Mythology Quiz: Arachne vs Athena

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Questions and Answers

What motivated Arachne to challenge Athena to a contest?

Desire to prove her skill in weaving (correct)

A bet with Poseidon

Seeking revenge on Athena

A wish to become a goddess

What was the outcome of the contest between Arachne and Athena?

Athena admitted defeat

Athena destroyed Arachne's tapestry (correct)

Arachne’s tapestry was declared the best

Both tapestries were destroyed

Which of the following mythological themes is not represented in Arachne's tapestry?

Gods seducing mortals

Mortals being punished

Heroes overcoming great odds (correct)

Gods seducing goddesses

Where were the Isthmian Games held in honor of Poseidon?

Isthmia Signup and view all the answers

What significant structure is located on the Acropolis in Athens?

The Parthenon Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the 9-day ritual in the Eleusinian mysteries?

It mirrors Demeter's 9-day grief for her daughter. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about the Eleusinian mysteries is true?

They allowed universal admission, even for slaves. Signup and view all the answers

What role does the olive tree play in the contest between Athena and Poseidon?

It represents agriculture and peace. Signup and view all the answers

What does Demeter's absence of sacred texts signify about her followers?

They relied on oral traditions and secrecy. Signup and view all the answers

How did Athena come to be born from Zeus?

By Zeus swallowing Metis. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT associated with Poseidon?

Olive tree Signup and view all the answers

What does the epithet 'Pallas' signify in relation to Athena?

Friendship with Triton. Signup and view all the answers

Which term describes the worship of gods associated with the earth and the underworld?

Chthonic Signup and view all the answers

What was Poseidon's offer in the contest for Athens?

A saltwater spring. Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary role of Linear B writing in ancient Greece?

To record administrative details and receipts Signup and view all the answers

How does the concept of Elysium relate to the Underworld?

It is a place for heroes after death. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a feature of mystery cults?

Public ceremonies Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of the anthropological perspective on the Eleusinian mysteries?

The reasons for religious rituals. Signup and view all the answers

Who is credited with the creation of the first woman in Greek mythology?

Pandora Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary contribution of Hesiod in Greek literature?

Providing ethical guidance and advice Signup and view all the answers

What significant action did Cronos take against Uranus?

Castrated him Signup and view all the answers

What is the Titanomachy?

War between the Titans and the Olympians Signup and view all the answers

What consequence did Zeus face for Prometheus' deception during the sacrifice at Mecone?

He punished humanity with Pandora Signup and view all the answers

Which figure is associated with the lore of the flood in Greek mythology?

Deucalion and Pyrrha Signup and view all the answers

What does the Greek word 'hieros gamos' signify?

Sacred marriage Signup and view all the answers

What eventual fate awaits Zeus's age of mankind, according to Hesiod?

Destruction by Zeus Signup and view all the answers

How did Athena come into existence according to the mythological account?

Swallowed by Zeus, who later gave birth to her Signup and view all the answers

Which goddess is known for punishing Zeus's infidelities?

Hera Signup and view all the answers

What result followed the love affair between Aphrodite and Anchises?

They gave birth to the Trojan prince Aeneas. Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the anemone flower in relation to Adonis?

It represents the annual mourning for Adonis. Signup and view all the answers

Which god is associated with fire and metalworking?

Hephaestus Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes the Homeric Hymn to Hermes?

It is from the archaic period, around the 6th century BC. Signup and view all the answers

Which goddess is known for her association with the hearth and domestic life?

Hestia Signup and view all the answers

What significant action does Dionysus take against Pentheus?

He persuades him to spy on the Bacchae. Signup and view all the answers

Which child is NOT traditionally associated with Ares?

Harmonia Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of the contest between Apollo and Marsyas?

Musical contest where Apollo wins. Signup and view all the answers

What transformation did Aphrodite perform on Adonis after his death?

She changed him into a flower. Signup and view all the answers

Which event illustrates the dangers of hubris in Greek mythology?

Niobe boasting about her children. Signup and view all the answers

Which attributes are commonly associated with Hermes?

Trade, travel, and thievery Signup and view all the answers

What does the etiology for Adonia refer to?

A mourning ritual for Adonis. Signup and view all the answers

Where is Dionysus most famously worshipped?

Mount Cithaeron Signup and view all the answers

Who persuades Leto to give birth on Delos?

