Classics 270 Exam 1

Divine myth

Myths pertaining to the cosmos or universe, cosmogony and theogony, supernatural forces.

Legend

Tale of distant human past, believed to involve people living in physical places of Greece, includes demigods.

Folktale

Commonplace stories for entertainment.

Etiological tale

Tale that describes the beginnings of something.

Polis

Politically independent city-states that emerged in the Archaic period.

Classical Period

Period marked by the emergence of the world's first democracy, rule by written law, and literary advancements.

Titanomachy

War between generations of Titans and Olympians.

Chaos

The chasm or void at the beginning of creation.

Anthropomorphism

Attribution of human features to nonhumans.

Xenia

A custom of hospitality protected by Zeus.

Caduceus

A wand with two intertwined snakes carried by Hermes.

Hestia

Greek goddess of the hearth, protector of the home.

Narcissus

Mythological figure who died of love for himself, transformed into a flower.

Deucalion

Son of Prometheus and survivor of the great flood.

Aphrodite

Greek goddess of sexual love and attraction.

Eros

The concept of sexual desire.

Moerae

The Fates, a triad of female beings determined to fate.

Cerberus

Multi-headed monster guarding the entrance to the underworld.

Hera

Goddess of marriage and fertility, wife and sister of Zeus.

Chimera

Monster with a lion’s body, a snake’s tail, and a goat’s head from back, killed by Bellerophon.