mythology test 3
Orestes
-Agamemnon and Clytemnestra's son' sent away by sister but returns years later in disguise and kills Aegisthus and his mother Clytemnestra, cleared in trial at Athens -according to Aeschlus, Orestes was away from Mycenae at the time of Agamemnon's murder. He grew to manhool in exile at the court of the Strophius--was his duty to avenge the murder of his father even though one of the murderers happened to be his own mother. He went to Mycenae and murdered Clytemnestra and Aegisthus.
Electra
-The daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra (though Homer does not mention her among Agamemnon's children), she helped Orestes avenge the murder of their father by killing Clytemnestra; she married Pylades and gave birth to Medon and Strophius.
Hector
-kills Patroclus thinking its Achilles, Achilles comes back and kills him' drags his corpse around for 12 days; Priam retrieves corpse -brother of Paris; was the champion of the Trojans, brace and honorable--excelled only bt Achilles as a warrior (killed by Achilles) wife: Andromache//daughter Eetion
Medea
Aeetes younger daughter fell in love with Jason and agreed to help him at request of Argus's mom. -priestess of Hecate -gave Jason ointment that would protect him from harm by fire or iron for space of a day. He plowed field w fire breathing bulls and threw a stone among armed men and took fleect. -drugs serpent w herbs (in Euripides, Medea is given the actual role of slaying the dragon.)
Antigone
Sophocles' Antigone
Homer's Odyssey
The return of Odysseus (Ulysses) is narrated in the Odyssey. It was delayed for ten years by the anger of Poseidon. When, after many adventures, he reached his home, he found his wife, PENELOPE [pe-nel'oh-pee], hard pressed by many suitors, who were ruining his property and plotting to kill his son, TELEMACHUS [te-lem'a-kus], or TELEMACHOS. Odysseus killed them all and was reunited with Penelope, resuming his rule over Ithaca. The Mini-Odyssey of Telemachus. In the first four books of the Odyssey Telemachus, helped by Athena, went to Pylos and Sparta to find out news of Odysseus from Nestor, Menelaüs, and Helen. On his return he avoided an ambush set by the suitors. Calypso. Odysseus, meanwhile, had been living for seven years on the island of Ogygia with the nymph CALYPSO [ka-lip'soh], or KALYPSO, daughter of Atlas. He refused her offer to make him immortal, and she was ordered by Zeus, through his messenger, Hermes, to release him. She helped him build a raft, and he sailed away towards Ithaca. The Phaeacians and Princess Nausicaä. The raft of Odysseus was wrecked by Poseidon near the island of Scheria, home of the PHAEACIANS [fee-ay'shi-anz], or PHAIAKIANS. Helped by Leucothea (a sea-goddess, once the Theban princess Ino), he reached land, where he was helped by the princess NAUSICAÄ [naw-sik'a-a], daughter of King ALCINOÜS [al-sin'o-us], or ALKINOOS, and Queen Arete. The Phaeacians were seafarers living a peaceful and prosperous life, and the splendid palace of Alcinoüs was equipped with gold and silver guard-dogs (made by Hephaestus) and with fifty golden torch-bearers in human form. The women were skilled weavers, and outside the palace were beautiful gardens and orchards. Odysseus appealed to Arete for help, and Alcinoüs honored him with a banquet at which the bard, DEMODOCUS [de-mod'o-kus], or DEMODOKOS, sang of the love of Ares and Aphrodite and the revenge of Hephaestus (see MLS, Chapter 5). Then he sang of the wooden horse and the sack of Troy, at which Odysseus wept. Invited by Alcinoüs, he told his story. Maron of Ismarus. When Odysseus and his companions left Troy, they sacked the Thracian city of Ismarus, or Ismaros, sparing the priest of Apollo, Maron, who gave them twelve jars of wine. The Lotus-Eaters. Then the Greeks sailed to the land of the lotus-eaters, where whoever ate of the fruit of the lotus forgot everything else and only wished to stay, eating lotus-fruit. Yet Odysseus managed to leave with his men. The Cyclopes and Polyphemus. They sailed to the island of the CYCLOPES [seye-kloh'peez], or KYKLOPES, one-eyed giant herdsmen living in caves. Odysseus and twelve companions waited in the cave of the CYCLOPS [seye'klops], or KYKLOPS, POLYPHEMUS [po-li-fee'mus], or POLYPHEMOS, son of Poseidon, who returned from his herding in the evening and ate two of Odysseus' men; he ate four more the next day. Odysseus gave Polyphemus some of Maron's wine and said that his name was "Nobody" (in Greek, Outis). Then, while Polyphemus lay in a drunken sleep, Odysseus and his companions drove a heated wooden pole into his eye. When the other Cyclopes, hearing the cries of Polyphemus, came to the cave (which was closed by a huge rock) to ask what was wrong, he cried out, "Nobody is killing me," and they left. Next morning Odysseus tied each man to the undersides of three sheep and himself clung to the belly of the biggest ram. Thus, as the blinded Cyclops felt the sheep when he let them out of the cave (having removed the rock), he could not discover the men, and so they escaped and went back to their ship. As they sailed away, Odysseus shouted out his real name, and Polyphemus tore off part of a mountain and threw it, nearly wrecking the ship. He prayed to Poseidon for vengeance on Odysseus, asking that if he did return home it would be after many years, alone, in distress, and upon another's ship, and that he would find trouble