Eileityia Signup and view all the answers

Which mythical figure is associated with the laurel tree?

Daphne Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the symbols associated with Artemis?

Bow and arrows Signup and view all the answers

Who is known as the 12th Olympian after yielding her place in the pantheon?

Hestia Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes Dionysus’s nature?

Liminal and dual-natured. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main theme of the myth of Pygmalion?

Creation and the desire for perfection. Signup and view all the answers

What connection do the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor have with Greek mythology?

Illustrate the transformation of Callisto and her son. Signup and view all the answers

What conflict does the frieze on the Parthenon primarily depict?

Panathenaic Procession Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Linear B

Not used to record literature but rather to record receipts
Most likely used by Mycenaean civilization

Greek Religion

Olympian gods are worshiped on Mount Olympus
Other gods are worshiped in other locations such as the underworld (Hades)
Olympian worship is based on “do ut des” meaning “I give in order that you may give”
- Greek mortals perform rituals for the gods in order for the gods to return the favor
Chthonic worship involves supernatural entities on or under the earth
- Including heroes, ghosts, and underworld gods/spirits
- Takes the name from Greek word "chthon" (earth)
Mystery religions had three main features:
- Voluntary initiation
- Secret rites
- Specific teachings and doctrines
- Name comes from Greek word "mystes” (initiate)
- Three major cults:
- Eleusinian mysteries
- Dionysian mysteries
- Orphism
- Appealed to Greeks who wanted a more personal connection with the gods

Hesiod

Archaic Greek poet, farmer, and shepherd
Claimed the Muses visited him on Mount Helicon
Competed in a poetry competition and won first prize
Wrote Theogony, an epic about the birth of the gods:
- Includes the creation of the world, divine succession, Prometheus, and Pandora
Wrote Works and Days, a didactic poem offering advice on farming and life:
- Includes Pandora, Prometheus, and the five ages of man

Greek Cosmology

Chaos: void/emptiness, first primordial deity
Gaia: Earth, fertility
Tartarus: Underworld, depths of the earth

Theogony

Gaia parthenogenetically birthed Uranus (Sky)
Uranus and Gaia had 12 titans:
- Their marriage is a "hieros gamos" (sacred marriage")
Uranus castrated by Cronos using a scythe:
- Blood from castration gave birth to giants, nymphs, Erinyes, and Aphrodite
Cronos and Rhea:
- Parents of Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, and Zeus
- Cronos swallowed all but Zeus, destined to be overthrown by his children

Divine Succession

Uranus abused his children (Hecatonchires and Cyclopes) and Gaia wanted them to help her
Cronos (youngest titan) castrated Uranus after a prophecy suggested that Cronos’s children would overthrow him
Cronos’s marriage to Rhea (his sister) was a hieros gamos
Cronos ate his children, but Rhea saved Zeus by giving Cronos a stone
Zeus overthrew Cronos in the Titanomachy (war)
Zeus had many children and is depicted as both immoral and just

Creation of Mortals

Multiple creation myths
Most commonly believed: Prometheus created man, then Zeus created women
Ovid, in Metamorphoses, states the creator of the universe was either Zeus or Prometheus
Hesiod's five ages of men:
- Golden Age:
- Mortals lived when Cronos reigned
  - Free from pain and evils
  - Died a painless death
  - Covered by the earth for no specific reason
- Silver Age:
- Second race of humans
- Worser physically and mentally
- Arrogant, impious, disobedient to the gods
- Long childhoods (100 years) but short adulthood
- Bronze Age:
- Strong and mighty
- Lived violent lives
- Created things out of bronze (weapons, tools, homes)
- Destroyed by their own violence
- Heroic Age:
- Demigods who fought in battles and died in the famous wars of Greek mythology
  - Cronos ruled over them and they went to the Isles of the Blessed after death
- Iron Age:
- Typical humans, Hesiod’s age
  - Evil and good
  - Constant work and misery
  - Zeus would destroy this age too
  - Human deterioration is a strong theme in Greek literature

Prometheus

Titan, ally of Zeus in the Titanomachy
Brother of Epimetheus

Prometheus vs Zeus

At a gathering in Mecone, Prometheus tricked Zeus into picking the worst part of a sacrifice
Afterwards, Zeus took fire away from mortals, but Prometheus stole it back
Zeus punished Prometheus by bounding him and forcing an eagle to eat his liver daily
Zeus punished humanity by creating Pandora
- Pandora opened a box releasing evils into the world, but she closed it before hope could escape
Pandora’s creation further perpetuates the negative stereotype of women

