Names

Question 1

Achilles

Answer 1

Son of Thetis (sea-nymph) and Peleus (mortal king of Phthia) – demi-god. Raised by centaur Cheiron
Dipped in river styx immortal apart from heel.
Achilles on Skyros: Disguised by Thetis as a girl for a time to prevent him from fighting in the Trojan War
Hero of Trojan War in Homer’s Iliad, Homer calls him ‘swift-footed Achilles’
Wrath of Achilles – Iliad begins with him refusing to fight because of anger at Agamemnon for trying to claim Briseis
Kills Hector (Priam’s son) in revenge for Patroclus’ death
Mutilates his body- Priam pays for ransom for his body
Achilles’ men are the Myrmidons
Killed by a shot to ankle, fired by Paris (Priam’s son); Apollo guides the arrow

Question 2

Actaeon

Answer 2

Son of Aristaeus and Autonoe (daughter of Cadmus, King of Thebes)
Turned into Stag when Diana/ Artemis splashes him for seeing her bathe
Ovid’s sympathy - presented as stumbling upon not spying on
Torn to pieces by own hounds - loses voice
Mind still there - conscious while being ripped apart
Friends urge hounds on. dramatic irony
Ovid leaves ending ambiguous (whether Diana justified or not) just addresses debate
Hounds keep howling for him after his death - Cheiron takes pity and creates statue so lifelike it comforts hounds

Question 3

Adonis

Answer 3

God of Vegetation/ Fertility
Most popular myth of genealogy: son of Cinyras and Myrrha his daughter
She tricked him into having sex with him, when he realised he wanted to kill her, she fled. God’s took pity and transformed her into Myrrh tree - teardrops = drops of myrrh
2 versions of birth: goddess of childbirth, boar gored trunk
Baby Adonis so beaut Aphrodite wants him - hides him in chests, gives to Persephone to look after - they argue over who should keep him
Zeus settles it; 1/3 year A, 1/3 P, 1/3 whoever - chooses A
Ovid’s Metamorphoses - Aphrodite/ Venus falls in love as young man not baby. warns him not to chase dangerous animals - he throws spear at boar, it dislodges and he is killed with slash to groin by boar.

Question 4

Aeneas

Answer 4

Son of Anchises and Aphrodite, raised by nymphs until 5, then given back to Anchises
Marries creusa (daughter of Priam), 1 son: Ascanius
Ally of Priam in Trojan War. Leads Dardanian contingent
Central character in Virgil’s Aeneid: legendary founder of Rome and Roman Race. leads Trojans out of Troy
Told by Gods to leave during final battle, carries Anchises on his back and brings son, but Creusa is lost (goes back and can’t find her)
Dido (Queen of Carthage) welcomes them when storm blows them there. Falls in love with Aeneas and they live as lovers.
Hermes reminds Aeneas of his quest and A leaves. Diana kills herself (he only realises when in Underworld)
In underworld, Anchises predicts future greatness of Rome.
Prophesised by Poseidon to rule over Troy
Trojans land in Latinum (ruled by Latinus, father of Lavinia, Turnus’ betrothed). Aeneas steals Lavinia from Turnus - war. Aeneas wins, Turnus dies. Peace. Aeneas founds Lavinium in her name.
Virgil purposefully makes link b/w Aeneas and Augustus
Known for his pietas (sense of duty)

Question 5

Agamemnon

Answer 5

Son of Atreus (King of Mycenae) and Aerope; brother of Menelaus.
Becomes King of Mycenae when Atreus dies
Marries Clytemnestra and have 4 kids: Iphiginia, Electra, Chrysothemis, Orestes
Homer’s Iliad: Greek army Commander in Chief (fighting for brother Menelaus)
Sacrificies daughter Iphiginia to Artemis for fair winds on way to Troy - motive for Clytemnestra’s murdering him
Angers Achilles by trying to claim Briseis after he has to give up Chryseis - death of many Greeks as Achilles refused to fight
Clytemnestra cheats on him with his cousin and the two of them murder him and his concubine Cassandra
Revenged by his son Orestes 8 years later who kills Clytemnestra his mother and her lover.

