Classical Mythology -- Quiz 8

The Cretan Bull

Seventh of Heracles’ Twelve Labors

• Heracles ordered to capture the Cretan bull, a magnificent bull summoned from the sea by Minos, king of Crete

• Heracles finds the bull on Crete, throws it into the sea, and rides it back to the Peloponnese

• Heracles shows the bull to Eurystheus’ herald

• The bull escapes and wanders north to Marathon, where Theseus ultimately kills it

The Mares of Diomedes

Eighth of Heracles’ Twelve Labors

• Heracles ordered to capture the mares of Diomedes, monstrous horses that dined on human flesh

• Heracles stops at the home of Admetus, king of Pherae, on his way to Diomedes’ kingdom in Thrace

• Heracles learns that Alcestis, Admetus’ wife, has sacrificed herself to allow Alcestis to live

• Heracles finds Alcestis’ corpse, wrestles Thanatos (“Death”), and restores Alcestis to life

• Heracles completes his journey to Thrace

• Heracles captures the mares of Diomedes, feeds Diomedes to them, and brings them back to Eurystheus

The Girdle of Hippolyta

Heracles ordered to retrieve the girdle of Hippolyta, the queen of the Amazons

• Heracles travels to the Amazon kingdom on the south shore of the Black Sea

• Heracles charms Hippolyta into giving him her girdle

• Hera disguises herself as an Amazon and declares that Heracles has abducted Hippolyta

• The Amazons attack Heracles

• Heracles strangles Hippolyta, takes her girdle, and presents it to Eurystheus upon his return to Greece

The Cattle of Geryon

Tenth of Herclles’ Twelve Labors

• Heracles ordered to capture the cattle of Geryon, a three-bodied monster dwelling on the island of Erythia in the far west

• Heracles sails in the cup of Helius on the River of Ocean to reach Erythia

• Heracles kills Geryon with arrows and loads Geryon’s cattle into the cup of Helius

• Heracles establishes the Pillars of Heracles (Rock of Gibraltar) as a monument to his journey to the far west

• Heracles travels back to Greece via Spain, southern Gaul, and Italy

The Apples of the Hesperides

Eleventh of Heracles’ Twelve Labors

• Heracles ordered to retrieve the Apples of the Hesperides, magic apples of a golden tree growing in a garden in the far west

• Heracles receives directions to the Apples of the Hesperides from Nereus, the Old Man of the Sea

• Heracles frees Prometheus from his torture on his way to the Apples of the Hesperides

• Heracles kills Ladon, a snake guarding the apples and plucks the apples himself OR Atlas plucks the apples for Heracles while the hero holds up the world

Cerberus

Twelfth of Heracles’ Twelve Labors

• Heracles ordered to bring Cerberus, the three- headed guard dog of the underworld, back to the upper world

• Heracles journeys to the underworld via the entrance at Taenarum

• Heracles requests Hades’ permission to take Cerberus; Hades grants his permission provided Heracles not use any weapons

• Heracles throws a chain around Cerberus and drags him back to Eurystheus in the upper world

Children of Heracles and Deïanira

Hyllus and Macaria

The Marriage of Heracles and Deïanira

• Heracles leaves his home in Tiryns to travel to Calydon in the hope of marrying Deïanira, a Calydonian princess.

• Heracles wins Deïanira’s hand in marriage by defeating Achelous, a river god, in a wrestling match.

• Nessus, a centaur, tries to rape Deïanira during Heracles’ and Deïanira’s journey back to Tiryns.

• Heracles kills Nessus with a poisoned arrow.

• Nessus advises Deïanira to collect his blood to act as a love potion to retain Heracles’ love in the future.

• Heracles and Deïanira return to Tiryns and have two children together

The Pollution of Heracles

• Heracles falls in love with Iole, daughter of Eurytus, following his marriage to Deïanira.

• Heracles wins an archery contest for Iole’s hand in marriage.

• Eurytus refuses to give Iole to Heracles; Heracles steals Eurytus’ mares and returns to Tiryns.

• Iphitus, son of Eurytus, comes to Tiryns seeking the lost mares; Heracles murders Iphitus in a fit of rage.

• Heracles travels to Delphi seeking purification for his crime.

• The Pythia refuses to help Heracles; Heracles tries to steal the Delphic tripod.

• Heracles and Apollo fight over the Delphic tripod; Zeus breaks up the fight and declares that Heracles must serve as a slave for one year to purify himself of his crime.

The Servitude of Heracles

• Hermes sells Heracles as a slave to Omphale, the queen of Lydia.

• Heracles serves as Omphale’s slave for one year.

• Heracles and Omphale become lovers.

• Heracles performs heroic tasks for Omphale according to some sources; Heracles performs womanly tasks for Omphale according to other sources (e.g., spinning wool).

The Death of Heracles

• Heracles sacks Oechalia, kills Eurytus, and takes Iole as his lover after serving as Omphale’s slave.

• Deïanira realizes that Heracles is in love with Iole through the herald Lichas.

• Deïanira dips a robe in the blood of Nessus to create a love potion to win back Heracles’ love.

• Deïanira dispatches Lichas to give Heracles the robe.

