Greek and Roman Mythology FINAL

Atalanta

• Fastest runner in Greece; participated in the Calydonian Boar Hunt.

• Lost a footrace because she stopped to pick up golden apples.

Bellerophon

• Tamed Pegasus with help from Athena.

• Killed the Chimera.

• Tried to fly to Olympus and was punished.

Heracles

• Performed the Twelve Labors.

• Driven mad by Hera and killed his own family.

• Fought many monsters (Hydra, Nemean Lion, etc.).

Jason

• Leader of the Argonauts.

• Retrieved the Golden Fleece with Medea’s help.

• Eventually died when a rotting ship beam fell on him.

Oedipus

• Solved the riddle of the Sphinx.

• Fulfilled the prophecy: killed his father and married his mother.

Perseus

• Killed Medusa (a Gorgon).

• Rescued Andromeda.

• Helped by Hermes and Athena.

Phaethon

• Son of Helios.

• Tried to drive the sun chariot and lost control, dying in the process.

Theseus

• Killed the Minotaur.

• Escaped the Labyrinth using Ariadne’s string.

• Accidentally caused his father, Aegeus, death.

Aeolus

Keeper of the winds

Eros (Cupid)

God of love, shoots arrows of desire

Minotaur

Half man, half bull monster

Centaur

Half man, half horse

Fate (Moirai)

Three sisters who control destiny

Cerebrus

Three-headed dog of Hades

Fury

Avenging spirits who punish crimes

Muse

One of nine goddesses of inspiration

Charon

Ferryman to the Underworld

Gorgon

Snake-haired monster (Medusa is one)

Nymph

Female nature spirits

Pegasus

Winged horse born from Medusa’s blood

Charybdis

Whirlpool monster

Harpy

Bird-women who snatch food/people

Satyr

Half-goat, half-man followers of Dionysus

Chimera

Lion-goat-snake fire-breathing monster

Helios

Titan of the sun

Scylla

Six-headed sea monster

Dionysus

God of wine & madness

Iris

Messenger goddess / goddess of the rainbow

Sphinx

Lion-body, woman-head; gives riddles

Andromeda

Princess saved by Perseus; married him.

Ariadne

Gave Theseus the string and advice to escape the Labyrinth.

Daedalus

• Master inventor who designed the Labyrinth.

• Helped Theseus by explaining how to navigate it (in some versions).

Helios

• Helps Phaethon (his son).

• Also lends his chariot in myths.

Medea

Sorceress who helps Jason win the Golden Fleece.

Meleager

• Prince who led the Calydonian Boar Hunt.

• Loved Atalanta; died because his mother burned the log tied to his life.

Orpheus

• Musician on the Argo whose music saves the crew; also tried to rescue Eurydice.

Atalanta and Hippomenes → turned into

lions

Atalanta was tricked by

Aphrodite (gave the golden apples)

Jason died when

a ship beam (Argo’s rotted timber) fell on him.

Pegasus was born from

Medusa’s blood

Laius killed by

Oedipus

Oedipus killed and married who

Father; mother

Artemis sent

Calydonian boar

Heracles Fights

Hydra, Nemean Lion, Erymanthian Boar, Stymphalian Birds, etc.

What the gods swear by

River Styx

Zeus visited Danaë (Perseus’s mother) as a

Golden shower

Phaethon’s story is often taught as

a parody of a hero tale (rash young hero).

Dryad

Tree nymph

anti-hero

a main character lacking typical heroic qualities.

Answer to the Sphinx’s riddle

“Man” (crawls on 4, walks on 2, uses cane = 3).

Prophecy about Oedipus

he will kill his father and marry his mother

Tiresias

a blind prophet of Thebes

Twelve Labors of Heracles

Nemean Lion, Hydra, Augean Stables, Cerberus, etc.

Hero’s Journey Stages

Call to Adventure, Threshold, Trials, Abyss, Transformation, Atonement, Return.

Creatures placed among stars

Calydonian Boar, Hydra, Orion, Argo, etc. (depends on the story; often Orion.)

Jason’s biggest ally(s)

Hera (and Medea)

Perseus is helped by

Hermes and Athena

Hero driven insane by Hera

Heracles

Hero not a child of Zeus

Theseus, Atalanta, Bellerophon, etc. (Heracles and Perseus are Zeus’s children.)

Argonauts included

Heracles, Orpheus, Atalanta (in some versions), Castor & Pollux, etc.

Joseph Campbell

developed the Hero’s Journey concept.

Secondary messenger of the gods

 Iris (Hermes is primary)

Chiron

wise centaur, teacher of heroes.

Meleager died because

his mother burned the log tied to his life

King Aegeus killed himself because

Theseus forgot to raise the white sail, so Aegeus thought he was dead.

Theseus was sent to Crete

as part of the tribute of youths demanded by King Minos to feed the Minotaur.