Question 6

Aeolus

Answer 6

Guardian of the Winds
Son of Hippotas (King of the Floating Island of Aeolia). Married with 12 kids.
Homer’s Odyssey: Odysseus comes to island for a month. Feasts with Aeolus and his family. Aeolus helps Odysseus by giving him winds in a leather bag, so that only gentle west wind will blow, sending them to Ithaca
Things went well for 9 days, until they could see Ithaca, when Odysseus fell asleep his men opened the bag, thinking it contained treasure that O wasn’t sharing. Released winds and swept the ship back to Aeolia.
Odysseus begged Aeolus to help him again, but Aeolus refused, thinking it was a bad idea to help man who the Gods didn’t like.
Previously had helped Argonauts by giving them gentle wind for voyage.

Question 7

Ajax

Answer 7

Son of Telamon (King of Salamis).
Telamon friends with Hercules, so Hercules prayed Telamon will have a brave son
Hercules wrapped him in skin of Nemean Lion at birth. Everywhere skin touched = invulnerable (part of left side missed).
One of Helen’s many suitors, bound by suitor’s oath
In Homer’s Iliad, follows Menelaus into Trojan War
Hugely powerful warrior - greatest of Greek fighters after Achilles. Only 1 of great lliadic heroes with no god helping him. NB: defensive warrior.
Achilles’ friend. Sent to persuade Achilles to return to fighting. Words do more than Odysseus’ (but still unsuccessful)
Duels with Hector multiple times
Greatest moment is defending Greek ships from Trojan attack pretty much singlehandedly - holds them off for long enough for Patroclus to change into Achilles’ armour and lead Myrmidons
Ajax and Odysseus fight over Achilles’ armour after he is shot by Paris’ arrow - Odysseus uses persuasion to get it, Ajax feels slighted, becomes crazed and slaughters the Achaeans’ flocks intended to feed the army, believing them to be his enemies through a trick of Athena. Unable to deal with this dishonour, he kills himself, fallowing on his own sword.
Ovid’s Metamorphoses: Hyacinth springs from his blood.

Question 8

amazons

Answer 8

Mythical race of female hunters and warriors
Lived apart from men. For procreation, they would copulate with males from neighbouring tribes. Exclusively reared female infants.
Name supposedly means ‘breast less’ - chopped off right breast to facilitate easier use of weapons
Feature in 12 Labours of Heracles. He has to fight them & find Girdle of Hippolyta.
Theseus later carries off Amazonian Queen (Antiope)
Amazon Army fought with Priam in Trojan War. Leader killed by Achilles. Achilles fell in love with her as he killed her.

Question 9

Anchises

Answer 9

Son of Capys (King of Dardania), great-grandson of Tros (progenitor of all of Troy)
Tends cattle of Mount Ida. Aphrodite falls in love with his beauty, seduces him and puts him to sleep. When he finds out that he slept with a god he begs for mercy.
She says she will bear him a son (Aeneas), who will be raised by nymphs until 5 and then given to him.
Anchises tells someone who Aeneas’ mother is, so Zeus blinds/ lames him with thunderbolt - which is why he can’t fight in Trojan War.
Virgil’s Aeneid - when old and helpless, Aeneas carries him out of Troy on his back

Question 10

Andromache

Answer 10

Daughter of Eetion (King of Thebes)
Married to Hector. 1 son
Homer’s Iliad: after Hector’s death, A is concerned about son being mistreated as orphan. but he is killed in sacking of Troy
7 brothers and father killed by Achilles in Trojan War.
Andromache given to Achilles’ son Neoptolemus as slave
Attempted murder by Hermoine, N’s wife, but saved by Peleus.
Marries Helenus (Hector’s brother)

Question 11

Andromeda

Answer 11

Perseus’ wife. Daughter of Cepheus (King of the Etheopians) & Cassiopeia
Ovid’s Metamorphoses: Cassiopeia boasts that A is more beautiful than Nereids (sea nymphs). Poseidon sends flood & sea-monster. Peace will only come w A’s sacrifice. Chained to rock by sea to be eaten by monster. Perseus flies by with winged sandals, falls in love with & saves Andromeda by killing sea-monster.
She’s betrothed to her uncle, Phineas. Marry anyway.
Perseus & uncle fight. Perseus used Medusa head to turn uncle to stone.