• Heracles puts on the robe and is consumed by a burning pain.

• Deïanira commits suicide upon realizing her mistake.

• Heracles constructs a funeral pyre on Mt. Oeta and has himself burned alive to escape his agony.

The Apotheosis of Heracles

• Heracles miraculously ascends to heaven from his funeral pyre by the will of the gods.

• Heracles reconciles with Hera and marries Hebe.

• Heracles becomes a god himself and lives out his afterlife on Mt. Olympus

Jason is the

Major Greek hero of Thessaly

Hometown of Jason

Iolcus

Parents of Jason

Aeson and Polymede

Spouses of Jason

Medea, Glauce

Children of Jason

No children

Favorable Gods of Jason

Hera

Unfavorable Gods of Jason

None

Jason is famous as the leader of

the Argonauts

Major Sources of Jason

• Euripides, Medea

• Apollonius, Argonautica

• Valerius Flaccus, Argonautica

Euripides, Medea

• Genre: Greek tragedy

• Date: 431 B.C.

• Subject: The Revenge of Medea

Apollonius, Argonautica

• Genre: Greek epic

• Date: 3rd cent. B.C.

• Subject: The Quest for the Golden Fleece

Valerius Flaccus, Argonautica

• Genre: Latin epic

• Date: 1st cent. A.D.

• Subject: The Quest for the Golden Fleece

The Kingdom of Iolcus

• Iolcus (modern Volos) was a Mycenaean palace located on the Gulf of Pagasae in Thessaly.

• Iolcus is gripped by a struggle for power between two individuals in the Legend of Jason:

  • Aeson: son of Cretheus; rightful heir of Iolcus

  • Pelias: step-son of Cretheus

• When Cretheus dies, Pelias seizes the throne of Iolcus and imprisons Aeson.

The Birth and Childhood of Jason

• Aeson and Polymede have a son while the former is imprisoned in Iolcus.

• Polymede pretends that their son was stillborn and secretly sends him to be raised by the Centaur Chiron on Mt. Pelion.

• Chiron names the boy Jason and raises him to be a hero.

• Pelias meanwhile receives a prophecy that a man with one sandal will one day cause his downfall.

The Arrival at Iolcus

• Jason sets out to claim the throne of Iolcus upon reaching manhood.

• Jason helps Hera, disguised as an old woman, cross a stream on his way to Iolcus, but loses a sandal in the process.

• Jason arrives at Iolcus with only one sandal; Pelias recognizes Jason as the fulfiller of the prophecy.

• Pelias promises to yield the throne of Iolcus if Jason brings him the Golden Fleece.

The Golden Fleece

The Golden Fleece is the magical object at the center of the Legend of Jason.

• Athamas, the king of Orchomenus, is persuaded by Ino, his second wife, to sacrifice Phrixus, his son by his first wife, to halt a famine

• A golden ram saves Phrixus and Helle, his twin sister, from sacrifice

• Phrixus and the ram reach Colchis; Helle falls off the ram into the strait between the Aegean and Propontis (=> Hellespont)

• Phrixus sacrifices the ram as a thank-offering to Zeus

• Aeëtes, the king of Colchis, hangs the ram’s skin (the Golden Fleece) on an oak tree guarded by a giant serpent

The Argonauts: Jason

leader of the Argonauts

The Argonauts: Heracles

greatest of the Greek heroes

Castor and Polydeuces

Twins (horseman and boxer)

The Argonauts: Peleus

father of Achilles

The Argonauts: Telamon

father of Ajax the Greater

The Argonauts: Idmom and Mopsus

seers

The Argonauts: Periclymenus

shape-shifter

The Argonauts: Zetes and Calais

winged sons of Boreas (North Wind)

The Argonauts: Euphemus

runner capable of running over water

The Argonauts

• The Argonauts are the Greek heroes who take part in the Quest for the Golden Fleece

• The Argonauts take their name from the Argo, the ship built for the Quest for the Golden Fleece.

The Voyage to Colchis: Lemnian Women

Jason and the Argonauts stay for a year with Lemnian women who killed their husbands

The Voyage to Colchis: Heracles and Hylas

Heracles’ boyfriend Hylas goes missing, and Heracles is left behind while looking for Hylas

The Voyage to Colchis: Phineus and the Harpies

Jason and the Argonauts save the prophet Phineus from the Harpies in exchange for knowledge about their future course

The Voyage to Colchis: Symplegades

Jason and the Argonauts pass through the Symplegades (“Clashing Rocks”)

Aeëtes promises Jason the Golden Fleece if the hero can perform three tasks:

• Yoke two fire-breathing bulls

• Plow a field with dragon’s teeth

• Kill the armed men that arise from the dragon’s teeth

The Seizure of the Golden Fleece

• Aeëtes promises Jason the Golden Fleece if the hero can perform three tasks

• Medea, the daughter of Aeëtes, gives Jason a magic ointment to protect him from harm out of love for the hero.

• Jason successfully performs the three tasks; Aeëtes reneges on his promise and prepares to attack the Argonauts.

• Medea drugs the serpent guarding the Golden Fleece; Jason seizes the Golden Fleece.

