myth and religion prescribed sources

GCSE Classical Civilisation Overview

  • GCSE Qualifications: Classifications are designed for first teaching in 2017 under unit J199 focusing on Classical Literature, Myth, and Religion.

Ovid's Metamorphoses: Key Themes and Passages

Book 9 Summary

  • Achelous vs. Hercules: The river-god, Achelous, recounts a lost battle against Hercules for Deianira’s affection, revealing the rivalry and struggle for love.

    • Achelous describes Hercules's advantages of divine lineage versus his own status as a river-god.

    • Achelous undergoes transformation (into a snake and then a bull) during the wrestling match that showcases themes of identity and strength.

Physical and Magical Transformations

  • The theme of transformation is emphasized through Achelous's shape-shifting abilities, highlighting the mythological aspect of Ovid's storytelling.

    • Transformation is interpreted as both a physical contest and a deeper metaphor for loss and change.

The Shirt of Nessus

  • Following Achelous's defeat, the storyline shifts to Hercules and Deianira and the tragic consequences of the shirt soaked in Hydra's poison presented by Nessus to Deianira as a love charm.

    • This part of the narrative illustrates themes of betrayal and the tragic outcomes of love, foreshadowing Hercules's suffering.

Hercules’s Agony

  • Hercules’s torment after donning the poisoned shirt exemplifies his heroism contrasted with vulnerability, emphasizing the pain inflicted by betrayal and the inevitability of fate.

Death and Transformation of Hercules

  • At the climax of Book 9, Hercules's death is depicted not as an end, but as a transformation, where he ascends to Olympus, shedding his mortal body.

    • This reflects themes of redemption and deification, demonstrating Ovid’s exploration of mortality versus immortality.

Virgil’s Aeneid: Note on Themes

Book 8 Summary

  • Hospitality and Alliances: Aeneas receives warm welcomes and vital alliances in his quest to establish a new city, illustrating themes of hospitality and the importance of social bonds in ancient cultures.

Key Episodes in the Aeneid

  • The story recalls significant events from Aeneas's past, emphasizing his heroic qualities and the ancestral ties connecting him to mythic figures.

Homeric Hymn to Heracles and Demeter

  • Heracles: The hymn celebrates Heracles' heroic deeds, signifying strength and divine favor.

  • Demeter: The hymn narrates Demeter’s grief over her daughter Persephone’s abduction, encapsulating themes of loss, maternal love, and seasonal cycles.

Plutarch’s Comparison of Theseus and Romulus

Leadership and Heroism

  • Compares the ideal leadership qualities between the two figures, emphasizing Theseus's ethical and benevolent nature over Romulus's more tyrannical impulses.

Examining Moral Dilemmas

  • Challenges readers to assess the characters' motivations, including love and justice, particularly in reckless actions that define their legacies.