Classical Mythology Lecture Notes

A collection of vocabulary flashcards covering the major terms, gods, ages, and concepts from the Greek Mythology lecture notes.

Myth

Stories focused on religion, gods, and cosmology that change based on the time period, location, and audience.

Legend (Saga)

Traditional stories about heroes that typically contain a kernel of truth.

Folktale

Stories about regular people that often include magic and elements of heroes or gods.

Theogony

The earliest Greek account of the universe, world, and humans, written by Hesiod around $700$ BCE.

XAOS (Chaos)

The chasm or void that exists at the beginning of the Greek creation account.

GAIA (Ge)

The Earth, who created the mountains, rivers, the sea (PONTUS), and OURANOS (the heavens).

Titans

The $12$ children of GAIA and OURANOS, including figures such as Cronos, Rhea, Helios, and Memory.

Titanomachy

The $10$-year war between the Titans and the Olympians, which resulted in the Titans being banished to Tartarus.

Age of Gold

The first age of man where people had no cares and never grew old; after death, they supposedly returned as ghosts.

Age of Silver

The second age where people lived as children for $100$ years and were buried by Zeus for failing to worship the gods.

Age of Bronze

The third age characterized by constant warfare using bronze tools and weapons; they ultimately destroyed themselves.

Age of Heroes

An age unique to Hesiod's theory featuring civilized and just individuals like Achilles and Jason, many of whom went to the Isle of the Blessed.

Age of Iron

The current age of constant toil and misery, prophesied to end when humans stop worshiping the gods and are destroyed by Zeus.

Prometheus

A 'thinker' and cousin of Zeus who made humans out of clay and was punished for stealing fire by having an eagle eat his liver daily.

Pandora

The first woman, made by Hephaestus from clay and breathed into by Athena, who released all the world's evils from a jar.

Epithet

An identifying phrase or metrical unit used by performers to characterize a god or goddess (e.g., 'Kings of gods and men' for Zeus).

Oikos

The Greek word for home or household; historically considered the woman's domain for managing finances and affairs.

Omphalos

Meaning 'belly button' of the world, it is the site of the oracle of Apollo at Delphi.

Hubris

The act of claiming to be superior to the gods, which represents a dangerous level of pride often resulting in divine punishment.

Psychopompus

A title for Hermes meaning the 'leader of the procession of souls' as he guides the dead to the underworld.

Areaphagos

The location where Ares was put on trial for the murder of Poseidon's son; he was ultimately acquitted because the act was justified.

Ploutos (Pluto)

An epithet for Hades meaning 'wealth,' referring to the riches like gold and silver that come from the ground.

Lethe

A river in the underworld whose waters cause forgetfulness; souls drink from it before reincarnation.

Potnia Ton Theron

An epithet for Artemis meaning 'Lady of the Beasts,' reflecting her role as a protector of animals.

NOUS

A term meaning 'reason,' which philosopher Anaxagoras believed set humans apart from rocks and other matter.

Chryselephantine

A type of sculpture made of gold (chrys) and ivory (elephantine), such as the massive statue of Athena in the Parthenon.

Nostoi (Nostos)

A Greek term meaning 'homecoming' or 'return,' serving as the central theme of the Odyssey.

Arete

A Greek word for excellence or virtue, often used to describe the character of heroes like Heracles.

Kleos

Immortal glory or fame earned through heroic deeds, which Achilles sought at Troy.

Kudos

A term for fame or glory that is not necessarily earned through virtue, contrasted with the immortal glory of Kleos.

Aegis

An attribute of Athena, often depicted as a shield or belt used for protection.

Maenads

Female followers of Dionysus known for achieving an ecstatic state (ekstasis) and participating in ritualistic behaviors.

Satyrs

Male followers of Dionysus who are half-goat and half-man.

Trident

The primary attribute and weapon of Poseidon, the god of the sea and earthquake.

Caduceus

The staff carried by Hermes in his role as a messenger and herald.

KEKYON

A ritual drink made of water, grain, and mint, consumed by Demeter and participants of the Eleusinian mysteries.

Chimera

A fire-breathing monster with the body of a lion, a goat head on its back, and a snake for a tail, killed by Bellerophon.

Gorgons

Three sisters with snakes for hair, of whom Medusa was the only mortal member.

ENTHEOS

The state of having 'the god within,' which was a primary goal of the festivals and rituals of Dionysus.

Isle of the Blessed

A paradise in the underworld ruled by Cronos where the most virtuous heroes go after death.