1.) What values were most important to the early Greeks and why were they considered so important?
Based on what we have learned from listening to excerpts from the Odyssey, I would assume that ingenuity, loyalty, and athleticism were the top three most important values to the early Greeks.
At least 3/4 of the stories show ingenuity. Odysseus uses his wits to outsmart the cyclops, the sirens, and all the other obstacles in his path. Penelope, Odysseus's wife, uses here ingenuity to stall against marrying one of her suitors. In other Greek myths, there are many more examples of cleverness being a major value. For example, there is one architect, Daedalus, who turns up several times. He makes the labyrinth in which the Minotaur is kept, and when the king who hired him to create the maze imprisons him, he escapes by making wings out of bird feathers. Another example of ancient Greek heroes being clever is when Hercules needs to pick a golden apple from Hera's garden of Hesperides. Atlas tricks Hercules into holding up the world on his shoulders forever and almost leaves the hero there, but Hercules tricks the titan into taking the world back again.
The second value that I think was pretty important to the ancient Greeks was loyalty. All over tales from the Odyssey, loyalty is demonstrated. Penelope stays loyal to her husband while being pressured into marrying a suitor; Odysseus is loyal to one of his men who died and travels back to give the man a proper burial, etc. Everyone is loyal to people they love. I think that the ancient Greeks valued loyalty because it is so honorable and the "right" thing to be. How can anyone like a hero who doesn't stay loyal to his wife? How can anyone respect a hero who isn't loyal to his allies? Like today, the ancient Greeks probably believed that being disloyal was despicable.
Lastly, the ancient Greek people believed that athleticism was a quality to be admired. Examples in the Odyssey are when Penelope says that she will only marry the man who can string and shoot from Odysseus's bow, and when Odysseus kills all of Penelope's suitors. Odysseus is part-god, so he is extra-strong (another example of the Greeks valuing physical strength and fitness). Because he is so strong, no one else can use his bow. This proves that none of the other men are worthy to marry Penelope. This idea that the strongest man gets the woman also emphasizes how highly thought of athleticism was by the Greeks. Also, Odysseus ends up using his awesome strength and skill to kill all of Penelope's suitors. This also demonstrates the hero of the story being strong and fit.
Of course, there are many more Greek values that are demonstrated in the Odyssey. Loyalty, ingenuity, and athleticism just popped out at me the most.
2.) In what ways are the early Greek values found in modern society?
There are many, many examples of where early Greek values can be found in modern society. All three values I mentioned above are still valued today.
It is very obvious that people still value athleticism. The winter and summer Olympics (which were invented in ancient Greece) still go on every two years. The point of the Olympics is for different countries to compete in athletic events. The strongest, fastest, and most skilled competitors are honored with medals and trophies. The Wimbledon cup for tennis, the men and women's World Cup for soccer, the NBA...all of these are more examples of us valuing good athletes. Even at school, sports teams exist. The best players get picked for A team, and the rest for the B and C teams. Everyone strives to reach the A team. Everyone wants to be a good athlete.
Modern-day humans still value ingenuity as well. There are National Spelling Bees in the US, there are book competitions, there is jeopardy, there is Math Counts - there are so many competitions out there for people with brains. Awards are given to the students in school with top grades. The Valedictorian of each senior year is honored. Even grading systems show that we still care about being smart. In visual arts, people are complimented on how creative, how ingenious their work is. In performing arts, you are admired if you can use your ingenuity to improvise, or to make a script come alive. People still value cleverness.
Lastly, loyalty is still valued. You are shunned if you cheat on your wife, husband, girlfriend, or boyfriend. You won't have any friends unless you stay loyal to the ones you have. Most people are patriotic, which means that they are loyal to their country. Everyone values loyalty, too.
So as you can see, the ancient Greek values that were valued thousands of years ago are still valued today. Their legacy still remains with us in modern times. We believe what they believe. Their beliefs have lasted through the ages. The ancient Greeks were more similar to us than we think.
Based on what we have learned from listening to excerpts from the Odyssey, I would assume that ingenuity, loyalty, and athleticism were the top three most important values to the early Greeks.
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| Odysseus Outsmarts the Cyclops and Blinds Him |
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| Penelope Tricks her Suitors about her Weaving |
Lastly, the ancient Greek people believed that athleticism was a quality to be admired. Examples in the Odyssey are when Penelope says that she will only marry the man who can string and shoot from Odysseus's bow, and when Odysseus kills all of Penelope's suitors. Odysseus is part-god, so he is extra-strong (another example of the Greeks valuing physical strength and fitness). Because he is so strong, no one else can use his bow. This proves that none of the other men are worthy to marry Penelope. This idea that the strongest man gets the woman also emphasizes how highly thought of athleticism was by the Greeks. Also, Odysseus ends up using his awesome strength and skill to kill all of Penelope's suitors. This also demonstrates the hero of the story being strong and fit.
Of course, there are many more Greek values that are demonstrated in the Odyssey. Loyalty, ingenuity, and athleticism just popped out at me the most.
2.) In what ways are the early Greek values found in modern society?
There are many, many examples of where early Greek values can be found in modern society. All three values I mentioned above are still valued today.
 |
| Ancient Greek Olympics |
Modern-day humans still value ingenuity as well. There are National Spelling Bees in the US, there are book competitions, there is jeopardy, there is Math Counts - there are so many competitions out there for people with brains. Awards are given to the students in school with top grades. The Valedictorian of each senior year is honored. Even grading systems show that we still care about being smart. In visual arts, people are complimented on how creative, how ingenious their work is. In performing arts, you are admired if you can use your ingenuity to improvise, or to make a script come alive. People still value cleverness.
Lastly, loyalty is still valued. You are shunned if you cheat on your wife, husband, girlfriend, or boyfriend. You won't have any friends unless you stay loyal to the ones you have. Most people are patriotic, which means that they are loyal to their country. Everyone values loyalty, too.
So as you can see, the ancient Greek values that were valued thousands of years ago are still valued today. Their legacy still remains with us in modern times. We believe what they believe. Their beliefs have lasted through the ages. The ancient Greeks were more similar to us than we think.
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