Classics Ch 18: Thebes Flashcards
Regarding the most important cities in Greek Myth, Thebes is the _____. (20th? 30th? Etc)
2nd - Mycenae = 1st
Who is the author of Antigone?
Sophocles
Common motif in Myths of Thebes
Destruction of family members
Who are the protagonists of the founding of Thebes ? Do they have anything to do with its naming?
Cadmus fighting dragon - cadmeia is the name of the acropolis
Amphioxus and Zethus - after Zethus’ wife Thebe
Cadmeia
Aka the acropolis, named after Cadmus
Who sends Cadmus on his journey? What is his goal when he sets out? How does he go about it?
His father Agenor
To find his sister Europa (taken by red Zeusbull to Crete)
He goes to the Pythia for directions
How does Cadmus find the site to create Thebes? Where is that? Why does he do so there ?
He follows the cow with special mark and builds it where it rests
In Boetia
The Pythia tells him to do this instead of doing his father’s command
Why is it called Boetia?
Boeotia = “cowland”
It’s where the cow stopped to rest
Sparti
“Sown men” - Armed men grown from planted dragon teeth
The 5 who survived after fight who become heads of 5 great families
Cadmus and dragon
There’s a dragon near Thebes at spring that kills his men
Cadmeia fights it and pins it to a tree
Athena tells him to knock out the tree and plant half
Armed men grow from them, fight each other
5 survive
Harmonia
Wife of Cadmus
Daughter of ares and Aphrodite
How does Cadmus attain his wife?
He has to serve ares for killing his dragon
Ares gifts his daughter Harmonia afterwards
What happens at Cadmus’ wedding?
(Hephaestus?) gifts a necklace and robe, gives them happiness but their descendants misery
Descendants of Cadmus and their misfortune (due to)
Necklace and robe possession
- Semele killed by Zeus’ uncovering
- ino - kills her children
- Agave - kills son pentheus
- Actaeon - killed by his dogs for seeing Artemis naked
Polydorus
Otherwise unknown son of Cadmus, married to Nycteïs
Nycteïs
Wife of polydorus
Sister of Antiopê
Antiopê
+ Zeus = Amphion and Zethus
Childhood of Amphion and Zethus
What happens because of this .?
Abandoned for being bastards, raised by a shepherd
Antiopê mistreated bc adulterous and so flees, find sons,
They avenge her
How do Amphion and Zethus get vengeance?
They kill g uncle and aunt.. Who?
Amphion and Zethus characteristics
Amphion - loved music, arts, less logical
Zethus driven, practical
Zethus builds Theban walls with bare hands while Amphion moves stones with lyre
Opposite but get along
Why are there two foundings of Thebes?
There was an influx of near east people in the area
They brought their cosmic dragon story
Tradition fused with the local folk taley Amphion and Zethus story
Wives of Amphion and Zethus
Amphion and Niobê - boasted having more children then Leto
Zethus and Thebê - name Thebes
Jocasta
G granddaughter of pentheus (Cadmus line)
Mother of Oedipus
Wife of Lauis
Laius
+ Jocasta = Oedipus
Grandson of polydorus and Nycteïs
Oracle tells him his son will kill him
Who unites the 2 origin stories of Thebes? how?
Oedipus
Mom Jocasta from Cadmus line
Father Laius grandson of polydorus and Nycteïs ( aunt of Amphion and Zethus )
King Pelops of
Elis
Tantalus’ son eaten by Demeter
Who is king pelop’s son?
Chrysippus
Why is Laius cursed? Who knows?
Raped Chrysippus,
King pelop’s son, so he curses his fate : son will kill him and sex up his wife
Story told after origin. Classical Greeks don’t have this element
Why is Oedipus so named?
To ensure his death, His father tied his ankles together so his ghost can’t walk
“Swollen feet”
Who is Oedipus passed onto after his father? What do they do?
Shepherd- give to
Messenger for Thebes to Corinth -give to
King and queen of Corinth - bring up as their only child, heal his feet
How does Laius plan it kill son a.
