final exam classics 45b

Theseus

performed 6 deeds, son of Aigeus and Aithra, when he was born he was to ift up stone and find sword, then came to Athens from Troizen to find his father.

Amazons

nation of all-female warrior women

Antiope

carried off by Theseus when he and Heracles fought the Amazons and was taken to Athens

Hippolytus

Son of Theseus. He rejected Phaedra's (his mother) advances, hates all women, sworn to Artemis, and dies when Theseus prays for his death and he gets tangled when he is driving a chariot and a bull sent by poseidon scares the horses.

Phaedra (Phaidra)

Minos' daughter that marries Theseus and falls in love with her son, Hippolytus. When he rejects her, she tells Theseus his son raped her and hangs herself

Peirithous (Pirithous)

king of Lapiths in Thessaly and is Theseus' best friend aka. his second self

hero's second self

usually the hero's best friend that is often doomed to die

Lapiths

people of Thessaly who battle centaurs

centaurs

half man half horse that battled the Lapiths

Hippodameia (aka Laodameia)

Peirithous gets married to her and she has a son but dies shortly after

Helen

most beautiful woman in the world, daughter of Lena and Zeus. Was the target for Theseus to marry

Persephone (Proserpina)

Daughter of Demeter, wife of Hades, and queen of the underworld, was the target for Peirithous to marry

Hades (Pluto)

God of the underworld that tortures and imprisons Theseus and Peirithous in Erebos after they aim to capture Helen and Persephone

Jason

son of Aison and Polymede and is from Iolcos in Thessaly. When arriving in Iolcos for a sacrifice, the king Pelias is wary of him due to an oracle and he is sent to retrieve the golden fleece. Not a typical hero, he is weak, but charming and attractive.

Aison

Jason's father whose Iolcos throne was stolen by his half-brother Pelias

Iolcos

Jason's homeland in Thessaly

Pelias

Jason's uncle; stole the throne from Aison and recieved an oracle to beware man with one sandal. In which Jason had only one sandal and sent Jason on quest for Golden Fleece

Golden Fleece

The fleece of the gold-haired winged ram that belonged to Pelias' uncle Phrixos. Jason and his band of Argonauts must get the fleece

Phrixos

owns the golden ram and escapes to Colchis with the ram when his father tries to kill him

Aietes

brother of Circe, son of Helios, king of Colchis

Colchis

kingdom of Aeetes, who had the golden fleece Jason seeks (located in modern Georgia)

Argos/Argus (\#1 \= shipbuilder of Argo)

one of the Argonauts that builds the ship of Argo

Argo

Jason's ship where he and the Argonauts sail to Colchis for the golden fleece

Argonauts

the sailors of the Argo on the trip to get the golden fleece at Colchis

Apollonius

wrote 'Jason and the Argonauts" aka. the Argonautica

Argonautica

"Things about the Argonauts" that is a small epic written by Apollonius

amechanos

meaning "helpless" and "incapable" word that was used to describe Jason

catalogue poems

epic poetry tradition such as Homer's catalogue of ships in the Iliad and the Catalogue of Women

ATU Tale Type 513: The Extraordinary Companions

the folktale type where each of the main characters' companions has a special ability or characteristic that helps them on their quest

Leminian Women

the women on Lemnos that were cursed by Aphrodite to murder their husbands and when the Argonauts landed on their island, Jason charms queen Hypsiplye and the Argonauts father a new generation of Leminian sons

Heracles

son of Zeus and Alcmene, also sailed on the Argo but refused to go on the island of Lemnos. At the time, also has a boyfriend named Hylas that dies when he is taken away by a nymph

Hylas

boyfriend of Heracles that is taken away by a nymph to a spring, and Heracles leaves the Argo voyage to search for him

Idas

another example of a hero that is similar to Heracles in which they solve problems by fighting and are strong and brave.

