classics final

A formal call to the god Dionysus, including his birth, attributes, and connection to other figures (like Thebe).

A section of the play, a reminder in the play, reminding the audience of the connection between Dionysus and Thebes.

The messenger's report about Antigone and Haemon's death, delivered to Eurydice.

Kreon's grieving over the loss of Haimon and Eurydice's suicide.

Numerous spirit-like deities in Roman mythology, each with a specific, limited function.

Roman numen associated with gates, beginnings, and transitions.

Roman numen; Lares – ancestral spirits; Penates – household Gods.

A concluding lament in the play, highlighting Kreon's misery and the community's acceptance.

The children of Zeus, the fourth generation of Olympians, who inherited power and roles from their father.

Zeus, the youngest son of Cronus, tricked his father into vomiting up his siblings, ending Cronus's tyrannical rule.

Typhon, a monstrous being and Zeus's rival for power, was born from Gaia, who was tricked by Aphrodite into falling in love with Zeus.

Zeus established his power by granting privileges and honors to various individuals and deities, including his own children.

Athena, the goddess of wisdom and warfare, was born directly from Zeus's head after he swallowed her mother, Metis.

Artemis, the twin of Apollo, is the goddess of the hunt and wild animals, vowing to remain chaste and live in the wilderness.

Ares, the god of war, is often characterized as violent and chaotic, symbolizing the senseless nature of war.

Hephaestus, the god of fire and the forge, is known for his craftsmanship, despite being disabled and a subject of ridicule.

A myth describing the power struggles and overthrowing of kings in ancient Hittite society. It features Alalu, Anu, and Kumarbi, each taking the throne through violence and deception.

An ancient Greek text from around 350 BCE that contains commentary on a pre-Hesiodic theogony, including a story of Zeus swallowing and re-creating body parts.

A Titan in Greek mythology who is known for his intelligence and rebellious nature. He created humans and stole fire from the gods, leading to Zeus's wrath.

Prometheus's brother, known for his lack of foresight and accepting Pandora's jar, causing suffering for humans.

A story that explains the cause, reason, or origin of a custom or tradition, providing insight into a cultural practice.

A religious practice involving the offering of an animal to the gods to gain their favor. This involved slaying, burning, and dividing the animal, creating a ritual meal.

A method of interpreting myths by understanding the rituals they were linked to and what those rituals signified.

The concept that myths are often interconnected with rituals, providing stories that explain or justify those rituals and their significance within a culture.

A collection of ancient Greek hymns written in dactylic hexameter, the meter of Homeric epics. They feature extended invocations to deities and often tell stories about their origins and powers.

In the Homeric Hymn to Demeter, Demeter's overwhelming sorrow over Persephone's abduction causes a famine on Earth. She refuses to allow crops to grow until her daughter is returned.

Hades, the god of the underworld, abducts Persephone, Demeter's daughter, to make her his bride. This event triggers Demeter's grief and the ensuing famine.

In ancient Greece, the 'oikos' represented a complex social unit. It encompasses the physical space, property, legal rights, and political community associated with a household.

A recurring archetype of a powerful, maternal deity associated with fertility, creation, and the cycles of life and death. This deity often embodies generative forces and both creative and destructive aspects of nature.

The ancient Greek economy relied heavily on agriculture, with staples like barley, wheat, grapes, figs, olives, and legumes. They raised goats and sheep but had few cows.

In Mesopotamian mythology, Inanna, the goddess of fertility, descends into the underworld, facing challenges and ultimately being transformed into a rotting corpse. This symbolizes the decline of fertility on Earth.

In Egyptian mythology, Isis and Osiris were siblings and spouses. Isis's desperate search for her murdered husband, Osiris, highlights the importance of fertility and resilience in the face of death.

In the Homeric Hymn to Demeter, Demeter attempts to make a mortal boy, Demophon, immortal by feeding him ambrosia and placing him in fire. Her efforts fail, symbolizing the limits of divine power and a contrast between mortal and immortal life.

