mythology exam #4

Theseus vs. random bandits and animals

1) Kills a bandit, Periphetes (aka Corynetes) 2) Kills a bandit, Sinis: Sinis was known for tying a victim between two bent pine saplings, and letting go of the trees so the victim would be torn apart 3) Kills a giant sow (pig) near Crommyon 4) Kills a bandit, Sciron: Sciron would force travelers to wash his feet, then kick them into the sea to be eaten by a giant turtle 5) Kills a bandit, Cercyon: Cercyon would wrestle travelers to their death 6) Kills a bandit, Procrustes: Procrustes would make travelers lie on a bed, and would violently alter their body to fit the bed 7) After being recognized at Athens, also catches and sacrifices the Cretan bull

what are the recurring motifs about women?

1. Girl leaves home 2. Girl is secluded/separated from everyone else 3. Some god impregnates girl 4. Girl suffers punishment, rejection, or something else unpleasant 5. Girl is rescued and gives birth, usually to a son 6. Often used as a comparison point to a hero (usually romantic or parental connection) 7. Women as archetypes, both good (stay at home, good wives) and bad

What are the recurring saga motifs for men?

1. Hero has an extraordinary birth and/ or childhood 2. Hero must prove himself against intense challenges 3. Challenges are given by an opponent 4. Hero has help along the way, often from a deity 5. Quest or labors to complete 6. Conflicts during the adventure (physical, sexual, spiritual) 7. Rules must be followed 8. Death is most important conquest (katabasis) 9. Success is rewarded (marriage, political security, wealth/power) 10. Knowledge (experience) through suffering is the ultimate reward

Jason: side quest #4: Phineus and the Harpies

In Thrace, the Argonauts encounter Phineus, a blind prophet who is being plagued by harpies taking his food Harpies are winged bird-women, known for stealing and snatching things away The sons of Boreas (Zetes & Calais) use their own wings to chase off the harpies until they promise to leave Phineus alone As thanks, Phineus warns the Argonauts about the Clashing Rocks, which nobody had ever survived · With help from Athena and/or Hera, the Argonauts make it through the rocks

Perseus and Argos

People from Argos are called Argive The region is called the Argolid, and includes cities like Argos, Tiryns, and Mycenae Their most important deity is Hera One of the oldest continually inhabited cities

Who is Europa?

Phoenician princess (not originally greek) and sister of Cadmus

Who is also syncretized with Heracles (or Zeus)

The Buddha's companion/protector Vajrapani.

What words come from Etymology Tangent: Greek Kubernetes = helmsman.

The English words gubernatorial, governor, and cybernetics come from this word

What is a Saga/Legend?

myth that is possibly rooted in historical fact (pg 4)

Events of the Oresteia

· 1st play: Agamemnon o Clytemnestra plots and carries out the murder of Agamemnon and Cassandra · 2nd play: Libation bearers o Orestes returns from traveling abroad with Pylades, hears what happened from Electra o Electra helps Orestes seek vengeance by killing Clytemnestra · 3rd play: Eumenides o Orestes is plagued by furies (aka Erinyes) for spilling his mother's blood o First trial at Athens: Apollo and Orestes vs Furies, with Athena as judge o Etiology for Athenian court system, restoration of order

Homer's odyssey

· 24 books, just like the Iliad, and focuses almost entirely on Odysseus (roman name: Ulysses) Greek hero, and his 10-year return to Ithaca (Athena helps) · While he is away at troy and journeying home... o His son Telemachus has reached adulthood o His wife Penelope remains faithful, but everyone else assumed Odysseus is dead o 100's of suitors come to try and win over Penelope, but she is also clever: says she will choose someone once she finishes weaving a burial shroud for Odysseus' father Laertes, who is very old and close to death § But every night, she unravels some of the weaving, so she will never finish!

Homer, Illiad (story of ilium)

· 24-book epic poem, focusing on a small segment of the final 10th year of the trojan war · The narrative mainly focuses on Achilles, greatest Greek warrior, and his wrath · Opens with an argument between Achilles and Agamemnon: Agamemnon has to return his trojan war prize, Chryseis, to her home, so he takes Achilles war prize, Briseis · Achilles says he will not fight until Agamemnon returns her, and he spends most of the poem moping in his tent

Children of Oedipus and Jocasta

· 4 children: Ismene, Antigone, Eteocles, Polynices · Eteocles and Polynices switch ruling Thebes, but Eteocles won't share · Polynices marches on Thebes with an army: seven against Thebes · Both Eteocles and Polynices die in the battle; Creon becomes sole ruler · Antigone wishes to bury Polynices's body, but Creon won't let her · She does it anyway and is sentenced to death (live burial) · Almost everyone dies by suicide during this struggle: o Antigone (hanged herself), Haemon (stabbed himself), Eurydice (killed herself) (mother of Haemon)

Heracles: Stymphalian Birds (6)

· A group of birds who (in some versions) eat human flesh · Tatic: flock together and stay hidden in trees for protection · Heracles has to use cymbals to scare them out into the open so he can shoot them

What is the argo?

