Greek Tragedy, Mythology, and Roman Political Concepts: Key Terms and Figures

The main character of a tragedy's terrible mistake that leads to his or her downfall

Hamartia

The keeper and performer of the Dausi

Griot

Han Solo, Maui, and Dido are all this type of character

Shapeshifter ally

What Aeneas's adventures in Book 6 would map onto on the Hero's Journey

Supreme ordeal/inmost cave

According to Aristotle, the best tragedies have these two things happen at the same time

Scene of recognition and the reversal of fortune

In a Greek tragedy, the reversal of fortune

Peripeteia

A story's plot or shape

Mythos

The values, customs, and constitution of a particular people, closely related to the Greek word for "city"

Politeia

Excellence, especially moral excellence

Arete

Character, whether in the fictional sense ("that character Ryan Gosling played is literally me") or the moral sense ("some historians argue that Genghis Khan lacked character")

Ethos

The heroic farmer from Livy's History of Rome, who repelled Rome's enemies and rescued the city from destruction before giving up his supreme power after only sixteen days

Cincinnatus

The Roman practice (especially common among the military) of training your desires to not be focused on yourself as an individual, but on your community and those around you

Disciplina

Part of the reason the ancient Roman middle class lost faith in their government is because, after their farms were destroyed by Hannibal, rich Romans bought up their land and created large estates called this Latin word

Latifundia

The Roman republic -- made up of the executive branch of consuls, the legislative branch of the Senate, and the democratic branch of the plebeians -- is an example of this type of government

A mixed regime

Rome's military success was due in part to its use of these units, an adapted form of the Greek phalanx formation, which constantly refreshed its front line of shield-bearers

Maniple

"Let her pray to the one god she worships. Death--who knows?--may just reprieve her from death. Or she may learn at last, better late than never, what a waste of breath it is to worship Death."

Creon

Fill in the blank: "The hard will of _____ it is ... that overthrows the splendor of this place and brings Troy from her height into the dust."

The gods

"You pray to the gods? Let me grant your prayers. Come, listen to me -- do what the plague demands: you'll find relief and lift your head from the depths."

Oedipus

"Gassire, you are rushing to meet your fate. No one can stop you. And since you will not be a king, you shall be a bard."

Kiekorro

What aspect of Rome's cosmology, its vision of the universe, is this quote discussing? "Aeneas asked what river flowed there and what men were those in such a throng along the riverside ... Anchises told him: 'Souls for whom a second body is in store.'"

Eschatology

These enabled the Empire of Gana to establish trade routes across the Sahara connecting Carthage with south and western Africa

Camels

The language group in which Gassire's Lute was written

Mande

One reason it would be hard to argue that Gassire's Lute is a tragedy is because it lacks this important figure, often a woman, who mediates between the main character and the second most important character

Tritagonist

A close parallel to Roman pietas, except that this generosity of spirit extends to everyone, not just those who have authority over you

Gacce

Gassire's encounter with the talking guinea hen is an example of this cosmology, which contends that the material world contains magical powers and spiritual entities

Animism

Epics start like this

in medias res

From the Latin word meaning "great one," this title was adopted by Julius Caesar's nephew when he become the emperor

Augustus

If we were going to analyze Creon's dianoia, we'd be analyzing this

His critical thinking/reasoning for his actions

The only male tritagonist we've read about this semester (if he is indeed the tritagonist)

Haemon, from Antigone

Place all of the following novels in the correct chronological order, based on date of composition:

Pericles' Funeral Oration, Livy's History of Rome, Virgil's Aeneid, Gassire's Lute

None of them are novels

arete

Refers to "excellence" of any kind —especially a person or thing's "full realization of potential or inherent function." The term may also refer to excellence in "moral virtue."

polis

city in Ancient Greek.

politeia

Greek word which means government of the city.

strategos

military general

Rhetorical triangle (ethos, pathos, logos, kairos)

Logos (logic), ethos (credibility), pathos (emotion), and kairos (timing) are essential elements for effective persuasion in communication.

Thucydides

Ancient Greek historian remembered for his history of the Peloponnesian War (460-395 BC)

The Athenian Plague

Devastated Athens, killing an estimated 25% to 33% of its population and leading to significant social and political upheaval

Peloponnesian War

War between Athens and Spartan Alliances. The war was largely a consequence of Athenian imperialism in the Aegean region. It went on for over 20 years. Ultimately, Sparta prevailed but both were weakened sufficient to be soon conquered by Macedonians, later leading to the Hellenistic Empire and Alexander the Great.

Protagonist

Main character in a story

Deuteragonist

the second most important character, after the protagonist, often a foil or eventual antagonist

Tritagonist

a third character which allowed more complex interactions of dialogue (Sophocles)

Hamartia

a fatal flaw leading to the downfall of a tragic hero or heroine

Genre

a major category or type of literature

Greek tragedy

a play composed to emulate the sacrificial ritual of an innocent in order to please the Gods; patterned itself after this ritual: logos, disruption, sporagmos, and restoration of logos.

Peripeteia

a sudden reversal of fortune or change in circumstances, especially in reference to fictional narrative.

Scene of recognition

Pivotal moments in literature where characters make significant discoveries about themselves or others, often leading to dramatic revelations.

Scene of suffering

Arouses strong emotions- pathos -from the audience as a third component of the tragic plot.

Greek views of fate vs. free will

In Greek mythology, the Fates, or Moirai, are personified as three sisters who control the thread of life for every individual

Greek theater

gave us Dionysian rituals, tragedy, comedy and satire, tragic flaws

Antigone and its characters

The main characters in Antigone include Antigone, Creon, Ismene, Haemon, Tiresias, and Eurydice, each representing key moral and familial conflicts in the play.

