The Beginning: Part Two – The Third Order Flashcards
Which role did Zeus give himself after overthrowing Kronos?
Supreme leader, emperor, lord of the firmament, master of weather and storms, King of the Gods, Sky Father, Cloud Gatherer.
What are the emblems of Zeus?
Eagle
Oak
Thunderbolt
Who is hestia?
Goddess of the hearth
Hestia devoted herself to perpetual _____________.
Hestia devoted herself to perpetual maidenhood.
How is Hestia usually depicted? 4 points
1 Veiled Head: Emphasizing her modesty and focus on domestic life.
2 Hearth or Flame: symbolizing her role in maintaining the sacred fire of the household.
3 Torch or Lamp: further emphasizing her connection to fire and the hearth.
4 Simple Attire: modest clothing, reflecting her chaste and pure nature.
What was the Roman name for Hestia?
Vesta (from which the Vestal Virgins, keepers of eternal flame).
Who is this?
Hestia, goddess of the hearth
How did Zeus decide which of his two brothers would get the sea or underworld?
They drew lots –in one hand Zeus had a sapphire (sea), in the the other a piece of jet (underworld)
Who is Hades?
God of the underworld
What is the Roman name for Hades?
Pluto
What does Hades symbolise other than death?
Riches and opulence –the precious metals and jewels beneath the earth.
Crops of grain and vegetables that germinate beneath the earth.
Hence words plutocrat and plutonium.
What were the 5 rivers flowing through the underworld?
Styx – river of hate
Phlegethon –flaming river of fire
Acheron – river of woe
Lethe –waters of forgetfulness
Cocytus – stream of lamentation and wailing
Who was appointed ferryman across the Styx?
Charon, Styx’s brother
Where did the Erinyes (Furies) live?
Hades
Who was Kerberos?
Giant snake-tailed, three-headed dog (Cerberus)
Who were Kerberos’s parents?
Echidna and Typhon
Who is Echidna?
“Mother of All Monsters.”
Typically depicted as a half-woman, half-serpent.
Mother of the Sphinx, the Nemean Lion, and the Hydra, among others.
Daughter of Tartarus and Gaia.
Who is Typhon?
Monster, often described as giant with many heads, or fire-breathing dragon-like creature.
Son of Gaia and Tartarus
Who is Hydra?
Many-headed water beast, whose heads grow back when you cut off.
Lives in Lerna (a lake in underworld).
Daughter of Gaia and Tartarus
Who made Poseidon’s trident?
Cyclopes
Who is Poseidon?
God of sea
Could cause earthquakes with trident
Symbols:
Trident
Sea
Who was Poseidon’s consort?
Amphitrite
Daughter of Nereus and Doris (Oceanid)
Presented with first dolphin as wedding gift
Who is Triton?
Son of Poseidon and Amphitrite
Depicted as merman with conch shell
Who is Nereus?
Sea deity
Father of the Nereids
Depicted as wise old man
Neros means ‘wet’
Who is Doris?
Sea goddess, wife of Nereus, and one of the Oceanids.
Mother of the Nereids, the fifty sea nymphs, by the sea god Nereus.
Roman name for Poseidon?
Neptune
Who is Demeter?
Goddess of harvest, fertility and seasons.
Etymology: De (earth) Meter (mother)
Mother (with Zeus) of Persephone
Mother (with Poseidon transformed into stallion) of Arion, talking horse.
Who is this?
Triton
Son of Poseidon and Amphitrite
What was Roman name for Demeter?
Ceres
From which word ‘cereal’
How is Demeter usually depicted (4 points)?
Sheaves of wheat
Torch (looking for Persephone)
Cornucopia
Maternal appearance
Who is this?
Demeter
Who is Hera?
Wife of Zeus
Associated with marriage, childbirth, and family.
How is Hera usually depicted?
- Crown or diadem.
- Matronly appearance.
- Scepter symbolizes authority.
- Pomegranate represents fertility.
- Chariot pulled by peacocks.
- Veil or headdress denotes her as a bride.
- Lion symbolizes strength and power.
Who is this?
Hera
How is Hades usually depicted?
- Helmet of invisibility.
- Scepter or staff.
- Throne in the underworld.
- Cerberus, the three-headed dog guardian.
- Key signifies control over underworld gates.
- Coins for the deceased’s passage.
- Horn of plenty for wealth beneath the earth.
Who is this?
Hades
What is the assembly of the twelve gods called?
The dodecatheon
Who was the first child of Zeus and Hera –and what did Hera do with him?
