ales From the Odyssey written by Mary Pope Osborng itstrated by David Scott Meier Like many people today, the ancient Greeks enjoyed a good, story. The Greek poet Homer, who lived about 2,800 years ago, created long story-poems based on old stories that had been retold through the centuries. Two of his poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey, kept the memory of an ancient Greek civilization. alive, The Iliad isa story about a great war. The Odyssey follows the hero Odysseus on his ten-year journey home from that war. Read now a retelling of a part of the Odyssey. Prologue Inthe early morning of time, there existed a ‘mysterious world called Mount Olympus. Hidden behind a veil of clouds, this world was never swept by winds,nor washed by rains. Those who lived on ‘Mount Olympus never grew old: they never died. ‘They were not humans.They were the mighty gods and goddesses of ancient Greece. ‘The Olympian gods and goddesses had {great power over the lives of the humans ‘who lived on earth below Their anger ‘once caused a man named Odysseus to ‘wander the seas for many long years, trying to find his way home.The Call to War Long ago on the island of Ithaca in ancient Greece, there lived a man named Odysseus. Though, he was king of the island, Odysseus lived a simple life. He enjoyed tending his fields and orchards and working with his hands as a craftsman and ‘carpenter. More than anything, he enjoyed the com- pany of his family—his aged mother and father, his loving wife, Penelope; and their small son, Telemachus. One day as Odysseus was plowing his fields, he ‘gazed fora long time at Penelope and Telemachus. ‘The baby was sleeping in his mother’sarms under a nearby tree. Odysseus imagined that someday he would teach his son to farm the land and care for the orchards. He would teach him to sail a ship around the Greek islands. ‘As Odysseus dreamed of his son's future, a ser- vant ran from the palace. “A messenger from King, ‘Agamemnon has arrived!” the servant shouted. Dread crept over Odysseus. He knew why the messenger had come. Agamemnon, the ruler of all the Greek islands, was calling for the kings and. princes of Greece to wage war against the faraway City of Troy. A Trojan prince had kidnapped a Greek queen named Helen, taking her from her husband.oaysseus ofthacal the messenger [snouted.“Ibring orders for you to join King Agamemnon in the fight against Troy!” ‘Odysseus glared atthe man trying desperately to think of some way to avold leaving his family.Though he was a brave warior and leader of sen, his love for his family overshad- Owed all se. He loathed the thought of having to leave his home. Oaysseus!” the messenger shouted.“Rememberit was you yourself who fist called for our Countrymen to swear to defend the marriage of Helen” (Odysseus remembered this wel Helen was the most beautiful woman inall the world. When she was old enough to wed all the princes and kings of Greece had wanted to marry her. earing tat the men’s jeaon sles would bring their nation to ruin, Oldysseus had urged them allo swear todefend Helen’s maeriage always, no matter who she chose for her husband, “In thename of Aganemeon, {command you tose silat once!” the man shouted Tynoring the mewemger, Odyocets began tobehgvaina strange way. longi hsInstead of yoking two oxen together to pull his plow, he yoked an ox toa ‘small donkey. Instead of casting seeds into the furrows of his fields, he cast. salt: He hoped the messenger would think he had gone mad. But the messenger suspected (Odysseus was only pretending. To test him, the messenger snatched ‘Telemachus from Penelope's arms and placed the baby in front of Odysseus’ plow. Penelope screamed. Odysseus quickly turned his plow ‘$0 he would not harm the boy. And in that moment, he knew he had sealed his fate. He had proved his aanity. He ‘would now have to leave his family and answer the call to war. (2 12: ©) O1O}CTOMITOS OST Response Corner 2 © wy cid oayssous wancthe messenger to think he had gone mad? © Wiite a persuasive message to King Agamemnon telfng him wy 044 © ololeroRO Noe oe somone 2 hae to ghtin the war & o1weresenoe1e SETSea) Py aed iAFRICA (EBB Analyze Maps. The Land of Greece Present-day Greece is located in south- eastern Europe on the Balkan Peninsula ‘A peninsula isa stretch of land that is almost completely surrounded by water. Greece's southerrmmast tip reaches into the Mediterranean Sea. To the west lie the Tonian Sea and the Italian Peninsula while to the eas is the Aegean Sea, The Balkan Peninsula curves