Chapter 4 The Creation of Mortals

Question 1

Aidos

Answer 1

Greek goddess of shame and humility, more of a personification. She is a close companion of Nemesis, the goddess of vengeance

Question 2

Argus

Answer 2

Has multiple eyes which all do not sleep at the same time, made to watch Io by Hera so that could not help her. Killed by Hermes. Hera set his many eyes into the tail of the peacock the bird she is associated with

Question 3

Atlas

Answer 3

Brother of Prometheus and an important leader on the side of Cronus in the big Titanomachy. Punished to hold up the sky by Zeus.

Question 4

Cronus/Saturn

Answer 4

Youngest son of Gaia and Uranus, father of Zeus. Eats his children, forced to bring them back up and they wage a ten year war at the end of which Zeus usurps his father’s throne

Question 5

culture hero/culture god

Answer 5

mythical hero or god of a certain culture who changes the world through invention or discovery. Often can be a trickster as well. e.g. Prometheus stealing fire from the gods for humanity

Question 6

Deucalion and Pyrrha

Answer 6

Deucalion (son of Prometheus) and Pyrrha (daughter of Epimetheus) married and only survivors of the flood that Zeus sent to cleanse the world after having seen how horrible it had become (Lycaon sacrificed a human to him and he was disgusted)

Question 7

Divine Trickster

Answer 7

seen in many cultures the trickster is someone who breaks the rules of the gods and/or nature either maliciously or with good intentions. Either way it usually has a positive outcome. many times the culture hero and the trickster are the same person

Question 8

Epimetheus

Answer 8

Brother of Prometheus, he is the man of afterthought “faulty in judgement”. Accepted Pandora as his wife even though Prometheus warned him against any gifts from Zeus. d

Question 9

‘fall of man’ ideology

Answer 9

The idea that man was once great and has gotten progressively worse and worse through the ages

Question 10

‘golden age’

Answer 10

a paradise when everything was well that could have been long ago or just representative of their youth.

Question 11

Hellas/Hellenes

Answer 11

The Greek name for their country and people. The son of Deucalion and Pyrrha, Hellen, is the eponymous ancestor of the Greek people

Question 12

Hephaestus

Answer 12

Son of Hera alone, smith of the gods and god of fire in general. Made to forge the chains of Prometheus and chain him to the rock where the eagle would eat his liver every day. Hephaestus was reluctant but must obey Zeus.

Question 13

Heracles

Answer 13

Sent by Zeus to kill the eagle that was torturing Prometheus and to break him free of his chains, only after giving up his secret to about Zeus and Thetis having a child who would usurp his father

Question 14

Io

Answer 14

A priestess of Hera who caught the eye of Zeus. Hera was jealous and turned Io into a white cow and set Argus of the many eyes to guard her night and day. Zeus sent Hermes to kill Argus. Hera then sends a gadfly to torture Io who wanders all over tortured mad by the fly. She tells Prometheus of her woes and he prophecies that in Egypt Zeus will help her and give her a child by the touch of his hand so named Epaphus.

Question 15

Isles of the Blessed

Answer 15

The lsland where Zeus sent some heroes to live the rest of their lives in paradise. They live carefree lives with Cronus ruling over them as king.

Question 16

Lycaon

Answer 16

a king and tyrant in Peloponnese. Zeus visits his palace disguised as a man to check out human morality. When he let them know there was a god in their midst Lycaon laughed and said he would test him. 1. by slitting his throat in the night and 2. by killing a hostage and cooking the remains and offering them to Zeus who was outraged. Lycaon fled but was turned into a wolf by Zeus.

Question 17

Nemesis

Answer 17

The goddess of vengeance, the spirit of divine retribution to those who succumb to Hubris. Also known as Adrasteia “the inescapable”

Question 18

Pandora

Answer 18

“Bringer of all gifts” The punishment sent to man by Zeus, other gods helped create her. Hephaestus made her from earth and water, Athena gave her the gift of weaving, Aphrodite gave her sex appeal, and Hermes gave her cunning “the mind of a thief”. Becomes wife of Epimetheus and opens the jar or box containing all of the evils Zeus could think of to beseige humankind. “Hope alone remained within”

Question 19

Prometheus

Answer 19

He of the forethought, brother of Epimetheus. Son of Iapetus (Titan). He is a trickster and culture hero in one. Twice he tricked Zeus for the benefit of mankind.
Trick 1) the theft of the best meat, he took the good portion for humans and wrapped the thigh bone in fat to look as thought it was an equal portion for the gods. The reasoning behind sacrificial meals

Trick 2) he stole fire in a hollow stalk and brought it down to mankind

He is then punished by Zeus ( chained to a rock until Zeus allows Heracles to free him) collateral punishment for the mortals was Pandora and all that she brought with her. Essentially all the evils of the world as well as woman and children

Question 20

Themis

Answer 20

According to Aeschylus she is the mother of Prometheus

Question 21

Titanomachy

Answer 21

The ten year war waged between Cronus and Zeus as well as their supporters

Team Cronus: the titans (except for Themis and Prometheus who fought for Zeus) atlas who is the brother of Prometheus is an important leader on the side of Cronus. Fought from Mt. Othrys

Team Zeus: Demeter, Hestia, Hera, Poseidon, Hades, the Cyclopes, and Hecatonchires, Themis, Prometheus
Fought from Mt. Olympus

Zeus wins in the end due to help from the Hecatonchires

Question 22

Typhoeus

Answer 22

He is the son of Gaia and Tartarus, a “dragon” of sorts with wings on his back a hundred snake head and serpents for legs. His head would at one moment speak clearly and at another make all sorts of animalistic noises. He battles with Zeus and ends up getting flung back into Tartarus by a lightening bolt

Question 23

the five stages of man (Hesiod)

Answer 23

1) The age of Gold
During the reign of Cronus, they lived as gods with no toil and no old age. They died in their sleep. The earth buried them and they wander as spirits on earth protecting and watching over humanity.

2) The age of Silver
Transitional between Cronus and Zeus. They are lesser and remain babies for 100 years. When they reach maturity they only live for a short time due to their senselessness. Disrespectful towards the gods Zeus hid them away, they were buried under the earth as well but are still considered blessed by mortals and honor attends them as well

3) The age of Bronze
Made by Zeus out of bronze because there was no iron. They were warlike and self destructive. When they had destroyed themselves they went to hades and we’re forgotten by posterity.

4) The age of Heroes
Made by Zeus from the earth, they were valiant in war but just and more civilized. Some died in the Trojan war, some in Thebes, and some Zeus let live the rest of their lives on the Isle of the Blessed where they live in paradise with Cronus as their king. Honor and glory attend these demigods

5) The age of Iron
During the reign of Zeus, we are still in this age. Made from iron for they never cease from toil and woe. Gods will give them troubles mixed with good. Envy will be the downfall of this race and Aidos (shame) and Nemesis (righteous retribution) will abandon them with the gods and there will be no defense against evil

Question 24

xenia

Answer 24

The Greek word for hospitality which was a sacred duty in the ancient world, a sin not to provide.

Question 24

Gigantomachy

Answer 24

The Greek word for hospitality which was a sacred duty in the ancient world, a sin not to provide.