Question 12

Antigone

Answer 12

1 of 4 children born from Oedipus’ & Jocasta’s incestuous marriage
Sister of Ismene, Eteocles & Polyneices
Oedipus Rex: says goodbye to Oedipus with sister
Oedipus at Colonus: looks after O in exile until they reach Athens and he dies
Antigone: brothers have just killed each other. Resolves to save/bury Polyneices (has been forbidden to bury either brother). Tries to persuade Ismene to help, but Ismene doesn’t have courage. Buries brother; captured and taken to Creon
Threatened with death; she is defiant, so walled up alive in tomb
Creon told he’s wrong by son Haemon (Antigone’s betrothed) & Tiresias
Chorus reminds him Tiresias never makes false prophesy, so he resolves to release her; gets there too late, Antigone has already hung herself
Haemon kills himself in front of father. Euridice, Creon’s wife, hears of Haemon’s death and commits suicide. Creon left to suffer tragic results of own stubbornness

Question 13

Aphrodite

Answer 13

Roman goddess = Venus
Goddess of Erotic Love & Physical Beauty
One of 12 great Olympian Deities
Most famous version of birth from Hesiod – Uranus’ son cut off his genitals & flung them into sea. Carried over foam & formed A. Name means ‘from the foam’
Only 3 Virgin Goddesses immune to her infuence: Athena, Artemis & Hestia
Married to crippled Blacksmith God Hephaistos: no children
Unfaithful. Regular lover is Ares. Hephaistos finds out from Sun-God Helios (Apollo). Takes revenge by creating magical, invisible net over bed. Pretends to go on journey. Net falls & captures lovers in bed. H returns & witnesses humiliation with other Gods. - ref in Odyssey.
Aphrodite punishes Helios by making him fall in love with mortal (who’s buried alive for giving in to Helios’ attentions)
Aphrodite has several children with Ares e.g. Eros/Cupid (God of Love)
Because she keeps making other Gods fall for mortals, Zeus makes her fall in love with Anchises, to whom she bears Aeneas
Affair with Adonis in Ovid’s Metamorphoses
Present in many myths e.g. in Virgil’s Aeneid makes Dido fall for Aeneas

Question 14

Apollo

Answer 14

God of Prophecy, Archery, Music & Arts, sun.
One of 12 great Olympian Deities & leader of the Muses.
Greek & Roman name is Apollo. Phoebus from Homer onwards
Son of Zeus & Leto. Artemis’ twin
Fed with ambrosia & nectar after his birth, then sprang up immediately. First words proclaimed major concerns: lyre (music), bow & Prophesy
Along with Hermes (half-brother), associated with care of flocks & herds
Chooses Delphi for shrine. His oracle at Delphi important role in Oedipus Rex
Vengeful: music competition with Goat-God, Pan. Judge announced Apollo winner, but Phrygian king Midas disagreed, so A gave him ears of an ass
Unlucky in love: vied with Poseidon for Hestia (who rejected them both), loved Daphne (who was turned into a laurel tree in Ovid’s Metamorphoses)

Question 15

Artemis

Answer 15

Artemis/ Diana: Goddess of Nature, Hunting & Women
One of 12 great Olympian Deities & 3 Virgin Goddesses
Daughter of Zeus and Leto. Apollo’s twin
Born on Delos. Both she and Apollo are great archers
In Homer’s Iliad she supports Trojans in Trojan War
Treated humorously by Homer. When she comes face-to-face with Hera, Hera scolds her, boxes her ears and makes her drop all her arrows. Goes to Olympus, sits on Zeus’ knee and cries like a little girl
Band of attendants who vowed to be chaste & devoted to hunting. Punishment if chastity was violated e.g. Callista raped by Zeus & so transformed into bear
Often deals out punishment and death e.g. Actaeon

Question 16

Ascanius

Answer 16

In Virgil’s Aeneid. Son of Aeneas & Creusa
Born in Troy. Escapes burning of Troy and goes to live in Italy
Wounded pet stag of Sylvia, which provokes war between Latins & Trojans
After Aeneas’ death, Ascanius takes over rule. Founds Alba Longa
Also called Iulus. Julian family claimed descent from him, therefore, thus also claiming descent from Venus/Aphrodite herself

