Greek Religion

 

 

Composed orally sometime in the 7^th-6^th centuries BCE, the Homeric Hymns are anonymous worship poems. Each poem celebrates a different god or goddess, and often tells the story of how that divinity came to be associated with a particular cult site and/or function. As a result, these hymns are an excellent primary source for Greek religion.

Resources:

• Homeric Hymn to Hermes: http://go.owu.edu/~rlelias/hermes.htm
• Homeric Hymn to Apollo: https://chs.harvard.edu/CHS/article/display/6294.8-the-homeric-hymn-to-apollo-translated-by-rodney-merrill
• Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite: https://chs.harvard.edu/CHS/article/display/5293
• Homeric Hymn to Demeter: https://chs.harvard.edu/CHS/article/display/5292
• Homeric Hymn to Dionysus: https://chs.harvard.edu/CHS/article/display/6467

Regardless of the option that you select, please make sure that your essay has a clear introduction with a thesis statement/argument, body paragraphs that use specific examples to prove aspects of your thesis statement, and a conclusion that considers the big-picture implications of your argument for the study of history and geography of ancient civilizations.

Instructions for this assignment:

Based on your reading of TWO of the Homeric Hymns, please write a 2-3 page paper (500-750 words) addressing ONE of the following questions:

Do the Homeric Hymns about male gods seem different from those about female goddesses? If so, what are the differences that you have noticed? What do you think that we can deduce from these differences as historians of Greek religion?

What is the role of Zeus in the lives of his divine sons? What can we learn from this about the general nature of the gods’ relationships with each other?

What is the connection between the gods and specific geographical locations in the Greek world?

Writing Guidelines:

• Your completed assignment should be 2-3 pages in length (500-750 words)
• You must write in complete sentences and paragraphs. Bullet points or lists will not be accepted.
• Your essay should have a clear introduction and thesis statement that provides your proposed answer to the question prompt; body paragraphs; and a conclusion.
• Please cite your sources internally using parenthetical citations or footnotes, and include a complete bibliography at the end of your paper. You should be citing the linked sources.
• Please see the format guidelines contained in your syllabus. There are also links to formatting information for APA, MLA, Chicago Style, and Turbian.
• Be original – All papers submitted in this class are reviewed via Turnitin.com, a proprietary software database that identifies unoriginal material in papers. Please review the syllabus statement regarding the penalty for plagiarism..
• Submit your citations and bibliography within your paper. Everything should be saved and submitted in one document.