Test Preparation Guidelines and Trojan War Overview

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Questions and Answers

Before resorting to violence, the Greeks made an attempt at peace with the Trojans. Who was involved in the failed embassy on both sides?

Ajax and Priam
Agamemnon and Nestor
Menelaus and Paris (correct)
Odysseus and Hector

After his daughter was taken as a war prize, what did Khryses do to the Greek army?

Khryses went to the Greek army to plead for the release of his daughter, but his pleas were rejected. This led him to pray to Apollo for revenge, which brought a plague upon the Greek army that devastated them.

What does Athena prevent Akhilles from doing to a certain Greek leader?

During a heated argument, Athena prevented Akhilles from killing Agamemnon. Since she appears to him as a Greek soldier and stops him, she represents the forces of reason and order in the midst of chaos and violence. She attempts to reestablish peace and remind Akhilles of the greater good and the need for discipline.

Desperate due to Akhilles' refusal to help his fellow Greeks, what does Patroklos do to try and help the Greek side?

Patroklos, Akhilles' close companion and friend, donned Akhilles' armor and went to battle against the Trojans in his friend's place. This decision led directly to Patroklos' death, a tragedy that further fueled Akhilles' anger and intensified the fighting on the Greek side. Signup and view all the answers

How does Hektor die?

Hektor was killed in single combat during a one-on-one duel with Akhilles. This battle is one of the most famous and significant in the Trojan War, in which Akhilles ultimately avenges the death of his friend, Patroklos. Signup and view all the answers

What does his father, Priam, do in response to Hektor's death?

The death of Hektor, one of the Trojans’ greatest heroes, led to the eventual downfall of Troy in the war. Priam, in response to his son's death, went to the Greek camp and desperately pleaded with Akhilles for his son's body. Signup and view all the answers

What Ethiopian king with divine parentage did Akhilles kill?

Akhilles killed Memnon who was the son of the Dawn goddess Eos and the god Tithonus Signup and view all the answers

Who ultimately killed Akhilles?

Paris, the Prince of Troy who stole Helen, was the one who ultimately killed Akhilles. This was done with the help of Apollo, one of the Greek Gods who was sent to aid the Trojan army. Signup and view all the answers

After recovering from his unpleasant injury, which Trojan hero does Philoktetes kill?

After suffering a painful injury, Philoktetes ultimately killed Paris when he became a target in the ensuing battle Signup and view all the answers

Why does Zeus agree to intervene and punish the Greeks on behalf of Achilles?

Zeus agrees to punish the Greeks because of the actions of the goddess, Hera. Hera, who is married to Zeus, has a strong bias towards the Greeks. After she persuades her husband to intervene, Zeus has to punish the Greeks to avoid upsetting the balance of power and ensure that his word remains absolute. Signup and view all the answers

Who persuades him and how?

Hera, who is deeply invested in the Greek victory and personally attached to Akhilles, makes a passionate plea to Zeus to help Akhilles and punish the Greek army. Signup and view all the answers

What is Homer's interpretation of Aphrodite’s lineage?

Homer portrays Aphrodite as the goddess of love and beauty. She was born from the sea foam, a story that reflects the connection between love, water and sexual desire Signup and view all the answers

Who did Aphrodite save from the infamous beauty pageant?

Aphrodite intervened to rescue Aeneas. She is the only character who, in the presence of the Greek army, defends the Trojans by lifting Aeneas from the battlefield, placing him safely outside the reach of Achilles. Signup and view all the answers

After Hera tricks Zeus to help the Greeks, Zeus puts Poseidon back in his place. Despite technically being conceived most recently, what claim does Zeus have to power?

While Zeus may be the youngest of the Olympian gods, he is also the most powerful. He has supreme authority and absolute power as a result of his cunning, strategic thinking, and the strength of his position within the pantheon. Signup and view all the answers

While not during an active battle, who does Hermes help to cross the enemy lines?

Hermes is seen helping Odysseus cross the enemy lines while returning to Ithaca Signup and view all the answers

Back to the topic of heroes being the bad guys, what did a particular Greek hero do to upset the goddess, Athena?

Ajax, one of the Greek heroes, showed disrespect toward Athena by desecrating her statue. This led to Athena's wrath which was further amplified because Ajax did not know about it and was unknowingly disrespectful Signup and view all the answers

The sexuality of women was highly policed in Ancient Greece. Even the divine ones. Which goddesses have had to deal with an Olympian breaking them up with their mortal lover?

Hera was forced into a marriage to Zeus, while Artemis is the Goddess of the hunt and has strong feelings against love. Also, Aphrodite had a very public affair with Ares, after he had betrayed his wife, the goddess of war, Athena. Signup and view all the answers

Which people does Helen identify during the teikhoskopia?

During the teikhoskopia, Helen identified her husband, Menelaus, and the Trojan King, Priam. Along with her daughter, Hermione. Signup and view all the answers

Who corroborates her identifications?