• Jason, Medea, and the Argonauts flee from Colchis.

The Return to Iolcus: Apsyrtus

Apsyrtus, Medea’s brother, lured into a trap by Medea and killed by Jason OR Apsyrtus killed by Medea, chopped into pieces, and thrown into the sea to delay the Colchian pursuit of the Argonauts

The Return to Iolcus: Marriage of Jason and Medea

Jason and Medea marry in the land of the Phaeacians when Alcinoüs, king of the Phaeacians, promises to protect Medea from the Colchians if Jason and Medea are married

The Return to Iolcus: Libya

Jason and the Argonauts become stranded in Libya, carry the Argo to Lake Tritonis, and are guided back to the Mediterranean by Triton

The Return to Iolcus: Talus

Jason and the Argonauts defeat a bronze giant guarding Crete with the help of Medea’s magic

The Punishment of Pelias

• Jason returns to Iolcus with the Golden Fleece.

• Pelias refuses to yield the throne despite his promise.

• Medea contrives Pelias’ death through magic.

• Medea rejuvenates Aeson by cutting him into pieces and boiling him in a cauldron with magic herbs

• Medea rejuvenates a ram by cutting it into pieces and boiling it in a cauldron with magic herbs

• Medea convinces Pelias’ daughters to cut Pelias into pieces so that he also can be rejuvenated, but refuses to give them the magic herbs once they have done so

• Jason and Medea flee Iolcus following the murder of Pelias.

The Revenge of Medea

• Jason and Medea settle in Corinth and have two sons.

• Jason grows dissatisfied with his marriage to Medea and arranges to marry the Corinthian king Creon’s daughter Glauce instead.

• Medea becomes furious at Jason and plots revenge on him:

• Medea murders Creon and Glauce with a poisoned robe

• Medea murders her own children by Jason

• Medea flees Corinth in the chariot of Helius and takes refuge in Athens.

Medea

The Medea is the main source for the Revenge of Medea myth.

• Genre: Greek tragedy

• Date: 431 B.C.

• Main Characters:

  • Medea: Princess of Colchis; wife of Jason

  • Jason: Leader of the Argonauts; husband of Medea

  • Creon: King of Corinth; father of Glauce

• Plot:

  • Jason plans to leave Medea for Glauce; Medea becomes enraged

  • Creon tries to banish Medea from Corinth; Medea persuades him to let her stay in Corinth one more day

  • Medea contrives the murder of Creon, Glauce, and her own children by Jason as revenge for Jason’s betrayal of her

• Themes:

  • Revenge, Greek vs. foreigner, civilization vs. barbarism

  • The Medea is widely regarded as one of Euripides’ best plays.

Theseus is the

Major Greek hero of Athens

Hometown of Theseus

Troezen or Athens

Parents of Theseus

Aegeus and Aethra or Poseidon and Aethra

Spouses of Theseus

Phaedra, Antiope

Children of Theseus

Hippolytus

Favorable Gods of Theseus

Poseidon, Athena

Unfavorable Gods of Theseus

None

Theseus is famous as

the hero who slays the Minotaur

Major Sources of Theseus

• Plutarch, Life of Theseus

  • Genre: Greek biography

  • Date: 2nd cent. A.D.

  • Subject: The Legend of Theseus

  • Parallel Life: Life of Romulus

• Apollodorus, Bibliotheca (Library)

  • Genre: Greek mythography

  • Date: 1st or 2nd cent. A.D.

  • Subject: The Legend of Theseus

The Birth of Theseus

• Aegeus, the king of Athens, consults the Delphic Oracle about having children.

• The Delphic Oracle tells Aegeus not to “undo the wineskin’s mouth” until he returns home.

• Pittheus, the king of Troezen, interprets the oracle sexually and causes Aegeus to sleep with Aethra, Pittheus’ daughter, by getting him drunk.

• Aethra conceives Theseus by sleeping with Aegeus and Poseidon on the same night.

• Aethra gives birth to Theseus in Troezen.

The Challenge of Aegeus

• Aegeus departs for Athens; Aethra raises Theseus in Troezen on her own.

• Aegeus sets Theseus a challenge before departing for Athens:

  • To lift a heavy stone and recover a sword and sandals buried under the stone

• Having come of age, Theseus lifts the stone, recovers the sword and sandals, and sets off for Athens to meet his father.

How does Theseus prove himself as a hero

Through the Six Labors

Theseus performs the Six Labors…

by defeating six bandits/animals on his journey from Troezen to Athens

The Six Labors of Theseus: Periphetes/Corynetes

bandit who kills travelers with a club

The Six Labors of Theseus: Sinis

bandit who straps travelers to two lowered pine trees and then releases the pine tree

The Six Labors of Theseus: Sow of Crommyon

monstrous hog

Sciron

bandit who forces travelers to wash his feet and then kicks them off a cliff to be eaten by a gigantic turtle

The Six Labors of Theseus: Cercyon

bandit who forces travelers to wrestle to the death

The Six Labors of Theseus: Procrustes

bandit who forces travelers to lie in a bed and stretches them out if too short or cuts them down if too long