Edith Hamilton

Question 1

What is the difference between primitive and classical mythology?

Answer 1

Primitive mythology can be very dark while classical mythology covers more pleasant topics.

Question 2

How are the Greek gods different from Egyptian or Mesopotamian gods?

Answer 2

Unlike the Egyptian and Mesopotamian gods who were made as part animals and not human-like, the Greek made their gods into their own image and the gods were made human-like.

Question 3

What is “the miracle of Greek mythology” (17)?

Answer 3

The miracle of greek mythology refers to the gods looking more human (and attractive) so people can feel more comfortable and safe with them.

Question 4

What are the “dark spots” referred to by Edith Hamilton (18-19)?

Answer 4

The dark spots of greek mythology is where the gods become less human. For example, when some gods act in an unkind/uncivilized way, when there are some beast-like gods (Ex: Half human, Half horse, called a centaur), and when their is human-sacrifice.

Question 5

How does she define mythology?

Answer 5

Edith Hamilton defines mythology as an explanation of something in nature.

Question 6

What is her explanation for differing views of the same gods?

Answer 6

Different views of the same god happen because their were different writers who wrote mythology at different times. For example, Zeus is viewed as the leader of the gods by everybody, but different writers wrote his character in different ways.

Question 7

Who rules the underworld?

Answer 7

Hades/Pluto with his Queen, Persephone.

Question 8

What are alternative names for the underworld?

Answer 8

The Kingdom of the Dead, Tartarus and Erebus.

Question 9

Who is the aged boatman who ferries the souls of the dead across the water?

Answer 9

Charon

Question 10

Who is Cerebus?

Answer 10

Cerebrus is a three-headed, dragon-tailed dog, who is a guard before the gate of the underworld that allow all spirits to enter but none to return.

Question 11

Who passes judgment on the wicked?

Answer 11

The Erinyes/Furies who punish evildoers.

Question 12

What are three of the rivers that separate the underworld from the world above?

Answer 12

Phlegethon: The river of fire, Styx: The river of the unbreakable oath which the gods swear, and Lethe: The river of forgetfulness.

Question 13

Pan

Answer 13

Hermes son, a noisy and happy god, part goat with goat horns and hoofs, a great musician, was always in love with a nymph but always rejected because of his unattractiveness.

Question 14

Silenus

Answer 14

Said to be either Pan’s son or brother (which meant he was also a son of Hermes), he was cheerful fat old man, he was always drunk.

Question 15

Leda

Answer 15

The wife of King Tyndareus of Sparta, known for giving her husband two kids and Zeus two kids.

Question 16

The Sileni

Answer 16

Part man part horse, not mentioned in any stories.

Question 17

The Satyrs

Answer 17

Part man part goat who live in the wild places of earth.

Question 18

The Centaurs

Answer 18

Half man half horse, usually very wild and savage (other than Chiron).

Question 19

The Gorgons

Answer 19

Dragon like creatures with wings and could turn people into stone by looking at them, their father was Phorcys, son of the sea and the earth.

Question 20

The Graiae

Answer 20

Sisters of the Gorgons living on the farther bank of the ocean with just one eye between them.

Question 21

The Sirens

Answer 21

They lived on an island in the sea and they had enchanting voices which would lure sailors to their deaths. Nobody ever knew what they looked like because everybody who saw them never returned.

Question 22

What do Greeks believe are the two basic gifts that Earth gives to man?

Answer 22

Corn and wine.

Question 23

How are Dionysus and Demeter different from the Twelve Gods of mythology?

Answer 23

They were more connected to the humans.

Question 24

How does the myth of Demeter explain the seasons of spring and winter?

Answer 24

Persephone represents spring and when she got kidnapped, Demeter stopped giving her gifts to the earth and created a frozen desert or winter.

Question 25

According to myth, how is Dionysus born? How is this related to Dionysus’ association with grapes and wine?

Answer 25

He was born of fire and nursed by rain. This is related to grapes and wine because grapes ripen in the burning heat and grow in the water.

Question 26

What is Dionysus known as, and what does he teach humans?

Answer 26

He was known as the god of wine and he taught people about the culture of wine.

Question 27

What are the two contrasting ideas associated with the worship of Dionysus?

Answer 27

The two ideas are freedom and joy, and savage brutality.

Question 28

Why is Dionysus considered so important to Greeks?

Answer 28

He showed life that was stronger than death in his resurrection, that death did not end all.

Question 29

What is Hesiod’s version of the creation of man?

Answer 29

After all the wars between the gods and their enemies, everything was arranged and ready for humans.

Question 30

Who are Prometheus and Epimetheus?

Answer 30

Prometheus was a wise titan that sided with Zeus during the war and his name meant forethought and Epimetheus was his scatterbrained twin brother who’s name meant afterthought.

Question 31

What gifts does Epimetheus give to animals? What does Prometheus give to mankind to make us superior to animals?

Answer 31

He gave them many extra features (wings, fur, strength, courage, etc). He gave humans an upright more noble shape like the gods and he gave them fire which was a better protection then any of the animals’ features.

Question 32

What is the second version of creation, the five stages of man?

Answer 32

1st: Golden race, mortal but lived like gods without sorrow or pain, spirits lived on after death. 2nd: Silver race, inferior to the golden race, little intelligence that ended up making them hurt each other, spirits did not live on after death. 3rd: Brass race, terrible men but very strong, loved violence and ended up destroying each other. 4th: Heroic race: Fought great wars and went on great adventures, ended up living in the isles of the blessed where they lived in happiness forever. 5th: Iron race, live in evil times, always living in sorrow and pain, each generation of this race is inferior to the previous.

Question 33

What does Prometheus do that angers Zeus?

Answer 33

Zeus gets mad at Prometheus for caring so much about man (stealing fire for man, giving man better parts of animal sacrifices).

Question 34

How is Prometheus tortured?

Answer 34

Prometheus is forever chained to a rock in Caucasus and and eagle comes every day and eats his liver.

Question 35

Why does Zeus send a flood to earth?

Answer 35

He sends a flood to destroy the wicked men on earth.

Question 35

Why is Pandora created?

Answer 35

She is created as revenge on the humans for accepting the gift of fire.

Question 36

Who are the only two survivors?

Answer 36

The only two survivors are Prometheus’s son, Deucalion, and his niece, Pyrrha.

Question 37

Who are the Stone People

Answer 37

The stone people were people who were formed by the stones of earth. They were a hard and enduring race that had to rescue the earth from its emptiness left by the flood.