OCR GCSE Classics - Women of Legend

Why was Pandora created?

Zeus created her as a curse to all men

What does Prometheus' name mean?

Forethought

What was Prometheus' first trick?

trick at mecone - prometheus slaughted an ox and presented two piles to zeus. one had succulent meat wrapped in cow stomach and the other had bones wrapped in fat. zeus either deceived or using the trick as an excuse to punish humanity, chose the pile of bones and fat.

What was Prometheus' second trick and why did he have to do it?

Zeus hid fire from mankind as a punishment, so Prometheus stole a spark from Zeus' fire to bring to mankind

What did Zeus finally do?

He created the first woman, Pandora, as something that would cause evil to men

What does 'Pandora' mean?

'All-gifts'

What did Athena give to Pandora? (according to Hesiod's 'Works and Days')

Weaving and crafts, women could make clothes and remain at home

What did Aphrodite give to Pandora? (according to Hesiod's 'Works and Days')

Charm and desire, women would appeal to men even while luring/distracting them

What did Hermes give to Pandora? (according to Hesiod's 'Works and Days')

A bitch's mind and a thievish nature, women are inherently deceitful

What did the Graces and Lady Persuasion give to Pandora? (according to Hesiod's 'Works and Days')

Golden trinkets upon her skin and a flower garland, women appear well presented and beautiful to men

What did Zeus give to her?

A pyxis (box) or pithos (jar) containing evils to plague mankind, she released them out of curiosity and lack of self-control

What trick did Zeus play with Pandora?

He gave Pandora as a bride to Epimetheus even after Prometheus warned him not to accept gifts from Zeus

What does Epimetheus' name mean?

Hindsight

What does Pandora reflect on how men felt about women?

Women are a necessary evil that without you are left with no care or lineage, but with they are deceitful and cunning

What source can we refer to when talking about Pandora?

The Creation of Pandora Vase

What is unusual about Pandora's depiction on the source?

She is front-facing which is seen as fear inducing and evil as figures are usually shown facing the side (profile)

What written source tells us about Pandora?

Hesiod's 'Works and Days'

Why is hope left in the jar? (3 things)

-Hope is an evil because false hope deludes mankind

-Hope is left because it is not evil and we need to find it

-There is no hope, we all suffer and there is nothing we can do about it

Where was Helen from?

Sparta

Who was Helen born to?

Leda (wife of King Tyndareus of Sparta) and Zeus (appeared as a swan to Leda)

What was Helen known for?

Being a princess, demi-god, and being the most beautiful

Who was Paris?

Prince of Troy

Who was Helen married to?

Menelaus

What can we see from picture sources of Paris and Helen?

Helen is usually shown as vain, with jewellery and a mirror, and Paris is show as infatuated in love with her

What can we see in picture sources about Menelaus and Helen?

Helen seems to be coerced by Aphrodite as she runs to her, but she still looks back at Menelaus who is armoured in comparison to a feminine Paris

What is the story of Helen? (Homer's 'Iliad')

Helen goes to Troy with Paris and sleeps with him, but she regrets her actions and misses her husband

Who does Helen talk to while the Trojan War happens? (Homer's 'Iliad')

King Priam of Troy, the father of Paris

What is the sacred covenant Paris broke, and what did it cause? (Homer's 'Iliad')

Xenia; a sacred covenant between guests and hosts. This causes the Trojan War to break out.

What are some key quotes about Helen? (Homer's 'Iliad')

'white-armed Helen'

'I wish I had chosen death rather than following your son'

'shameless creature'

How is Helen likened to Pandora? (Homer's 'Iliad')

There are both seen as a bane to humans

Who protected Helen in Egypt? (Euripides' 'Helen')

King Proteus

What is the story of Helen? (Euripides' 'Helen')

Helen goes to Egypt as she is loyal to Menelaus, and a phantom version of Helen is given to Paris

What does Helen refer to Leda and Zeus' story as? (Euripides' 'Helen')

'a deceitful marriage'

What was Paris' competition and who won? (Euripides' 'Helen')

He set up a beauty competition which Aphrodite won

What did Aphrodite give to Paris? (Euripides' 'Helen')

She gave him a 'living, breathing image which she made in my likeness'

What does Paris' reward of Helen show? (Euripides' 'Helen')