Question 17

Atalanta

Answer 17

Famous huntress. Hunted with many great heroes
Initially 2 Atalantas, but genealogies have become confused
Her father abandoned her in woods as he wanted only male children
Suckled by a bear. Grew up interested only in manly pursuits, not in marriage
Killed 2 centaurs who tried to rape her
Jason refused to take her on Argo (ship). Thought woman’s presence would = conflict
The Suitors’ Race: Atlanta’s father persuades her to choose husband. Wanting to remain a virgin, Atlanta – confident in her speed – sets race for suitors.
Agreed to only marry man who beat her in race on foot. 1 condition: any man who lost would be killed. Suitors ran naked and had head start. Atlanta ran in full armour, but always beat them, killing them as they ran with spear.
Many moved by her beauty to risk lives. In Ovid’s Metamorphoses Hippomenes had wit to invoke Aphrodite’s aid. She brought him 3 golden apples. 3 times he throws down an apple, so Atalanta loses ground in stopping to pick them up. With third apple, Apollo makes it heavier & so Hippomenes wins
Atlanta married Hippomenes and some stories depict them happy, others not

Question 18

Athena

Answer 18

/Minerva: Goddess of War & Handicrafts
One of 12 great Olympian Deities, one of 3 Virgin Goddesses
Wanted discipline & rational use of war to protect community
Fought in battle between Gods & Giants. Killed Pallas & used skin as shield
Presides over works that require skill: Horse for Greeks in Trojan War & Argo
Born Zeus’ head: when Zeus’ 1st wife was pregnant, he learned she would bear 2nd son who would be King of Gods & Men. Unwilling to suffer same fate as father Cronos, he swallows wife & unborn daughter, to prevent future birth of son. Hephaestus splits open head with axe to help birth of Athena (born fully armed)
Benevolent relationship with mortals, but punished wrongs if necessary: Teiresias blinded for seeing her bathing naked, but she gave him benefits (e.g. prophesy); Arachne; punishes Greeks (although she supports them) for rape of Trojan prophetess Cassandra by Lesser Ajax – sends storms to wreck Greeks’ ships, causing many deaths, including Lesser Ajax’s
Homer’s Iliad: supports Greeks in War (Paris went against her in the Judgement); lures Hector to death at Achilles’ hand; Trojans unaware she’s on their side
Competition with Poseidon over Athens. Athena’s gift was planting of Olive tree; Poseidon’s was creation of sea-well so they could become important port town. Athena’s judged to be best so she became patron. Built Parthenon in her honour

Question 19

Atlas

Answer 19

Name means ‘very enduring’. 1 of Titans, son of Iapetus & an Oceanid
1 daughter: Calypso
Due to defiance of Zeus in Titans’ revolt against Olympians, he was condemned to hold up sky for eternity. Supports sky at far ends of earth on his head & shoulders
Only relieved once, by Heracles, who had come to steal golden apples. Atlas had no intention of taking back load, but Heracles tricked him. Asked for a momentary remission so he could get cushion for head, Atlas took sky back, Heracles left
In Ovid’s Metamorphoses he was turned into Mt Atlas. Warned Zeus’ son would come & steal apples, so when Perseus – son of Zeus & Danae – comes asking for hospitality he turns him away. P accidentally names himself a son of Zeus. P shows him Medusa’s head, turning him to stone

Question 20

Bacchus

Answer 20

Roman god of wine, agriculture and fertility
Tiresias prophesises that Pentheus would disrespect the power of Bacchus, and thus will be ripped apart by the hands of his own mother and sisters
Pentheus was angry at the way the citizens of Thebes got drunk to worship Bacchus
He wanted to prove that Bacchus is not a real god, so he sent people to catch him
They found a follower of the cult, Acoetes, who was a helmsman on a ship that tried to kidnap Bacchus. He was the only one that believed that Bacchus was a god and refused to take part
Bacchus turned everyone into dolphins except him, Pentheus didn’t believe it
So he sent Acoetes to prison, while the torture instruments were being prepared his chains and the doors got magically unlocked
Pentheus gets really mad, the Bacchus cult including his mom and sisters attacks him (Bacchus had infected them with madness that made Pentheus appear as a boar to them)
Bacchus represents the transformative power of intoxication - positive and negative
Connected with death and with beliefs about the after-life among both Greeks and Romans
Often seen as a rather effeminate youth (metamorphosis)

Question 21

Bacchae

Answer 21

Bacchae/ Maenads
‘Mad women’. Female worshippers of Dionysus/Bacchus
Extreme, wild behaviour, dancing & music. Constant state of ecstasy/ enthusiasm
In climax of their rite, they take hold of animal and tear it apart with hands
Orpheus torn apart by Maenads
Gain incredible physical strength when angry. Can uproot trees, devour flesh raw.
Euripides’ The Bacchae: tragedy explains both their violent & peaceful tendencies
Bodies are impervious to iron & fire

