Lecture Notes, Lecture- Perseus, Progeny of the Sea, the Afterlife, the Hero Myth PDF

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Notes on Perseus - Notes on progeny of the sea - Notes on the afterlife - Notes on the Hero Myth merged files: Perseus.pdf - Progeny of the Sea.pdf - The Afterlife.pdf - The Hero Myth.pdf...

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PERSEUS

Perseus •  One of the earliest myths •  King Acrisius rules Argos & receives a prophecy that his grandson will kill him – locks up Danae •  Zeus visits Danae in a shower of gold – Perseus •  Cannot kill Danae or Perseus (sin) – puts them in a chest and sends it out to sea •  End up on island Seriphos and a humble fisherman, Dictes, takes them in

Polydectes* •  Evil King Polydectes wants to marry Danae and he wants Perseus out of the pictures •  Perseus is too poor to give Polydectes a gift for his birthday - gifts of a horse from each of his noblemen •  Perseus brags that he will bring him the head of Medusa •  Hermes – directions (go to Greaeae – know they way to nymphs that have magical objects he will need – motif) •  Athena (protrectress of heroes for the first time) help – scimitar (crooked sword)

Medusa* •  Nymphs - cap of invisibility, winged sandals, a wallet (kibisis) •  Perseus flies to Gorgons - far north (near the singing and feasting Hyperboreans, worshippers of Apollo) or among the Ethiopians •  Genealogy of Gorgons = myth (not folktale) •  Dark-haired = Poseidon •  As Perseus is flying back home, Medusa’s blood drips (snakes in Libya) •  Asks Atlas if he can sit in his shadow, says no – pulls out the head and turns Atlas into stone (Atlas mountains) •  Seaweed turns into coral

Andromeda •  Princess Andromeda exposed as human sacrifice to a monster for her mother, Cassiepea’s hubris (claimed she was more beautiful than the Nereids) – motif •  Perseus saves Andromeda by pulling out Medusa’s head & turning the monster to stone OR he fights it •  Andromeda’s father promised the hand of Andromeda and half the kingdom •  Andromeda’s parents are being attacked by her uncle, Phineus, who was promised Andromeda’s hand and half the kingdom – Perseus kills Phineus and his army with Medusa’s head

Perseus* •  Perseus lives with Andromeda for a year, but heads home to see his mother and fulfill his prophecy •  Danae married Dictes and Polydectes is attacking them – Perseus kills Polydectes with Medusa’s head •  Perseus accidently kills Acrisius in Larissa (prophecy fulfilled) •  Perseus is purified in Tiryns and founds Mycene •  Athena put the head of Medusa on her shield (or breastplate)

Perseus •  Perseus & Andromeda have many children - one of them is Perses, who stayed behind to rule when his grandfather died •  Andromeda was placed among the stars as the Andromeda constellation •  The monster who was sent to ravage Ethiopia was also turned into a constellation, Cetus (or Cetos) •  Cassiopeia was also made a constellation •  Heracles is a decedent of Perseus

PROGENY(OF(THE(SEA( MONSTERS(

PROGENY(OF(THE(SEA((Hesiod)( •  •  •  •  •  •  • 

SCYLLA(AND(CHARYBDIS( MEDUSA,(ONE(THE(GORGONS( PEGASUS( HARPIES( SIRENS( GRAEAE( CERBERUS,(HYDRA,(CHIMAERA,(SPHINX,( NEMEAN(LION(

SCYLLA(&(CHARYBDIS( •  Sea(monsters(that(each( lived(on(opposite(sides(of(a( narrow(channel,(which( were(so(close(that(sailors( aBempCng(to(avoid( Charydbdis(would(pass(too( close(to(Scylla(and(vice( versa(

SCYLLA(&(CHARYBDIS( •  “between(Scylla(and(Charybdis”(=(between( two(dangers,(choosing(either(of(which(brings( harm( •  In(Homer’s(Odyssey,(Circe(advises(Odysseus(( to(sail(closer(to(Scylla(because(Charydis(could( drown(his(whole(ship(and(tells(him(to(ask( Scylla’s(mother(to(prevent(Scylla(from( pouncing(more(than(once(

MEDUSA( •  The(only(mortal(Gorgon((immortal(sisters(=( Stheno(&(Euryale)( •  A(female(with(a(hideous(face(and(venomous( snakes(for(hair( •  Used(to(be(a(beauCful(nymph,(but(was(caught( having(sex(with(Poseidon(in(a(temple( •  Numerous(images(have(more(to(do(with(her( power(to(wards(off(the(“evil(eye”(than(with(the( myth(of(Perseus,(who(beheaded(her(and(used( her(head(as(a(weapon(before(he(gave(it(to( Athena(to(place(on(her(shield(

