Greek Mythology Exam 2 Study Guide PDF

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Exam 2 study guide...

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February 16 - March 16

Major characters from all the mythological stories we have discussed (who they are, what happened to them, how they are related to each other, identifying physical features) • Daphne: nymph, daughter of river god Peneus • Cupid strikes Apollo with love arrow and Daphne with hate arrow • Apollo chases daphne through woods • She prays to her father, he turns her into a laurel tree • Apollo takes the Laurel as his symbol • Apollo is the god of reason and order, but here he acts crazy • Io: daughter of river god Inachus • Jupiter(Zeus) is having an affair with Io, Juno(Hera) finds out • Jupiter turns Io into a cow, which Juno asks for as a gift. • Juno ties up the cow and has Argus(hundred eyed watchman) guard her • Jupiter sends Mercury(Hermes) to free Io with trickery • Mercury disguises himself as a Shepard and hangs out with Argus • Mercury tells Argus the story of Pan and Syrinx • Nature god Pan is in love with nymph Syrinx • She rejects him but he chases her • She transforms herself into reeds • Pan makes a set of pipes out of the reeds (pan pipes) • Argus falls asleep and mercury kills him • Juno sends gadfly to chase Io around the world • Io ends up in Egypt • Finally Juno and Jupiter reconcile • Io is turned back into a woman, worshipped as goddess by Egyptians • Pygmalion • Great sculptor who rejects women • He sculpts the perfect woman and falls in love with it • He prays to Venus(Aphrodite) for a wife just like the statue • Venus brings the statue to life • Pygmalion marries her and they live happily ever after • Myrrha: Princess, daughter of Cinyras (grandson of pygmalion) • She refuses to marry because she's in love with her father • She tries to commit suicide, but her nurse stops her • Nurse sets up a plan: Myrrha can seduce her father in darkness while her mother is away • Eventually her father brings a light and discovers it is Myrrha

• She runs away, already pregnant • She prays to be transformed, the gods turn her into a Myrrh tree • Her son, Adonis, is born from a split in the bark • Adonis: son of Myrrha and her father Cinyras • Grows up to be very handsome • Cupid accidentally pricks Venus with an arrow, she falls in love with Adonis • Venus spends her time hunting with Adonis • Venus warns him to stay away from wild animals • She tells him the story of Atalanta and Hippomenes • Atalanta is a princess who fights and competes like men • She says she will marry whatever man can beat her in a footrace, bu the losers will die • Hippomenes i sin love with her and offers to compete • Hippomenes prays to Venus for help • She gives him three golden apples • Every time Atalanta gets ahead of him, he throws one apple and she chases after it • Hippomenes wins the race and marries Atalanta • He forgets to thank Venus • She makes him and Atalanta have sex in a temple of Cybele, a fierce Eastern Goddess • She transforms them both into lions • Venus leaves Adonis after telling the story • Adonis begins hunting a wild boar • The boar attacks and fatally wounds Adonis • Venus finds him • She swears his death will be lamented in ritual • His blood is transformed into the anemone flower • Actaeon: Prince from Thebes • Goes out hunting • Diana and her nymphs are bathing • Actaeon sees her naked • Diana transforms him into a stag • he is killed by his own hunting dogs • Semele: • Pregnant by Jupiter • Juno disguises herself as an old woman and convinces Semele to test Jupiter • Semele asks Jupiter to show her his true form • Jupiter= lightning bolt, she burns up • Jupiter rescues baby Bacchus, sews him into his own thigh, he's born again later