Unlike modern heroes who are morally driven, ancient Greek heroes were flawed and driven by the norms of their time. They were often descended from gods, but still mortal.

The concept of reputation or fame for a hero, often achieved through song, stories, and even after death.

A combination of shame, self-respect, and reverence for social hierarchy, including concern for vulnerable individuals.

Represents both the status of a person within a group and the recognition of that status by others.

The concept of excellence or being the best at something. This goes beyond mere skill and involves inherent quality.

Rewards given for a hero's actions, including honor, privileges, and material things.

The sacred guest-host relationship, with reciprocal obligations and obligations between host and guest.

The safe return home after a journey, often referencing a triumphant homecoming after a long adventure.

The epic poem takes place in the 10th year of the Trojan War, not at the end of the war, but focusing on a specific period.

The central theme of the Iliad is the anger of Achilles, stemming from a dispute with Agamemnon and the loss of Briseis.

An act of begging with extreme humility and desperation, involving specific rituals like kneeling, grabbing the knees, and using pleading language.

Priam, King of Troy, begs Achilles to return the body of Hector for a proper burial, demonstrating great humility and the power of grief.

Initially angry and vengeful, Achilles eventually shows compassion for Priam, remembering his own father and the pain of losing him.

Hector's body remains unburied, a symbol of Achilles' anger and the consequences of war's brutality.

The gods, led by Apollo and Zeus, intervene to protect Hector's body and ensure his proper burial.

A temporary pause in the fighting to allow the Trojans to bury Hector, showing respect for tradition and the ritualistic nature of warfare.

Andromache, Hector's widow, mourns his death with deep sorrow, highlighting the devastating personal impact of war.

The Trojans provide Hector with a grand funeral pyre and burial mound, demonstrating his status and the importance of honoring the dead.

Odysseus' journey home after the Trojan War, marked by trials and recognition scenes.

Scenes where a character reveals or acknowledges their identity, often involving a testing phase and a deception.

Odysseus' tactic of concealing his identity to assess people's loyalty and reactions to his potential return.

Penelope's strategy to delay her remarriage by pretending to weave a shroud but undoing it each night.

Acrisius tried to kill Perseus and Danae by placing them in a chest at sea, but they were rescued by Dictys.

Danae's story follows a classic pattern: Prohibition, Seclusion, Violation, Threat of Punishment, Liberation.

Perseus received gifts from the Hyperborean nymphs: a cap of invisibility, winged sandals, and a pouch, aiding him in his quest.

Perseus, using an adamantine sword and the advice of Athena, slew Medusa, retrieving her head.

The rampage of the Cretan Bull, a beast sent by Hera to punish King Minos for his disregard of Poseidon's sacrifice. This event led to Theseus's intervention and the slaying of the bull.

The Athenian youths were regularly sacrificed to the Minotaur, a creature with a human body and a bull's head, trapped in the Labyrinth.

Ariadne, the Cretan princess, secretly helped Theseus escape the Labyrinth by providing him with a ball of thread to navigate his path and find the Minotaur.

The tragic death of Theseus's father, Aegus, who misunderstood his son's signal of victory, believing him dead.

Theseus embodied the ideals of Athenian society: courage, justice, and willingness to help. He became a cherished hero and a symbol of Athenian virtues.

Jason, the hero of the Argonauts, faced an early threat to his life and was raised by Chiron, the centaur, in the countryside.

The Argonauts, led by Jason, embarked on a dangerous quest to retrieve the Golden Fleece, a magical fleece guarded by a fearsome dragon.

Medea, a powerful sorceress, fell in love with Jason and aided him in his quest. Her magic allowed him to overcome dangerous tasks set by King Aeetes.

The Argonauts' expedition, under Jason's leadership, involved a long and treacherous journey to retrieve the Golden Fleece, facing many dangers and monstrous beings along the way.

