Oedipus and Theban Saga

Question 1

Adrastus

Question 2

Amphiaraüs

Question 3

Amphion

Answer 3

Antiope raped by Zeus, gave birth to twins Amphion and Zethus and abandoned on Mt.Cithaeron

musician, avenge mother - kill her oppressor rulers of Cadmeia

his music moves stones into place

Zethus marries Thebe
Amphion marries Niobe

Question 4

Antigone

Answer 4

daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta

does symbolic burial of polyneices against Creons wishes, defines divine and unwritten laws

sentenced to life without food and water, suicide by hanging

Question 5

Sophocles’ Antigone

Answer 5

Third part of theban trilogy
story of Oedipus daughter

Question 6

Antiope

Question 7

Boeotia

Answer 7

Bronze Age Thebes, central Greece

Question 8

Cadmus

Answer 8

introduced alphabet

founded thebes

Question 9

Colonus

Question 10

Creon

Answer 10

uncle of antigone, becomes king after Oedipus sons die

Polyneices is traitor - no burial
Eteocles is good - full burial

Question 11

Crete

Question 12

Epigoni

Question 13

Eteocles

Answer 13

son of Oedipus and Jocasta

Question 14

Eumenides

Question 15

Europa

Answer 15

sister of Cadmus, zeus disguised as bull abducts and takes to Crete, has son Minos

Question 16

Haemon

Question 17

Harmonia

Answer 17

Cadmus slayed Ares son the dragon, was slave to Ares for 1 year and was rewarded at the end of service

Harmonia - daughter of Ares and Aphrodite

gave her gold necklace by Hephaestus as bridal gift

ultimately became serpents

Question 18

Ismene

Answer 18

daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta

Question 19

Jocasta

Answer 19

wife of Laius

Question 20

Labdacus

Answer 20

father of Laius, grandfather of Oedipus

Question 21

Laius

Answer 21

great grandson of Cadmus

broke Xenia bond by abducting and raping host’s son - Chryssippus

Pelops (host) curses him

Laius’ Return from exile § Becomes King of Thebes
§ Marries Jocasta
§ Consults Delphic oracle
§ Destined to die
§ At hands of own son
§ Punishment for violating Xenia

Question 22

Minos

Answer 22

europa and zeus son

Question 23

Mt. Cithaeron

Answer 23

Oedipus goes up mountain - spike through ankle

Question 24

Oedipus

Answer 24

Son of Laius and Jocasta

Upon Mt. Cithaeron
§ Spike through ankles
§ Rescued by Corinthian shepherd
§ Raised by King & Queen of Corinth
Polybus & Merope
§ Named “Oedipus

Oedipus’ Manhood
§ Mocked as being adopted
§ Consults Delphic Oracle: §Fate:
§ Murder father; marry mother §Vow:
§ Never to return home § T ravels to Thebes

Along the way …
§ Kills Nobleman & Attendants § All but 1
§ 1st part of Oracle fulfilled § Unbeknownst to Oedipus

Question 25

Oedipus at Colonus

Answer 25

second part of theban trilogy

Question 26

Oedipus Tyrannus

Answer 26

Ancient Greek ‘Whodunit’ §Gradual discovery of truth §Oedipus & Jocasta’s children: § 2 sons: §Polyneices & Eteocles § 2 daughters: § Antigone & Ismene Plague strikes Thebes § King Laius’ Murder §Never solved § Oracle of Apollo consulted §Pollution for failure to solve Laius’ murder § Oedipus’ curse § Upon anyone harboring murderer Messenger from Corinth §King Polybus dead §Oedipus to be king § Saddened, relieved, and hesitant § T ruth Revealed: § Oedipus: §Not biological son of Polybus & Merope discovers Jocasta dead and blinds himself

Question 27

Pelops and Chrysippus

Answer 27

Hosted Laius but raped son Chrys and curses Laius

Question 28

Polybus and Merope

Answer 28

king and queen of merope - raised oedipus

Question 29

Polyneices

Answer 29

Son of Oedipus and Jocasta

Question 30

Seven against Thebes

Question 31

Spartoi

Answer 31

dudes who fought and lived, born from teeth of cow

Question 32

“Theban Trilogy”

Answer 32

Oedipus Tyrannus Oedipus At Colonus Antigone

Question 33

Sphinx

Answer 33

the strangler -plaguing Thebes - devours dumb people who cannot answer riddle - but Oedipus solves Sphinx outraged and commits suicide Oedipus: § King of Thebes § Marries Jocasta § 2nd half of Oracle fulfilled

Question 34

Thebe

Answer 34

wife of Zethus

Question 35

Thebes (Cadmeia)

Answer 35

Greek mainland Cadmus and Dragon Cadmus originally from Phonecia, comes to find Europa, goes to Delphi - follow cow Found Cadmeia - Thebes Slays cow for Athena, she says to sow its teeth - becomes Spartoi - 5 great warriors that nobility of thebes descended from

Question 36

Theseus

Question 37

Tiresias

Question 38

Tydeus

Question 39

Xenia

Answer 39

host-guest relationship

Question 40

10 heroic motifs

Answer 40

1. miraculous birth 2. immediate opposition 3. enemies instigate accomplishments 4. Assistance 5. seemingly insuperable challenges 6. various temptations and adventures 7. taboos 8. triumph over death 9. reward 10. death

Question 41

5 heroine motifs

Answer 41

1. departure/exile from home 2. seclusion 3. impregnation 4. punishment or rejection 5. rescue and birth of son