greek terms

Question 1

Aidos

Answer 1

shame; something to be ashamed of; fear of disgrace; fear of what others will say; negatively affects one’s kleos

Question 2

Aition

Answer 2

cause, origin

Question 3

Anthromorphism

Answer 3

turning into a human being. Gods and goddesses are anthropomorphized when they take on human qualities

Question 4

Arete

Answer 4

virtue, excellence

Question 5

Aristeia

Answer 5

display of superior prowess and skill in battle

Question 6

Ate

Answer 6

blindness, madness, or folly that the gods may impose with or without the fault of the human.

Question 7

dactylic hexameter

Answer 7

the meter of epic has 6 dactylic feet in a line. A dactyl is a long syllable followed by two short. In English this meter winds up sounding sing-songy. Daktylos is a word for a finger, which, with its 3 phalanges, is like a finger

Question 8

Dolos

Answer 8

trickery

Question 9

Geras

Answer 9

a gift of honour

Question 10

in medias res

Answer 10

into the middle of things, the epic story begins in the middle of things and reveals the past with narratives and flashbacks

Question 11

invocation

Answer 11

at the start of epic, the poet calls upon the Goddess or Muse. The poet either believes or adopts the stance that the poem couldn’t be composed without divine inspiration

Question 12

kleos

Answer 12

fame, especially immortal, for a deed. From a word for that which is heard, kleos is renown. Kleos can also refer to praise poetry.

Question 13

Moira

Answer 13

portion, share, lot in life, destiny

Question 14

nemesis

Answer 14

righteous indignation

Question 15

Nostoi

Answer 15

homecomings

Question 16

Penthos

Answer 16

grief, suffering

Question 17

Timé

Answer 17

honor

Question 18

Xenia

Answer 18

Greek code of hospitality; guest friendship