Argos/Argus (\#2 \= son of Phrixos and Calciope; grandson of Aietes)

found on the Island of Ares by the Argonauts, and was found along with 3 other brothers that survived a shipwreck

Aietes/Aeetes

king of Colchis, son of Helios and his children are Chalciope, Apsyrtus, and Medea. He welcomes the Argonauts into his palace because they saved his grandsons (including Argus)

ATU Folktale Type 313: Girl as Helper in the Hero's Flight

folktale where daughter of antagonist usually tricks them in order to help the hero escape. Medea does this to her father Aeetes in order to help Jason escape with the golden fleece

Medea

sorceress that is the daughter of Aeetes, priestess of Hecate, gives a charm to Jason that makes him invincible in order to help him with the impossible task of fighting armed men that grew from dragon teeth, gave a poisoned robe to Creon and Creusa to kill them, killed her own two sons

Apsyrtus

Son of Aeëtes and brother of Medea, chased Jason and Medea with his father Aeetes, Was tricked into meeting with Medea and Jason for peace, killed by Jason, then dismembered by Medea

Euripides' Medea

431 BCE, Introduction to the play: "If only Argo hadn't made voyage" said by Medea's nurse

Creon

king of Corinth, father of Creusa, exiles Medea, burned alive by Medea's poisoned robe

Creusa

daughter of Creon, married to Jason after he leaves Medea, can also be referred to by Glauce, acc. Apollodorus burned alive by Medea's poisoned robe

Corinth/Corinthians

where Jason and Medea went after being exiled, king is Creon, whose daughter is Creusa, Jason would get married to Creusa here, but then is shortly killed by Medea by a poison robe, Medea stays one extra day here before being exiled, and uses it to kill Creon and Creusa

Glauce

another name for Creusa according to appollodorus, Daughter of Creon, burned alive by Medea's poisoned robe

Wedding of Peleus and Thetis

Thetis is a sea nymph (Nereid), Wedding was big and everyone came but Eris, Eris got revenge by creating a golden apple and wrote on it "for the most beautiful" , Hera, Athena and Aphrodite all claimed it was theirs, Judge was Paris (Alexander, shepherd prince of Troy), goddesses bribe Paris, Picks Aphrodite

Peleus

Father of Achilles, King of Thessaly (Myrmidons), Marries goddess Thetis the sea nymph (nereid), Marriage with Thetis starts the Trojan War

Thetis

Sea goddess/nymph (Nereid), Marries Peleus, Mother of Achilles, dips Achilles in the river styx that makes him immune except for his heel

Eris

Goddess of discord, Was not invited to Peleus' and Thetis' wedding, Threw a golden apple that said "kallistei" for the most beautiful, Likes starting conflict

Paris/Alexander

prince of Troy, Was the judge of who was the most beautiful and chose Aphrodite because she offered sex with Helen, tries to abduct Helen from Sparta , Starts the Trojan War

Judgment of Paris

a contest between Hera Athena, and Aphordite for golden apple sent by Eris, Kallistei was inscribed (for the most beautiful), Paris was the judge, Chose Aphrodite since she offered sex with Helen

Agamemnon

King of Mycenae, Led the greeks in the Trojan War, Had the most military power, Brother of Menelaus

Achilles

Greatest Greek warrior, Only vulnerable place is his heel, Son of Peleus and Thetis, Best Friend is Patroclus

mēnis

meaning wrath, rage, First word of the Iliad Book 1, Meant to describe Achilles' rage when Patroclus is killed, Causes Achilles to treat Hector badly after he kills him

Chryses

priest of Apollo, tried to ransom his daughter Chryseis who was taken by the Greeks as a war captive, Agamemnon refuses because he wants to keep his war prizes, Prays to Apollo to send a plague to the greeks as punishment

Chryseis

girl captured by Agamemnon, Daughter of Chryses who is a priest of Apollo, lived in a Trojan-allied town, Achilles asks for this girl back in order to get rid of the plague

Briseis

A war prize of Achilles; When Agamemnon is forced to return Chryseis to her father, he threatens to take Briseis as compensation, This would be a loss of timē, AKA Hippodameia

geras (pl. gerata)

aka. spoils of war, war prizes that you collect, can be property, items, or women, a collection of these gives you timē; Chryseis is an example of Agamemnon's geras

timē

meaning honor, measured by how many war prizes you have, gives you "immortality" past death, the more timē you have, the more kleos (glory) you have

kleos

meaning glory, this can also be glory past death, based on deeds that you did during your lifetime can also be metaphorical immortality, as your glory lives on even when you die because people will remember you

