lecture 23 & ch. 21, 23, 24

Question 1

Upon his return home from Troy, Agamemnon and Clytemnestra have new partners. Who are these additions?

Answer 1

Clytemnestra has taken Aegisthus, son of Thyestes, as her new bf.
Agamemnon has brought Cassandra with him back to Mycenae as his prize.

Question 2

What is the trilogy that describes Agamemnon’s nostoi?

Answer 2

Oresteia by Aeschylus

Question 3

Describe the three parts of the Oresteia by Aeschylus.

Answer 3

1. Clytemnestra murders Agamemnon
2. Orestes, son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, feels he must avenge his father so he kills Clytemnestra.
3. Because he killed family, Orestes is tormented by the furies. Eventually, there is a trial in Athens where Orestes is acquitted.

Question 4

Throughout Aeschylus’ Oresteia, what question is the audience being asked?

Answer 4

The audience is asked, “what is justice?”

Question 5

The conclusion of Aeschylus’ Oresteia, signifies what? How is this proven?

Answer 5

1. The conclusion of Orestes being acquitted of murdering his mother signifies a shift in the cultural meaning of justice throughout ancient Greece.
   - It once was vengeance, now justice is focused on democracy.
2. At the end of the play, at the end of the trial, the furies that had been tormenting Orestes are transformed. This is metaphoric as the meaning of justice has also
   changed.

Question 6

How is the history of Rome’s settlers best described?

Answer 6

MULTICULTURAL
i.e. etruscans, latini’s, eventually greeks and phoenicians.

Question 7

Rome was initially a monarchy, what replaced this government system? What was the government system in place when Rome fell?

Answer 7

1. RES PUBLICA -republic
   - ruled by the senate, consuls appearing as a figure head as opposed to having real power.
2. IMPERIUM - the empire replaced the republic.
   - system came into place after the assassination of Julius Caesar.

Question 8

In terms of religion, prior to the adoption of anthropomorphic gods, what did Romans believe in?

Answer 8

NUMEN - “nodder,” a thing’s spirit.

Question 9

To the Romans, religion was not based in faith. How was religion viewed?

Answer 9

IT WAS TRANSACTIONAL
- A Roman would sacrifice something in hopes of receiving something in return from the Numen.

Question 10

What is the most notable example of Numina?

Answer 10

Janus, the gate of war.
- when open, the romans were in a state of war.
- when closed, the romans were in a state of peace.

Question 11

What is the Lares?

Answer 11

An example of fixed numina, specifically the borders and property of a home.

Question 12

What is the Penates?

Answer 12

An example of moveable numina, specifically the sense
of family history and family spirits that can travel with you.

Question 13

What is the Vesta?

Answer 13

an example of how the family is fixed and moveable at the same time.

Question 14

How do you know if you are displaying a form of pietas?

Answer 14

Pietas is anytime you align yourself and your individuality within a larger structure that you serve.

Question 15

What is central to Roman culture?

Answer 15

the paterfamilias

Question 16

What is considered to be the two foundational stories of Rome?

Answer 16

1. Romulus and Remus - built Rome.
2. Aeneas - brought the Trojans (future Roman’s) to Italy as well as began the family line that would lead to the creation of Rome.

Question 17

“Rome was founded on fratricide,” what does this mean?

Answer 17

This is referring to how Romulus kills his brother Remus, they are considered to be the two “founders” of Rome.

Question 18

Upon Romulus’s death, he becomes the numen of the Roman people. What name does he receive?

Answer 18

Quirinus - the romans will often refer to themselves as quirites.

Question 19

After Romulus has killed Remus, the Romans have an issue. What is the problem? How do they solve it?

Answer 19

1. THERE ARE NO WOMEN IN ROME.
2. The Romans hold a party, towards the end of the party they abduct the Sabine women that had attended.

Question 20

What is the war of Titus Tatias? What happens?

Answer 20

Titus Tatias goes to war against Romulus because he had abducted the Sabine women.
- While on the battlefield, the women intervene as they have their husbands on the Roman side and their fathers and brothers on the Sabine side.

Question 21

After the Sack of Troy, the journey of Aeneas depicts Juno’s hatred for the Trojans as well as Aeneas’ fate to settle on Italian soil. Why does Juno hate the Trojan’s?

Answer 21

SHE IS STILL PISSED ABOUT PARIS’ DECISION IN THE DIVINE BEAUTY PAGEANT.

Question 22

During the Sack of Troy, who wakes up in Aeneas and warns him of the pillaging of the Greeks?

Answer 22

THE GHOST OF HECTOR

Question 23

What does Aeneas take with him as he flees Troy?

Answer 23

1. His son, Ascanius
2. His father, Anchises
3. The Palladium

Question 24

Why does Carthage hate Rome?

Answer 24

Aeneas abandoned Carthaginian princess Dido. From heartbreak, Dido kills herself.

Question 25

What is the conclusion of Virgil’s Aeneid?

Answer 25

While in Italy, Aeneas will receive Lavinia as his bride.
- Her father received a prophecy that she must marry a foreigner, but Lavinia has already been betrothed to Turnus.
- Aeneas and Turnus go to war for Lavinia, but Aeneas is victorious and kills Turnus.

Question 26

How is Vergil’s The Aeneid best described?