· A shipwright named Argus builds an impressive ship, with Athena's help · At the bow, there is a piece of wood that is able to speak · Those who sail on the Argo are called Argonauts · The journey happens in the generation before the trojan war

Fall of Troy

· Achilles is shot in the heel with an arrow by Paris and dies · Odysseus and Ajax argue over who should get Achilles armor; Odysseus wins, and Ajax is driven mad, then dies by suicide · Paris is killed by Philoctetes (who had to be summoned from Lemnos) · Trojan horse: Odysseus' idea o Sinon (Greek) tells the trojans it is a gift from Athena; Cassandra says not, but nobody believes her. Laocoon also says not, but is immediately eaten by snakes · All men in troy are killed, including many children (Astyanax) · Women in troy are kept to be given to Greek heroes as war prizes Helen goes back home with Menelaus

Odyssey: Circe

· Aeaea (Aiaia), home of Circe, daughter of Helios-she's a witch · Odysseus sends half his men to scout · Circe is the only one there, surrounded by tame animals · When the men eat their food, they turn into pigs! One is left to report to Odysseus · Odysseus goes to check, but Hermes shows up and gives him a magic plant (moly) · Because of the moly, Odysseus is unaffected by Circe's enchantments and makes her swear to turn his men back · But also they sleep together and he stays there for a year and has a baby with her

Arrival at Colchis

· Aeetes doesn't want to give up the golden fleece, so he gives Jason more impossible tasks: o He must yoke & harness two bulls with hooves made of bronze who breathe fire; o Then use the bulls to plow a field, o And in the field plant dragon's teeth, which will immediately turn into soldiers he will have to fight o Also the tree holding the fleece is protected by a serpent, because of course it is · Aeetes has a daughter, Medea, who is also a sorceress, & she falls in love with Jason Medea (depicted with symbols of magic, potions, cauldron) and Jason · Medea agrees to help Jason with his tasks, as long as he takes her with him when he leaves Colchis; he agrees · Medea gives Jason a special ointment to protect him from the bulls · She teaches him how to trick the soldiers and cause them to fight one another · She also gives him a tranquilizing potion to subdue the serpent, so he is able to take the golden fleece and leave (with Medea)

Heracles a clean start?

· After his purification, Heracles consults the oracle at Delphi · Oracle tells Heracles to go to Tiryns and spend twelve years doing whatever the king asks · The king of Tiryns? Eurystheus (the grandson of Zeus who was born just before Heracles) · If Heracles does the labors, he will be rewarded with immortality · Labors= athloi (contests undertaken for a prize) (athlete) o First 6 are local to the northern Peloponnese; other 6 are worldwide o This shows his shift from local hero to Panhellenic (for all Greeks) hero

Important Greeks (Achaeans)

· Agamemnon (sacrificed his daughter Iphigenia) and his brother Menelaus · Calchas-prophet who advises Agamemnon several times · Diomedes-absolute BAMF; wounded 2 gods in battle; BFF of Odysseus · Nestor- king of Pylos, token old man advisor · Ajax the greater (son of Telamon)- 2nd best fighter among the Greeks · Ajax the Lesser (son of oileus)- rapes Cassandra when troy falls · Odysseus (known for cleverness) · Achilles, son of Peleus and Thetis; his son Neoptolemus (=Pyrrhus) · Patroclus, companion of Achilles o Last 2 the Iliad mainly involves them

Agamemnon and his family

· Agamemnon, son of Atreus, becomes king of Mycenae, and marries Clytemnestra (sister of Helen)- several kids · General of Greeks troops to troy- must secure good winds by sacrificing his daughter Iphigenia · While Agamemnon is in troy, Clytemnestra starts an affair with Aegisthus · When Agamemnon gets back, bringing Cassandra, Clytemnestra murders him (maybe Aegisthus helps) and Cassandra · The carpets are fancy it's a symbol, she throws a net over him · He is killed in a bathtub by an axe

Returns and the Odyssey Nostoi="returns"(journey homeward)

· Ajax the Lesser is killed on his way home for his sacrilege against Athena · Agamemnon is murdered by Clytemnestra as soon as he gets home · Menelaus loses most of his ships on the way home, but they get there · Nester gets home safely! · Diomedes' (hurt Aphrodite during the war) wife has been unfaithful, so he leaves and moves to Italy · Neoptolemus returns home via land and marries Hermione

Birth of Heracles

· Amphitryon (human father) is out of town, and Zeus shows up to his home pretending to be him in order to sleep with his wife, Alcmena · Amphitryon actually shows up the next night, and has to get help from Tiresias to make Alcmena believe him · Alcmena becomes pregnant with twins: Heracles (son of Zeus) and Iphicles (son of Amphitryon) · His name means "fame from Hera" (his roman name is Heracles)

Jason: side quest #3: Amycus

· Amycus is King of the Bebryces, in Bithynia (along the Black Sea) · Amycus is a son of Poseidon · He challenges travelers to a boxing match and kills them when he wins · Polydeuces fights him and wins!Then kills him.

