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Classics 2200 > Term 2 - Lecture 1 > Flashcards

Term 2 - Lecture 1 Flashcards

1
Q

Who liberates Danae from “the girls tragedy”?

A

Dictys

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2
Q

Why is Enkidu provided to Gilgamesh by the gods?

A

Because Gilgamesh is wild and arrogant. He beats up young men, and won’t allow a woman to marry until he has sex with them first. Over entitled.

Enkidu is a wild and hairy man who must be “tamed” by contact with a woman before he can come to the city of Uruk.

The men of Uruk prayed to the gods for Enkidu to help civilize Gilgamesh.

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3
Q

How does Herakles ascend to Olympia?

A

Through apotheosis. He is burned on a funeral pyre.

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4
Q

Is Gilgamesh divine or mortal?

A

He is 2/3 divine, and 1/3 mortal.

He suffers from this fate. He suffers the most from the fact that because he is part mortal, he must die; even though he is mostly divine.

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5
Q

What happened in Sophocles’ Women of Trachis?

A

Marries Dieaneira (man-destroyer). Nessus, a centaur, ferried Dieaneira and Herakles across a river, he tricks and rapes Deianeira. Herakles is an archer and kills Nessus with a bow and arrow. Nessus (dying) apologizes and gives Deianeira blood “in case she ever wants love again”.

Herakles then falls in love with Princess Iole of Oichalia and wants to cheat on Deianeira. Deianeira, wanting love, smears Nessus’ blood on Herakles. It kills him.

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6
Q

What kind of bride is Andromeda?

A

A bride of death

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7
Q

What does this image depict?

A

The story of the Stymphalion birds. They were everywhere and their feces were contaminating. (or their wings fell as sharp knives).

Herakles used a percussive instrument from his initiation into Cybele (Dionysus) to kill them.

1/12 labours.

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8
Q

Who are Herakles’ three wives?

A
  1. Megara
  2. Deianeira
  3. Hebe
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9
Q

What was a common theme from Pindar’s Epinician songs?

A

The hero is greater than mortals, and a model to emulate.

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10
Q

Who is this?

A

Herakles - wearing the skin of the Nemean lion

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11
Q

What does this image depict?

A

The origin of the milky way

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12
Q

Who are Herakles’ teachers? What do they teach him?

A
  1. Linus - lyre
  2. Chiron (centaur) - arching
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13
Q

What is this an image of?

A

Herakles stealing the girdle from an Amazon queen.

The amazon queens live without men, with moonshaped shields. They are the inversion of a civilized woman, the Other.

1/12 labours.

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14
Q

Who becomes the wife of Perseus?

A

Andromeda, daughter of Cassiopeia and Cepheus of Ethiopia

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15
Q

What happened when Perseus killed Medusa?

A

Pegasus was born, fathered by Poseidon

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16
Q

How is Enkidu tamed by a woman?

A

He has sex with her, a prostitute sent by the goddesses. Enkidu is mad - he wants to stay wild but he is no longer an animal. He is angry with the prosititute, but eventually makes the transition into a tamed animal, gradually coming to the city of Uruk.

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17
Q

What does Hera do to attempt to kill the twins (Herakles and Iphikles)?

A

She sends snakes

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18
Q

What is this an image of?

A

Hebe and Herakles

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19
Q

What happens to the immortality herb given to Gilgamesh by Utnapishtim’s wife?

A

A snake steals it. This is the etiological story of why a snake sheds its skin.

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20
Q

Why is the Greek Hero known as a “divided person”?

A

The hero is great and excessive; a model for others to follow/ “emulate”.

Part human, part divine. May be bestial, or animal-like. Often isolated and alone because of this.

Has difficulty accepting limits.

The hero is prone to hybris, which will likely result in punishment.

Hero is often caught between two impossible choices.

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21
Q

Where does Perseus become the king of after capturing the head of Medusa?

A

Tiryns and Mycenae

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22
Q

Who can Medusa be compared to?

A

The Python that Apollo and Zeus had to slay.

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23
Q

What happens when Perseus and Andromeda return home?

A

Perseus returns to Seriphos and turns both Polydectes and his court to stone. He then gives the head of Medusa to Athena.

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24
Q

What was the epic of gilgamesh, written in 700 BCE on the 12 Akkadian tablets recorded on?

