Book 10 Flashcards
What event leads Orpheus to descend to the Underworld?
Eurydice is bitten by a snake and dies.
Who does Orpheus ask to return Eurydice?
Pluto and Persephone.
What condition do Pluto and Persephone place on Orpheus for Eurydice’s return?
Orpheus must not turn around until he reaches the upper world.
What happens when Orpheus looks back at Eurydice?
Eurydice returns to the Underworld.
How does Orpheus react to Eurydice’s second death?
He refuses to have sex with women.
What transformation occurs to Cyparissus?
He is transformed into a cypress tree.
Who is Hyacinthus and what happens to him?
Hyacinthus is mortally wounded and transformed into a flower.
What story does Orpheus tell about Pygmalion?
Pygmalion falls in love with a statue he carved, and Venus brings the statue to life.
What is the outcome of Myrrha’s story?
Myrrha is transformed into a tree and gives birth to Adonis.
How does Venus punish Hippomenes?
For ingratitude after winning a race against Atalanta.
What happens to Adonis?
He is killed by a boar and his body is changed into a flower.
What was Hymen’s demeanor at Orpheus’s wedding?
He did not speak his usual words, have a joyful face, or bring good luck.
How do the spirits react to Orpheus’s singing in the Underworld?
The bloodless spirits wept.
What does Orpheus do when he reaches the surface with Eurydice?
He turns around to look at her.
What does Orpheus feed himself on after Eurydice’s second death?
His own tears and mental pain.
How long does Orpheus refuse to love a woman after Eurydice’s death?
For three times the Titan sun god came to watery Pisces.
What types of trees gather around Orpheus when he sings?
Oak, poplar, lime, beech, laurel, hazel, ash, fir, holm oak, plane, maple, willow, lotus, boxwood, tamarisk, myrtle, and viburnum.
What does Cyparissus do to the stag that leads to his transformation?
He accidentally throws a sharp javelin and hits the stag.
What is the final wish of Cyparissus to the gods?
To mourn forever.
True or False: The Furies wept at Orpheus’s singing.
True.
Fill in the blank: Orpheus is a ______ from Thrace.
[poet]
What does Orpheus express through his music?
His grief and love.
Who is the parent Muse that Orpheus calls upon to begin his song?
Jove
Jove refers to Jupiter, the king of the gods in Roman mythology.
What does Orpheus sing about in his song?
Boys the gods have loved and girls in the grip of forbidden flames
This theme reflects the consequences of love and desire in mythology.
Who did Jupiter fall in love with and transform into a bird?
Phrygian Ganymede
Ganymede was a beautiful youth whom Jupiter abducted, turning into an eagle.
What is the significance of the discus toss between Apollo and Hyacinthus?
It leads to Hyacinthus’s accidental death
This event showcases the tragic consequences of competition and fate.
What happens to Hyacinthus after he dies from the discus injury?
He is transformed into a flower
The flower bears markings that symbolize Apollo’s grief.
What type of flower is Hyacinthus transformed into?
A purple flower with markings
The flower’s color and design reflect Apollo’s mourning.
What punishment does Venus decide for Propoetus’ daughters?
She transforms them into stony flint
This transformation is a result of their denial of Venus’s divinity.
What does Pygmalion create out of ivory?
A statue of a woman
The statue is so beautiful that Pygmalion falls in love with it.
What does Pygmalion wish for during the festival of Venus?
For his ivory girl to become a real woman
He makes this wish indirectly to avoid revealing his desire directly.
How does Venus respond to Pygmalion’s wish?
She grants him his wish, and the statue becomes alive
This transformation emphasizes themes of love and desire in mythology.
What is the name of Pygmalion’s wife after she is transformed?
Pygmalion’s wife does not have a specific name in the text
She is often referred to simply as the statue or the ivory girl.
Who is born from Pygmalion and his wife?
A son named Paphos
The island of Cyprus is named after him.
What horrific events does the narrator prepare to sing about next?