Andromeda (not Greek, Ethiopian or Israel)

· Andromeda is the daughter of King Cepheus and queen Cassiepea, wither in Ethiopia or in the Levant (east coast of Mediterranean) · Cassiepea, claims to be more beautiful than Nereids, and in punishment Poseidon floods their city and sends a sea monster to torment the land · Prophecy says that the monster will leave them alone if they sacrifice Andromeda by chaining her to a rock and leaving her for the monster · They do this, but then Perseus shows up on his way home and offers to kill the monster in return for marrying Andromeda · Kills the monster with his scimitar, has a son (Perses) with Andromeda, then takes Andromeda back with him to Seriphos

who are some Etruscan deities and mythology

· Apulu (Apollo; see the laurel branch) · Fufluns (Dionysus; see the thyrsus) · Semla (Semele)

Saga of Perseus, before Perseus

· Argos is led by Abas, who has twin sons that constantly argue o Proetus rules Tiryns, and Acrisius rules Argos after Abas died · Acrisius has only one child, a daughter named Danae · Prophecy says Danae will bear a son who will kill Acrisius · Acrisius imprisons Danae in an underground chamber · Zeus infiltrates the chamber as a 'shower of gold' and impregnates Danae · When Danae's son, Perseus, is discovered, Acrisius does not believe Zeus was the father, and locks Danae and Perseus in a chest and throws them to sea

Athenian Pre-history

· Athens is a city in the region of Attica · Athenians are autochthonous (from the earth itself) not from the outside of Attica · Cecrops (part human part serpent) sprang from the earth and founded Attica Erichthonius (pg 584 family tree) · Hephaestus attempted to rape Athena at the Acropolis · His semen fell on the ground, and Erichthonius was born from it (he is also part snake) · Athena hid Erichthonius in a chest and told her daughters of Cecrops to protect it without looking inside · Obviously, they looked inside, and got so afraid they leapt off the Acropolis · Athena installed Erichthonius as king of Athens, where he began the annual Panathenaia (festival in honor of Athens and Athena) · Often conflated with his grandson, Erechtheus

The beginning of the Odyssey

· Books 1-4: Telemachus journeys to find news of his father: visits Nestor and Menelaus · Odysseus shows up finally in book 5, leaving Calypso's island (more on this later) and is washed up on the shore of Scheria, home of the Phaeacians o King Alcinous, Queen Arete, and their daughter Nausicaa · He tells them of his travels, and books 9-12 are flashback to his journey (we will focus on these journeys and on his final return home to Ithaca) · (note you do not need to know the order of stops on his journey! Just know that they happened at some point before he gets back to Ithaca)

Odyssey: Calypso

· Calypso is a goddess, daughter of Atlas · Odysseus washes up on her island (Ogygia) · Calypso loves him, so she offers to make him immortal to live with her forever · He still misses Penelope, so he declines (but still stays for those 7 years) · Finally, Zeus (via Hermes) says that Odysseus needs to leave Ogygia · This is when he ends up at Scheria

Heracles: Cerynean Hind (3); Erymanthian Boar (4)

· Cerynean Hind: a deer extra-sacred to Artemis, with golden horns · Cant be harmed without offending Artemis, so Heracles has to bring it back alive · Eymanthian boar also has to be brought alive to Eurystheus

Odyssey: The nekuia (summoning dead spirts)

· Circe tells Odysseus he has to seek out Tiresias (who is dead) to find out how to get home again · At the entrance to the underworld, he performs chthonic rituals and summons ghosts of the dead · Tiresias tells Odysseus that he will get home, but that everything will still be a disaster: the suitors will be wrecking his house, and even after he kills them, he will have more journey's ahead · Tiresias also says that, once Odysseus has killed the suitors, he must journey inland with an oar until he meets a person who cannot recognize it. There he must perform a sacrifice, and finally his trail will be over

Odyssey: Clashing rocks; Scylla and Charybdis

· Clashing rocks (Planctae): two rocks that clash together-you have to time it flawlessly to get through · Charybdis: a powerful whirlpool · Scylla: used to be a Nymph, but had been changed into a sea monster with 6 dog heads around her waist and twelve feet (tentacles?) · To avoid Charybdis, Odysseus and his men must sail past Scylla-six men get eaten

Saga of Jason

· Cretheus, brother of Athamas, is king of Iolcus · When he dies, his stepson Pelias kicks out Cretheus' son Aeson and takes the throne · Aeson, and his wife send their son Jason to grow up with Chiron (a centaur) · Oracle tells Pelias to "beware a man with one sandal" and that a descendant of Aeolus (not the Aeolis in the Odyssey) will kill him · On his way back to Iolous, Jason helps an old woman across a swollen river and loses a sandal o The old woman was actually Hera, who then helps Jason throughout his quests · Pelias agrees to give up the throne if Jason can bring him the golden fleece

Interlude: Daedalus and Crete

· Daedalus, an Athenian inventor descended from Cecrops o Assistant is his nephew Perdix, who creates a beautiful saw from fish bones o In jealously Daedalus throws Perdix off a cliff, killing him o As Perdix dies, he is turned into partridge (fartridge) · Daedalus travels to Crete with his son Icarus to work for Minos, but wants to leave o Creates wings held together by wax, so that he and Icarus can escape o Icarus flies too high, and the sun's heat melts the wings, killing Icarus

Return to Seriphos

· Danae and Dictys are hiding at an altar to avoid Polydectes, who has become an increasingly violent tyrant · Perseus sneaks into an assembly and uses Medusa's head to turn Polydectes and his associates into stone · Dictys becomes king of Seriphos, and Perseus returns the magical objects to the gods- including giving Athena the head of Medusa for her aegis · Perseus goes to Larissa to participate in funeral games for a local figure, and accidently kills another man with his discuss o That man is Acrisius, his grandfather whom Perseus was fated to kill · Perseus goes on to found Mycenae, and he is also the ancestor of Heracles.

