Objective quiz 2 Flashcards
Why must Herakles perform labors for Eurystheus?
Herakles was required to perform the twelve labors for King Eurystheus as penance for killing his own wife, Megara, and their children in a fit of madness.
What are the family connections between Herakles and Perseus? Be specific.
- Perseus is Herakles’ great-grandfather.
- Electryon, the son of Perseus, is Herakles’ grandfather.
- Alcmene, the daughter of Electryon, is Herakles’ mother.
Who are the offspring of Alcmene?
Herakles and Iphicles
What are the two versions of the story about the snake in Herakles bed?
- It was Hera’s attempt to kill Herakles.
- It was a test by Amphitryon
How do Alcmene’s offspring differ from each other?
Herakles had divine parentage and superhuman qualities
Iphicles was mortal and did not share in the extraordinary powers of his brother.
Write a brief narrative showing the connections between the following characters:
Amphytryon, Zeus, Iphicles, Herakles, Hera, Linos.
Amphitryon, a warrior, was married to Alcmene. While he was away, Zeus, disguised as Amphitryon, visited Alcmene, resulting in the birth of Herakles. When Amphitryon returned, he and Alcmene had another son, Iphicles. Though raised as brothers, Herakles inherited Zeus’s divine strength, while Iphicles was fully mortal.
Zeus’s wife, Hera, was furious at Herakles’ birth and sent two snakes to kill him as a baby. However, baby Herakles strangled the snakes, showing his godly power. As he grew, Herakles was taught by various tutors, including Linos, a musician. One day, Herakles accidentally killed Linos in frustration, hinting at the struggles he would face with his strength.
How does the Hydra’s blood recur in several of the stories about Herakles?
- his poisoned arrows that he dipped in the blood of the Hydra
- the death of Nessus
- Herakles’ death (poison in Nessus’ blood stained clothes killed him)
Briefly describe the following figures Herakles interacts with: Alkyoneus, Busiris, Geras
- Alkyoneus is a powerful giant who is immortal as long as he remains in his homeland; Herakles ultimately defeats him by dragging him away from his native land, showcasing his cleverness in addition to his strength.
- Busiris is an Egyptian king who sacrifices foreigners to the gods to end a famine; when Busiris attempts to sacrifice Herakles, the hero breaks free and kills him, ending the king’s brutal practice.
- Geras, the personification of old age, represents the inevitable decline that even heroes cannot escape; his presence in Herakles’ life serves as a reminder of mortality, contrasting with Herakles’ usual vitality and strength.
Who is Nessos?
a centaur who tried to assault Deianeira, Herakles’ wife, and Herakles killed him but tricked Deianeira into unintentionally killing Herakles later.
How does Nessos anger Herakles?
He tried to assault Herakles’ wife, Deianeira
How is Nessos instrumental in the death of Herakles?How does Herakles die? What happens next?
Nessos tricks Deianeira into putting Herakles in contact with the hydra’s blood, poisoning and killing him.
What was the subject of Euripides’ play Alkmene? How is it depicted on a South Italian vase?
Euripides’ play Alkmene tells the story of Alcmene, the mother of Herakles, and how Zeus, disguised as her husband Amphitryon, visits her to conceive Herakles. Zeus extends the night to ensure their time together, creating tension and setting the stage for Hera’s later anger toward Herakles.
On South Italian vases, this scene often shows Zeus in disguise approaching or embracing Alcmene, sometimes with symbols like an eagle to hint at his true identity. Some vases also show Hera watching angrily, foreshadowing her hostility toward Herakles. These images highlight Zeus’s deception, Alcmene’s innocence, and Hera’s jealousy.
Where is the earliest representation of the twelve canonical labors? What is the approximate
date?
The earliest known representation of the twelve canonical labors of Herakles is found on the Temple of Zeus at Olympia in Greece. The labors are depicted on the metopes (decorative panels) of the temple, which dates to approximately 460 BCE.
Which are the six Peloponnesian Labors?
- The Nemean Lion
- The Lernaean Hydra
- The Ceryneian Hind
- The Erymanthian Boar
- The Augean Stables
- The Stymphalian Birds
Which deity appears with Herakles on the metopes from Olympia?
Athena
When Herakles fights the Hydra, how does Hera make the context more difficult for him?
Hera sent a giant crab named Karkinos
In depictions of the 4th labor (Erymanthean boar) where does Eurytheus often appear? Why?
Hiding in a jar because he is scared of Herakles
How can you tell that the scene A&M fig. 194 represents Herakles and the horses of Diomedes?
The horses are depicted as wild, often aggressive creatures, symbolizing the man-eating horses owned by Diomedes, the Thracian king. Some depictions may show the horses chained or tethered, reflecting the challenge Herakles faces in capturing and taming them.
What are the ways Geryon is depicted in Greek art? Give examples
- Triple-Body Form :three bodies joined at waist as shown on an Attic black-figure amphora
- Armor and Weapons : the metope from the Temple of Hera at Selinus
- Accompanied by his herdsman and dog: can be seen on n Etruscan vase
What is the story of Herakles and Antaios? How is the subject depicted on Greek vases?
Herakles figures out that Antsios needs to be touching the ground to have his powers to He defeats Antsios by lifting him off the ground
What are the two versions of how Herakles gets the apples of the Hesperides? Which does the
metope from Olympia show? Which version does the Meidias Painter hydria (Fig. 177) show?
How does it differ from the other depictions of this version?
- Herakles retrieves the apples himself
- Herakles gets help from Atlas
The metope from Olympia AND The Meidias Painter both depict the second version
The Meidias is more complex because Hesperides is present.
What is the story of the Kerkopes and Herakles? How is it depicted?
The two of the creatures tried to steal from Herakles so her caught then and tied them to a pole he arrived on his shoulder. They made him laugh so he let them go
It is depicted showing Herakles carrying the Kerkopes tied upside down on a pole while they look like they are all laughing.
What does Aigeus do when he fails to have a child? How does Aithra fit into the story?
He consults the Oracle of Delphi. He visits Pittheus arranges for his daughter to spend the night with Aigeus, but she conceives Theseus with Poseidon.
Who is Theseus’s father?
Poseidon