south and cast toward a part of Asia called Asia Minor, or "Litle Asi.” Today, Asia Minor is part ofthe country of Turkey. ‘The Ionian and Aegear Seas almost sepa- rate the southern part of Greece from the rest of the mainland, Only a small stip of Jand called an isthmus (\semuhs) connects them. The southern part of Greece is called the Peloponnesus (pehIch-puh+NEE*suhs). © Regions Which seas border onthe Balan Pasinsula? ‘Mountains cover nearly three-fourths of mainland Greece. The heavily forested Pindus Mountains run north and south through the center of Greece. Between the ‘mountains lie narrow valleys and small plains. Because the region is so mountain- ous, much of the soil is thin and rocky. ‘The jagged coastline of Greece is cut by ‘many inlets and is surrounded by as many 5 2,000 islands. These islands are also part of present-day Greece. The largest ofthe {islands is Crete, located southeast of the elopornesus, in the Mediterranean. The early people of Greece also settled on these small island, as well as along the coasts of northern Africa, Asia Minor, and what are "now parts of Spain and Ita. ‘ScAUSE AND EFFECT uses much ofthe soil onLife Among Mountains ‘The ancient Greeks settied in the narrow valleys among the mountains. As a result, the mountains separated settlements, and each community developed on its own, For many centuries, the mountains kept the people of Greece from uniting under ‘one government. ‘The rugged mountains made inland travel and trade difficult. To travel by land from one community to another, people had to hike through the mountains on dirt paths. The rivers of Greece were of no use for travel because they often dried up. ‘The mountainous land also affected agriculture. Only about 20 percent of the land is good for agriculture. Greece's soil, for the most part, is poor and rocky, and its climate is dry. There i little flat land avail- able for farming or raising large animals, such as cattle and horses. Olive groves sti Hersh the dry, ocky sil ‘The ancient Greeks found ways to adapt to their rocky environment, They raised animals, such as sheep, goats, and pigs, which ate fairly small and do not need large areas for grazing, From sheep and goats, the Greeks obtained wool, hides, and cheese. They ate very litle meat, but when they did, they preferred pork. ‘The eatly farmers made the most of the region's dry climate and poor soll by planting crops well-suited to the area, such as barley, wheat, olives, and grapes. ‘They ground the barley and the wheat into flour for baking breads and cakes, which they sweetened with honey. They ate olives and crushed them to make olive oil for cooking, for lamp fuel, for use in bathing, and for use in perfumes. They also ate ‘grapes and pressed them to make wine.The seas surrounding Greece provided fan abundance of fish and an easier way to travel than hiking across mountains, For these reasons, the ancient Greeks started most oftheir settlements near the coast. ‘The Greeks developed into a seafar- ing culture of fishers, sailors, and traders. Greece has many fine natural harbors, or sheltered places with deep water close to shore. The ancient Greeks sailed close to the shoreline, from one harbor to another. ‘Through sea travel, eopie in coastal settlements had contact with one another. ‘Over time, some people migrated from one coastal village to another, and others ‘moved from the mainland to the surround- ing islands. Inthe process, the early Greeks exchanged ideas and religicus beliefs. ‘The early fishers knew well the a's fearful power. Sailing was dangerous, especially in winter, when the winds were strong and the waters rough. ‘According to the ancient Greeks, the god Poseidon (puh+SY-duhn) ruled the seas and watched over sailors and their boats. The ancient Greeks believed that Poseidon expressed his moods through the sea. A terrible storm rocking the sea was a sign that Poseidon was angry. Despite the dangers of the sea, the Greeks depended on it for food and transportation. Sea travel also connected the Greeks with other cultures around the Mediterranean, resulting in an exchange of ideas and goods across great distances. aD GScaise ann EFFECT ‘Wy did the ancient Grocks start mst oftheir ‘pment near the consis? Chapter 8» 273Exchange and Trade ‘The success of early Greek farmers made ‘exchange and trade possible, Their discov- ‘ery that olives, grapes, and grain could be grow in the dry climate and rocky soil of ‘Greece was a powerful one. Not only could “they produce a steady food supply, they -coulld provide a surplus, The abundance of food supported a growing population in Greek lands. In time, farmers improved their tools and techniques, Not everyone was busy -working in the fields or helping herd goats, sheep, and pigs. Some people began to specialize in new jobs. Craftworkers The Cyclades Cyclades (smkiunedeen) area group ‘of about 200 islands locared southeast of ‘mainlané Greece. Th islands spread over ‘about 1,000 square mies in the Aegean Sea. Wirtars are rid ard the summers ‘cool. The weather and the beautiful coast, make the Cyciades @ popular tourist dest- nation. These islands were once the home ‘of the Ciclads peopl, who flourished from about 3000 8c, © 2000 B.c. Most Cycladic people made their ling as ishers, famers, taders or craftworkors, fashioned tools, containers, clothing, and decorative objects from natural resources such as wood, clay, bone, wool, stone, and metal. Weavers, metalworkers, and potters did not grow their own food. Instead, they exchanged their goods with farmers for food. Olives and grapes could also be made {nto such valuable products as olive oil and ‘wine, Both products required new storage jars, Potters devoted much of their time to ‘making storage jars from clay. ‘To get the goods and resources they lacked or desired, the ancient Greeks began to trade with other groups of people in the “Mediterranean. For example, Greek farmers ‘could grow barley and wheat, but they had less success growing wheat, which made tastier bread. Over time, this led the ancient Greeks to import wheat from other places. In exchange, the early Greeks exported their own goods. These goods included ‘wine, olive ol, pottery, and wood. > Aview of Keone Island nthe CycladesTradl resulted in an exchange of ideas, too. The sharing of ideas between cultures was an important means of technological and cultural change. For instance, using ‘a process they learned from civilizations in southveestem Asia, the people of early Greece mixed copper and tin to make bronze. They then made weapons, tools, and bow's from their new metal EREIERIED Scause AND EFFECT ‘What edhe ery Greeks to wade with reple in thor parsof the Mediterranean gion? aphy of Greece affected its 2erly people. Mountain oparated settlements and made inland travel dificult. Early farmers learned to suited to the rocky soil and dry climate. Settlements along the sea sloped into seafaring cultures. Through trade, the early people of Greece exchanged goods and ideas with other cultures in the ) How did geography influence the development of early civilizations in Greece? 2. Use the words isthmus and harbor to describe Greece's geography. ‘3. How did the early Greek farmers adapt to the land? 4. What effect did trade have on the early Greeks? CRITICAL THINKING 5. EB How might life have been different {or the early Greek farmers if better farmland had been available? 6. Make it Relevant Do you think the people In Greece today are as affected by Graoco's ‘mountains as the Greok people of long ago? Explain. ite a Paragraph Describe how sea travel affected the way of lfe of the ‘enciont Grecka, 2. © oust anoeecr ive spt see tp, copy and concn pic pe lo le == Coc eaaeseMap and Globe Skills Read a Population Map D WHY IT MATTERS ‘Most population maps show which areas | of the world are most crowded with people ‘and which areas are the least crowded. ‘They can show this information for the ‘past or for the present day. A population map of ancient Greece in 1000 B.C. could ‘show you how little populated the region, ‘was at that time, Later, when Greek civii- zation became more complex, cities were founded and the population increased. Reading population maps will help you ‘make connections between population and ‘geography, history, and government, > WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Look at the map legend for the map titled Worlé Population. The map leg ‘end tells you that the colors on the map stand for different population densities, Population density i the numberof people who liven square mile o | square Klo- ‘meter of land. A square mile is a square area of land 1 mile long on each side. A square kilometer is a square area of land | anANTC | A ‘OCEAN pacinc ‘Thlometeriong on each side. ‘The white areas of the map are places ~ where no people live permanetly The eraiatio knoe ahichanethae -D-PRACTICE THE SKILL people lve far from one another. The red ES Use the population map to answer areas on the map are the most crowded. the following questions. ‘The population in these aeasis dense, @ Which continent has the highest which meas that the people ive close Population density? together Te otter colors stand forother | @ On which continent does noone live levels of population density. permanently? 