Ancient Myths and the Odyssey - Key Terms

Ancient Myths and the Odyssey - Key Terms

• Myth: A traditional story involving gods and supernatural events, often explaining events and ideas.
• Hubris: Excessive arrogance or pride.
• Xenia (Guest Hospitality): Ancient Greek concept of hospitality, including offering food, shelter and protection, and expecting guests to reciprocate with respect and gratitude.
• In Media Res: A narrative that begins in the middle of the action.
• Deus Ex Machina: An unexpected power, event, or character suddenly appearing to resolve a seemingly hopeless situation, often a god in ancient Greek plays.
• Epithet: An adjective or phrase that describes a specific quality of a person or thing, such as "fleet-footed Achilles"
• Metaphor: A comparison between two unlike things, without using "like" or "as", e.g., "Snow is a white blanket covering the earth." A metaphor consists of a tenor (subject), vehicle (comparison), and ground (relationship).
• Tenor: The subject of the metaphor and its intended meaning.
• Vehicle: The source of the comparison or substitution.
• Ground: The relationship between the tenor and vehicle in a metaphor.
• Characteristics of a Hero: Favored by the gods, mortal, physically impressive, skilled at warfare.

Ancient Myths and the Odyssey - Characters and Stories

• Telemachus: Odysseus' son, who supports him in reclaiming their home.

• Penelope: Odysseus' wife, who stays loyal to him while he is away.

• Antinous: An arrogant and disrespectful suitor.

• Eurymachus: Another disrespectful suitor.

• Amphinomus: A suitor expressing reluctance.

• Odysseus: The protagonist, known for his cunning and bravery.

• Bravery and Courage: Demonstrated in his unwavering determination to overcome dangers.

• Sharp Intellect: Odysseus' quick thinking and clever strategies, such as his ruse with "Nobody" and use of wine to deceive Polyphemus.

• Rationality: prioritizing family and home over temptation.

• Persuasiveness: His ability to influence others with his words.

• Strategic Mindset: Efficient planning to achieve his goals.

• Physical Strength and Skill: Combines intellectual abilities with physical prowess.

• Patience and Timing: Acts at appropriate moments.

• Commitment to Family and Home: The desire to return to Ithaca and protect his family.

• Epic of Gilgamesh: Epic featuring Gilgamesh, a powerful and strong king, who is also oppressive, arrogant, and egoistic at the beginning. Brave, beautiful, and searches for immortality after losing his friend. Wise and reflective, learning the value of friendship, leadership, and accepting mortality.

• Structure of a Narrative (Aristotle): Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution.

• Epic Elements (Aristotle's Definition): Plot, character, thought, diction, song, spectacle.

• Odyssey Summary: Recounting events chronlogically, leaving Calypso's island, arrival at Scheria (encounter with Phaeacians).

Ancient Myths - Other Key Characters/ Stories

• Cicones: Raiding and suffering losses.
• Lotus Eaters: Rescuing crew from forgetfulness,
• Cyclops (Polyphemus): Blinding Polyphemus, invoking Poseidon's curse.
• Aeolus's Bag of Winds: Crew's curiosity causing storm; Aeolus refuses further help.
• Laestrygonians: Cannibal giants destroying most ships.
• Circe: Turns men into pigs; later assists Odysseus.
• Underworld: Tiresias warns of dangers.
• Scylla and Charybdis: Losing men to Scylla while avoiding Charybdis.
• Return to Ogygia: Odysseus stranded with Calypso.
• Return to Ithaca: Odysseus reclaiming his throne, with Phaeacians' assistance.
• Yoruban Creation Myth, Persephone, Zhulong, Gaia, Prometheus, Theseus, Perseus, Daedalus & Icarus, Agamemnon & Achilles, The Muses - Other significant figures and creation stories.

Writing Strategies

• Thesis Statement: A single sentence answering a question, containing two viewpoints, use a conjunction to connect them.
• Subordinating Conjunctions: Create complex sentences linking two ideas based on contrast, cause, condition, time, or purpose. (e.g., Although, because, since, when)
• Comma Sandwich: A sentence with extra descriptive information enclosed between commas.
• More, More, More Sentence: Sentences building on an idea using repetition.
• Three-word Sentence: Conveying a complete thought.
• Sentence beginning with an adverb: adding detail to the action.
• Sentence including speech: Containing dialogue showcasing characters' speech.