CC303 Artwork + Info Test 2

Third labor of Hercules

Capture the Ceryneian Hind, sacred pet of goddess Diana. He accomplishes this by talking things out with Diana.

Seventh Labor of Hercules

Capture the Cretan Bull. (The same bull that impregnated Pasiphae, mother of the Minotaur)

Fourth Labor of Hercules

Capture the Erymanthian Boar

Ovid's Metamorphoses led to christians relating these myths to their principles. Perseus= Jesus Christ Andromeda= Christian Church Cetos= The Devil. Not mythologically accurate, come on Christine de Pisan. Bellerophon is the rider of Pegasus, but no one gives two shits about him so Perseus rides him instead

Cetos, Perseus and Andromeda- Christine de Pisan, The Epistle of Othea (Book written for knight moral training)

Fifth Labor of Hercules

Clean the Augean stables in a single day; diverted the course of two rivers which flooded the stables and cleaned them.

Twelfth Labor of Hercules

To bring Cerberus up from Haes; hades let him as long as he didn't use weapons to overcome him; and Hercules lifted him and carried him up to earth

Otherness

To create a self-identity among Greek societies, ancient Greeks used the term barbaros (a word believed to be derived from the Greeks' perception that other languages sounded like "bar-bar-bar") to signify an Otherness that opposed Greeks and non-Greeks. Barabaroi were people who did not speak Greek and, therefore, were generally viewed as being culturally inferior and foreign.

Sixth Labor of Hercules

To drive away the carnivorous Stymphilian birds which were a plaque to the people; Athena aids him by giving him a noise maker, which he uses to frighten the birds away. Drove them out of their covers and then shot them all

Second Labor of Hercules

Slay the nine-headed Lernaean Hydra

Greek Heroic Test-Quest

1) Orphaned son of royalty (often a son of a god) 2) Reared away from home to avoid death 3) Called to quest 4) Supernatural aides bestowed upon him 5) Victory over a monster 6) Marries a princess 7) Returns home to reclaim rightful kingship 8) Driven from the throne 9) Dies an often mysterious, unglamorous death 10) Children do not succeed the hero as king

What are some things that weren't initially significantly to the Perseus myth? (Original myth has his goal as simply get Medusa's head)

1. Andromeda was considered a side labor, but later recieves MUCH more attention as a love story due to Ovid's Metamorphoses romantic depiction. 2. Atlas' petrification is also a later addition.

Otherness of the Minotaur

1. Bull head: Cannot communicate with humans, doesn't posess. human intellect 1. Education of Athenian ephebic youths.: Theseus' resembles an adolescent Greek young man of the age of training in Athenian culture. The heroic nude is representative of the athletic body forged in the Greek gymnasion, and considering the importance of the gymnasion to the bodily and physical education of Athenian ephebic youths, Theseus' body could represent the ideals of Athenian education. Ephebic training was in preparation for civic and military duty, soTheseus' defeat of the Minotaur perhaps reflects the superior nature of the Athenian physical and mental education of their young men. 4. Animal Sacrifice: The cow/bull was an animal commonly used in animal sacrifices around the Mediterranean. The bull was often used as an honorific sacrifice to Athena, which is consistent with the province of Theseus. However, there are no other elements that show this.

Minotaur as a Cretan portayal

1. Greek myth seem to convey a since of Otherness to Minoan Crete. Minos' decision not to sacrifice the Cretan Bull to Poseidon is a hubristic act that ultimately leads to the birth of the Minotaur and the death of his son, Androgeus. 2. The Royal women of Crete are sex freaks- Europa is attracted to a bull that is Zeus in disguise. Minos' wife, Pasiphae, has sex with a bull by concealing herself in an artificial cow made by Daedalus, and therefore, she gives birth to the Minotaur. According to Buxton, "the unnaturalness of Pasiphae's act is expressed in the hybrid nature of her offspring, the Minotaur." Phaidra, the daughter of Minos and Pasiphae, has an unnatural yearning for her stepson, Hippolytus, the son of Theseus and the Amazon Hyppolyta. This unnatural lust leads to Hippolytus being dragged to death when a bull sent by Poseidon spooks his horses.

