mythology part 5

1. Even though he was honored by the gods more than any other mortal, what did Tantalus do with his son Pelops? Why?

Tantalus, though favored by the gods and even allowed to dine with them, committed a horrific crime by killing his only son Pelops, boiling him, and serving him to the gods as food. His motive seemed to be either hatred toward the gods or arrogance in thinking he could deceive them. "He had his only son Pelops killed, boiled in a great cauldron, and served to the gods... he never dreamed that his guests would realize what manner of food he had set before them." (Page 248)

2. What was Tantalus' punishment?

Tantalus was punished in Hades by eternal hunger and thirst. Though surrounded by water and fruit, he could never reach either. "Whenever in his tormenting thirst he stooped to drink he could not reach the water... Each time he stretched out his hand to grasp [the fruit] the wind tossed them high away out of reach." (Page 248)

3. What did Niobe do that got her into trouble with the gods?

Niobe, Tantalus’s daughter, arrogantly mocked the goddess Leto and demanded worship for herself instead, boasting about her many children. "She called up the people... ‘Why should they worship Leto, paired with me? She had two children... I have seven times as many.'" (Page 250)

4. What was her punishment? Into what was she transformed? Why?

Apollo and Artemis, Leto’s children, killed all of Niobe’s sons and daughters. Overcome with grief, she was turned into a stone that forever wept. "She sank down motionless in stony grief... She was changed into a stone which forever, night and day, was wet with tears." (Page 250)

5. What troubles did the brothers Atreus and Thyestes have with each other?

Thyestes committed adultery with Atreus’ wife, prompting Atreus to take revenge by killing Thyestes’ sons and feeding them to him unknowingly. "He killed his brother's two little children, had them cut limb from limb, boiled, and served up to their father." (Page 250)

6. What did Agamemnon allow to happen to his daughter Iphigenia? Why did this anger his wife Clytemnestra?

Agamemnon sacrificed his daughter Iphigenia to appease Artemis and gain favorable winds for the Greek fleet. This enraged Clytemnestra, who later killed him in revenge. "He had killed her, not willingly, but driven by the Army impatient for good winds to sail to Troy." (Page 252)

7. While Agamemnon was away fighting in the Trojan War, what was Aegisthus doing? Was this a secret? Why or why not?

Aegisthus, Clytemnestra's lover, was living openly with her in the palace. Everyone knew of their affair. "She did not keep faith with her husband... she took a lover and all the people knew it." (Page 253)

8. Why does Clytemnestra see "no reason to explain her act or excuse it"?

Clytemnestra viewed Agamemnon's murder not as a crime but as justified vengeance for her daughter’s sacrifice. "She was not a murderer in her own eyes, she was an executioner... He slew his daughter... she slew her husband." (Page 255)

9. How do Electra, Orestes, and Pylades deal with their mother and her lover?

Orestes returns with Pylades and kills both Clytemnestra and Aegisthus. Electra helps plan the revenge. "He went to the home... and with him went his cousin and friend Pylades... The three made their plans... with their own swords." (Page 256-257)

10. What "dread forms" pursue Orestes? Why?

The Furies (Erinyes), spirits of vengeance, pursue Orestes for killing his mother. Though he obeyed Apollo's command, he is still haunted. "You do not see them?... They crowd around me and their eyes drip blood." (Page 259)

11. How and by whom is Orestes finally acquitted?

Orestes is acquitted in Athens by Athena, who hears his case and persuades the Furies to accept mercy. "Athena accepted the plea... and with this new law of mercy established they themselves were changed... They acquitted Orestes." (Page 259)

12. Does this break the curse that hangs over the House of Atreus? Why or why not?

Yes, the curse ends with Orestes’ acquittal and purification. The Furies become protectors, and the family's cycle of revenge is broken. "The curse of the House of Atreus was ended." (Page 259)

13. Describe the adventure that Iphigenia, Orestes, and Pylades share.

Orestes and Pylades travel to Tauris to retrieve Artemis’ statue. Iphigenia, now a priestess there, nearly sacrifices them before they recognize each other and escape together. "The next moment he held Iphigenia in his arms... They made all haste and boarded the ship." (Page 264-265)

