Classical Mythology Exam 1

Allegorical theory

extended metaphors with key aspects of the myth standing for something else

-ancient theory of myths

-subcategories…natural, historical, and moral

-natural allegory are myths about the natural world…gods are natural forces

James Fraser

developed the ritual theory

-Scottish anthropologist

-ritual theory serves as an explanation of religious rituals

-had his seminal work of the Golden Bough

Bronislaw Malinowski

developed the social charter theory

-Polish anthropologist

-charter theory maintains that myths serves a justifications for realties

-based his findings off of the Trobrian islanders

Sigmund Freud

founder of the psychoanalysis develop of a dream-based theory

-resembles dreams reflect the pressed wishes of an individual and society

-Myth of Oedipus

-work is the Interpretation of Dreams

Carl Jung

developed a theory of myths around the collective unconscious and archetypes

-Swiss psychoanalysis

-associate of Freud

-the collective unconscious are built from archetypes that belong to the collective unconscious

Claude Levi-Strauss

developed the structuralist theory

-French anthropologist

-binary pairs

-binary pairs in myths have to reach equilibrium

Feminist theory

reflect aspects of girls’ and women’s lives and their place in society

-the Rape of Persephone myth

-modern method theory

-out grew modern feminist theory

Bronze Age

Greek myths are often set in this age

-Trojan War

-contains the Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic period

-doesn’t have any history of literature

Olympian religion

religion revolved around the Olympian gods

-perform ritual acts toward a specific god

-named after Mt. Olympus

-pantheon of the 12 major gods and goddesses

Chthonic religion

worship of supernatural power on or beneath the earth

-gods associated with the earth

-takes its name form the Greek word “chthon”

-underworld gods/spirits

Mystery religion

more those who wanted a more personal connection to the divine

-secret rites is a feature

-The Dionysian Mystery is a major cult

Hesiod

wrote the Theogony…birth of the gods

-poet of the Archaic period

-won first place for a poet competition

-also wrote Work and Days

Theogony

creation of the world, gods, and mortals

-the Divine Succession

-Pandora

-date c. 700 B.C.

The Divine Succession myth

the story of the rise of power of Zeus and the Olympian gods

-3 male ruling deities

-based on the Near East myth

-Cronus was one the ruling deities

Chaos

God of Void

-first primordial deity of Greek myth

-he emerged 5 additional primordial deities

-also known with of the name of emptiness

Gaea

Goddess of Earth

-Child of Chaos

-produces 3 primordial deities without a father

-marries her son Uranus

Uranus

God the sky

-was king of the gods but Cronus overthrew him

-child of Gaea

-him and Gaea form the 1st divine ruling couple

Titans

the children of Gaea and Uranus

-12 of them

-Cronus

-hated their father

Cronus

the God of Harvest

-cuts off his fathers genitals

-becomes the king of gods for a little bit

-ate his children to prevent a prophecy

Rhea

goddess of motherhood

-married her brother Cronus represents a scared marriage

-child of Uranus and Gaea

-produces the 6 Olympians

Olympians

The children of Rhea and Cronus

-6 of them

-were swallowed by their father to prevent a prophecy from coming true

-Zeus, Hades, etc

Titanomacy

war of the Titans vs Olympians

-titans wage the war, upset the Cronus is no longer ruler

-Battle of the Titans

-Olympians leader in the battle is Zeus

Prometheus

God of forethought

-Titan

-Son of Iapetus

-Ally of Zeus in the Titanomacy

Pandora

first women

-name means gift of all

-Wife to Prometheus brother

-malefactor of mankind

The Five Ages myth

a story about the decline of humankind from a blessed past to a miserable present

-5 ages and 5 different races of humankind

-Age of Gold is the first age

-a reminder of the multiplicity of the Greek myths and the creation of mortals

The Flood Myth

the story of the human race destruction

-Zeus sent the flood after see how humans acted

-Deucalion and Pyrrha survived the flood

-able to renew the human race after the flood by throwing stones behind their backs

Zeus

King of the Gods

-roman name is Jupiter

-god of the sky

-one of his spheres is law and order

Hera

Queen of gods

-roman name is Juno

-characteristic is jealousy

-symbol is cow

The Muses

the goddesses of art and literature

-father is Zeus but mother is not Hera…memory

-9 muses

-associated with Apollo

The Fates

goddesses of human destiny

-father is Zeus mother is Themis (Custom)