Helen's identifications during the teikhoskopia were corroborated by the goddess, Aphrodite. Signup and view all the answers

Which hero is Priam related to by marriage?

Priam is related to the Greek hero, Achilles because his daughter, Hecuba, became the wife of the Greek King Tros Signup and view all the answers

Make sure to review the details of Draupadi's story, as the detail of Draupadi's kidnapping serves as a mirror of what Priam asked Helen to do.

Draupadi, a character from the Hindu epic, Mahabharata, was also abducted into the enemy's camp. She served as a parallel to Helen, but because she was also the wife of many powerful warriors, her abduction was seen as an affront to the entire warrior class. Signup and view all the answers

Another source of disagreement amongst Greek traditions was how long Helen spent in Troy. What version did Homer use?

Homer, often considered to be the greatest Greek poet of all, suggested that Helen spent ten years in Troy. This is a point of disagreement for multiple scholars who believe that she spent more time there Signup and view all the answers

What is the North Indian ritual Ashvamedha? Which parts of it are similar to Helen's interaction with the Trojan horse? Which parts differ?

The Ashvamedha ritual involved the sacrifice of a horse, with which the king would seek to conquer the land around their city. Signup and view all the answers

Mythological families are rarely healthy, but Agamemnon’s household is uniquely dysfunctional. Make sure to know who his wife, children, and cousin are.

Clytemnestra, Iphigenia, Orestes, and Menelaus (A) Signup and view all the answers

On the bright side, Agamemnon's kids do have a close relationship. How was Orestes reunited with his sister? Who helped?

After Clytemnestra murdered their father, Orestes was reunited with his sister, Iphigenia. He was aided by his sister's husband, Pylades, who had been his best friend since childhood. Together, they were able to carry out their revenge against Clytemnestra and achieve their goals. Signup and view all the answers

Even after all the murder, Orestes is still recommended as a role model. Who makes this recommendation and to whom?

Orestes's actions are defended by Telemachus, the son of Odysseus, to his father, Odysseus, as a heroic example of loyalty, courage, and revenge. As a father to a son, Odysseus is able to help Telemachus develop his own moral compass. This interaction is also a reminder of how family can be a source of guidance and support, even in the face of great tragedy and chaos. Signup and view all the answers

Not every hero got a happy ending. Where does Ajax of Lokris find his final resting place?

Ajax of Lokris was swallowed alive by the sea after being shipwrecked and then lost. Signup and view all the answers

Which hero did Proteus, the slippery but knowledgeable god, assist in getting home?

Proteus provided Odysseus with essential instructions that helped him navigate his journey back home. Signup and view all the answers

While Odysseus was taking his sweet time returning to Ithica, Penelope was fending off suitors trying to marry her. What are the details of the vision she has of the suitors' fate?

Penelope was shown a vision of herself having a feast, and in this vision, the suitors were being defeated. The vision was in the form of the god, Hermes, which suggested a connection between the divine and the earthly realm. This vision was a message of hope for Penelope, a foreshadowing of a return to her true love. Signup and view all the answers

When she finally runs out of tricks to hold them off, how does she let the suitors compete for her hand in marriage?

After Penelope is unable to hold off the suitors' attention, she announced that she would pick whoever could string Odysseus' bow. Signup and view all the answers

Penelope is praised by some authors for her eternal loyalty, but others have a different version. Who do they think her extramarital child was?

Some authors believe that Penelope had a child with the God, Hermes, while others believe she had a child with a different god. Signup and view all the answers

Poseidon hated Odysseus for a plethora of reasons. Which son of his did he have a blinding encounter with?

Odysseus blinded Polyphemus, a son of Poseidon when Odysseus and his crew were trapped in the cave during their journeys home. Signup and view all the answers

While their relationship started out contentious, Circe and Odysseus ended up being close. What did she do to his crew, and what ended up being the product of their relationship?

Circe transformed Odysseus's crew into pigs. The son of Odysseus and Circe was Telegonus who was a prince of the island Aeaea. During his early life, his mother failed to tell him about his true heritage, and his father’s heritage. Signup and view all the answers

Odysseus attracts women with a common hobby. What does Homer depict all three of his sexual partners doing?

Homer suggests that all three of Odysseus's sexual partners (Circe, Calypso, and Penelope) are all weavers. This common interest represents the theme of women's traditional roles in ancient Greek society, and their power within that role. Signup and view all the answers

Coming back to haunt the narrative, what role does Neoptolemos play in Apollodorus' version of Odysseus' story?

Neoptolemos is responsible for the death of Odysseus. After Odysseus' life is threatened by his son, Telegonus, Neoptolemos acts as a champion of justice, protecting Odysseus from danger. Signup and view all the answers

Odysseus' death indicates the end of the heroic age. What do each of the following authors have to say about how his death happened?

Aeschylus, a playwright, suggests that Odysseus was killed by a group of men who were angry at his lack of respect for them. Ptolemy Chennos believed that Odysseus was killed by his own son. Servius, a scholar, suggests that Odysseus died of old age. Signup and view all the answers

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