at home. This was the source of the anger of Poseidon, who granted his son's prayer. Aeolus. Odysseus sailed to the island of AEOLUS [ee'o-lus], or AIOLOS, who gave him a bag holding all the winds and showed him how to release the wind favorable for his return. But just as he was in sight of Ithaca, he fell asleep, and his men opened the bag. All the winds rushed out and blew them back to Aeolus, who refused to help them any more. The Laestrygonians. Next they came to the land of the LAESTRYGONIANS [les-tri-goh'ni-anz], or LAISTRYGONIANS, who sank all the ships except one and ate the crews. Circe. With the surviving ship, Odysseus sailed to Aeaea, home of CIRCE [sir'see], or KIRKE, daughter of Helius, the Sun. She transformed Odysseus' crew into pigs, but Odysseus himself, warned by Hermes, used the herb moly as an antidote to Circe's charms and forced her to change his men into human form once more. He lived with Circe for one year and she bore him a son, TELEGONUS [te-leg'o-nus], or TELEGONOS. Circe eventually let him go, and he sailed to the Underworld, to consult Tiresias. The Book of the Dead. The Book of the Dead (Book 11 of the Odyssey) tells how Odysseus went to the entrance to the Underworld and there talked with many spirits of the dead, primarily with Tiresias, who foretold the difficulties yet remaining on his journey and at his return, and foretold also the events of the rest of his life and the manner of his death. Odysseus spoke with Agamemnon, Achilles, Ajax (son of Telamon), and his mother, ANTICLEA [an-ti-klay'a or an-ti-kleye'a], or ANTIKLEIA, and he saw many other heroines. The Sirens. Having returned to Aeaea, Odysseus sailed to meet the dangers of which Circe warned him. First were the Sirens, winged monsters with women's heads, who by their song lured sailors onto the rocks. Odysseus sailed past them by stuffing his men's ears with wax and having himself lashed to the mast. The Planctae and Scylla and Charybdis. Then he avoided the PLANCTAE [plank'tee], or PLANKTAI ("wandering rocks"), by sailing close to CHARYBDIS [ka-rib'dis], who sucked in the water of the strait three times daily and spouted it up again, and to SCYLLA [sil'la], or SKYLLA (daughter of Phorcys), who snatched six sailors and ate them. Scylla had been changed into a monster through the jealousy of Poseidon's wife, Amphitrite (see MLS, Chapter 7). The Cattle of Helius. Odysseus next sailed to Thrinacia, where Helius pastured his cattle. Again he fell asleep, and his men disobeyed his orders not to touch the cattle and killed some of them for food. In response to Helius' complaint, Zeus raised a storm that sank the ship, leaving Odysseus as the sole survivor. Once again escaping the dangers of Charybdis, Odysseus drifted to Ogygia. The Phaeacians Bring Odysseus to Ithaca. After he had related his adventures to the Phaeacians, Odysseus was conveyed by them to Ithaca, where they put him on shore asleep, with the gifts they had given him. To punish the Phaeacians for helping Odysseus, Poseidon turned their ship into stone as it entered the harbor at Scheria. THE HOMECOMING OF ODYSSEUS (THE ODYSSEY, BOOKS 13-24) The second half of the Odyssey (Books 13-24) narrates how Odysseus returned to his palace, killed the suitors, and was recognized and reunited with Penelope, and how he resumed his rule over Ithaca. Eumaeus, Telemachus, and Irus. Athena helped Odysseus when he woke up after being put ashore. He was recognized by the swineherd EUMAEUS [you-mee'us], or EUMAIOS, and by Telemachus. Together they devised the plan for his entry, disguised as a beggar, into the palace, where he was insulted by the suitors and challenged to a fight (which he won) by the beggar IRUS [eye'rus], or IROS. Penelope's Web. Penelope was on the verge of having to choose a suitor as husband, for the suitors had discovered the ruse by which she had put off her choice. By day she would work on weaving a cloak to be a burial shroud for Laërtes, father of Odysseus, and by night she would unravel her work. Penelope and the Beggar Odysseus. After the fight with Irus, she spoke with Odysseus (still in disguise), who gave an exact description of himself. Encouraged by this, Penelope told him of her plan to give herself next day to the man who could string the bow of Odysseus and shoot it through twelve ax heads. Euryclea. Odysseus was bathed by his nurse, EURYCLEA [you-ri-klee'a], or EURYKLEIA, who recognized him from a scar caused by a boar's tusk, but he prevented her from revealing his identity to Penelope. The Contest of the Bow and the Battle in the Hall. Next day, when the suitors had failed even to string the bow, Odysseus did it effortlessly and shot an arrow through the ax heads. Then, helped by Telemachus and Eumaeus, he killed all the suitors after a battle in the hall, and he hanged the twelve maidservants who had been the suitors' lovers. Penelope and Odysseus Reunited. Still Penelope would not admit to recognizing him, until he revealed the secret of the construction of their bed, known only to him and Penelope. Then they were reunited in love and told each other of their patience and adventures over the twenty years of his absence. The Triumph of Odysseus. The next day, Odysseus made himself known to his father Laërtes, and Athena brought peace between him and the families of the dead suitors, whose spirits went to the Underworld and there talked with Agamemnon's ghost.
