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Greek Religion > The Nature of the Olympian Gods > Flashcards

The Nature of the Olympian Gods Flashcards

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1
Q

What were Zeus’s responsibilities?

A
  • King of the Gods
  • King of the Skies
  • Keeper of Order and Justice
  • Fate of Men
  • Xenia
  • Thunder
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2
Q

What was Zeus’s Iconography?

A
  • Bearded man
  • Wielding a lightning bolt
  • Often holding an eagle
  • He is often seen seated on a throne with a sceptre
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3
Q

What were Poseidon’s responsibilities?

A
  • God of the seas
  • Earthquakes
  • Rivers
  • Storms
  • Horses
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4
Q

What was Poseidon’s Iconography?

A
  • Bearded man holding a trident
  • Sometimes with horses
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5
Q

What were Hades’s responsibilities?

A
  • Ruler of the Underworld
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6
Q

What was Hades’s Iconography?

A
  • Cornucopia
  • Depicted with his wife Persephone and Cerberus.
  • He was shown to be an older, bearded man
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7
Q

What were Hera’s responsibilities?

A
  • Queen of the Gods
  • Marriage
  • Women
  • Childbirth and the Family
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8
Q

What was Hera’s Iconography?

A
  • Wearing a diadem
  • Sometimes with children
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9
Q

What were Athena’s responsibilities?

A
  • War and Wisdom (military tactics and intelligence)
  • Crafts and Heroes
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10
Q

What was Athena’s Iconography?

A
  • Owl
  • Helmet
  • Spear
  • Aegis - shield engraved with the head of a gorgon
  • Nike
  • Armour
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11
Q

What were Demeter’s responsibilities?

A
  • Goddess of Agriculture
  • Harvest
  • Childbirth and Fertility
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12
Q

What was Demeter’s Iconography?

A
  • Diadem
  • Holding a bundle of wheat, grain or flowers
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13
Q

What were Hestia’s responsibilities?

A
  • Hearth
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14
Q

What was Hestia’s Iconography?

A
  • Veiled head
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15
Q

What were Hepheastus’s responsibilities?

A
  • Metalworking
  • Fire
  • Craftsmen and Blacksmiths
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16
Q

What was Hepheastus’s Iconography?

A
  • Hammer
  • Tongs
  • Anvil
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17
Q

What were Aphrodite’s responsibilities?

A
  • Love and Beauty
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18
Q

What was Aphrodite’s Iconography?

A
  • Rising from a sea-shell
  • Naked
  • Doves and swans
  • Eros
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19
Q

What were Artemis’s responsibilities?

A
  • Hunting
  • Wildlife
  • Childbirth
  • Moon
  • Wild Animals
  • Nature
  • Young Maidens
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20
Q

What was Artemis’s Iconography?

A
  • Bow and arrow
  • Dogs
  • Moon
  • Deer
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21
Q

What were Apollo’s responsibilities?

A
  • Music
  • Arts
  • Education
  • Archery
  • Prophecies
  • Sun
  • Medicine
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22
Q

What was Apollo’s Iconography?

A
  • Bow and arrow
  • Lyre
  • Youthful, naked, wavy hair
  • Sun
  • Tripod
  • Laurel
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23
Q

What were Hermes’s responsibilities?

A
  • Travel
  • Trade
  • Messenger of the Gods
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24
Q

What was Hermes’s Iconography?

A
  • Caduceus
  • Winged sandals
  • Traveller’s cloak
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25
Q

What were Ares’s responsibilities?

A
  • War (brutality)
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26
Q

What was Ares’s Iconography?

A
  • Armour
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27
Q

What were Dionysus’s responsibilities?

A
  • Wine
  • Theatre
  • Revelry
  • Childbirth
  • Ritual Madness
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28
Q

What was Dionysus’s Iconography?

A
  • Thyrsus
  • Vines
  • Animal skin
  • Maenads
  • Satyrs
  • Naked
  • Wild animals
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29
Q

“Do ut des”

A

’ I give So that you might give ‘

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30
Q

What examples in literature show the reciprocal relationship between Gods and mortals?

