CLASS MYTHOLOGY 2220
At the beginning of Iliad 22, Priam is looking at the battlefield from the walls of Troy and he sees someone that the narrator compares to a star with the following simile. Who is described? the star that comes at summer's end, its clear gleamingin the milky murk of night displayed among the multitude of stars - the star they give the name of Orion's Dog;most radiant it is, but it makes an evil portent.
Achilles
At the beginning of Iliad 24, the Olympian gods have a debate - what is the problem?
Achilles is abusing the corpse of Hector and refuses to return it to the Trojans for burial.
Which of the following Greek chieftains is described by these words? "I have never beheld with my eyes a man so handsome, / nor so majestic; for he seems a kingly man." "both a good king and a powerful spear-warrior."
Agamemnon
In Book 1 of the Iliad, Achilles rebukes or shames Agamemnon in council over a point of honor - what is it?
Agamemnon as commander stays out of the fighting and does not risk death in battle as the other Greeks do.
Of the three arguments presented in the embassy (Iliad Book 9), whose does Achilles seem to agree with most?
Ajax
Which of the following Greek chieftains is described by these words? "Achaean man, good and great, / outstanding among the Argives in height and broad shoulders."
Ajax
Which of the following is the best English definition of the term aristeia?
"excellence" - a scene where a warrior is at his peak of manliness
Which of the following is the best English definition of the term xenia?
"guest-friendship" - the special bond formed between elite households when they have enjoyed each other's hospitality
Which two gods are wounded by Diomedes in Book 5 of the Iliad? (choose 2)
-Ares -Aphrodite
Which of the following words in the Iliad refer to Greeks? Choose all correct answers.
-Danaans -Argives -Achaeans
The Homeric Hymn to Apollo includes the foundation myth(s) for which panhellenic sanctuary (or sanctuaries)? Choose all correct answers.
-Delphi -Delos
The labors of Herakles are associated with the foundation of which two Panhellenic games?
-Nemea -Olympia
Who are the members (ambassadors) of the Emabssy to Achilles? Choose ALL the correct answers.
-Odysseus -Ajax -Phoinix
The final two books of the Iliad describe the funerals of two major figures. Which two? (choose two answers)
-Patroclus -Hector
Which two heroes are featured standing on either side of Zeus in the East Pediment of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia? Two answers are required.
-Pelops -Oenomaus
Of the following labors of Herakles, which are mentioned specifically in Hesiod's Theogony? Choose all correct answers.
-slaying the Lerneian hydra -slaying the Nemean lion
According to the Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite, why do heroes stop being created?
Aphrodite gets a "taste of her own medicine" and agrees to stop making the gods sleep with human women.
Both the Delian and Pythian sections of the Homeric Hymn to Apollo contain a scene of wandering or searching. Who is the searcher in the Pythian section?
Apollo
Which god interferes on the Trojan side and directly contributes to the death of Patroclus in Iliad 16?
Apollo
Which god sends the plague with which the Iliad opens?
Apollo
Several times in Iliad 16, the narrator addresses Patroclus in the second person and calls him by name (as in, "You, Patroclus"). What is this literary device called?
Apostrophe
Which god fights alongside Hector and the Trojans in Book 5 of the Iliad?
Ares
Which god did King Oeneus offend that resulted in the Calydonian Boar being sent?
Artemis
Which god interferes directly in the single combat between Hector and Achilles in Iliad 22?
Athena
Theseus is king of ________.
Athens
Which labor of Herakles is associated with the foundation of the Olympian games?
Cleaning the Stables of Augeas
True or False? Agamemnon has absolute authority over the Greek army and the other chieftains have to do what he commands.
False
True or False? All creation myths were originally written in Greek.
False
True or False? The Theogony is equally about the creation of humans (anthropogony) as it is about the origins of the gods (theogony) and the universe (cosmogony).
False
Minos is king of _______.
Crete
True or false? In Greek religion, there was an explicitly stated set of beliefs revealed in a sacred text.
