greek and roman myth midterm 1

critical thinking

Not having the answer BEFORE asking a question

observation

A statement about more than one fact that every reasonable person will agree with

thesis

A statement based on facts that a reasonable person could disagree with

textualism

The belief that reality is wholly composed of language

idealism

The idea that ideas and beliefs shape how people understand and experience the world.

historicism

The idea that people in the past had fundamentally different ideas about how the world worked, so their motives cannot always be understood from a modern perspective.

humanism

The belief that humans today are fundamentally the same as humans in the ancient world, making ancient people and their experiences understandable.

Intertextuality

The relationship between different texts, especially when one text references, borrows from, or responds to another. For example, later Greek and Roman authors retell stories about the same gods and heroes but sometimes change details.

Persephone

Role: Greek goddess and queen of the Underworld.

Areas of Concern: Underworld, springtime, and vegetation.

Attributes: Pomegranate, flowers, and torch.

Roman Equivalent: Proserpina.

Important Actions: Hades abducted her and brought her to the Underworld. Her mother Demeter grieved, causing crops to stop growing. Persephone's eventual arrangement to spend part of the year in the Underworld and part with her mother is associated with the seasonal cycle.

Anu

Role: King of the gods

Areas of Concern: Sky and possibly the city of Uruk

Attributes: Horned crown and bull

prometheus

Role: Titan who helped humanity.

Important Actions: Tricked Zeus into accepting bones and fat as the gods' portion of sacrifices, leaving meat for humans.

- Stole fire from the gods and gave it to humans after Zeus withheld it.

- Zeus punished him by chaining him to a rock, where an eagle ate his liver every day.

- His actions led Zeus to punish humanity by sending Pandora.

Poseidan

Attributes: Trident and beard.

Areas of Concern: Sea, horses, and earthquakes.

Roman Equivalent: Neptune.

Important Actions: Sent a flood and sea monster to Ethiopia after Cassiopea claimed to be more beautiful than the Nereids, leading to Andromeda being chained to a rock as a sacrifice.

athena

Role: Greek goddess of wisdom and strategic warfare.

Areas of Concern: Wisdom, warfare, crafts, and protection of heroes.

Attributes: Helmet, spear, shield, owl, and aegis.

Roman Equivalent: Minerva.

Important Actions:

- Helped Perseus defeat Medusa by guiding him to use her reflection.

- Supported Diomedes during the Trojan War, helping him wound Aphrodite and Ares.

- Helped Odysseus return home and reclaim his household.

Hephaestus

Role: Greek god of fire and metalworking.

Areas of Concern: Blacksmithing, craftsmanship, fire, and technology.

Attributes: Hammer, anvil, and tongs.

Roman Equivalent: Vulcan.

Important Actions:

- Created weapons, armor, and other objects for the gods.

- Made Achilles' new armor at the request of Thetis.

- Fashioned Pandora at Zeus's command as part of humanity's punishment.

ares

Role: Greek god of war.

Areas of Concern: Violence, bloodshed, and warfare.

Attributes: Spear, helmet, shield, and armor.

Roman Equivalent: Mars.

Important Actions:

- Supported the Trojans during the Trojan War.

- Was wounded by Diomedes with Athena's assistance.

- Represented the violent and destructive side of warfare.

pandora

Role: First mortal woman, created by the gods as punishment for humanity.

Important Actions:

- Hephaestus created her at Zeus's command after Prometheus stole fire.

- The gods gave her various gifts, including beauty and charm.

- Opened a jar that released suffering and hardships into the world.

- Hope remained inside the jar.

Orestes

Role: Son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra.

Important Actions:

- His mother Clytemnestra killed his father Agamemnon after the Trojan War.

- Orestes killed his mother and her lover Aegisthus to avenge his father.

- Was pursued by the Furies for murdering his mother.

- Was eventually put on trial in Athens and acquitted with Athena's involvement.

Perseus

Role: Greek hero and son of Zeus and Danae.

Important Actions:

- King Acrisius was told that his grandson would kill him, so he imprisoned Danae.

- Zeus impregnated Danae in the form of a shower of gold.

- Acrisius placed Danae and Perseus in a chest and cast them into the sea.

- King Polydectes later sent Perseus to retrieve Medusa's head.

- Athena and Hermes helped him obtain magical equipment, including winged sandals and a cap of invisibility.

- Killed Medusa by looking at her reflection instead of directly at her.

- Rescued Andromeda from a sea monster and married her.

- Turned Polydectes and other enemies to stone using Medusa's head.