• Tiresias • Jupiter and Juno arguing over who enjoys sex more men or women? • Ask Tiresias • Saw two snakes • Struck the female, became a women for seven years • Struck the male, became a man • Tiresias agrees with Jupiter • Juno blinds Tiresias, Jupiter gives him the gift of prophecy • Echo and Narcissus • Narcissus= son of nymph • mother asks if he will live long • Tiresias’ prophecy= “if he knows himself, no.” • Echo in love with him • Distracted Juno for Jupiter • Cursed to only repeat speech of others • Pined away with love, lost her body • Rejected lover curses Narcissus • Sees his own reflection in a pool • Falls in love with himself • Pines away and dies • Becomes a narcissus flower (daffodil) • Arachne: greatest weaver in the world, boastful • Minerva(Athena) disguises herself as an old woman • Warns Arachne about pride • Arachne challenges Minerva to a weaving contest • Minerva’s weaving • Central image: competition with Poseidon over Athens • Four corners: boastful mortals and punishments • Rhodope and Haemus: mountains • Gerana: crane • Antigone: stork • Cinyras’ daughters: temple steps • Arachne’s weaving • Gods deceiving and seducing mortals • Europa: abducted by Jupiter as a bull • Leda: seduced by Jupiter as a away • Many others • Arachne’s weaving wins • Minerva attacks Arachne with her shuttle • Arachne tries to hang herself

• Transformed into a spider

• The Cretan Myths • Minos= king of Crete • Poseidon sends a white bull for sacrifice • Queen Pasiphae falls in love with the bull • Gives birth to the Minotaur • Minos hires/kidnaps Daedalus(inventor) • Daedalus builds the labyrinth to imprison the Minotaur • Daedalus and Icarus • Daedalus imprisoned in a tower • Plans escape with his son Icarus • Builds wings • Warns Icarus: stay in the middle of the sky • Both fly away from Crete • Icarus goes to close to the sun • wings melt • Crashes into the sea and dies • Perdix: Daedalus’ nephew • Child prodigy • Invented the saw and compass • Daeddalus was jealous • Threw Perdix off the temple of Minerva • Turned into a partridge • Ixion: King of Lapiths • Killed his father-in-law (first kin-slayer) • Invited to Olympus, lusts for Hera • Tricked into seducing a false Hera made of cloud • Produced the centaurs • Punishment: Tied to a burning wheel • Danaids: 50 Daughters of king Danaus • Engaged to marry the 50 sons of king Aegyptus • Murdered their husbands • Punishment: forced to full tub of water using broken jugs • Sisyphus: Founder king of Corinth • Betrays Zeus by telling Zeus’ lovers father where she is • Hades comes to chain him in the underworld • Sisyphus tricks Hades into the chains, none on earth can die • Finally releases Hades, sent to the underworld

• Wife doesn't bury him properly • Sisyphus convinces Persephone to let him out • He refuses to come back • Finally dragged back into the underworld by Hermes • Punishment: must roll stone up a hill, but it always rolls back • Tantalus: Mythical king, son of Zeus • Invited to feats with the gods • Kills his son Pelops, served him as a dish • Pelops brought back to life • Demeter ate his shoulder, replaces with ivory • Punishment: Stands in pool with fruit overhead, never able to eat or drink • Psyche: princess • So beautiful people thought she way Aphrodite • Aphrodite sends cupid to punish her • He accidentally pricks himself with arrow, falls in love with Psyche • King asks Oracle of Delphi who she will marry • Answer “ A monster no god or mortal can avoid” • Psyche sent away into the wilderness • Zephyr (west wind) carries her to Cupids home • Psyche marries Cupid, can never look at him or know who he is because he's afraid of Aphrodite • Psyche’s two sisters visit, jealous of Psyche’s life • Convince her to find out who her husband is • She brings a lamp to bed, drips oil on Cupid, he flies away in shock • Psyche goes looking for Cupid • She commits herself to Aphrodite's service • Aphrodite gives her three impossible tasks • Sort a pile of mixed grains (helped by ants) • Bring golden wool from Sun’s rams (helped by a reed, picks wool off the brambles • Bring water from the Styx (helped by Zeus’ eagle) • Final task • Go to the underworld and bring back some of Persephone’s beauty • Psyche in the underworld • Two coins in her mouth, honey- cakes for Cerberus • Persephone gives her a box of beauty • She opens box out of curiosity/vanity, falls into enchanted sleep • Cupid escapes from Aphrodite and finds sleeping Psyche • Goes to Zeus, who blesses the marriage • Psyche becomes a goddess, gets butterfly wings • Cupid and Psyche= union of body and should, love overcomes death