Importance of Theseus

1. Hero-King 2. Theseus defeating the Minotaur: Part of a Grand Narrative of Crete Vs Athens, who often had hostile interactions. 3. Theseus was not originally attached to Athens, but over time, came to embody many values Athenians value. His father, Aegeus, was added to the stemma of Athenian kings to try to validate an royal Athenian bloodline. 4. Athens' Dominion Over The Sea- Theseus' mother had sex with both Aegeus and Poseidon in the same time. He could either be the son of the God of the Sea or Aegeus, who's name was eponymous for the Aegean Sea. 5. Theseus' Cycle of Deeds = Attic hero similar to the Dorian-born Heracles' Labors 6. Coming of Age Story: Evidenced by his father's sudden suicide and his adolescent appearance.

How does Perseus fit the Test-Quest Theory?

1. Orphaned Son of Royalty-Perseus was a son of Zeus and Danae, daughter of Acrisus, king of Argos. Acrisus feared a prophecy that his grandson would kill him and placed Danae and baby Perseus in a chest and had it cast into the sea. (Think of baby Moses). 2. Reared away from home to avoid death- Perseus and his mother were discovered on the Aegean island of Seriphos by a fisherman named Dictys, and raised alone by her. 3. Call to Quest- Dictys' brother, the king of Seriphos, Polydectes, wanted to smash Danae so he tried to get rid of Perseus. Gets sent on dangerous quests when when Perseus rashly promised Polydectes that he would bring back the head of Medusa as a present to the king. 4. Supernatural aides- Hermes and Athena guide Perseus to the Graiai (creepy three women with one eye). He tricks them into telling him where to find the supernatural needs for his journey. He obtains: The winged boots of Hermes, Hades' cap of invisibility, a unique bag (kibisis) for carrying Medusa's head, and an adamantine curved sword to cut off Medusa's head. Note: In Percy Jackson, he obtains the same things. 5. Victory Over a Monster: He cuts off Medusa's head by avoiding her petrifying gaze. Pegasus and Chryasor fly out of Medusa's body. He then runs from the other Gorgons who chased after him. 6. Marries a Princess: On his way back from his quest, Perseus rescues Andromeda, a young Ethiopian princess chained to a rock as a sacrifice to a sea monster (cetos). He takes Andromeda back to Greece as his bride. When Perseus arrives at Seriphos, he finds Polydectes is a threat to his mother. He turns Polydectes and his men into stone using Medusa's head. Perseus returns the supernatural aids he received from Hermes and Athena. He gives Medusa's head to Athena, which she wears prominently on her aegis. Think: There is no Andromeda in Percy Jackson, but he does come back and gives Medusa's head to Sally so SHE can petrify Smelly Gabe. 7. Rightful Kingship: Perseus and Andromeda travel back to Argos. Perseus accidentally kills Acrisius with a discus toss. 8. Driven From Throne: Grieved that he killed his own grandfather, Perseus traded his kingdom (Argos) for his cousin's( Megapenthes') kingdom, Tiryns. 9. Horrible Death: Brief mentions that Megapenthes killed Perseus to avenge the death of his father, Poetus. 10. Children Do Not Inherit Throne: Perseus had four sons: Elktryon, Alkaios, Perses, and Sthenelos and one daughter, Gorgophone. Elktryon later became the father of Alkmene, who had a son, named 'Herakles' (Hercules). Based on a Greek conception of the origins of people, Perseus' son, Perses, becomes the name-sake ancestor for the Persians.

