Hesiod’s Theogony & Greek Mythology: Origins, Gods, and Cultural Insights

What are the four Primordial Forces in Hesiod's Theogony?

Chaos, Earth, Tartarus, Eros

How did Kronos protect Gaia?

By castrating Uranus

Who was the first Olympian to be born?

Aphrodite

Who are considered the elder gods in Hesiod's Theogony?

Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, Zeus

What is the Titanomachy?

The battle between the Titans and the Olympians, representing the transition from barbarism to order

Who was Zeus' first wife and what happened to her?

Metis; Zeus internalized her, and she was pregnant with Athena

Who are the children of Zeus?

Athena, Persephone, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Hermes, and later Dionysus; Hephaestus is not a child of Zeus

What does Hesiod's Theogony reveal about Greek culture?

It reflects the society that produced it and indicates the role of poets in shaping cultural narratives.

What resource was considered the greatest for the Greeks?

The sea

What significant political development occurred in Athens in 508 BC?

The birth of the world's first democracy

What was the primary writing form used by the Mycenaeans?

Linear B

Who deciphered Linear B script and when?

Michael Ventris in 1952

What marked the transition from the Early to Middle Bronze Age for the Greeks?

The arrival of Indo-European peoples around 2100 BCE

What led to the Dark Age in Greece?

The destruction of Mycenaean palaces and the disappearance of Linear B writing around 1150 BCE

What invention during the Archaic Period was crucial for Western civilization?

The Greek alphabet

What was the significance of coins introduced during the Archaic Period?

They facilitated capitalism and enriched new social classes.

What characterized the Classical Period of Greek history?

The emergence of democracy, rule by written law, and separation of religious and political institutions.

What happened at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BCE?

The Greeks drove the Persian army back into the sea.

What was the outcome of the Peloponnesian War?

It led to the division of Greeks into Spartans and Athenians, resulting in the destruction of ancient Greece.

What does the term 'Hellenistic' refer to?

The period following the death of Alexander the Great.

What was the fate of the Greek city-states in 338 BC?

They were overrun by Philip II of Macedonia.

What happened in 146 BC regarding Greece?

Rome conquered the Greek mainland.

What was the role of boys aged 6-13 during the Classical Period?

They lived in female quarters and were instructed by pedagogues.

What two groups emerged after the defeat of the Persians?

The Spartans, an aristocratic military society, and the Athenians, a democratic political society.

What event crippled the social and political system based on the polis in 338 BC?

Philip II of Macedonia overran the Greek city-states and imposed his will on them.

What does 'Hellenistic' refer to?

The Greek historical period following the death of Alexander the Great.

When did Rome conquer the Greek mainland?

In 146 BC.

When did the Hellenistic period end?

In 30 BC, when Alexandria fell into Roman hands after Queen Cleopatra's suicide.

How did Roman society and culture relate to Greek Hellenistic culture?

Roman society and culture were in many ways a continuation of Greek Hellenistic culture.

What was the typical age of a father during the Classical Period in Greece?

At least 30 years old.

What was the role of pedagogues in Greek society?

They were trainers of boys who instructed them daily.

What practice involved young men courting boys through gifts and poetry?

Pederasty.

At what age did boys become citizens in ancient Greece?

At 18 years old.

What was the typical age for girls to marry in ancient Greece?

Around the age of 14.

What was the myth of Persephone interpreted to represent?

The older man taking the young virgin into the bedroom on their wedding night.

What was the average Greek family size?

Three children.

How did slavery in ancient Greece differ from that in the US?

Slaves could receive salaries, perform work alongside free men, and sometimes purchase their freedom.

What was the Greek view of their gods?

The Greeks had many gods who controlled specific aspects of life but did not love humans.

What was the significance of temples in Greek religion?

Temples were houses for the gods but not places of worship.

What did traditional Greek views say about chance events?

There are no chance events; every event is connected to every other event.

When did Greece become a Roman province?

In 146 BCE.

What was the role of the Etruscans in relation to Greek culture?

They learned the Greek alphabet and brought Greek myths into Latin.

Who are considered the earliest credited mythmakers in Greek culture?

Homer and Hesiod.

What are the two major works of Hesiod?

Theogony and Works and Days.

What is the 'Homeric Question'?

It questions the purpose of the epics and why they were written down.

What is an epic in the context of Greek literature?

A long narrative poem that celebrates the deeds of heroes.

What does the term 'aodoi' refer to?

Mythmakers of early Greece.

What is cuneiform?

The most widely used system of writing prior to the Greek alphabet.

What does 'anthropomorphic' mean in relation to Greek mythology?

Human-shaped; the Olympians are anthropomorphic.

What is the Theogony about?

It describes the creation of the present world-order and how Zeus overcame earlier gods and monsters to establish his power.

What are the Homeric Hymns?

Shorter hymns believed to be orated by Homer, recorded in the 7th and 6th centuries BCE, that elaborate on old religious traditions.

What is the significance of Greek myths in the Classical period?

There was no agreed version of any myth, leading to various interpretations by different authors, reflecting the heart of humanism.

What does humanism emphasize?

The potential value and goodness of human beings, common human needs, and rational ways to solve human problems.

What does the term 'tragedy' originate from?