A
  • Zeus speaks as Hector is about to die at the hands of Achilles in the Iliad and considers saving him because he recognises that he honoured and revered him the most through performing sacrifices.
  • When Demeter goes into mourning oft the loss of her daughter (homeric hymn to Demeter), the harvests failed and mortals began to starve, making it the “grimmest and most brutal year for men on the all-nourishing earth”
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31
Q

How did the Greeks honour the Gods?

A
  • Temples and alters
  • Sacrifices
  • Prayer
  • Festivals
  • Votive offerings
  • Libations
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32
Q

What would mortals get in return for honouring the gods?

A

Help with any aspect of their lives. Mortals were often rewarded for continuous piety as divine favour was not based on single cases alone

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33
Q

How does Jon Mikalson describe the relationship between Gods and Mortals?

A

Their relationship was based on ‘Honour over ‘love’ and he describes it as th e honour with which ‘a subject owes his king’ and, indeed, which a ‘good subject owes to a good king’

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34
Q

What happened to mortals who didn’t worship them enough or at all?

A

They’d be punished because they were essentially dishonouring the Gods. It was seen numerous times in 5th century plays like the Bacchae, in which Dionysus accused Pentheus of excluding him from libations and making no offerings to him, and he was late torn to death. Or in Hippolytus when Aphrodite expresses her anger at Hippolytus because he called her “warst among dieties “ and in her anger, she had his step mother Phaedra fall in love with him leading to it destruction d his Iife.

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35
Q

What was an example of a panhellenic epithet of Zeus?

A

Zeus Olympios, Zeus at Olympia (many people from around the ancient world came to compete in the Olympic Games)

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36
Q

What was an example of a local epithet of Zeus?

A

Zeus Phratrios, protector of Athenian phratries

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37
Q

What was an example of a personal epithet of Zeus?

A

Zeus Philios, god of individual and family wellbeing

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38
Q

What was an example of a panhellenic epithet of Athena?

A

Athena Pronoia, Athena of Forethought in Delphi

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39
Q

What was an example of a local epithet of Athena?

A

Athena Lindia (after the city of Lindos)

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40
Q

What was an example of a personal epithet of Athena?

A

Athena Chalkioikos, Athena of the Bronze House in Sparta

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41
Q

What was an example of the panhellenic worship of Heracles?

A

He was worshipped at the sanctuary of Olympia because of his strength and endurance (by athletes who competed in the games) and because he was considered to be one of the founders of the games

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42
Q

What was an example of the local worship of Heracles?

A

Heracles’ main cult was in Thebes, the place of his birth in mythology

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43
Q

What was an example of the personal worship of Heracles?

A

worshipped as a household god. His statue stood in homes to ward off evil

44
Q

How could Gods be worshipped personally?

A

Personally, gods and heroes could be worshipped through mystery cults, healing cults or oracular consultation. And the epithet changes to distinguish the aspect of the god being worshipped

45
Q

Define: Aetiology

A

The reason or cause for something, often deriving from a historical or mythical explanation

46
Q

Define: Agora

A

The marketplace in a Greek city where economic, political, social and religious events took place

47
Q

Define: Anthropomorphic

A

The attribution of human characteristics and emotions to non-human forms

48
Q

Define: Epithet

A

An adjective or phrase that accompanies one’s name to denote a quality or characteristic about the individual

49
Q

Define: Theogony

A

The genealogy of a group of gods

50
Q

Define: Polytheism

A

A religion including multiple Gods

51
Q

Define: Phratry

A

A ‘Brotherhood’- a subdivision of the low old tribes of Athens which was carried over into the new democratic system in 507 BC

52
Q

Define: Zoomorphism

A

Animal attributes are imposed upon non-animal objects, humans and gods

53
Q

What is the significance of Homer and Hesiod on ideas about the Gods?

A

The works of Homer and Hesiod set out how the ancient Greeks perceived the gods during the eighth and seventh centuries BC and were of major influence on Greek attitudes towards the Olympians, which did not change in later periods.

