Greek Myth Flashcards
How did the myth of Jason and the Argonauts come about? (first began)
In a crisis of destabilization, one factor was the dispute succession in the Thessalian city of Iolkos. King Kretheus was suppose to succeed Aison (father of Jason) but it was taken by Pelias (Jason’s Uncle).
Pelias was warned by the oracle ‘to beware of a stranger wearing only one sandal’. Jason presents himself in front his uncle with one sandal (having lost the other one while crossing the river). Pelias sends him away on a impossible mission. (quest for the Golden fleece-talismanic treasure)
Describe how the Argo came about?
Jason needed a ship, the Argo. The Argo is made with the help of the Gods (scared oak from Zeus’ oracle at Dodona. The Argo’s crew had various great heros from the generation of the Trojan War, including Heracles.
On their journey what was the first destination of Jason and the Argonauts? & what happened?
They first stop in Aegean island of Lemnos where the population was all women because the women’s husband turned away from them in favour of slave girls, then the wives went on a murderous revenge killing all husbands, slave girls and all male population. The men on the ship of Argo wanted to stay in Lemnos but Heracles reminded then of their quest so they left.
What was the second destination of Jason and the Argonauts’ journey?
Land of the Mysians. Whe Heracles had a young squire, Hylas, to go in search for a spring to draw water. Greek spring were scared and when Hylas found one a Nymph drew him down beneath the water. Heracles found out Hylas was missing remained behind in search of him when the Agro sailed on. (Note: there is little doubt about the homoerotic intensity of Heracles and Hylas’ relationship)
What happened when the Argo’s voyage proceeded eastwards?
They meet a blind seer named Phineus and with his advice the Argonauts managed to maneuver its way through the Clashing Rocks at the entrance to the Black Sea.
What happens when the Argo arrives in Colchis?
Jason must perform tasks in order to win the Golden Fleece. With the help of Athena & Hera, Aphrodite sends Eros to shoot Medea, making her fall in love with Jason. Medea helps with the means to yoke the bulls, the teeth were sown, and armed men were defeated. Medea also lulled to sleep the serpent that guarded the fleece and Jason claims the Golden Fleece.
What is the name of Medea’s brother? & What does Medea do to her own brother?
One story is that she lured her pursuing brother Apsyrtos into an ambush & turned her eyes aside as Jason slew him. Another story is that Medea butchered Apsyrtos & dismembered his corpse into sea for her father to find him and delay the pursuit.
What’s the last encounter when the Argo is heading back home?
The meet one last outlandish creature, the giant Talos which is made of metal. Talos has a weak point which are his ankle. Medea overpowers Talos by her gaze causing him to stumble and landing in a position that threatens its life.
What happens when Jason returns home?
In one version he discovers that his uncle has killed his father. Medea tricks Pelias’s daughter by magical power cutting up boiling a ram in a cauldron seeing it rejuvenated, the daughters thought the same would happen to the father. Instead they kill him, chopped up & boiled.
What happens when Jason returns home?
In one version he discovers that his uncle has killed his father. Then, Medea tricks Pelias’s daughter by magical power cutting up boiling a ram in a cauldron seeing it rejuvenated, the daughters thought the same would happen to the father. Instead they kill him, chopped up & boiled.
What happened after Pelias was killed?
Jason and Medea escape to Corinth. Medea is now known for disrupting families and Jason decides to put her aside to marry the daughter of Kreon (King of Corinth)
How does Medea take her revenge on Jason?
Medea sends a poisoned robe to (Glauke-name uncertain) the daughter of the King and it eats her flesh. Medea also kills Jason’s children to inflict more pain. Medea than escapes to Athens on a serpent-borne chariot lent by her grandfather, the Son God.
Why is Heracles famous & recognizable character?
One answer is his suffering and partial failures. His story veers from achievement to failures, tragedies & back to final triumph. Second answer was his distinctive personalty.
What was Heracles’ personality like?
Jovial, generous, fearless, basically dumb, childlike, impetuous, and destructive rage
Does Hercules have a grave?
No, no localized therefore whenever help was needed one could call out for Heracles.
What does Heracles often do as a hero rather than other heros?
He pushes the limit of humanity.
What is the name of Heracles ‘mortal’ father?
Amphitryon
How does Hercules get forced into doing the 12 labours?
Heracles marries Kreon’s daughter Megara. Hera’s jealously causes Heracles to go mad making him kill his wife & children. Then he is required to serve man weaker than he-Eurystheus by performing a series of Labours according to his instructions.
What was Heracles first Labour?
Went to Northwest of Mycenae to Nemea, where he overcame an invulnerable lion, throttling it. The skin of the beast became part of Heracles’ characteristic clothing.