The Returns (Nostoi)
The returns of the greek leaders from troy narrated in an epic -Ajax, Agamemnon, Menelaus, Nestor/Diomedes/Philoctetes, Idomeneus, Neoptolemus Ajax the Lesser (Son of Oileus) and Agamemnon. Athena raised a storm in the Aegean in anger at the sacrilege of Ajax, son of Oileus, during the sack of Troy (see MLS, Chapter 19). The storm wrecked much of Agamemnon's fleet (with which Ajax was sailing), and Ajax, who boasted of his escape from drowning, was killed by Poseidon with his trident. A second storm struck the fleet, wrecking many more ships on the coast of Euboea. Agamemnon finally reached Mycenae, where he was murdered by Clytemnestra and Aegisthus (see MLS, Chapter 18). Menelaüs. Menelaüs reached Egypt after losing five ships in another storm. The sea-god Proteus told him how to appease the gods and sail back safely to Greece. The visit of Menelaüs to Egypt fits with the legend (see MLS, Chapter 19) that Helen spent the years of the war in Egypt, while her phantom went to Troy. Seven years after the fall of Troy, Menelaüs and Helen reached Sparta safely and resumed their life together. At his death Menelaüs was transported to Elysium (rather than Hades), because, as the husband of the immortal Helen, he was the son-in-law of Zeus. Nestor, Diomedes, and Philoctetes. Of the other Peloponnesian leaders, Nestor returned to Pylos safely. Diomedes, who had wounded Aphrodite at Troy, returned to Argos to find that the goddess had caused his wife, Aegialia, to be unfaithful. He left Argos and came to Italy, where he founded several cities. Philoctetes returned to Thessaly and also was driven out by his people. He too went to Italy and founded several cities. The stories of Diomedes, Idomeneus, and Philoctetes seem to be connected with the foundation of Greek colonies in Italy (the first at Cumae in 732 B.C.). Idomeneus. Idomeneus returned to Crete to find that his wife, Meda, had been unfaithful with Leucus, who then murdered her and her daughter and made himself king over ten cities. Leucus drove out Idomeneus, who went to Italy. Another story of the exile of Idomeneus is that he vowed to Poseidon that he would sacrifice the first living thing that came to meet him if he returned home safely. His son was the first to meet him, and Idomeneus sacrificed him. In punishment for the killing, the gods sent a plague on the Cretans, who drove Idomeneus out. Neoptolemus. Neoptolemus went by land back to Phthia with Helenus and Andromache (see MLS, Chapters 18 and 19). With them and his wife, Hermione, he went to Epirus as king of the Molossi. He was killed at Delphi and was honored there with a hero-cult.
Clytemnestra
kills Agamemnon with Agisthus--later killed byElectra and Orestes
Aeschylus' Trilogy (Agamemnon, Libation, Bearers, Eumenides)
"Agamemnon" describes the homecoming of King Agamemnon of Argos from the Trojan War, along with his concubine Cassandra. His wife, Clytemnestra, however, had long been planning his murder (in concert with her lover, Aegisthus) as revenge for Agamemnon's earlier sacrifice of their daughter, Iphigenia. "The Libation Bearers" deals with the reunion of Agamemnon's children, Electra and Orestes, and their revenge as they kill Clytemnestra and Aegisthus in a new chapter of the curse of the House of Atreus. -Clytemnestra has nightmare about giing birth to a snake which then feeds from her breast and draws blood-she orders daughter Electra and slave women to pour libations on Agamemnon's grave as offering to gods. Electra runs into brother Orestes who has been banished from kingdom by their mother--says Apollo has told him to kill his mother, electra and him plot together. He sneaks into palace by saying he is a traveller looking for hospitality-says Orestes is dead. He kills Clytemnestra but is cursed by Erinyes (Furies) and he flees Argos. "The Eumenides" tells of how Orestes is pursued to Athens by the vengeful Erinyes for the murder of his mother, Clytemnestra, and how he is tried before Athena and a jury of Athenians to decide whether his crime justifies the torment of the Erinyes. -tormented by furies, orestes finds refuge at temple of apollo in Delphi. Apollo delays Furies with a sleeping spell so Orestes can continue to Athens under protectioin of Hermes. Clytemestra's ghost rouses furies and urges them to continue hunting orestes. Furies track Orested by following scent of slain mother's blood. Orestes is surrounded, he begs Athena for help, who decides to have a trial. Brings twelve athenians as jury--jury is hung (equal votes) and Athena says hugn juries should always result in defendent being acquitted bc mercy takes precedence over harshness.
Sophocles' Antigon
-Antigone and Ismene, the daughters of Oedipus talk about how Polynices and Eteocles have killed one another in a battle for control over Thebes. Creon now rules the city and has ordered that Polynices, who brought a feoreign army against Theves not be allowed proper burial rites and threatents to kill anyone ho tries to bury him and stations uards. Antigone goes alone (Ismene refuses to help) to bury him and sentry alerts Creon. Antigone is caught trying to rebury brother and freely confesses act and says Creon is defying the will of the gods by refusing to bry Polynices. Creon condemns Antigone and Ismene to death. Haemon (Creon's son) is asked about his opinion and admits he supports Antigone. Creon curses him and threatens to slay Antigone. Heemon leaves and Creon pardons Ismene but decides to kill Antigone by burying her alive. -blind prophet Tiresias arrives and Creon promises to take whatever advice he gives. Tiresias advises Creon allows Polynices to be buried--creon refuses but changes his mind when Tiresias says gods will bring down curses if he refuses. Too late--Antigone hangs herself, Haemon kills himself with a sword, and Eurydice kills herself while calling down curses on her husband for the misery his pride caused.