MEDUSA(+(POSEIDON(=(PEGASUS( •  Born(at(the(moment(of(Medusa’s(death((along( with(Chrysaor(–(a(man(with(golden(sword)( •  Delivers(thunder(and(lightening(to(Zeus( •  Bellerophon(rode(him(when(he(defeated(the( flying(Chimaera,(but(fell(off(trying(to(reach( Mount(Olympus((

GRAEAE( •  The(three(Grey(Sisters(share(one(tooth(and( one(eye(amongst(them( •  Symbolize(old(age( •  In(myth(of(Perseus,(they(live(in(a(cave(and( know(the(way(to(the(Gorgons((or(certain( nymphs,(who(own(magical(objects,(are( needed(in(this(quest)(

HARPIES( •  Female(monsters(in(the(form(of(a(bird(with(a( human(face( •  “Snatchers”(who(steal(food(from(vicCms(while( they(are(eaCng(

SIRENS( •  Look(like(harpies(in(ancient(art((birds(with( female(heads)( •  In(modern(art,(they(are(women(with(fishtails( •  “Wreckers”(in(the(Odyssey(`(live(on(an(island,( sing(enchanCngly(and(thus(lure(the(sailors(to( the(rocky(shores(on(which(they(crash(their( ships(and(are(devoured( •  A(soul(to(EgypCans((

CERBERUS( •  Guardian(dog(of(the(Underworld(`(“Hound(of( Hell”( •  MulC`headed((usually(3(heads)( •  Prevents(the(dead(from(escaping(and(the( living(from(entering( •  Pet(dog(of(Persephone(

CHIMAERA( •  Monstrous(fire`breathing(hybrid(creature(with( terrible(breath( •  Usually(a(lion(with(the(head(of(a(goat(arising( from(his(back(and(also(a(dragon(with(a(tail( that(might(be(a(snake’s(head( •  Defeated(by(Bellephon(and(Pegasus(–(shot( down(from(above,(where(they(were(safe(from( her(heads(and(breath(

LERNEAN(HYDRA( •  Huge(swamp(snake(with(many(heads(and( poisonous(blood( •  One(of(her(heads(was(immortal( •  If(cut,(two(heads(grew(back(in(a(place(of(one( •  Killed(by(Heracles(with(help(of(Iolaus,(who( dipped(his(arrows(in(her(blood.( •  Heracles(eventually(died(from(the(poison(of( Hydra(

NEMEAN(LION( •  Vicious(monster(that(couldn’t(be(killed(by( mortal’s(weapons(because(its(golden(fur(was( impervious(to(aBack( •  Claws(were(sharper(than(mortal’s(swords(and( could(cut(through(any(amour( •  Eventually(killed(by(Heracles((

SPHINX( •  Lion(body,(wings(of(a(bird(and(a(human(head( •  Monster(to(the(Greeks( •  Protector(of(the(Pharaoh(and(related(to(the( Sun(God(to(the(EgypCans((

THE$AFTERLIFE$

The$A,erlife$ Three%visions%of%the%a.erlife:% •  7th$century$BC$9$Homer,$Odyssey$(Book$11:$Book$of$ the$Dead$–%Odysseus%goes%to%Hades%to%visit%Tiresias,% prophet%of%Thebes% •  4th$century$BC$–$Plato,$The$Republic$–$story$of$Er$$;%% an%a.erlife%experience%% •  1st$century$BC$–$(Rome)$Virgil$‘s$Aeneid$–%Aeneas% goes%to%Hades,%led%by%Sibyl%of%Cumae%

“Book%of%the%Dead”% •  Odysseus%sails%to%the%Cimmerians%(advised%by% Circe)%to%visit%Tiresias$(the%greatest%prophet)$ •  The%dead%cannot%speak%unless%drink%blood%–% Odysseus%sacrifices%a%black%sheep%in%a%ditch% •  Elpenor%(speaks%without%it%–%not%buried%yet):% “do%not%turn%away%and%and%go%back%leaving%me% unwept…%bury%my%body%in%full%armor…”%% •  AnOclea%–%Odysseus’%mother%

“Book%of%the%Dead”% •  Achilles%seeks%news%of%his%son%–%“I%should% prefer%as%a%slave%to%serve%another%man…%than% to%rule%over%these%dead…”%(regrets%not% accepNng%immortality%from%the%Gods)% •  Agamemnon%praises%Penelope% •  Ajax%does%not%speak%(commiQed%suicide)% •  Minos%–%judge%of%transgressions%commiQed%in% Hades% •  Sufferers%who%sinned%against%the%Gods:% Tantalus,%Tityus,%Sisyphus,%Ixion,%Phantom% Heracles,%Orion…%