Heracles: Nemean Lion (1)

· Eurystheus demands Heracles bring him the skin of a lion from Nemea · The lion's skin is invulnerable · Heracles makes a wooden club and bludgeons the lion · Or he strangles it, and uses its own claws to remove the skin · Hereafter, Heracles is always depicted wearing a lion skin and usually with a club

Interlude: Tiresias the prophet

· Features often in stories of Thebes, as well as in Homer's Odyssey · Lived for seven generations and continued prophecy after his death · While on a walk, hits some snakes having sex, and is changed into a woman · 7 years later, he sees same snakes and hits them again to change back · Zeus and Hera ask him to settle an argument: do men or women have more pleasure in sex? · Hera doesn't like the answer, and blinds him, but Zeus gifts him his prophecy

Jason: side quest #1:Hipsipyle and Lemnian women

· First stop is the island of Lemnos, where Hypsipyle is queen of an entirely female population o They had neglected to worship Aphrodite, so she made them unattractive to their husbands o When the husbands brought women back from other lands as their enslaved concubines, the Lemnian wives murdered their husbands and any man they could find · Argonauts stay peacefully on Lemnos for a year, leaving behind many children o Includes twins that Hypsipyle bears to Jason

Cadmus (founder of Thebes) and Thebes

· Follows a cow to Boeotia, where he creates Cadmeia (later called Thebes) · Serpent (snake/dragon) (son of Ares) guards a nearby spring, but Cadmus kills it · He plants the teeth in the ground on Athena's advice o The teeth sprout into armed soldiers, who fight until only 5 remain: Spartoi (sown or planted) o Spartoi are the legendary ancestors of all Thebans · Cadmus enslaved to Ares for one year, then marries Harmonia o Harmonia: daughter of Ares and Aphrodite o When they are old they turn into snakes · Cadmus never found Europa

Troy (Illium)

· Founded by Dardanus, son-in-law of Teucer · Trojans also called Dardanians or Teucrians At the time of the Trojan war, Troy is ruled by Priam and Hecuba (also called hekabe)

Heracles: cattle if Geryon (10) part 1 death

· Geryon is a 3-bodied monster at the far west edge of the world · He has some sweet cattle that Eurystheus wants · To get there, Heracles rides in a golden cup (from Helios) across the ocean · Heracles must defeat not only Geryon, but also a giant herdsman and a dog (2 heads) · Side quest: on his way back into the Mediterranean, he sets up the Pillars of Heracles in what is now the Straits of Gibraltar · Side quest 2: on his way through Italy, a local fire monster/giant names Cacus (bad guy) steals the cattle · Heracles has to defeat Cacus in order to regain the cattle

important moments in the Illiad

· Hector takes Achilles armor when he kills Patroclus, so Achilles has none · Thetis (his mom) gets Hephaestus to make divine armor for Achilles · Achilles goes on a battle rampage and kills hector · Instead of turning over hector's body to the trojans, Achilles pulls it behind his chariot for 9 or 12 days, taunting the trojans who watched from their walls · Finally, Priam sneaks into the trojan camp and pleads with Achilles; Achilles breaks down and agrees, and they have a super emotional reconciliation, even though they are still enemies · Poem ends with the funeral in hector's honor

Oath of Tyndareus

· Helen (as a demi-god) grows up to be the most beautiful woman in the world · Tyndareus is swarmed by suitors for Helen, including Theseus and Odysseus · In order to avoid conflict, the suitors all agree that they will always come to aid and protect whoever ends up marrying Helen · Helen chooses Menelaus (brother of Agamemnon)-> daughter Hermione · Agamemnon marries her half-sister Clytemnestra

Odyssey: cattle of the sun

· Helios has a herd of special cattle · Odysseus and his men stop in the place where the cattle are pastured, but circe told them to make sure they don't touch the cows · What do Odysseus' men do? They kill and eat the cows · When they leave, Zeus punishes them with a thunderstorm, sinking the ship and killing everyone leaving Odysseus alone

Heracles and another period of Servitude

· Heracles falls for lole, daughter of his former archery tutor · Lole's male relatives don't approve, and in a rage Heracles kills her brother Iphitus · Oracle at Delphi will not help him this time, so Heracles tries to steal her tripod · Apollo intervenes, commands Heracles to spread a year enslaved to omphale · Omphale is queen of the Lydians (a near eastern culture) · He has to do whatever she asks, and most versions of the story include elements of them both in reversed gender roles

Heracles and Megara

· Heracles has the best demigod education and sleeps his way around Greece · Leads an army of Thebans in rebellion, so a Theban leader named Creon lets Heracles marry his daughter, Megara · Heracles and Megara have 3 children together · Hera is still angry: she causes Heracles to go insane, leading him to kill not only Megara but also their children · When he regains clarity, he is horrified at what he has done and flees to thespiae to be cleansed

heracles: Cerberus (most obviously death) (12)

· Heracles must go into the Underworld and bring back Cerberus (he returns Cerberus afterward) · The most difficult labor, and he gets help from Hermes and Athena · While in the underworld, he visits with other heroes, including Meleager · Meleager likes Heracles and offers his sister Deianira to Heracles as wife · Heracles accepts

Etiologies from the Perseus Saga

· Hippocrene (horse fountain): a fountain on Mt. Helicon, said to have been created when Pegasus struck the ground with his hoof · Coral: Perseus places Medusa's head briefly on a pile of branches while washing the blood from his hands. The head petrifies the branches, which become coral · Venomous snakes: Greeks & Romans believed that the Libyan desert was densely populated with venomous snakes, which were born from droplets of Medusa's blood falling to the earth as Perseus flew overhead · Atlas Mountains: Perseus stops on his journey home and meets the Titan Atlas, who refuses to show him hospitality. Perseus uses the head to turn Atlas into stone, and he became the mountain range known as the Atlas Mountains