Laius
-Father of Oedipus. Driven into exile by Zethus and Amphion but eventually came to rule Cadmeia. While in exile, Pelops, King of Elis, watched over him. Louis fell for Pelops' son and stole him and was cursed so now he and his wife Jocasta's son was destined to kill Lauis. -son of Labdacus (who perished while pursuing same policy as Pentheus) -was exiled by Amphioni and Zethus when they ruled Cadmeia -returned when they died and resumed kingship of which he had been deprived. -in exile, he was hospitably received by Pelops, king of Eliz. (ties of guest and host was a very sacred relationship, and) Laius brought upon himself and his descendants a curse by abducting Chrysippus, the son of Pelops, with whom he had fallen in love. -in his lost tragedy Chrysippus, Euripides made Laius "the first of the Hellenes to practice love for men" an accepted practice among Athenian men in EUripides time. The scene in the Darius painter's vase shows the violence of Laius and the dismay of Pelops and Chrysippus (who committed suicide after the rape). Apollo foretold the working out of the curse in the first generation when Laius (now king of Thebes) consulted the Delphic oracle about the children who should be born to him and his wife Jocasta. -oracle replied: I will give you a son, but you are destined to die at his hands. This is the decision of Zeus in answer to the bitter curses of Pelops, whose son you abducted; all this did Pelops call down upon you.
Oedipus
-Originally ordered to die but was given to a shepherd instead. Adopted son of Polybos, King of Corinth, and Queen Merope. Oedipus literally means swellfoot. unknowingly killed his father and married his mother. Married his mother, Jocasta, after solving the riddle of the sphinx and became king of Thebes. Blinded himself after finding out it was him who killed his father. -son of Laius and Jocasta -fate told by oracle that he was going to kill his father Laius -Laius attempted to avoid the fate foretold by the oracle by ordering the infant to be exposed upon Mt. Cithaeron with a spike driven through his ankles but servant entrusted with the task pitied the baby and instead gave him to a Corinthian shepherd who in turn brought the infant to his master, Polybus, king of Corinth. The child was brought up as the son of Polybus and his queen, Merope, and was called Oedipus from the injury to his ankles. -years later, drunk companion accused Oedipus of not being Polybus's natural son. in alarm, Oedipus left Corinth to ask oracle at Delphi who his parents were. Oracle warned him to avoid homeland because he would murder his father and marry his mother. He decided not to return to Corinth and took road from Delphi to Thebes. On his way, man riding in horse blocked his way-they fought-oedipus killed man (Laius) -Oedipus and the Sphinx: Oedipus came to Thebes where Sphinx was eating people bc they couldn't answer riddles. "what is it that has one name that is four footed, two-footed, and three-footed? MAN! (he got the riddle and conquered Spynx) and became king of Thebes and husband of the widowed queen (his mother) -three versions (two Homeric and one Sophoclean) of how Oedipus came to find out about his mother etc: 1) Gods made it known the Jocasta was mother--she hung herself and Oedipus ruled unhappily 2) Iliad: Oedipus falls in battle and another wife is mother of his children 3) **MOSt ACCEPTED: Sophocles: Oedipus and Jocasta lived happily together and she bore him two sons, Polynices and Eteocles and two daughters: Antigone and Ismene. plague came to Thebes and oracle of Apollo advides Thebans it was result of pollution bc murderer of Laius was in their midst. -Polybus dies, same messenger that delivered Oedipus comes to give him request to be Corinth's king (from people) but Oedipus refuses--messenger informs Oedipus he's not even Merope's son (to reassure) ends up telling Oedipus the truth. Jocasta hangs herself and Oedipus rips out his eyes and is banished. -end of story has to do with the development of the heroic status of Oedipus (his questioning of his guilt in his own fate). The central themes of the tragedy are the relationship of the human to the divine and the way in which human beings react to or control events brought about by the divine will. The sudience knowns the results of Oedipus' search for the killer before he begins the process of discovery
Perseus
-child of Zeus and Danae -Danae kept him in camber for four years--unknown to Acrisius (father of Danae who locked her up). discovered because noise--Acrisius refused to believe that Zeus was the father and put mother and cild into chest which he set afloat on the sea--ended up o island of Seriphos, where fisherman Dictys found it and rescued them. -was advised by Hermes and Athena--made his way to the three daughters of Phorcys, sisters of the Gorgons and old women. They alone could tell Perseus the way to some nymphs who possessed certain magic objects he would need for his task (give Polydectes the Gorgon's head)--stole their one eye and tooth they shared and only gave it back when Graeae told him the way to the nymphs. from the nymphs he received threeobjects: cap of invisibility, pair of winged sandals and wallet. From Hermes he got a scimitar--only object given directly by Hermes -The Gorgons: flew to Grgons whose home was somewhere on the edge of the world--usually situated inn North Africa. Directed by Athena--beheaded Medusa and put in Kibisis. Chrysaor and Pegasus sprang from her as she was beheaded. --brought back to Polydectes and Danae was thus released. -Perseus returned objects to gods (sandals to hermes, gorgons head to Athena) -accidentally killed Acrisius while throwing discus -had children with Andromeda
Odysseus
-gets revenge on Palamedes for trick; reveals a fake dream to move the camp for a day; Agamemnon does it; plants a letter of conspiracy in Palamedes tent; Palamedes is killed for conspiracy; ventures back home from Troy; arrives with no crew, pretends to be a beggar, beats all the suitors with the bow and arrow, reveals himself to his wife -Greeks were summoned to war--Odysseus and Achilles attempted to avoid. Odysseus pretended to be mad but was exposed when Palamedes took Odysseus's son Telemachus and put him in the path of his plow. -wisest of the Greeks. skilled speaker
Polyphemus
-on a cavernous island in Sicily, Ody & his men are trapped in a cave by a cyclops named Polyphemus. He eats many men, but Ody gets him drunk on wine; he passes out, and the men stab his eye out with a stick. Ody introduced himself as Outis (no name), so when Poly goes to tell his cyclops friends, none of them care that "no one took his eye out"; the men escape by holding onto the bottom of rams, and Ody yells to Poly that it was him who do it, which sparks the curse by Poseidon, Poly's father