Heroes • Perseus: Grandson of king of Argos and Mother Danae • King of Argos goes to Oracle of Delphi • Prophecy: daughter Danae’s son will kill him • He locks Danae in a tower • Zeus visits her as a golden shower • Danae gives birth to Perseus • King throws them into the sea locked in a chest • Caught in a fisherman’s net on an island • Fisherman takes them in, Perseus grows up • Fishermans brother = King Polydectes • King falls in love with Danae, wants to get rid of Perseus • Sends Perseus to kill Medusa the Gorgon • Perseus prays for help from the gods • Athena becomes his guide • Athena sends him to the Graeae • Graeae three sisters who share one eye and one tooth • Perseus steals the eye • Forces them to tell him where Medusa and the hesperides are • Perseus receives gifts • Hesperides: magical satchel • Zeus: Sword and Hades’ cap of invisibility • Hermes: winged sandals • Athena: polished shield • Perseus hunts Medusa, she sees her reflection in the shield, Perseus cuts off her head and puts it in his satchel • Pegasus sprouts from Medusas neck • Perseus passes through Ethiopia • Ruled by King Cepheus and Queen Cassiopeia • Cassiopeia boasted about daughter Andromeda • Poseidon sent sea monster for Andromeda • Perseus kills the sea monster, saves Andromeda, and marries her • Perseus returns home to find Danae hiding from King Polydectes • Perseus turns Polydectes to stone with Medusa’s head • Makes fisherman brother the king, he marries Danae • Perseus dedicates Medusa’s head to Athena, she places it on the Aegis • Perseus accidentally kills his “father” while competing in athletic games • Bellerophon: Born in Corinth, Son of Poseidon

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Accidentally kills his brother - blood guilt Goes to King Proetus for purification Proetus purifies Bellerophon Queen falls in love with him, he rejects her She claims her tried to raper her Proetus cant kill a guest, he sends him to his father-in-law Iobates to kill • Iobates accepts Bellerophon as a guest before reading Proectus’ note • Sends Bellerophon to slay the Chimera • Chimera is a monster with a lion body, goat head, snake tail which breathes fire • Bellerophon learns from a seer that he needs Pegasus • Athena gives Bellerophon a magical bridle • He tames Pegasus • Places lump of lead on the end of his spear and sticks it down Chimera’s throat • Chimera breaths fore and melts lead, poisons/suffocates itself • Reconciles with Proectus and Iobates • Goes on other adventures with Pegasus • Becomes boastful • Tries to fly to Olympus, Zeus throws him from Pegasus • He falls in a thorn bush, blinded, wanders as a cripple beggar • Cadmus: Prince of Phoenicia, Brother of Europa • Sent by father to bring back Europa • Europa was abducted by Zues in bull form, taken to Europe • Follows Europa to Greece • Visits Oracle of Delphi • Prophecy: must abandon his quest, follow cow with half-moon mark, found a city where she lies down to rest • Sees the cow, follows her until she lies down in Boeotia • Decides to sacrifice the cow to Athena • Cadmus kills dragon who killed his men • Athena appears • Tells him to sow the dragons teeth in the ground • Armed men spring up • Cadmus throws a rock, they start fighting each other • Five survive, become co-founders of Thebes • Dragon was sacred to Ares • Ares forces Cadmus to serve him for 8 years • Cadmus marries Ares’ daughter Harmonia • Necklace of Harmonia= wedding gift, always brings misfortune • Ruling house of Thebes cursed forever with family vs. family violence • Cadmus tired of misfortune