What was Heracles second Labour?
He exterminated a monstrous water snake called Hydra by severing it & burying it under a boulder.
What is a Hydra?
A water snake that had between 9-50 heads that can self-regenerate where it can grow 2 heads when it only had 1 head.
What was Heracles Third Labour?
Ordered to bring back the Keryneian hind; a golden-horned doe sacred to Artemis. Heracles can not kill the animal so he pursues it for a year until the hind becomes exhausted.
What was Heracles’ Fourth Labour?
He captures a fearsome boar which lived near Mount Erymanthos in Arcadia.
What was Heracles’ Fifth Labour?
In Peloponnese, he was told to cleanse the dung-clogged stables of Augeias, King of Elis.
What was Heracles’ Sixth Labour?
Heracles cleared away another infestation, the birds from Stymphalian lake in Arcadia. With Athena’s help lends him bronze castanets startling the birds & Heracles’ bow & lethal arrows did the rest.
What was Heracles’ Seventh Labour?
Overpowers a mighty bull in Crete.
What was Heracles’ Eighth Labour?
In Thrace he captures the fearsome man-eating mares (horses) belonging to King Diomedes.
What was Heracles’ Ninth Labour?
Instructed to bring back belt of the Amazon Hippolyte. Heracles slew Hippolyte & stole her belt.
What was Heracles’ Tenth Labour?
has to fetch the cattle of the three-bodied monster Geryon, who lived by the stream of Ocean (Far West).
What was Heracles’ Eleventh Labour?
pick golden apples of the Hespenrides (Far West or North). Guarded by immortal serpent
What was Heracles’ Twelfth Labour?
told to fetch the infernal dog Kenberos in the Underworld via cave at Tainaron.
How did the death of Heracles occur?
By his wife Deianeira. She smears a robe with the Centaur;s love charm & sends it as a gift to Heracles. (same as Medea to Glauke) Heracles asks his son Hyllos to take him to die on a funeral pyre. Pyre begins to burn so Heracles is raised up to Olympos, where he was said to have made the transition to immorality and is given another wife, Hebe. Hebe is daughter of Zeus and Hera. Hera and Heracles finally reconcile.
What does Katabasis mean?
“the march downward” or the “downward hike”.
Note: In Greek myth, it is the living person’s journey to the
Underworld. The katabasis is not what ghosts-of-the-dead do. It’s what a living, walking person does: Heracles, etc
What was Theseus’ birth like?
Born at the time when Athenian royal succession was a state of uncertainty, divided between 4 brothers. One brother, Aigeus had not received a child from 1st and 2nd wife. He went to oracle, they urged him not to undo ‘the protruding of the wineskin’ (referred to an act of sex) until he had return to Athen. Then was hosted by Pittheus, Aigeus got got drunk slept with his daughter, Aithra. Eventually giving birth to Theseus. The same night, Aithra also laid with Poseidon too.
What did Aigeus instruct Aithra to do?
If she born a male child she was to bring up the boy without revealing to him his father’s identity. When Theseus is grown he is to move the great boulder beneath which Aigeus placed a sword & a pair of sandals, Also, Aithra was to send her son to Athens with these tokens.
What happened what Theseus when he became of age? What happen en route to Athens?
He did what was instructed by his father. En route, he came across 3 encounters
What were Theseus encounters on his way to Athens? & what were their names?
- Sinis ‘Destroyer’, he launched travellers into the air or else, he tied them to a pair adjacent; bent pines & watched the victims by ripped apart as tree sprang to the vertical. Theseus did the same to him.
- The bandit Skeiron. He lived in towering cliffs of the coast of the Megarid. As passers wash his feet he would kick them into sea to be devoured by a giant turtle. Theseus did the same to him.
- Polypemon ‘Much Woe’ aka Prokroustes offers travellers a bed. Only has 2 beds but giive the long beds to short people and vice versa. Theseus adapted Prokroustes to the length of his own bed
What happens to Theseus upon arrival to Athens?
Aigeus (father) now married to Medea & with his new sen Medos. Medea sees this as a threat and tries to kill Theseus but poison but Aigeus recognized his sword and saves him.
What happens to Medea after she attempts to kill Theseus?
She was driven out again, returned to Colchis where restored her father Aietes to the throne after he has been driven from power .
What is a Minotaur?
semi-human and semi-bovine (cattle) monster which inhabited the Labyrinth.
What starts the attack on Athens?
Androgeos son of the Cretan King Minos had been killed on his a visit to Athens. (one version) Androgeos sent out by Aigeus to confronts bull Marathon. Minos wants revenge by attacking Athens.
What does Minos do when he wants to attack Athens?
He prays to father Zeus which causes the Athenians to become full of famine & disease.
