Cheap Dance and the Body Politic in Northern Greece (Princeton Modern Greek Studies) for $42.00

Dance and the Body Politic in Northern Greece (Princeton Modern Greek Studies) Review

CHECK PRICE TODAY!

Dance and the Body Politic in Northern Greece (Princeton Modern Greek Studies) Overview

Valued for their sensual and social intensity, Greek dance-events are often also problematical for participants, giving rise to struggles over position, prestige, and reputation. Here Jane Cowan explores how the politics of gender is articulated through the body at these culturally central, yet until now ethnographically neglected, celebrations in a class-divided northern Greek town. Portraying the dance-event as both a highly structured and dynamic social arena, she approaches the human body not only as a sign to be deciphered but as a site of experience and an agent of practice.

In describing the multiple ideologies of person, gender, and community that townspeople embody and explore as they dance, Cowan presents three different settings: the traditional wedding procession, the "Europeanized" formal evening dance of local civic associations, and the private party. She examines the practices of eating, drinking, talking, gifting, and dancing, and the verbal discourse through which celebrants make sense of each other's actions. Paying particular attention to points of tension and moments of misunderstanding, she analyzes in what ways these social situations pose different problems for men and women.

An Overview of Zeus and His Role In Ancient Greece

Zeus is where any discussion of ancient Greek deities should start. In Greek religion, Zeus represented the ultimate god and power.

An Overview of Zeus and His Role In Ancient Greece

The many gods and goddesses found in ancient Greece formed a sort of society, with the twelve (eventually 14) major deities residing on Mount Olympus. From this mythical place, the Greek pantheon looked down on the mortals and other mythical creatures, had interactions with others, and even embarked on love affairs with non-gods. The lead god of those that lived on Mount Olympus was Zeus, the Greek god of sky and thunder, as well as the ruler of Mount Olympus and the highest ranking in the pantheon.

Zeus was the youngest son of the Titans Chronos and Rhea, older gods who were overthrown during the War of the Titans. Chronos had swallowed all of Zeus's siblings, and upon winning his battle with his father, Zeus forced Chronos to disgorge the rest of his children. Some of these siblings became installed gods and goddesses on Mount Olympus, and he even married one of them, his elder sister Hera. His original wife, however, was Dione - but not much is known about this goddess-like figure. His union with Dione, according to the Iliad (by Homer) produced the Olympic goddess Aphrodite.

Zeusalso had many other children by various goddesses and consorts. With his wife Hera, he produced Ares, Hephaestus, Hebe and Eileithyia. His other offspring included Hermes (by Maia), Perseus (by Danae), Dionysus (by Semele), Apollo and Artemis (by Leto), the Muses (by Mnemosyne) and Heracles by Alcmene.

Zeus's powers were not as varied as other gods and goddesses that were his contemporaries, but they were very strong. He had the ability to force the transformation of others, mortals and even mythical creatures, and he also was able to cast thunderbolts at those who had displeased him in any way. Being the "Sky God" made him also appear as the supreme god, and his counterpart in Roman culture, Jupiter, also held this office. Olympia was the site of the biggest cult to Zeus, many people traveled there to worship all of the gods, but the games every four years were specifically dedicated to Zeus.

While Zeus was undoubtedly revered as the head of all religion in ancient Greece, many other gods and goddesses were seen as just as important to specific areas. Zeus was mostly worshiped to appease his easily angered persona, with many sacrifices held to this great god.

Richard Monk is with FactsMonk.com - a site with facts about Greece.

The Role of Poseidon In Ancient Greece

Poseidon is one of the more famous of the deities of ancient Greece. Here is an overview of who he was, what he did and his position the Pantheon.

The Role of Poseidon In Ancient Greece

The many gods and goddesses of the ancient Greek culture played important roles in every Greek's life. From the family hearth, to the life-giving sun, to the water they bathed in, Greek gods were seen to govern all aspects of daily life. While some regions of the Greek realm were actual cults, which meant they worshiped one god or goddess above all others; others prayed to specific figures at different points in the year or for different strengths. If a mariner was about to go to sea, it is pretty certain that he would have prayed to Poseidon.

While Poseidon's largest governance was the sea and ocean, he was also considered the god of horses, and the "Earth-Shaker", creator of earthquakes. In Mycenaean culture, Poseidon was seen as the most powerful of all the gods, even above Zeus - he was the most frequently written about god in the entire pantheon. At this point, he was associated with "Two Queens", Demeter and Persephone, although in later Hellenic Greece he was not at all related to these goddesses. He was also seen in this culture as the "Earth Father" with Demeter being the "Earth Mother".

Poseidon was also a major patron god of several large cities within Greece. In Athens, he was second in line only to Athena, and in Corinth he was the main god of the city. Apollo was a close associate god, and while Poseidon's realm was generally seen to be in the areas of the Earth and bodies of water, he also had another trait that was a bit more sinister. Poseidon was also blamed for causing mental disturbances, such as epilepsy. He shared this ability with both the god Dionysus, and the creatures known as the Maenads.

