Mythology Test 2 PDF

Terms Anatolia Description: A large peninsula in modern-day Turkey, Anatolia was a cultural and religious crossroads and central in ancient Hittite, Greek, and other Near Eastern mythologies. Illuyanka: A dragon or serpent in Hittite mythology, representing chaos or darkness. Teshub (Tarhun): Th...

Terms Anatolia Description: A large peninsula in modern-day Turkey, Anatolia was a cultural and religious crossroads and central in ancient Hittite, Greek, and other Near Eastern mythologies. Illuyanka: A dragon or serpent in Hittite mythology, representing chaos or darkness. Teshub (Tarhun): The storm god and chief deity in Hittite mythology, similar to Zeus or Marduk, who battles Illuyanka. Hupasiyas: A mortal hero who aids Teshub in his fight against Illuyanka by using trickery, often involving wine or feasting. Kumarbi: A central figure in Hurrian mythology, the father of the gods, who tries to overthrow the sky god Anu (An). An (Anu): The supreme god of the heavens in Sumerian and Akkadian mythology. Ullikummi: A stone giant created by Kumarbi to attack Teshub, similar to Titans who threaten the gods in Greek myths. Ea (Enki): The god of wisdom and fresh water in Mesopotamian mythology who aids other gods, especially in foiling Kumarbi’s plans. 4. Parricide Concept: The act of killing one’s father, a recurring theme in mythologies (like Kronos overthrowing Ouranos) symbolizing the cycle of power and rebellion in mythic genealogies. Meaning “navel” in Greek, the Omphalos was a sacred stone at Delphi, thought to be the center of the world and a link to the divine. Muses: Goddesses of the arts and sciences in Greek mythology, daughters of Mnemosyne (Memory), who inspire creativity and knowledge. Mnemosyne: The personification of memory, who through her children (the Muses) gives rise to culture and the preservation of history. Chaos: The primordial void from which all things emerged in Greek mythology. Earth (Gaia): The personification of the Earth, one of the first beings from Chaos, who births the Titans. Tartaros: A deep abyss and prison for the Titans; it is both a place and deity, symbolizing darkness and punishment. Eros: The god of love and procreation, often emerging early in creation myths as the force of attraction. 1 Parthenogenesis the act of killing your father Concept: Reproduction without sexual intercourse, seen in myths where deities like Gaia or Hera produce offspring alone, symbolizing divine autonomy. Ouranos: The sky god in Greek mythology, husband of Gaia, and father of the Titans, Cyclopes, and Hecatoncheires (100-handed giants). Cyclopes: One-eyed giants and skilled blacksmiths, aiding the gods by forging powerful weapons like Zeus’ thunderbolt. 100-handed giants (Hecatoncheires): Giants with immense strength, they represent primal forces of nature and assist the Olympian gods against the Titans. Kronos: The Titan who overthrows Ouranos and later is overthrown by his son, Zeus; represents the cycle of time and generational conflict. Erinyes (Furies): Deities of vengeance born from the blood of Ouranos, pursuing those who commit familial crimes. Nymphe: Minor deities of nature, often associated with particular natural features like rivers or forests, who embody nature's beauty and vitality. Aphrodite: The Greek goddess of love, beauty, and desire, emerging from the sea foam. She is closely related to Inanna-Ishtar. Inanna-Ishtar: Sumerian and Akkadian goddess of love, war, and fertility, embodying both nurturing and destructive aspects. Hekate: Greek goddess associated with magic, crossroads, and the underworld, later seen as a “triple goddess” representing the phases of maiden, mother, and crone. Triple Goddess: A concept in ancient and modern religions, where a goddess embodies the three stages of womanhood, often symbolized by the phases of the moon. Description: The Fates in Greek mythology, three sisters who control destiny: Clotho spins life’s thread, Lachesis measures it, and Atropos cuts it. Nemesis: Goddess of retribution, balancing the scales of justice and punishing hubris (overbearing pride or arrogance). Hybris (Hubris): Excessive pride or defiance against the gods, leading to downfall. Eris: Goddess of strife and discord, whose actions often catalyze conflict, notably the Trojan War. Description: A monstrous giant in Greek mythology, known for his hundred dragon heads. He challenges Zeus for dominance over the cosmos but is ultimately defeated. Zeus: King of the Greek gods, ruler of the sky, known for enforcing cosmic order and wielding thunder. Metis: The goddess of wisdom and craft; swallowed by Zeus, who later births Athena from his head. Hera: Zeus’s wife and queen of the gods, goddess of marriage and family, known for her jealousy and protective nature. Athena: Daughter of Zeus and Metis, born fully armed from Zeus’s head, she is the goddess of wisdom, strategy, and war. Hephaistos: The god of blacksmiths and fire, skilled in metalwork, often depicted as lame and a patron of craftsmen.