The story of Cinyras and Myrrha
This tale involves themes of incest and tragedy.
Fill in the blank: Pygmalion carved a statue out of _______.
snow-white ivory
True or False: The daughters of Propoetus were known for their piety and respect for Venus.
False
They denied Venus’s divinity and were punished for their behavior.
What does the transformation of Hyacinthus symbolize?
The enduring nature of love and loss
Hyacinthus’s flower is a reminder of Apollo’s grief.
What festival does Pygmalion participate in before making his wish?
The festival of Venus
What is the result of Pygmalion’s touch on the statue?
The ivory grows soft and becomes a living woman
This moment signifies the merging of art and life.
What was the source of Myrrha’s desire for her father, Cinyras?
A Fury breathed on her and instilled forbidden love.
Furies are mythological figures representing vengeance.
What does Myrrha struggle with regarding her feelings for her father?
She battles with her repugnant love and the moral implications of it.
Myrrha questions the nature of love and societal norms.
What does Myrrha say about the nature of animal behavior compared to human laws?
She argues that animals do not discriminate in mating, unlike humans who impose harsh laws.
Myrrha reflects on natural instincts versus societal taboos.
What tragic decision does Myrrha contemplate due to her feelings?
She resolves to commit suicide to escape her guilty love.
Myrrha’s despair leads her to consider death as the only escape.
How does Myrrha’s nurse react to her suicide attempt?
The nurse intervenes, preventing Myrrha from harming herself.
The nurse shows deep concern for Myrrha’s well-being.
What does Myrrha ultimately reveal to her nurse?
She is in love with her father, Cinyras.
This revelation is met with shock and concern from the nurse.
What does the nurse propose to help Myrrha with her feelings?
She offers to help her with herbs, charms, and rituals.
The nurse believes Myrrha’s anguish can be treated.
What festival are the pious married women participating in?
The annual festival of Ceres.
This festival involves offerings and abstaining from men.
What does the nurse do to facilitate Myrrha’s desires?
She tells Cinyras about a beautiful girl who desires him, falsely naming her.
The nurse manipulates the situation to help Myrrha.
What internal conflict does Myrrha experience leading up to her act with her father?
She feels both excitement and dread about her impending actions.
Myrrha’s emotions are complex and contradictory.
What does Cinyras do after having sex with Myrrha?
He seeks to discover her identity.
His curiosity leads to the tragic revelation of their relationship.
What does Myrrha carry in her womb after her encounters with Cinyras?
A burden of incestuous seed, indicating her pregnancy.
This symbolizes the culmination of her forbidden love.
True or False: Myrrha feels entirely at peace with her love for Cinyras.
False.
Myrrha is tormented by her feelings and the consequences of her actions.
Who is Cinyras in the story?
A father who unknowingly has an incestuous relationship with his daughter Myrrha.
Cinyras is depicted as a tragic figure who realizes his guilt too late.
What transformation does Myrrha undergo?
Myrrha is transformed into a tree as a result of her plea to the gods.
This transformation symbolizes her desire to escape her guilt and the consequences of her actions.
In what form does Myrrha’s child emerge?
Myrrha’s child, Adonis, emerges from the tree after her transformation.
Adonis is significant in mythology as a beautiful youth loved by Venus.
What is the relationship between Venus and Adonis?
Venus falls in love with Adonis, who is her former lover’s son.
Their relationship highlights themes of beauty and desire in mythology.
What does Venus warn Adonis about?
Venus warns Adonis to avoid hunting ferocious beasts like boars and lions.
Her warnings reflect her protective nature and foreshadow tragic events.
What does Atalanta demand from her suitors?
Atalanta demands that suitors must beat her in a race to win her hand in marriage.
This condition leads to the demise of many suitors, highlighting her strength and independence.
What does Hippomenes do to gain an advantage in the race against Atalanta?
Hippomenes prays to Venus for assistance and uses golden apples to distract Atalanta during the race.