Answer 26

A POLITICAL POEM - It discusses Rome and what it means to be Roman.
- ex. Aeneas continually does what he MUST do, not necessarily what he wants to do, therefore exhibiting pietas.

Question 27

Briefly describe the myths of early Rome leading up to the establishment of the Republic.

Answer 27

1. Horatii / Trojans v. Curiatii / from Alba Longa
   - ex. of Trojan perseverance.
2. Tarquin the Proud, Tarquin Superbus - last king of Rome
3. Lucretia - deemed the most virtuous wife from the soldiers.
4. Lucius Junis, “Brutus” - founds the republic.

Question 28

What happened between the Horatii and the Curiatii? How was pietas exhibited?

Answer 28

1. There were groups of people at war and decided on a 3V3 battle of brothers from each group to end the war once and for all.
   - The Curiatii very quickly killed two of the Horatii.
   - The final Horatii was patient and smart and, even
   though he was outnumbered, he persevered killing the Curiatii.
2. After defeating the Curiatii, the final Horatii went home to find his sister crying as she was engaged to one of the Curiatii that was killed.
   - The Horatii kills his sister; family, pietas, and patriotism for Rome should come above all else.

Question 29

Through Tullia, Tarquin the Proud was influenced to do what? What does Tullia do? How would the Romans have viewed her?

Answer 29

1. From Tullia’s influence, he kills his existing wife (sister of Tullia), Tullia’s husband, and his father.
2. Tarquin Throws his father down the steps of Rome and Tulia drives her carriage over his father’s corpse.
3. The Romans would have viewed her as standing against the Roman state as she does not care for pietas.

Question 30

Why is Lucretia seen as a woman of virtue?

Answer 30

1. While Tarquin the Proud is on the throne and during a war, soldiers are speaking amongst themselves, debating on who’s wife is most virtuous.
2. To settle the debate, Tarquin the Proud and those in the debate, sneak into the city to see what their wives are up to.
3. Most wives were gossiping, drinking, misbehaving, but Lucretia, wife of Collatinus, was in her home working.
4. Tarquin the Proud falls in love with both her virtue and her beauty. He visits her, she hosts him and attempts to make him comfortable because he is her king. She provides him with a bed to sleep for the night.
5. During the night, Tarquin the Proud sneaks into her bedroom and uses a knife to threaten her to allow him to have his way with her. She is reluctant until he threatens to murder not only her but one of her slaves and place their bodies together, which would lead her husband to believe that she was having an affair.
6. Because of the circumstance she allows him to assault her, but later on she summons her father and her husband and explains to them what happened.
7. To prove that she is an honorable woman who had something terrible happened to her as opposed to her being dishonorable and willingly committing infidelity, she commits suicide.

Question 31

How is Lucius Junis, “Brutus,” an example of Roman patriotism?

Answer 31

1. Brutus leads the expulsion of Tarquin the Proud and the abolishment of the monarchy, establishing the republic.
2. His sons were not happy with the expulsion and protested.
3. Using the authority of paterfamilias, Brutus executed them.
   - i.e. devotion to your family is good, but devotion to Rome is better.

Question 32

Who becomes emblematic for the Roman desire to sacrifice oneself for the betterment of the larger community? Explain.

Answer 32

HORATIUS COCLE
1. After the expulsion of Tarquin the Proud, he flees to Eturia and seeks help from King Porsenna.
2. Horatius cuts down the last bridge leading into Rome, effectively preventing the invasion of Tarquin and the Etruscan army.
- After chopping down the bridge, he swims back to the Roman side of the river while in full armor and
wounded.

Question 33

Who is “lefty” and why was is a significant figure for Rome?

Answer 33

MUCIUS SCAEVOLA - attempts an assassination on King Porsenna.
1. He arrived in the Etruscan camp, looking for the king, and kills the wrong guy.
2. He is captured and questioned, he replies that he is one of 300 Romans that have vowed to enter the camp and kill King Porsenna.
- i.e. he may be the first assassin, but he will not be the last.
3. To prove his conviction in killing the king, he puts his right hand into a fire until it falls off. - thus gaining the name “scaevola” = “lefty”

Question 34

Who is Cincinnatus? What did he do and what does he represent?

Answer 34

1. Retired politician in Rome that wanted to remain in his countryside, working his plot of land.
2. While under threat, the Romans vote for him to be dictator.
   - Romans go into his field and take him to the city where he accepts the powers of Imperium.
   - He goes and leads the Roman army to battle and is victorious.
   - After successfully fulfilling his obligation, he returns to the city, relinquishes his power, and returns to his field, picking up his plow where he left it and continues to
   work.
3. He represents:
   - a devotion to the whole community (the sense of duty, obligation and selflessness in service to Rome as a
   whole)
   - and an innocence (he doesn’t care for power and he doesn’t refuse to give it up)

Question 35

What is considered to be an important event of Roman history? What is an interesting aspect of this event?

Answer 35

TRIUMPH: A collective celebration of individual victory.
- Throughout the triumph, and enslaved person stands behind the general being celebrated and whispers “you are not a god.”

Question 36

When Clytemnestra greets Agamemnon upon his return from the Trojan War, what is experienced by Cassandra?

Answer 36

Upon their arrival, Cassandra foresees the demise of Agamemnon and of herself and an image of the cannibal feast of Thyestes.