False
According to Agamemnon in Iliad Book 19, he is not to blame for the wrath of Achilles (and the deaths it has caused); instead, he blames ______.
Delusion
In several passages in the Iliad, both Agamemnon's and Achilles' actions are blamed on or associated with the goddess Atē. What is the closest English translation of her name (hint: this is what she is called in your translation)?
Delusion
True or false? In Iliad 22, Achilles respects his enemy Hector enough to honor his final wish for his body to be returned unharmed to his parents for burial.
False
Why does Achilles want the Greeks to suffer?
He feels dishonored by Agamemnon and wants the Greeks to recognize his value.
According to many sources, especially Apollodorus' Library, why does Herakles need to complete labors for his cousin Eurystheus?
He is being penalized for the murder of his own children.
At the beginning of Iliad 16, Patroclus supplicates Achilles. What does he want?
He wants Achilles to allow the Myrmidons to fight and to have permission to wear Achilles' armor into battle himself.
According to Euripides Herakles, why does Herakles need to complete labors for his cousin Eurystheus?
He wants to end the exile of his family from Argos and allow his father to return home.
At the end of the embassy (Iliad Book 9), Achilles has altered his position on rejoining the war. What is his decision?
He will not fight until Hector reaches the ships and shelters of the Myrmidons (Achilles' people) and sets the ships on fire.
Whose death is foreshadowed by the death of Patroclus and the stripping of his arms in Iliad 16?
Hector
Which god makes new armor for Achilles in Iliad Book 18 that allows him to return to battle?
Hephaestus
In the Homeric Hymn to Apollo, the mother of the snaky-monster Typhoeus/Typhaon is not Gaia, but ______.
Hera
Which of the following Olympian gods attempts to delay the birth of Apollo?
Hera
Which gods fight alongside Diomedes and the Greeks in Book 5 of the Iliad?
Hera & Athena
In Rome, which hero was thought to be the ancestor of many prominent families/clans, including the Gens Fabia?
Hercules
The "Euphronios Krater" (pictured below, but image not required to answer question) depicts the death of Sarpedon with many details similar to those described in Iliad 16. Which god or gods are present on the Krater who are NOT present or featured in Homer's version?
Hermes
Which god helps Priam navigate the dangerous path from the walls of Troy to Achilles' tent in the Greek camp?
Hermes
According to Bacchylides 5, why does Meleager kill his uncles?
In the confusion of battle with the Curetes, he didn't recognize his own uncles and ended up killing them.
Which of the following characters in Euripides Herakles is presented as an illegitimate tyrant?
Lykos
During the "embassy to Achilles" scene (Iliad Book 9), Phoinix tells an extended story. Which figure in this story most closely parallels Achilles?
Meleager
Of the following, which is included in BOTH Ovid's version of the Calydonian Boar Hunt AND in Bacchylides 5?
Meleager's killing of his uncles in a disagreement over the spoils/trophy from the defeated boar
Which of the following Greek chieftains is described by these words? "lesser in height than Agamemnon son of Atreus, / but he seems broader in the shoulders and chest." "resourceful...knowing every kind of stratagem and shrewd plan"
Odysseus
Which of the four panhellenic games is the oldest?
Olympian
In Book 3 of the Iliad, Hector rebukes or shames Paris over a point of honor - what is it?
Paris actively avoids combat and does not take it seriously that other Trojans are fighting and dying on his behalf.
According to Pindar Olympian 1, which hero is associated with the foundation of the Olympian games?
Pelops
Given the following characteristics, epithets, and iconography, which god is this? -Queen of the Underworld -Pomegranate -"Kore"
Persephone
Because of his unusual conception story, Theseus is sometimes considered the son of a mortal man, King Aegeus and sometimes the son of the god ________.
Poseidon
How does Scylla offend Minos?
She betrays her own father in order to help him conquer Megara.
Which of the following cities was ruled by a duarchy (two monarchs), both of whom claimed Herakles as their ancestor?
Sparta
In Iliad Book 6, Hector returns from the battlefield to the city and speaks with various members of his family. What does his wife, Andromache, advise?
