The Nature of the Olympian Gods

Question 1

Conditions of being a hero

Answer 1

Extraordinary achievements and contributions, extreme behaviour, harmful heroes, to solve a crisis, related to identity

Question 2

How many gods are there traditionally thought to be?

Answer 2

12 in the pantheon

Question 3

Books by Hesiod

Answer 3

Theogony- birth of the gods, and Works and Days- when to perform certain agricultural tasks and how to lead a morally good life with advice on how to worship the gods

Question 4

Sources for the nature of the gods

Answer 4

Homer, Hesiod, the Homeric Hymns- Thogony and the Homeric hymns frequently discussed the birth of the gods

Question 5

Ways that Greeks shows their reciprocal relationship with the gods

Answer 5

sacrifice, votive offerings, libations, prayers

Question 6

Zeus’ common epithets

Answer 6

Zeus Agoraios: ‘of the agora’, oversight over selling and buying goods
Zeus Phratrios
Zeus Philios: the god of individual and household well-being, prosperity and purification
Zeus Herkeios: ‘of the fence/courtyard’, protector of the families

Question 7

Example of a bad hero

Answer 7

Cleomedes- disqualified from the Olympic Games for killing opponent. So angry he ripped down a school roof killing sixty children

Question 8

Stafford anthropomorphism

Answer 8

‘a fundamental characteristic of the Greek pantheon’

Question 9

Kearns hero cult

Answer 9

‘important feature of official religion’

Question 10

Ekroth hero cult state

Answer 10

‘the importance of a hero for the internal development of a city could be enhanced when needed’

Question 11

Ekroth hero cult personal

Answer 11

‘an intimate and original connection with a particular hero was far from necessary’

Question 12

Example of god Panhellenic v. private

Answer 12

Apollo Agyeios was a household deity but Pythian Apollo was worshipped by Greeks all over the world at Delphi

Question 13

Ekroth hero cult local

Answer 13

‘the prominence of heroes is even more apparent’

Question 14

When were Homer and Hesiod active?

Answer 14

8th century

Question 15

definition of votive offering

Answer 15

a dedication to a god by an individual as part of a ‘contract’ or vow made between mortal and deity

Question 16

Mikalson reciprocal relationship

Answer 16

it is the honour which ‘a good subject owes to a good king’- both were deserving

Question 17

Worshipping heroes

Answer 17

Heracles worshipped throughout Greece, most heroes were only worshipped at one specific location. Worshipped with rites very similar to each other, with an animal sacrifice at its centre and the common consumption of the sacrificial meat

Question 18

Herakles

Answer 18

Unique as was born mortal, died and became a god and was worshipped as both hero and god. Hero-doctor Asclepius similarly worshipped throughout the Greek world and was perceived primarily as a god but of mortal descent

Question 19

Redfield gods in epic

Answer 19

‘chief source of comedy’

Question 20

Kirk

Answer 20

add variety

Question 21

Griffin

Answer 21

‘really impressive gods’ who deserve to be worshipped

Question 22

Allan

Answer 22

divine justice