When sailors embarked on voyages, they prayed heavily to Poseidon. Occasionally, they would even sacrifice horses by drowning (as he was also known as the god of horses). It was said that when Poseidon was in his benevolent aspect, he created both calm seas and new islands. When the god was displeased or angered, however, he would cause earthquakes and shipwrecks by striking the ground with his trident. Poseidon was often pictured in a chariot being pulled by horses or sea horses, holding a trident, and associated with dolphins.

While Zeus was known as the originator god in later parts of Greek culture, Poseidon was the first "head god" of note. His later appearances as the duel god of water and earthquakes meant that he had the ability to affect many people at once, so he garnered many prayers, sacrifices and attention from all of Greece.

Richard Monk is with FactsMonk.com - a site with facts about Greece.

Ancient Greece - The Role Of Donkeys, Mules And Horses

Both the donkey and the mule were certainly known and used in antiquity. Mules were employed both for riding and for drawing carts; from 500 B.C. on there were actually mule-cart races in the Olympic games, and one of Pindar's odes celebrates such a victory (Olympian 6, 468 B.C.). Yet what must have been a somewhat undignified event did not maintain its popularity, and it was abandoned in 444 B.C.

One old Athenian mule, who worked long and hard on the construction of the Parthenon, is said by Aelian to have been fed at public expense in the town hall (prytaneion) for the remainder of its life. Donkeys, as today, were used primarily for riding and as beasts of burden. Often associated with the god Dionysos and his rowdy, drunken followers, they are readily identified on painted pots by their characteristic long ears and evidence of sexual arousal. Remains of a donkey were found in the kitchen of a house, a victim of the destruction of Athens by the Herulians in A.D. 267.

Ancient Athenian literature is full of references to the horse, which played a significant role in Athenian social, political, and military life. Athenian sculptors, painters, and potters found horses a popular subject from the beginnings of Greek art to the end of antiquity. The excavation of cavalry archives and victory monuments, as well as the roadway used for processions and the training of horses, has shown that the Agora, focus of so much of Athenian life, was also for centuries the center of equestrian activity in the ancient city.

If you ever visit the island of Santorini you will find out that many of the locals move around with their donkeys and tourists try it too since it is a funny and different experience. If you look at Pictures of Santorini you will be enchanted by the islands beauty. On the island there are many incredible Hotels with magnificent view to choose from.

Driving to Greece

Driving to Greece and the Greek Islands should take careful planning well in advance. To just pack up a car and set off would be a massive mistake. Certain factors must be considered to enable a trouble free journey.

Planning advice

Get your car serviced by a reputable garage and also get European breakdown cover by a reputable company eg. AA or RAC

Decide when and which ferries you wish to take as your travelling days depend on the sailing times. You must decide how long journeys should take. You can download routes and approximate times by using sites on the internet eg. Michelin or AA guides.

When driving to Greece, arrange to get to the ferry ports allowing about 2 hours or more prior to sailing in case of breakdown or traffic problems. Ferries do try to load up very methodically and generally sail on time.

From Yorkshire, UK, where we live, we try to leave home at about 6am to catch a ferry at about 2pm from Dover to a French port (either Calais or Dunkirk).

Norfolk Line do an inexpensive crossing and from Dunkirk you will have a good direct route to the French/Belgium motorway in the direction of Lille. From Lille we always head for Tournai-Mans-Charleroi and Namor, then on to Arlon before getting to Luxembourg, on the E42 and then onto the A4 route.

Luxembourg is the cheapest place in Europe to fill up with fuel, so a break here is usually welcomed. Depending on how far you wish to travel each day, planning for overnight stops is required.

Cheap accommodation can be found on most routes and good clean and reasonably cheap accommodation includes Accour hotels, B&B, Formula One hotels. Most hotels do a continental breakfast at a small charge.

The route through Luxembourg is easy and you can be through it in 1/2 hr to 3/4 hr. We found the route to Metz and Nancy to be the quickest and easiest route. It is clearly marked and easy to follow.

Once you are back in France and heading for Metz, there is a pay motorway, the E25, which gives an easy route to Strasbourg. There are alternative routes which go through Nancy and the St.Die tunnel to Selestat in the Alsace region of France, but we have experienced delays and poor roads while using this route.

It is an easy motorway system to and through the city of Strasbourg which is clearly marked all the way on a very straight road and on to Selestat, Mulhouse/Basil towards Switzerland.

Due to the customs delays at the border, we usually take a break at one of the above mentioned hotels in order to have an early start through Basil and into Switzerland.

On entering the Swiss border, there is a road tax which covers your vehicle for one year and a coloured sticker is placed on your windscreen. This is a cost of about £25. You soon realise why you have to pay this fee as the roads through Switzerland are scenic, good and have many long tunnels where delays are normal. The scenic areas are excellent and you can also find good refreshment/wash/shower areas.