Stay within the protection of the walls and station men where the walls are most easily breached.
Who is winning the Trojan War at the beginning of Iliad Book 9?
The Trojans
In Ovid's Metamorphoses, how are the figures of Achelous (the river god) and Nessus (the centaur) similar?
The both fight Hercules over Deianira and lose.
In the Homeric Hymn to Demeter, when the goddess withholds her favors, it results in ________.
a time of famine
Which of the following best defines a 'foundation myth'?
a type of aitiological myth that explains the founding of a city/state/people or custom.
Which of the following definitions of 'hero' is not applicable to the Greek and Roman myths that we read in this class?
an ethical role model or personal savior
Which of the following Greek words refers to human beings (men and women collectively)?
anthropoi
According to Ovid's Metamorphoses, when Althaea has to choose between protecting her son and avenging her brothers, which does she choose?
avenging her brothers
Why are the four major panhellenic games called the "crown" games?
because the prize for winning was a value-less wreath rather than cash
What is the basic meaning of Theogony?
birth of the gods
Which of the following terms is the closest English equivalent to the Greek idea of aition?
cause
The Enuma Elish, like Hesiod's Theogony, features a primordial female goddess who is responsible for a monstrous threat to the supremacy of the final ruling god. What is the name of that goddess?
Tiamat
What genre of literature is Euripides' Bacchae?
Tragedy
Which god do the games at Olympia honor?
Zeus
In Hesiod's Theogony, Aphrodite is described as the product of asexual reproduction when the castrated genitals of Ouranos are thrown into the sea. Homer's Iliad, on the other hand, understands Aphrodite's parents to be ______.
Zeus and Dione
What athletic event is featured in Pindar's Olympian 1?
a chariot race
What is Herakles' preferred weapon, as depicted on numerous works of visual art?
a club
In Iliad 5, the Greek warrior Diomedes is inspired by Athena and is described in the following way: like a lion / that a shepherd in wild pasture among his wool-fleeced flock / has grazed as it leapt over the enclosure, but did not kill; / he rouses the lion's strength, and there after does not come out to aid his flock, / but ducks into his shelter, and they, forsaken, scatter in fear; / they are huddled together in a heap, / but the lion in fierce haste bounds forth from the high enclosure; / so powerful Diomedes in eager haste took his stand among the Trojans. This is an example of what literary device?
epic simile
Achilles responds to Priam's supplication in Iliad 24 with some thoughts on grief and the human condition. His response includes a parable about the "two urns of Zeus". What is in these urns?
evil and good
Which of the following is the best definition of 'ecphrasis'?
extended description of a work of art in text/literature
When Hector decides to stand against Achilles in single combat (Iliad 22), both of his parents beg him to reconsider. What does his mother Hecuba appeal to?
her physical labor as a mother
Before Achilles reenters the battle, he is warned that he is fated to die shortly after he kills Hector. Who warns him?
his immortal horses, Xanthos and Balios
In both Bacchylides 5 and Ovid's Metamorphoses, Herakles is tied into an earlier storyline through his connection to _______.
his last wife Deianira
When Hector decides to stand against Achilles in single combat (Iliad 22), both of his parents beg him to reconsider. What does his father Priam appeal to?
his old age
Starting at Iliad 16, line 112, the narrator invokes the Muse for a second time. What story does the narrator want to hear this time?
how fire first fell upon the ships of the Achaeans
In Book 5 of the Iliad, Apollo says to Diomedes: Take care, son of Tydeus, and give way; do not seek to think / yourself like the gods, since never the same is the race / of immortal gods and of men who walk upon the ground. What is Apollo warning him against?
hybris
Where can you find the metopes of a Greek temple?
in the square or rectangular panels above the columns, but below the pediment and roof
What does the goddess Lyssa represent in Euripides Herakles?
madness
While the idea of timai ("honors") applied to gods refers to a god's sphere of influence and special privileges, what does it mean when applied to human beings, especially heroes?
