Greek Mythology Final

Herakles

Great Greek hero; son of Zeus and Alcmene; hated by Hera; killed his family in madness and completed 12 labors as punishment.

Herakles' conception

Zeus disguised himself as Amphitryon and slept with Alcmene.

Herakles' early childhood

Hera sent snakes to kill him in his crib, but he strangled them.

First labor of Herakles

Kill the Nemean Lion (success)

Second labor

Lernean Hydra, grows back two heads when one is cut off

Third labor

Ceryneian Hind, sacred dear of Artemis, meant to upset her but she lets him try, he does it

Fourth labor

Erymanthian Boar capture

Fifth labor

Augean Stables, had to clean them in a day. He directed two rivers through it, success

Sixth Labor

Stymphalian Birds had to get these birds away. Used a rattle from Athena

Seventh Labor

Cretan Bull capture. Father of the Minotaur

Eight Labor

Mares of Diomedes. Human eating horses. He put them on an island fed Diomedes to them and then led them back from there

Ninth Labor

Belt of Hippolyta, acquired

Tenth Labor

Cattle of Geryon, Geryon is a giant. His cattle got stolen.

Eleventh Labor

Apples of the Hesperides, golden apples acquired

Twelfth Labor

Cerberus from the Underworld, brought it back

Thetis

Sea nymph and mother of Achilles.

Peleus

Mortal king and father of Achilles.

Thetis and Zeus prophecy

Thetis' son was destined to be greater than his father, so Zeus married her to Peleus.

Judgement of Paris

Paris chose Aphrodite out of her, Athena (Wisdom), and Hera (Power) as fairest goddess and received Helen, causing the Trojan War.

Golden Apple

Apple marked “to the fairest” thrown by Eris (Goddess of Discord).

Paris

Trojan prince who judged Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite.

Achilles prophecy

He could either live a long life at home without fame or die young at Troy with eternal glory, he went after Patrocolus was killed by Hector. He paraded Hector around on a chariot after he killed him.

Iphigeneia

Daughter of Agamemnon sacrificed so Greek fleet could sail to Troy.

Cause of Iphigeneia sacrifice

Artemis demanded sacrifice after Agamemnon offended her (He killed a deer in her sacred grove)

Iliad

Epic by Homer about Achilles’ rage during the Trojan War.

Achilles

Main hero of Iliad; greatest Greek warrior.

Agamemnon

Leader of Greek forces at Troy.

Hector

Greatest Trojan warrior; killed by Achilles.

Patroclus

Close companion of Achilles; killed by Hector.

Priam

King of Troy; begs Achilles for Hector’s body.

Main plot of Iliad

Achilles withdraws from battle after Agamemnon took Briseis from him as compensation for losing his own girl, Patroclus dies, Achilles kills Hector.

Odysseus

King of Ithaca trying to return home.

Penelope

Faithful wife of Odysseus.

Telemachus

Son of Odysseus

Cyclops Polyphemus

One-eyed giant blinded by Odysseus. (A son of Poseidon)

Circe

Sorceress who turns men into pigs, Odysseus gets help from Athena, he drink a potion that makes him invulnerable to magic, He threaten Circe, she changes them back. They chill vibe at that island for a whole year.

Sirens

Creatures whose song lures sailors to death. Odysseus has his mates tie him to a pole so he can hear the song and not do anything

Scylla and Charybdis

Sea monsters faced by Odysseus.

Calypso

Nymph who keeps Odysseus captive.

Xenia

Sacred guest-host relationship/hospitality.

Good xenia

Phaeacians helping Odysseus.

Bad xenia

Cyclops eating guests; suitors abusing Odysseus' home.

Agamemnon's return

Agamemnon was murdered by Clytemnestra and Aegisthus after returning home.

Aeschylus

Author of Oresteia.

Sophocles

Author of Oedipus Rex and Antigone.

Catharsis

Emotional purging caused by tragedy.

Hubris

Excessive pride leading to downfall.

House of Atreus

Cursed family line of Agamemnon and Orestes. Tantalus feeds son Pelops to gods to try and prove they weren’t all knowing. He gets cursed.

The Watchman

Opens Agamemnon; sees beacon announcing Troy's fall.

Libation Bearers

Orestes returns and avenges Agamemnon by killing Clytemnestra

Eumenides

Orestes is tried in Athens; end of blood revenge.

Areopagos

Athenian court established in Eumenides.

Antigone's crime

Burying her brother Polynices against Creon’s orders.

Creon

King who forbids Polynices’ burial.

Polynices

Brother of Antigone declared a traitor.

Romulus and Remus

Twin founders of Rome raised by a she-wolf (Rhea). Romulus Kills Remus and founds Rome.

Cincinnatus

Roman farmer appointed dictator who gave up power after saving Rome.

Aeneid

Roman epic by Virgil about Aeneas and Rome’s origins.

Virgil

Author of the Aeneid.

Augustus

First Roman emperor; Aeneid supports his rule.

Aeneas

Trojan hero and ancestor of Romans.

Pius Aeneas

Aeneas as ideal of duty to gods, family, and destiny.

Book 2 of Aeneid

Fall of Troy

Book 4 of Aeneid

Dido falls in love with Aeneas and kills herself when he leaves.

Book 6 of Aeneid

Aeneas journeys through the Underworld.

Entrance to Underworld

Cave at Cumae guided by the Sibyl.

Rivers of Underworld

Styx, Acheron, Lethe, Cocytus, Phlegethon.

Judges of Underworld

Minos and Rhadamanthus.

Tartarus

Place of Punishment

Elysium

Place of blessed dead

Fields of Mourning

Area for tragic lovers

Parade of Romans

Aeneas sees future Roman heroes in the Underworld.

Dido

Queen of Carthage abandoned by Aeneas.

Orpheus

Musician who tried to rescue Eurydice from the Underworld.

Eurydice

Wife of Orpheus

Orpheus' failure

Looked back at Eurydice before leaving Underworld and lost her forever.

Aeneas in Italy

Second half of Aeneid; war in Italy.

Turnus

Main enemy of Aeneas in Italy; parallel to Achilles.

Lavinia

Future wife of Aeneas; parallel to Helen.

Pallas

Young ally of Aeneas; parallel to Patroclus.