4 ELEMENTS

Project logo
Improve the foreign language learning and intercultural competences of adults through e-learning

The project

FOUR ELEMENTS is an initiative called to raise awareness and appreciation of the importance of culture and heritage as well as to train educators working with adult learners who want to improve their skills and competences necessary in today’s EU labour market.

The project will take advantage of the potential of the common European cultural values associated to the 4 elements earth, water, air and fire) to empower adults to improve their digital, foreign language and intercultural competences.

The partnership expects to develop and deliver innovative teaching materials presented in a culturally accessible E-book consisting of European legends and stories – giving visibility to the underlying common EU values and principles, especially adapted to learners with special needs.

To achieved such objectives, partners will develop:

An interactive map: a collection of legends and stories related to earth, water, air and fire, in different EU countries.

Digital Books with national legends and stories related to the four elements.

Methodological recommendations for adult educators.

To find more information, access the Four Elements platform here.

Digital books

The nations of Europe all have rich cultures of myth and folklore which give the different regions their particular individual flavour. Here we have grouped traditional stories from Belgium, Estonia, France, Greece, Italy, Slovenia and Spain according to the four elements: earth, air, wind and fire.

They are specially adapted to adult learners and can be used to develop language or ICT skills among your students while enhancing intercultural understanding.

Alongside the stories, this digital book contains interactive exercises and is in Easy Read format. All the material in it can be downloaded and printed. Teachers and trainers will find tips and suggestions for how to use it on the Recommendations section of this site.

European partnership

Four Elements is an Erasmus+ KA204 project designed to highlight the importance of culture and heritage at European Union level. It aims to train educators working with adult learners to enable them to acquire the skills and competences, including linguistic and digital skills and competences, required in the European labour market.

The project is coordinated by : CVO EduKempen (Belgium). The partnership also includes DomSpain Consulting (Spain), The Central Library of Võru County (Estonia), Les Apprimeurs (France), Istituto dei Sordi di Torino (Italy), Slovenian Third Age University (Slovenia), MyArtist (Greece).

Erasmus+ project

Erasmus logo The European Commission's support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Sirens

MYTH

Main element: Water

Language of the original: Greek

Origin of the legend: Greek mythology

To find more information about the legend, access the Four Elements platform here.

A traditional story about the beauty of women.

The first Sirens, according to Greek mythology, were daughters of the god/river Achelous and Μuse Melpomene. According to the legend were sea brides and companions of Persephone. When Persephone was kidnapped by Hades, her mother Dimitra gave Sirens their bird wings in order to help them find Persephone. This resulted in them looking like beautiful women with big wings, but despite their beautiful looks, they were malicious creatures.

Sirens were not able to find Persephone and settled down on an island. With their beautiful voices, they attracted sailors from the ships that were approaching their island and then caused their destruction.

Men could not resist them, although they knew that this would be their catastrophe. Sirens could not have children and men that were mesmerized by their invitation would not be able to have children and based to Ancient Greeks this was worse than death.

When the Trojan War ended, Odysseus was travelling ten years before he arrived in Ithaca. On their travels Odysseus and his companions arrived at the island were the Sirens were living. Sirens used to mesmerize the sailors with their voices so as to bring them closer to them and eventually destroy them. Odysseus in one of his previous stops was informed from Kirki about Sirens and their tactic to lure sailors with their lovely voices and wanted to hear this magical song, but without going to them. When they were approaching the island, Odysseus commanded his companions to clog their ears with wax so they would not be able to hear the song of the Sirens. He also ordered them to tie him to the mast so he could be able to hear their song and not go to them and be eaten alive. Odysseus was mesmerized by their song and was desperately asking his companions to let him go to them, but they tight them tighter as he asked them before arriving at the island. At the end and with the help of his companions Odysseus did not cave in, resulting Sirens to commit suicide.

