Jamie Peregrym Clas 102 Classics 102 Notes Introduction to Myth - Myth, comes from two Greek words:

mythos=story, and logos=word. - It is classified as a traditional story from generation to generation, with a collective importance. o Usually told orally; therefore usually different every time it was told. o Athens was very important; materials come from here, as do writers. - Can also be represented through art and sculptures. - Tells the stories about the creation of the world, gods, love, explain the sky, earth, etc., religion present as well. - Most likely considered factual by those who were listening. - Explaining facts/customs; etiological myths (why something came to be; frogs, fire, etc.) - In legends, characters were usually aristocratic; heroes have superhuman qualities, long prose narratives, based on historical fact. Sagas much the same. - Folk tales; entertainment, interwoven within legends and sagas. - Fables; offer some sort of lesson, includes animals and inanimate objects (Tortoise and the Hare, etc.) Meaning of Myth - Greeks questioned own traditions regarding own myths. - Philosophers criticized myths: o Xenophanes, every culture had differing ideas of Gods, depending on appearance, culture, etc. o Plato, just stories, created his own myths. - Myths contain allegories such as physical allegories, Historical allegories, and Moral allegories: o Physical: Theagenes (6th B.C.) mythical battles represented conflicts among natural forces. Greek Stoics (4th B.C.) used physical allegories to explain myths. Ex: the god Cronus is similar to chronos, which means time. So in other words, time eventually runs out. Problems: myths did not originate always in Greek culture, usually passed orally. o Historical: Euhemerus (3rd B.C.) myth revealed historical truths, captured early history, Euhemerism: gods were once human. o Moral: Myths gave advice on good/bad behavior, truths about a higher domain. Teaching lessons. - Medieval and Renaissance theories, used allegories to explain pagan ways. - Enlightenment theories (18th A.D.):

Jamie Peregrym Clas 102 o Moved away from allegory theories o Fontenelle: myth is a product of error; they helped to explain the environment. Ignorant. o Vico: 3 great cycles; the Age of the Gods (humans struggling to survive; gods helped), the Age of Heroes (explains great deeds), and the Age of Man (philosophy, humans know whats going on.). Modern Theories: o Romantic Theories: Creuzer (19th A.D.) myths as symbols for universal truths, Europeans originated from Central Asia (Iran, Iraq, etc.) Propp, myth is linear and fixed o Anthropological Theories: Tylor, animism; everything had a soul. Frazer, myth linked to ritual. Malinowski, myth explains the way things are. o Linguistic Theories: Muller, conflict in myths sun/darkness; solar mythology. o Psychological Theories: Freud and Jung, myth is related to dreams, makes existence in the real world more tolerable, symbols represent ideas and behavior. Ex: Heracles and Theseus. Oedipus/ Elektra complex: males kill father, marry mother; females opposite. Seen as wish fulfillment; people want to do this. Jung, myths into units, must have units for myth o Structuralist: Levi-Strauss, myth is linked to society; communication. No one version of any myth is true. o Contextual: Burkett, myth with historical dimension and development, dependent on the audience and the teller. Feminists, underlying social realities.

Historical Background - Greece, relatively dry/barren, mountainous with fertile plains, few mineral sources. Aegean Sea played an important role in history; source of food, communication and trade. - Paleolithic (before 70,000 B.C.), Neolithic (Stone Age, 6000-3000 B.C., Agricultural communities, Female idols, which suggest settlers had a more matriarchal society), Bronze Age (3000 B.C.) - Minoan Civilization: o Approx. 3000-1400 B.C., and based on the Island of Crete. o Height of power was between 1600-1400. o Best-known site was Knossos palace on Crete, on the island of Thera/Santorini. There were no fortifications, so it was assumed that they

Jamie Peregrym Clas 102 were not fearful. The civilization on Thera was destroyed by a volcanic eruption approx 1650 B.C. via a tidal wave. Minoan Religion o Little known because their script (linear A) has not been translated. o Matriarchal religion; high visibility in artwork of women/female priestesses, goddesses. However, they worshipped many gods or goddesses. Goddess; snake goddess most important. o Another prominent aspect of Minoan religion seems to be the bull. Later Greek myths have Zeus born and raised on Crete, and also a love affair (transforms himself into a bull, kidnaps beloved) with Europa. Offspring (Minos) rules Crete. o Possibly where the Bull or Minotaur was born. Lots of marine life in art. End of Minoans o Fire and destruction? Invasion? Cultural Dominance? Rise of Atlantis myth, possibly Crete is affected by the same tidal wave that affected Santorini/Thera. o Acrotiri, city, similar to Pompei (buried). Mycenaean Civilization o Approx 2000 B.C., Indo-European speakers, arrive in mainland Greece, and gradually take over Minoan territory. Adopt a palace system, and use Linear B writing. o Make huge walls thought to only be built by Cyclopes. o Mycenaeans bring war-like gods/ nature and therefore male gods. In theory, these Gods will seduce and marry the Minoan fertility goddesses. o Use a Lion motif, which links them to Iran/Iraq. Lion Gate at Mycenae (capital city). Mycenaeans themselves were called kings, pirates, warlords, and above all great sailors and traders. They were very wealthy; Tholos tombs inside of the hill below the palace. o The size indicated their wealth. Almost like large beehives. Atreus was the mythical king of Mycenae. Tiryns is a city. Agamemnon was the main leader of the Greeks during the Trojan War. Dark Ages (1200-800 B.C.) o Mycenaeans disappear around 1200 B.C.; Dorians move in? Beginning of the Iron Age, with small tribal settlements. The Homeric poems were written (Blend of bronze and iron age elements). Swords, cremation and inhumation (burial). Archaic Period (800-400 B.C.) o Creation of the Greek alphabet, creation of polis (politically independent city state), introduction of coinage (capitalism, new social classes). o Time of the tyrants, who forcefully take over cities. Classical Period (480-323 B.C.) o Persian threat, 508 B.C. democracy in Athens, greatest minds born (politicians, artists, philosophers, playwrights, and historians). o Athens demanding tribute for defending against the Persians. Built

Jamie Peregrym Clas 102 temples on Acropolis in Athens, to honor gods, and showcase Athens. o Sparta vs. Athens. Hellenistic Period (323-321 B.C.) o 323 B.C. Alexander the Great dies, and his territory is split up. Culture is still there. o Philip and Alexander of Macedon; Greek culture throughout the known world; united Greece through force. Greek society, most about Greek comes from Athenians, who were male. o Greeks assigned human qualities to natural forces. World inhabited by spirits, supernatural; no chance events. o The hearth was the centre of the house/palace. It was protected by the goddess Hestia (Greek; Roman=Vesta). Every Greek city had its hearth located in a public building where the current government resided. In Rome the temple of Vesta was most sacred. 6 Vestal Virgins made sure that the fire did not go out. Where do we learn myths from? o Linear B tablets, Mesopotamian myths, Egypt (similar mythical stories/themes), Levant (Lebanon/Israel region), muthoi which are authoritative utterances, aoidoi (singers). Early Writers o Literary sources; 7th cent. B.C. are Hesiod, Works and Days, and Theogony. o 8th-7th B.C. is Homer with The Iliad, and Odyssey. o Homeric hymns (to different gods) were not written by Homer (7th-4th B.C., 33 in total). o Pindar, odes to victorious athletes, references to many myths. o Poetry and especially drama in the 5th cent. B.C. Heschylus (Agamemnon), Sophocles (Oedipus-Theban saga), Euripides (deflated heroes, mortal caught up in the fights of gods, Medea.). The authors of these plays do not retell the myths, as they were too well known, but they present their own interpretation. o Prose writers Herodotus, born 485 B.C. was known as the first historian, whose writings included mythical stories from other cultures. Thucydides, lived around 400 B.C. and was Athenian, so therefore wrote about Athens, and involved the plague. After 330 B.C. until about 100 B.C. o Mythographers and poets need to retell myths to those new to the Greek culture. (After Alexanders conquest.) o Plato; philosophical myth. Wrote the Myth of Er, the Myth of Atlantis. His myths gave lessons. o The Romans conquer Greece over the 2nd cent. B.C., and assimilate Greek culture, including the myths. They change the names of the gods and heroes to Latin, with some exceptions; Apollo and Achilles, for instance,

Jamie Peregrym Clas 102 were too well known to be changed. Virgil; Roman writer 1st cent. B.C. poet. Wrote about Aeneas, who escaped the Trojan War, and founded a new Troy, hence why the royal family was tied to gods and goddesses. He stops in Carthage (Africa) and meets Dido (queen). Leaves, commits suicide, can never be friends with Carthageans. Ovid, 1st cent. B.C. poet. Wrote Metamorphoses; myths involve change, and the book is organized chronologically. He was banished from Rome as his writings were seen as too racy. Livy, 1st cent. B.C. and 1st A.D., was a historian who wrote of early Roman history and legend. Things to remember: o Myth was never dogma o Myth was rarely put into a sacred book; happened only in Mystery religions such as the Orphic cult. o Only originally told orally. o Many variations; we dont know all of them.

