Greek Culture：Two Major Elements of European Culture☐The Greco-Roman ElementParthenon：the chief temple of the goddess Athena( the goddess of wisdom, arts and warfare) built on the acropolis at AthensShe-wolf: Romulus & Remusthe Colosseum: gladiator☐The Judeo-Christian ElementmenorahGreek Culture☐Historical Context☐Social and Political Structure☐Literature☐Philosophy☐Lasting EffectHistorical Context:Trojan War (1,200 B.C.)The Trojan War broke out at the end of the Mycenaean Civilization. All the city-states in Mycenae sent troops to help form a coalition army for the battles. Not long after the war, the Dorians from the northwest of Greece invaded and destroyed Mycenae in about the 12th–11th centuries BC.The war originated from a quarrel between the goddesses Athena, Hera, and Aphrodite, after Eris, the goddess of strife and discord, gave them a golden apple, sometimes known as the Apple of Discord,marked ―for the fairest‖. Zeus sent the goddesses to Paris, who judged that Aphrodite, as ―the fairest‖, should receive the apple. In exchange, Aphrodite made Helen, the most beautiful of all women and wife of Menelaus, fall in love with Paris, who took her to Troy. Agamemnon, the king of Mycenae and the brother of Helen’s husband Menelaus, waged a war against Troy.☐Direct Fuse: the stolen wife☐Root Cause: ambition to conquer the worldLeaders on Both SidesThe Trojan: Priam, Hector, ParisThe Greek: Menelaus, Agamemnon, Odysseus, Achilles, Patroclus, AjaxConsequences of the War☐Burning of TroyEstablishment of Rome: Virgil: AeneidGreek mythology:Mount Olympus:the ―home of the gods‖. The deities who dwelled on this mountain were ruled by Zeus, included his wife, his brothers, his sisters and his children.The Olympian GodsZeus(宙斯): the heavenly king of the gods and ruler of mankindPoseidon(波塞冬): the moody god of the seasHades(哈得斯): the gloomy god of the underworldHestia (赫斯提): the calm goddess of the hearthHera（赫拉）: the mature goddess of the family; sister & wife of ZeusAres(阿瑞斯): the fierce god of the warAthena(雅典娜): the sophisticated goddess of wisdom and artsApollo(阿波罗): the youthful god of the sun and the musicAphrodite(阿芙罗狄蒂): the sensual goddess of love and beautyHermes(赫尔墨斯): the cunning god of the tradeArtemis (阿耳特弥斯): the wild goddess of the huntHephaestus (赫菲斯托斯): the ill-favored god of metallurgyProsperity of Greek Culture (5th century B.C.)☐Repulse of the Persian Invasion: the pass of Thermopylae (480 B.C.)☐The establishment of democracy☐The flourisng of science, philosophy, literature, art and historical writing in AthensThe Persian InvasionSpartans: Leonidas, the KingPersian: Xerxes☐Stranger; take word to Sparta:here we lie, obeying her orders.-------- Herodotus, Father of HistoryAlexander, King of Macedon(4th century B. C.)☐Unification of all Greece☐Conquest of Europe, Asia and AfricaWide spread of Greek Culture: Egypt: AlexandriaSocial & Political Structure☐polis (city-state)☐Democracy: ―exercise of power by the whole people‖ (adult male citizens) Slave labour: harsh exploitationOlympic Games: ―Citius-Altius-Fortius‖Greek Literature☐Epics☐Lyrics☐Drama☐Allegories: AesopHomer:Iliad: the war of TroyOdyssey: the return of Odysseus to his home: IthacaLyric PoetryLyrics: poetry that expresses direct personal feelingsPindar:odes: expression of noble feelings, often in celebration of special events Sappho (Lesbos):In gold sandalsdawn like a thieffell upon me.Drama (5th Century. B.C.)TragedyAeschylus: Prometheus Bound, Persians, AgamemnonSophocles: Oedipus the King, Electra, AntigoneEuripides：Andromache, Medea, Trojan WomenComedyAristophanes: Frogs, Clouds, Wasps, Birds“As for comic Aristophanes,The dog too witty and too profane is.”------Jonathan SwiftPhilosophy & Science☐The spirit of free enquiry☐Ready to drop established ideas☐To speculate, to use their imagination and to form their own conclusionsMinor Scientists & Thinkers☐Pythagoras:founder of scientific mathematics; point, line, bodythe first theory of propotion; Everything is numbers.☐Heracleitue/Heraclitusfire: primary element of the universe―all is flux, nothing is stationary‖―You cannot step twice into the s ame river; for fresh waters are ever flowing in upon you. The sun is new everyday.‖☐Democritus:the atomic structure of matter; the earliest exponent of the atomic theory:Material world is composed of tiny, inseparable particles called atoms.―It is right, since we are human, that we should not laugh at human misfortunes but lament them‖☐Euclidestablished the science of plane geometry; Elements: a textbook of geometry☐ArchimedesThe principle of the lever ―Give me a place to stand, and I will move the world‖PhilosophySocrates (about 470-399 B.C.)☐Dialogues☐one of the founders of Western philosophy☐The dialectical method☐―The Apology of Socrates‖―The hour of departure has arrived, and we go our ways—I to die, and you to live. Which is better God only knows.‖Plato (about 428-348 B.C.)☐Dialogues―Plato was essentially a poet—the truth and splendor of his imagery, and the melody of his language, are the most intense that it is possible to conceive‖—— Shelley☐Republic : the ideal state ruled by a philosopher but barring poets☐Idealism: only ―ideas‖ are completely real; the physical world is relatively real.☐The AcademyAristotle (384-322 B.C.)