Use of Monsters to Demonstrate 'Otherness'

1. The Minotaur- Bestial head indicates he is more monster than man 2. Godzilla- The first Godzilla film tapped into political undertones and feelings familiar to Japan after the war. He came to be viewed as a protector of Japan against hostile monsters. This change in the characterization of Godzilla in the film has been attributed to a historical change in the Japanese perspective on US-Japan relations.

Baths of Caracalla

Ancient country clubs for citizens to relax in luxury. Gyms, baths.... Hercules was placed there bc he is the patron of the gymnasia, athleticism, and bc Hercules bathes in hot springs off north coast of Sicily to regain strength.

Like Rembrandt, Chasseriau focuses on the realistic fear that Andromeda would have experienced with the approach of the Cetos. Both her body and face reflect the impending doom she perceives will befall her. The women binding Andromeda to the rock appear unmoved by the approaching Cetos because they are supposed to be the offended Nereids that Andromeda's mother, Cassiopeia, has insulted when she said Andromeda was more beautiful than them. Still follows the European tradition of making Andromeda the focal point.

Andromeda and the Nereids by Theodore Chasseriau

Rembrant Harmenszoon van Rijn has moved away from classical conventions of depicting Andromeda as a venereal beauty by presenting a frightened and much more naturalistic looking girl in a very non-statuary pose. Perseus and the Cetos are absent. Rembrandt's rejects the idealized beauty of Classicism and favors an realism in his art, and therefore, his decision to paint Andromeda as being naturally imperfect and slightly flawed served his purpose of speaking to the artistic tradition he had chosen to reject.

Andromeda by Rembrant Harmenszoon van Rijn

The victor (Medici) stand over the vanquished (Florentine Republicans).

Bandinelli's Hercules and Cacus

Eleventh Labor of Hercules

Bring back the golden apples of Hesperides: Hera's wedding gift to Zeus. Returns apples when done. He needed the help of Prometheus (frees him, Prometheus reveals the location but tells him that he should let Atlas get the apples) and Atlas (Hercules holds the Heavens while Atlas takes the apples, and tricks him into taking the sky back by saying "let me fix my robe really quick") to do this.

Bull leaping

Bull-leaping

Minoan's artwork, particularly those depicting bull-leaping, also suggest that the bull had great symbolic meaning in Minoan culture.

Famous Minoan fresco of Bull-leaping from the Palace of Knossos, Crete, 1450 BC

Andromeda's placement in the center of the image makes the reader focus on the helpless Andromeda as the center of the story.

Fresco of Perseus and Andromeda in the Villa of Agrippa Postumus

Knee-running position and the hair speaks of a volatile nature because of the position's similarity to portrayals of Nike.

Gorgon from the Temple of Artemis

Seventh Labor: Cretan Bull (2)

Heracles and the Cretan Bull

Death of Hercules

Hercules kills a centaur that was trying to kidnap his wife, Deianaira, with a Hydra poison-soaked arrow. Centaur gives Deianaira his bloody tunic and tells her the blood will bind him to her forever. She gives it to him later when she believes he is cheating. The blood charm did not kill but caused immense pain. Asks youth to kill him/kills himself (burns to death).

A humane symptathetic view of Medusa. Rather than following the typical image of the beheaded vanquished monster, Bernini has chosen to display the anguish of Medusa's metamorphosis into a Gorgon.

Medusa By Gian Lorenzo Bernini

Caravaggio was commissioned to paint Medusa's head on a ceremonial shield presented in 1601 to Ferdinand I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany. Political symbolism is associated with the severed head of Medusa in that the Medici often used this image as a symbol of courage, and the poet Marino claimed that Caravaggio's shield symbolized the Grand Duke's courage in defeating his enemies.

Medusa by Michelangelo Caravaggio

Why so many bulls in Crete?

Minoan Crete seems to give bulls religious meaning.

