Deucalion et Pyrrha: Deucalion and his cousin-wife, Pyrrha, survived for 9 days of flooding before landing at Mt. Parnassus. All alone in the world they wanted company. In answer to this need, the titan and goddess of prophecy Themis cryptically told them to throw the bones of their mother behind them. They interpreted this as meaning "throw stones over their shoulders onto Mother Earth," and did so. The stones Deucalion threw became men and those Pyrrha threw became women.
Prometheus: Prometheus tricked the gods out of the best portion of the sacrificial feast, acquiring the meat for the feasting of man. Then, when Zeus withheld fire, he stole it from heaven and delivered it to mortal kind hidden inside a fennel-stalk. As punishment for these rebellious acts, Zeus ordered the creation of Pandora as a means to deliver misfortune. Prometheus meanwhile, was arrested and bound to a stake on Mount Kaukasos where an eagle was set to feed upon his ever-regenerating liver. Generations later the great hero Herakles came along and released the old Titan from his torture.
De Centauromachia: The Centaurs had the bodies of horses and the torsos and heads of men. They were an unruly bunch! They drank too much wine and started to make trouble. When they tried to kidnap Hippodamia, Theseus quickly intervened, defeating the Centaurs and saving his friend's bride.
Tantalus: Tantalus offered up his son, Pelops, as a sacrifice to the gods. He cut Pelops up, boiled him, and served him up as food for the gods. The gods were said to be aware of his plan for their feast, so they didn't touch the offering; only Demeter, distraught by the loss of her daughter, Persephone, "did not realize what it was" and ate part of the boy's shoulder. Fate, ordered by Zeus, brought the boy to life again (she collected the parts of the body and boiled them in a sacred cauldron), rebuilding his shoulder with one wrought of ivory made by Hephaestus and presented by Demeter.
Cadmus: Europa, daughter of Agenor of Tyre and sister of Cadmus, was abducted by Zeus (in the form of a bull) and taken to Crete, where she became (by Zeus) the mother of Minos. Cadmus went to Greece in search of Europa. The oracle at Delphi told him not to go on with the search but instead to follow a certain cow until she lay down. There he was to found a city. The cow led Cadmus from Phocis to the place (in Boeotia) where he founded Thebes.
Grammar:
I found no new grammar concepts in these stories.
Vocabulary:
I found no new vocabulary in these stories.
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