Heracles: Girdle of hippolyta (9)

· Hippolyta: queen of Amazons, has a magical belt (girdle) · Heracles kills Hippolyta and takes her belt · Side quest: Heracles saves trojan princess Hesione from a sea monster · Her father goes back on his promises of payment, so later Heracles attacks the city and puts Priam in place as king

Odyssey: the sirens

· Homer says there are only 2 sirens and they look human; later authors say there are many who look like birds with the heads of women · Siren tempt people closer with the lure of knowledge · Odysseus has his men block their ears with beeswax, and they tie him to the mast so he can hear without jumping off the ship to his death

Corinth

· Jason decides that his marriage to Medea wasn't "official", which means he is totally free to marry the Corinthian princess, Glauce · Medea is not a fan of this idea · She pretends it's cool, and gives Glauce a wedding present: a beautiful robe · HOWEVER, the robe has a poisonous ointment on it that burns Glauce's skin, killing her and her father (as he tries to help) · Medea then kills the children she had with Jason, then escapes from Corinth on a chariot pulled by dragons (a gift from her grandfather Helios) · She goes to Athens for sanctuary, but eventually has to leave there too when she tries to make Aegeus poison Theseus · Jason dies very un-heroically, when a piece of the Argo falls on his head

Jupiter (Zeus) and Juno (Hera): leaders of the city

· Jupiter Optimus Maximus (best and greatest) (the eagle is still present) · Source of all roman victories and successes · Juno Moneta (advisor, forewarning) · Protector of roman wives and mothers

Heracles: more side quests

· Kills the bandits Cycnus (son of Ares; turned into a swan) and Syleus · The Cercopes are a pair of tricksters who try to steal from Heracles. He catches them and carries them upside down. They laugh at his tan lines, so he frees him. · Heracles is also one of OG argonauts, but leaves the journey in order to find Hylas, a young man he loves. Hylas is stolen by nymphs who pull him into the water forever, and Heracles has to return to Greece without him

Voyage to Crete

· King Minos' son, Androgeos, is murdered in Attica, and fights Athens in response · As part of treaty, Athens will send 7 boys and 7 girls to Crete as tribute for the Minotaur - chosen by lot, but Katniss Theseus volunteers · Theseus arrives at Crete and is sent to the Labyrinth · Before he goes in, Minos' daughter Ariadne falls in love with Theseus, giving him a thread to find his way through the maze

theseus' origin story

· King of Athens is Aegus, which may refer also to Poseidon, and he is sterile · Oracle tells him "do not undo the wineskin's mouth" until returning home · He meets and consults pittheus, king of Troezen, who gets Aegus drunk and has him sleep with Aethra (Pittheus daughter) · Aethra should send their son to Athens once he can lift a rock by himself o Under the rock: sword and sandals as proof of his identity · The son is Theseus, who indeed sets out for Athens upon reaching adulthood

golden fleece

· King of Boeotia, Athamas+Neohele (cloud) -> children Phyrixus and Helle · Athamas then marries Ino (daughter of Cadmus), who plots against the kids and causes famine throughout Boeotia · Oracle told Athamas to sacrifice Phyrixus in order to end the famine · Nephele intercedes and saves Phyrixus (and Helle), taking them away on a golden ram · While flying near troy, Helle falls off: o Etiology of the Hellespont (strait between Europe and Asia) o Phyrixus lands at Colchis, where he sacrifices the ram and gives its fleece to the king of Colchis, Aeetes (also son of Helios)

Legends of Argos

· Lo (had been tuened into a cow) has a son by Zeus, named Edaphus o In Egypt, lo becomes syncretized with Isis, and Epapus with Apis(bull) and Serapis · Edaphus is grandfather of brothers named Aegyptus and Danaus · The 50 suns of Aegyptus marry the 50 daughters of Danaus (danaids) · 49 of the Danaids kill their husbands: only Hypermnestra's spares her husband · Hypermestra's son is Abas, father of Proteus and Acrisuis

Antiope and her sons

· Lyrcus and Dirce rule the city as regents · His niece Antiope is impregnated by Zeus and runs away from her angry father (Nycteus) (kills himself) · Lycus brings Antiope back and imprisons her · On the way, she gives birth to Amphion and Zethus (twins), leaving them to die · Shepherd saves the babies, who grow up to rescue their mother and become co-rulers · They drive Laius out of Thebes · Amphion married Niobe and Zethus marries thebe

Minerva (Athena) and Mars (ares): deities of war

· Mars Ultor (avenger) · Mars is way more important for romans than Ares for the Greeks · Rome's military might · Minerva: 3rd most important, after Jupiter and Juno · Mainly the 'wisdom' aspects of Athena's personality, more so than war

Escape from Colchis

· Medea's brother Apsyrtus follows them to try to retrieve Medea · Medea and/or Jason kills Apsyrtus, then Medea cuts up his body and throws the pieces into the sea · His companions must collect the pieces in order for his soul to enter the Underworld properly, which slows the pursuit · They stop on Circe's island to be cleansed of the murder · Next they see the Phaeacians, who promise to protect them only if they are married, so they get married · They pass Crete and get attacked by a giant robot/automaton, Talus; they escape after killing it

Heracles: Cretan bull (7)

