Greek Mythology Lecture Notes

CLA 2323 A00 - Lecture Notes Greek Mythology

Syllabus Overview

  • Midterm Exam:

    • CLOSED BOOK (Google Doc will be deleted at 6:55)

    • Format: 2 or 3 essay questions, each requiring 2 paragraphs (150 to 200 words) per answer.

    • Note: Knowing historical information and memorizing dates is crucial for an A+. Specific dates are preferable, but general era references can suffice.

    • Duration: 65 minutes, followed by a lecture.

    • Grading: Midterms are marked by the professor or TAs. Students can arrange Zoom meetings with markers to dispute marks.

  • Quizzes:

    • Posted on Brightspace; available for a few days.

    • Class participation (worth 6%); mini quizzes (25-minute time limit), available once every 2 weeks.

    • Note: Correct answers are not necessary for marks; aim to not perform poorly.

  • Content Covered in Midterms:

    • Everything from Class 1 to early October.

  • Final Exam: Cumulative.

    • When referring to "Buxton," the textbook is meant.

    • Supplementary readings will be posted on Brightspace.

    • Class sessions: 2.5 hours long.

Lecture 1: Contextual Approach

  • Definition of Contextual Approach:

    • Context: Facts surrounding a point; in written documents, this refers to words surrounding a specific passage or surrounding text.

    • Contextual: Involves looking at context while taking surrounding facts into account.

    • The course will interpret Greek myths by considering the real-life conditions of ancient Greece, particularly from 800 to 300 B.C.

Interpretation of Myths:

  • Example: Heracles' Journey

    • Myth Summary: Heracles travels to the end of the world to fight a monster, steal cattle, and return to Greece.

    • Punishment: Heracles killed his family due to Hera's trickery.

    • Details of the Myth:

    • The monster has a triple torso and head, alongside cattle.

    • Heracles herds cattle across Iberia, intending to go to Sicily but inadvertently takes a shortcut through Italy which complicates his journey.

    • He realizes that Sicily is an island and redirects his route back north to Greece.

    • Questions Raised:

    • Why does the myth feature a complicated detour?

    • Is it merely a storytelling device reflecting Heracles' stupidity, or is there a deeper contextual reason?

    • The real-life context: Southern Italy and eastern Sicily were heavily populated with Greek cities around 700 B.C.

    • The narrative reflects historical colonization in these areas.

    • Mention of cicadas causes Heracles to ask Zeus to destroy them, illustrating the myth's real-world linkages.

Geographic Context of Ancient Greece:

  • Map Reference:

    • Italy is compared to a boot shape kicking Sicily.

    • Significant Locations:

    • Lesbos and Crete are identified as parts of Greece.

    • Cyprus’s geographic nature is also noted in relation to Syria.

    • Asia Minor (modern Turkey) had Greek influence, particularly along its coastline.

    • Distance for Trade: Crete to Egypt is a manageable distance (400 miles).

  • Geographical Features of Greece:

    • Greece characterized by mountainous terrain that affects cultivation and settlement.

    • 80% mountains, and only 20% represents farmland.

    • Valleys and mountains historically compartmentalized the Greek states (Polis).

    • Polis (plural Poleis): Each city-state operated independently.

Greek City-States:

  • Cultural Significance:

    • Each city-state, such as Athens, Corinth, and Sparta, was a distinct entity.

    • Citizens of one polis had no rights in another, exemplifying the elevated importance of local governance over collective Greek identity.

  • Religious Significance of Mountains:

    • Mountains projected beauty and wilderness; the wilderness was not farmed, contributing to a mythos of supernatural associations surrounding them.

    • Mount Olympus stands as a notable place, recognized as the home of the gods.

Important Gods in Greek Culture:

  • Original Array of Olympian Gods:

    • All Olympian gods are typically traced back to Zeus’s lineage, with notable exceptions.

    • Significant Gods and their Attributes:

    • Zeus: Kingship, sky, weather, oaths, hospitality (xenia), justice.

    • Hera: Marriage and family, portrayed as the protector of marriage.

    • Poseidon: Lord of the sea, earthquakes, horses; occasionally characterized as strong yet not wise.

    • Aphrodite: Love, beauty, desire; associated with sexual procreation and animal mating instincts.

    • Demeter: Fertility, agriculture, nature, and seasons, strongly linked to grains and harvest cycles.

    • Artemis: Moon, hunting, archery, and childbirth; sometimes depicted surrounded by wild animals.

    • Apollo: Sun, music, prophecy, and archery; dual aspects of health and disease represented.

  • Other Lesser Gods:

    • Persephone: Queen of the Underworld, associated with spring and vegetation.

    • Hades: Ruler of the Underworld.

    • Hestia: Goddess of the hearth.

Greek Agricultural Practices & Mythology:

  • Influence of Terrain on Agriculture:

    • Farmers faced challenging conditions; crop choices included wheat, barley (easy to grow on slopes), and olives.

    • Olive Significance: Olive oil skilled as trading commodity improved local economies.

    • Demeter: aka goddess of agriculture; alludes to seasonal cycles affecting crop viability.

    • Wheat: difficult to grow on steep terrain, prompting the cultivation of barley.

    • Triptolemus: Represents early agriculture and the transition to farming among humans.

Societal Changes from the Mycenaean Era:

  • Cultural Transition:

    • Signaled a substantial transition in Greek mythology, correlating with the arrival of the Indo-European conquerors.

  • End of Mycenaean Civilization (1200-1100 B.C.):

    • Mycenaean cities experienced symbiotic destruction through violent invasions, leading to a subsequent Dark Age.

  • Oral Traditions: Emerged in the Dark Age post-Mycenaean collapse, capturing history through orally passed stories which later became important mythological narratives focusing on heroes.

Heroic Legends and Myths:

  • The evolution of myths during the subsequent periods of poverty and obscurity illustrated a cultural drive to fill gaps where the Mycenaean glory once existed, notably leading to the characterization of heroes such as Perseus, Theseus, and Achilles.

  • Study of Greek Mythology:The focus on oral history emphasizes the layered complexity and socio-political reflections presented within heroic tales, suggesting that they encapsulate human experience and societal values through storytelling.