Herodotus says that “they were the ones who made a theogony for the Greeks and gave the gods their names and distinguished their honours and powers and indicated their forms.”

54
Q

What do the Homeric Hymns tell us about the Greek Gods?

A
  • Inform us of what the Greeks thought about the gods in around 700 BC, mainly focusing on the creation of the gods and their birth
  • Although called Homeric’ they were not composed by Homer but were in the same style and tradition as the Homeric Epics
  • They also explain the cause for the god’s cult or their aetiology
    ~Homeric Hymns 11 ( Protectress of Cities) - Comparing this inscription with the iconography of the Amphorae, we can see that little has changed in her worship
    ~Homeric Hymn 28 (Atlena’s Birth) - Also seen in the Eastern Pediment on the Parthenon, Very similar depictions.
55
Q

What does Hesiod’s ‘Works and Days’ tell us about the Greek Gods?

A
  • Gnomic or wisdom literature, written around 700 BC
  • Hesiod instructs his brother Perses in the agricultural arts as well as moral advice on how he should live his life
  • He encourages Perses to avoid Eris (goddess of strife) and not let her influence him
  • He emphasises the power of Zeus and Right (Justice) as well as providing advice on how to worship the gods (i.e. washing hands to remove religious pollution so that prayers are accepted) - 724 - 726
  • There’s little evidence that these customs changed over time
56
Q

What does Hesiod’s Theogony tell us about the Greek Gods?

A

Focuses on the origins of the gods, why they are deserving of worship and how they should be treated by mortals

57
Q

How are the Gods presented in Homer’s works?

A
  • Powerful (Apollo’s description in Iliad 1.43-52)
  • Governed by personal impulse and desire
  • Interested in mortals and have favourites i.e. Athena supports Odysseus (Odyssey) and Achilles (Iliad) and helps bring about the death of Hector
  • Can be used for light relief in order to contrast with the severity of the situation that mortals find themselves in (Hera are Zeus’ aguement on Olympus while Achilles fights with Agamemnon)
  • The gods can physically intervene
  • Gods can feel pity for humans but sexual relationships between gods and mortals are common
  • In the Odyssey, the Gods are more moralistic and mortals suffer because of their own folly. They also work together to ensure that Odysseus can return home and punish the Suitors
58
Q

What does William Allen say about the Gods in Literature?

A

The gods are not amoral but instead offer divine justice

59
Q

What does James Redfield say about the Gods in Literature?

A

The Gods are ‘a chief source of comedy’

60
Q

What does Geoffrey Kirk say about the Gods in Literature?

A

‘These divine scenes successfully avert the theatre of monotony, because they provide a total change of atmosphere and behaviour… all sorts of not very heroic qualities are allowed to enter the lives of the Gods”

61
Q

What does Jasper Griffin say about the Gods in Literature?

A

Homer’s Epics are full of “really impressive Gods” who deserve the worship they receive

62
Q

What is an example of a Hybrid God?

A

Pan: he is half human and half goat

63
Q

How can the Olympian Gods be recognized in artwork?

A

The Olympian Gods can be recognized in artwork through their iconography and their larger size compared to humans.

64
Q

How were the Olympian Gods usually described and depicted?

A

The Olympian Gods were usually described and depicted as anthropomorphic but had powers that went beyond anything that a mortal could have.
- Panathenaic Amphora - Athena is presented is mostly human with certain attributes displaying her divinity. Ie. larger size, armour, etc.

65
Q

How were the Gods presented in Literature?

A

Literature shows that they have the emotions and needs of humans such as jealousy, love, hate and desire - their human instincts are amplified by their divine powers.

66
Q

How does their nature reflect their worship?

A

Their worship is usually indicative of their nature
- There is an indication in Euripides’ Hippolytus that Artemis cannot be around death for it is so different to her nature.
- In the thirty-two surviving tragedies, only one character dies on stage (Ajax), perhaps to not tarnish Dionysus’ image with death

67
Q

Which myths display the anthropomorphic qualities of the Gods?

