AP Lit Greek Allusions Test 2

Calypso

Virtually held Odysseus prisoner for a few years. Nymph who lived in Ethiopia.

Cassandra

One of Priam’s daughters, a prophetess. Apollo loved her and gave her the power to foretell the future. Later, he turned against her because she refused to love him. Apollo couldn’t rescind his divine gift to her, so he made it so that no one believed her. She foretold Troy’s downfall

Castor & Pollux (Polydeuces)

Said to live half their time on Earth and on heaven. Leda’s sons, so they are gods who protect sailors

Centaurs

Half man, half horse, savages (more beasts than men). One of them, Chiron, was known for his goodness and wisdom

Cerberus

The three headed dragon-tailed dog, who permits all spirits to enter through the Gates of the Underworld, but none return out

Ceres (Demeter)

The goddess of Corn. Persephone is her daughter, who went into the underworld by Hades’ force

Charon

An aged boatman who ferries the souls of the dead across the water to Tartarus. Charon will only receive the souls who had passage money and were buried properly

Charybdis

Once a nymph, but Zeus turned her into a monster because she took lots of land for her father. She takes the form of a whirlpool or the bladder of a sea monster

Chimera

Lion in front, goat in between, serpent in the behind. Can breath fire

Circe

A beautiful and dangerous witch. She changed Odysseus’ men into animals. Odysseus gets help from Hermes to change the men back. Then Odysseus spends time with Circe, who helps him get through the Underworld

Clio

Muse of history

Clytemnestra

Killed her husband Agamemnon after the Trojan War because he sacrificed their daughter before the war. Leda x Spartan King’s daughter

Creon

Ruler of Thebes in the legend of Oedipus. Executed Antigone. Children with Eurydice: Menoeceus, Megara, Haimon. Descendant of Cadmus x Spartoi

Cupid

Aphrodite’s son. Portrayed as a child or Aphrodite’s companion, or mischievous boy. Carries bow

Cyclops

Has one big eye on his face; giant

Daedalus

The man who created the Labyrinth. Icarus’ (the guy who flew too close to the sun) father. He was imprisoned in the Labyrinth by King Minos who had found out he helped Theseus escape

Danae

Gave birth to Perseus after being locked up in a bronze, underground cave because of a prophesy that foretold her father’s (Acrisus) death. Acrisus, her father, shipped them off in a chest on the sea to a fisherman named Dictys

Danaids

The 50 daughters of Danaüs. Fled to Argos from their marriage to their cousins. 49/50 killed their grooms. Hypermnestra did not kill her husband so her father imprisoned her. Danaids’ punishment was to forever fill jars riddled with holes

Delphi

Sanctuary and oracle, place to pilgrimage for prophecies

Dido

Founded Carthage. Got romantically involved with Aeneas (Aphrodite’s son who was a Trojan hero) and gave all her wealth, city, property to him. Aeneas left her when Zeus commanded him to found Rome, so she jumped off a cliff