• Killed dragon=greatest success / mistake • Pattern for Thebes: doing the “right thing” leads to disaster • Asks Zeus to transform him into a snake • His wife Harmonia joins him • Eventually brought to the Elysian Fields • Pentheus: Grandson of Cadmus, takes over as king of Thebes • Outlaws worship of Dionysus • Dionysus: • Drives Theban women into ritual frenzy • Lures Pentheus out to see them • Women (including mother and aunts) tear Penthouse apart • Orpheus • Falls in love with nymph Eurydice • Their wedding • Eurydice walking through grass, bitten by snake, Eurydice dies • Orpheus goes to the Underworld • Entreats Hades and Persephone • Asks for Eurydice back • Plays his lyre • Eurydice allowed to return, follow Orpheus • One condition: Orpheus cannot look back at her • Cant resist looking back • Eurydice returns to the underworld • Orpheus wanders the world • Ovids etiological interpretations: • Orpheus invents the custom of pederasty • Found by Maenads (crazy female followers of Dionysus) • Torn apart, body parts thrown into the Hebros river, washed out to sea, buried on island of Lesbos • Goes to Elysian Fields, reunited with Eurydice • Orphic Beliefs • Humans could purify themselves of Titanic elements through Orphic rituals • Vegetarians, avoided blood sacrifice • Heracles: Son of princess Alcmene and Zeus, great grandson of Perseus • Hated by Hera • Hera sends two snakes to kill baby Heracles • He strangles the snakes • Accidentally kills his music teacher • Sent to be a shepherd • Marries Megara, has two children • Hera drives him mad, he kills his wife and children • Goes to Oraclce of Delphi to seek penance • Oracle of Delphi tells Heracles to serve his cousin Eurytheus

• King of Mycenae, Rival of Heracles for the throne • Eurytheus gives Heracles ten tasks • Labor One • Kill the Nemean Lion, bring back its skin • Hide is impenetrable by normal weapons • Heracles hits it with a club, strangles it • Wears the skin as a cloak • Labor Two • Kill the Hydra • Two heads grow back in place of one • Heracles works with his nephew / charioteer Iolaus • Heracles chops off heads, Iolaus cauterizes • Eurytheus calls it cheating and adds another labor • Labor Three • Bring back the Golden Hind • Cant kill it or Artemis will punish him • Traps Hind, promises Artemis to return it • Eurystheus wants deer permanently • Heracles lets it go just as Eurytheus sees it • Labor Four • Bring back the Erymanthian Boar • Heracles tracks the boar • Meets Prometheus, releases him from chains • Meets Chiron, the good centaur • Advises him how to capture the boar • Drives boar into deep snow • Labor Five • Clean out the Stables of Augeas • Heracles makes a deal with Augeas (he gets 1/10 cattle payment) • Diverts two rivers, washes out the stables • Eurystheus calls it cheating because he received payment • Labor Six • Drive off Stymphalian Birds • Heracles scares them with a rattle from Athena • Shoots them with his poisoned arrows • Labor Seven • Capture Cretan Bull • Lassoes the bull, brings it to Eurystheus • Going to sacrifice to Hera • Hera rejects it • Bull wanders off • Labor Eight • Bring back the man-eating Mares of Diomedes

• Heracles and companions steal the mares • One companion is eaten • Heracles feeds Diomedes to the mares for revenge • Labor Nine • Bring back the belt of Amazon queen Hippolyte • Hippolyte= daughter of Ares • So impressed with Heracles she gives him the belt • Labor Ten • Steal the cattle of the giant Geryon • Heracles kills Geryon with poisoned arrow • Adventures getting the cattle back to Eurytheus • Hera sends gadfly to bite them • Swells a river to keep them from crossing • Finally sacrificed to Hera • Labor Eleven • Brings back the Apples of the Hesperides (golden apples from Hera’s tree) • Heracles meets Atlas • Offers to take the sky if Atlas brings apples • Atlas does, but refuses to take sky back • Heracles tricks him and leaves • Labor Twelve • Capture Cerberus from the Underworld • Guided by Hermes and Athena • Rescues trapped hero Theseus • Either asks Hades or fights him • Carries Cerberus out by force • Finally done with his labors, free of blood guilt • Heracles marries nymph Deianara • Centaur Nessus offers to carry her across a river • Tries to kidnap her • Heracles kills Nessus with his poisoned arrows • Dying Nessus plots revenge • Tells Dianara his blood will keep Heracles faithful • Blood is poisonous • Dianara coats his tunic with Nessus’ blood • Heracles burned by poison • Commits suicide on his funeral pyre • Heracles = full god: protector of mankind • Married Hebe (daughter of Hera and Zeus) • Theseus: • King Aegeus of Athens wants a son • Goes to Oracle of Delphi • Prophecy: “do not loosen the neck of the wineskin until you return to Athens, lest you die of grief.”