Influential Near-Eastern Myths (Iran/Iraq Region) - Ancient middle-East; succession myth (generation of gods fighting), dragon slayer motif (Marduk/Tiamat or Zeus/Typhon), characteristics of certain goddesses like Rhea/Cybele (Mother goddesses), or Aphrodite/Ishtar who are all closely related, and usually substituted within stories. - Crete, birthplace of Zeus, bull cult, Myth of Europa/Minos, Minotaur, cult of mother goddess (Rhea?), and also probably Demeter. - Egypt/Ethiopia, residence of Helios/Ra, in the later antiquity (after Alex the Great), Zeus is often equated with Ra/Amon. - Creation Stories: o Enuma Elish (When on high) Mesopotamian creation stories have the abyss of water, as a deity, as the first element. The sea has been there since the beginning of time, and it gave birth to Earth and Sky. The Earth is flat, and it floats on the Sea. (Apsu + Tiamat= Anu, Ea/Enki, Marduk, Kingu) o Tiamat and Kingu are given the Tablets of Destiny, which gives them power over the universe. o Marduk trod on Tiamats legs, and with his mace smashed his skull, and sliced his arteries; North wind bore his blood to places unknown. Marduk now has the tablets, and with Tiamat in the Sky, he organizes the world everything has a place. o He then creates Esharra, which is the home of the gods. He then created Humans with the blood of Kingu and that of a younger god; they are created as servants. He places some gods in the Sky and some in the Underworld. - Flood Myth: o Epic of Atrahasis; the gods complain about work, and threaten to rebel. o Enlil creates man to work. Uses the flesh and blood of Geshtu-u and clay,

Jamie Peregrym Clas 102 and created 7 males and 7 females. They are used as servants, but are too loud, so a flood is sent to destroy them. Atrahasis survives on a boat. Epic of Gilgamesh: (ethialocigal) (Heroic Theme) o Ruler of the Sumerian city of Uruk at approx. 2000 B.C. (2/3 divine and 1/3 human, considered a tyrant.) His legends are written on 11 clay tablets. o Aggressive; sleeps with a virgin on her wedding night. o Enkidu is a rival send by the gods. Was once a wild/crazy hunter, was tamed by a whore. o Gilgamesh wrestles Enkidu; Gilgamesh wins, and they become good friends. They decide to go on a quest together to the Land of the Living/ Land of the Cedars. o They cut down trees, which summons Humbaba the Terrible (guardian); they kill him. The god Enlil becomes angry. o They return home, and the goddess Ishtar wishes to marry Gilgamesh, but he refuses. The Bull of Heaven is sent, and together Gilgamesh and Enkidu kill it, which upsets the gods. o Enkidu cuts off the testicles of the Bull, and throws them at Ishtar. The gods then kill Enkidu, which makes Gilgamesh want to find immortality. o He then tries to find Uthapishtim, who is known as the man who will not die, as he survived the flood sent by the gods. Gilgamesh journeys far, kills lions, and reaches the Mt. Mashu. As the sun rises, Scorpion men come out; if you glance at them you die. Gets past them. o Finds Uthapishtim; asks how to cheat death. The answer is that it is not possible, but he is told about a plant that restores youth, found at the bottom of the sea. Gilgamesh gets the plant, but a snake eats it (hence why snakes regenerate; etiological). o He then dies of old age 126, and finds his friend again. Myth of Succession: o Hittite myth; Kingship of Heaven. Kumarbi (who corresponds to the Sumerian Enlil), bites of the genitals of the Sky god Anu, and swallows them. He becomes head shit. o Teshub/Tarkhun develops from this; storm god. Then plans with Anu to overthrow Kumarbi. o Song of Ullikummi; Kumarbis struggle for ascendancy; wants to destroy Teshub. Kumarbi has sex with a large rock 15 times, rock gives birth to a large stone child, Ullikummi (dragon monster). Kumarbi gives Ullikummi to Ubelluri (giant who holds up heavens), and Ullikummi grows fast, but is eventually defeated by Teshub. Descent to the Underworld: o Akkadian poem The Descent of Ishtar to the Underworld. Ishtar is the sister to Ereshkigal, and the daughter of Enu. o Leaves instructions for servants o Ishtar decided to visit the Underworld (stripped of ornaments/clothes, passes through 7 gates). Ereshkigal orders for her death, but her servants bring her back to life. Ishtars consort, Dumuzi, dies.

Jamie Peregrym Clas 102 o Dumuzi(husband) replaces Ishtar in the underworld o Dumuzi is agricultural and now lives in underworld 6 months at a time (seasons) o Becomes an underworld god Greek Stories - Hesiod; *first thing to exist* the Greeks saw not water, but chaos (Theogony, it is shown as a gaping void; Ovids Metamorphoses shown as a mass of uncoordinated elements). As the first element/divinity. o Out of this chaos emerge Ge/Gaia (Rome=Tellus), Eros, Erebus,tartarus, and Night. o Ge, by herself, gives birth to Uranus, Pontus (Sea), and mountains. Day and ether created Erebus and Night o Eros = sexual desire (creates other gods) - Creation in Aristophanes; - He wrote birds o Earliest entities are Chaos, Tartarus, Erebus, and Night (Nyx). o Night, alone, brings forth an egg from which Eros springs forth. Eros (Golden wings, creates a race of birds and immortals) causes everything to mingle, and is responsible for all procreation; There was no race of immortals before Eros caused all things to mingle. From mingling, Ge/Gaia, Uranus, Oceanus and the immortal race of all the blessed gods came into being. o 300 years later - Creation in Ovid: o Chaos not a gaping void; more of a crude and unformed mass of elements. o A god (not named) forms this mass into the Universe. Stories of the 12 Titans - Oceanus + Tethys= 3000 female sea nymphs, 3000 sons; spirits of springs, waters. Referred to as the Oceanids. - -ids means children of (blank) - Sun Gods; Hyperion=Helios=Phoebus Apollo (bright). Travel in a 4-horse chariot that carries the sun. (flashlight head) - Story of Phaethon, son of Helios; near destruction of the world. o Someone challenged Phaethon if he is the son of Apollo. Phaethon wins, and as a favor, Apollo lends him his chariot, which is tethered to the sun, raising it. Phaethon loses control of the chariot, which starts to fall, burning the earth (reason for the deserts in Libya, and the dark skin of Ethiopians). Zeus throws a javelin (cannot miss) at the chariot, destroying it, saving the world. Phaethon dies, and his sisters cry over him, with the tears turning into amber. o Sisters turn into popular trees - Moon: Selene(goddess of the moon) (Story of Endymion, the sleeping lover). Rides a 2-horse chariot, which carries the moon. (Daughter of Hyperion)

Jamie Peregrym Clas 102 o Described as rosy fingered, and saffron robed. o Endymion(mortal), shepherd. Selene falls in love with him. Zeus becomes upset, as Selene is not doing her duties; Zeus makes Endymion sleep forever, maintaining his youth. Dawn: Eos=Aurora (Roman), rosy fingered, 2 horse chariot. o Aphrodite is mad at Eos because she fools around with her lover Ares; she makes Eos fall in love with young humans. o She falls in love with Tithonus. She then asks Zeus to make him immortal, but forgets to ask to keep him young forever. He becomes old looking (still immortal), and not attractive. Eos still takes care of him, until he eventually turns into a grasshopper. (grasshopper is a different version of the myth) o Orion, Celeus, and Procris as well? Aetiologies; reasons why things are the way they are. Also, notice the magical equipment (javelin of Zeus, chariots, etc.). Stories of Eos/Tithonus and Selene/Endymion often represented on sarcophagi motif of youth snatched by the gods (death and danger to those who the gods/goddesses love for their beauty). Apollo (sun god); Artemis (moon goddess): twins of Zeus and Leto. They were originally not understood as sun and moon, they just seem to take on the attributed. When Apollo merges with Helios, and Artemis with Selene, the sky god stories are transferred to them. o Egyptian beliefs; Pythagorean sect (Ra=sun god, main divinity); influenced by Egyptian religion. Also believed in Apollo as the main divinity.