A
  • The rape/abduction of Persephone at the hands of Hades shows how Hades is overcome with passion for Persephone, Demeter is overcome with grief and distress at the loss of her daughter and how Zeus has to fill the role of an arbitrator
  • Zeus is overcome with passion for Leda and takes the form of a swan to sleep with her
  • Poseidon’s anger at Odysseus for having blinded Polyphemus
  • Hera despised Heracles for he was the son of Zeus and the mortal Alcmene. She sent Madness to drive him into a fit of madness during which he killed his wife and children
68
Q

How were animals linked to the Gods?

A
  • The Gods can also be shown as animals i.e. Zeus as an eagle and Diana as a swan
  • Animal forms were linked with qualities of the gods ie. Hera Bo-opis (‘doe-eyed Hera’) and Athena Glaukopis (bright-eyed Athena’)
69
Q

What was the purpose of Epithets?

A

Epithets were used to specify which aspect of the god was being worshipped and summoned
- Addressing a god/referring to a god
- Specific to a god
- To identify whether worship was local or Panhellenic
- To understand how the cult was paid for
- To understand the way in which the god was worshipped (goal-eating Hera in Sparta)

70
Q

“Zeus Agoraios”

A

‘Zeus of the agora’ who had oversight over the selling and buying of goods and ensuring that deals were just. There was an altar to him in the Athenian Agora

71
Q

“Zeus Phratrios”

A

Each Athenian citizen belonged to a phratry. Legitimate sons would be introduced into their father’s phratry within a year of their birth

72
Q

“Zeus Philios”

A

God of individual and household well-being, prosperity and purification consulted on issues regarding property, marriage and childbirth

73
Q

“Zeus Herkeios”

A

Zeus of the Fence/Courtyard who was a protector of families. Magistrates being interviewed for a position were asked whether or not they were enrolled in this cult

74
Q

“Zeus Xenios”

A

protector of guests

75
Q

“Zeus Ktesios”

A

guardian of possessions in a house

76
Q

“Zeus Olympios”

A

overseer of the Olympic Games

77
Q

“Zeus Horkios”

A

oaths “Zeus Averter of Flies” used by individuals attending the Olympic and Delphic Games in Greece who would buy small figurines of Zeus and then pray to him in the hope of killing the flies

78
Q

“Athena Polias”

A

protector of cities

79
Q

“Athena Parthenos”

A

Athena the virgin

80
Q

“Athena Nike”

A

granter of victories

81
Q

“Pallas Athene”

A

morale-booster

82
Q

“Athena Areia”

A

warlike Athena

83
Q

“Demeter Chthonia”

A

earthly-one

84
Q

“Demeter Karpophoreo”

A

fruit-bringer

85
Q

Why were epithets created?

A
  • We have no idea on how or why epithets were created
  • Pausanias, a Greek travel writer and geographer from the 2nd century AD explains some local epithets
  • Herodotus tells us that when the Greeks received news of the providential storm that had wrecked much of the Persian fleet in 480 BC, they prayed and made libations to Poseidon Soter (Saviour) and used this name ever since
86
Q

How did epithets complicate worship?

A
  • The variety of epithets presented a challenge to worshippers - if a woman was pregnant, which one of the numerous deities should she pray to? This was incredibly difficult for the Greeks who consulted oracles in order to understand which god they should worship
  • A typical approach was to worship groups of deities in order to cover all bases, particularly in cases concerning the rearing and raising of children
87
Q

How does Gunnel Erkroth define a Hero?

A

a person who had “lived and died, either in myth or real life, with this being the main distinction between a god and hero.” They had to have achieved something unusual for one’s lifetime, being either positive or negative

88
Q

How was a hero Worhipped?

A
  • A hero was worshipped in a way that went far beyond the usual rituals surrounding burial and was worshipped at their grave site. It was attended by weeping and lamentation
  • Their worship was usually local but occasionally Panhellenic heroes were worshipped in several or almost all places in Greece.
89
Q

How was heroisation initiated?