The best route from here is the A2 to Luzern and to head for the 15 mile long tunnel at St.Gothard. It usually takes us 1-2 hours to get through the delays leading to the tunnel. So be aware.

After coming out of the tunnel, the road heads through the Italian sector of Switzerland and heads for Bellinzona, still on the A2 and on to the Swiss/Italian border at Como. On passing the border into Italy, the road changes to the A9 heading for Milan.

Warning

We found the Italian drivers to be very impatient and regularly tail gate while flashing their lights and regularly sounding their horns. Just smile and be patient with them.

When you planned your route you should have decided on the most suitable Italian port to sail from. Our destination is to the island of Kefalonia so we personally found the Venice line to be best and by turning left on the Milan ring road onto the 'pay' motorway, the Venice route is clearly marked and on leaving the motorway at Mestre there is just a short journey to the Venice dock area.

Our ferries leave at approx 6pm and we are on the Minoan Line or Venuris Line. Other ports are at Ancona, Bari and Brindisi at the foot of Italy. The overnight ferries are the cheapest but you must consider the petrol and motorway charges through Italy before rejecting the luxurious but expensive Superfast ferries.

From Bari and Brindau, the Agoudemus line sails to the island of Kefalonia while other ferries sail to Corfu, Igiamenitsa and on to Patras on the Greek mainland.

The sailing from Venice takes 36 hours and gives a restful cruise. The views of the Grand Canal and St. Marks square are wonderful and not to be missed. The ferries which sail to Patras means that to get to Kefalonia island, the 2 hour 'Blue Star' island ferry, which runs 3 journeys daily to the island. Times can be checked on bluestarferries.gr on the internet. Patras is a busy port town and a minimum stay here is advised if possible.

The ferry to Kefalonia goes to either the port of Sami or to Argostoli, the capital of the island. An alternative ferry goes to Poros on Kefalonia from Killini, which is about 50 miles south of Patras and is the cheapest, quickest route to the island.

Rooms on the Venice/Greece ferries are adequate and meals are usually good. The cruise heads down the Grand Canal and down the full length of Italy and calls into Corfu, then to Igiumenitsa on the Greek mainland before heading into Patras. Recommended ferries are the Minoan, Superfast, Venturis and the direct Agoudemous ferry.

Tickets can be pre-booked on websites by English speaking staff at the agents offices or by booking on the websites.

Greece

Travelling in Greece is frustrating as you regularly get inconsiderate drivers, double parking, no indicators, driving erratically and extreme speeding.

The hazard of motor bikes and scooters is the same as on all Greek islands as it is a cheap and regular means of transport.

Parking is usually easy but beware that many of the greek cars have bumps and dents in them.

Driving to Greece can be extremely enjoyable so I hope you plan carefully and enjoy your trip.

Have a safe journey.

http://www.choose-greek-islands.com

The Mythical Figures and Beasts of Ancient Greece

Ancient Greece is a uniquely preserved culture we know much about through study and research. Greek mythical figures and beasts played a pivotal role in Greek society and folklore at that time.

The Mythical Figures and Beasts of Ancient Greece

While gods and goddesses may have been the most important beings in Greek mythology, there were many other characters that were essential to these tales. Mortals were very important in Greek myths; without them, there would be no one for the gods and goddesses to "play with". Also integral were Greek mythical figures - these fantasy animals and partially human beings served a vital role in the myths that were told during this time.

One of the most talked about mythical figures of all time has to be Medusa. Depicted as a woman with snakes on her head instead of hair, the story of Medusa begins with a mortal woman. It is said that Medusa was so beautiful as a young girl, her looks enchanted Poseidon, and turned his attention away from Athena. This angered Athena so much that she changed Medusa into a gorgon, a mythical beast with snakes for hair and a face so hideous that it turned anyone who looked at it into stone. This was not enough revenge for Athena, and later she guided Perseus to find Medusa and kill her.

Another of the major Greek mythical beasts was Cerberus, the three-headed dog. This animal was the offspring of Typhoeus (an immortal storm giant) and Echidna, a monster that was half human and half snake. Cerberus had three dog heads, a snake's tail, and snakes protruding from its monstrous back. Cerberus's position was at the entrance to the underworld, where he allowed the dead to enter but not to leave. Only a few living mortals were ever able to get past Cerberus, including Orpheus, who charmed him to sleep with music.

A final look at Greek mythical beasts comes up with Hecatoncheires, literally translated as the "hundred handed". Three of these existed, named Aegaeon, Cottus, and Gyges. Born to Gaea and Uranus, they hated their father so much that Uranus was forced to imprison the Hecatoncheires back into Gaea's womb. They were later released by Zeus, when he was fighting against the Titans; they were able to hurl a hundred boulders at a time at their opponents.

There were many lesser Greek mythical figures and beasts as well, and there was a definite hierarchy among the different mythical characters. These animals and sometimes human hybrids made up the majority of the story lines that went along with the gods and goddesses.