7: Homeric Hymn to Hermes Flashcards
Who is Pan
Goatish (in features and behaviour), son of Hermes.
Who were Pan’s love affairs
Nymph Syrinx, Nymph Echo, Herdsmen Daphnis
Describe the myth of Nymph Syrinx and Pan
Syrinx is not willing to have him as a partner so Pan transforms her into water reeds. He then harvests them and makes pan pipes to make music (when he plays them it’s like he’s giving her kisses). So he possesses her in the end.
Describe the Nymph Echo
Echo has no voice of her own can only respond with what you say to her (hence echo).
Describe Herdsmen Daphnis
Herdsmen play music so he got along well with Pan.
What location is Hephaestus associated with
Island of Lemnos
describe how hephaestus is imperfect and why
He has a disability, clubbed foot. Some myths say he was born this way or thrown by zeus or hera
who is hephaestus parent (s)
Hera (and sometimes Zeus)
What is the story for the source of the athenian people
Hephaestus fell in love with Athena but she refused him because she’s a virgin goddess, so he chases her (in some versions persues her) but gets close enough that he gets sperm on her leg and she wipes it off with cotton wool and throws the wool on the ground and from this is produced the athenian people.
Who is hephaestus married to
Aphordite.
Why is Ares an outcast god
He likes bloodlust, and warfare, doesn’t hang with other gods.
Who are Ares parents
Zeus and Hera
Explain the myth of how Hermaphorditus came to be
Ares and Aphrodite’s child who is born a boy. According to Ovid, Hermaphorditus is loved by a nymph named Salmacis. Salmacis loves him so much that she prays to be fused with him. And this is what happens, she embraces him and their bodies are fused, they ‘become one’. He then takes on both sets of reproductive organs.
Who is hermes parents
zeus and a minor god named maia
What is Hermes
Thief, guide, traveler, and merchant.
What is Hermes all about?
crossing boundaries
what does Psychopompos mean? what words does it come from
escort or guide of souls. Comes from psych (mind, soul). And pomp (parading, marching).
How is Hermes psychopompos
He takes the souls of deceased human beings down into the underworld.
what are the herms (hermes statues) used as
Used as boundary markers, or signposts. People put there statues at the edges of their property to show where the property ends.
what is hermes also known as, what does it mean
“Argeiphontes” it means slayer of argus.
Hermes is what in roman
Mercury (merc for mercenary and merchandise, profit). Mercury like the element, reflects his quick movement.
How do you recognize Hermes in art
Petasos (floppy hat), Chlamys (travelers cloak), Caduceus (staff), Wings on his cap or boots (indicate his swift movement). Also tongues of his boots sticking out and flopping forward like his shoes are untied (bc hes god of travelling). Cattle (he steals cattle, thief).
What are Hermes’ honours portrayed in the hymn
- Invention
- Theft
- Deceit
- Resourcefulness
what does hermes invent
invents lyre, sandals to disguise tracks when he steals cattle, panpipes -in homeric version but in other version they come from syrinx. Sausage from cattle he steals, fire (with sticks).
what are the two unrelated stories in the hymn to apollo
The inventing of the lyre, and stealing apollo’s (hermes brother) cattle.
True or false the other gods know about Hermes birth
false, he is conceived in secret
How does Hermes invent the lyre
He finds a tortoise scoops out its guts and uses the shell to make a lyre, he then sings a song (a homeric hymn to himself).
How is the sausage hermes invents show he’s a god
he doesn’t eat it even though he craves it bc gods can’t eat meat
why does hermes steal apollos cattle
He wants to be recognized by the gods as the god of theft and invention, and wants to be worshipped by humans.
what is hermes dividing the sausage into 12 an etiology for
the 12 olympians
what does hermes do when apollo accuses him of stealing his cattle
He acts innocent and says he couldn’t have done it he’s just a baby. He swears falsely.
what does hermes do after zeus recognizes him
acceptance and obediance since he’s now got what he wanted
what does apollo grant hermes when they accept one another
The whip, wand, thievery, herding and bee-maiden oracle.
who gets the lyre in the end
apollo (god of music)