Question 22

Calypso

Answer 22

Name means ‘concealer’. Daughter of Atlas (Titan). Lives on island Ogygia
Homer’s Odyssey: falls in love with O & keeps him as lover for 7 years. Zeus sends Hermes to tell Calypso she must let O go in 7th year
She sends Odysseus on his way with lots of clothes, food & good winds
Hesiod tells us she has 2 sons, Nausithous & Nausinous, both by Odysseus

Question 23

Calchas

Answer 23

Greek, features in Trojan War Homer’s Iliad as a seer – gave prophecy to Achilles that war couldn’t be won without him, which led to Thetis hiding him
Predicted war would last for 9 years and in 10th year Troy would be taken
Interpreted Agamemnon had to sacrifice daughter to appease angry Artemis
Interpreted Apollo’s plague was because they didn’t give back Apollo’s priestess
After Achilles’ death, still has active role in war – foretells they need Heracles’ bow & arrow to win war
Was predicted C would die when he met better seer: Tiresias’ grandson Mopsus

Question 24

Cassandra

Answer 24

Daughter of Priam & Hecuba. Princess of Troy, twin sister of Helenus
First one to see Priam bringing Hector’s body back to Troy
2 stories of her gift of prophecy: 1) Her & brother asleep in Temple of Apollo when babies, Apollo’s sacred serpent came & licked their ears & mouth
2) Apollo falls in love with Cassandra and offers her gift of prophecy in return for sexual favours. Apollo gives her gift but C goes back on word & rejects him. Apollo condemns her never to be believed, creating curse out of blessing. C often treated as prophet of doom
Predicts Trojan Horse will bring downfall of Troy, but is not believed
During pillaging of Troy, she takes refuge by statue of Athena, but dragged out & raped by Lesser Ajax. Statue turns eyes away in disgust. Punishes them – Greek ships are scattered by bad seas & winds as they leave Troy, many die
Homer’s Iliad – not a seer, but most beautiful of Priam’s daughters
In Aeschylus’ play Agamemnon, Cassandra given to Agamemnon as a concubine. Both killed by Clytemnestra. She predicts this, but no one listens

Question 25

centaurs

Answer 25

Race of wild creatures: part horse, part man
Offspring of Centaurus (son of Ixion) & mares he copulated with on Mt Pelion
Lived in mountains & forests of Thessaly. Ate raw flesh – savage & brutal. 2 exceptions: Cheiron & Pholus were civilised & hospitable
Renowned for famous battle with Lapiths (Thessalian tribe). Tribes united by marriage, but didn’t last long & fighting broke out again
Centaurs eventually driven out of Thessaly
Encountered Heracles on way to catch Erynanthian Boar. Attracted by smell of wine from Pholus, who was entertaining Heracles at time
They attack & Heracles kills them. Accidentally kills Cheiron in his anger, and accidentally causes death of Pholus (P pulls poisoned arrow out of a body, drops it on his foot; he is poisoned & thus killed)

Question 26

Ceres

Answer 26

/Demeter: Goddess of corn, grain and the harvest
Daughter of Cronus and Rhea, her daughter is Persephone
Made the crops grow each year, associated with the seasons
Persephone was abducted by Hades to be his wife in the underworld, Demeter laid a curse that caused plants to wither and die and the land to become desolate
Persephone picks violets in a grove and Hades rapes her then takes her to the underworld
Zeus was alarmed at the barren earth so asked for Persephone’s return, but Persephone ate in the underworld so Hades has a claim on her
Decreed that Persephone would spend 4 months every year in the underworld
Demeter would grieve her absence - hence winter - and when Persephone returns it would be spring

Question 27

Charon

Answer 27

Aged ferryman of Hades, carries shades of dead across Styx to Underworld
Customary to bury dead with coin in their mouth so they can pay Charon (1 obol)
Some authors say that those who could not pay the fee had to wander the shores for one hundred years
Fearsome description in Virgil’s Aeneid: ‘a sordid god’
Son of Erebus