Nestor

aged King of Pylos, Advisor that mediated Achilles and Agamemnon, Believed they should not fight each other, and focus on Trojans, compared them to Theseus/Peirithous who were better than them

Embassy to Achilles

Greeks start losing to Trojans, Agamemnon wants Achilles back in the war, Send Odysseus, Ajax and Phoenix and gifts to convince him, Odysseus is a good talker, Ajax is second best warrior, Phoenix is Achilles' old tutor

Odysseus

Son of Laertes and Anticleia, Husband of Penelope and father of Telemachus. Is sent to Achilles as an Embassy, Good talker and is smart

Phoenix

Achilles' old tutor, Sent by Agamemnon to convince Achilles to come fight for the Greeks, Sent along with Odysseus and Ajax, king of the Dolopians

Ajax

one of the strongest Greek warriors, second only to Achilles, Sent by Agamemnon to convince Achilles to come fight for the Greeks, Fought with Hector

moira (pl. moirai)

meaning fate, fate is told in singing form, Thetis tells Achilles about his two moira, two fates: if he stays home, he will have a long life, if he goes to fight at Troy, he will have a short life but eternal kleos (eternal glory)

Patroclus

Achilles' best friend; Killed by Hector when he wore Achilles' armor and went all the way to Troy, Older than Achilles, is also just as good at fighting, Romantic relationship hinted at in Iliad but not emphasized

Sarpedon

One of Zeus' sons, Trojan Warrior, Killed by Patroclus, Almost given a second life by Zeus but did not to avoid chaos, Body was carried to Lycia by Hypnos and Thanatos at request of Zeus

Hypnos

God of sleep, twins with Death (Thanatos), Takes Sarpedon's body from Apollo to Lycia, Binatural (represents concept of sleep)

Thanatos

God of Death, twins with Sleep (Hypnos), Takes Sarpedon's body from Apollo to Lycia, Binatural (represents concept of death)

Sarpedon Krater/Euphronios Krater

ca. 500 BCE, Vase that depicts the death of Sarpedon, Famous because it was first owned by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NY, but it was discovered that it was looted from an Etruscan tomb. So it was given back to Italy. Considered to be one of the finest greek vases, Has Hermes instead of Apollo retrieving Sarpedon's body

Hector

Trojan's greatest warrior, son of Trojan king Priam and queen Hecuba; brother of Paris, Kills Patroclus when he is in Achilles' armor, Killed by Achilles later and dragged around in a carriage, Body not messed up because was protected by Apollo

"death bed" prophecy

happens when someone is on their death bed, and has a prophecy about something else, Patroclus has this when he is killed by Hector, Because before they go to the afterlife, they can see some of the future

Hephaestus

god of fire and metalworking; along with Hera, he puts the river god Scamander in his place when Scamander tries to kill Achilles, He is here because he is the god of fire, fire beats river god, Makes Shield of Achilles for Thetis

Shield of Achilles

created by Hephaestus, Achilles uses this against Hector, Depicts world, two cities at peace and at war, given by Thetis when Achilles goes to kill Hector

Achilles' heel

Achilles' one weak point, Because when Thetis dipped him in the river of Styx, she held him by the heel, Everywhere else, he is immune to weapons, Killed when Paris shoots him with an arrow here

Scamander

river god who is below Troy, tries to kill Achilles for polluting his waters with dead bodies, AKA Xanthus according to gods, Backs off when Hera and Hephaestas threaten him with fire

Iris

goddess of the rainbow, messenger of the gods (Iliad), tells Thetis to tell Achilles to returns Hector's body, tells Priam (Hector's father) to ransom Hector's body

Priam

King of Troy, Father of Hector and Paris, while protected by Apollo, goes to Greek camp and ransoms for Hector's body, Him and Achilles share a meal, which reminds Achilles of him and his father in which he gives Hector's body back to him

Penelope

Wife of Odysseus, Mother of Telemachus, Clever in the same way as Odysseys, At hometown of Ithaca, their home was overtaken by suitors when Odysseus was away

