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39 views16 pages

T TP 2550457 ks2 Ancient Greek Mythical Creatures Powerpoint - Ver - 6

Uploaded by

Diana Penelea
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Ancient Greek Myths

What Is a Greek Myth?

Greek myths and legends are a collection of


traditional stories that were told by the ancient
Greeks to help explain the existence of the world.

They are captivating tales of fantasy,


often featuring adventure and danger.

Which Greek myths do you know?


Ancient Greek Myths
What Are Greek Mythical
Creatures?
In Greek mythology, the storyline often
involves the hero having to fight or
overcome some sort of creature.
Sometimes, the creatures assist the hero
in their quest.

Unlike the people or animals you might meet in


real life, these mystical creatures are imaginative,
supernatural and sometimes frightening.
Ancient Greek Mythical
Creatures

Medusa Pegasus Chimera

Centaur Here are some famous mythical


creatures. There are terrifying
monsters, one-eyed giants, sea
creatures, cave dwellers, peace
lovers and flying beasts. Griffin

Click on a picture to discover more.

Minotaur Thinking Time

Click here for a challenge when


Cyclops Hydra you’ve explored all of the creatures.
Medusa
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Appearance
Medusa was a gorgon. She had woman’s body and
face but her head was full of snakes, instead of hair.

Special Abilities
Medusa was a dreadful and fearsome creature with a piercing
gaze. One look into her eyes would turn you to stone!

Medusa in Greek Mythology


• Medusa had once been a very beautiful woman. She angered the
goddess Athena with her boastfulness so Athena transformed her into a
vicious monster.
• Medusa was killed by Perseus while she was asleep. He approached her
using the reflection in Athena’s bronze shield to guide him so he didn’t
risk being turned to stone by looking into her eyes.
• He cut off Medusa’s head with his sword and then used it as a weapon
to help him escape.
Chimera
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Appearance
The chimera had the complete body of a female lion.
From between her shoulder blades grew the head of a
goat and her tail morphed into a snake.

Special Abilities
The chimera had a fearsome weapon - she was able to breathe fire.
This, combined with her lion’s strength, goat’s cunning and
snake’s venom, made her nearly invincible.

Chimera in Greek Mythology


• The chimera lived in Lycia, where she terrorised the people and ravaged
the land with her fire breath. For a long time, she was considered
unbeatable.
• Bellerophon was challenged to kill the chimera by King Iobates. He
succeeded in his quest with the help of Pegasus - the winged horse.
Bellerophon rode on Pegasus’ back and fired arrows at the chimera from
above.
Pegasus
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Appearance
Pegasus was a beautiful, pure-white horse, with
feathered wings on his back. He sometimes wore a
magical, golden bridle.

Special Abilities
Pegasus could fly and also had an array of supernatural powers.
He could pass between the mortal and immortal realms and create
springs of water with his hooves. His wings clapped like
thunder if he was angry.

Pegasus in Greek Mythology


• Pegasus was Medusa’s son and lived by a spring he created beside Mount
Helicon.
• Pegasus wore Athena’s enchanted golden bridle while Bellerophon rode
him into battle with the chimera.
• Zeus gave Pegasus the responsibility of carrying his lightning bolts.
Cyclops
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Appearance
A cyclops was an enormous, lumbering giant. It had
a single, round eye in the centre of its forehead.

Special Abilities
A cyclops’ main ability was powerful strength that made them
impressive warriors. They were also known to be talented blacksmiths
and stonemasons.

The Cyclops in Greek Mythology


• The word ‘cyclops’ meant ‘round eye’. The plural for cyclops is ‘cyclopes’.
• Cyclopes are included in a variety of Greek myths. In early mythology,
the cyclopes was said to have created Zeus’ thunderbolt, Hades’ helmet
of invisibility and Poseidon’s trident. Later mythology often describes
them as being cannibals.
• The most famous Cyclops was Polyphemus, who featured in ‘The
Odyssey’ and other stories. He was stabbed in the eye by Odysseus,
which blinded him.
Griffin
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Appearance
Griffins had the body of a lion and the head of an
eagle. Sometimes, they were shown to have wings.

Special Abilities
They combined the strength and power of a lion and the keen eyesight of
an eagle. Winged griffins could fly.

Griffins in Greek Mythology


• Griffins were majestic creatures that represented wisdom, strength and
cunning.
• They were believed to hoard gold and riches, which they fiercely
protected.
• A tribe of the griffins guarded gold in the mountains of northern Skythia.
They warred constantly with the Arimaspians (a group of one-eyed
men), battling them for this treasure.
Hydra
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Appearance
The Hydra was a fearsome, snake-like monster with
many heads. The exact number of heads varies but
is often said to be nine.

Special Abilities
One of Hydra’s heads was immortal and if any of its other heads were cut
off, two more would grow in its place. It was also highly venomous.

The Hydra in Greek Mythology


• Hydra is a girls name, meaning ‘water serpent’.
• It lurked in the swamps around Lake Lerna, claiming many lives.
• Hercules defeated Hydra as the second of his impossible tasks, during
the ‘Twelve Labours of Hercules.’ He cut off the Hydra’s immortal head
with a golden sword, given to him by Athena.
Centaur
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Appearance
Centaurs had the body of a horse and the torso, arms and
head of a human. In Cyprus, centaurs had horns. They
possessed human intelligence and had the ability to
speak.
Special Abilities
Centaurs would live for 300-500 years. They were considered to
have extraordinary strength and stamina and could use their
hooves as weapons.

Centaurs in Greek Mythology


• The most well-known centaur in Greek mythology was Chiron.
• He was said to be more modest and civilised than other centaurs and
was known for his teaching abilities and medicinal skills.
• Chiron served as a tutor to some notable mythical characters, including
Achilles and Asclepius.
Minotaur
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Appearance
The Minotaur was a terrifying creature, with the head of a
bull and the body of a man. He walked upright on the legs
of a bull.
Special Abilities
The Minotaur was extremely strong, powerful and fierce. He had
a keen sense of smell and could understand human speech.

The Minotaur in Greek Mythology


• The Minotaur lived on the island of Crete, in a vast underground maze -
known as the labyrinth.
• He is one of the most famous and gruesome of Greek mythological
creatures. Every few years, he was fed 14 young men and women.
• The Minotaur was eventually killed by the Athenian hero, Theseus, who
was helped by Princess Ariadne. Theseus laid a trail of thread to help
him escape the labyrinth after killing the Minotaur.
Thinking Time

Tell the person beside you a fact about this


creature.

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Thinking Time

Write a question you have about this creature.


What else would you like to learn?
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Thinking Time

If you were a Greek mythological hero, how would


you defeat the chimera?

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