The Greek word 'tragoidia,' meaning 'goat song,' linked to sacrifices made to Dionysus, the patron god of tragedy.

What role did tragedy plays serve in society?

They allowed audiences to experience intense emotions vicariously, expanding their human experience without real-life costs.

Who were the famous Greek tragedians?

Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides.

How did Alexander the Great influence Greek culture?

His conquests spread Greek culture throughout the eastern Mediterranean and into Asia.

What was the Mousion at the Library of Alexandria?

A hall where Greek literature was edited, gathered, and stored, crucial for the survival of Greek texts.

What was the Roman approach to Greek mythology?

The Romans appropriated Greek myths, making minor alterations and substituting their own divinities, creating the Graeco-Roman pantheon.

Who were the main epic poets of the classical Roman period?

Virgil, known for 'The Aeneid,' and Ovid, known for 'Metamorphoses.'

What is the significance of the Myth of Atlantis?

It was an invention of Plato, illustrating his philosophical ideas about ideal forms and realities.

What is an allegory?

A story that appears to be one thing on the surface but conveys a deeper meaning or message.

What is euhemerism?

The interpretation of myths as traditional accounts of historical persons and events, suggesting that gods were once great men.

What is moral allegory in myth interpretation?

Interpreting myths as systems of advice on good and bad behavior.

What does Neoplatonism suggest about myths?

That myths reveal hidden, higher truths, a belief that later gave way to Christianity.

How did the Enlightenment influence myth interpretation?

It synthesized ideas about God, reason, nature, and humanity, leading to revolutionary developments in art and philosophy.

What are the three phases of history according to Giambattista Vico?

1) Age of Gods; 2) Age of Heroes; 3) Age of Man.

What does Romanticism emphasize?

The emotional side of human experience, including intense feelings and a direct relationship to nature.

What is animism?

The belief that everything has a soul, rooted in the Latin word 'anima' meaning soul or spirit.

What does the phrase 'myth as a mistaken science' imply?

Myth is seen as a flawed attempt to explain natural phenomena, often rooted in fear or ignorance.

What is the Ritual Theory of Myth?

It posits that the origin of myth is closely tied to religious ritual.

What does faith represent in the context of religion?

Faith is the primary facet that makes religion effective.

What is the Charter Theory of Myth?

It suggests that myths justify the status quo in society and express the desires of the ruling class.

How do myths justify social realities?

Myths validate economic, political, social, and religious realities.

What does Solar Mythology interpret?

It interprets myths as a struggle between light (good) and dark (evil).

What is Indo-European Comparative Mythology?

It seeks a common grammar or inner structure in myths as language is passed on, revealing social traditions.

What was Freud's view on myths?

Freud believed myths are the collective dreams of a race, reflecting inner personal strife, notably associated with the Oedipus Complex.

What is the Oedipus Complex?

It is a theory by Freud where a boy develops an unconscious infatuation towards his mother and fears his father as a rival.

What did Carl Jung contribute to the understanding of myths?

Jung argued that myths reflect a collective unconscious and produce recurrent images or archetypes.

Define Collective Unconscious according to Jung.

It is a collection of knowledge and imagery shared by all humans due to ancestral experiences.

What are Archetypes in Jungian theory?

Archetypes are universal signs, symbols, or patterns of thinking inherited from ancestors.

What does Structuralism focus on in myth interpretation?

It focuses on relationships of contrast between elements in a conceptual system to reflect underlying patterns.

What is Claude Levi-Strauss's view on myths?

He believed a myth's meaning is clear only when viewed in relation to other myths in the same cultural system.

What does the Paris School of Myth Criticism emphasize?

It emphasizes the importance of context or syntax in understanding myths.

What is Cosmology in mythology?

A story that explains the origin of the world.

What is Theogony?

A story that explains the origin of the gods.

Who are the original primordial forces in Greek mythology?

Chaos, Gaea (Mother Earth), Tartarus, and Eros.

What significant act did Cronus perform against Uranus?

Cronus sliced away Uranus' genitals, allowing him to rise to his rightful place.

How was Aphrodite born according to myth?

Aphrodite was born from the sea foam mixed with the blood of Uranus' genitals.

What does the term 'monster' etymologically mean?

It means 'that at which you point in surprise.'

What is the significance of the Cyclopes in Greek mythology?

They combined wisdom with strength and made the lightning bolt for Zeus.

Who were the parents of the twelve Olympians?

Cronus and Rhea.

What was Cronus's fear regarding his children?

He feared being overthrown by one of his own children and swallowed them at birth.

How did Zeus escape being swallowed by Cronus?

Rhea gave Cronus a stone wrapped in blankets instead of Zeus.

What role did Metis play in Cronus's fate?

Metis gave Cronus an emetic potion, causing him to vomit out his children.

What does the term 'omphalos' mean in Greek mythology?

It means 'navel' and refers to the stone placed at the 'center of the earth' at Delphi.

What was the Titanomachy?

The battle between the Titans and the Olympian gods, lasting 10 years.

Who were the only Titans to side with Zeus during the Titanomachy?

Themis and Prometheus.

What did Zeus give to the Cyclopes and Hecatonchires to restore their strength?

Nectar and ambrosia.

What did the Cyclopes craft for Zeus?

The thunderbolt.