Zeus

Lord of the gods/men
Shares power with his brothers
Has many children
Dominated as a male god
Depicted as immoral but also capable of justice and mercy
Symbolic of law, order, and virtue
“Bright”
Attributes: thunder, lightning, oak tree, eagle, aegis
Zeus doesn’t always have absolute power

Hera

Spouse of Zeus, and a major goddess in her own right
Punishes Zeus for his sexual escapades
Iris is depicted as her servant
Known as regal and matronly
Attributes: peacock
Mostly worshipped as the goddess of marriage and childbirth
Major sites of worship:
- Olympia: site of the Olympic Games and Pheidias’s famous statue of Zeus
- Dodona: Zeus’s oracle with Peleiades (priests/priestesses), oak trees, and wind chimes
Ganymede served as Zeus’s cupbearer, sometimes replacing Hebe

Muses

Muses are Zeus’s daughters with Mnemosyne (Memory)
Represents different types of creativity
Home: Pieria or Mount Helicon
Suggest a belief in the afterlife

Eleusinian Mysteries

Demeter is the primary goddess of these mysteries
Sworn to secrecy - even slaves could partake
Oral tradition passed down
Ritual involved: fasting, torches, Kykeon (sacred drink), veils, and a nine-day ritual
- Reflects Demeter’s nine-day mourning period for Persephone
Promise of a happy afterlife
Two types of mysteries:
- Lesser mysteries: held in Athens in the spring
- Greater mysteries: held in Eleusis and Athens in the fall
- Nine-day ritual:
- Days 1-4: preliminary rituals in Athens
- Day 5: Athens → Eleusis
- Days 6-8: initiation rituals in the Telesterion at Eleusis
- Day 9: Eleusis → Athens

Hades

Realm of the dead
No major site of worship
Demeter and Persephone are associated with Eleusis

Underworld

Realm of torment: Tartarus/Erebus
Realm of mystery: Elysium/Elysian fields

Poseidon

Known for the sea, horses, and earthquakes
Spouse: Amphitrite
Attributes: trident, horse, dolphins
Major site of worship: Isthmia, northeastern Peloponnese
Isthmian Games were held in his honor
Included foot races, chariot races, boxing, wrestling, and javelin throws

Athena

Goddess of wisdom, war, arts, and crafts
No spouse or children
Attributes: helmet, spear, aegis, owl, snake, olive tree
Contested with Poseidon for control of the city of Athens
Won by offering an olive tree, Poseidon flooded Attica but was ultimately placated.
patron deity of Athens
Worshiped at the Parthenon in Athens

Birth of Athena

Zeus swallowed Metis (Cleverness) to prevent a son of hers who would overthrow him
Zeus suffers a headache and Hephaestus splits his head with an ax
Athena emerged from Zeus’s head fully grown and armed

Athena and Pallas

Pallas was the daughter of Triton and a friend of Athena
Athena accidentally killed Pallas while practicing war; took her epithet “Pallas” and made a statue, the Palladium, in her memory
Zeus gifted this statue to the Trojans
The Palladium explains:
- Athena’s epithet "Tritogeneia”
- Athena’s epithet “Pallas”
- The Palladium

Arachne

Arachne challenged Athena to a weaving contest with stunning tapestries
Athena destroyed Arachne's tapestry due to jealousy, and she hung herself out of shame.
Athena turned her into a spider

The Contest of Athena and Poseidon

Athena and Poseidon competed for control of Athens
Athena offered an olive tree, while Poseidon offered a saltwater spring or horse
Athena was proclaimed the victor: her name was given to Athens
Poseidon flooded Attica in anger

Parthenon

Temple of Athena built on the Acropolis in Athens
Part of Pericles' Building Program
Designed by Ictinus
Featured a statue of Athena by Pheidias
Artistic program celebrates Athena, Athens, and civilization over barbarism### The Parthenon: A Celebration of Athenian Identity
West Pediment: Depicts the contest between Athena and Poseidon for patronage of Athens.
East Pediment: Shows the birth of Athena from Zeus's head.
Frieze: Depicts the Panathenaic procession, an annual festival honoring Athena.
Metopes: Showcase various scenes:
- North Side: Sack of Troy.
- East Side: Gigantomachy (Battle of the Giants).
- South Side: Centauromachy (Battle of the Centaurs).
- West Side: Amazonomachy (Battle of the Amazons).