276 © Unit 4ananric (OCEAN ANTARCTICA, © What s the population density of ‘most of Australia? @ Which country has a higher popula- tion density—Greece or Italy? @ Why do you think areas with a high population density are often located along the coast? Map and Globe Skills D APPLY WHAT YOU LEARNED (Gi With a partner, prepare a list of five ‘questions you might ask to see how well ‘other classmates know how to use popu Jation maps. Exchange lists with other ‘partner pairs, and answer their questions. @ Practice your map and abe skis with tho eoSkills CD-ROM. Chapter 8» 277Ree Deacon cultura borrowing + oe oe aut (ne fanaus Greek ae sal he Tran Hers Ith story a peopled the ‘ian opt a wonten horse as agit nt rowing it as fi wi ney sets. They bea were fod byte di guise ard aac by su is. Tey 2 Tojan hose an mean ahaa can puter ra suse Py 35a sel program eadand aligious att. The Minoans FSD 2000 Crete (One ofthe earliest civilizations in Greece developed on the islané of Crete. This was the Minoan (muhsNO#uhn) civilization, snamed after the legendary king of Crete, King Minos (Mv-ruhs) Crete isa long, narrow island with rug- _ged mountains and flat plains. It lies about ‘60 miles southeast of Greece's mainland. “The Greek poet Homer described Crete .as “handsome country fertile, thronged [crowded] with people..." Olive trees filled ancient Crete, andthe climate, like today, was mild, never too hot or too cold “The Minoans lived on this pleasant island ‘in small farming and fishing villages. Tnabout 2000 BC, the Minoans began building cities. n each city the Minaans built large and richly decorated palace. Inside, the palaces seemed ike mazes, with ‘many rooms and winding passages ‘The palace was atthe heat of Minoan social life and served as the center fr government and religion. It was also a place where food could be stored and clstributed. Beyond the palace were houses, small villages, and farms. “The largest Minoan palace was built in the city of Knossos (kuheNAtsuts) Constructed in 1700 8.C, the palace covered more than three acres and was at less three stories high ‘What made rete a pleasent place for Moons toler Chapter 8 = 279Dating to the 120068, this patng shows a let of Minoan ships entering po. Minoan Life ‘Beautiful paintings found on the ruins of palace walls tell much about the Minoans. ‘They show that the Minoans enjoyed danc- ing, music, and sports. n many ofthe paintings, both women and men wear gold jewelry and have long, flowing hai. ‘The wall paintings also show the importance af the sea to Minoan life. The Minoans were BA.) expert sallors and sea traders, 9<~ ‘and their trading partners included the early Greeks, as well as the Mesopotamians and Egyptians Minoan trading ships eared olive ol, wine, woo and pottery from Crete to other places and retumed Wig with copper in, and god An ny isan oe 280 © Unit 4 ‘The Minoans developed a system of ‘writing that helped them record their ‘trading activities. Some of their writing, ‘on clay tablets, has survived to this day, ‘but no one has been able to translate it By about 1100 B.C, the Minoan culture had come to an end. The Minoans had suffered through a terrible fire, a vol- canic eruption, and an earthquake, . ‘They may have also been over- AR runby the warlike Mycenacans : (enyrouleNEzuhnz) from b mainland Greece. The Minoan culture declined as the Mycenaean culture flour. yished. Historians believe that ‘one of these events, or a com- bination of them, led to the end Cf Minoan civilization.The Mycenaeans 00 Mainland Greece ‘The Mycenaean civilization was named after the city of Mycenae (my SEE*ne), located on the Peloponnesus. Experts believe that the Mycenaeans were a war- like people. The Mycenaeans were mostly ‘Beasants, or poor farmers, who were ruled by warrior kings. They spoke an early form of the Greek language. For this reason, they are considered to be the first Greeks. ‘The Mycenaeans learned many Minoan customs and made them part oftheir own culture. The process by which a culture takes ideas from other cultures is called ‘cultural borrowing. For example, the “Mycenaeans learned how to sail from the Minoans and became a great seafaring culture. They adapted the Minoan writing system to their own language. They also borrowed Minoan art and pottery styles, ‘adjusting them to suit