· Minos (king of Crete) had refused to sacrifice a huge bull to Poseidon · Heracles had to bring this bull back to Eurystheus · He brings it back alive, then it gets loose · Bull ravages Greece until Theseus kills it later (spoilers sry)

The Minotaur

· Minos prays for a bull to sacrifice to Poseidon, but then he doesn't want to kill it · As punishment, Poseidon makes Minos wife, Pasiphae, fall in love with the bull · She asks Daedalus to create a wooden cow costume for her to wear, in order to mate the bull · From this union the minotaur is born, a man with the head of a bull · Daedalus also creates a maze, the Labyrinth to imprison the Minotaur

Children of Leda (queen of Sparta)

· Mortal woman married to Tyndareus, king of Sparta · Impregnated by Zeus, who was in the form of a swan · Also impregnated by her husband, right around the same · Gives birth* to four children: o Polydeuces(latin name:pollux) and Helen, son and daughter of Zeus o Castor and Clytemnestra, son and daughter of Tyndareus · Castor and Polydeuces (twin) are collectively known as the Dioscuri and share immortality · *In many versions, she lays eggs instead of giving live birth, because the swan thing

Odyssey: Aeolus; the laestrygonians

· Next is floating island of Aeolus, keeper of the winds · Aeolus gives Odysseus a bag of wind, with instructions how to get home · Odysseus is within sight of Ithaca, but his men open the bag and they are blown far away · Aeolus refuses to help again because they screwed it up · Laestrygonians: human-eating giants

Jason: side quest #2: Cyzicus and Cios

· Next stop is Cyzicus, which is the name of the city and its king · People of Cyzicus show great hospitality, so Heracles kills some giants for them · After leaving, a storm hits the Argonauts and blows them back to Cyzicus in the middle of the night · People of Cyzicus think they are being attacked, and begin battle · They eventually realize, but King Cyzicus dies in the fight · They then stop at Cios for supplies · This is where Hylas is stolen away by nymphs, and Heracles leaves the quest

Heracles: Mares of Diomedes (8)

· Not the Diomedes from the iliad · This is Diomedes is son of Ares who owns human-eating horses · Heracles tames the horses and feeds Diomedes to them · Side quest: Heracles spends time at the home of Admetus, who hides the fact that his wife Alcestis has just died · Heracles literally fights death in order to get Alcestis back for Admetus

Thebes

· Not the same as the city in Egypt! · Athenians authors often consider Thebes to be an anti-Athens (still Greek, but not as Greek as Athens)

Odyssey: The Cyclopes (esp. Polyphemus)

· Odysseus and a dozen companions find a cave full of sheep, cheese, and other food · The cyclops Polyphemus returns and closes the cave with a giant stone · He sees them and eats some of the men · Odysseus gets Polyphemus drunk, says his name is "nobody", until finally Polyphemus falls asleep · Odysseus and his remaining men heat a large wooden stake and use it to blind Polyphemus · Polyphemus yells for help, but no other cyclopes wont because he says that nobody is killing him ("nobody" is killing him...ha..haha..) · Because of the heavy stone, Odysseus and his men have to cling the bellies of the sheep as they leave so that Polyphemus won't find them as he pets the departing sheep

Odyssey: The Cicones; the lotus eaters

· Odysseus and his men sack the home of the Cicones, yet they spare a priest of Apollo · The priest gives them some amazing wine before they get blown to a new land · Land of the lotus eaters: whoever east the lotus will forget everything and never want to leave where they are · Odysseus is able to escape with his men, including those who tasted the lotus

Odyssey: The Cyclopes (esp. Polyphemus) Part 2

· Odysseus and the men make it back to their ship, but as they sail away, Odysseus just cant help himself, and shouts out his real name to Polyphemus · Polyphemus, a son of Poseidon, calls upon his father to curse Odysseus: o "grant that Odysseus may not return home, but if it is fated for him once more to see those he loves and reach his home and country, then let him arrive after many years, in distress, without his companions, upon another's ship, and may he find trouble in his house...The prayer was heard" o This is exactly what happens!

Judgement of Paris

· Paris: Trojan prince, son of Priam and Hecuba, exposed due to a prophecy but survives (as they always do) and lives as a shepherd. Sometimes called Alexander · At the divine wedding of Peleus and Thetis, only the goddess Eris (discord) was not invited: she inscribes "for the most beautiful" on an apple and throws it into the party · Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite all argue about which of them it is meant for · Zeus can't decide, so he says Paris should pick · Each goddess offers him a bribe: royal power (Hera), military victory (Athena), and the most beautiful woman for his wife (Aphrodite)-he picks Aphrodite · After resuming role as prince of Troy, he visits Sparta and leaves with Helen-war time

Who are some of the argonauts?

· Peleus (father of Achilles); Laertes (father of Odysseus) · Meleager, Heracles, Orpheus, Argus (the shipwright) · Castor & Polydeuces (the Dioscuri) · Periclymenus: a lesser water deity who is able to shapeshift · Euphemus: can run so fast across water that his feet stay dry · Zetes & Calais: sons of Boreas (the north wind) - able to fly · Tiphys: the helmsman

Odyssey: the contests and reunion

· Penelope says she will marry whoever can string Oysseus' bow and shoot an arrow through 12 axe heads · None of the suitors can even string it, Odysseus (still in disguise) shoots perfectly · He whips off his disguise and shoots the main bad guy, Antinous, in the head · With Telemachus and others of the household, they kill all suitors · Penelope isn't sold on this being Odysseus: she asks the servants to bring out their bed · Odysseus flips out because he himself carved the bed out of a living tree, so it can't be moved- now Penelope has confirmed its him, and the reunite for real