Hestia and Dionysus: The 12th Olympians

Hestia: Goddess of hearth, home, and family.
- Known for her purity, having no spouse or children.
- Represented by fire.
Dionysus: God of wine, vegetation, fertility, madness, and theater.
- Born from the union of Zeus and Semele.
- Married to Ariadne.
- Associated with: grapevine, ivy, thyrsus, leopards, maenads (female devotees), and satyrs (male devotees).
Hestia yielded her place in the Olympian pantheon to Dionysus.

Dionysus: The Unleashed God

Maenads: Frenzied female followers of Dionysus, often adorned with fawn skin, ivy crowns, snakes, and a thyrsus.
Satyrs: Half-man, half-goat male devotees.
- Characterized by a man's body with goat beard, horns, horse ears, and tail.
Birth of Dionysus:
- Zeus's affair with Semele, a Theban princess, angered Hera.
- Hera convinced Semele to ask for Zeus's divine form, which resulted in her incineration.
- Zeus saved Dionysus by sewing him into his thigh.
- This highlights Dionysus's liminal nature, blending divine and mortal.

The Power of Dionysus: A Tapestry of Ritual and Tragedy

Dionysus and Pentheus:
- Dionysus returns to Thebes as a mortal man.
- His female relatives question his divinity, leading him to transform all the women of Thebes into Bacchae.
- Pentheus, king of Thebes, attempts to arrest Dionysus but fails.
- Pentheus spies on the Bacchae, ultimately being torn apart by them.
- This underscores the danger of opposing Dionysus and his cult.
Euripides: A Greek tragedian, known for his plays which often explored themes of Dionysus.
Ariadne: A Cretan princess who aided Theseus in his escape from the Minotaur.
- Abandoned by Theseus on Naxos, she is later taken as wife by Dionysus.
- This emphasizes Dionysus's redemptive power.

The Mysteries of Dionysus: A Path to Transcendence

Mount Cithaeron: A mountain in central Greece where Dionysus punished Pentheus.
- Known for its association with the Dionysian Mysteries.
Dionysian Mysteries:
- A cult revolving around the worship of Dionysus.
- Open to all, but popular amongst women.
- Focused on achieving spiritual self-transcendence through:
  - Wine.
  - Sex.
  - Music and dance.
  - Sacrificial rending of a victim.
  - Consumption of raw flesh.

Apollo: The Radiant God of Many Talents

Apollo: God of prophecy, sun, archery, medicine, poetry, and music.
- Born from the union of Zeus and Leto.
- Associated with: lyre, ravens, laurel trees, and bow & arrows.

The Birth of a God and a Sacred Oracle: The Story of Apollo

Homeric Hymn to Apollo:
- A hymn detailing the birth of Apollo and the founding of the Delphic Oracle.
- Leto conceives Apollo and Artemis after her affair with Zeus.
- She searches for a safe place to give birth, leading to the birth of Apollo on Delos.
- Hera hinders the birth, but Apollo is born once Eileithyia, goddess of childbirth, arrives.
Founding of the Delphic Oracle:
- Apollo establishes the oracle at Crisa, slaying a she-dragon and renaming the location Delphi.
- He appoints Cretan sailors as priests of the oracle.
- This explains Apollo's connection to Delphi, as well as epithets like "Pythian" and "Delphinius."

The Love of Apollo: From Laurel to Laurel Wreaths

Daphne: A naiad (freshwater nymph) beloved by Apollo.
- Apollo boasts of his archery skills, leading Cupid to punish him with an arrow of desire.
- Daphne is shot with an arrow of aversion, causing her to flee Apollo's advances.
- She transforms into a laurel tree, thus becoming Apollo's sacred tree.
Coronis: A Greek maiden who becomes Apollo's lover and gives birth to Asclepius, god of medicine.
- Asclepius is raised by the centaur Chiron and becomes so skilled he can revive the dead.
- Zeus kills him for disrupting the cosmic order, but Asclepius is later resurrected and deified as god of medicine.

The Music and Tragedy of Apollo

Contest of Apollo and Marsyas:
- A musical contest between Apollo and Marsyas, a skilled satyr who learned music from Athena.
- Marsyas is punished for his hubris by Apollo, who skins him alive.
- This encounter reveals Apollo's darker side.