- Accidentally killed his grandfather Acrisius with a discus during athletic games, fulfilling the prophecy.

Diomedes

Role: Greek hero who fought in the Trojan War.

Important Actions: With Athena's help, wounded Aphrodite and Ares during battle.

Achilles

Role: Greatest Greek warrior in the Trojan War.

Important Actions: Withdrew from battle after arguing with Agamemnon. Returned after Patroclus was killed and killed Hector. Died at Troy.

Odyssey Connection: Odysseus meets Achilles in the Underworld, showing how Odysseus could also have died at Troy.

Achilles

Role: Greatest Greek warrior in the Trojan War, son of Peleus and the sea goddess Thetis.

Important Actions:

- Withdrew from battle after Agamemnon took Briseis from him.

- His refusal to fight weakened the Greek army.

- His close companion Patroclus was killed by Hector while wearing Achilles' armor.

- Returned to battle to avenge Patroclus and killed Hector.

- Dragged Hector's body behind his chariot but eventually returned it to King Priam.

- Was later killed at Troy, traditionally by an arrow shot by Paris.

- In the Odyssey, Odysseus meets Achilles in the Underworld, where Achilles expresses that being alive is better than ruling over the dead.

Odysseus

Role: Greek hero, king of Ithaca, and main character of the Odyssey.

Important Actions:

- Helped the Greeks win the Trojan War through the Trojan Horse strategy.

- Spent ten years trying to return home after the war.

- Blinded the Cyclops Polyphemus, angering Poseidon.

- Encountered Circe, the Sirens, Scylla, and Charybdis.

- Traveled to the Underworld and spoke with the dead, including Achilles.

- Returned to Ithaca, killed the suitors, and reunited with Penelope.

Sisyphus

Role: King of Corinth known for his cleverness and deception.

Important Actions:

- Tricked or escaped death more than once.

- Revealed Zeus's secrets and angered the gods.

- Was punished in the Underworld by having to push a boulder uphill forever, only for it to roll back down.

Agamemnon

Role: King of Mycenae and leader of the Greek forces in the Trojan War.

Important Actions:

- Sacrificed his daughter Iphigenia in some versions of the myth to obtain favorable winds for Troy.

- Took Briseis from Achilles, causing Achilles to withdraw from battle.

- Led the Greek army during the Trojan War.

- Was murdered by his wife Clytemnestra and her lover Aegisthus after returning home.

Enkidu

Role: Wild man created by the goddess Aruru to challenge Gilgamesh.

Important Actions:

- Initially lived among animals in the wilderness.

- Was civilized through his encounter with Shamhat.

- Fought Gilgamesh before becoming his closest friend.

- Accompanied Gilgamesh to the Cedar Forest to defeat Humbaba.

- Helped kill the Bull of Heaven.

- Died as punishment from the gods, causing Gilgamesh to fear death.

Shamhat

Role: Woman associated with the temple who introduces Enkidu to civilization.

Important Actions:

- Seduced Enkidu, separating him from his life among animals.

- Introduced him to human customs, food, clothing, and society.

- Told Enkidu about Gilgamesh and encouraged him to travel to Uruk.

Leto

Role: Titan goddess and mother of Apollo and Artemis.

Areas of Concern: Motherhood and protection of children.

Attributes: Often depicted with Apollo and Artemis.

Roman Equivalent: Latona.

Important Actions:

- Became pregnant with Apollo and Artemis by Zeus.

- Struggled to find a place to give birth because of Hera's hostility.

- Gave birth to Apollo on the island of Delos, making the island sacred to him

Kronos

Role: Titan ruler before Zeus and father of the Olympian gods.

Areas of Concern: Rule over the Titans.

Attributes: Sickle.

Roman Equivalent: Saturn.

Important Actions:

- Overthrew his father Uranus by castrating him with a sickle.

- Swallowed his children because he feared they would overthrow him.

- His wife Rhea secretly saved Zeus by giving Kronos a stone to swallow.

- Zeus later forced Kronos to release his siblings.

- Was defeated by Zeus and the Olympians during the Titanomachy

Gilgamesh

Role: King of Uruk, described as two-thirds divine and one-third human.

Important Actions:

- Initially ruled Uruk harshly, causing his people to complain to the gods.

- Fought Enkidu before becoming his closest friend.

- Traveled with Enkidu to the Cedar Forest and defeated Humbaba.

- Killed the Bull of Heaven with Enkidu.

- Was devastated by Enkidu's death and became afraid of his own mortality.