Question 28

Charybdis

Answer 28

Sea monster rationalised as giant whirlpool, doubled with sea monster Scylla
S had 12 legs and 6 heads. Lair half-way up cliff-face in sea opposite Charybdis
Originally thought to be beautiful nymph (see Circe)
Both haunt Straits of Messina
C sucks down seawater & casts it out again. Certain destruction for ships
Circe advises Odysseus to stay away from Charybdis, so risks Scylla instead who may pluck certain men from ship.
When Odysseus is shipwrecked, he is driven back to Scylla & Charybdis. His raft sucked down into Charybdis. Only survives by clinging to fig tree then jumping onto raft again when it’s spewed out. Paddles away with his hands

Question 29

Circe

Answer 29

Daughter of Sun-God Helios & an Oceanid. Enchantress, lived on island Aeaea
Homer’s Odyssey: Circe detains O for a year. Throws his men a party, gives them drug which turns them into pigs. O confronts her with magic plant from Hermes which makes him immune to her power. O rushes at her with sword. She admits defeat & swears never to harm him. Sleep together. Turns men back to humans
After 1 year, instructs them to go to Hades to find out dangers they face in future
It’s said she has 3 sons with Odysseus: Latinus, Agrius & Telegonus (who kills Odysseus, as he does not recognise him as his father)
Circe receives Argonauts on journey home with Golden Fleece
When sea-God Glaucus goes to her asking for love potion to use on nymph Scylla, Circe falls in love with him. Rejects her, so she turns Scylla into sea-monster

Question 30

Clytemnestra

Answer 30

Daughter of Tyndareus & Leda. Half-sister of Helen of Troy, Castor & Polydeuces
Confused genealogy; mostly, Clytemnestra & Castor were seen as children of Tyndareus, Helen & Polydeuces as children of Zeus
Originally married to Tantalus. 1 son: Agamemnon kills both Tantalus & son. Takes Clytemnestra for himself
4 children with Agamemnon: Iphigeneia, Electra, Chrysothemis & Orestes
Deceived by Agamemnon about sacrifice of Iphigeneia. Never forgave him
During absence, she takes his cousin Aegisthus as lover and they kill Agamemnon and his lover
Presented in Homer’s Odyssey as evil and foil to chaste Penelope.
Clytemnestra is main antagonist in Aeschylus’ play Agamemnon

Question 31

Cupid

Answer 31

The roman boy-god of love
Son of Venus and Vulcan
An adaptation of Eros, the childlike god of Hellenistic Greece with wings and a quiverful of arrows
A figure of literature rather than of cult
Familiar in the Latin poets and especially in the first book of the Aeneid where Venus sends him to take the place of Ascanius and to excite love for Aeneas in Dido
Later he appears in the fairy-story of Cupid and Psyche, set in the narrative of the Golden Ass
Cupids appear on ancient coffins as a symbol of the life after death promised to the initiates of the mystery religions

Question 32

Cyclops

Answer 32

Hesiod: 3 giants with single eye in middle of forehead: Brontes (Thunderer), Steropes (Lightner), Arges (Vivid). Sons of Uranus & Gaia
Imprisoned in Tartarus by brother Cronus. Zeus released them to help in war against Cronus
They provided Zeus with thunderbolts, Hades with helmet of invisibility & Poseidon with his trident. Eventually killed by Apollo
In Homer’s Odyssey, Polyphemus (son of Poseidon & sea-nymph) is most famous Cyclops. Encounters Odysseus and is blinded by him (see Polyphemus)

Question 33

Daphne

Answer 33

Daughter of river-God. Virgin-huntress, like Artemis
Ovid’s Metamorphoses: Apollo insults Eros’ archery skills. E shoots A with arrow that makes him desire D. Shoots D with arrow that makes her repulsed by men
Apollo pursued her. D ran as fast as wind, but he could keep up. Just as he’s about to catch her, she reaches banks of her father’s river. Prays to him for help, he turns her into laurel tree. Laurel was prize at Pythian Games held in honour of Apollo

Question 34

Deucalion

Answer 34

Greek Noah, survivor of Great Flood. Son of Prometheus
Married to Pyrrha (daughter of Pandora)
Floated on ark for 9 days before coming to rest on Mt Parnassus. Rain stops & they disembark. As only surviving humans, they must repopulate Earth
Hermes tells them to throw stones over their shoulders (Deucalion’s stones turn into men, Pyrrha’s into women)
In Ovid’s Metamorphoses Themis takes on Hermes’ role