Mycenaean tastes. In about 1450 BC, the Mycenaeans invaded Crete. Mycenae would control Crete and much of the Peloponnesus ‘until about 1100 B.C. During this time, the Mycenaeans continued spreading, their culture throughout the region. In about 1100 B.C, Mycenaean control ‘weakened. Some historians believe that invasions by a Greek-speaking people from the north called the Dorians may shave weakened the Mycenaeans. Others argue that fighting within their own culture ‘caused the decline of Mycenaean culture. -SCAUSE AND EFFECT ‘Why are the Mycenaeans considered the frst Greeks? GB hnalyze Maps: attr invading Crete, the Myconaeansgeinad control of Minoan trading ruts in the elon. “© ow id the location of Cota help the Mycensoan trade with ther exturos? Ee Mediterranean BB Sea ; Aten, Pi NY ee ve iLecENps’ AND Mytus Across centuries, the Greeks passed down stories of: ‘gods, and goddesses by word of mouth. Beroes, Legends and Myths Early in their history, the Grecks devel- ‘oped a great tradition of storytelling. Professional storytellers called bards traveled from town to town, telling stories and singing songs about Greek gods, gocdesses, and heroes. These stories were entertaining, but they also taught Greek ideals, values, and beliefs Legencs telling of human events and the adventures of heroes and heroines are an important part of this tradition. Legends are stories handed down from earlier times that explzin the past. Some legends may have been based on actual events. 282 © Unit 4 Ina scene hm the Oeser Dieta aie hae In 1200 8, the Mycenaeans conquered a city called Troy in the Trojan War. Greek legends tell ofthis event. Inthe 700s B.C, a Greek bard named Homer collected these stories and composed two epies, or long poems, that would later be written down. Homer's first epic, the Ilia, describes the attacks on Troy. Archaeologists have found, evidence that suggests that Troy was in fact attacked and burned. Homer's other epic, the Otyssey follows the hero Odysseus (oh*DIFsee-uhs) on his return home from the Trojan War, Homer wrote that during his ten-year journey home, Odysseus had ‘many strange adventures, including a fight with a one-eyed giantODS AND GODDESSES The Greeks worshipped many gods and goddesses. Religion and. everyday life were closely connected in ancient Greece > He, goven of the Greek gods ‘The Greeks told many stories about how the actions of gods and goddesses affected the lives of people. These stories are called myths. Greek mythology ineludes all such stories and was passed down fram generation to generation. Myths were an important part of the ‘everyday practice of Greek religicn. They offered an explanation of how things in nature or how human events came to be. “They also described the personalities and roles of the many gods and goddesses that the Greeks believed in. Each Greek god and goddess possessed ‘4 special power or controlled a specific part ‘of human life. For example, Zeus was the The see god Posen siti with Asoo. god of thunder and lightning. Hera was the goddess of marriage and childbirth. ‘Together, from their home atop Mount ‘Olympus in northern Greece, they ruled asking and queen over all the Greek gods. One famous myth tells how Athena, the goddess of wisdom, competed with Poseidon, the god of the sa, to win over the people of Athens, a Greek city Poseidon threw a spear into the ground, giving rise toa spring. However, Athena ‘won the contest by giving the people of Athens the olive tre. How was Greek mythology important 10 the everyday eo the ancien Gronks? Chapter 8 » 283,The Greek Dark Age By the 1100s B.C,, ancient Greece had entered into an uncertain time that some historians call the Dark Age. The Greeks abandoned their palaces and cities, Trade ‘between the Greeks and others stopped. Poverty set in and the Greeks returned toa simpler way of life, living as farmers and herders. In search of a better life, some people left mainland Greece for Greek islands. Many of the cultural achievements made by the ‘Minoans and Mycenaeans ‘were lost in this time. Writing all but disappeared, as did decorative pottery, luxury goods, and bronze metalwork. Interestingly, toward the end of the Dark ‘Age, anew, stronger metal ‘was introduced—iron, ‘Through legends and myths, the traditions and beliefs of the inthe earliest “civilisations of anciont Graces live? 2. Use the torms bard, legend, ard myth in 2 paragraph about the ancion! Grocks. ‘3, What ideas did the Mycenaeans borrow from the Minoans? CCHTICAL THINKING 4, El How might control of trading routes by the Minoans euggest they had a strong economy? ‘Why might Homer's work be portant to historians of Grook culture? 