Mythology - Exam 1

Hippocrene

"Horse's Fountain" on Mt. Helicon, home of the Muses; it was said to have been made by the hoof of Pegasus. -drinking from it is supposed to give you creative inspiration

cornucopia

-"the horn of plenty/abundance" -iconography of Demeter (goddess of agriculture)

Bident

-2 pronged spear

Cyclops/Cyclopes

-2 sets of monsters that Gaia and Ouranos create

Cap of invisibility/Helm of Darkness

-Hades wears this in the underworld, -it makes him invisible

Chaos in greek myth

-a chasm, abyss, void, utter nothingness -chaos to the Greeks means disorder, a big voiding gap of nothing -Gaia arises out of this chaos

Book of the Dead

-a collection of spells that ensure your chances of navigating the Netherworld -over 200 spells -more money = more spells -Anubis gets you there

Creation myth

-a supernatural story that expresses metaphorical ideas

Ankh

-a symbol of life -associated with the promise of eternal life, the sun, fertility

Hubris

-an abuse of power, bragging, and excessive pride that leads to abuse -usually follows with some lesson -ie. Gilgamesh sleeping with brides

Aegis

-breast plate -often with the head of Medusa in the center -terrifying to see (acts as protection) -linked with Zeus and Athena

Babylonian

-enuma elish -Babylonian new year -marduk

Aetiology

-explanation for the way things are today -in theogony Hesiod relates a lot of things that explain the origins of a certain place or aspect of the cosmos

Cuneiform

-first system of writing

Great Cedar Forest/Forest of Cedars

-forest that Gilgamesh and Enkidu go in and try and defeat Humbaba

coffin texts

-paintings on coffins that were open to the public not just royalty -still mostly upper class

Duat

-realm of the dead

Maenads/Bacchae/Bacchantes

-roam the mountains and forests, greek female followers of Dionysus

Apophis/Apep

-serpent of chaos that battles with the sun god Ra

Birth of Athena

-since Zeus swallowed Metris while she's pregnant, Athena bursts out of Zeus' head full-grown, in armor

Delos

-the birthplace of twins Apollo and Artemis

cosmogony

-the origin of the universe

Graces

-they accompany aphrodite -goddesses of beauty, joy, etc...

Apotropaic

-to turn away the enemy -"apo" = away -"tro" = turn

Caduceus/Kerykeion

-two snakes intertwined which is a symbol of Hermes -associated with thieves, merchants, and messengers

eye of Horus

-used as an object to carry with you for protection, good health, guardianship -the battle between Horus and Set

Giants

-violent, unpredictable beasts -came from the blood of Ouranos

Mount Helicon

-where the muses live

Eleusinian Mysteries, Eleusis

-worship centers for Demeter and Persephone -rituals: reenacting the abducting of Persephone

Lenaea

A drama festival held in Athens in late January at which comedy took precedence -honored Dionysus

Fertile Crescent

A geographical area of fertile land in the Middle East stretching in a broad semicircle from the Nile to the Tigris and Euphrates

Feather of Truth

A person's soul is weighed against this to see if it is free of sin

Kantharos

"innocent, blameless, unstained with guilt" --> purity in ritauls

Mesopotamia

"the region between two rivers" -the fertile crescent -the cradle of civilization

Athens

Athena's favorite city, one of the oldest cities in Greece

Ennead

Atum the self-gendered sun god from the primordial waters of Nun Atum emerges from the primordial mound/pillar (benben) and creates Shu and Tefnut by "sneezing" or "spitting" (life from within) Creating Shu (the god of air) and Tefnut (goddess of moisture) Shu and Tefnut = the next generation They then create Geb, the god of earth and Nut, the goddess of the night sky With this second generation, the Egyptian cosmos comes into existence with all the elements necessary for life on earth → sun, air, moisture, earth, night sky Geb + Nut → third generation They create Osiris, Isis, Set (h), Nephthys

Babylonian New Year (Akitu)

celebration of the new year, equinox, celebration of Marduk, Enuma Elish recited every year, priests and kings come together

Isfet

chaos, disorder

"the Gift of the Nile"

Egypt was called this because it would not have existed without the Nile

"He Who Saw the Deep"

Epic of Gilgamesh

Hecatonch(e)ires

First three children of Uranus and Gaea with 100 hands and 50 heads

Hermopolis

Hermopolis (Ogdoad) 8 water divinities: 4 male frogs and 4 female snakes (gods and goddesses) Theme: chaos before creation Primordial pre creation Nun and naunet = water (shapeless, formless, infinite, water potential) Heh and Hauhet = infinity, formlessness Kek and Kauket = darkness Amun and Amanuet = hiddenness Out of the watery chaos arises a sandbank (the first land) The primordial mound → the first land to arise → the rising sun → creation of the world Many variations/details of this basic idea

Mount Olympus

Home of the gods

Gigantomachy

In ancient Greek mythology, the battle between gods and giants. -they decide to storm Olympus and battle for power

Poseidon

Roman name: Neptune role: god of the sea (Zeus' brother) iconography: trident, big beard, chariot pulled by fish/hippocamps, dolphin standing on its head next to Poseidon (distinguishing feature from Zeus),

Hephestus

Roman name: Vulcan role: god of the forge, fire technology, and craftsmen iconography: tongs, hammer, anvil, riding a donkey (because of his injury), handicapped dog (bum foot), creates golden robots to help him because he's injured, makes lightening bolts for Zeus and Armour for Heros

Delphi, Delphic Oracle

Place where Apollo had his most famous oracle, or place of prophecy ("oracle" can also refer to any prophecy given by the god.) -At Delphi, after purifying themselves (think mikvah), people would pose questions to the god's priests. The Delphic Oracle (priestess) looms large in Greek tragedies.