Agamemnon
-son of Atreus; fleas to Sparta when his father is killed; marries Clytemnestra, retakes Mycenae from Thyestes and Aegisthus; takes charge of expedition against Troy; fleet is detained by strong winds at Aulis (Artemis is angry--killed sacred deer), sacrficies daughter Iphigenia; leads Greek army in Battle of Troy; killed by Clytemnestra and Aegisthus when he returns from Troy -son of Atreus. Succeeded father as king of Mycenae. Married Clytemnestra -children: Iphigenia, Electra and Orestes -committed crime against one of his children. He sacrificed his daughter Iphigenia at the start of the Trojan expedition in order to appease Artemis and gain favorable winds to sail from Greece. -his crime makes his wife hat him: Clutemnestra commits adultry with Aegishthus who later murder Agamemnon by enticing him into palace with Cassandra. -other version: Clytemnestra kills him in his bath by trapping him in a robe while she stabs him. Aeschylus has cassandra forsee the murder and her own death before she enters palace: she links Agamemnon's murder to banquet of Thyestes -only son affected by curse of Myrtilus
Paris
-son of King Priam and Hecuba, left to die on mountains; rescued by shepherds; loved is Oinone; defeats all men in contest; recognized by his family; promised by goddesses different things; he chooses Helen offered by Aphrodite; goes and gets Helen from Sparta; wounded in duel with Philoctetes, seeks Oinone but dies when she won't help -trojan prince -also called Alexander -came to Sparta, secuded Helen and took her back to Troy -"the judgement of paris": wedding feast of Peleus and Thetis--Eris threw apple onto the table with the words "for the most beautiful" and Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite each claimed it. Zeus gives Paris the task of choosing. (gives to hermes to give to Paris). Paris sees all three naked, Hera offers mastership of Asia, Athena offers him victory in every fight--promise to be a warrior and hero, Aphrodite offers wife and love of Helen; says she will use desire and love to win Helen over -Paris grants Aphrodite the apple -while being a shepherd on My. Ida he tell in love with nymph Oenone who had gift of healing. He left her for Helen--is injured by Philoctetes later in life and Oenone refuses to heal him: kills herself in remorse. -shot the arrow that fatally wounded Achilles
Achilles
-son of Peleus and Thethis; hidden by mother on isalnd of Scyros; disguised as a woman; Odysseus leads embassy to find him; greatest warrior of Troy; kills Hector and parades his corpse on his chariot; shot by Paris with help of Apollo, battle of corpse, retreived by Ajax the Greater with help from Odysseus -attempted to avoid war -prince of Myrmidons and the greatest Greek warrior//swiftestand most handsome -avoided by Zeus when the secret was revealed that he would be greater Thetis' father. -made immortal by his mother bc she dipped him in the river Styx -sent to centaur Ciron for education. From im he learned the art of music and other skills. -fell in love with Deidamia Thetis learned that troy could not be taken without Achilles, but that Achilles would die if he fought-so his mom disguised him as a girl -Odysseus and Diomedes exposed Achilles disguise by bringing gifts for the daughters of Lyxomedes with weapons and armor (which Achilles was interested in) -Achilles Heals Telephus: Achilles wounded him and was told by oracle that Achilles could heal him--disguised himself as beggar and was healed by Achilles w spear -killed by Paris with the help of Apollo as he pursued the Trojans toward the city: his ghost requested for Polyxena to be sacrificed at his grave -his armor was claimed adn fought for by Odysseus and Ajax--Odysseus won, Ajax slaughtered a flock of sheep and then himself w sword--flower w initials on its petals sprang from blood
Pelops
-son of Tantalus who is chopped up but put back together by the gods, wins race for Hippodamia with Myrtilus' help but kills him afterward, two sons with Hippodamia and bastard son Chrysippus -Son of Tantalus. Possible boy toy of Poseidon. Was killed by his father and served to the Gods. Demeter ate his shoulder which was replaced by ivory when he was restored. Suitor for Hippodameia and had to battle Oenomaus(her father) for her. Won and married her. -important in religious cults at olympia -tantalus abused privilege of eating with the gods: invited gods to dinner and cut up Pelops and boiled parts. -usual version of myth: gods recognized deception and refused to eat except for demeter who ate from the shoulder: when the Gods put him back together they had to substitute an ivory shoulder. -pelops traveled to Greece as the suitor of Hippodamia, became a hero w cult at olympia where his shrine is next to the temple of Zeus. (sacrifices to Zeus and Pelops were central to the ritual of the Olumpic festival, and Pelops received a sacrifice before each sacrifice to Zeus) -gave name to southen part of the Greek mainland (Peloponnese), but also received honors at the center of the greatest of the Panhellenic festivals. -race between Pelops and Oenomaus was origin of the curse on the descendants of Pelops. To win Hippodamia, a suitor had first to win a chariot race against Oenomaus. H would have a short start and take Hippodamia in his chariot with him. Oenomaus would follow and if he cought up, he would kill Pelops. -in one version of the race, he plays to his lover poseidon who grants him the win -in another version of the race,Pelops bribed Oenomaus' charioteer, Myrtilus--who thought Pylops was going to let him have Hippodamia on the first night in retur--to remove linchpins so it would crash. Pelops of course didn't let Myrtilus have Hippodamia and as hip was thrown over cliff,m he cursed Pylop's familyt etc Pelops returned to Pisa and became king in place of Oenomaus. had children: Thyestes and Atreus
Penelope
-wife of Odysseus who waits for him to return home to Ithaca; suitors pressure her to remarry, keeps them away by weaving the robe; takes in Odysseus disguised as a beggar, discovers its him after he kills suitors -usual epithet is periphron: she is wary and resourceful,able to keep the suitors at bay by her intelligence -gets them to give her gifts, devises test of the bow but is not present wen odysseus fixes the bow and kills everyone. She doesn't recognize him at first--she knows its him eventuallly: talks of a dream in which an eagle ills her flock of twenty geese and he says it's an omen of Odysseus' return.