positive regard, esteem, respect
In Iliad Book 6, Hector returns from the battlefield to the city and speaks with various members of his family. What does he ask his mother, Hecuba, to do?
pray to Athena with the other women for protection from Diomedes
In Iliad 5, the Greek warrior Diomedes is inspired by Athena and is described in the following way: like a lion / that a shepherd in wild pasture among his wool-fleeced flock / has grazed as it leapt over the enclosure, but did not kill; / he rouses the lion's strength, and there after does not come out to aid his flock, / but ducks into his shelter, and they, forsaken, scatter in fear; / they are huddled together in a heap, / but the lion in fierce haste bounds forth from the high enclosure; / so powerful Diomedes in eager haste took his stand among the Trojans. What does this description reveal about Diomedes?
that he has been wounded already, but that just makes him more formidable as a fighter
In Iliad 5, the Greek warrior Diomedes is inspired by Athena and is described in the following way: like a lion / that a shepherd in wild pasture among his wool-fleeced flock / has grazed as it leapt over the enclosure, but did not kill; / he rouses the lion's strength, and there after does not come out to aid his flock, / but ducks into his shelter, and they, forsaken, scatter in fear; / they are huddled together in a heap, / but the lion in fierce haste bounds forth from the high enclosure; / so powerful Diomedes in eager haste took his stand among the Trojans. In addition to describing Diomedes himself, what does this passage reveal about the Trojans?
that they are fighting without a leader or protector
What historical event is going on in Athens at the time that Euripides Herakles was first produced that might explain Euripides' thematic interest in civil strife and tyranny?
the Peloponnesian War
Agamemnon's "apology" in Iliad 19 includes a paradigm myth. What story does he tell?
the story of Heracles' birth and enslavement to his cousin Eurystheus
Achilles responds to Priam's supplication in Iliad 24 with some thoughts on grief and the human condition. His response includes a paradigm myth. What story does he tell?
the story of Niobe whose children were killed by the children of Leto
According to the first line of the Iliad, what is the Iliad about?
the wrath of Achilles
What is the purpose of the "emabassy to Achilles" (Iliad Book 9)? What is the purpose of the "embassy to Achilles" (Iliad Book 9)?
to convince Achilles to rejoin the battle with the other Achaeans against Troy
At the beginning of Iliad 6, Diomedes is about to fight the warrior Glaukos, but instead they exchange arms. This is a demonstration of what ancient Greek value/concept?
xenia
What are some approaches to the study of myth that are used by scholars today?
-Aetiology - myths explain the origins or causes of things in the real world. -Reception Studies - myths continue to be retold in new contexts, genres, and media. -Comparative Myth - myths from different cultures can be analyzed together to reveal similar patterns, themes, elements, etc. -Myth and Ritual - myths are connected to societal rituals and exist to illustrate or explain those rituals.
In what two ways does Prometheus help humankind in Hesiod's Theogony? You must choose two and only two answers.
-He steals fire from the gods and gives it to humans. -He tricks Zeus into accepting the inedible parts of sacrifice animals.
Of the following, which were created or invented by Daedalus (according to multiple sources)? Choose multiple correct answers.
-a hollow cow that Pasiphae used to have sex with a bull -a set of wings made from feathers, wood, and wax that allowed him and his son to escape Crete by air -an elaborate labyrinth that imprisoned the Minotaur on Crete
Which of the following are major sources for our knowledge of Orphism? Pick two and only two.
-the gold tablets -the "Derveni" papyrus
Which scholar is responsible for the idea of a "fatal" or "tragic" flaw as part of the definition of a hero?
Aristotle
Of the following myths about Theseus that we read, which is the oldest?
Bacchylides 17
Which of the following is a major similarity between the Eleusinian mysteries and the Orphic mysteries?
Both focus on a flourishing life and a good afterlife.
Which of the following is a major similarity between the Eleusinian mysteries and the Thesmophoria festival?
Both primarily honor the gods Demeter and Persephone.
Who is the translator of the version of Homer's Iliad that we will read at the end of this semester?