Apollo: The Oracle of the Gods

Delos:
- A Cycladic island where Apollo was born.
- Site of the Delian Games, an athletic and musical event involving Ionian Greeks like Athenians.
Delphi:
- A sanctuary in ancient Greece.
- Site of Apollo's famous oracle, established in the 9th century BC.
- The Pythia, the priestess, delivered pronouncements through which people consulted the oracle.
- Site of the Pythian Games, athletic and literary contests established in the 6th century BC.

Artemis, the Hunter: A Symbol of Feminine Power

Artemis: Goddess of hunting, wild animals, the moon, virginity, and childbirth.
- Born from the union of Zeus and Leto.
- Associated with: the moon, deer, cypress trees, and bow & arrows.
Closely associated with Selene (moon) and Hecate (underworld):
- Representing the same goddess in three different realms: earth, underworld, and heaven.

The Consequences of Hubris: The Tale of Niobe and Actaeon

Niobe:
- Theban queen who boasts of her superior maternal power over Leto due to her numerous children.
- Her hubris results in the death of her children by Apollo and Artemis.
- Turned to stone and cursed to weep eternally.
Actaeon:
- A Theban hunter who accidentally sees Artemis bathing naked.
- Artemis, furious over violation of her privacy, transforms him into a stag, leading to his death at the teeth and hooves of his own hunting dogs.

The Transformation of Callisto: A Story of Love and Jealousy

Callisto:
- Raped by Zeus who disguised himself as Artemis.
- Banished by Artemis after her pregnancy is discovered.
- Gives birth to Arcas ("Bear")
- Hera transforms Callisto into a bear out of jealousy.
- Zeus later transforms Callisto and Arcas into constellations (Ursa Major and Ursa Minor).

Aphrodite: The Goddess of Love and Beauty

Aphrodite: Goddess of love, sex, and beauty.
- Born from the genitals of Uranus or from the union of Zeus and Dione.
- Associated with: doves, swans, geese, roses, myrtle trees, and seashells.

The Many Faces of Love: Eros, Pygmalion, and Adonis

Eros: The god of love and desire.
- Either the son of Aphrodite and Ares, or the son of Chaos.
- More commonly known by his Roman name, Cupid.
Pygmalion:
- A Cyprian sculptor who falls in love with his own statue.
- He prays to Aphrodite to breathe life into the statue, which leads to the statue coming to life.
- Pygmalion marries the statue, symbolizing love and the creative potential of the artist.
Adonis:
- Born from the union of Cinyras and Myrrha.
- Aphrodite falls in love with him but warns him about the dangers of hunting.
- He is killed by a wild boar during a hunt.
- Aphrodite transforms him into a flower and establishes an annual mourning ritual for him - the Adonia.

The Myth of Aphrodite and Anchises

Anchises:
- A Trojan prince who is visited by Aphrodite disguised as a mortal.
- They have a son, Aeneas, a major figure in Roman myth.
- After the Trojan War, Aeneas travels to Italy, eventually founding Rome.

The Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite

Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite:
- A hymn describing the love of Aphrodite for Anchises.
- Composed in the 6th century BC during the Archaic period.

Ares: The God of War

Ares:
God of war, courage, bloodlust.
Born from the union of Zeus and Hera.
Associated with: helmet, shield, spear, dogs, and vultures.

Hephaestus: The Divine Craftsman

Hephaestus:
- God of fire, metalworking, technology, and volcanoes.
- Either born from Hera, or from the union of Zeus and Hera.
- Married to Aphrodite.
- Associated with: hammer, anvil, tongs, and skullcap.

Hermes: The Messenger God

Hermes:
- God of trade, travel, herds, thievery, and athletics.
- Born from the union of Zeus and Maia.
- Associated with: winged sandals, a winged helmet, and a caduceus (a staff with two snakes).

The Legacy of Hermes: His Sons and the Homeric Hymn

Pan:
- Hermes's son with Dryope, a nymph.
- God of wild nature, shepherds, flocks, and rustic music.
- Inventor of the panpipe.
Hermaphroditus:
- Another of Hermes' sons.
Homeric Hymn to Hermes:
- A hym describing the birth of Hermes.
- Composed in the 6th century BC during the Archaic period.

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