Introduction to Greek Myth Midterm IDs

Mycenaean Age

• Period of Late Bronze Age Greece, approximately 1600–1200 BCE.

• Associated with the palace-centered civilization of Mycenae and other Greek centers.

• Provides the historical setting traditionally associated with the Trojan War and Homer's heroic world.

Homer

Traditionally credited with composing the Iliad and Odyssey.

Associated with the oral tradition of Greek heroic epic, which celebrates the glorious deeds of heroes and gods.

The Iliad is generally dated to the late eighth century BCE, though Homer's identity and the poems' composition remain debated.

Zeus

King of the Olympian gods, associated with the sky and thunder.

Son of Cronos and Rheia; establishes his supremacy after the earlier generation of gods.

In Iliad Book 1, agrees to Thetis' request to honor Achilles by favoring the Trojans, angering Hera.

Attributes: thunderbolt, eagle, scepter

Hera

Wife of Zeus and queen of the Olympian gods

Daughter of Cronos and Rheia, and sister of Zeus.

In Iliad Book 1, favors the Greeks and confronts Zeus after suspecting his agreement with Thetis.

Hephaestus

Olympian god of craftsmanship, metalworking, and fire.

Son of Hera; tries to calm the quarrel between Hera and Zeus in Iliad Book 1.

Recalls how Zeus once threw him from Olympus, causing him to fall to Lemnos, where the Sintians cared for him.

Thetis

• Sea goddess, daughter of Nereus, and mother of Achilles.

• Married to the mortal Peleus after a prophecy foretold that her son would be stronger than his father.

• Previously helped save Zeus from being bound by other gods; uses this past favor when asking him to honor Achilles in Iliad Book 1.

Briareus

One of the Hundred-Handers, born to Gaia and Ouranos;

helps Zeus defeat the Titans;

also saves Zeus from being bound in Homer's Iliad.

Gaia (Ge)

Primordial Earth goddess;

gives birth to Ouranos;

creates the sickle and helps Cronos overthrow Ouranos.

Ouranos

Personification of Sky;

father of Titans, Cyclopes, and Hundred-Handers with Gaia;

castrated by his son Cronos.

Cronos

Youngest Titan child of Gaia and Ouranos;

castrates Ouranos with Gaia's sickle;

becomes ruler of the gods before Zeus.

Rheia

Titan daughter of Gaia and Ouranos;

wife of Cronos and mother of Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Hestia, Hades, Demeter;

saves Zeus by sending him to Crete and giving Cronos a swaddled stone to swallow.

Metis

Goddess of cunning intelligence;

first wife of Zeus and helps Zeus defeat Cronos;

later swallowed by Zeus because of a prophecy concerning her children.

Titanomachy

Ten-year war between Zeus's younger gods and the Titans;

Zeus wins with help from the Cyclopes and Hundred-Handers;

defeated Titans are imprisoned in Tartarus.

Typhoios

Monstrous child of Gaia and Tartarus, hundred snake heads, insufferable screeching sound ;

challenges Zeus's rule;

defeated by Zeus's thunderbolts.

Privileged variant

A particular version of a myth selected as the main account.

Greek myths often exist in multiple versions.

Treating one version as privileged does not mean the other versions are necessarily false.

Hesiod

Ancient Greek poet, traditionally dated around 700 BCE.

Author of Theogony and Works and Days.

In Theogony, the Muses of Mount Helicon inspire him to tell the origins of the gods.

Cosmogony

An account of the origin of the cosmos.

Hesiod's Theogony presents automatic creation (not architectural), without a single deliberate designer.

The cosmos develops from primordial beings such as Chaos and Gaia through successive generations.

Titanomachy

Ten-year war between the Titans and the younger gods led by Zeus.

Zeus wins with help from the Cyclopes and Hundred-Handers, including Briareus.

Defeated Titans are imprisoned in Tartarus and guarded by the Hundred-Handers.

Typhoios

Monstrous child of Gaia and Tartarus, with a hundred snake heads.

Challenges Zeus's rule and is defeated by his thunderbolts.

Represents an alternative cosmic order and becomes associated with destructive winds after his defeat.

Zeus Xenios

An epithet of Zeus meaning protector of guests and hospitality.

Oversees xenia, the obligations between hosts and guests.

Violations of hospitality can be offenses against Zeus.

Poseidon

Brother of Zeus and Hades.

God of the sea and earthquakes.

His characteristic weapon is the trident.

Poseidon Hippios

An epithet of Poseidon meaning Poseidon of Horses.

Connects Poseidon with horses and horsemanship.

Shows that Poseidon's powers extend beyond the sea.

Hades

Brother of Zeus and Poseidon.

Ruler of the dead and the underworld.

His realm is also called Hades; Persephone is his consort.

Cerberus (Kerberos)

Monstrous dog associated with Hades.

Guards the entrance to the underworld.

Commonly represented with three heads.

Erebos

A dark region associated with the underworld.

Ordinary dead souls dwell there.

It is not a system of rewards and punishments like heaven or hell.

Perses

Hesiod's brother.

Involved in a disputed inheritance.

Addressed in Works and Days, which urges justice and honest labor.

Myth of the Races

Told in Hesiod's Works and Days,

Describes five successive human races.

Explores human decline and the importance of justice.

Gold Race

Lives like gods.

Experiences no painful toil or aging.

Receives food freely from the earth.

Silver Race

Remains childlike for a hundred years.

Acts foolishly and dishonors the gods.

Zeus destroys this race.

Bronze Race

Obsessed with warfare and violence.

Uses bronze weapons and tools.

Ultimately destroys itself.

Race of the Heroes

Comes after the Bronze Race.

Associated with the wars of Thebes and Troy.

Some heroes receive a blessed afterlife.

Iron Race

Hesiod's own age.

Characterized by toil, suffering, and injustice.

Represents the deterioration of human society.

Polyphemus

Cyclops encountered by Odysseus in Odyssey 9.

Violates hospitality and eats Odysseus's companions.

Is blinded by Odysseus, who escapes beneath the sheep.

Circe

Divine enchantress living on Aeaea.

Transforms Odysseus's men into pigs, makes them forget their home.

Hermes gives Odysseus moly to resist her magic.