Caroline Alexander
What is the first primordial "deity" according to Hesiod's Theogony?
Chaos/Chasm
With whom does Apollo's mother cut a deal in order to have a place to give birth to her son Apollo?
Delos
Given the following characteristics, epithets, and iconography, which god is this? -Carries torches -Grain/agriculture -Mother of Persephone
Demeter
According to the hymnic opening to the Homeric Hymn to Demeter, which god or gods does the hymn praise?
Demeter and Persephone
Given the following characteristics, epithets, and iconography, which god is this? -Wine -Multiple Births -Son of Zeus
Dionysus
What is an example of a primordial deity?
Earth
What is the OLDEST myth that we will read in this class?
Enuma Elish
True or False? An initiate in "the Mysteries" could not participate in other religions or philosophical belief systems.
False
True or false? The Queen of the Underworld is a sister of Zeus.
False
True or false? There was a unified political unit in antiquity called "Greece" or "Hellas".
False
In Hesiod's Theogony, Typhoeus is the offspring of which goddess?
Gaia
What is given as the aition for Apollo's cult title 'Delphinian'?
He appeared to the Cretan sailors as a Dolphin.
According to Euripides' Bacchae, what has Pentheus does wrong that merits severe punishment by Dionysus?
He denied the divinity of Dionysus and outlawed his worship in Thebes.
In Bacchylides Ode 17, Theseus dives under water for an extended (superhuman) period of time. What does this prove about him?
He is a hero, the son of Poseidon.
According to Apollodorus' Library and other primary sources (but not Euripides Herakles), why must Herakles complete labors for his cousin Eurystheus?
He is being punished for the murder of his own children.
According to multiple primary sources, how does Herakles die?
He is poisoned by his wife Deianira and then immolated (burned) on a pyre.
What was Herakles' first accomplishment that demonstrated his superhuman strength and heroic abilities?
He slew two serpents sent by Hera to destroy him as an infant.
According to Ovid's Metamorphoses, why does Meleager kill his uncles?
He was enraged that they took the boar's trophies away from Atalanta and killed them outright.
According to most sources, after Herakles' apotheosis, whom does he marry?
Hebe, the personification of Youth
In the Homeric Hymn to Demeter, which gods hear Persephone scream and thus are able to tell Demeter what happened?
Helos and Hecate
According to Ovid's Metamorphoses all of the following "first generation" heroes are present for the Calydonian Boar Hunt EXCEPT ______.
Herakles
To whom does Meleager tell his own story in Bacchylides 5?
Herakles
The various myths of Herakles' apotheosis after his death likely explain a real-world phenomenon. What is it?
Herakles' worship as both a god and a hero
What happens to Achelous when he loses his wrestling match with Hercules in Ovid Metamorphoses?
Hercules rips off one of his horns.
According to Hesiod's Works and Days, in which age do "modern" people live (that is, Hesiod's own age)?
Iron
Both the Delian and Pythian sections of the Homeric Hymn to Apollo contain a scene of wandering or searching. Who is the searcher in the Delian section?
Leto
Who is Apollo's mother?
Leto
In the Babylonian creation myth, Enuma Elish, which god most closely corresponds to Zeus in the Greek myth, Theogony?
Marduk
The creation myths that we will read in this class - Theogony and Enuma Elish - along with the other myths discussed in Friday's lecture were originally told in cultures that share a common origin in which geographical region?
Mesopotamia
What name do the Greeks give to the culture that flourished on the island of Crete and throughout the Aegean in the mid Bronze Age (~2000-1500 B.C.E.)?
Minoans
Which of the following are important allies of Zeus in his effort to consolidate his power and maintain his position among the gods?
The Hundred-Handers
Which of the following is an aition found in the Homeric Hymn to Demeter?
The establishment of the Eleusinian mysteries
When Demeter is grieving the loss of her daughter, what event prompts her to eat food again?
The old woman Iambe makes her laugh.
How do Theseus and his men end up telling stories with the river god Achelous in Ovid's Metamorphoses?