The Succession Myth, Part 1 - Ge and Uranus (hleros gamos; holy marriage) and the Titans were born (6 male, 6 female), as were the Cyclopes, Hecatonchires (many handed/headed creatures). o Most important Titans were Hyperion, Iapteus, Rhea, Themis, Mnemosyne, and Cronus. o Uranus was scared of his children, as he thought they would overthrow him. He hides his children in Ge. o Castration myth: Cronus vs. Uranus. This caused the birth of Aphrodite, Erinyes, Giants, and Ash nymphs. The Titans rule after this. - In the beginning: o Cyclopes, orb-eyed; Brontes (Thunder), Steropes (Lightning) and Arges (Bright). Hecatonchires; Cottus, Briareus, Gyges; 100 arms, 50 heads each. o Uranus fears these and hides them in the underworld o Hesiods first deity was Gaia (feminine; importance of females in procreation, importance in fertility and survival). Sky god and Earth goddess appeared a lot under various names. Earth goddess; Ge, Themis, Cybele, Rhea, Hera, Demeter (associated w/ agriculture), Aphrodite. *all linked to fertility*

Jamie Peregrym Clas 102 Gaias gifts to Earth; food/nourishment, agriculture (grains/animals), contributes to the home; family life, good women, strong men/masters of their city, gives life/takes it away. Responsible for the start of everything. Story: The Castration of Uranus o Uranus hides his children in Ge to maintain power. Ge then made a sawtoothed sickle, and planned to use it on Uranus. All of the children were frightened, except Cronus. (This led to the belief of a possible Oedipus theory, wish-fulfillment theory.) Cronus was freed. o Cronus hid in the bedroom; the then castrated Uranus. The bloody drops resulted in new deities; Erinyes, giants, and nymphs. Testicles fall into the sea, and start to foam. From this foam Aphrodite (Rome=Venus) arose. She was taken to Cythera then Cyprus, hence why she is referred to Aphrodite of Cythera, Cyprogenes, and Philommedes (genital-loving). o Cronus takes control, while Uranus is banished from the heavens.

The Succession Myth, Part 2 - Rhea and Cronus (siblings) get together, and Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Poseidon, Hades, and Zeus are born. - Cronus swallows them all to maintain his power. - Rhea gets advice from Uranus and Ge. They send Cronus to a town on Crete, where Zeus was born; Ge takes care of him. She takes him to Mt. Dicte, and hides him in a cave; Cronus comes and swallows a large stone instead. (Cronus + Rhea and Uranus + Ge are doublets.) - Zeus, born on Crete is raised on the honey of bees and by Amalthea (goat); gives rise to the Cornucopia (Horn of Plenty). Owner of the Horn got plenty; never ending riches, Zeus shield (Aegis); when shook sounded like thunder. - Curetes, group of men, clash spears to hide the cries of Zeus from Cronus; Rituals of Rhea-Cybele > smashed drums and symbols. o This little story combines Mycenaens and Minoans; linkages of matriarchal and patriarchal religions. - Titanomachy; Zeus grows up, and decides to overthrow Cronus. The battle is called Titanomachy. o Cronus, Atlas and the Titans (except Themis) fight from Mt. Othrys, while Zeus, his siblings, the Cyclopes, the Hecatonshires, Themis, and the Some of Prometheus, fight from Mt. Olympus. o Battle lasted 10 years. o The battle: Power of Zeus; shook the earth, showcased his power by throwing lightning bolts, the earth was on fire, and the seas boiled. Titans punished; Atlas with the dome of the heavens, Cronus with exile to the Islands of the Blessed. The rest went to Tartarus

Jamie Peregrym Clas 102 (Underworld). Hecatonchires guard the Titans; payback. Gods vs. gods; must fight monsters to solidify control. o Monstrous creatures; Gegenesis (meaning earthborn). As they are defeated, they are imprisoned under the earth, specifically under volcanoes; hence lava and eruptions. (Etiology why volcanoes are active.) o Gigantomachy; the giant Enceladus is under Etna (Sicily), and the Giants Otus and Ephiated attempt to attack Mt. Olympus; Zeus buries them in rock. Typhoeus, child of Ge, 100 heads, with a horrible voice, part human but mostly dragon. Hesiod; Typheous born, Zeus sees the monster, throws a thunderbolt at him, which maim him and burst him open (no-one challenges Zeus after this part for the remainder of the myth), which allow the winds to escape. These are bad winds, which lead to hurricanes, tornados, etc. In a remote story; Zeus wife Hera tries to overthrow him in Homers Illiad. Similarities; what are they between Mesopotamian creation and succession myths with Greek myths? o Overthrowing ones fathers. o Genital removal/castration myth. o Water as basis for the creation of Earth. o Pairing of the gods; those in charge are the Sky gods paired with the Earth goddesses. o Last generation of gods must solidify control by fighting monsters.

Creation of Mortals - Either Zeus, or more often Prometheus, is credited for the creation of mortals. Made from clay and water. - Seen as god-like, where the first woman is created later. - 2 views of humanity: optimistic (progress) or pessimistic (gradual moral deterioration). - Ovids Metamorphoses: until now, there was no animal more godlike than these, un-named god fashioned him from a divine seed, man in the likeness of gods, man looks into the sky and faces the stars (obedience and humble to the gods) - Ages of Hesiod o Age of Gold: Cronus/Titans rule, mortals live like the gods (carefree), long life/perpetual youth, no work/agriculture, earth feeds humans, no war/need for defensive walls, death is like sleep, man beloved by the gods, after death, the people become holy spirits watching over humans/performing judgments over them and bringing the good men luck and wealth. o Age of Silver: Zeus leader/Olympians, inferior, people lived 100 years as children who were cared for by their mothers, when they reached adult age they lived short senseless lives (no worship), arrogant, Zeus hid them because of their lack of respect for the Olympian gods; dwell under the

Jamie Peregrym Clas 102 earth an are called Blessed by mortals (honor despite inferiority). o Age of Bronze: race made by Zeus, terrible/warlike, they did not eat bread at all, but had heart of adamant (hate/war), bronze arms, homes, no iron, destroyed by their own hands and went to Hades, black death seized them, although they were terrifying. o Age of Heroes (Only Hesiod): created by Zeus, warlike but just, famous heroes known from myth, die in battles or shipwrecked when returning from Troy, some sent by Zeus to the island of the Blessed where they are ruled by Cronus, honor and glory attend these lass in equal measure, times of the Theban, Mycenaean, and Trojan heroes. o Age of Iron: Zeus again, toil and woe by day; fear at night. Zeus will destroy this race when they reach the peak of degradation and children are demoralized, no harmony, hosts and guests not friendly, war between city states, evil and arrogance, worst of all past ages, there is a prophecy of even worse times to come: children born with white hair, might is right; no respect for parents; wars; inability to distinguish between right and wrong, no values; evil praised; Nemesis (means vengeance) and Aidos (retribution) leave humans to their fate. Prometheus; optimistic view on mankind. - Seen as devious or a trickster; clever. From savagery to civilization; son of Iapetus (Titan), brother of Atlas (stout hearted), Menoetius (great renown), and Epimethius. - Helps humans; Zeus punishes him; struck down because of hubris (excessive pride). - Matched wits against Zeus; gods quarrelling at Mecone (division of sacrificial meat), good stuff in ox paunch, garbage wrapped in white fat; attempts to trick Zeus. Zeus is aware, but picks it up anyway (Etiology: why one sacrifices the scraps to the gods). - Zeus, being angry, takes fire away from humans, while Prometheus brings them fire back in a fennel stalk; both are then punished. - The punishment of Prometheus; placed in unbreakable bonds/chains, with a shaft through his middle. An eagle (bird of Zeus) sent to Prometheus daily to eat his liver, which regenerates. (Heracles, with the permission of Zeus, frees Prometheus). - Anger of Zeus: god of justice, but why acting in an unjust way? Punishes humans for the acts of Prometheus. This is the first view of the god/human relationship in Greek myth. Gods dont really love us that much, no fair treatment. 2 problems: why hatred towards Prometheus? Why Prometheus help us? - Importance of the Myth: o Fire=civilization, Prometheus brings culture. o Helps to explain the ritual of sacrifice, and the origin of fire. o Sacrifice means pre-civilization to civilization; belief in a higher power. o Burkert: alleviate guilt over killing animals. o Why humans eat the good stuff from sacrifice? It would be dumb to waste it.

