Midterm 1 (Define Greek Word) Flashcards
aither
The upper region of air, the habitation of the gods, and from the 5th century onwards, of certain dead.
daimon
any supernatural being, occasionally a guardian spirit that guides the dead to the underworld
dexiosis
a modern description of the handshake motif in ancient greek art. possibly intended to symbolise the theme of reunion in Hades
eidolon
an image of a dead person appearing on earth, in dreams, or in hades.
ekei
the world of the dead (literally translates to “there”)
enthade
The world of the living (literally translates to “here”)
geras thanonton
The prerogative or due of the dead
katabasis
the decent to the underworld by a living or divine being; a description of such decent
ker
the fate of death; ones personal doom
nekyia
the rite by which ghosts are summoned to appear; any pictorial or literary description of the underworld
psyche (pronounced Soo-kay)
The ‘soul’ of the dead as existing in Hades, lacking any apparent function in a living organism
psychopompos
a title applied to Hermes as conductor of psychai (He brings people to the underworld)
psychorrhagema
The struggle of the psyche to free itself from the body
psychostasia
the weighing of souls in a pair of scales
skia
an image of a dead person (literally “a shadow”)
barathron
The pit in Athens into which the bodies of condemned criminals were cast
Demosian Sema
The ‘Peoples Grave’. was a ceremonial highway leading from the Dipylon Gate on the west side of Athens in the direction of the academy beside which the war dead and other important individuals were buried.
Erion
A funeral mound or barrow; a family plot
heroon
A shrine erected over the presumed burial spot of a hero
Kenotaphion (or kenon mnema)
A cenotaph (an empty tomb or monument erected in honour of someone buried elsewhere)
kerameikos
‘The Potters’ Quarter’. A district on the west side of Athens outside the city wall which constituted the city chiefs cemetary.
mnema
A general word for grave. Literally meaning ‘memorial’
peribolos
a family plot
polyandreion
A communal grave
sema
a general word for a grave. Literally means “sign”
stele
A rectangular wooden or stone grave-marker
tymbos
a funeral mound or barrow