The river was too flooded to cross on their way back from Calydon to Athens.
According to Euripides' Bacchae, what have Agave and her sisters done wrong that merits severe punishment by Dionysus?
They denied that it was Zeus who impregnated their sister Semele, questioning her sexual ethics as well as the divinity of Dionysus.
True or False? Ancient societies not only used or told myths, but were critics and analysts of their own myths as well.
True
True or False? The story of Herakles' apotheosis is at least as old as Homer and Hesiod.
True
Given the following characteristics, epithets, and iconography, which god is this? -beard -"son of Kronos" -Eagle -Thunderbolt
Zeus
Who "gives" Persephone to Hades (i.e. who grants the marriage), in the Homeric Hymn to Demeter?
Zeus
According to Hesiod, the Muses are the daughters of ---.
Zeus and Mnemosyne (Memory)
According to the myth of Dionysus' birth in Euripides' Bacchae, who are Dionysus' parents?
Zeus and Semele
What object is tied by the Fates to the life of Meleager?
a log
Who is Herakles' mother?
a mortal woman, Alcmene
Both the Delian and Pythian sections of the Homeric Hymn to Apollo contain a scene of wandering or searching, eventually leading to the establishment of _______.
a panhellenic sanctuary of Apollo.
Bacchylides 5 is in the genre of epinician poetry - what is an epinician?
a poem composed for performance in celebration of an athletic victory
The most basic function of a hymn is ______.
a prayer to a god.
What is the basic meaning of Cosmogony?
creation of the universe
What characteristics of Pentheus does Dionysus exploit in order to convince him to dress up like a woman?
curiosity and need for control
According to Hesiod's Theogony, what leadership quality does Zeus have that others were lacking?
diplomacy and a willingness to form alliances
In both the Homeric Hymn to Demeter and the myth of the Calydonian Boar Hunt in Ovid's Metamorphoses, the wrath of a god causes a similar problem for human beings. What is it?
environmental collapse
In Bacchylides Ode 17, Theseus reappears after his miraculous dive before the Athenian youths. This is an example (and variation) of a(n) ________.
epiphany
The appearance of Apollo in front of the Cretan sailors, changed from his Dolphin form into a beautiful youth, is an example of ______.
epiphany
To whom does Demeter teach her "proper rites and mysteries" according to the Homeric Hymn to Demeter?
human kings
Anthropomorphic deities are deities who have qualities like _______.
humans
What is the basic meaning of Anthropogony?
origin of humankind
In Euripides' Bacchae, the Theban maenads are described as tearing apart animals with their bare hands and eating them raw. This ritual practice reenacts the ________ of Dionysus, which is a central myth of Orphic religion.
sparagmos
Many creation myths describe a struggle among gods for control of the universe. What is this motif called?
succession myth
In Pindar's Nemean 1, Herakles' birth story is followed by a prophecy. This prophecy focuses on Herakles' role in _________.
the Olympian gods' battle with the giants (gigantomachy)
Hesiod's Theogony does not begin with the origins of the universe - instead, what is the first theogony (or god origin story) narrated in the poem?
the birth of the Muses
In the Babylonian creation myth Enuma Elish, from what material does Marduk create the world?
the body of Tiamat
Herakles is often recognizable in visual arts because he wears a certain souvenir or trophy from his first labor - what is it?
the hide/skin of the Nemean lion
According to Hesiod's Theogony, what benefit do human leaders (kings) get from the Muses?
the power of voice, leading to justice, prudence, and persuasion.
Directly after his birth, Apollo declares his timai, which include all of the following EXCEPT ______.
the sun
Which of the following myths is the "frame narrative" for Catullus' epyllion (#64)?
the wedding of Peleus and Thetis
What theme or motif connects all the stories told between Achelous and Theseus' crew in Ovid's Metamorphoses?
transformation of forms
What physical aspect of the world do the primordial gods Apsu and Tiamat represent in the Enuma Elish?
water
What does the Greek word "mythos" (from which we get the English word "myth") mean?
word or story