Hephaestus
Hera threw him down from mountain
Who is Ares?
God of war (Mars to the Romans)
Second child of Zeus and Hera (after Hephaestus)
Depiction: armour, chariot, vultures, anklet gift of Aphrodite
How is Ares depicted?
Armored warrior
Helmet, shield, spear, sword
Ankle ring given by lover Aphrodite
Chariot
Eagles and vultures (in some depictions)
Who is this?
Ares, god of war
What happened to Hera before her wedding to Zeus?
Trapped in golden chair, sent as gift by Hephaestus.
Hephaestus returns and releases Hera, claiming Aphrodite as bride in reward.
Where did Hephaestus grow up?
On island of Lemnos, where he learned to forge metal.
Who is Hephaestus?
God of the forge
First child of Zeus and Hera
Husband of Aphrodite
How is Hephaestus depicted?
Physical deformity (limp or hunched back).
Mature appearance with a beard.
Holding tongs and a hammer.
Small cap.
Who is this?
Hephaestus
Roman name for Hephaestus?
Vulcan
How were Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Hera and Zeus wed?
At a double wedding
Who was Melissa?
Bee
Won culinary prize for honey at wedding of Zeus, Hera, Aphrodite, Hephaestus
Asked Zeus for mortal weapon –which he granted, but to be mortal to her.
What are hymenoptera and why are they so named?
Order of insects that bees belong to.
Because of Melissa’s presence at wedding of Zeus.
Hymen –wedding (membrane)
Optera –wings
What is ambrosia and where did it come from?
Honey mixed with fruit juice, blessed by Zeus at his wedding.
mbrosios –mortal
ambrosios –immortal
Who is Leto?
Beautiful nymph from island of Kos
Daughter of Phoebe and Coeus
Later worshipped as goddess of motherhood/modesty
Zeus has his eye on her at his wedding
What happens between Zeus and Metis at his wedding?
He pursues her, transforming into multiple animals
They couple
She transforms into fly, he into a lizard, swallows her –fearing prophesy that child of Metis will overcome him.
Metis (guile) remains in Zeus’s head as advisor.
How was Athena born?
Emerged from head of Zeus
In full armour
Because he swallowed pregnant Metis, who forged armour for her
Who is Athena?
Goddess of wisdom, arts and warcraft
Also law, justice and platonic love
Daughter of Zeus and Metis
How is Athena usually depicted
- Armor-clad: Symbolizes her warrior aspect.
- Aegis: Protective cloak, often with Medusa’s head.
- Owl: Emblem of wisdom.
- Serpent: Erechtheian snake –symbol of protection
- Olive tree/branch: Sign of peace and prosperity.
- Carrying Nike: Denotes victory.
- Corinthian Helmet: Commonly associated headgear.
- Virginal: Revered as “Parthenos” or virgin goddess.
What is the Aegis?
Aegis: Means “goat skin” in Greek.
Used by Zeus and Athena.
Gorgon’s (Medusa) head in center.
Offers protection; instills fear.
Who is this?
Athena
How did Athena win patronage of Athens?
Athena and Poseidon vied for patronage of Cecropia.
He produced spring of seawater; she gave first olive tree.
Citizens chose Athena and named city in her honour.
Roman name for Athena?
Minerva
Difference between Ares and Athena –both war gods?
Ares –battle, combat and fighting
Athena –planning, tactics and art of war
Why was Athena given the forename Pallas?
Pallas was a playmate of Athena. During mock combats, Athena accidentally killed Pallas. Out of grief, she took on her name.
Also may derive from the Greek word “παλλακίς” (pallakis) meaning “maiden” or “πάλλω” (pállō), meaning “to brandish (a weapon)”.
Origin of word Parthenon?
Parthenos =virgin
Athena was a virgin
How did Leto hide from Hera’s wrath after she got pregnant by Zeus?
Poseidon guided her boat to island Delos –which was not anchored to land and thus immune from Hera’s curse.
Who did Leto give birth to on the island of Delos?
Twins –Artemis and Apollo
What are the nicknames of Apollo?
Delian Apollo –after his birthplace
Phoebus Apollo –after his blond hair inherited from grandmother Phoebe (means ‘shining’)
Who is this?
Typhon
Where was Typhon imprisoned and why?
Warred against Zeus, was imprisoned under Mount Etna in Sicily.
What was Amphitrite’s wedding gift from Poseidon?
Presented with first dolphin as wedding gift
Who is Artemis?
Goddess of hunt, the moon and childbirth (she helped birth younger twin Apollo).