Sophocles' Oedipus at Colonus
After years of wandering in exile from Thebes, Oedipus arrives in a grove outside Athens. Blind and frail, he walks with the help of his daughter, Antigone. Oedipus and Antigone learn from a citizen that they are standing on holy ground, reserved for the Eumenides, goddesses of fate. Oedipus sends the citizen to fetch Theseus, the king of Athens and its surroundings. Oedipus tells Antigone that, earlier in his life, when Apollo prophesied his doom, the god promised Oedipus that he would come to rest on this ground. -Chorus of old men (citizens of Colonus) meet him and Oedipus explains that he unwillingly married his mother and killed his father -After an interlude in which Oedipus tells the Chorus who he is, Oedipus's second daughter, Ismene, enters, having gone to learn news from Apollo's oracle at Delphi. She tells him that, back in Thebes, Oedipus's younger son, Eteocles, has overthrown Polynices, the elder, and that Polynices is now amassing troops in Argos for an attack on his brother and on Creon, who rules along with Eteocles. The oracle has predicted that the burial place of Oedipus will bring good fortune to the city in which it is located, and both sons, as well as Creon, know of this prophecy. Both Polynices and Creon are currently en route to try to take Oedipus into custody and thus claim the right to bury him in their kingdoms. Oedipus swears he will never give his support to either of his sons, for they did nothing to prevent his exile years ago. -King Theseus arrives and says that he pities Oedipus for the fate that has befallen him, and he asks how he can help Oedipus. Oedipus asks Theseus to harbor him in Athens until his death, but warns that by doing him this favor, Theseus will incur the wrath of Thebes. Despite the warning, Theseus agrees to help Oedipus. -Creon appears in order to abduct Oedipus, but, proving unsuccessful, he kidnaps Antigone and Ismene instead. Theseus promises Oedipus that he will get his daughters back. Theseus does in fact return with Oedipus's daughters shortly. -Soon after, Polynices arrives, seeking his father's favor in order to gain custody of his eventual burial site. Oedipus asks Theseus to drive Polynices away, but Antigone convinces her father to listen to his son. Polynices tells Oedipus that he never condoned his exile, and that Eteocles is the bad son, having bribed the men of Thebes to turn against Polynices. Oedipus responds with a terrible curse, upbraiding his son for letting him be sent into exile, and predicting that Eteocles and Polynices will die at one another's hands. Polynices, realizing he will never win his father's support, turns to his sisters. He asks that they provide him with a proper burial should he die in battle. Antigone embraces Polynices, saying that he is condemning himself to death, but he resolutely says that his life remains in the hands of the gods. He prays for the safety of his sisters and then leaves for Thebes. -Terrible thunder sounds, and the Chorus cries out in horror. Oedipus says that his time of death has come. Sending for Theseus, he tells the king he must carry out certain rites on his body, and that by doing so he may assure divine protection to his city. Theseus says that he believes Oedipus and asks what to do. Oedipus answers that he will lead the king to the place where he will die, and that Theseus must never reveal that spot, but pass it on to his son at his own death, who in turn must pass it on to his own son. In this way Theseus and his heirs may always rule over a safe city. -God says its time, oedipus makes Theseus and daughters make pledge to eachother--tells daughters to leave and directs Theseus
The Argonauts
Argo was built by Argus with help of Athena--bow had piece of wooek made from oak of Dodona that had power of speech. Crew was caled Argonauts. Orpheus and Heracles -some had special gifts
Cecrops, Ericthonius, Erechtheus
Athenians said Cecrops sprung from earth and was serpent-shaped in the lowe half of his body. -Erichtonius was serpent shaped. When hephaestus attempted to violate athena, his semen fell on the ground an dfrom it sprang erichthonius. Athena put him in a chest and gave to daughters of Cecrops, Pandrosos, Auglaros and Herse and forbid them to look inside (they disobeyed) and were driven mad and killed themselves. his myth focuses upon his birth (sprung from earth) confused w grandson and successor as king of Athens. worshipped as Poseidon-Erechtheus and offered sacrifices of bulls. -te,ple known as Erechtheum was dedicated jointly to Athena Polias -was important in mythology of athens: defended in earliest war, sacrificed daughter, was killed by Poseidon
Sophocles' Electra and Euripides' Electra
Euripides' Electra: the Dioscuri prophesy that Orestes must go into exile, pursued by the Furies. They promise he will evenually appeal to Athena and be acquitted of the charge of matricide by the court of the Areopagus at Athens. -Euripides and Sophocles wrote their own versions of the Electra story. The basic plot is as follows: Agamemnon is killed by Clytemnestra and her lover Aegisthus after he returns from the Trojan war to reclaim his sister-in-law Helen from the Trojans. Electra and her brother Orestes plot to kill their mother and her lover to revenge his death. Both authors wrote about the same plot, but the built the story very differently. Sophocles focused on Orestes, and Euripides focused more on the life of Electra. In Sophocles's version, the play opens with Orestes learning his fate from the Pythian Oracle; he must revenge his father's death unarmed and alone. He sends his pedagogue Pylades, as a spy, to learn about the situation in Mycenae. Electra mourns for her father's death. She is unable to avenge her father's murders without the help of Orestes, her brother. She is also mad about how her mother and her lover waste her father's riches and desecrate his name. Her half-sister