A

Clay

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25
How is Herakles educated? What happens?
1. By his music teacher Linus, who tries to teach him the lyre. Herakles is bad at it, so he **impulsively** kills him. 2. He is then sent away to Chiron, the wise centaur, who teaches him to be a good archer
26
Who is Andromeda the daughter of?
Cassiopeia and Cepheus, of Ethiopia
27
When is Gilgamesh confronted with his mortality?
When Ishtar kills Enkidu.
28
What was the "ultimate task" of Herakles?
Capturing the head of Cerebus, the hundred headed dog that guards Hades.
29
What is this an image of?
1/12 labours. The Cerynitian hind. Herakles had to get permission from Artemis (goddess of animals) to remove a horn.
30
What were the two quests of Gilgamesh?
1. Slaying a monster 2. Search for immortality On both of these quests Gilgamesh has both gods who hep him, and gods who hate him.
31
What is Herakles known for? How does he display it?
His impulsivity, and his **appetite.** Has sex with 50 woman - daughters of Thespius (allows them to claim descendence), and an amazing capacity to eat and drink.
32
Who is this?
Andromeda
33
What are the three main parts of the life of a Greek Hero?
1. Separation 2. Initiation 3. Return
34
This is the Nemean lion. What is the story behind it?
Herakles had to defeat it in his first labour. He kills it and wears the skin. The lion cannot be killed by any weapon so Herakles has to kill it with his bare hands. He uses a claw from the lion to kill it.
35
What are the origins of Perseus?
Io (a mortal) was impregnated by the touch of Zeus with Epaphus (name meaning touch). Epaphus lived in Egypt. He gave rise to 50 daughters and 50 sons, in which only one couple survived. They returned to Greece. This eventually gave rise to Acrisius, the King of Argos. Acrisius was the father of Danae. Perseus is the son of Danae and Zeus.
36
Who is Utnapishtim?`
A mortal who was granted immortality. He survived a flood that wiped out the human race and lives in a garden of paradise.
37
What happens with Gilgamesh after Ishtar kills Enkidu?
He refuses to bury Enkidu. He bathes him and does not believe he is dead until a **worm** comes out of his nose. Gilgamesh is confronted with his mortality. In his grief, he leaves the city
38
How does gilgamesh undergo transformation?
By going "beyond" the realms of the human world. Through **suffering.**
39
What happens when Gilgamesh encounters Utnapishtim?
Utnapishtim tells him that he will give him the secret to immortality if he can stay awake for a whole week. He immediately falls asleep after the long journey. Utnapishtim's wife bakes a loaf of bread for every day of the week, and places them subsequently beside Gilgamesh. Some become moldy, when Gilgamesh awakes. (Mold symbolizes death). Then, Utnapishtim's gives him an herb that will make him immortal, but a snake steals it.
40
What is this an image of?
Apotheosis
41
When was the story of Gilgamesh written?
As early as 2150 BCE
42
What is the lineage of Herakles?
Perseus and Andromeda have kids. Their kids give birth to Amphitryon and Alkmene (cousins). They have another cousin Eurystheus. Amphitryon and Alkmene have Iphikles. Zeus has sex with Alkmene, and gives birth to Herakles. Herakles and Iphikles are twins. Sthenelus (mother of Eurystheus) was pregnant at the same time as Alkmene. Hera hastened the birth of the cousin Eurystheus, so Zeus' and Alkmene's offspring (Herakles) would not be king.
43
What does "Herakles" mean?
Hera-kleos Kleos = glory Represents Herakles glory against Hera
44
How does the Greek Hero act as a benefactor and a destroyer?
Benefactor: protector of civilization, tamer of nature, champion of culture. Destroyer: he can be destructive, a harmful force of nature, a threat to culture
45
Where did the text that we use about Gilgamesh come from? When was it written? Which tablet was most recently found?
From the **12 Akkadian tablets** written in 700 BCE. Tablet V adds new details to the story.
46
What is unusual about Perseus and Andromeda?
They live happily ever after, together. Unusual as the hero usually settles down unhappily.
47
What does this image depict?
Gilgamesh and Enkidu slaying Humbaba
48
What happens when Perseus returns to Argos?
He accidentally kills his grandfather Acrisius with a discus, confirming the prophecy.
49
What is this an image of?
Herakles killing the snakes. Athena is on the left wearing snakes.
50
How was the milky way formed?
Hera was unknowingly breastfeeding Herakles - she pushed him off and milk spurted out, becoming the milky way
51
What are the common characteristics of the Greek Hero?