TradiNonal%sufferers%in%Hades% •  Tantalus%–%hunger/thirst%–%fed%the%gods%his%son,%Pelops% •  Tityus%–%physical%pain%(vultures%devour%his%liver)%;%tried% to%rape%Leto% •  Sisyphus%–%fruitless%labor%(rolls%a%boulder%up%a%hill)%–% imprisoned%Thanatos%(Death)% •  Ixion%–%forever%Ned%to%revolving%fiery%wheel%;%tried%to% seduce%Hera%while%a%guest%at%the%palace%of%Zeus% •  Danaids%–%carry/fill%leaky%jars%–%50%daughters%of%Danaus% who%were%ordered%to%kill%their%husbands%(sons%of% Danaus’%brother)%on%their%wedding%nights%

“Book%of%the%Dead”% •  No%judgment,%reward,%or%punishment% •  Darkness,%apathy,%depression,%hopelessness.% •  Souls%led%to%Hades%by%Hermes$Psychopompos,% or%Thanatos%% •  Need%to%be%buried%to%pass%into%Hades%;%% otherwise%in%a%sort%of%limbo/unrest%

Story%of%Orpheus%and%Euridice% •  Euridice%dies%on%her%wedding%day%(biQen%by%a%snake)% •  Orpheus%(wonderful%poet%and%singer)%goes%down%to% Hades,%sings%about%love%to%Persephone%and%Hades% •  Hades%allows%him%to%bring%Euridice%back%to%Earth%as% long%as%he%does%not%look%back%at%her%while%walking%up,% towards%light%% •  Orpheus%looks%back%and%Euridice%vanishes%in%Hades% •  Orpheus%never%remarries%and%finally%is%killed%by%raging% bacchants,%who%tear%him%apart%(his%head%floats%in%the% sea,%singing)%

Orphic%cult% •  Based%on%the%myth%of$Orpheus$and$Euridice$ •  Secret%iniNaNons,%purificaNon%important,%many%taboos%(ex.% beans)% •  Orphic%books%(secret)%with%iniNaNon%rites% •  Hope%of%beQer%a.erlife%in%Persephone’s%kingdom%% •  Spells%(a%kind%of%“book%of%the%dead”?)%wriQen%on%gold%tablets,% buried%with%the%dead%–%tells%them%how%to%reach%Persephone’s% grove,%what%to%say%to%the%chthonic%gods%% •  Cult%of%the%Orphic$Dionysus$popular%especially%in%South%Italy,% in%Greek%colonies.%Pythagoreans,%Socrates,%Plato%influenced%by% the%Orphic%doctrine%

Story%of%Er% •  Plane$of$Judgment$–%four%openings%(two%up,% two%down)% •  Judgments%affixed%on%souls% •  1000%years’%reward%(10%Nmes%over%for%every% good%deed)%or%1000%years’%punishment%(10% Nmes%over%for%every%sin%and%number%of%people% wronged)% •  Assigned%to%heaven%or%hell%

Story%of%Er% •  Concept%of%sins%commiQed:%enslavement% of%ciNes,%betrayal%of%armies,%hubris% towards%the%gods,%lack%of%respect%for% parents,%murder% •  Possibility%of%eternal%hell%for%the% “incurable%in%wickedness”% •  Horrible%descripNon%of%hell:%roaring% mouth,%suffering,%shame%

Story%of%Er% •  Return%to%the%plane%;%Journey%towards% the%Light%Binding%the%Universe% •  The$Fates,%under%the%Spindle%of% Necessity,%sing%with%Sirens%about%the% past,%present,%future%(each%a%different% song)%%% •  Souls%come%to%the%prophet%;%throws% numbers%(lives),%which%are%picked%up%by% the%souls%(choice)% •  Fates%raNfy%the%choice%

Story%of%Er% •  daimon%given%to%each%soul%by%Lachesis%% •  Importance%of%wisdom%in%making%choices% ;%“trained%in%goodness”%vs%“trained%in% suffering”%(suffering%teaches%beQer)% •  Agamemnon%;%lion,%Odysseus%;%peaceful% life%of%a%common%man,%Thersites%–%ape% •  Clotho%raNfies%fates%;%cannot%be%changed% •  Atropos%makes%choices%unalterable%

Story%of%Er% •  Souls%march%to%the%river%Lethe%(Forgedulness)% ;%heat%and%thirst%force%them%to%drink%% •  Er%is%told%to%not%drink%too%much%so%that%he% won’t%forget%everything%;%don’t%forget%the% wisdom%acquired%through%suffering% •  Souls%descend%upon%earth%as%falling%stars%and% enter%the%bodies%of%babies%born% •  Er%wakes%up%in%his%own%body%on%the%pyre,% about%to%be%cremated%

