Women of Legend

Who was the first king of Rome?

Romulus

Why did Romulus invite neighbouring tribes to attend a festival to Neptune (Consualia) in Rome?

So he could abduct their women, of which there was a shortage in the Roman population

What was the name of the tribe from which the Romans stole women to repopulate Rome?

Sabines

What was planned for the most beautiful Sabine women among the crowds at the Roman festival?

To be given to the patrician (noble-class) Romans

What did Romulus offer the Sabine women and their children, which worked to soothe their outrage at being abducted?

Roman citizenship

What did the Roman men do to the Sabine women, described by Livy as 'the most effective way of appealing to a woman's heart'?

'Charmed' the maidens by expressing lots of love and longing

What was the name of the Sabines' king?

Tatius

When the Sabines attacked Rome in revenge, how did the battle come to an end?

The Sabine women ran into the middle of the battlefield, pleading for it to stop, saying that they were the cause of the war

Who was the girl whose name was given to a famous cliff in Rome from which traitors were thrown to their deaths?

Tarpeia

Why was Tarpeia crushed to death as a traitor under Sabine shields in one version of her story?

For betraying her people by succumbing to bribery, asking for the Sabines' jewellery in exchange for their entry to Rome

How is Tarpeia portrayed as a heroine rather than a traitor in an alternative version of her story?

She asks for the Sabines' shields in exchange for entry, in order to disarm them in the fight against the Romans

How was Lucretia found when the Roman generals visited their wives in secret, and what were the other wives doing?

Lucretia: virtuously spinning late at night Other wives: selfishly banqueting with friends

What Roman virtue did Lucretia demonstrate?

pudicitia

What was the name of the Roman prince who was overcome with desire after seeing Lucretia's virtue?

Sextus Tarquinius Superbus

Lucretia refused to have sex with Superbus, but what threat did Superbus make to cause her to submit to him?

He would lay a naked slave beside her dead body to shame her

How did Lucretia commit suicide?

Stabbed herself in the heart

Where was Lucretia's body taken after her death to incite the masses?

Roman forum

What did the Roman public do in response to seeing Lucretia's body and hearing her story? What happened to the royal family?

Rose up against the king and his son, Superbus; fled into exile

What was the Latin name for the Roman concept of sexual modesty, of which Lucretia is the epitome in this story?

pudicitia

Why was Lucretia considered as having a manly spirit by Roman poet Ovid in regard to her death?

She died by sword, rather than hanging or poison which was more common in literature for women

What gift does Hermes give Pandora?

A shameless ("bitch's") mind and cunning/deceit

What was a titan?

The generation of gods before Zeus and he other Olympians

Who gave Pandora the jar of evils?

Zeus

How were all evils brought into the world?

Pandora opened the jar gifted to her

What was the only thing to remain in the jar once opened?

Hope

What does Hesiod say in his other poem, the Thegony?

Women are a 'deadly race' with a 'nature to do evil'. Men are cursed because they need women for childbirth and family

What oath did all of Helen's suitors need to swear after she chose Menelaus to be her husband?

To go to war against anyone who threatened their marriage

Who was the prince of Troy famous for stealing away Helen?

Paris

Why did Paris abduct Helen?

Aphrodite promised him the gift of her love (after the Golden Apple contest)

Why did Helen decide to leave Sparta with Paris?

Either loved Paris of her own accord (villain) or overcome by Aphrodite's power to love him (victim)

What was the name of the king of Troy, who sympathises with Helen in Homer's Iliad?

Priam

Why is Helen described as having a 'face that launched a thousand ships'?

Menelaus invoked the oath that all Helen's suitors had sworn, so that they all came to fight in the Trojan War with him

For how many years did the Trojan War last?

10 years

How is Helen characterised in Homer's Iliad?

She regrets her decision to follow Paris to Troy and to leave her family behind; however she blames the gods for the war, not herself.

Who wrote the tragic play Helen?

Euripides

Where is Helen based in the play Helen, and why?

Egypt. Hera has put her there, while creating a phantom of Helen for Paris to kidnap since she's angry at him

In Euripides' Helen, who is Theoclymenus, and what is he trying to do?

Son of Proteus (who's died), the local Egyptian ruler; trying to force Helen to marry him

How is Helen characterised in Euripides' Helen?

Innocent and virtuous - she didn't choose to leave Sparta with Paris, and she rejects Theoclymenus' advances in favour of remaining faithful to her husband

What was Pandora given by Zeus?

A jar

Who was the first woman in the world?

Pandora

What does "Pandora" mean?

"All-gifts"

Why was Pandora created?

To punish mankind for receiving the stolen gift of fire

What was life like for mankind before Pandora?

There was no death, disease, hardship, and they did not age.

Who created Pandora?

Hephaestus (on Zeus' orders)

Who created mankind?

Prometheus

Who was Epimetheus' wife?

Pandora

Who stole fire from the gods and gave it to man?

Prometheus

Who gave Pandora a thievish nature and crafty words?

Hermes

Who first wrote about Pandora?

Hesiod

What 2 materials was Pandora created from?

Earth and water

How does Zeus punish mankind with Pandora?

She has lots of gifts which make her desirable to mankind, but she will lead to their destruction.

Who is Hephaestus?

God of blacksmiths, the forge, craftsmen, fire

Who was Pandora's husband?

Epimetheus

What was left in Pandora's jar after she opened it?

Hope

According to Hesiod, which god did NOT give Pandora a gift? (Out of Athena, Ares, Aphrodite, and Hermes)

Ares

Who was Helen's mother?

Leda

Where was Helen from?

Sparta

What was unusual about Helen's birth?

She was hatched from an egg.

Where were Menelaus and Agamemnon from?

Mycenae

What relation was Agamemnon to Helen?

Agamemnon was Helen's brother-in-law.

In Homer's Iliad, how does King Priam treat Helen?

Sympathetic, with kindness

Who was Helen and Menelaus' child?

Hermione

What was Paris' title?

Prince of Troy

Who was Aphrodite?

Goddess of love and beauty

xenia

Greek code of hospitality; guest friendship

Who was Hera?

Queen of the gods, goddess of marriage

Who was Athena?

Goddess of wisdom, warfare, crafts

Who was Zeus?

King of the gods

In Homer's Iliad, what image was Helen weaving on her loom?

Scenes from fighting in the Trojan War.

Who promised Paris the most beautiful woman in the world?

Aphrodite

Why could we argue that Helen had no choice in leaving Sparta with Paris? (2 reasons)

It was Aphrodite's will and Paris may have forced her by kidnapping her.

Who wrote the play 'Helen'?

Euripides

According to Euripides, where was Helen during the Trojan War?

In Egypt.

What was a Sabine?

A person belonging to the Italian race of Sabines

What was a patrician?

In ancient Rome, a member of the privileged upper class (depended on family not money)

Who was Tatius?

King of the Sabines

What was the Roman forum?

The section of the city that was the centre of government and business

Who was Lucretia?

Collatinus's wife, raped by Sextus, committed suicide after being raped

Who was Collatinus?

Lucretia's husband, first consul of Rome with Brutus

Who was Lucius Tarquinius Superbus?

Son of Tarquinius Superbus, raped the married woman Lucretia

Who was Sextus Tarquinius?

Son of Tarquinius Superbus, raped the married woman Lucretia

What was the Tarpeian rock?

Located in Rome, where condemned traitors were hurled to their deaths

Who wrote about the story of Tarpeia?

Livy

Who wrote the "History of Rome"?

Livy

Who wrote about the story of Lucretia?

Livy