Ithaca

Homeland of Odysseus, Penelope waits here for 20 years, Odysseus makes a trip back to here that lasts about 10 years, Island to the west of mainland

Telemachus

Son of Odysseus and Penelope, Heir to throne of Ithaca, Is aware of Odysseus' plan to kill all of the suitors, Helps Odysseus kill all of the suitors

Antinous

leader among the suitors that is bothering Penelope, Mistreats Odysseus when he is disguised as a beggar, Calls Odysseus a miserable tramp when he tries to compete in the archery event for Penelope's hand, Shot by Odysseus when Odysseus reveals his identity

periphron

meaning "taking lots of thought" or also "being very cautious", used to describe Penelope because she continues to be suspicious of Odysseus in disguise, attributes to Penelope's intelligence and how similar she is to Odysseus

polumētis

means "of many counsels" or "having lots of plans", used to describe Odysseus, Odysseus is smart enough to be flexible in his plans and is creative in covering up his real identity towards Penelope

homophrosunē

meaning "likeness of mind" , used to describe Penelope and Odysseus, both are clever, crafty, full of tricks, both are cautious and test people, both are always restrained by suitors

Eurycleia

Odysseus's old nurse, Washes Odysseus' feet when told to do so by Penelope, recognizes Odysseus scar on his feet from an old boar hunt even when he is disguised, alternate name is Antiphata

Eumaeus

old swineherd and friend of Odysseus, helps Odysseus kill all of the suitors, fatherly feelings toward Telemachus, also protected Penelope when Odysseus was away

Philoetius

cowherd loyal to Odysseus, helps Odysseus kill all of the suitors, one of the few slaves that did not betray Odysseus when he was away, locks away all of the suitors weapons and hides them

Greek hero cult

extension of normal funerary ritual, some heroes gain widespread worship, similar to gods, examples: cult for Orestes in Sparta, cult for Theseus in Athens

herōön

a shrine or sancutary for a specific hero/heroine centered on their tomb, after a hero's death, they have "power" (good or bad) over city or local area, they act as an intermediary between humans and gods, because they are not born godlike but they are more special then regular humans

Dioskouroi

Castor and Pollux (Polydeukes), Homeric Hymm 33 is dedicated to them, Their sister Helen and her husband Menelaus are worshipped in Sparta, Can be Equestrians

Castor and Polydeukes (Roman Pollux)

Dioskouroi is used to refer to them as a pair, Sons of Zeus, Divine Twins , Have equestrian ties, and saviors of sailors at sea

Divine Twins

In Indo-European mythology, they are equestrians , Known by Dioskouroi, They are also Sailors at Sea according to the Homeric Hymm 33, Celestial powers relating to the sailors at sea

Menelaus

King of Sparta, Husband of Helen, Brother of Agamemnon, Worshipped alongside Helen as heroes at Sparta

bones of Orestes

bones of the son of Agamemnon, delphic oracle said to find these in order for Sparta to win against Tegeans, found in a 12-foot-long coffin, with 12-foot-long bones, had a blessing, where once they were taken to Sparta, they never lost to the Tegeans

Tegea

northern neighbor of Sparta, was winning against Sparta until they found the bones of Orestes, a blacksmith shop here had the bones of Orestes, Oracle told them to go to Tegea: "where, two winds blow under strong compulsion, blow lies upon blow, woe upon woe"

Sparta

Powerful Greek city-state that was based around military power, worshipped the bones of Orestes, was losing to neighbor city Tegea, but then once they found the bones of Orestes they started to win, Menelaus and Helen were the King and Queen of this city

Lichas

Spartan that found the bones of Orestes, Visited a blacksmith shop in Tegeas, Brought the bones to Sparta, Told by the Delphic oracle to search for the bones in Tegeas

bones of Theseus

found on island of Scyros, Delphic oracle told to retrieve this to bring to Athens, Athenian General Cimon finds bones in a large coffin, placed in a Shrine/Sanctuary in Athens

Athens

the capital and largest city of Greece, has bones of Theseus, Protected by goddess Athena, has sanctuary of Theseus in the middle

Scyros

where Theseus was killed, captured by Athenian General Cimon, bones of Theseus were found here in a large coffin, Theseus returns here after his labors