Oedipus the King and its characters

The main characters of Oedipus the King include Oedipus, Jocasta, Creon, Tiresias, and the Chorus, each playing a crucial role in the unfolding tragedy.

Sophocles

Greek writer of tragedies; author of Antigone

Lex

A Roman or Latin law (particularly in ancient Rome or in medieval Europe)

Disciplina

a Roman goddess and personification of discipline, education, self-control, and order. She was worshipped by imperial Roman soldiers, especially along the borders of the empire.

pietas

Translated variously as "duty", "religiosity" or "religious behavior", "loyalty", "devotion", or "filial piety" (English "piety" derives from the Latin)

Roman Republic and Empire

very powerful empire that had a government similar to our's

Mixed regime

a nation in which the various branches of government represent social classes

Livy, History of Rome

Historian wrote on period from the legendary origins of rome till 9 BC; purpose was moral, patriotic; set up historical models as examples of good and bad behavior; glorified Rome's greatness and connected it with rome's past

Julius Caesar

Made dictator for life in 45 BCE, after conquering Gaul, assassinated in 44 BCE by the Senate because they were afraid of his power

Caesar Augustus

The great-nephew and adopted son of Julius Caesar who emerged as sole ruler of the Roman state at the end of an extended period of civil war (r. 31 B.C.E.-14 C.E.).

Consuls

Two officials from the patrician class were appointed each year of the Roman Republic to supervise the government and command the armies

Senate

In ancient Rome, the supreme governing body, originally made up only of aristocrats.

Plebians

Members of the lower class of Ancient Rome including farmers, merchants, artisans and traders

Maniple

unit of 60 to 120 soldiers within a Roman legion that could act independently in battle

Hannibal

Carthaginian military commander who, in the Second Punic War, attempted a surprise attack on Rome, crossing the Alps with a large group of soldiers, horses, and elephants.

Second Punic War

218 B.C. - 202 B.C., Hannibal decides to attack Rome, Sneaks through Gaul with 60,000 troops and 60 Elephants, Wreaks havoc in Rome for 15 years, Roman general named Scipio attacked Carthage making Hannibal come back to Carthage

Carthage

City located in present-day Tunisia, founded by Phoenicians ca. 800 B.C.E. It became a major commercial center and naval power in the western Mediterranean until defeated by the expanding Roman Republic in the third century B.C.E.

Latifundia

huge estates bought up by newly wealthy Roman citizens

Roman army

legions-basic unit of 4500 to 6000 soldiers. loyal, well-trained, disciplined, highly organized

mercenaries

Foreign soldiers who fought for money

Bread and circuses

A Roman bribery method of coping with class difference. Entertainment and food was offered to keep plebeians quiet without actually solving unemployment problems.

Romulus

Legendary hero who founded Rome

Remus

Founder of Rome, killed by his brother Romulus

Rape of the Sabines

a legend telling the story of how Romulus invited the neighboring Sabines to a religious festival and told Rome's men to kidnap the unmarried Sabine women

Brutus and the Tarquins

Lucius Junius Brutus was a semi-legendary figure who is traditionally credited with overthrowing the Roman king Tarquinius Superbus in 509 BCE, leading to the establishment of the Roman Republic. He is known for his role in the rape of Lucretia, which prompted him to drive the Tarquins from Rome.

Lucretia

She represented Roman honor, virtue and everything good about Roman women. She was raped by Tarquin's son, and he threatened to kill her if she told anyone. She killed herself as a result, causing the Romans to rebel against the Etruscans, freeing themselves from their Etruscan overlords.

Cincinnatus

A model dictator for the Romans. He organized an army, led the Romans to victory, attended victory celebrations, and returned to his farmland all within 16 days.

Epic

A long narrative poem telling of a hero's deeds

Virgil, The Aeneid, and its characters

Key characters in Virgil's "The Aeneid" include Aeneas, Dido, Turnus, and Juno, each playing crucial roles in the epic's exploration of fate, duty, and the founding of Rome.

The Hero's Journey

A set of steps taken by the protagonist leads him to the fullfillment of a quest

In media res

In the middle of things

The shapeshifter ally

A character who is inherently changeable, often shifting physically, emotionally, or morally throughout a story. This transformation can be literal, such as changing into an animal or mythical creature, or metaphorical, such as altering loyalties, personality, or moral stance.

Eschatology

study of the end times

Greek and Roman eschatology

The study of the end times or final events in human history, has fascinated scholars, theologians, and laypeople alike for centuries. Various ancient texts address eschatological themes, ...

Virtue

moral excellence

The Empire of Gana

AKA, Ghanata, or Wagadu, was an ancient western-Sahelian empire based in the modern-day southeast of Mauritania and western Mali.

The Sahel

a strip of land that divides the desert from wetter areas

Wagadu

The name the empire gave itself

Soninke

The name of the ancient Ghana people

Mande

The name of the linguistic group

Gana's trade networks

Pivotal player in the trans-Saharan trade networks. Its strategic location between the gold-producing regions to the south and the salt sources to the north made it a crucial middleman in one of the most profitable exchange networks of the ancient world.

"Black Snake Bida"

The wealth of ancient Ghana is mythically explained in the tale of Bida, the black snake. The snake demanded an annual sacrifice in return for guaranteeing prosperity in the Kingdom. Each year a virgin was offered as a sacrifice

Yaagu

Shame; knowing how to act appropriately in social situations

Butte

vigor required to get responsibilities done

Golle

Work; specifically the work one does for the community

Animism

Belief that objects, such as plants and stones, or natural events, like thunderstorms and earthquakes, have a discrete spirit and conscious life.

Dausi

epic poem that tells the history of Ghana

Cosmology

study of the universe

Anthropology

Study of the origins and development of people and their societies

Ethics

A system of moral principles.