Greek Mythology: the Heroes of the Trojan War and more Flashcards
Greatest of all Greek heroes
Heracles
Heracles is easily recognizable in art by:
his impenetrable lion-skin cape, club and bow
Who was rewarded after death with immortality among the gods?
Heracles
Who are Heracles’ parents?
Born to Zeus and Alcmene, the wife of Amphitryon (Zeus seduced Alcmene in the guise of her own husband, just before Amphitryon himself came to her bed)
Heracles made love to _____ of _______
Made love to the 50 daughters of Thespius (in some versions he did this in one night), fathered a child with each, and twins with the oldest and youngest daughters
Who did Heracles choose between Vice and Virtue?
Vice promised a path of pleasure, while Virtue promised a long and difficult path of duty and labour. After much deliberation, he chose the path of Virtue
Who is the king Heracles killed?
Killed king Erginus and vanquished his army single-handedly
Who did Heracles marry?
Married Megara, who bore Heracles several children
What did Heracles do after he returned to sanity?
He sought purification for his deeds at the Oracle at Delphi. He served Tiryns’ king for 12 years, which would grant him immortality.
What did Heracles receive from Apollo, Hermes, Hephaestus, Poseidon, and Athena?
He was well equipped: a bow and arrows from Apollo, a sword from Hermes, a golden breastplate from Hephaestus, horses from Poseidon, a robe from Athena, and a club he fashioned for himself
What are the 12 labours of Heracles?
The Nemean Lion The Hydra The Ceryneian Hind The Erymanthian Boar The Stables of Augeas The Stymphalian Birds The Cretan Bull The Mares of Diomedes The Belt of Hippolyte The Cattle of Geryon The Golden Apples of Hesperides The Hellhound Cerberus
How did Heracles die?
Heracles came to a tragic end, accidentally killed by a jealous lover, who smeared his cloak with poisonous hydra blood instead of what she believed was a love-charm, effectively burning away his flesh. He had only enough time to arrange his own funeral pyre before he died
In death, he is granted immortality and makes amends with Hera
How was Perseus made?
Danae was locked away by king Acrisius of Argos because of a prophecy of her son killing the king. Zeus came to her as a shower of golden rain, through an aperture in her cell - Perseus was the result of their union
How did Perseus know where to find Medusa?
Perseus first visited the 3 Graeae (‘Old Women’), sisters of the Gorgons, and who shared one eye, and one tooth.
Perseus stole their eye until they told him where to find Medusa
Who chopped of Medusa’s head?
Perseus
Who founded Mycenae?
Perseus
Great grandfather of Heracles
Perseus
Theseus’ parents?
Son of Aegeus, King of Athens, and of Aethra (though Poseidon also visited her bed that fateful night, so many believe him to be the son of a god)
Why did Theseus slew the Minotaur?
to stop the yearly human sacrifices
Who is one of Jason’s Argonauts, a band of adventurous heroes?
Theseus
Who are Theseus’ love interests?
the daughters of Minos, an Amazon queen, Helen of Sparta, and even Persephone
How did Theseus die?
Died after being tricked and pushed off of a cliff
Who is Bellerophon?
A gallant young warrior
Oedipus’ parents?
Laius, King of Thebes, and Jocasta
What is Oedipus known for?
Famously written about in Greek tragedy as the man who unwittingly killed his own father, married his mother, had four children with her (after which, once the incest was learned, she killed herself), plucked out his own eyes in disgrace, and wandered the world a polluted exile until death (accompanied only by his steadfast daughter)