Aeneid% •  Aeneas%needs%to%contact%his%dead%father,% Anchises$ •  Cumae%–%the%oracle%of%Sibyl%guides% Aeneas%to%Hades% •  Requirements:%golden%bough%of% Persephone%(led%to%by%doves),%burial%of% Misenus%lost%at%sea%

Hades% •  Charon%(ferryman)%ferries%crowds%of%souls% across%the%marsh%;%souls%of%the%unburied%are% not%allowed%across% •  Palinurus%(Aeneas’%friend)%–%soul%fell% overboard,%killed%in%Italy,%not%buried% •  Charon%menNons%Theseus,%Pirithous,%Heracles% (forced%their%way%into%Hades)% •  Cerberus%in%a%cave%on%the%shore%–%Sibyl%gives% him%drugged%cake%of%meal%and%honey%

Hades% •  Closest%to%the%river:%the%souls%of%the% prematurely%dead%(infants%and%unjustly% condemned)%;%Judge$Minos$holds%court%and% hears%cases%% •  Next:%the%souls%of%those%who%commiQed%suicide%% •  Fields$of$Mourning$(groves%of%myrtle):%unhappy% lovers%(Dido,%Phaedra,%Procris,%Pasiphae% •  Fields$of$Glory:%warriors%(Trojan%heroes%–% Deiphobus,%brother%of%Paris%who%married%Helen)%

Hades% •  Road%divides%(Orphic%influences)%% •  Le.%(le.%is%always%inauspicious)%=%Tartarus,%by%the% River%of%Fire% •  Right%=%palace%of%Hades%and%Elysium$ •  Sins%punished%in%Tartarus%by%Cretan%King% Rhadamanthus%(judge/prosecutor)% •  Tisiphone%(the%Fury)%and%Hydra%watch%the% entrance% •  Both%the%tradiNonal%sufferers%;%Titans,%Otus%and% Ephialtes$(the%Giants),%Theseus%(wanted%to% kidnap%Persephone%for%Pirithous),%Ixion,% Sysiphus,%Tantalos%;%and%ordinary%human%evil; doers%in%Tartarus%

Sins%% •  Lack%of%respect%for%the%gods% •  Sins%against%own%family%(siblings,%parents)%–%hate%for% a%brother,%striking%a%parent,%refusal%to%share%wealth% with%relaNves,%adultery,%betrayal%of%a%patron% •  Sins%against%state:%“this%sold%his%country%for%gold,%set% up%a%tyrannical%despot,%made%laws%and%revoked%them% for%a%price”% •  Incest% QuesNon:%do%Virgil%and%Sybil%enter%Tartarus?%No.%

Elysian%Fields% •  Light,%colors,%sun%and%stars% •  Orpheus%(gi.ed%poet),%Kings%of%ancient%Troy%(the%epic% was%propagaNng%the%Trojan%side%of%the%Trojan%war% conflict)% •  Favorite%pasNmes:%chariot%racing,%singing,%exercise,% feasNng% •  Rewarded%for:%dying%for%one’s%country,%purity%(ritual)% of%priests,%poetry%(good)%% •  All%“those,who,made,life,be1er,by,their,discoveries,in, their,art,and,the,sciences”%

Elysian%Fields% •  Anchises’%shade%in%Elysium%is%by%the%stream%of%Lethe% reviewing%his%own%descendants%about%to%be%born% (reincarnaNon)% •  Concept%of%evil%body%and%pure%soul%;%the%body%is%a% tomb%for%the%soul%and%desires%become%imprinted%on% the%soul%in%a%negaNve%way% •  A.er%life%(most)%souls%needs%purificaNon,%then%they% drink%of%Lethe%and%are%re;born% •  Gates$of$Sleep:%Horn%(for%true%shades)%or%Ivory%(for% false%dreams)%;%Aeneas%leaves%through%the%Gate%of% Ivory,%which%might%mean%the%whole%story%was%false%

THE HERO MYTH The Theban Saga

Hero Myth •  Gilgamesh is one of the few Mesopotamian heroes (most are semi-divine) •  Few heroes in Egyptian myth (one huge state with one strong ruler – same type of thinking for many years) –  Mesopotamia is also flat and easy to dominate by one central ruler, which doesn’t invite equality or heroism

•  Hero myth (in its immensity) unique for the Greek civilization –  City states each have different rules –  Resulted in human heroes

GILGAMESH) •  Gilgamesh)was$a$strong$and$out$of$control$king$ •  Enkidu,$a$wild$man$is$lured$into$the$city$from$the$ desert$by$a$pros8tute$to$stop$Gilgamesh$from$ oppressing$the$people$of$Uruk$$ •  A...