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Aegeus stays at Troezen Gets drunk, sleeps with the princess Aethra She gives birth to Theseus King Aegeus hides sword and sandals under a heavy rock Theseus grows up in Troezen Lifts up the rock, retrieves fathers signs of recognition Theseus heads to Athens around Saronic Gulf Meets six challengers/ labors Labor One • Bandit Peripphetes, kills travelers with a bronze club • Theseus kills him with his own club Labor Two • Bandit Sinis, kills travelers by tying them to bent pine trees then letting go • Theseus kills him with his own method Labor Three • Kills the Crommyonian Sow, an evil wild pig, or female robber Labor Four • Bandit Sciron, pushes people off a cliff • Theseus pushes him off his own cliff Labor Five • Cercyon, forces people to wrestle him and kills the losers • Theseus beats him, kills him instead Labor Six • Bandit Procrustes the Stretcher, forces people to lie in an iron bed (stretches short people, chops tall people) • Theseus kills him in his own bed Theseus Arrves in Athens Aegeus accepts him as a guest Stepmother Medea recognizes him, plots to kill him • Asks him to catch the Cretan Bull, he succeeds • She tries to poison him • Aegeus recognizes sandals and sword, saves him • Medea flees to Asia Pallantides: sons of Pallas, Aegeus’ brother • Hoped to Succeed Aegeus as Kings Try to ambush and kill Theseus He finds out their plan, kills them first Theseus= official heir to the throne of Athens Son of King Minos is killed by jealous Athenians in the Panathenaic Games Minos declares war on Athens Minos wins, demands tribute from Athens (14 youths) Theseus volunteers as tribute • White sails if alive, black if dead Arrives on Crete meets Minos and says his father is Poseidon

• Dives to the bottom of the sea to fetch ring to prove it Minos’ daughter Ariadne falls in love with Theseus Theseus must enter the Labrynth Ariadne gives him a ball of thread Theseus kills the Minotaur Escapes the Labyrinth with the thread Leaves Crete with Ariadne Theseus abandons Ariadne on Naxos while she sleeps • Dionysus sees Ariadne • Falls involve with her and marries her • Makes her a goddess • Theseus returns home but forgot to switch sails • Aegeus sees the black sails, thinks Theseus dead jumps into the sea • Fills prophecy • Theseus becomes king of Athens • Theseus fights the Amazons, marries Queen Hippolyte • Have son Hippolytus • Hippolyte dies, Theseus marries Phaedra • Phaedra falls in love with Hippolytus, he rejects her • She claims he tried to rape her, commits suicide • Theseus prays to Poseidon to punish Hippolytus • Theseus befriends Pirithous, King of Lapiths • Pirithous= son of Zeus, Theseus = son of Poseidon • Decide to marry daughters of Zeus • Kidnap young Helen for Theseus (rescued by her brothers) • Decide to kidnap Persephone for Pirithous • Theseus and Pirithous enter Underworld • Hades tricks them into sitting down on a magical bench or rocks • permanently stuck to the bench • Heracles rips Theseus off the bench, forced to leave Pirithous • Exiled from Athens • Goes to island of Skyros • Jealous king of Skyros throws Theseus off a cliff • Jason: • Son of King Aeson of Iolcos • Evil uncle Pelias seizes the throne • Jasons mother hides him with Chiron • Pelias visits Oracle of Delphi • Prophecy: “beware the man with one sandal” • Adult Jason on his way home to Iolcos • Helps carry an old woman across a river • Old woman=Hera • Loses his sandal in the river • Arrives in Thessaly, Pelias afriad of him • Sends him to find the Golden Fleece in Colchis • • • •...