Practice Questions

Question 1

What is the electrical phenomenon known as St. Elmo’s Fire, and how does it relate to ancient Greek myth and religious belief?

Answer 1

St. Elmo’s fire is a phenomenon that occurs during certain stormy weather conditions. It appears as a glow on the top of tall pointed objects, such as the masts of ships, and is often accompanied by a cracking noise.
When stars appeared on the heads of Castor and Polydeuces during the voyage of the Argonauts, the twins became the special patrons of sailors.
o Fromthattime,sailorsbelievedthatSt.Elmo’sfirewasactuallyCastorandPollux coming to protect them during a storm (pg 193)

Question 1

Give the author names, approximate dates, and titles-of-work for our two major extant sources on the myth of Jason and the Argonauts. (Note: the word “extant” means “existing, surviving”.)

Answer 1

mentioned in:
- Homer’s Odyssey (circa 750 B.C.) and
- Is elaborated in Pindar’s fourth Pythian ode (462 B.C.),
- our main source is the clever epic poem the Argonautica by Apollonius [Apollonios]
of Rhodes (circa 260–240 B.C.).

Question 2

What is our earliest extant source for the idea of Twelve Labours of Heracles? Answer thoroughly.

Answer 2

• Temple of Zeus at Olympia
• Circa 457 B.C (can write 400 bc its about)
• carved marble ‘metopes’ panels (slide 10, May 24)

Question 3

How does Heracles show up in the myth of Theseus?

Answer 3

In his 12th labour, Heracles has to bring back the three-headed hellhound, Kerberus. Heracles comes across his Theseus and eventually is rescued by Heracles
when Heracles visits the Underworld on in the middle his 12th Labour.

Question 4

Translate the following names: Heracles, Theseus, Ariadne. Extra credit: Kirke, Kastor.

Answer 4

Heracles = Glory or fame to Hera
Theseus = Establisher or Foundation maker
Ariadne = Most (Very) Holy 
Extra credit: 
Kirke = Bird or Hawk Lady 
Kastor = beaver

Question 5

Name three Greek myths that describe a band of heroes on expedition. Name one hero who is remembered as having gone on two of the adventures.

Answer 5

1) the Boar Hunt of Kalydon [Calydon] or the Kalydonian Boar Hunt
2) Jason and the Argonauts
3) the Seven against Thebe
4) the Greek expedition to the Trojan War.
(For the last 1 point, the names of the overlapping heroes… Student may name Kastor and Polydeukes together, no problem)

Question 6

How did the mythical Trojan prince Paris meet his death?

Answer 6

when he got shot with a poisonous arrow by Philoctetes.

Question 7

According to the third-century B.C. Greek inscription known as the Parian Marble, what was the
exact year (in modern terms) when Troy fell?

Answer 7

June 5 , 1209 B.C. or 1200 B.C. (or anything in-between)

pg 200

Question 8

Writing at least three sentences, explain exactly how the Greeks managed to capture Troy

Answer 8

• A giant horse of wood, left ostensibly as an offering by the departed Greeks [2 points].
• The credulous Trojans wheel it into their city [1 point]. But in reality the horse is full of Greek “commandoes” [1 point] -who that night open the gates of Troy to the returned and awaiting Greek army outside [1 point].

Question 9

Name an active female Greek hero of myth. What was her eventual fate?

Answer 9

Her fate = the lion metamorphosis (transfigure or transform)

Medea is also acceptable = her fate being her flight from Athens after the young- Theseus adventure

Question 10

Clearly identify these different mythical characters: Pelias, Peleus, Pegasos.

Answer 10

Pelias - the villainous uncle of the Jason myth & King of
Iolkos.
Peleus - A hero from Kalydon, future husband of Thetis, future father of Achilles. Was one of the hunters in the boar hunt & he accidentally killed his host Eurytion.
Pegasos - Flying horse of Bellerophon

Question 11

Name two fathers in Greek myth who unknowingly ate the cooked flesh of their own children
or child, at a dinner.

Answer 11

• Thyestes: King of Olympia, ate his own children who were slaughtered and served at a banquet by his brother Atreus.
• Tereus: Thracian King, Procne sought revenge by serving up her son Itys for Tereus’s supper

Question 12

Who were the Danaids? What was their crime? What is their eternal punishment?

Answer 12

-the 50 daughters of Danaos
-Crime was to murder their husbands on their shared wedding night.
-Punishment = to fill eternally a leaking water jar or to try to carry water in leaking
vessels or sieves