Jamie Peregrym Clas 102 Prometheus and his main Gifts: sense and mind, domestication of animals, writing and all sciences, sailing/mining/crafts, architecture, primary relation to the gods via sacrifice, trickster, devious, cunning. Aeschylus Prometheus Bound: o Strength and force, with Hephaestus bring Prometheus to the land of Scythia. He is bound. Stole the privileges of gods to give to mortal men. o In addition (sometimes) he knows a secret of the identity of a woman destined to bear a son mightier than his father; he is tortured for this knowledge by the eagle, as well as for stealing the fire. Thetis, sea goddess; mother of Achilles (not with Zeus). o Prometheus is visited by Oceanus, etc. (different myth) Io, the daughter of Apollo and priestess of Hera, is desired by Zeus, so Hera turns her into a white cow. Argus Pantopes (all seeing) is sent to watch Io. Zeus feels bad that Io is now a cow, and he sends Hermes to Argus, tells him a story = sleep, and cuts off his head, placing his eyes in the tails of peacocks (etiology). Io wanders Egypt maddened by a gadfly sent by Hera. She visits Prometheus, who tells her to keep going, and she does. She is eventually turned back to normal by Zeus, and then gives birth to Epaphus, who 12-13 generations later, results in Heracles, who with the permission of Zeus kills the eagle, and sets Prometheus free. In another version; Chiron (centaur) releases immortality to achieve the release of Prometheus.

Pandora: the first woman, a bare for men who work for their bread. - Theogony: seen as a punishment for men because of Zeus. Hephaestus creates her from earth and water, Athena give her the gift of crafts, weaving, and clothes her. Aphrodite gives her the art of seduction, Graces adorn her with golden necklaces, Seasons crown her with spring flowers. - She is then shown to the immortals, and given to mankind, which was to be ruinous to man. Men cannot escape the evils of women; whether in marriage or if they tried to avoid; no one to take care of them in their old age. - Works and Days: Hephaestus mixes earth and water, and adds a human voice, Athena and Aphrodite the same, Hermes gives her the mind of a Bitch, and the heart/character of a their, at the request of Zeus. Pandora=all gifts, given from the gods. - Epimethius receives her as a gift (Prometheus warns him not to accept evil gifts from Zeus); Jar of Pandora comes with her. She opens it, which releases hard work, old age, and diseases. Hope is caught on the lip of the jar (pessimistic; no hope anyway), and remains inside (always hope?). - Meaning of hope: o Modern interpretation: no matter how bad things get, hope remains. o Problems: 1/ hope still in jar, 2/ if hope is good, why in the jar in the first place? o Other interpretation: left in jar; no hope, no relief for man. o Translation of hope: elepis = expectation (both good and bad connotations).

Jamie Peregrym Clas 102 Psychological interpretation: Jar = Pandoras womb. Therefore females are responsible for evil and birth ( when born, you are also inflicted with all of the evils of life). o Pandora could be a reflection of male anxieties, and a resentment of sexual reproduction. Important to have sons; need to depend on women for this; controls mans destiny. o Jar represents this fear.

Misconceptions about the Gods - Modern western readers: God=good, just, omniscient, omnipotent, also god created the Universe and man. - Also God does not have a body, or human-like passions. - Greeks: o Gods are not merciful and just, they did not create the universe (they are a part of it), they share humanities less appealing attributes (jealousy, fear, cruelty), not the loving caretakers of man. Misc. - Lycaon, was a tyrant who lived in Arcadia; was inhospitable, murderous. Zeus went to visit, but Lycaon refused to worship him. As a test of divinity; Molossian captives were cut and sliced, as a meal, and fed to Zeus. If he ate them, then he was not a god. Lycaon planned to kill him in his sleep if he wasnt a god. Zeus did not eat the meal, and became angry. He destroys Lycaons house, while Lycaon flees to the forest, where his voice turns to a howl, his clothes to fur, etc. Etiology of the werewolf/wolf. - The Flood: o Zeus is still angry with humans, and wants to destroy us. Does not use thunderbolts, (too much destruction). South winds rain upon the earth, while the north winds (good weather) are imprisoned. Neptune/Poseidon give aid with waves. Everything is laid waste; the humans who survive, starve. Deucalion (son of Prometheus) and Pyrrha (daughter of Epimetheus) married, and land of Mt. Parnassus. They start worshipping the Corycian nymphs there, as well as the deity of Themis. This honor placates Zeus, who then calms the wind, while Neptune calms the water, Triton (son of Neptune) calms the waves. o The world is then restored. o They seek Themis for her oracle (vague, cryptic answer), and she tells them to throw the bones of the great mother behind them. They take rocks, and throw them over their shoulders, and humans take shape from this. (Hence why humans are described as hard, and perform hard labor.) o They have a son Hellen, who is the ancestor of all Greeks (Hellenes). (Themis is a Titan). Chapter 5: The Olympians There are 14 major deities; Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Hades, Hestia, Hephaestus, Ares, Apollo, Artemis, Demeter, Aphrodite, Athena, Hermes, and Dionysus. Zeus

Jamie Peregrym Clas 102 marries Hera. The canon of the 12 Olympians replaces Hestia with Dionysus, and omits Hades (god of the Underworld, who does not attend Olympian feasts). (Hestia, the goddess of the Hearth, is also the goddess of chastity). Zeus Amorous, likes to get around. Attributes: thunderbolt, Aegis, animal is the eagle, plant is the oak. Titles: Father of the Gods and Men, the Thunderer, Cloud-Gatherer, Zeus Xenios (guest friend). Major sanctuaries: Dodona, Olympia. Complex conception of the god; immoral and yet, standing on the guard of justice and virtue. Olympia: Temples to Zeus and Hera, are highly decorated, pay for oracles of Zeus (usually athletes of games), stadium for the Olympics. o At the temple, there was a seated statue of Zeus by Pheidias; was 42 feet high, made with gold, adorned with jewels. o Myths shown: Theban sphinx, killing of the Niobids, Heracles fighting the amazons, Freeing of Prometheus, and his two labors (Apples of Hesperides, and the Nemean lion.) On the base of the throne, the birth of Aphrodite. In the front, there is a large pool of olive oil. Dodona: oracular responses (look at rustling leaves/entrails, etc.), omens, tripod. Wife and sister of Zeus. Attributes: diadem, scepter. Sacrifice: cow, Bird: peacock (w/ Io, Prometheus, etc.). Character: chaste, moral, jealous, angry. Sanctuaries: Island of Samos, Argos. Goddess of women, marriage, children. Stories: Io and Argus, Heracles, Jason and the Argonauts, Trojan War. Children of Zeus and Hera Ares, Hephaestus, Hebe, Eileithyia (goddess of childbirth, shares roles with Hera). Hebe: goddess of youthful bloom, servant, cupbearer and nurse of the gods. Marries Heracles, and loses the primary waitress position > Ganymedes shares the duties (Zeus wants him). o Carries Ganymedes away in the form of an eagle to the company of the gods. When stolen, his father Tros receives the horses that carry the gods, and Hermes tells him that his son will be immortal; he is content with this. Hephaestus: god of crafts and creative fire; the divine smith. Creator of the divine armor of Achilles. With Athena, that are the teachers of crafts, sometimes with the help of the Cyclopes. o Sometimes the child of Hera alone, or sometimes with Zeus. (possibly a favorite of Hera, as she gave birth to him herself.) o Lame from birth, and exposed by Hera, was eventually rediscovered and accepted at Olympus (discovered by Dionysus), and eventually becomes

Hera -

Jamie Peregrym Clas 102 one of the twelve. o Another version has him standing by his mother, and then Zeus casts him down, where he lands at the Isle of Lemnos. He then grows up, returns to Olympus, and becomes a cupbearer with Hebe and Ganymedes. o Told by Demodocus in the Odyssey; Aphrodite, the wife of Hephaestus. Ares is the lover of Aphrodite. Helios tells Hephaestus of the affair, who then goes to his shop, and forges bonds and chains. He goes to Ares room, and lays the invisible trap. When the two get together, the chains capture the both of them. Gods are invited to witness Aphrodites shame. He then demands from Zeus that he gets his dowry back. Hermes wishes that it was he who was chained, Poseidon vouches for Ares, and then they are released. Ares flees to Thrace, and Aphrodite to Cyprus. (Aphrodite always depicted nude.) Ares: war god, butcher, Roman=Mars, linked to Thrace, Aphrodite often cult partner: children are Eros, and his mistress is Eos (dawn). Aphrodite is jealous. o Similar in role to Ishtar (goddess of war/love), Cybele (goddess of fertility/war). In the Roman period, he becomes more popular.