His clever strategy reflects the theme of divine intervention in mortal affairs.
What is the outcome of Hippomenes’ race with Atalanta?
Hippomenes wins the race and marries Atalanta, but they face consequences due to his actions.
Their story illustrates the dangers of desire and the role of fate.
True or False: Atalanta is portrayed as a passive character in her story.
False.
Atalanta is depicted as strong-willed and independent, actively controlling her fate.
Fill in the blank: Myrrha is transformed into a _______ as a result of her prayers.
tree
This transformation represents her desire to escape her guilt and punishment.
What does Venus do after being wounded by Cupid’s arrow?
Venus becomes infatuated with a mortal, Adonis, and neglects her divine duties.
This showcases the theme of love’s transformative power.
What does the story of Atalanta and Hippomenes illustrate about love?
It illustrates the risks and sacrifices involved in the pursuit of love.
Their tale emphasizes the interplay between desire and consequence.
What is the finest piece of land in all of Cyprus called?
Tamasus
Tamasus was consecrated to the goddess and was intended as a gift for her temples.
What type of fruit grows on the tree in Tamasus?
Golden yellow fruit
The tree in the middle of the field is described as having gleaming yellow leaves and golden yellow fruit.
Who is Hippomenes?
A young man who races Atalanta
He is aided by the goddess with golden apples to win the race.
What did Hippomenes use to distract Atalanta during the race?
Golden apples
He threw the apples to make her slow down and collect them.
What was the outcome of the race between Hippomenes and Atalanta?
Hippomenes won the race
Atalanta lost due to her distractions caused by the golden apples.
What punishment did Cybele impose on Hippomenes and Atalanta?
They were transformed into lions
Cybele punished them for their disrespect in her sacred temple.
What warning did Venus give to Adonis?
To avoid savage creatures
Venus warned Adonis to be cautious and not engage in reckless bravery.
How did Adonis die?
He was gored by a wild boar
The boar attacked him after he had struck it, leading to his fatal injury.
What did Venus do when she found Adonis dying?
She tore her clothing and hair
She expressed her sorrow and protested to the Fates upon seeing him dead.
What transformation did Venus desire for Adonis’s blood?
To change it into a flower
She wished to create a lasting memorial of her grief through a flower.
What flower grew from Adonis’s blood?
Anemone
The flower is red and associated with short-lived beauty, symbolizing the transient nature of life.
Fill in the blank: The tree in Tamasus had _______ fruit.
golden yellow
The fruit is described as shining and golden in color.
True or False: Hippomenes thanked the goddess for his victory.
False
He forgot to thank her or offer incense after winning the race.
What did Cybele consider doing to Hippomenes and Atalanta as punishment?
Plunge them into the waters of the river Styx
She contemplated a severe punishment for their actions in her sacred space.
What did Venus’s swans pull?
Her chariot
Venus traveled through the air in a chariot drawn by swans.
What did Adonis’s dogs track?
A boar
The dogs led Adonis to hunt the boar, which ultimately led to his demise.
What did Venus sprinkle on Adonis’s blood?
Sweet-scented nectar
This act caused the blood to froth and eventually transform into a flower.
Who is the near eastern goddess often confused with Ops?
Cybele
Cybele is known as the Mother of the Gods.
What is one characteristic of Cybele’s depiction?
Crowned with turrets and seated in a chariot drawn by lions
This is a common artistic representation of Cybele.
Who was Echion?
One of the earth-born warriors from the dragon’s teeth sown by Cadmus
Echion is mentioned in the context of Greek mythology.
What action did Persephone take regarding a nymph called Mentha?
Changed her into a plant
This transformation is part of a myth involving Persephone.
What is the Greek word for wind?
anemos
This term is relevant in the context of Greek language and mythology.
Fill in the blank: The Mother of the Gods is the near eastern goddess _______.
Cybele
True or False: Ops is the mother of Jupiter.
True