Helen was heavily objectified and only admired for her beauty

How does Helen show her loyalty to Menelaus? (Euripides' 'Helen')

'keep my bed undefiled for Menelaus'

What does Helen feel about the war? (Euripides' 'Helen')

She feels extremely guilty for the war, and she even questions why she is still alive

How does Helen feel about Proteus? (Euripides' 'Helen')

She respects and looks up to him, and even falls before his tomb looking for some comfort and protection as he once used to give her

What is Hellas? (Euripides' 'Helen')

Greece

What are common themes in both accounts of Helen? (4)

-Helen misses her husband

-Helen feels sorrow and regret

-Helen is beautiful and the object of desire

-Helen is a victim to Gods

Who was the first king of Rome?

Romulus

What does the word 'rape' refer to?

Abduction

How are the Romans presented? (Livy's 'The History of Rome')

-Arrogant

-Powerful

-Violent

-Lonely/Desperate

Why did the Romans need women? (Livy's 'The History of Rome')

To carry on the bloodline

What games did Romulus set up? (Livy's 'The History of Rome')

Consualia

Who attended these games? (Livy's 'The History of Rome')

People of Caenina, Crustumium, Antemnae and the Sabines

What was the pre-planned attack? (Livy's 'The History of Rome')

The Romans began snatching the maidens to take as their wives

What originated from the games breaking down into fear? (Livy's 'The History of Rome')

The Ololuge; the wedding cry

How did the Romans treat their new wives? (Livy's 'The History of Rome')

They would be seen being gentler and trying to be good husbands, consoling them over their longing of their homeland

Why was their outrage over the Rape of the Sabines? (Livy's 'The History of Rome')

The Romans broke hospitality laws

Who was the King of the Sabines? (Livy's 'The History of Rome')

Titus Tatius

What happened between the Romans and the Sabine men? (Livy's 'The History of Rome')

A huge fight broke out at the Citadel

How did the fighting stop? (Livy's 'The History of Rome')

The Sabine women begged their fathers and husbands to stop fighting and to prevent the spill of 'impious bloodshed'

Were the Sabines successful in stopping the fight? How? (Livy's 'The History of Rome')

Yes! They were able to unite the two nations and create peace, which made them even dearer to their husbands and fathers

How were the Sabines honoured? (Livy's 'The History of Rome')

30 curiae (tribes) were named after them, and they were given citizenship

Who was Tarpeia?

The Daughter of the general, Spuirius Tarpeius

What did Tarpeia do?

She betrayed Rome by offering to help the Sabines enter the city in return for a reward

What did the Sabines do to Tarpeia? Where can we see this?

They crushed her to death with their shields as a warning to give no trust to a traitor, and this can be seen on Roman coins

What are possible interpretations of Tarpeia? (2)

-She is a bad woman who shows a lack of duty to her people

-She is a heroine who tried to weaken the Sabines by asking for what they 'had on their arms'

How is Tarpeia's crime remembered?

The names a rock where traitors are thrown off the 'Tarpeian Rock'

Who was Lucretia?

A patrician woman married to Collatinus

Who was Sextus Tarquinius Superbus?

The son of Priscus

Who won the competition as the drinking party? Why? (Livy's 'The History of Rome')

Collatinus won as his wife surpassed the others in in excellence as she was found at home weaving while the other wives were out drinking

What did Superbus do? (Livy's 'The History of Rome')

He held Lucretia down and expressed his desire for her

Why did Lucretia have to 'agree'? (Livy's 'The History of Rome')

Superbus threatened that he would kill her and lay a dead servant beside her to make it look like she wad unfaithful

What was the punishment for sleeping with a servant?

Death

What did Collatinus ask Lucretia when him, her father and some others came to find her? (Livy's 'The History of Rome')

'Is everything alright?'

What did the men tell Lucretia? (Livy's 'The History of Rome')

They comforted her and told her she was not at fault

Why did Lucretia kill herself? (Livy's 'The History of Rome')

She said that she should never be seen as an example to unchaste women

How did Lucretia kill herself? Why was it significant? (Livy's 'The History of Rome')

She stabbed her heart, which was seen as a 'masculine' way to die

How did women usually kill themselves? Why? (2)

Hanging and Poisoning as it could be done inside

What was abolished after this? (Livy's 'The History of Rome')

The monarchy in Rome