Classical Period Flashcards
Visualise Song of Achilles place and name the sea.
Aegean
Who are Achilles’ parents? Home? SoA
Achilles was the son of the Nereid Thetis and of Peleus, the king of the Myrmidons. Home is Phithia.
Who are Helen’s parents? From where?
Tyndareus of Sparta. Leda, who got ravished by Zeus.
What is the story of Princess Danae? SoA
Zeus wooed her in a shower of gold and she bore him Perseus, the Gorgan slayer.
Who marries Helen? Son of..? Brother? SoA
Menelaus, son of Atreus. Brother of Agamemnon.
Who is the narrator of SoA? Son of..?
Patroclus, son of Menoitius
What do Achilles and Patroclus have in common?
hey both took the Oath of Tyndareus, according to which all suitors of Helen would protect her and her future husband from any threat or danger.
What is Ithaca and who is its famous ruler?
A small greek island. Odysseus.
What was Patroclus early crime? Led to..? SoA
Killed a child. Sent to Phthia.
What happened to Thetis by whom? SoA
‘Ravished’ by Peleus.
What is a ‘Therapon’? SoA
A brother in arms companion, sworn to a prince by blood oath.
In Greek mythology, Iris (/ˈaɪrɪs/; EYE-riss; Greek: Ἶρις, translit. Íris, lit. “rainbow”,[1] Ancient Greek: [îːris]) is a daughter of the gods Thaumas and Electra, the personification and goddess of the rainbow and messenger of the gods.[2]
Iris
Achilles and Patroclus unusual teacher? SoA
Chiron. A centaur who lives on Pelion.
What happened to Heracles? What did Theseus lose? SoA
… he went mad and killed his family
… he lost his bride and family
Who has the greatest army of the kingdoms and where is he from? SoA
Agamemnon, of Mycenae
Who was Atreus? SoA
In Greek mythology, Atreus was a king of Mycenae in the Peloponnese, the son of Pelops and Hippodamia, and the father of Agamemnon and Menelaus.
From where is Helen ‘abducted’? SoA
The palace in Sparta
Who is the king of Troy? And his son?
Priam. His son is Paris.
Describe Ajax. SoA
“Twice as large as any man in the room.”
What does Achilles get up to on Skyros?
Deidamia was one of King Lycomedes’s seven daughters with whom Achilles was concealed, hidden in Lycomedes’s court as one of the king’s daughters, … the two soon became romantically involved to the point of intimacy. After Odysseus arrived at Lycomedes’s palace and exposed Achilles as a young man, the hero decided to join the Trojan War, leaving behind his pregnant and heartbroken wife Deidamia.
Who are the two Greek brothers? SoA
Menelaus and Agamemnon
How does Patrolus let down the Greeks? SoA
He is the last of Helen’s suitors to join the battle (oath breaker)
Who is the King of Argos? SoA
Diomedes
What are the three prophecies related to
Achilles? SoA
You will be the greatest warrior of your generation
You will never return from Troy
You will die after Hector
(remind me of Macbeth)
What was Nestor famous for..? SoA
Very old, many children.
Sailed with Jason and Argonauts in youth
Who was Tantalus? SoA
Tantalus (Ancient Greek: Τάνταλος Tántalos) was most famous for his eternal punishment in Tartarus. He was also called Atys.
He was made to stand in a pool of water beneath a fruit tree with low branches, with the fruit ever eluding his grasp, and the water always receding before he could take a drink.
He was the father of Pelops, Niobe and Broteas, and was a son of Zeus[1] and the nymph Plouto. Thus, like other heroes in Greek mythology such as Theseus, Tantalus had both a hidden, divine parent and a mortal one.
The Greeks used the proverb “Tantalean punishments” (Ancient Greek: Ταντάλειοι τιμωρίαι), in reference to those who have good things but are not permitted to enjoy them.