Chrysothemis is no help to Electra and refuses to help in the murder of her mother and mother's lover. Pylades arrives bearing the sad news of Orestes death. He tells Clytemnestra that Orestes was killed in a chariot race at the Delphian games; his body was cremated and his ashes were sent to Mycenae. Concealing his identity, Orestes arrives and with the help of Electra and Pylades, plots the murder of his mother and his mother's lover. Orestes enter the palace, kills his mother and returns to Electra. When Aegisthus arrives, Orestes kills him as well fulfilling his destiny. Euripides's version is much more dramatic. The play begins with Electra's marriage to a peasant. Aegisthus had tried to kill Electra but Clytemnestra convinced him to allow her to live. He decided to marry her to a peasant so her children will be humbly born and pose no threat to his throne. Orestes and Pylades arrive. Orestes says that he has come to Apollo's shrine to pledge himself to avenge his father's murder. Orestes, concealing his identity, talks with Electra about the recent happenings in Mycenae. She admits that she is sad that her brother had been taken away at such a young age and the only person that would recognize him would be her father's old servant. She also discusses her scorn of Aegisthus desecrating the monument over Agamemn's grave and his ridicule of Orestes. When the old servant arrives, after being summoned by Electra, he recognizes and identifies Orestes to Electra. Only after seeing the scar over his eye, is Electra convinced that it is him. They then begin to plot Aegisthus and Clytemnestra's murder. Orestes follows Aegisthus into the stables during his sacrifice and kills him with his own knife. They then kill Clytemnestra when she comes to them after hearing that Electra had a baby. After the killing, miraculously, Castor and Polydeuces appear above the house blaming Apollo for instigating the butchery. They then list all the events necessary for Electra and Orestes to be redeemed. Both these versions have the same basic plot but go about telling the story differently. Euripides is much more dramatic. He makes Electra more involved and discusses the consequences of their act. Sophocles only tells the story of what happened up until the killing. He focuses more on Orestes's role. -sophocles:both mom and lover killed Agamemnon//
Bellerophon
Pegasus belongs to Bellerophon grandson of Sisyphus -associated with the city-state of Corinth: unintentionally killed a broter-went to court of Proetus who purified him//Proetus's wife fell in lvoe w him and accused him of attempting to seduce her when he rejected her. Proetus sent Bellerophon to his wife's father with instructions for destruction (sent Bellerophon on a series of dangerous expeditions) fought Chimera, Solymi, Amazons -when Iobates realized Bellerophon was truly devine, he kept him in Lycia and gave him his daughter and half his kingdom. -became father of hippolochus and Isandrus who was killed fightin Solymi and daughter who was loved by Zeus who was killed by Artemis -ended his days in sorrow -Bellerophon couldn't tame pegasus until Athena appeared in dream and gave him a magic bridle: Bellerophon was hurled from Olympus by Pegasus (attempted to rise too high)
The Greek Heroes and the Heroes' Journey; Joseph Campbell's Hero of a Thousand Faces (review 409-413)
Quest has a universal structure in which the element wlawya appear in the same sequence. I greek sage, wefind many recurring motifd though not always as predictable as in Propp's structural theory. Ten motifs frequently appear 1. hero usually has elements of extraordinary linked to bith and childood 2. inevitable faces opposition fo one sort of another from the beginning and as a result he must prove his inerent worth 3. enemy usually instigatesachievement 4. helped by at least one ally, divine or human 5. faces apparent insuperable obstacles, often labors that must be accomplished of quest that must be completed 6. adventurous conflictas with divine, human, or monstrous opponnetns present him with physical, secual, and spiritual challenges 7. may also have to observe taboos 8. death itself is the ultimate conquest (to and from underworld) 9. hero's success may be reqarded with marriage, political security, or wealth and power 10. knowledge through suffeing and more lasting spiritual enlightenment
Greek tragedy and the values explored on stage by the Greek playwrights; pay particular attention to the material in Chapters 17-18 but feel free to bring in material from earlier plays: Bacchae, Hippolytus etc)
The three genres of drama were comedy, satyr plays, and most important of all, tragedy. Comedy: The first comedies were mainly satirical and mocked men in power for their vanity and foolishness. The first master of comedy was the playwright Aristophanes. Much later Menander wrote comedies about ordinary people and made his plays more like sit-coms. Tragedy: Tragedy dealt with the big themes of love, loss, pride, the abuse of power and the fraught relationships between men and gods. Typically the main protagonist of a tragedy commits some terrible crime without realizing how foolish and arrogant he has been. Then, as he slowly realizes his error, the world crumbles around him. The three great playwrights of tragedy were Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides. Aristotle argued that tragedy cleansed the heart through pity and terror, purging us of our petty concerns and worries by making us aware that there can be nobility in suffering. He called this experience 'catharsis'. Satyr Plays: These short plays were performed between the acts of tragedies and made fun of the plight of the tragedy's characters. The satyrs were mythical half-human, half-goat figures and actors in these plays wore large phalluses for comic effect. Few examples of these plays survive. They are classified by some authors as tragicomic, or comedy dramas.