A

Heroization was initiated by family members and beneficiaries and became widespread in the Hellenistic Period

90
Q

What is the Evidence for Hero Cults?

A
  • Homeric Epics
  • Homeric Hymns
  • Works and Days
  • Catalogue of Women which explores the relationships between gods and mortals and the heroes that were born
  • Pausanias
  • The best preserved sacrificial calendar from Attica shows that of 170 sacrifices, 40% were to heroes and 38% of these were of budget
91
Q

Who were Heracles’ parents?

A

Zeus and Alcmene (his name also means ‘glory of Hera’ in attempts to appease Hera’s hatred

92
Q

How did Heracles die?

A

The centaur Nessus tried to carry off Hercules’ wife, Deianeira. Hercules shot Nessus with a poisoned arrow. The dying centaur had Deianeira keep some of his blood as a love charm. When Hercules fell in love with another maiden, Deianeira sent him a robe steeped in the blood. Hercules put it on, and poison spread through his body like fire. He fled to Mount Oeta, built a funeral fire, and threw himself on it to die.

93
Q

How was Heracles worshipped?

A

worshipped as the divine protector of mankind. He had a large number of shrines throughout the ancient world and his festivals were widely celebrated. His main cult centre was at Thebes, the place of his birth in myth. Walter Burkert attributes the number of these cults to the fact that there are so many versions (and no established chronology) of the twelve labours.Because there were so many different cults, some worshipped Herakles as a hero and some as a god.

94
Q

What were Heracles’ Epithets?

A
  • Kallinikos = The Triumphant, he was revered as a protector against evil spirits
  • Apotropaios = Averter of Evil
95
Q

Who were Achilles’ parents?

A

Peleus (King of the Myrmidons) and Thetis the Sea Nymph

96
Q

How did Achilles die?

A

In vengeance for his brother, Paris shot Achilles and killed him. This is not recorded in the Iliad but his funeral is mentioned in the Odyssey

97
Q

How was Achilles worshipped?

A

Achilles was worshippedas a sea-god in many of the Greek colonies on the Black Sea, the location of the mythical “White Island” which he was said to inhabit after his death, together with many other heroes. He was ne of the few panhellenic heroes that followed Greek Colonisation

98
Q

What were Achilles Epithets?

A
  • “Matchless”
  • “Swift-footed”
  • “Shepard of the People”
99
Q

How was Cleomedes worshipped?

A

He was worshipped as “no longer mortal” after the instructions from the Pythia were given. Probably due to his innumerable strength and violence. They would have wanted him as a protector of the city. Was also a Local hero, there was no mention of him in other calendars.

100
Q

Who were Orestes parents?

A

Agamemnon and Clytemnestra

101
Q

How did Orestes die?

A

Was said to have died of a snakebite in Arcadia

102
Q

How was Orestes worshipped?

A

Was worshipped well after his death in Sparta and was considered a protector of the city

103
Q

Who were Helen’s parents?

A

Zeus and the mortal Queen Leda of Sparta

104
Q

How did Helen die?

A

Menelaus and Helen then returned toSparta, where they lived happily until their deaths. the abduction of HelenThe abduction of Helen, Greek bas-relief; in the Lateran Museum, Rome. According to a variant of the story, Helen, in widowhood, was driven out by her stepsons and fled toRhodes, where she was hanged by the Rhodian queen Polyxo in revenge for the death of her husband, Tlepolemus, in the Trojan War.

105
Q

How was Helen worshipped?

A

Helen was worshipped and had a festival at Therapnae inLaconia; she also had a temple atRhodes, where she was worshipped as Dendritis (the tree goddess). Like her brothers, the Dioscuri, she was a patron deity of sailors.

106
Q

What were Helen’s epithets?

A
  • leukōlenos (“white-armed”)
  • dia (“brilliant”) or dia gynaikōn (“brilliant among women”)
  • ēukomos or kallikomos (“fair-haired”)
  • kalliparēios (“fair-cheeked”)

Greek Religion (1 decks)

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