Leave in wild with feet tied
Oedipus Corinth life
Hears rumors of being adopted that mom doesn’t address
Goes to Delphi - told his dad-klling mom-fucking fate
Vows to never return to Corinth
When leaves, he kills all of travel party except 1
Sphinx
Woman head, lion body, winged
Terrorize specify
Kills self in shock and shame when Oedipus answers riddle
How does prince Oedipus become king?
He saves Thebes from sphinx while there is no king, marries queen Jocasta
Jocasta + Oedipus
Polynices, Eteocles
Antigonê, Ismenê
How does Oedipus get to the point where he’s looking for Laius’ killer?
There’s a people-killing plague in Thebes
Oedipus goes to Delphi- miasma bc Laius killer is the cause, killer must be banished
Sophocles’ story of Oedipus’ life
What does the author think about him?
Oedipus the kng
Not guilty - does not deserve to be punished as parricide
His greatness = human agile , decisive
Weakness - think can overcome oracles
How does Oedipus the King begin?
Oedipus pronounces curse on Laius killer
How does Oedipus seek the killer?
think
asks Tiresias the seer
Oedipus thinks he’s plotting with Jocasta’s bro Creon to take kingship
``What does the messenger tell Oedipus? What does Oed do?
- Corinth king is dead
- Oed isn’t Corinthian
so Oedipus calls for sheperd who gave him to messenger aka guy who he didnt kill
How does Jocasta die?
hang self (previous version had her live)
How does Oedipus torture self after realizing self as killer?
pokes eyes with Jocasta’s hairpins
exile
title of Sophocles’ play of Oedipus’ death
where does he die?
Oedipus at Colonus
@ Grove of the Furies near Colonus, outside Athens
What does Oedipus do as he is dying?
curses sons for not caring for him - says will kill each other
What happens to the throne after Oedipus is gone?
his sons Eteocles and Polynices agree to alternate years of power;
Eteocles has first - forces Polynices to exile
What does Oedipus’ son do after he is exiled?
Polynices flees to Argos where Adrastus, the King of Argos agrees to recapture Thebes for him
“Seven Against Thebes”
story of great warlords’ attacking 7 great gates of thebes
Polynices trying to reclaim throne from Eteocles
What is the 1st and 2nd greatest war in gk myth?
Trojan
Seven Against Thebes
Tragicians’ works about war of
Polynices vs. Eteocles
Aeschylus’ 7 against Thebes
Euripides’ Phoenician Women
Sophocles’ 7 against Thebes
How does Polynices and Eteocles die?
Which side wins? Who survies?
Eteocles gives death blow, begins stealing P’s armor
P stabs his guts with last breath
Thebes wins; adrastus escapes
Who gets the Throne after Polynices and Eteocles? What does he do?
Creon declares Eteocles a hero and makes burier of Polynices a traitor
Author of Antigone
Sophocles
Symbolistic vs’ in Antigone
Creon v. Antigone: human v. divine city v. family man v. woman old. vs. young progressive vs. traditional
How does Creon punish Antigone?
shuts her in tomb
Who tries to stop Creon?
Haemon (his son, engaged to Antigone
Tiresias - gods be angry
What happens after Antigone hangs self?
Haemon fails to kill Creon so kills self
Creon wife kills self since son died
nomos
customary law - Creon
physis
natural law - antigone
What is special about Oedipus’ bones?
protects whatever city has them
Wjy dpes Adrastus help polynices?
married to his daughter
Ampiarius, Eriphale
?
How does Adrastus escape from Battle at Thebes?
chariot + magical horse Arion (Demeter + Poseidon)
Epigoni
Theseus + Argives who attack Thebes to reclaim their dead
What is Eriphyle bribed with?
- ?
2. Harmonia’s robe
Nostos
Homecoming
Why does Alcmeon kill? Why?
his mom Eriphyle
his dad Amphiaraus (seer) tells him to because she keeps siding with the king by bribery