6. Make It Relevant What might cause 2 culture today to decline or disappear? 284 © Unit 4 early Greeks survived. By about 750 B.C, the Dark Age was coming to an erd. The ancient Greeks were about to ente: @ more fortunate time. SUMMARIZE What was the Groek Dark Age? kz The Minoans and the Mycenaeans developed two of Greece's earliest civilizations, The Minoans buil cities around great palaces. Considered the first Greeks, the Mycenaean culture FS borrowed from the Minoan culture. By the 1100s &.c, these civilizations SS, had disappeared. Legends and ‘myths kept the traditions ‘and belies of Greece's early civilizations alive. Decorative potery reappeared by 7508. 1X Write @ Myth Try your hand at welting your own Greek myth. in the myth, ‘xolain how a natural event came to b ‘0° to include the adventures ofa he heroine as well 0. © causem erect Date a psy nd Sn beatHomer “The Muse inspired the bard to sing the famous deeds of fighting heroes—the song whose fame ‘had reached the skies those days... ?* Tn the quote above from the Odyssey, Homer tells of a bard ‘ho sings about the famous deeds of the Greek hero Odysseus Historians know very little about Homer. He probably grew up in Tonia in Asia Minor sometime between the years 800 BC. and 700 BC. Tradition says that Homer as blind and that he rected from ‘memory the 28,000 verses of his epic Why poems. During the Greek Dark Age, Character Greeks had forgotten how to weit. Counts ‘A tradition of storytelling took the © How aid place of writing, Homer’ care fer Storytelling helped keep the early || the early Greek Danae Greek past alive. Stories were pessed. irae aacaoe from person to person. Each story {eller may have added some details to the narrative. During long winter nights in the Greek Dark Age, it might have been common for people to settle in around a tory teller tohear a taie Some historians now believe that Homer may have been only Es ‘one of several authors of the liad and the Odyssey. Even so, be was probably one ofthe greatest ofthese storytellers. After his death, the two epic poems were written down, The stories helped define the Greek identi £i\ | B eo 7) % ose ° omer colts sores Di and composes the Ms iad andthe Oayasoy 1 Chapter8 285Critical Thinking Skills Compare Primary and Secondary Sources D WHY IT MATTERS: ) WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Leaming about history is ike trying to Primary sourees ae records made by solvea mystery. To know what happened people who savor took part ina past Yeats ago, you have to ind and piece Event: These people may have recorded together clues, or evidence. information or tld ther stores in journals, ‘The evidence people use toleam about | eter, ofcal documents speeches, or history comes from fwo kinds ofsources— | poems, Primary sources als include primary sources and secondary sources. | artifacts suchas paintings, coins, jewelry, By studying and comparing these kinds | pottery, and tools. By providing informa- ofsources, You can find evidence of what | on about the time in which they were actually happened in diferent periods of created, primary sources give people of history. today a direct link tn past events.‘Secondary sourees provide information. about events by people who were not eyewitnesses, Secondary sources are not direct links to an event. A magazine article, a newspaper story, or an encyclopedia entry written by someone who researched an event, but was not at the event, isa secondary source. Some sources can be either primary or secondary, depending on how the event is reported. A newspaper article that con- tains the exact words of « person who witnessed the event would be a primary source. Oral histories, werks of art, and online resources can be either primary or secondary sources. led by a present-day ari > PRACTICE THE SKILL (BD Look at the paintings on these pages to answer these questions © Which painting is a primary source? Which is secondary source? Explain your answers. © What conclusions can you draw about Minoan culture from each painting? © Which source do you think provides more credible, of believable, informa- tion about the Minoans—the primary source or the secondary source? Why? D APPLY WHAT YOU LEARNED (I Find examples of primary and sec- ondary sources inthis chapter. Explain toa classmate what makes each source primary or secondary Critical Thinking Skills Chapter 8 » 287