Virgin.
Depictions:
Silver bow and arrows
Knee-length tunic.
Cypress tree
Known also as Cynthia, derived from Mount Cynthus on the isle of Delos in the Aegean Sea, where she and her twin brother, Apollo, were born to Leto and Zeus.
What happened here?
Mount Cynthus – birthplace of Apollo and Artemis.
Artemis called ‘Cynthia’ in reference to the mountain.
What did Romans call Artemis?
Diana
How is Artemis usually depicted?
Silver bow and arrows
Knee-length tunic
Accompanied by deer
Cypress tree
“Kore” stance, standing upright, youthful, and maiden-like.
What are Kore and Kouroi?
Kore are free-standing ancient Greek sculptures of the Archaic period (800-480BC) depicting young females.
Kouroi are the youthful male equivalent of kore statues.
Korai show the restrained “archaic smile”, which did not demonstrate emotion.
Who is this? How can you tell?
Artemis
Short tunic
Bow and arrows
Stag
This is the Diane of Versailles, a partially restored Roman copy (1st or 2nd century AD) of a lost Greek bronze original attributed to Leochares, c. 325 BC.
Apollo is associated with the _____, Artemis with the ______
Apollo is associated with the sun, Artemis with the moon
Who is Apollo?
God of arts, music, knowledge and harmony
Associated with the sun
Never lied –took charge of prophecy
Referred to as “Musagetes,” meaning “Leader of the Muses.”
Depicted with:
Lyre
Laurel wreath
Python
Dolphin
Bow and arrow
Hairless and young
Roman name for Apollo?
Apollo
What happened to the stone that Kronos vomited up at Othrys?
Zeus cast it out, it landed at Pytho on slopes of Mount Parnassus.
Became the omphalos or navel-stone of Greece, it’s spiritual centre.
Who was Python? What happened to him?
Serpent created by Gaia to guard the Omphalos on Mount Parnassus.
Sent to Delos by Hera to kill the Letoides (Artemis and Apollo).
Was slain by Apollo with golden arrows made by Hephaestus.
Who made golden bow for Apollo?
Hephaestus
How and why was Apollo punished for slaying Python?
Why –python was a child of Gaia, and thus under divine protection.
How –exiled to snake’s birthplace at Mount Parnassus, tasked with organising Pythian games (held every four years, two either side of Olympic games).
What did Apollo establish at Pytho?
An oracle
He changed the place name to Delphi
How did the Delphic oracle work?
You ask a priestess (called a Sibyl or the Pythia) about the future.
Priestess sits out of sight in trance state above chasm –thus drawing power from Gaia herself.
How was Delos finally fixed to the earth?
By Zeus, to atone for Apollo’s slaying of Pythos, and to fix the serpent’s final resting place.
Who are the Letoides?
Artemis and Apollo, children of Leto
Who is this? How do you know?
Apollo
Lyre
Python
Hairless and handsomely
What did Atlas do during the Titanomachy (apart from fight)?
Fathered seven daughters by the Oceanid Pleione.
They were called the Pleiades (or sometimes the Atlantides).
Who are the Pleiades?
Seven daughters of Atlas and Pleione.
Who is Maia?
Oread, daughter of Pleione and Atlas.
Mother of Hermes
Who created the lyre and how?
Hermes
Stole sacred cattle from Apollo
Made lyre strings and added to tortoise shell
Apollo was incensed at theft of cattle, but appeased by being gifted lyre and art of music by Hermes.
Who is Hermes?
Messenger of the gods.
God of tricksters, science, trade, travel and medicine.
Known as “Psychopompos,” Hermes guides souls from the world of the living to the afterlife.
Son of Zeus and Maia.
How is Hermes usually depicted?
Depicted with:
Talaria –winged sandals
Petasus –winged helmet
Kerykeion - silver staff with two snakes (caduceus in Latin)
Smooth skin
Tortoise
Lyre
Cockerel (herald –like Hermes –of the dawn)
Round hat and traveller’s cloak
What is the Kerykeion?
Silver staff with two intertwined snakes, given to Hermes by Hephaestus (caduceus in Latin)
Roman name for Hermes?
Mercury
Who is this? How can you tell?
Hermes
Winged helmet –petasus
Winged shoes –talaria
Caduceus
Hairless
Young
What’s the name of the amphitheatre scooped out of the Olympian rock by the Hecatonchires during their battering of the Titans?
The Megala Kazania
What happened here?
Hermes was born in cave to oread Maia
