CLA 2323 Lec 2

What is the definition of "dogma" in a religious context?

Hard and fast rules or core beliefs of a religion that are considered unbreakable fact.

How did ancient Greco-Roman religion differ from modern Abrahamic religions regarding dogma?

Ancient Greco-Roman religions had almost no dogma; people were free to hold different beliefs, tell contradictory stories, and worship different gods without conflict.

Why does the English translation of "Virgin Mary" misrepresent the original Latin term "virgo"?

In Latin, "virgo" simply meant a young or unmarried girl, without the strict implication of sexual virginity.

What defines a "divine myth"?

A myth where the gods are the principal, fully developed characters.

What is an aetiological (or etiological) myth?

A myth designed to explain the origins of the world, human beings, or scientific and natural phenomena.

According to Greek aetiological myth, why is the sea frothy?

It was created from the castrated genitals of the sky god Ouranos perpetually emitting semen into the ocean.

According to Greek aetiological myth, what causes the volcanic activity of Mount Etna in Sicily?

The monster Typhon was trapped beneath the earth by Zeus and constantly struggles to escape.

According to Greek aetiological myth, what causes the change in seasons (specifically winter)?

Demeter's grief and her refusal to let crops grow while her daughter Persephone is forced to stay in the Underworld for six months.

What defines a "legend" in the ancient Greek categorization of stories?

A story where humans (usually aristocrats) are the principal characters and gods play secondary or subordinate roles.

What does the Greek concept of "Arete" mean?

Excellence or prowess, which the Greeks believed was an inborn, inherited trait exclusive to wealthy, aristocratic men.

What was the primary societal purpose of legends focused on aristocratic heroes?

To reinforce and justify the social and economic hierarchy, attempting to prove the elites were naturally superior and deserved to rule.

Why is ancient Greece considered a "shame culture"?

Because morality was public; honor and respect (Time) were derived entirely from what others saw and thought of you, rather than an internalized sense of guilt.

In ancient Greek legends, how were female characters typically portrayed by male storytellers?

As dangerous distractions for men on their pursuit of honor (Time), or as fighters who relied on cunning and guile (like Penelope) rather than fair combat.

In the ancient world, what was the difference between a Historian and an Antiquarian?

A Historian strictly studied the verifiable past, whereas an Antiquarian analyzed and tried to assign historical dates to legends and myths (e.g., Varro dating the founding of Rome).

True or False: The ancient Greeks believed Atlantis was a real, historical lost city.

False. Atlantis was a purely fictitious thought experiment invented by Plato; nobody in the ancient world believed it was a real place.

What defines a "folktale" (mythoi konoi)?

A story featuring common, non-elite people or anthropomorphized animals, often focusing on universal human struggles, escapism, and the triumph of good over evil.

What is the only surviving major collection of ancient Greek folktales?

Aesop's Fables (which includes stories like The Tortoise and the Hare).

What is the oldest traceable folktale that still exists in popular culture today?

Cinderella (originally recorded by Herodotus as the story of Rhodopis, an abused slave girl in ancient Egypt whose sandal is stolen by the god Horus).

What common folktale trope was frequently used in Roman comedies to mock the elite?

The Servus Callidus (the clever, crafty slave) who easily outwits their stupid, untrustworthy aristocratic master.

How does the god Hephaestus represent an alternate, "people's" folktale within Greek mythology?

Unlike the beautiful, aristocratic gods, he is the scarred, working-class blacksmith god whose temple overlooks the commercial Agora, representing the common people of Athens.

How does the story of Remus represent a folktale hidden within a Roman legend?

While Romulus represents the elite aristocrats and kings, his murdered brother Remus represents the working masses whose blood and sacrifice actually built the Roman Empire.