Other Divine Children of Zeus Other children of Zeus (by goddesses) are the 9 muses (by Mnemosyne ie. Memory). o Muses: Caliope (epic poetry), Clio (history), Euterpe (lyric poetry), Melpomene (tragedy), Terpsichore (choral dancing), Erato (love poetry), Polyhymnia (sacred music), Urania (astronomy), and Thalia (comedy). All are associated with Apollo. o In art, Terpsichore is usually playing an instrument, while Thalia usually has a theatre mask. The Fates/Moirai: rarely shown in art. Clotho is the spinner, Laches is the measurer, and Atropos is the cutter of the Thread of Destiny. Birth spirits, typically shown as old. o Fate in antiquity was understood to be unalterable, regardless of human action, or fixed for life. o Gods may know the fate, but not all the time. And even gods do not control the fate. (As in the case of Sarpedon or Hector in the Trojan War. Semi-Divine Children of Zeus Has only one proper mythological wife, Hera. However, he is not faithful. By Europa, to whom he appeared as a bull, Minos, the king of Crete was born. By Danae, whom he visited as a shower of gold, Perseus (male) was born. Heroes are typically semi-divine. Heracles is the son of Zeus and Alcmene. (club and lion skin, very muscular) Parents of the Olympians

Jamie Peregrym Clas 102 Only some are the children or Rhea and Cronus (Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Poseidon, Hades, Zeus). Others are the divine children of Zeus by different mothers: Athena by Metis, Aphrodite by Dione or from foam, Apollo and Artemis by Leto, Hermes by Maia, Ares and Hephaestus by Hera, Dionysus by Semele (mortal, rare case), Hestia and Hades are omitted. Apollo is music and poetry, Artemis; stag, bow/arrow, short tunic, Athena; helmet and rug, Hermes; winged hat, shoes, wand, Dionysus; panther, wine god. Anthropomorphism Gods generally depicted as human in form and character, but idealized. More easily identifiable. All have godlike powers and qualities, some limitations (fates), and some weaknesses (lame, vain, lie, cheat, steal).

Poseidon - Attributes: trident. Animals are horses or bulls. Wife is Amphitrite and son is Triton. Commonly seen riding sea horses. - Titles: Earthshaker (beneath water). o Triton is a merman, seen holding a conch shell. Proteus often merges with Triton, as they are both old wise men of the sea, and shape shifters. - Nereid; Thetis and Peleus. Thetis fathers Achilles via Peleus (mortal). - Son of Poseidon: Polyphemus, Cyclops, is in love with Galatea (Nereid), who is in love with Acis (mortal). He tries to persuade her, sings love songs, then threatens to kill Acis (while sitting on cliff). Meets up with Acis and Galatea, threatens to kill Acis, Galatea into the water, he chases down Acis and buries him under a rock. Rock cracks and a reed comes up, water touches it, and Acis becomes a river god. - Sea Creatures/Monsters: o Scylla: Poseidon makes advances on her, Amphitrite becomes mad, and decides to punish her; throws herbs at her, turns into a monster encircles with a ring of dogs heads, fishy bottom. (in Ovid, a witch named Circe performs this act.) o Charybdis: daughter of Poseidon and Gaia, cast into the sea by Zeus, resides near Scylla (near the straights of Messina, Sicily and Italy), 3 times a day, she spews out water like a geyser. o Monster sisters, Iris, goddess of the rainbow, messenger of Hera, gentle and winged. And the Harpies, her sisters ( by the same sea divinities) seen as strong winds/snatchers. Bird-like body with female faces. o Graeae, 3 sisters (personifications of old age) are the sisters of the three gargons (including Medusa). Variously described as hags or even swanlike from birth. Had one eye and one tooth in common. Only the Graeae knew the way to the Gorgons > Perseus forces them to tell him the way by snatching their eye and tooth. Gorgons, 3 in number, hair writhed with serpents, anyone to look at them turned to stone. (Heads are a favorite theme in Greek art.) Poseidon in the temple of Athena, where Perseus chops off her

Jamie Peregrym Clas 102 head, seduced Medusa and Pegasus springs forth (child of Poseidon and Medusa). Medusa was mortal while the other two were not. Perseus takes the head to Athena, who puts it on her shield. Sirens, look somewhat like harpies (in modern art, more like mermaids). Sirens in the Odyssey are Wreckers of ships, etc. Cerberus, belongs in the Underworld. Guardian dog, hound of hell, pet of Persephone, queen of Tartarus, wife of Hades. Has 3 or 50 heads, mane of living snakes. Visits the land of the living once, when dragged out of the Underworld by Heracles, but returns afterwards. Foams at the mouth, and sprouts the plant aconite (etiology). Chimaera, composite monster. Part lion, snake, goat; breathed fire. Eventually killed by Hero Bellerophon, who tames and rides Pegasus. A lead tipped spear melts in the Chimaeras mouth. Lernean Hydra: huge swamp snake with many heads and poisonous blood.. One of the heads is immortal. If regular heads are cut, 2 new head grow back. Hydra killed by Heracles (w/ help of Iolaus) to cauterize. He also dips arrows in her blood, which eventually come back to kill Heracles. Bury immortal head. Ladon, talking serpent. Guardian of the Golden Apples of Hesperidies. Other monsters: Echidna (half nymph half snake), Geryon (3 bodied monster with one heart, shepherd of the cattle of Hades), Orthus (2 headed dog of Geryon), and Nemean lion (where Heracles lion skin comes from; impervious to attack).

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Athena - Virgin goddess of intelligence, craft (weaving), War, inventor goddess. Trainer of horses, inventor of the flute. - Attributes: armor (war helmet), Aegis (with Gorgon Medusas head), plant is the olive, animal is the owl or the snake. Prowess, wisdom, and masculinity. - Titles: Bright-eyed, Pallas, Parthenos, Polias, Tritogeneia, Promachos (worshipped as a warrior; she who fights on the front line). - Birth of Athena: o Homeric hymn: springs forth from the head of Zeus with armor and a spear, gods tremble at her might. o Hesiod: Athenas birth from the head of Zeus (mother Metis is swallowed by Zeus); Hephaestus splits the head of Zeus with and axe, therefore Athena has close ties to Zeus as she was born from him. - Athena and Poseidon: she has a contest with Poseidon over Athens. Each deity gives a gift: Athena gives and Olive tree, Poseidon give a horse and a salt spring. Athena wins in a vote > she wins because more female therefore more votes. Men possibly pissed, so they took the votes away from females. - Worship of Athena at Athens: in a great temple called the Parthenon on the Acropolis, also the Erchtheum. Main feast is Panathenaia (birthday of Athena), which is a large celebration. Panathenaic procession from the Agora (market) to the temple on the Acropolis. Gift is a new peplos or dress. Games, rewards,

Jamie Peregrym Clas 102 theatrical playwrights. Rewards are a wreath of olive spray, or a jar of olive oil. Parthenon is the showcase of the Athenians and of powerful democracy, courage and power (after battling Persians). It was constructed between 447 and 438 B.C. and decorated with elements of myth and religion. The statue of Athena inside was surfaced with gold and ivory, decorated with myths and a reflective pool of olive oil. Again, held the figure of Nike (peace). Her helmet was decorated with myths as well. In or near the Erechtheum, which was rebuilt after the Persian destruction of 480 B.C.. o Place of genuine worship of Athena (ancient statue, made of wood, where the original olive tree was). Also contained Poseidons salt spring. Shrines to the first kings of Athens, Erectheus (snaky-legged son of Ge and Hephaestus) and Cerops and his daughters. Athena and Arachne of Lydia: Arachne claims that she is just as good at weaving as Athena (hubris or excessive pride)(mortal). This irks Athena, who disguises herself as an old woman, who then talks to Arachne, telling her that she shouldnt brag and that she should sacrifice. Arachne says no. This angers Athena more, she loses her disguise and in a contest, both tapestries are judged as equal. Athena beats her up, then Arachne kills herself. Athena feels bad, and resurrects her, but as a spider for punishment for hubris (etiology, spider spin intricate webs). Athena blinds Tiresias and gives him the gift of prophecy, which is important for all hubris stories. (Also introduces the theme or motif of a mortal gazing upon a nude virgin goddess.) Athena and Medusa. Athena and Marsyas the satyr: Marsyas believes he invented the flute (hubris). Hephaestus attacks Athena, sperm misses, and Ge gives birth to Erichthonius, one of the first kings of Athens. Palladion: Athena and her friend Pallus, daughter of Triton, practice war together. Zeus sees Pallus attacking Athena, and protects her with a shield. This distracts Athena, who accidentally kills her. Creates a small statuette, which reminds her of Pallus, called the Palladion. The Palladion is thrown from the heavens, and becomes the protective charm of Troy. o In one version, Deiphobus, brother of Paris, gives the Palladion to Aneas, who takes it to Italy, therefore eventually ending up in Rome. o In another version, Diomedes steals the Palladion from Troy, which causes the luck to leave the city, to which destruction soon follows.