1. Divine parent and human parent 2. Unusual birth story 3. Threatened at birth by a hostile force, and therefore displays powers early on 4. Education occurs in exile, often by supernatural beings 5. Involves a quest, often impossible, ex. to the underworld and back. 6. Involves slaying a monster 7. Involves divine assistance and opposition. 8. Involves a return home, spiritually transformed 9. Strange or ironic deaths are common - usually smaller than expected, and unexpected. 10. Immortalized through fame through a song or a cult, or constellations, etc.
52
Who is the "rare, integrated hero"?
Perseus. It is rare for a Greek hero to be well-integrated into society.
53
What is hybris?
Extreme pride or arrogancy that results in divine punishment.
54
What does Gilgamesh do after meeting Utnapishtim?
He returns to the city of Uruk to spread his wisdom. He is made immortal by having his story recorded.
55
What can the adamantine sword be compared to?
The sickle that Kronos used to castrate Ouranos
56
What type of writing was the epic of gilgamesh recorded in?
Cuneiform, or "wedge-shaped" writing
57
What is this an image of?
Geryon the cow herder, and Herakles killing his dog. 1/12 labours.
58
What is Perseus' quest?
To slay the primordial Medusa to save his civilized mother.
59
What does this image depict?
Acrisius sending Danae and Perseus out to sea.
60
What is this an image of?
The hydra, which Herakles killed. Each head grew back after being cut, so Herakles used a sickle to cut it, and then a friend used a torch to cauterize it. Finally, he plunged his arrow into the hydra's blood, killing it. 1/12 labours
61
What does this image depict?
Danae and Perseus out at sea
62
When is the second time that Herakles has to atone?
After he murders a rival. The rival is a guest, and therefore Herakles violates **xenia.** He has no impulse control. He's enslaved by Omphale, a foreign queen.
63
Who is Gilgamesh the offspring of?
Lugulbanda: the mortal king of Uruk Ninsun: a goddess Therefore gilgamesh inherits his kingship from his father, and his divine powers from his mother.
64
Where does Gilgamesh go on his second quest? Who does he visit?
Beyond the limits of the human world. He leaves the city of Uruk, Mesopotamia, abandoning civilization to consult **Utnapishtim**.
65
Where does Perseus grow into a man, isolated from civilization?
On the island of Seriphos.
66
Who was "Enkidu"?
The double for Gilgamesh. A best friend. He was made for Gilgamesh because Gilgamesh kept getting into trouble.
67
How does Gilgamesh suffer punishment after hybris?
Gilgamesh denies a goddess (Ishtar) and in return she kills Enkidu.
68
Where is mesopotamia located?
It is the floodplain between the rivers' **Tigris** and **Euphrates**
69
How was Gilgamesh a benefactor and a destroyer?
Both a warrior, and an athlete.
70
Where does "who can calculate the orbit of ones own soul" come from?
Oscar Wilde, de profundis
71
What is the "shadow side" of Gilgamesh?
A violent and arrogant man.
72
Who peopled Mesopotamia from 2800-2500 BCE? Who came later?
Earlier: Sumerians Later: Akkadians
73
How does Perseus become the husband of Andromeda?
Cassiopeia commits hybris against Poseidon by saying that she was as beautiful as the sea nymphs. Poseidon floods the land, demanding her sacrifice. Andromeda is chained to a cliff, awaiting death by a sea monster. Perseus slays the sea monster and rescues Andromeda. They marry.
74
What happens after Hera places the snakes in the cribs?
Herakles defeats the snakes (compare to Apollo, Zeus, and Perseus)
75
Was the epic of gilgamesh a myth, fable, legend, or folktale?
Legend - historical story that can be found on a map. Gilgamesh is a man with divine qualities.
76
Relate Danae to the "girls' story pattern"
1. Prohibition - forbidden to marry 2. Seclusion and isolation - locked in a tower 3. Violation of the prohibition - Zeus impregnates her anyways 4. Threat of punishment or death - set to sea in a chest 5. Liberation - rescue by Dictys
77
How does Hera persecute Herakles out of anger towards Zeus for cheating on her with Alkmene?
1. Delayed the labour of Alkmene so that Eurystheus would be born before Herakles and Herakles would not be king 2. Places two snakes in the twins crib
78
What happens when Gilgamesh meets Enkidu?
They fight, but Gilgamesh recognizes Enkidus strength and befriends him. They set off together to claim the cedar forest for civilization.
79
Who is this?
Omphale
80
What is the tragic story of *Euripides'* Herakles? Who is his first wife?
Marries **Megara** - driven mad by Hera, he kills his wife and kids. He thinks they are the children of Eurystheus (his enemy). He feels so bad he wants to kill himself on the spot - he can't and has to suffer.