Odyssey: back to Ithaca at last

· Penelope's trick the shroud has been discovered, and she is being forced into making a choice of the 100+ suitors · Odysseus disguises himself as a beggar and gets into his estate · He reveals himself to his swineherd, Eumaeus, and grown-up Telemachus · As they walk through the grounds, Odysseus's dog Argus recognizes him (20 years later!) and wags his tail, then immediately dies · Gets in a fight with another beggar, Irus, for the suitor's entertainment · His old nurse Euryclea washes his feet, and recognizes a scar on his thigh

Perseus: the quest

· Perseus is panicking, but Hermes and Athena both come to assist · He must find the Graeae (sisters of Gorgons), who will then tell him how to find some nymphs with magical objects · Graeae: old ladies who share a single eye and a single tooth · Perseus steals their eye and tooth, and forces them to share their information · The nymphs give him several magical accessories o Cap of invisibility o Winged sandals o Kibisis (a kind of satchel) · Hermes also gives him a scimitar

Important trojans (Dardanians; Teurcrains)

· Priam and Hecuba · Paris (=alexander) · Hector and Andromache (is left after war), and their son Astyanax · Cassandra · Polyxena · Aeneas (is left after war)-son of Aphrodite, escaped to found Rome · Sarpedon- son of Zeus, died in battle · Memmon-Ethiopian ally of Troy · Penthesilea- Amazon ally of Troy

Saturn (Cronus) and Ceres (Demeter): agriculture success

· Saturn is the Italian counterpart to Cronus · Overseer of agricultural prosperity (sickle emblem of agricultural harvest) · Saturnalia: relaxation of social norms · Golden age because of Saturn · Ceres: closely related to earth itself (terra mater: mother earth) · The crops that are grown and harvested (grains)

Heracles and Lernaean Hydra (2)

· Serpent with 9 heads-one head is immortal · Anytime one head is removed, 2 more grow to replace it · Also Hera sends a crab to help the hydra · Heracles cuts off a head; then his nephew Iolaus cauterizes the wound · After defeating the hydra, Heracles dips his arrows in its poisoned blood

What are some general observations about Saga's?

· Similar themes to myths about gods, but set in the human world (rather than focusing on deities) · Focus on a hero (or heroes) · Often centered in a single region of Greece · Folktale elements

Philomela and Procne

· Sisters, granddaughter of Erichthonius · Tereus, king of Thrace, helps Athena and is awarded with Procne, as wife o Their son is Itys o Philomela comes to visit and tereus rapes her, then cuts out her tongue and imprisons her o Philomela weaves a tapestry that shows that story of what tereus did to her, and sends the tapestry to Procne o Procne kills Itys, then the sisters cook him into a stew and feed him to Tereus o Tereus pursues them, but all three are turned into birds

Atreus and Thyestes

· Sons of Pelops is prophesied to rule Mycenae, but Atreus and Thyestes fight · King will be whoever gets a golden-fleeced ram · Atreus is given the ram, but Thyestes seduces Atreus' wife and gets her to bring him the ram- Atreus is exiled · Atreus returns and pretends to reconcile at a banquet · Atreus kills Thyestes' 2 sons and serves them to Thyestes for dinner · Thyestes goes into exile and curses Atreus While the exile, Thyestes sleeps with his own daughter, and Aegisthus is born

Hercules: Augean Stables (5)

· Stables owned by Augeas, son of Helios, and never had been cleaned · Heracles diverts a river to clean the stables · Side QUEST: Heracles is near Olympia, and he founds the Olympian Games in honor of his father Zeus (check out pages 562-563 in the textbook!)

Back to Iolocus

· Surprise - Pelias doesn't want to stop being king! Even when he gets the fleece · Medea shows his daughters a magic trick: she cuts up a ram, and puts the pieces into a cauldron. o She does magic, and the ram pops out, alive, whole, and youthful! o Then she tells them she will do the same thing for Pelias, if they help · The daughters kill Pelias and cut him up, but Medea refuses to reanimate him · Pelias is gone, but now Jason & Medea have to leave Iolcus -> to Corinth

oedipus' early life

· Suspects he is not the birth son of Polybus and Merope, but not sure · Goes to Delphi to find out truth-told that he will kill his father and marry his mother · Leaves Corinth to avoid this fate · On his way to Thebes, he meets an old man recklessly driving along, and kills him in road rage o That old man was Laius

Heracles: Apples of the Hesperides (death pt. 2) (11)

· The Hesperides= daughters of night, live way to the west (where the sun sets) · They have a hidden garden with a tree that grows golden apples, and the trees is guarded by a giant serpent named Ladon · Heracles had to subdue the shapeshifting water god Nereus to get direction to the garden · Atlas helps getting the apples while Heracles holds the world up for him · Side quest: on his way home, Heracles fights the giant Antaeus, son of Zeus and Gaia (earth) · Antaeus is invincible as long as he is in contact with the earth, so Heracles has to hoist him in the air to kill him

Perseus's Early Life

· The chest washes up on the island Seriphos, and they are rescued by a fisherman named Dictys · Dictys's brother, Polydectes, is king of Seriphos, and conspires to force Danae to marry him; she doesn't want to, and Perseus is also against it · At a banquet, Polydectes, demads every man gift him a horse; Perseus laughs and says it would be just as easy to gift him the Gorgon's (medusa's) head · Polydectes takes him seriously and sends him to bring back the head

Who is all in the house of Atreus?