Σειρήνες

Μύθος

Στοιχείο: Νερό

Γλώσσα του πρωτοτύπου: Ελληνικά

Συγγραφέας: Greek mythology

Για να βρείτε περισσότερες πληροφορίες σχετικά με το μύθο, αποκτήστε πρόσβαση στην πλατφόρμα των 4 στοιχείων εδώ.

Οι πρώτες Σειρήνες, σύμφωνα με την ελληνική μυθολογία, ήταν κόρες του ποταμού θεού Αχελώου και της Μούσας Μελπομένης. Σύμφωνα με το μύθο, ήταν θαλάσσιες νύμφες και συνοδοί της Περσεφόνης. Όταν ο Άδης απήγαγε την Περσεφόνη, η μητέρα της, Δήμητρα, έδωσε στις Σειρήνες φτερά πουλιών, για να τις βοηθήσει να ψάξουν την Περσεφόνη. Έτσι, οι Σειρήνες ήταν όμορφες κοπέλες με μεγάλα φτερά, αλλά, άσχετα με την όμορφη εμφάνισή τους, ήταν παράλληλα και μοχθηρά πλάσματα. Όταν δεν μπόρεσαν να βρουν την Περσεφόνη, εγκαταστάθηκαν σε ένα νησί, όπου με τις όμορφες φωνές τους, προσέλκυαν ναυτικούς από τα πλοία που περνούσαν από το νησί τους και ύστερα προκαλούσαν την καταστροφή τους.

Οι άντρες δεν μπορούσαν να τις αντισταθούν, αν και γνώριζαν ότι αυτή θα ήταν η καταστροφή τους. Με την όμορφη εμφάνιση, τις μελωδικές φωνές και τα γυμνά τους σώματα, οι Σειρήνες συνδέονται με τη γυναικεία δυναμικότητα. Η μόνη τους διαφορά από τις γυναίκες είναι ότι οι Σειρήνες δεν μπορούν να κάνουν παιδιά. Οι άντρες που μαγεύονταν από αυτές, δηλαδή, δε θα μπορούσαν να κάνουν παιδιά, πράγμα που για τους αρχαίους Έλληνες ήταν χειρότερο και από το θάνατο.

Όταν ο Τρωικός πόλεμος τελείωσε, ο Οδυσσέας ταξίδευε δέκα χρόνια πριν φτάσει στον τελικό του προορισμό, την Ιθάκη. Στο δρόμο της επιστροφής, ο Οδυσσέας και οι ναυτικοί του πέρασαν και από το νησί των Σειρήνων. Οι Σειρήνες με τη γλυκιά, μελωδική φωνή τους μαγνήτιζαν τους ναυτικούς, πήγαιναν κοντά τους και τους κατέστρεφαν. Σε μια από τις προηγούμενες στάσεις του, ο Οδυσσέας είχε πληροφορηθεί από την Κίρκη για την τακτική των Σειρήνων να προσελκύουν τους ναυτικούς με τις όμορφες φωνές τους και ήθελα να τις ακούσει, χωρίς, όμως, να τον παρασύρουν. Φτάνοντας στο νησί των Σειρήνων ο Οδυσσέας πρόσταξε τους ναυτικούς να βουλώσουν τα αυτιά τους με κερί για να μην ακούσουν το τραγούδι. Τους ζήτησε, επίσης, να δέσουν τον ίδιο σφιχτά στο κατάρτι του πλοίου, ώστε να μπορέσει να ακούσει το τραγούδι των Σειρήνων χωρίς να τον παρασύρουν. Ο Οδυσσέας μαγεμένος από το τραγούδι των Σειρήνων ζητούσε επίμονα να τον λύσουν, αλλά οι σύντροφοί του τον έδεναν πιο σφιχτά στο κατάρτι, όπως τους είχε προστάξει πριν φτάσουν στο νησί. Αφού ο Οδυσσέας και οι σύντροφοί του πέρασαν το νησί των Σειρήνων χωρίς να παρασυρθούν από το μαγευτικό τραγούδι τους, οι Σειρήνες αυτοκτόνησαν.

Greek mythology.