greek allusions iv

ap lit

hera

sister and wife of zeus

titans ocean and tethys brought her up

protector of marriage/married women and heroes; inspirer of heroic deeds

heracles

son of zeus and alcmene, foster son of amphitryon, great-grandson of perseus

strength, courage, ingenuity, wit

associated with club and lion cape

hermes

son of zeus and maia; grandson of atlas

graceful and wift of motion, wore winged sandals and hat

cunning

guide of the dead

god of commerce and market

master thief

hestia

zeus’ sister

virgin goddess

no distinct personality, plays no part in the myths

goddess of the heart, symbol of the home

hyacinth

apollo’s favorite companion he killed during a discus throwing competition

started a festival

hydra

nine headed creature

lived in a swamp in lerna

when one head was chopped off, two more grew in its place

icarus

deaelus’ son

flew too close to the sun while escaping from the labyrinth

wax wings melted and he drowned in the sea

iphigenia

daughter of agamemnon and clytemnestra

sacrificed to artemis, which later led to clytemnestra killing agamemnon

iris

goddess of the rainbow

messenger of the gods

janus

god of good beginnings

jason

leader of the argonauts and their quest for the golden fleece

son of aeson, rightful king of iolcus

married to the sorceress medea

on par with heracles and odysseus

jocasta

mothered and married oedipus

had 4 children, including antigone

hung herself

lacoon

he and his two sons were suspicious of the trojan horse, so they warned the trojans and were ignored

killed by two serpents sent by poseidon or athena

leda

wife of king tyndareus of sparta

had two kids: castor and clytemnestra

had two kids with swan zeus: pollux and helen (heroine of troy), immortal

lethe river

river of forgetfulness in hades

lucifer

ceyx’s father

light-bearer, star that brings in the day, had a bright gladness

medea

daughter of king aeetes of colchis, niece of circe, granddaughter of sun god helios, wife to the hero jason

killed her two children to get her revenge on jason

medusa

one of three gorgons

perseus killed her and used her head as a weapon until giving it to athena to place on her shield

her gaze could turn men to stone

menelaus

king of ancient sparta

son of atreus and aeroope

key in the iliad

won helen from tyndareus, who was then stolen by paris

mentor

the ithacan that odysseus trusted most