-3 of them

-power over the gods

Olympia

sanctuary of Zeus in Peloponnese

-site of the Olympic games in honor of Zeus

-location of Zeus famous statue Pheidias

-one of the Seven wonders of the world because of the statue

Dodona

a sanctuary of Zeus in Epirus

-site of Zeus’ oracle

-foundation was in Bronze Age

-divination method included oak trees

Hades

King of the underworld

-roman name is Pluto

-characteristic is grim

-symbol is cornucopia

Tartarus

the Hell-like part of the underworld

-Titans live there

-go when you were exceptionally bad in life

-home to many sinners

Elysium

heaven-like part of the underworld

-go if we were exceptionally good in life

-live a pleasant live after death here

-associated with the Isles of the blessed

Demeter

Goddess of Agriculture

-roman name is ceres

-daughter is Persephone

-characteristics is protective

Homeric Hymn to Demeter

main source for the Rape of Persephone

-anonymous author

-genre is Greek hymns

-in the archaic period

Persephone

Queen of the Underworld

-spouse is Hades

-symbol is pomegranate

-sphere is spring

Eleusis

location of where Demeter went after her daughter was kidnapped…hid as a mortal

-was the nurse of Demophoon

-welcomed into the home of the king and queen of Eleusis

-wanted to make the son an immortal

The Eleusinian Mysteries

Demeter’s sacred rites

-a mystery cult

-reconciled with both gods and mortals

-first teaches them to Triptomemus

Poseidon

God of the Sea

-symbol is trident

-roman name is Neptune

-one of his children is Triton

Athena

Goddess of Wisdom

-roman name is Minerva

-symbol is an owl

-parents are Zeus and Metis

Parthenon

a classical temple to Athenas Parthenos

-designed by Ictinus

-meaning Athena the maiden

-built from 447-438 B.C

Hestia

The Goddess of the Hearth

-roman name is Vesta

-symbols are hearth and fire

-a characteristic is virginial

Dionysus

God of Wine

-parents are Zeus and Semele

-symbol is grapevine

-sphere is madness

Euripides

wrote the masterpiece of Bacchae

-born in Athens

-classical period

-died in macedonia

Bacchae

the main source for Dionysus and Pentheus myth

-themes of sexuality, masculinity vs femininity

-Pentheus opposes Dionysus cult

-they are cousins

Pentheus

King of Thebes

-Pentheus spies on the Bacchae by dressing as a women

-is punished by Dionysus and torn limb from limb

-opposes of Dionysus followers

The Dionysian Mysteries

cult to Dionysus

-open to everyone but very popular with women

-promoted communion with Dionysus

-dance and music was a way to connect with Dionysus

Apollo

God of prophecy

-Parents are Zeus and Leto

-sphere is medicine

-characteristic is youthful

Homeric Hymn to Apollo

the main source for the Origin of Apollo

-anonymous author

-archaic period

-genre is greek hymns

Asclepius

the God of medicine

-can raise people from the dead

-son of Apollo and Coronis

-learns the art of medicine from Chiron

Delos

regarded as the birthplace of Apollo

-site of the Delian Games

-one of Apollos major worship sites

-in the Cycladic island

Delphi

site of Apollo’s oracle

-sanctuary of Apollo in central Greece

-site of the Pythian Games

-the most famous oracle in the Greek world

Artemis

Goddess of Hunting

-roman name is Diana

-sphere is moon

-characteristic is virginal

Aphrodite

Goddess of Love

-roman name is Venus

-spouse is Hephaestus

-2 myths on how she was conceived… Zeus and Leto or Uranus genitals

Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite

the main source for the Aphrodite and Anchises myth

-anonymous author

-archaic period

-greek hymns genre

Anchise

the Trojan prince Aphrodite sleeps with

-Aphrodite and Anchises conceive a child named Aeneas

-Aphrodite sleeps with him because Zeus punishes her for mocking other gods for sleep with mortals

-foretold his good fortune for him and his son in the future

Eros

the god of love and desire

-subject of two separate birth myths

-feature is bow and arrowed as well as winged

-1 of the 5 primordial entities from is birth myth of an offspring of Chaos

Ares

God of War

-roman name is Mars

-sphere is war

-characteristic is cruel

Hephaestus

God of Fire

-roman name Vulcan

-spouse is Aphrodite…she has affairs with many other men

-characteristic is ugly, clever

Hermes

Messenger of the Gods

-roman name is Mercury

-sphere is trade

-characteristic is tricky

Homeric Hymn to Hermes

the main source for the Childhood of Hermes

-anonymous author

-archaic period

-genre is Greek hymns

Pan

God of the Wilderness

-half-human and half-goat god

-son of Hermes and a nymph

-invents the panpipe