· The entirety of Mycenaean saga involves a single family, over multiple generations: o Tantalus o Pelops o Atreus and Thyestes o Agamemnon and Menelaus o Orestes Starting with Tantalus, each generation has someone who commits hubris and /or sacrilege, causing the entire

the gorgons

· The gorgons are 3 sisters, but Medusa is the only mortal one; they are said to live to the far west of Africa · Anyone who looks upon a gorgon's face is turned to stone · Perseus uses the reflection from his bronze shield to see where Medusa is, and beheads her with his scimitar · He keeps her had in the kibisis · From the decapitation wound, Pegasus and Chrysaor are born

Oedipus at Thebes

· Thebes in distress: king dead, Sphinx (women head, lion body, and has wings) and terrorizing city · Sphinx asks everyone to solve a riddle o Creon (regent) (brother of Jocasta) offers Jocasta to anyone who can solve it o Only Oedipus is able to and becomes king · Oedipus and Jocasta have 4 children · Plague at Thebes- problems with leadership · Revelation of truth (p 417-418) · Jocasta hangs herself; Oedipus blinds himself with her brooches · Oedipus leaves and Creon is the king

Return to Athens

· Theseus leaves Crete after killing the Minotaur, taking Ariadne with him · They stop at the island Naxos, where Theseus abandons Ariadne o She is rescued by Dionysus and becomes his divine wife · Aegeus had told Theseus that, if he survives, he should sail home with white sails on his ship · Theseus forgot to change the black sails, and Aegeus throws himself off the cliff o Etiology for the Aegean Sea · Theseus becomes king of Athens

Theseus and Pirithous

· Theseus' best pal is Pirithous · They conspire to help each other "gain" (i.e. kidnap) a wife after their first wives die · Theseus wants Helen (pre-Oath of Tyndareus), so they kidnap her, but the Dioscuri rescue her · Pirithous wants Persephone, so they descend into the Underworld to kidnap her o They get caught, and are imprisoned by being held eternally in magical chairs o Theseus is later rescued and freed by Heracles

Heracles and Deianira

· To win Deianira, Heracles must wrestle another shapeshifting god, Achelous · When bringing Deianira home Tiryns, a centaur named Nessus tries to rape Deianira, so Heracles shoots him with the Poisones arrows · Nessus tells Deianira to keep some of his blood because it will work as a love potion, in case Heracles ever loses interest in her · Heracles and Deianira have several children

Mycenae

· Traditionally, the home of the family of Atreus · The importance of Agamemnon in the trojan war saga (next class) encouraged early archaeologists to name a segment of Bronze age culture after Mycenae · Located on Peloponnese (island of Pelops)

Tantalus

· Wanted to test the gods' omnipotence (=all-knowing ability) · Cut up his son Pelops and served him at a feast to the gods · Demeter was in mourning for Persephone, and accidently ate Pelops' shoulder o Pelops was given ivory shoulder when his body was restored · The gods knew, and punished Tantalus forever (see chapter 15)

Pelops

· Wants to marry Hippodamia, but must beat her father (Oenomaus) (wine man) in a chariot race · In some versions, Pelops prays to Poseidon (former lover), who helps him with the race · Better known version: Pelops bribes Myrtilus the charioteer of Oenomaus, to sabotage the chariot (wax on the wheels) · Myrtilus thought he will get to sleep with Hippodamia as thanks, but Pelops catches him trying to assault her and throws Myrtilus off a cliff · While falling, Myrtilus curses Pelops and all his descendants

backstory of Hercules birth

· When Alcmena is about to give birth, Zeus claims that Eileithyia is going to help birth a descendant of Zeus who will be a successful king · Hera is jealous, so she commands Eileithyia to slow down Alcmena's labor · She also speeds up the labor of the queen of Mycenae, go gives birth to Eurystheus after only seven months pregnant-> Foreshadowing · Hera sends 2 snakes to attack baby Heracles, but he is able to kill him In some versions: some ancient narratives mention that the milk way was created when Hera tried to breastfeed baby Heracles, but he bit her nipple and sent breast milk spraying across the sky.

Heracles: going back home (to tiryns and to Olympus)

· When Heracles is done with Omphale, he returns home- with lole · Deianira uses her love potion, soaking a cloak in it and giving it to Heracles · Turns out the centaur blood was affected by the hydra poison on the arrows · Heracles puts on the cloak and immediately it clings to his skin and torments him with an intense burning · Deianira realizes, and stabs herself in guilt · Heracles builds his own funeral pyre, but nobody will light until Poeas the shepherd, who receives Heracles bow as a reward · His mortality burns off, leaving only an immortal essence: as a god, Heracles lives in Olympus with Hebe as his wife

regin of Laius

· While in exile, Laius kidnaps and rapes Chrysippus, son of his host Pelops o Laius' family now cursed o Pelops' family also cursed (for other reasons), but more on them next week! · Laius (marries Jocasta) goes to Delphi to consult oracle, who says he will die at the hands of his son · Infant son is left to die on mountain, with a spike through his ankles o Oedipus= "swollen foot" · Baby saved and given to Polybus and Merope (couldn't have kids), rulers of Corinth

Europ and Zeus

· Zeus falls in love with her and disguises himself as a bull in order to abduct her · Takes her to Crete, where he finally shows who he is · Europa gives birth to Minos