Aphrodite - Sanctuary: Cyprus, Paphos, and Salamis. - The goddess of love, procreation, marriage, and generally, sex. In Sparta, she is the goddess of war and love. Her animals are doves, and her plants roses. - Attributes: nudity (after 5th cent. B.C.), and a magic girdle (not represented in art). - Titles: golden, laughter-loving, Cypris, Pandemos, or Urania. (Roman: Venus/Genetrix). - Wife if Hephaestus, and she is unfaithful to him. o Aphrodite Urania: rises from the foam from the castration of Uranus;

Jamie Peregrym Clas 102 spiritual love. o Pandemos: daughter of Zeus and Dione (Illiad); physical love. o In antithesis of self: Urania is pure and spiritual, while Pandemos is the goddess of physical attraction and procreation. o Very ancient, pre-Hellenic goddess, probably an adaptation of Ishtar (middle East), except that Ishtar is the war and fertility goddess. Mother of Eros (Cupid), and depending on the myth by Hermes, Ares, or Zeus. Mother of Priapus by Dionysus, and Hermaphroditus by Hermes, and Aeneas by Anchises (human). o Priapus, fertility god, depicted as deformed and having a huge and erect phallus. Image normally found in gardens and at the doors to houses (bringer of luck, ward off thieves. Sometimes represents Dionysus/Pan). Stories usually comic and obscene. o Pygmalion and Galatea; the women of Cyprus anger Aphrodite by not properly worshipping her. She turns them to prostitutes, where they lose their shame, and eventually turn to stone. Pygmalion lives alone and without women; he makes a perfect statue of a woman, and falls in love with it. He kisses it, dresses is, sleeps with it, and speaks to it. At a feast, he prays to Aphrodite for a real wife; so she turns the statue into a human (Galatea) who becomes the mother of Paphos. Aphrodite and Adonis: tragic love, red roses, and annual rebirth of vegetation. o Paphos has a son, Cinyras, who has a daughter, Myrrha. She falls in love with Cinyras, and is so ashamed that she attempts suicide. Her nurse saves her, and helps her to get together with her father. After this incest, Cinyras attempts to kill Myrrha, she flees, and changes into a Myrrh tree, dripping tears. Adonis is born from the tree, and Aphrodite falls in love with him. She warns him to avoid hunting, but he goes anyway, and the boar of Ares kills him. Aphrodite grieves, and the flower anemone rises from Adonis blood; hence the annual ritual of the death of Adonis, and the mourning of Aphrodite. o In another version, a beautiful baby Adonis is given in a box to Persephone. He is desired by both of the goddesses, so he spends half of the year with each of them: at Olympus with Aphrodite, and at Tartarus with Persephone (Winter). o Parallel: Cybele and Attis; Cybele is bisexual (both parts), but a castration makes her female. The severed genitals become an almond tree. Then, the flower of the almond tree impregnates the nymph Nana. Attis results. Nana exposes him, and he is cared for by a he-goat. Cybele falls in love with Attis, who loves someone else. Cybele then punishes him, by making him mad; he castrates himself under a pine tree and dies. Cybele regrets punishing him, and Zeus promises that the body of Attis will never decay. (Cybeles main priests were eunuchs.) Aphrodite and Anchises; the birth of Aeneas. o Aphrodite forced to love Anchises, a Trojan prince, by Zeus. She goes to her sanctuary in Cyprus, and pretends to be a mortal princess; after union Anchises is frightened, as he is scared of losing his strength.

Jamie Peregrym Clas 102 Aphrodite has a child, Aeneas, who is left to be raised by the Nymphs of Mt. Ida, and by his mortal father. Aphrodite warns Anchises to not tell Aeneas that he is the son of a goddess, as well as watches over him, and saving his life on occasion during the Trojan War. She eventually guides him to Italy, where he is destined to form the New Troy, ie. Rome. In the process, she destroys the queen Dido, whom she makes fall in love with her son, so that he may get help. Other Stories involving Aphrodite: o Atalanta and Hippomenes: (race for the bride, dangers, and rewards). Atalanta was a hunter/athlete, who was raised by a bear, after exposed. She was then found by hunters, and then again found by her father Iasus. She refused to allow herself to be given away, so she sets up a race. He who loses the race faces execution, and he who wins, gets to marry her. o Aphrodite gives 3 golden apples to Hippomenes by her golden tree on Cyprus. They distract Atalanta when they are dropped, allowing Hippomenes to win and marry her. Before the wedding, they go to the Cave of Cybele for sex; sacrilege; transformed into a lion and lioness. (Same Atalanta is involved in the myth of Meleager and the Calydonian boar hunt.) o Hermaphroditus and Salamacis. o Sappho from the island of Lesbos (female poet) poems to Aphrodite (lesbian)(Roditus and Salamacis). Eros Son of Aphrodite, and often the god of homosexuality, especially in the Greek classical period. An attendant, often shown as a winged cherub. Has the ideal masculine body (youthful, smooth, etc.) Often re-interpreted as allegory by the ancient philosophers, Plato and Socrates. Eros and Psyche (woman): o Aphrodite is jealous mother in law, concept of a quest for love and immortality. o Roman writer; The Golden Ass, 2nd cent. A.D. by Apuleius. (Novel) o Psyche, the youngest of three daughters of a king and queen. She is the most beautiful, so her sisters are jealous. Locals believe that she is more beautiful than Aphrodite (hubris). Aphrodite punishes her by making Eros make her fall in love with an ugly man. But, when Eros sees her, he falls in love with her. So in the meantime, her sisters find husbands, but she does not because Eros is keeping her for himself. o Psyches parents seek the oracle of Apollo, which tells them that she must be wed to a monster. She is to look like a corpse on a mountain, where this monster will find her. She falls asleep, then the wind carries her into a valley; she awakes in the palace of Eros, where all of her wishes come true. An anonymous bridegroom (Eros) stays the night, but tells her that he must never be seen, in order for her to stay. o Her sisters go looking for her, and she eventually lets them know where

Jamie Peregrym Clas 102 she was. They are jealous because of all of her jewels and fine things, so they scheme to know who this mysterious person is. (If she found out who he was, he would leave; if she was pregnant and she didnt see him, the child would be immortal, if she did, immortal.) Her sisters trick her into attempting to see who he is: supposed to be a serpent. She breaks the taboo, bringing a candle into to room, lights it, and she sees him, A drop of wax falls on him, waking him, and causing Eros to flee. Distraught, Psyche attempts suicide in a river; no dice. Pan gives her advice to win back Eros. She roams Greece to find Eros while taking revenge on her sisters. She tells them to go to the mountain, and jump off, where the wind would take them to the palace; they jump to their deaths. The Quest of Psyche is imposed on her by Aphrodite; if the quest is done, she would give the blessing of marriage to her son. First, she must sort a heap of grain by night; an ant helps. Second, she is sent to a river with dangerous sheep, to collect their golden wool; a read near the stream tells her to pick wool from the reed to complete. Thirdly, the stream of Cocytus where the water of the underworld was, she must get a jar of Stygian water. An eagle swoops down and gets the water because of the dragon. Fourth, she was to get a piece of the beauty in a box from Persephone; she doesnt believe that she can do it, so she attempts suicide in a tower, who tells her not to do it. She goes to the Underworld and gets money for the boatman (Charon), and gets the beauty in a box; she is told not to look in the box, but she does, and the sleep of night falls on her. She is saved from the Underworld and deadly sleep from Eros. She finishes the tasks, so she becomes a goddess via Zeus. Her child is then called pleasure. (Happy ending).

Artemis - Daughter of Zeus and Leto, the twin sister of Apollo (usually born first). Born on Ortygia, Apollo on Delos. - Birth story: Leto roams the Earth looking for hospitality. She was refused on a Lydian village (even a drink of water), and then changes the villagers into frogs (etiology of frogs, and why they live in marshes). - Goddess of the wild, as wild animals flock to her. - Virgin goddess, huntress, asks Zeus for bow and arrows, for nymphs to accompany her, and permission to remain unmarried. Protects the amazons (woman warriors who reject marriage). - Goddess of women (childbirth, helps in delivery of Apollo). Untamed, harsh, sometimes cruel, linked to the powers of nature, instinct, and unconscious drives. - Attributes: bow and arrow, stag or dog. Selene/Heaven, Artemis/Earth, Hecate/Underworld, thus a crescent moon about the head (as Selene), 3 faced sometimes, usually dressed in a short tunic for hunting, but not always. Sometimes many breasts, linked to children and women. - Titles: Konrothropos (protector of children/newborns), Potnia Theron (Mistress of Animals), Artemis of golden arrows, virgin who delights in arrows.

