus.
Hermes gives Odysseus a magic herb, moly, to counter Circe's enchantments.
Odysseus confronts Circe, threatening her to change his crew back to humans, which she does.
Impressed by Odysseus, Circe invites him to her bed-chamber, and they have a son named Telegonus.
Circe advises Odysseus to visit the Underworld to seek Tiresias' guidance.
Odysseus sacrifices and summons Tiresias, who warns him about the dangers of the island of the Sun God Helios.
Odysseus and his crew encounter the Sirens, and he survives by following Circe's advice to plug his crew's ears with beeswax.
Odysseus faces Scylla, losing six men to the monster as advised by Circe to avoid Charybdis.
Despite warnings, Odysseus' crew consumes the cattle of the Sun God Helios, leading to their ship's destruction and Odysseus' survival.

03:25:11

Odysseus' Reunion and Revenge: The Odyssey

Telemachus reunites with his father Odysseus after a long separation, but their reunion is interrupted by the need to deal with the suitors at the palace.
Penelope sets up a competition for her suitors to win her hand in marriage by shooting an arrow through a row of 12 axe heads using Odysseus' bow, which only Odysseus can successfully accomplish.
Odysseus, disguised as a beggar, reveals his true identity after winning the competition and proceeds to eliminate the suitors with the help of Telemachus and Eumaeus, finally reuniting with his wife Penelope after 20 years of waiting.

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