Memphite Theology

Ptah as the creator god The god of craftsmen Raw materials → finished product Power of the spoken word (anything Ptah speaks takes shape into existence) Intellectual creation: ideas begin in the heart of Ptah and took physical form when he spoke them aloud. Thought to word to being Statuette of Ptah: "The one who made heaven and who gave birth to craftsmanship"

Hera

Roman name: Juno role: queen of the gods, patroness of marriage & family (wife of Zeus) iconography: always dressed, some headdress, a staff, middle aged, sometimes shown with a peacock (her favorite bird) -"Cow-eyed Hera" = old version of "doe eyed" - compliment towards Hera

Zeus

Roman name: Jupiter role: the king of the gods, weather/sky god iconography: eagle/staff, lightening bolt, large beard, middle-aged but in his prime, flowy hair, physically imposing

Hermes

Roman name: Mercury role: messenger god, traveler -psychopomps: brings souls to the underworld iconography: TALARIA (winged shoes that represent his travel ability), petasus (travelers hat), condecues (two intertwined snakes), travelers cloak

Athena

Roman name: Minerva role: goddess of wisdom, ear (strategy), and weaving (crafts) iconography: all business, wearing armor, a spear/shield, helmet, chest plate called an Aegis, OWL (symbolizes wisdom and intellect)

Hall of the Two Truths

egyptian myth: when people died their souls would proceed to the Hall of the two truths where they had to proclaim that they were innocent of a whole list of sings that would offend Maat (negative confessions, weighing of the heart)

Artemis

roman name: Diana, Cynthia role: goddess of the hunt/chase, wild animals, and the moon (Apollos twin sister), famous for hunting animals in the woods iconography: silver arrows/bow, surrounded by feet or hunting dogs, short dress and tied up hair

Ares

roman name: Mars role: god of war (destruction) iconography: muscular, impressive, shield/armor

Apollo

roman name: Phoebus role: god of the sun, music, arts, medicine, prophecy iconography: bow and arrow, no beard, the sun, a harp, young, embodiment of male beauty

Hades

roman name: Plato, Dis role: god of the underworld iconography: big hair/beard, staff, 3 headed dog named Cerberus, Bident (two prongs), helm of darkness/cap of invisibility

House of Dust

Underworld in Epic of Gilgamesh. Its inhabitants are covered in dust and eat clay. ??

Hestia

roman name: Vesta role: goddess of the Hearth (central fireplace of your house), guards the home fires, stability warmth of house iconography: rarely shows up by herself, important to Rome

Epithet

a description that refers to a god/goddess and their specific traits or personality, title (Poseidon, shaker of the earth)

Hieros gamos

a sacred marriage of Earth Mother sky and Father god that ALWAYS results in infertility

Hymn

a song in honor of a divinity

Great Dionysia

annual spring festival in honor of Dionysus, when dramatic competitions were held among three poets selected by the city

Amarna

capital of the city built by Akhenaton in honor of the sun disc Aten.

Ambrosia

food of the gods

Demigod

half human half god

Fauns

half human, half goat/deer symbolizes peace and fertility

Hippocamps

horse body and fish tail animals that were sideicks to Poseidon -ancient myth version of a seahorse

Anthropomorphism/anthropomorphic

human form look

Aaru

idealized version of Egypt, you do no work, only vacation in a place you love, and workers do dirty work for them; Ra is there, there are sheep/goats, harvests, trees

Field of Reeds

idealized version of Egypt, you do no work, only vacation in a place you love, workers do dirty work for them Ra is there, there are sheep/goats, harvests, trees

Invocation of the Muse(s)

invoke = to call upon -an invitation to the audience to come and help

Adamant

magical, hardest metal -"unbreakable" -english word (Adamant)

Maat

order

Hieroglyphs

pictures, characters, or symbols standing for words, ideas, or sounds; ancient Egyptians used instead of an alphabet like ours

Gorgoneion

protective amulet worn by Zeus and Athena with the head of a medusa on it

catharsis

purification that brings emotional relief or renewal; primarily through art

Dionysus

roman name: Bacchus role: god of wine and festivity, partying (son of Zeus and Semele) iconography: surrounded by grapes, sometimes animals, Kantharos (two-handed wine cup), staff with a pinecone (leads drunk people), riding a leopard, ivy (ivy made into party hats)

Demeter

roman name: Ceres role: goddess of agriculture/harvest (sister of Hera) iconography: surrounded by food (grains/vegetables), a crown of wheat, cornucopia, always fully clothed

Aphrodite

roman name: Cyrus, Cytherea role: goddess of love, beauty, and desire -associated with sexuality iconography: sparrows, swans, doves (birds still associated with love), holding flowers, mirrors, jewelry, depicted without clothes, usually accompanied by 3 graces or cupid

cosmology

study of the universe

Furies

terrifying goddesses of vengeance

Gugalanna, the Bull of Heaven

the bull that Enkidu and Gilgamesh kill

Anagnorisis

the discovery that produces change from ignorance to knowledge

Erinyes

the furies, terrifying goddesses of vengeance, depicted having snakes on them, bring madness and punishment -results of the blood hitting the earth from Ouranos

Ba

the part of your soul that escapes through your mouth and enters the underworld

mummification

the preservation of dead bodies by embalming and wrapping them in cloth

Benben

the primordial mound/pillar that Atum emerges from (Enead Heliopolis)