Labors of Herakles
TwelveLabors to become immortal. represented on the metopes of the temple of Zeus 1. The Nemean Lion 2. Lernaean Hydra 3. Cerynean Hind 4. Erymanthian Boar 5. Augean Stables 6. Stymphalian Birds 7. Cretan Bull 8. Maresof Diomedes 9. Girdle of Hippolyta 10. Cattle of Geryon 11. apples of Hesperides 12. Cerberus: had fetch Cerberus (conquest of death): went to underworld and wrestled--in hades he saw teseus chained bc attempt to carry off Perseophone-he released, set in motioin train of events to his own death
Kreon
antigone's uncle (king of Thebes when Laius goes missing) kidnaps antigone and Ismene in his efforts to convince Oedipus to return to Thebes for his death became king of Thebes again on the death of Eteocles--gave orders the Polynices was not to be buried on the grounds that he was a traitor who had attacked his own city. To leave the dead unburied was an offense against the gods, for it was the religious duty of the relatives of the dead to give them a pious burial. Antigone (as sister) owed her brothers a burial. STORY OF ANTIGONE
Jason
belonged to rulign family of Iolcus -quest for the golden fleece and crew of Argo. Jason shows up in his hometown of Iolcus with a game-plan: regain the throne stolen from his father by his uncle Pelias. King Pelias says he's down to give up the throne... so long as Jason brings him the Golden Fleece. Which is held in the far away land of Colchis, a.k.a not something you can just pick up at the local Walmart. Jason accepts the quest anyway and assembles the most star-studded team of heroes Greece has ever seen to go on the quest with him aboard the magical ship, the Argo. Jason and the Argonauts have tons of adventures on the way Colchis, like battling Harpies and giants and stuff like that. When they finally arrive in Colchis, King Aeëtes says that Jason can have the Fleece just as long he completes three nearly impossible tasks. With the help of Medea, the daughter of Aeëtes, Jason completes the tasks, grabs the Fleece and Medea, and sails back to Greece. A few adventures later, Jason and pals are marching into Iolcus with the Golden Fleece.
Minos
employer of Daedalus. prayed to Poseidonn to send him a bull from the sea for sacrifice and was granted this--sacrificed another to keep the more beautiful and Poseidon was mad and caused hs wife to fall in love with the bull. Daedalus constructed lifelike hollow cow in which they mated--produced Minotaur(theseus destroys)
Homer's Iliad
events of the first nine years of the war are obscure--tenth are described in Iliad--deals only w events from the outbreak of the quarrel between Achilles and Agamemnon to the ransoming and burial of Hector. Siege of Troy lasted 9 years. Agamemnon was given Chryseis but had to give her back, then took Briseis who was Achilles--got mad and withdrea the Myrmidons from the war to spite. -Achilles is the embodiment of heroic arete (excellence): one's standing in the eyes of others gained by words/deeds/gifts/spoils -Achilles honor was slighted when Agamemnon took away Briseis and ad cause to withdraw from fighting
Theseus
national hero of Attica--athens was focal point of his legends. Links with Marathon and Troezen. -Six labors on his journey from Troezen to Athens (bull of marathon//minotaur) -Ariadne gives Theseus a wreath that lights up the darkness of the Labrynth and helps him escape (has to do with Minotaur) -Theseus becomes king of Athens: creates traditional Cran dance at Delos. Became king of athens because Aegeus saw his ship approaching and threw himself into the sea (Aegean Sea) -credited with number of historical reforms and institutions: synoecism of Attica//refounding of the Isthmian Games -joined Heracles in expedition against Amazon--had ippolytus with Antiope who died during Amazon attack (were defeated). -was among guests at marraige of Pirithous and took part in fight against centaurs. he stole Helen who was later returned. -attempted to abduct Perseophone ad way caught and help to magical chair in Underworld. -also married to Phaedra -life ended in failure: driven out of Athens, power usurped by Menetheus(athenian leader at troy) and theseus went to island of Scyros and was killed
Herakles
particularly associated w area around Argod w Thebes and Trachis and Mt. Oeta -father was Amphitryon birth introduces a constant feature:hostility of Hera who tried to prevent birth and even sent snakes. -birth: heracles kills serpents and Amphitryon foretold what fortunes Heracles would meet (people he would kill etc) -killed lion that was preying on cattle of Amphitryon and lay with his daughters. freed Thebans from paying tribute to Minyans and Creon gave him his daughter Megara as a wife in payment -killed his wife Megara and children in fit of madness Hera causes--he leaves for Delphi and priestess of Apollo tells him to complete labors to become immortal
Eteocles and Polyneices
sons of Oedipus killed eachother in single combat--cursed by father Oedipus; quarrel over kignship, agree to alternate every year starting with Eteocles, Eteocles refuses to let Polyneices rule, Adrastos agrees to help Polyneices to conquer Thebes, kill each other in battle
Sophocles' Oedipus Tyrannus
story of oedipus