Story of Theseus and the Minotaur

Minos, King of Crete, prays to Zeus to punish the Athenians so a plague overcomes Athens. At first, the daughters of Hyacinthos are sacrificed bc an oracle tells them to. Doesn't work. Oracle then says to let Minos name his price: to send seven men and seven women to feed the Minotaur. Theseus is picked on the third round (some say he volunteered). Their ship had black sails. His father, Aigeus, tells him to replace them with white sails if he comes back alive. He arrives in Crete, where Minos' daughter, Ariadne, falls in love with him, offers to help him if he takes her back to Athens, and marries her. He accepts, and Ariadne retrieves a ball of yarn from Daedalus and instructs him to use it to guide himself back to the entrance. He beat the Minotaur to death with his fists. Dionysus steals his girl. He gets sad, sails back to Athens, and forgets to change the sails back to white. His father, believing he has died, kills himself. Thesus rises to rule Athens.

Tenth Labor Of Hercules

Obtain the cattle of the three-bodied giant Geryon

Ninth Labor of Hercules

Obtain the girdle/belt of Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons. Hippolyta at first agreed to give the belt, but Hera spread a rumor he was intending to kidnap her, resulting in a battle which ended in the Queen's death.

Minotaur's Mother

Pasiphaë and the Minotaur

The Rock of Doom and Doom Fulfilled form a narrative sequence that reflects elements of Victorian chivalry.

Perseus Cycle: Doom Fulfilled by Edward Burne-Jones

Burne-Jones's art often reflects the medieval ideals of chivalry and courtly love. In this romanticized model, the knight was to be the protector of a courtly woman who had shown favor to her champion. There was expected to be a romantic interchange between the two, but in all respects, there must be a preservation of being seen as chaste in this give and take.

Perseus Cycle: Rock of Doom by Edward Burne-Jones

Ovid's Metamorphoses being translated resulted in more artistic depictions of Andromeda as "La Bella Donna Liberata" (The Beauitful Lady Freed). Andromeda's beauty is the focal point of the art, emphasized by her Venus-like pose and nakedness Vs Perseus' clothing.

Perseus Frees Andromeda By Giuseppe Cesari

More evidence that early to mid classical period Greek vase paitning focus on the slaying of Medusa. Around here, Medusa's femininity becomes more apparent through her face, body, and clothes (though not the clothes of a Greek woman). Her wings give her an otherness.

Perseus Slaying A Winged sleeping Medusa with Athena on the left

Euripides' Andromeda is based on the P-A love story, which had an effect on later reception of the Perseus myth.

Perseus Vs Cetos, Andromeda is the center. Eros is there too.

WETWAEL SHELL LOL Here, Andromeda's beauty is still the focus, but she is placed near shells to show off the artist's ability. Basically Perseus gets shoved to the side. Look at the pretty woman

Perseus and Andromeda by Joachim Wtewael

The reception of the Perseus' narrative has shifted from the beheading of Medusa to the rescuing of Andromeda.

Perseus and Andromeda, Fresco from Roman Pompeii

Note: In early artwork, Medusa was not portrayed femininely, instead, very bestially. Additionally, a good way to identify Perseus is through winged boots and a CURVED sword. It is notable that she is a black figure, not white. Also, Archaic Greek myth does not mention Medusa having snake hair.

Perseus and Medusa

Remember: Medusa was depicted as a centaur in very early artwork of her, perhaps to show her connection with Poseidon.

Perseus and a Centuary-looking Medusa

Earliest artistic example of Perseus' depiction with Andromeda, 6th BC. Andromeda is white and clothes= civilized female. Perseus, heroic nude.

Perseus pelts Ketos with Andromeda bound behind him

Some things to note: This statue stands where it is in Michelangelo's David 's direct field of vision. Wherever you are, Perseus and Medusa look down at you. This reflects a political struggle in Florence- The Medici family ruled Florence, until they were pushed out by other [powerful factions. They came back, but were viewed as tyrants, so Michaelangelo's David (from David and Goliath, a story of liberty from tyranny) became an important symbol for them. In response, the Medici built Bandinelli's Hercules and Cacus, where the victor (Medici) stand over the vanquished (Florentine Republicans). This is essentially the same thing with Cellini's statue. Reasons Perseus and Medusa look the same: Cosimi Medici, Duke of Florence, was betrayed by Bartolomea Valori, leader of Republican exiles. BV was one of the Medici's leading statesmen, was captured and beheaded.