A collection of ancient Greek stories centered around the Theban royal family, dealing with themes of patricide, incest, and the consequences of fate. The cycle has been preserved through various dramatic works like Sophocles’ Antigone.

Oedipus, the king of Thebes, unwittingly fulfills a prophecy by killing his father, Laius, and marrying his mother, Jocasta, without knowing their true identities.

A play by Sophocles which explores the conflict between individual conscience and societal law, centered around Antigone's defiance of Creon's decree to leave her brother's body unburied.

The audience is aware of crucial information that characters in the play are not, creating a sense of suspense and tragic inevitability.

The play deliberately leaves certain aspects open to interpretation, prompting the audience to engage with the moral dilemmas and complexities of the story.

Sophocles' version of Antigone deviates from earlier versions of the myth, highlighting a more profound conflict between individual conscience and the law, and reflecting on the complexities of human nature and political power.

Theseus is a mythical king of Athens, considered an Athenian hero. Notably known for his deeds and the generation before the Trojan War.

Theseus accomplished various feats, including slaying Periphetes, Sinus, the Crommyonian Sow, Sciron, Cercyon, Procrustes, and the Marathonian bull (which may be the same as the Cretan Bull).

Poseidon sent the Cretan bull to Minos as a punishment for failing to sacrifice the best bull to the god.

Pasiphae, Minos's wife, fell in love with the bull sent by Poseidon and gave birth to the Minotaur, a creature with a human body and a bull's head.

For one of his Labors, Herakles captured the Cretan bull and delivered it to Eurystheus.

A Greek poem that tells the story of the origin and genealogy of the gods, focusing on the birth of the universe, the titans, and the Olympian gods. It also describes a hierarchy of deities, their interactions, and their roles in the cosmos.

The first generation of gods in Hesiod's Theogony, born from the union of Gaia (earth) and Uranus (sky).

Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, was born from the sea foam created by Uranus's severed genitals when they were thrown into the ocean.

The third generation of gods, children of Rhea and Kronus, who ultimately won the power struggle against the Titans and established their reign on Mount Olympus.

Creatures that are neither human nor god, often depicted as grotesque and dangerous, blurring the lines between the natural and the supernatural.

Zeus, the king of the gods, distributes roles and privileges among the Olympians.

Zeus's children are the second generation of Olympians, the fourth overall, inheriting their father's power.

Typhon, a monstrous being, was born from Gaia after Aphrodite tricked her into falling in love with Zeus.

An act of pleading with extreme humility and desperation, involving specific rituals like kneeling, grabbing the knees, and using beseeching language.

The act of blatantly or recklessly disregarding established rules of behavior.

Odysseus disregards his companions' warnings to flee Polyphemos's cave, setting the stage for conflict.

Odysseus blinds Polyphemos, stealing his sheep, leading to Poseidon's wrath and Odysseus's wandering.

The Polyphemos episode highlights the violation of Xenia, the sacred guest-host relationship, as Odysseus acts against Polyphemos's hospitality.

Odysseus arrives in Ithaka disguised as a beggar, following Athena's advice to avoid immediate recognition.

Odysseus tests the loyalty of Eumaeus, a loyal servant, before revealing his true identity.

Odysseus and Telemachus plan together to defeat the suitors who are abusing Odysseus's household.

Odysseus's cunning, resourcefulness, and use of clever strategies to overcome challenges and achieve his goals. This encompasses his clever disguises, manipulation of situations, and ability to think on his feet.

The sacred guest-host relationship, where both parties have mutual obligations. Odysseus relies on xenia during his journey, both benefiting from and fulfilling the obligations of this vital aspect of ancient Greek society.

The concept of returning home safely and triumphantly after a long journey, often referencing a hero's homecoming after a perilous adventure. In the Odyssey, Odysseus longs for nostos to Ithaca, where he desires to be reunited with his family and reclaim his rightful place.