14. What does this story show about the Greeks' view of human sacrifice?

The Greeks disapproved of human sacrifice, viewing it as barbaric and unworthy of the gods. Artemis stops the killing and provides a substitute. "She will not have her altar stained with human blood. She has herself furnished the victim." (Page 261)

1. After Europa was carried away by the bull, what did Cadmus do?

Cadmus, instead of wandering in search of Europa like his brothers, went to Delphi and asked Apollo what to do. The god told him to stop searching and instead found a new city. "The god told him not to trouble further about her... but to found a city of his own." (Page 266)

2. How did this lead to the founding of Thebes? (Make sure you mention the role of the dragon's teeth.)

Cadmus followed a heifer as instructed by Apollo and built the city where it lay down. First, he had to kill a dragon guarding a spring. Then, on Athena’s advice, he sowed the dragon’s teeth, and armed men sprang up. The survivors helped him build the city. "To his terror [Cadmus] saw armed men spring up from the furrows... with the aid of the five Cadmus made Thebes a glorious city." (Page 267)

3. How did all of Cadmus & Harmonia's daughters (Semele, Ino, Agave, and Autonoe) suffer misfortune?

Each daughter suffered: Semele was killed by Zeus's glory; Ino’s husband went mad and she leapt into the sea with their son; Agave, in madness, killed her own son Pentheus; Autonoe’s son Actaeon was killed by his own dogs after being turned into a stag. "All of their daughters were visited by great misfortunes." (Page 267)

4. How was Autonoe's son Actaeon especially unfortunate?

Actaeon accidentally saw Artemis bathing, and in her anger, she turned him into a stag. His own hunting dogs chased and killed him. "His dogs saw him running and chased him... and killed him." (Page 268)

5. What did the oracle at Delphi prophecy about King Laius? ...about Oedipus? What did each do in an attempt to avoid the oracle's prophecy?

The oracle told Laius that his son would kill him. Laius exposed the baby on a mountain to die. Oedipus was told he’d kill his father and marry his mother, so he left Corinth to avoid this. "He bound its feet together and had it exposed on a lonely mountain... Oedipus... resolved never to see Polybus again." (Page 268-269)

6. Years later a terrible famine came upon Thebes. For the famine to end, what needed to happen?

Apollo declared that the plague would end only if the murderer of Laius was punished. "Apollo had declared that the plague would be stayed upon one condition: whoever had murdered King Laius must be punished." (Page 271)

7. Before he came to Thebes, what "horrible things" did the oracle at Delphi tell Oedipus?

The oracle told Oedipus that he would kill his father, marry his mother, and have monstrous children. "He told me horrible things that I should kill my father, marry my mother, and have children men would shudder to look upon." (Page 272)

8. How did Oedipus find out that the prophecies about both him and Laius were true? What did he then do? Why?

Oedipus questioned witnesses and discovered he had killed Laius at the crossroads and was not the son of Polybus. Jocasta killed herself, and Oedipus blinded himself in despair. "He had murdered his father, he had married his father's wife, his own mother... He put out his eyes." (Page 273)

9. What happened when Oedipus' sons Polyneices and Eteocles battled for control of Thebes?

The brothers fought for the throne; both were killed in single combat. "Neither was victor; they killed each other... 'My brother, my enemy, but loved, always loved.'" (Page 275-276)

10. What decision did Creon make about Polyneices? Why?

Creon declared Polyneices a traitor and forbade his burial. Only Eteocles would receive honors. "Polyneices should be left for beasts and birds to tear and devour." (Page 276)

11. Who defied Creon's decision? What was that person's fate?

Antigone buried her brother Polyneices, defying Creon. She was sentenced to death. "‘You knew my edict?’ Creon asked. ‘Yes,’ Antigone replied... She was led away to death." (Page 276-277)

12. Explain how Theseus, King of Athens, helped reverse Creon's decision.

Theseus, urged by his mother and the people of Athens, marched against Thebes and demanded burial for the dead warriors. When Thebes refused, he conquered the city but spared it, only taking the bodies. "We came not to destroy the town... but only to reclaim the dead." (Page 279)

13. What eventually happened to the city of Thebes?

Years later, the sons of the dead warriors, the Epigoni, returned and conquered Thebes. Teiresias died in the conflict, and Thebes fell. "They were victorious... All that was left of the old Thebes was Harmonia's necklace." (Page 280)