Jamie Peregrym Clas 102 Artemis and Niobe: women of Thebes give honor to Letol all but Niobe, who thought she was better than Leto because of her 14 children (7 of each). Apollo and Artemis are sent to kill the children. Niobe begs for the life of her youngest daughter, and both of them are turned to stone, but the tears continue to fall from the stone statue. Artemis and Actaeon: Prince of Thebes, stumbles upon Artemis bathing, and he is punished for doing so; turned into a stag, and ripped apart by his own hounds. Callisto and Arcas: Callisto is a devout follower of Artemis. Zeus comes down, in the guise of Artemis, kisses her, and reveals himself. He rapes her. She flees the woods, and Artemis calls to her; they go to bathe, and Artemis sees that Callisto is pregnant, and she is then banished. She bears the son Arcas, and Hera then turns her into a bear. Arcas sees the bear, and tries to kill it, Zeus stops him. Makes them constellations: Ursa Major and minor. (Etiology). Orion: hunter, tries to woo Merope, daughter of a king. Gets drunk, and tries to rape her, he is then blinded by the king, but Helios returns his sight. He then tries to rape Artemis, who produces a scorpion who stings him to death. He is seen in heaven of Dog Star Sirius, and Orions belt. (Etiology).

Apollo - Son of Leto and Zeus. (No Latin equivalent name.) God of prophecy, music, poetry, science, philosophy, archery, healing, sudden death of man, purifier. - Rational god of civilization preaches moderation and humility, understood as ones knowledge of ones place in the universe. Know thyself. Yet, full contradictions; heals and kills, violent and calm. - Enemy of barbarism and hubris. - Attributes: lyre, bow and arrow, tripod, omphalos. Titles; Lykeios, far-shooter, Phoebus (as sun god). Plant is laurel, while animal is a swan or a raven. Followed by muses. Sanctuaries: Delphi, Delos (birthplace), Many others, such as Claros or Tenedos in Asia Minor. - Delos: floating island until the birth of Apollo. Delos bargains with Leto, which allows her to set up Delos as an island sanctuary for Apollo. It no longer was floating island. Leto was in labor for 9 days, because Eileiytheia (goddess of childbirth) was bribed by Hera not to go to Delos. She eventually comes, and Apollo is born. (All other gods present as well). He was born under a palm tree. - Delphi: second most important sanctuary, on land. Originally dedicated to an Earth goddess. o Omphalos means navel, which is an egg shaped stone, which signified the center of the Earth. At one time, Zeus released two eagles going in opposite directions, where they met is where the Omphalos is. o Apollo hijacks a ship of Cretans in the form of a dolphin. (Hence Delphinius Apollo.) o Site of the Pythian games every four years. o Priestesses are referred to as the Pythia, who gave cryptic answers for oracles, usually while in a frenzy, while seated on a tripod, which was the

Jamie Peregrym Clas 102 sign of divine prophetic power. They paid a fee, offered sacred cake, and then sacrificed a goat or sheep. o This place is often mentioned in hero myths; Thebes, Heracles, Mycenaean saga, especially Orestes. o Also known as a sanctuary of great political and historical importance. Oracles were consulted by both Greeks and foreigners (Etruscan (Italian) kings, Romans). o Cumaean Sibyl: priestesses, who were most famous at Cumae. Innermost shrine is in a cavern. Story involving Aeneas? Associated to Cassandra, daughter of Priam. He loves her, becomes a prophetess, Apollo asks for one last kiss, and he spits in her mouth. This causes her to prophesize in vain (people believe she is full of it). She is eventually taken by Agamemnon, who kills her. Others stories of Apollo: o Marpessa, granddaughter of Ares, chooses between Apollo and Idas (mortal). She believes that Apollo would get bored, so she picks Idas. o Cyrene, takes her to Libya, city founded after her. o Daphne, daughter of Peneus (river god). Eros made him fall in love with her, she gets tired, and prays to avoid him, and her father turns her into a laurel tree. o Hyacinthus of Amyclae (Spartan), accidentally kills him, flower spurts from blood; hyacinth. o Cyparissus (male): kills his favorite stag/pet. As he grieves, transforms into a Cyprus tree. o Titan Tityus, tries to rape Leto. Apollo and Artemis kill him, he is sent to the Underworld for his hubris, and has his liver eaten daily by vultures. o Coronis (female): have a son Asclepius (god of medicine). Raven (white) happens on Coronis with a different male, Apollo kills her, and takes the child from her womb, which is given to the Centaur Chiron. Raven turned black (etiology). o Contests: Apollo and Marsyas (satyr): Challenges him to a flute contest (hubris) and whoever won, got to do whatever he wished to the other. Marsyas loses, and is flayed/skinned alive by Apollo. Apollo and Pan: again challenged to a musical contest (hubris). Tmolus judges, Midas disagrees, Apollo gives him donkey ears.

Hermes - Or Mercury. Son of Zeus and Maia (daughter of Atlas). - Patron of the travelers, thieves, merchants/businessmen, youth; leader of the souls into the underworld, messenger of Zeus, trickster god, deceives with charm both gods and men. God of boundaries. - Titles: luck bringer, psychopompous, Argus-slayer, messenger of the gods. - Attributes: caduceus (wand/staff), winged sandles, petasus (travelers hat with

Jamie Peregrym Clas 102 wings). Herms are statues of Hermes and are placed in front of marketplaces, private houses, crossroads, and gymnasia. They are said to bring luck and prosperity. They are square pillars, with an erect phallus and the head of hermes. A pile of stones. Erect phallus symbolizes fertility? Also have pastoral (protector of shepherds and flocks). Important elements of public religion. Incident: history; general Alcibiades (415 B.C.) In charge of an expedition to Sicily. On the eve of the expedition, he was accused if the desecration of all of the Herms in Athens. He barely avoids emprisonment by fleeing the city. (Hermes is the god of travelers luck.) Stories of Hermes: o Birth and theft of Apollos cows: Hermes was born, then immediately starts playing the lyre (created from a turtle). Chops of several of the cows for food and sacrifice. Apollo searches and discovers that Hermes is the thief. Apollo threatens him, while he defends himself saying that he was born yesterday. Apollo then labels Hermes the Prince of Thieves. Zeus hears the case, and tells Hermes to tell Apollo where the rest of the cows are hidden. After giving the cows back, he sings a song for Apollo, who is impressed. Hermes is then made the guide of the gods, and gives Apollo the lyre. He also becomes the shepherd of Apollo, and receives a magic wand (golden staff of prosperity and luck, 3 branched, protective), three divine sisters, and also some birds of good omen. o Story of Io and the killing of Argus. o Love affair with Aphrodite, resulting child is Hermaphroditus. The nymphs Salamacis loves Hermaphroditus; advances/embarrasses him. He decides to go swimming, while Salamacis follows. She asks the gods to never be apart from him, and they are subsequently merged together. (Hence, hermaphrodites.) o Often involved in the various stories of heroes ie. brings message to Odysseus on the island of Circe, telling him to go home. He tells Aneas to go form the new Troy (Rome) from Zeus. Takes Euridice from her husband Orpheus, and back to Hades.

Dionysus - Also called Bacchus, and is the son of Zeus and Semele (princess of Thebes, human). o Semele is tricked by Hera to ask Zeus to show her himself in all of his glory. He does so, and she is subsequently destroyed. Zeus sews the fetus into his thigh, where it is carried to term. When Dionysus is born, he is cared for by Ino (aunt) or the nymphs of Mt. Nysa. He gains immortal status because of his incubation in Zeus thigh. Goes away as far as India, comes back and demands worship, and is often refused. - Dithyrambos: twice born; sort of from Semele, then from Zeus thigh. - Got of plant fertility, complements Demeter, god of wine, wine making, revelry, and secret mysteries. Animal is the panther, plant is the vine/wreath/grape. - Place of worship: island of Naxos. Worshippers follow the practice of

Jamie Peregrym Clas 102 sparagamos, which is the tearing apart of animals, and omophagia, which is the eating of raw flesh. o These worshippers were in groups, and were led by male leaders. o Maenads were mortal females, who were said to be possessed. Practiced sparagamos and omophagia. They were believed to be drawn into the cult because it centered on intense emotion/feeling, and it released them from their oppressed class. They all carry a thyrsos, which is a sharp pole with ivy or vine leaves on it, with a pinecone on one end (magical and deadly weapon). o Satyrs: males, who were part goat and part man. They played music and sang, and were depicted in a perpetual state of sexual excitement, and were usually nude. Sometimes they were seen chasing the Maenads. o Sileni: look like satyrs, but they are older (Silenus was the tutor of Dionysus). God of wine; grape and frenzy (irrationality). Comparison of Cybele and Dionysus: o Quote from Bacchae by Euripide; happy is he who participates in the mysteries ordained by the great mother, Cybele, as he follows his god, Dionysus, brandishing an thyrsus. o Dionysus is seen as a god of fertility, with Phrygian origins. He was worshipped through ecstatic dance, and sends joyful or destructive madness. Animals are panthers or tigers. Maenads. o Cybele or Rhea, was seen as the mother of the gods. Fertility/war goddess, best known in Phrygia, worshipped through ecstatic dance, animal is lion. Another version of birth: Zeus mates with his daughter Persephone, whos son is Zagreos. Hera sends the Titans to attack, kill, and eat the baby. Athena saves the heart of the baby, which she gives to Zeus, who swallows it. When he gets together with Semele, he gives her the heart, and thus Dionysus is born the same as before. o The evil Titans are then burnt to a dust by a thunderbolt, and from their ashes, humans are created. Hence the reason there are good and bad humans. Orphic cult; based on the myth of Orpheus and Eridice. Involves secret initiations, with an emphasis on purification. Many taboos, including beans. Orphic books (secret) are involved in the initiation rites. Hope of a better afterlife in Persephones kingdom. o Books contained spells (book of the dead?) written on gold tablets, that were buried with a person upon their death. Said to tell the soul how to reach Persephones grove, and what to say to the Chthonic gods. o Cult of the Orphic Dionysus was popular in southern Italy, and in Greek colonies. Pythagoreans, Socrates, Plato, influence by Orphic doctrine. Dionysus descent into Hades: goes to get Semele to place her on Mt. Olympus. He goes to the bottomless lake Lerna, and asks directions from Prosymnus. Gives directions on one condition; must do it when he gets back. Dionysus agrees, gets his mother, and puts her on the mountain. When he goes back to Prosymnus, he is dead; Dionysus fashions a stick in the shape of a phallus, and places it on his