The chronological sequence of events in the Odyssey is not linear. The story jumps back and forth in time, recounting events from different periods simultaneously, creating a rich and complex narrative structure.

Polyphemus, the cyclops, is the son of Poseidon. When Odysseus blinds Polyphemus, Poseidon retaliates by sending storms and hindering Odysseus's journey home. This conflict between Odysseus and Poseidon underscores the consequences of Odysseus's actions and the power of the gods.

Helios, the god of the sun, has a sacred herd of cattle on the island of Thrinacia. When Odysseus's crew eats the sacred cows, Helios is enraged, seeking revenge against Odysseus and his men. This conflict with Helios further complicates Odysseus's journey home, adding to the challenges he must overcome.

Calypso, a nymph, holds Odysseus captive on her island for seven years, delaying his return home. This detention symbolizes Odysseus's longing for Ithaca and his struggle against fate and the allure of divine influence.

After a long and arduous journey, Odysseus finally returns to Ithaca, facing challenges and meeting with old and new characters. His return is marked by recognition scenes, where he reveals his identity to key characters. Some key figures, however, attempt to take over his property and family, forcing him to reclaim his rightful place in Ithaca.

The rape of Lucretia by the Etruscan king's son, Tarquin, led to a revolt against the Etruscan monarchy, resulting in the founding of the Roman Republic.

The 'Aeneid' is an epic poem by Virgil that tells the story of Aeneas, a Trojan hero who escapes the fall of Troy and eventually founds Rome.

Virgil, also known as Publius Vergilius Maro, was a Roman poet who lived during the reign of Augustus Caesar. He is best known for his epic poem, the 'Aeneid'.

The 'Aeneid' explores themes such as exile, colonization, Rome's history, father-son relationships, piety, personal sacrifice, and the destructive power of emotions like love and rage.

Juno, the queen of the gods, is fiercely protective of Carthage and opposes the founding of Rome, which she sees as a threat to her favored city.

Jupiter, king of the gods, prophesies the founding of Rome, including the war in Italy, the founding of Lavinium and Alba Longa, the rise of Romulus and Remus, and the eventual victory over the Greeks.

Dido is the queen of Carthage, a widow fiercely devoted to the memory of her husband, Sychaeus. She welcomes Aeneas and his Trojans to her city.

Venus, Aeneas's mother, disguises herself as a huntress and encourages Dido to fall in love with Aeneas. This love story eventually leads to tragedy and the conflict between Carthage and Rome.

Aeneas recounts the fall of Troy, highlighting the events leading to the Trojan horse, Greek treachery, and the city's burning. This scene foreshadows themes of betrayal and war that will shape the founding of Rome.

The Punic Wars were a series of conflicts between Rome and Carthage, lasting from 264 to 146 BCE. These wars determined the fate of the Mediterranean world, with Rome emerging victorious.

The Etruscans, a powerful civilization preceding Rome, significantly influenced Roman religion, contributing names for deities like Minerva, Juno, and Jupiter, as well as many rituals and superstitions.

During the Archaic period, the Greeks established colonies in Southern Italy, spreading their culture, art, and literature, which Romans later adopted.

The Romans took elements of Greek art, literature, and mythology, but molded them to fit their own cultural needs and beliefs.

Aeneas, a Trojan hero from the Iliad and Aeneid, escaped the fall of Troy and eventually founded the city of Lavinium in Italy, becoming a cornerstone of Roman mythology.

Numitor and Amulius, brothers vying for the throne of Alba Longa, engaged in a conflict that set the stage for the birth of Rome.

Rhea Silvia, a Vestal Virgin and Numitor's daughter, was raped by the god Mars, resulting in the birth of Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of Rome.

Romulus, after killing his brother Remus in a dispute over the founding of Rome, established the city, marking its origin in fratricide.

The Romans, lacking prestige, lured the Sabine women to a festival and kidnapped them to increase their population, leading to conflict and eventual peace.