- Searched for Utnapishtim to learn the secret of eternal life.

- Eventually returned to Uruk, recognizing the importance of human accomplishments and legacy.

Ninsun

Role: Goddess and mother of Gilgamesh.

Areas of Concern: Wisdom, motherhood, and divine guidance.

Important Actions:

- Interpreted Gilgamesh's dreams about the arrival of Enkidu.

- Explained that Enkidu would become a powerful companion and friend.

- Prayed to the sun god Shamash to protect Gilgamesh on his journey to fight Humbaba

Hesiod Theogony

Author: Hesiod, ancient Greek poet.

Summary: Describes the origins of the universe, the birth of the gods, and how Zeus became ruler of the cosmos.

Important Events:

- Chaos appears at the beginning of creation.

- Gaia produces Uranus, and later generations of gods emerge.

- Kronos overthrows Uranus.

- Kronos swallows his children to prevent being overthrown.

- Zeus defeats Kronos and the Titans and becomes king of the gods.

Hymn to Apollos (Hymn to Delos)

Type: Ancient Greek Homeric Hymn celebrating Apollo.

Summary: Describes Leto's search for a place to give birth to Apollo and explains why Delos became sacred to him.

Important Events:

- Leto searches for an island willing to let her give birth.

- Other places fear the power of her unborn son.

- Delos agrees after Leto promises that Apollo will honor the island.

- Apollo is born on Delos, establishing its religious importance

Homer Iliad

Author: Homer (traditionally attributed).

Summary: An epic poem about Achilles' anger and the consequences of his withdrawal from the Trojan War.

Important Events:

- Agamemnon takes Briseis from Achilles, causing their conflict.

- Achilles refuses to fight for the Greeks.

- Patroclus enters battle wearing Achilles' armor and is killed by Hector.

- Achilles returns to battle and kills Hector.

- King Priam begs Achilles to return Hector's body, and Achilles agrees.

Homer Odyssey

Author: Homer (traditionally attributed).

Summary: Follows Odysseus's ten-year journey home to Ithaca after the Trojan War.

Important Events:

- Odysseus blinds Polyphemus and angers Poseidon.

- Encounters Circe, the Sirens, and other dangers.

- Visits the Underworld and speaks with the dead.

- Returns home disguised as a beggar.

- Kills the suitors attempting to marry Penelope and reclaims his household

Pseudo-Apollodorus) Library of Greek Mythology

Author: Unknown ancient writer traditionally identified as Apollodorus.

Summary: A collection of Greek myths describing the origins of the gods, important heroes, and legendary families.

Important Details:

- Organizes myths into connected genealogies and stories.

- Includes stories about Perseus, Heracles, and the Trojan War.

- Preserves versions of myths found in earlier Greek traditions.

- Important source for understanding Greek mythology.

Epic of Gilgamesh

Type: Ancient Mesopotamian epic, among the oldest surviving works of literature.

Summary: Follows Gilgamesh, king of Uruk, as he develops a friendship with Enkidu and later searches for immortality after Enkidu's death.

Important Events:

- The gods create Enkidu to challenge Gilgamesh.

- Shamhat introduces Enkidu to civilization.

- Gilgamesh and Enkidu fight and become friends.

- They defeat Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven.

- Enkidu dies, causing Gilgamesh to fear death.

- Gilgamesh seeks Utnapishtim, who survived the great Flood.

- Gilgamesh fails to obtain immortality and returns to Uruk.

Lydia

Location: Ancient kingdom in western Anatolia (modern-day Turkey).

Important Details:

- Wealthy kingdom famous for gold and early coinage.

- Ruled by King Croesus, known for his enormous wealth.

- Croesus consulted the Oracle of Delphi before fighting Persia.

- The oracle predicted that a great empire would fall, but it was Lydia that was defeated by Persia under Cyrus the Great.

Argos

A Greek city-state in central Greece famous for its temple of Hera. Continuously inhabited since the Stone Age, it was powerful in the 7th century BCE but was overshadowed by Sparta and Athens by the 6th century BCE.

Hissarlik

Archaeological site in modern Turkey identified with ancient Troy, the setting of the Trojan War.

Delphi

Ancient Greek sanctuary dedicated to Apollo, famous for its oracle, where people sought prophecies and divine guidance.

Uruk

One of the first cities in Sumer (modern southern Iraq), possibly the first city in history. Home to the temples of Inanna and Anu and the mythical home of Gilgamesh. Its massive walls are an important symbol of civilization in the Epic of Gilgamesh.