hum 1 short ids

epic

continuous poem that tells the historic acts of one or more persons to explore the cultural values of their community

mycenaeans

the first greek speaking people in the mediterranean and the historical subjects of Homer’s work. known for their massive stone fortifications and for being the native culture of the semi-mythical heroes of the trojan war

polytropos

complicated, word used to describe Odysseus. translates to “many turned” or “of many ways”, highlights his complex, cunning, and adaptable nature. signifies his resourceful mind and the winding journey he endures

xenia

hospitality, how do you treat strangers and guests, a key societal standard in Greece. make guests feel welcomed, make them comfortable, offer food and safety before questioning

kleos

fame or glory, the reputation that you have earned that will live after you, to be remembered forever or not, achieved through military exploits

“the lord of lies”

how odysseus was described in scheria when talking to the queen, refers to how when odysseus tells stories he paints the narrative in whatever way will make him more appealing to his audience

even homer nods

all great people make mistakes from time to time

apalogos

odysseus’s tale

katabasis

descent into hades

nostos

homecoming, when odysseus first comes home to Ithaca he questions where he is and who the people are, his skepticism is telling of how long he’s been gone, forced to constantly be in a state of suspicion and hypervigilance

homophrosyne

the shared qualities of mutual loyalty, intelligence, and wit possessed by Odysseus and Penelope. a thematic cornerstone of their reunion, allowing them to overcome trial and recognize each other as true equals

tanakh

Hebrew bible, refers to the books in the Old Testament, canonical collection of scripture

doublets

the same story told twice but with different languages or vocab, suggests two different versions of events

aetiology

the study of causes, origins, or reasons behind why things are. in the Bible, they are narratives that provide rationale and reason for a current custom or ritual.

exempla

short, illustrated tales or anecdotes used to instruct an audience about a moral lesson or specific point. patriarchs in genesis or in cautionary tales. Abraham’s obedience, Joseph’s rise in Egypt and the trials of samson

covenant

formal agreement between unequal parties bound through symbolic action and mutual responsibility, often sealed with an oath. plays a major role in the Bible such as the rainbow covenant following the flood of genesis

the davidic covenant

an unconditional promise from god to king David. god’s promises to establish David’s lineage as an eternal royal dynasty

“a king to govern us”

the desire of the Israelites, wishing to establish a monarchy like other nations. followed by Samuel’s warning about the inevitable abuses and injustices of monarchy

passover

the final plague against Egypt in exodus. god commands the Israelites to mark their doorposts with lamb’s blood so the lord would pass over their homes and spare their first born.

exodus

way out or departure

Moses

hero, protagonist

mosaic law

laws and instructions given to Moses, providing the framework for their covenant

the book of judges

the intermediary period between the exodus from Egypt to the land of Canaan and the establishment of a kingdom. describes a time in which biblical judges like Samson served as temporary leaders of the Israelites

the song of Hannah

prayer of thanksgiving and prophecy sung by Hannah after dedicating her son Samuel to god. it celebrates god’s power to reserve fortunes and serves as a thematic prologue foreshadowing the rise of David.

king saul

the first king of Israel who was appointed by Samuel and succeeded by the prophet Samuel. discussed in the context of the period after the instability of the judges, an example of why kingship was doomed to fail in the book of Samuel

“other”

the image that we construct of people who we deem to be different than ourselves, can be full of stereotypes such as age, culture, gender, socioeconomic factors. my understanding of you may not be actually what they are

barbarians

the words the greeks used to describe people who didn’t speak greek, doesn’t hold the same values, morals, or political systems as the greeks

oppositional identity

defining oneself in contrast to or rejection of differing cultural norms. in ancient greece it was the greeks vs barbarians. contrasted greek freedom and virtue with Persian servitude and excess in the Persian wars

yoke

a symbol of domination and subordination, two or more individuals or entities joining forces to work in close collaboration, sharing a common purpose, load, or direction

Aristotelian tragedy

about a character who’s not totally good or bad, they had a high status and then fell, character is relatable. character is supposed to evoke sympathy for the character, fear of them because we can see something in them that we see within ourselves

remember Greece and Athens

the author is speaking to us

Medea

etherized as a woman and barbarian, the ultimate “other” figure

the ionian enlightenment

intellectual movement in Ancient Greece that marked the birth of western philosophy and science. shifted explanations of natural phenomena from mythological divine intervention to rational and observable causes

ring composition

narrative technique in which a story begins with a particular theme or idea, moves through a series of related events, and returns in reverse order, ending at the original element, THE ENDING MIRRORS THE BEGINNING

ethnography

the study of the customs and habits of other people, all developed through personal observation

chauvinism

the unreasonable excessive belief in the superiority of one’s group, cause, or gender, which is often accompanied by contempt, can blur your observation

tyrant

originally had a neutral connotation of unlawful ruler, replacing the previous king when you weren’t in the original lineup, receiving the position through non legal means

satire

a literary technique used to criticize its object through humor and exaggeration, brings attention to an individual or social issue by ridiculing them, constructive and brings attention to them with the hopes of them improving

demokratia

term that combines “for people” and “for rule”, meaning the rule of people

rhetoric

the art of using language effectively and persuasively in order to influence an audience

sophists

greek itinerant intellectuals who taught rhetoric, politics, and virtue to wealthy young men. persuasion over truth, distinguishing rhetoric to mortality, preparing young men for democratic life and public participation

the thinkery

fictitious school in Clouds where socrates and his students gathered. burned down at the end of the play,representative of the intellectual trends of the time, not a real place

just and unjust speech

rhetorical exercise in which two are personified argument that one is right and the other is wrong

conservative argument

inclined to maintain or return to previous views, conditions, or institutions

apologia

apology, a defense of oneself or ones actions

asebeia

impiety, formal charges against the city of Athens, rejecting the gods

gadfly

who socrates calls himself, a horsefly that has been sent upon this great and noble city that is sluggish and needs to be awakened

telemachy

books 1-4 of the odyssey, focusing on odysseus’s son Telemachus, as he matures from youth into a man capable of challenging the suitors

queen atossa

daughter of Cyrus the great, wife of Darius, mother of Xerxes. a central figure in Aeschylus’s tragedy the Persians embodying the Persian perspective. expressing the fear through prophetic dreams and receiving the news of the Persian defeat at salamis

deus ex machina

“god from the machine”. refers to an ancient greek theatric technique where a divine character was lowered onto the stage via a crane to resolve hopeless, tangled plots

unexamined life

socrates constantly asks why, inquiring and testing people. not pursuing knowledge is not living to him, life is not authentic unless you investigate and refine the meaning

women of Corinth

the chorus in Euripides’s Medea, representing the voice of local society and providing a sounding board for Medea’s rage and despair after Jason abandons her

geographic determinism

the theory that the physical environment (climate, landforms, and geography) predominantly shapes and constrains human culture and societal development. applied frequently by Herodotus to explain human behavior and historical events