Question 35

Dido

Answer 35

Founder & 1st queen of Carthage
Daughter of Belus/Mutto (King of Tyre). Married to wealthy uncle Sychaeus, but husband murdered by brother, Pygmalion
Dido escapes & flees to Libya. Native King Iarbus sold her piece of land, as large as could be encompassed with bull’s hide. Cuts hide into very thin strips – circle was so large she could build her city in it
Power & might of Carthage scares Iarbus. Threatens to attack unless D marries him. D pretends to agree but builds pyre as if for sacrifice, then jumps onto it
Legend changed in Virgil’s Aeneid. D’s love (caused by Aphrodite) & death make her sympathetic character. Meets Aeneas in underworld but doesn’t even look at him. Runs towards grove where former husband, Sychaeus waits.

Question 36

Diomedes

Answer 36

1 of most famous heroes who fought at Troy
Father was one of 7 against Thebes, mother was daughter of King of Argos
Took part in successful attack on Thebes when sons of the 7 fought Thebes to avenge their fathers
Married Aigialeia. Unsuccessful suitor of Helen, bound by oath of all her suitors to protect marriage rights of her chosen husband. Fights at Troy
In Homer’s Iliad he’s a great warrior. Not only attacks Trojans but also Aphrodite when she came to help Aeneas. Wounds her wrist & she flees back to Olympus
Nearly kills Aeneas 4 times. 4th time he’s commanded by Apollo to step back
Finds Ares on battlefield stripping corpse. Wounds him so he flees too
1 of the warriors in Wooden Horse
Gets home safely from Troy after 4 days. Finds wife is sleeping with another man. Her cheating caused by Aphrodite as revenge for wounding her. D leaves for Italy

Question 37

Dis

Answer 37

In Roman religion, the rule of the Underworld, the equivalent of the Greek god Pluto
The name Dis could be a Latin translation of Pluto
During the Punic Wars foreign religious rites were from time to time introduced at Rome by order of the senate to hearten the people
The senate appointed special festivals of appeasement to the Roman equivalents of the Greek underworld deities
In classical Roman literature Dis has become a symbol of death

Question 38

Echo

Answer 38

Nymph of Mt Helicon. When Hera tried to catch Zeus making love to nymphs of Helicon, Echo distracted her with her chattering
In revenge, Hera made it so Echo could only repeat last words of what others said
Ovid’s Metamorphoses: falls in love with Narcissus. Wasted away because of unrequited love, until only voice was left.

Question 39

Europa

Answer 39

Daughter of either Phoenix/ Agenor (Phoenician King)
Desired by Zeus who sees her gathering flowers by seashore, so changes himself into beautiful white bull. Europa sees how mild & gentle he is. Feeds him flowers, plays with him & hangs flowers on his horns. Lies down on sand & she sits on his back. He rushes out into sea & her friends never see her again
Zeus swims to Crete with her. 3 sons: Minos, Rhadamanthys & Sarpedon
Zeus gave Europa 4 presents: a bronze man, necklace made by Hephaestus, javelin that never misses, hound that never misses its quarry
Marries Asterius (King of Crete). Daughter Crete
Asterius brings up her 3 sons with Zeus as if they were his own

Question 40

Eurydice

Answer 40

Nymph, daughter of Apollo, married to Orpheus (legendary musician and poet)
After she got married to Orpheus, she was pursued by Aristaeus. She tries to evade him but accidentally steps on a snake and dies
Orpheus is devastated and plays a mournful melody on his lyre - nymphs and gods wept in pain, advise him to search for Eurydice in the underworld
He continues singing into the underworld, his melody touches hearts of Hades and Persephone
Furies could not withhold their tears either, so he was allowed to take Eurydice back
The rule was that Orpheus can only walk in front of Eurydice and cannot look back at her until they had reached daylight
Orpheus looks back on Eurydice before she had stepped in daylight
Eurydice disappears back into the underworld
Eurydice remains in the underworld not because Orpheus’ art is flawed but because he is flawed as a human
Also found in: Virgil’s ‘Georgics’

Question 41

Furies

Answer 41

Exacted punishment against murder/ other serious crimes, particularly against kin
Hesiod: born when Cronus cut off Uranus’ genitals; when drops of blood fell onto Gaia, they became Furies
More ancient than Olympian Gods. Called ‘daughter of night’