☐Tutor of Alexander―the master of those who know‖ —Dante☐Ethics, Politics, Poetics, Rhetoric☐Materialism:direct observation of nature; theory should follow facts.Greek Culture: Two WarsGreek Civilization came to its peak during Pericles’ reign and then began to decline, during which two wars broke out with profound meanings.One is the war between Greek city-states and Persian invaders (499 BC–449 BC). The victory laid the foundation for the development and prosperity of Greece.However, peace and stability did not last long after the victory because a split occurred between the two strongest city-states (459 BC–404 BC) , thus leading to the decline of Athens and most poleis involved in the war. Till 146 BC, the regions of Greek Peninsula and Aegean Sea islands were allseized and conquered by Roman troops and merged into the map of Roman Empire.Pericles:Athenian statesman whose leadership contributed to Athen's political and cultural supremacy in Greece; he ordered the construction of the Parthenon (died in 429 BC).Sophists☐Teachers of the art of arguing☐Protagoras: “Man is the measure of all things.”Contending Schools of Thought (4th Century, B.C.)☐The Cynics: Diogenesself-sufficiency & extreme simplicity in life; no patience with the rich and powerful☐The Sceptics: Pyrrhonnot all knowledge was attainabledoubt the truth of what others accepted as true☐The Epicureans: Epicuruspleasure: the highest good in life;freedom from pain and emotional upheavalthe practice of virtueMisunderstanding: indulgence in luxurious living☐The Stoics: Zenothe most important thing in life: dutyendure hardship and misfortune with courageChinese PhilosophersSpring & Autumn Period (770-476 B. C.)☐Lao Tzu (604-531 B. C.):Tao Te Tsing☐Confucius (551-479 B. C.):The AnalectsWarring States (475-221 B. C.)Historical WritingsGreek history has contributed considerably to the constitution of Greek and Western civilization with its abundant documents of a variety of historical events and figures scattered in social, political, military and cultural fields. The most famous historians are Herodotus(485 BC–425 BC) and Thucydides(about 460 BC–404 BC).●Herodotus is generally acknowledged as the first reputed historian of Greece.●―Father of History‖●His writing Histories objectively describes the war between Persians and Greece.●―that the great and wonderful deeds done by Greeks and Persians should not lack renown.‖●Thucydides is generally acknowledged as one of the greatest of ancient Greece for histruthfulness, conciseness and imagination.●―the greatest historian that ever lived.‖ (Macaulay: English Historian)●His History of the Peloponnesian War recounts the struggle between Athens and Sparta in the5th century BC, as the first recorded political and moral analysis of a nation’s war policies. Architecture☐Temples: Parthenon☐The Doric style; The Ionic style; The Corinthian styleThe Doric style☐masculine style:☐sturdy, powerful, severelooking; monotous☐showing a good sense of proportionThe Ionic style☐feminine style☐graceful and elegant; a wealth of ornamentThe Corinthian style☐ornamental luxurySculpture☐the earliest: Gods: stiff, lifeless☐5 th C. B.C.: the beauty of the internal structure of human bodies and mythological figuresVenus de Milo(Aphrodite of Milos):symbol of beauty&grace; a personification of vitality and dignity Discus Thrower:relaxation and contraction of the muscleLaocoon Group: facial expression: fear, sympathyPottery☐Domestic needs & foreign trade☐Jars and other utesnsils☐The varying shapes and beautiful figures painted on them reflected the high degree of Greek civilization.black-figure paintings:☐Paintings on pottery that have red background and black figurered-figure paintings:☐Paintings on pottery that have black background and red figureLasting Effect☐To understand the world by the use of human reason☐Greece is every Western man’s second nature.☐Influence on LiteratureByron: Isles of Greece Shelley: Hellas & Prometheus UnboundKeats: Ode on a Grecian Urn James Joyce: UlyssesThe influence on Western civilizationGreek culture is often termed the cradle of the Western civilization and has had an enormous impact on Western culture. The specific contributions are found in the areas of philosophy, politics, literature, art, science and architecture.Greek politics was one of the greatest influences on the Western civilization. The Greeks were the first to successfully create a government based on the consensus of the people and thus provided a foundation for Western democracy.The second significant influence was that of philosophy. The Socratic idea about ethics and knowledge helped the Westerners care more for the effect of knowledge and value of morality, both of which give sound guidance to people in the later years to improve and change the world outside themselves, i.e., human society and the natural world.Later generations of Westerners have benefited a lot from Greek culture, such as those in painting, sculpture, architecture, drama, poetry and historical works. Classicism had Greek culture as one of the crucial sources, and this has helped Westerners so much that they ascribed the origin of the Renaissance to it. This changed the intellectual conditions of the later medieval period and opened the way to the modern era in the West.。