Perseus with the Head of Medusa by Bevenuto Cellini

A reaction to the sexism he perceived in the Andromeda-Perseus story. By replacing the dragon with a crocodile, Vallotton has downgraded Perseus' heroism. Perseus is stripped of all the elements of the mythic hero. What is left is a man believing himself to be a hero, while a modern Andromeda looks on with disdain at Perseus' self-perceived 'heroic' act.

Persée tuant le dragon (Perseus Kills the Dragon) by Félix Vallotton

Conflates some Greek depictions of Medusa like the wings and femininity. The snakes probably refer to the snake belt.

Roman mosaic of Medusa's head

First Labor of Hercules

Slay the Nemean Lion

St. George Myth is similar to P and A: Sabra was chosen to be a sacrifice to a dragon, SG says he'll kill the dragon if everyone becomes Christian. SG rides a horse, so this is probably why they depicted Perseus as the rider of Pegasus.

St. George and the Dragon, Piere Nisart

Eighth Labor of Hercules

Steal the man-eating Horses of Thracian king Diomedes

The statue depicts a weary Hercules resting heavily on his iconic club. The skin of the Nemean Lion, typically worn by Hercules in battle, is draped over the club to emphasize that Hercules is truly at rest. He holds the Golden Apples of the Hesperides (Eleventh Labor) in his hand behind him.

The Farnese Hercules

Important elements of the Perseus Myth

The Gorgones, Pegasus, Chrysaor, Athena, Hermes, and Perseus on a Pyxis (cylindrical box/holder)

The inhuman otherness of the Minotaur speaks to bestial behavior of Victorian London. Unlike the Athenian use of Minotaur as a point of contrast with Theseus to create a positive Athenian self-identity, Watts' The Minotaur served as an indictment on London's uncivilized behavior toward its own children. The powerful body of the Minotaur perhaps speaks to the predatory nature of the London males, whom Stead describes as purchasing thirteen-year-old girls from their parents for 5 pounds each. Thus, Watts' The Minotaur speaks to an Otherness he recognizes in his own society and gender.

The Minotaur, oil painting by George Frederic Watts, 1885

Kylix, London 1850,0302.3 is a 5th century BC artifact originally from the area in or around Athens.

Theseus' Cycle of Labors: Center: Minotaur and Theseus Around, clockwise from top: Kerkyon: Kerkyon of Eleusis was killed by Theseus in a wrestling match, which is the same way Kerkyon would kill travelers to Eleusis. Prokrustes: Theseus is depicted cutting off the limbs of Procrustes, just like Procrustes did to travelers that did not fit his large and small bed. Skeiron: Theseus, with the washing basin lifted over his head, kicks Skeiron over the edge to meet his death by his own turtle. (man who wanted his feet washed over a cliff so he could kick them) Marathonian/Cretan Bull: Aegeus ordered Theseus kill the Marathonian Bull, the same bull that killed Minos' son, which led to Minos' demanded of seven men and women. Father of the Minotaur. Also the bull of Heracles' Seventh Labor. His knotted club is an artistic allusion to Herakles' symbolic club, indicating that Theseus' killing of the Marathonian bull should be seen in the context of Herakles' seventh labor. A way of casting Theseus as a homegrown Attic hero of a similar heroic status to the Dorian Herakles. Sinis: Theseus ties him to a pine tree, bends it, lets him go to kill him, like Sinis did to other travelers. Krommyon Sow and Phaia: The Krommyon sow was an enormous pig that terrorized the land of Krommyon, located between Megara and Athens. The woman in the above image is Phaia, the pig's owner.