Journey’s to the underworld Flashcards
What were the Homeric Hymns and what were it’s themes?
The Homeric Hymn to Demeter was one of 33 poems dedicated to the Gods with the themes being the relationship between the Gods, and the relationship between Gods and Men
How was Persephone abducted in lines 1-18?
She was collecting flowers in a field when Hades emerged from the Earth and took her to his kingdom on his chariot
Who heard the cries of Persephone?
Helios and Hecate before Persephone let out one last cry heard by Demeter
What did Demeter do after she heard her daughter’s cry?
She spent 9 days searching for her until Hecate told her that Helios saw what happened and he told Demeter that Zeus had offered Persephone to Hades
What did Demeter do after she realised her daughter had been abducted?
Disguised as an old woman, she took refuge under a tree and mourned for her lost daughter
What happened after the lament?
Zeus decided to intervene after he realised the consequences it would cause the Gods as Demeter made the grimmest and most brutal year for men. (No ground sent up for seeds)
How did Zeus get Persephone back?
He sent Hermes to the underworld to appear to Hades where he talked about the damage done to the Gods and Hades submitted to the request and sent Persephone back
What did Hades secretly give Persephone to eat?
A pomegranate seed and if you ate something in the underworld you had to stay down there for some time of the year (explaining the seasons)
What happened when Demeter and Persephone were reunited?
They embraced each other, but Demeter suspected that Hades had fed something to her so Persephone had to spend one third of the year with Hades. She agreed and resumed human harvest
What is Orpheus based on?
Orpheus falling in love with a young maiden called Eurydice
How did Eurydice die?
While walking along a riverbank shortly after her wedding with Orpheus, was bitten by a poisonous snake and killed by the venom
What did Orpheus do after Eurydice’s death?
Overcome with grief, he decided to descend to the underworld and retrieve Eurydice by playing his lyre making an appeal to Pluto and Proserpina
What else did Orpheus admit?
All men were fated to live with Pluto but argued it was not fair that Eurydice had her years cut short
Where Pluto and Proserpina moved by his song?
Yes, so much in fact they brought Eurydice forward and took her to the Taenaran gateway, but she was pulled back into the underworld