Wishing to test if the gods really did know everything and could tell what they were eating even if it was forbidden food, Tantalus killed, diced, and cooked up in a stew his own son Pelops and planned to serve him to all the gods at dinner. The plan fell flat when the Olympians immediately recognised that something was amiss, all that is except one. Demeter, upset at still not having found her lost daughter Persephone, absent-mindedly ate a chunk of Pelops’ shoulder. For this reason, when Tantalus’ wickedness was revealed and the gods decided to put Pelops back together and make him live again, the young man had to have a prosthetic shoulder made from ivory.
What is the name of Achilles’ charioteer? SoA
Automedon
Who are the three key armies on the Greek side? And rulers? SoA
Spartans (Menelaus), Argives (Diomedes of Argos), Mycenaens (Agamemnon)
In ‘Song of Achilles’, what is significance of Artemis? SoA
In The Iliad, Artemis, goddess of the hunt and wild things, takes part in the battle between King Agamemnon and the hero Achilles. Artemis is mentioned multiple times supporting Trojans: whether she is saluted for her skill with the arrow or when she is enraged at the lack of respect she is given. Artemis punishes Agamemnon by acting upon the winds, so that Agamemnon’s fleet cannot sail to Troy. Calchas the seer tells Agamemnon that to appease Artemis, he must sacrifice his eldest daughter, Iphigenia.
NOT IN ILIAD - EURIPIDES AND OTHERS
Ajax the warrior? SoA?
Ajax the Greater, in Greek legend, son of Telamon, king of Salamis, described in the Iliad as being of great stature and colossal frame, second only to the Greek hero Achilles in strength and bravery.
BTW dies after Achilles, can’t have his armour? Kills livestock then suicide?!? (Not in this book)
What is name of the signficant captured slave girl? SoA
Briseis
Who is Aphrodite’s favourite? SoA
Paris
Who is wife of Hector? His attitude to her..? SoA
Andromache
“loved above all things.”
What if the role of Apollo in The Iliad? (SoA)
Apollo plays a key role in some of the most important scenes in The Iliad. In Book 1, he brings a plague on the Acheaens for disrespecting his priest, Chryses, by kidnapping his daughter. This plague launches the conflict between Agamemnon and Achilles. In Books 15-16, he helps Hector kill Achilles’ friend Patroclus.
Who is the second significant slave girl? Taken from where? Father? SoA
Chryseis. Temple. Priest Chryses.
What is first sign of god’s unhappiness after Agamemnon’s refusal? SoA
Plague
Who are the warrior virgin (half) sisters?
Athena - Zeus’ warrior daughter - and Artemis her sister.
…….. was the only human except for Heracles to be granted strength (with permission) to directly fight with immortals themselves and injures two Olympian immortals (both …. and ………) in a single day. However, he still displays self-restraint and humility to retreat before …. and give way to …… thus remaining within mortal limits. This is in contrast to ……… (who does not give way when opposed by ……) and …….. (who resorts to fight the river ……… on his own).
Diomedes was the only human except for Heracles to be granted strength (with permission) to directly fight with immortals themselves and injures two Olympian immortals (both Ares and Aphrodite) in a single day. However, he still displays self-restraint and humility to retreat before Ares and give way to Apollo thus remaining within mortal limits. This is in contrast to Patroclus (who does not give way when opposed by Apollo) and Achilles (who resorts to fight the river Scamander on his own). In Homer’s Iliad, Ares has no fixed allegiance. He promises Athena and Hera that he will fight for the Achaeans but Aphrodite persuades him to side with the Trojans. During the war, Diomedes fights Hector and sees Ares fighting on the Trojans’ side. Diomedes calls for his soldiers to withdraw.[62] Zeus grants Athene permission to drive Ares from the battlefield. Encouraged by Hera and Athena, Diomedes thrusts with his spear at Ares. Athena drives the spear home, and all sides tremble at Ares’s cries.
Ganymede