1. Describe Cecrops.

Cecrops, the first King of Attica, was half-human and half-dragon. He was regarded as both a hero and ruler, known for his wisdom and judgment. "He had no human ancestor and he was himself only half human... Born of a dragon, dragon-shaped below." (Page 282)

2. In the contest for becoming the protector of Athens, why did Athena win and Poseidon lose?

Athena won by creating the olive tree, the most useful gift to the people. Poseidon offered salt water. Cecrops judged in favor of Athena. "She made an olive tree grow there, the most prized of all the trees of Greece... Cecrops... decided that Athens was hers." (Page 282)

3. What did Poseidon do afterward? What did the men of the city do afterward? Why?

Poseidon, angered by losing, flooded the land. The men of the city took away women’s right to vote, blaming them for Athena’s win. "Poseidon... punished the people by sending a disastrous flood... The men decided to take the vote away from the women." (Page 282)

4. After Philomela rejected Tereus' advances, what did he do to her?

Tereus cut out Philomela’s tongue to silence her and locked her away, telling her sister Procne she had died. "He seized her and cut out her tongue. Then he left her in a strongly guarded place." (Page 283)

5. How did Philomela communicate her story to Procne?

Philomela wove her story into a tapestry and sent it to Procne through a servant. "She produced a wondrous tapestry on which the whole account of her wrongs was unfolded." (Page 284)

6. What did Procne do to get even with Tereus?

Procne killed their son Itys, cooked him, and served him to Tereus for dinner. "She killed the child... and served them to Tereus... Then she told him what he had feasted on." (Page 284)

7. What eventually happened to Procne, Philomela, and Tereus?

The gods turned them into birds: Procne into a nightingale, Philomela into a swallow, and Tereus into a bird with a large beak, possibly a hawk. "The gods turned them into birds... Procne into a nightingale... Philomela into a swallow... Tereus... an ugly bird with a huge beak." (Page 284)

8. Explain the jealousy between Procris and Cephalus.

Aurora cast doubt on Procris' faithfulness, prompting Cephalus to test her. He disguised himself and tried to seduce her. When she hesitated, he accused her of betrayal. "Aurora... told him to make sure she had been as true to him... He disguised himself... and tried to get Procris to fall in love with him." (Page 285)

9. How does their relationship finally come to an end?

After reconciling, Cephalus accidentally killed Procris with a magical javelin while hunting, mistaking her for an animal. "Cephalus... threw the javelin... Procris was there and she sank to the ground dead." (Page 286)

10. Why didn't the people of Athens approve of a relationship between Orithyia and Boreas?

Athenians distrusted Northerners because of Tereus, who was also from the North, and rejected Boreas' suit. "They had conceived a hatred for all who lived there and they refused to give the maiden to Boreas." (Page 286)

11. Why does Creüsa leave her baby to die in the dark cave?

Creüsa was raped by Apollo and left the baby in a cave out of fear and shame, unable to tell her parents. "She did not dare tell her parents... She went alone to that same dark cave, and there her son was born. There, too, she left him to die." (Page 287)

12. How does Creüsa prove to Ion that she is his mother?

Creüsa recognized the veil and cloak she had wrapped the baby in, and identified their details and embroidery, proving Ion was her son. "That veil, that cloak, they are mine... You will find two little serpents of gold fastened to the cloak." (Page 289)

13. Even though Apollo is Ion's father, why does Xuthus insist that Ion is his son?

Apollo gave Ion to Xuthus as a "gift," which made Xuthus believe the boy was his own. "I think he is my son, but perhaps god gave him to me. Either way he is mine." (Page 289)

14. What messages do Creüsa and Ion receive from Athena?

Athena appears and tells them that Ion is truly the son of Apollo and Creüsa, and that he is destined to rule in Athens. "Apollo has sent me to you to tell you that Ion is his son and yours... He is worthy to rule over my land and city." (Page 290)

15. After receiving Athena's messages, is everything all right for Creüsa? How do you know?

The story ends with joy for Ion, but Creüsa’s inner peace is left uncertain. The text suggests that her pain might still linger. "Ion with perfect joy. But Creüsa? Did Apollo's late reparation make up for all that she had suffered? We can only guess; the story does not say." (Page 290)