81
Who shares the epithet of Polydectes?
Hades - the receiver of many.
82
Who was the King of Uruk?
Gilgamesh - the fifth king after the "flood"
83
What is the major difference between the stories of the Greek gods and the stories of Greek heroes?
The stories of the gods almost never involve tragedy. With mortality comes tragedy.
84
What is shown in this image?
Perseus killing Medusa with the Adamantine sword. Pegasus leaping from the neck. Perseus avoiding eye contact to avoid turning into stone.
85
Who is this? Describe her. What does her name mean?
Medusa, a Gorgon. She is shameless, and keeps her head up and tongue out. If you look Medusa in the eye you turn to stone. Her name can be compared to Prometheus and Metis, meaning "cunning intelligence".
86
How does Gilgamesh reach Utnapishtim?
He travels through a tunnel (symbolic of death), until he reaches the light at the end. He then meets a woman who runs a bar. She tells him, "Everyone is subject to death, it is time for you to eat and drink something, and to lay down with a woman". He doesn't want to accept this. Then he travels over a river on a ferry, coming to the place of Utnapishtim.
87
What is Gilgamesh wearing as he begins his second mission?
A lion skin (tamer of nature)
88
What is "the greek hero"?
A person who **transcends the human.**
89
Who are both known for wearing animal skins?
Gilgamesh and Herakles
90
Which monster do Enkidu and Gilgamesh slay together before claiming the cedar forest?
Humbaba
91
What is Perseus' impossible task?
To retrieve the head of medusa.
92
How does Herakles atone for killing his family? What instructs him to do so?
The **oracle at Delphi** instructs him to serve his cousin Erystheus. Erystheus wants him dead and sends him on 12 labours. Herakles survives all of them, and **confronts death each time.** The 12 labours help him to **tame nature.** This wins him the name Herakles.
93
How does Perseus go about his quest to slay medusa? Who does he consult?
He consults females. This differentiates him from many Greek heroes. First he consults **Athena** for her wisdom. Then he travels very far to consult the **Graiae**. Old hags with one tooth and one eye among the three. Perseus steals the eye. They finally tell him to go to the **nymphs.** The nymphs give him talismans; a cap of invisibility, winged sandals, and a pouch. **Hermes** gives an **adamantine sword**, which is used to behead Medusa.
94
What happens after Herakles dies?
His body goes to Hades, his soul goes to Olympia. He reconciles with Hera, and marries Hebe (youth), winning immortality.
95
Who is the Panhellenic hero?
Herakles
96
Who is this?
Humbaba/Huwawa
97
Who pursues Danae on the island of Seriphos, and what happens?
Polydectes, Perseus confronts him, and he refuses to leave Danae alone unless Perseus can retrieve the head of Medusa.
98
Who can Ishtar and Gilgamesh be compared to?
Aphrodites (Ishtar) - both goddesses Anchises (Gilgamesh) - both mortals Both mortals are terrified of sleeping with godesses because they do not want to be destroyed.
99
What is the story of Acrisius and Danae?
Acrisius heard a prophecy that he would be overthrown by the son of his daughter, Danae. He enclosed her in a tower or cave, away from other men. Zeus impregnated Danae in the form of a rain shower. Acrisius heard the baby crying (Perseus), and so he put Perseus and Danae in a chest and threw it out to sea. **Not miasma.**
100
What is this an image of?
An Erymanthian boar. Herakles brings it to Erystheus, but he is so frightened he hides it in a jar (compare Odysseus). 1/12 labours.
101
What were the places of worship known as in Uruk?
Ziggurats - temples of worship to the gods
102
What does Athena do with the head of Medusa? What does it symbolize?
She puts it on her aiges/shield, symbolic of the help of females.
103
What happens after the chest containing Danae and Perseus is set out to sea?
It reaches an island, **Seriphos.** Danae and Perseus are rescued by the fisherman **Dictys.**
104
What is Gilgamesh known for his ability to do?
Tame nature for human culture
105
How was Andromeda remembered?
Through catasterization
106
What is this an image of?
Herakles and Cerberus, with Erystheus hiding in the jar again.
107
How is Enkidu destroyed?
Goddess Ishtar falls for Gilgamesh - Gilgamesh rejects Ishtar because "all of the mortals that Ishtar slept with shrivelled up and died". Out of insult, Ishtar kills Enkidu.
108
Who is the oldest of the Greek heroes?
Perseus.

Classics 2200 (30 decks)

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