Jamie Peregrym Clas 102 grave, fulfilling his promise. City of Dionysia at Athens; carried replica of him and his phallus. Competitions occurred, tasting of new wines. Stories: o Revenge on his Theban family: Penthens, Agave, Ino (described in the Bacchae of Euripidies). Dionysus goes to Thebes because his mothers integrity was questioned, and to establish his religion. He strikes his mothers sisters and other females with madness (Maenads?). Pantheus (son of Cadmus daughter, King of Thebes), Cadmus (father also to Semele) also question his divinity. Tiresias and Cadmus accept Dionysus, while Pantheus rejects him, and wants to be rid of him. He is also mad that the women are mad and roaming the woods; he imprisons and questions Dionysus, and destroys the palace. Thinking that Dionysus is dead, he thinks it is over. A messenger arrives telling him that his mother and sisters are still worshipping the god, while also attacking and plundering villages, and that he should accept Dionysus. He disagrees; Pentheus is then tricked into wearing a lion skin, and the women attack and kill him (sparagamos). The women lose their madness, and realize the death that they caused, and are exiled from Thebes. o Daughters of King Minyas refuse to worship Dionysus; he goes to them as a girl, they dont listen to him, he drives them mad, and turns them into bats (etiology). o Icarius, hospitable to Dionysus, gives him the gift of wine making. When his neighbors drink the wine, they believe that they have been poisoned, and they kill Icarius. His daughter Erigone searches for him, and then hangs herself. Dionysus then sends a plague to the town. o King Midas: Silemis is captured, and brought to Midas, who lets him go. Dionysus rewards him with a golden touch. Midas eventually begs to be released from the reward, as he cannot eat. He eventually is released. o Pirates kidnap Dionysus, one wants to let him go. Dionysus makes a monster appear, which scares the sailors. They jump overboard and are transformed into dolphins, all except the one who wanted to let him go (Helmoman) who is saved. o Dionysus marries Ariadne (daughter of Minos), because Dionysus finds her stranded on Naxos. Her wreath becomes a constellation. Pan Son of Hermes and Dryope. Has much in common with the Satyrs, joins in Bacchic rituals, god of shepherds, and is a musician. Invented the pan-pipe, myth of Syrinx. Lives in the hills and mountains. Falls for the nymph Syrinx, who turns into marsh reeds, and he makes a pan-pipe from her. Echo and Narcissus: Echo rejects Pan, and is then torn to pieces; only her voice remains. o In Ovids myth; Tyrisius (prophet) tells the mother of Narcissus that he will have come to know himself. He is beautiful, and Echo wants him, but

Jamie Peregrym Clas 102 couldnt speak to him because of a curse from Hera. She approaches him one day, and he rejects her, even though she is beautiful, because she cant talk. She continues to follow him, and she eventually turns to stone, but her voice remains. o Narcissus sees his reflection, and falls in love with his own image, but as he leans to kiss it, it disappears. Echo can repeat his words, so he thinks that the image is talking back to him. He eventually dies from the grief of not being able to love himself. Demeter - Goddess of grain and mysteries. Attributes: grain, poppy, torch. - Titles: Thesmophorous (law-bringer), she of the golden grain. - Sanctuary at Eleusis (near Athens), Enna in Sicily, and in every Greek city (usually in the out of town sanctuaries). - Main literary source of information is the Homeric hymn to Demeter. - Main feasts: Greater mysteries in October at Eleusis. Thesmophoria took place everywhere. - Children: Persephone (Kore, maiden) by Zeus, Plutus (weath) by Iasion, horse Arion by Poseidon. - In art it is difficult to distinguish her from Persephone, but sometimes Persephone carries a pomegranate. Usually Demeter is holding grain. Cult of Persephone was stronger in southern Italy and Sicily, where the influence of the Orphic cult was the strongest. - Hymn to Demeter (7th B.C.): o Hades kidnaps Persephone while she was gathering flowers, with the permission of Zeus. Helios and Hecate hear her cries for help. Demeter grieves and roams the earth for nine days with torches in hand; does not eat or bathe. Hecate with a torch tells her about the abduction, but does not know the abductor; Helios tells her that it was Hades, and tells the whole story. Demeter is angry, and stays away from the other gods, and roams around men. o Demeter in disguise, comes to Eleusis; meets the four daughter of king Celeus by the Maiden Well. Tells them that her name is Doso, and that she escaped from pirates, and that she is now a nanny for hire; she is then employed by Celeus to watch over his son Denophoon, who is an infant prince. (Triptolemus was mentioned as one of the nobles of Eleusis). o She anoints Denophoon with ambrosia during the night, and every day, he looks stronger and more god-like. She tries to immortalize him (to replace Persephone?), but Metaneira (mother) breaks the spell. Demeter throws the child on the floor. She reveals herself, and then the mysteries are established, and there is a temple built at Eleusis. o A terrible famine is occurring, and the gods are worried that all of the men will die, and no worship will occur. This was Demeters plan, she stopped the growing of grain. o Iris, and all of the other gods plead with Demeter, to no avail; no grain until Persephone is back. Zeus orders Hermes that Persephone is to be

Jamie Peregrym Clas 102 returned; not allowed to eat in the underworld. She eats a pomegranate however. Demeter senses treachery; asks if Persephone ate, yes. Therefore, she could only spend 2/3 of the year on the surface, and 1/3 with Hades. o Rhea comes as a messenger; back to Hades for 1/3 of the year. Demeter accepts this, and famine is ended. (Etiology for winter.) Interpretations: 1/ explains seasons, 2/ Demeter is the goddess of ripe grains while Persephone is the goddess of budding tender shoots, 3/ death of childhood (marriage)/ leading to marriage, 4/ Denophoon and the mysteries; practice secret rites, could become immortal?, 5/ Metaneira doesnt understand the rites, and therefore loses the rights and the opportunity of gaining immortality. The Eleusian mysteries were the most honored and most ancient of all mystery religions. They are inclusive; open to all who spoke Greek, and were ritually pure (ie. no murder, etc.). o Some elements were explained in the poem: 9 days of fasting, torches, special dress, Maiden well, emotions, such as anguish, reuniting of mother and daughter. o Lesser mysteries are preliminary steps into the cult; held in Athens once a year. o In the Greater mysteries, over 9 days, a Hiera (sacred object) was brought to Athens for Eleusis, registration/sponsor needed to partake, treaty at this time, purification, prayers, sacrifice of piglet. This was followed by a pilgrimage back to Eleusis; complete secrecy. Drinking of Kykeon (barley drink similar to beer). o Secret/sacred story re-enacted as the Eleusian sanctuary had seats along the walls, with a shrine in the middle (atypical). o Only a special, hereditary priesthood could perform the rituals, otherwise, they are considered invalid. Thesmophoria: women only, dig and fill a pit with sacrificed pigs, snakes, and phallus shaped cakes. Re-enact Persephones descent to the Underworld, and the women were lowered into the pit! They would collect some of the material in the pit, which was then added to the seeds of next season. Triptolemus: means thrice plowed field. Messenger of Demeter, given grain by her, and the teacher to humans of how to grow grain. Travels in a chariot pulled by a winged dragon. He sometimes merges with Demophoon, and through an association with chthonic Demeter, is sometimes a judge in the underworld (Plato). Hecate: originally probably a fertility goddess. Though her association with Demeter and Persephone, she becomes a patron of witches, and lives in Hades. Shown in art with torches.