THE OLYMPIAN GODS Flashcards
1
Q
Where does a lot of what we know about the gods come from?
A
- LITERATURE —> Homer and Hesiod.
- HESOID = 700 BCE, produced WORKS AND DAYS AND THE THEOGONY.
• HOMER = Odyssey and Iliad. Odyssey —> knowledge of Athena, Zeus, Hermes, Poseidon. We know Athena = WELL.
—> Zeus = POWERFUL FIGURE but mostly remains behind the scenes while Athena carries out his will, with a degree of her own spontaneity.
—> POSEIDON = very powerful God. Manifests himself by the effects of his actions. Hermes = contrast, friendly Hod who takes messages. Does what Zeus says = Hierarchy of the gods.
2
Q
The Greek Gods are..
A
- ANTHROPOMORPHIC —> attribution of human characteristics to non-human forms, looked just like humans and behaved like humans.
- Very POWERFUL. One power = change their appearance which we saw a lot of the Odyssey.
3
Q
Name some things about Zeus.
A
- King of the Gods
- Upholder of Order and Justice
- POWERFUL, bearded mature man
- Father of several gods and brother of Poseidon and Hades
- Zeus drew the best lot as ruler of the sky which = KING OVERALL.
4
Q
HERA
A
- Wife as Zeus
- Goddess of marriage
- In Homer she is slightly comic and very vengeful
- Patroness to many cities and widely worshipped in her many sanctuaries she appears as a noble and mature woman, sometimes wearing a tiara.
5
Q
POSEIDON
A
- Brother of Zeus
- Power over the sea, made him very powerful among a seafaring race like the Greeks.
- He was also God of horses and earthquakes.
- Earthquakes = PREVALENT in Greece, important to keep on his right side.
6
Q
ATHENA
A
- Daughter of Zeus, very popular goddess
- As patron goddess of Athens, brilliant and activist city, she received a lot of attention. Beautiful imposing young woman.
- She was also a VIRGIN GODDESS. never embarked on sexual exploits as most of the others gods did.
- She was a goddess of war and strategy but was also patroness of crafts like weaving and pottery.
- Always fully dressed. Sometimes appears armed with a BREASTPLATE, HELMET AND SPEAR. Typically wears or carries her aegis —> special garment like a poncho with a snaky border and a Gorgon’s head in the middle of it.
7
Q
ARTEMIS
A
- Daughter of Zeus, twin sis of Apollo virgin goddess and archer.
- Goddess of HUNTING and the Forest and also protector of wild animals
- She appears dressed as a huntress with a bow often twinned with her brother Apollo or with Apollo and their mother LETO.
8
Q
APOLLO
A
- Son of Zeus twin brother of Artemis was god of the sun of prophecy of music of healing and SUDDEN DEATH
- Patron of most famous sanctuary of GREEK WORLD = DELPHI
- Almost OBLIGATORY for anyone with a serious question to ask to seek Apollo’s advice.
- Delphi = Huge SIGNIFICANCE in ancient Greek world Apollo appears as a beautiful young man clean shaven engaged with archery.
9
Q
APHRODITE
A
- Unusual birth according to Hesoid she was born from Ourano’s genitals discarded in the sea near to Cythera
- Goddess of LOVE AND BEAUTY, often represented as a beautiful nude
- Powerful goddess because of importance of sex in life.
- Could be unreliable and difficult - AENEID she had a young son, Eros who often did her dirty work for her with his arrows.
10
Q
DEMETER
A
- Sister of ZEUS
- Goddess of Earth and crops
- Demeter = another matronly goddess she had a beautiful young daughter called Persephone who was kidnapped by Hades. Demeter searched sadly for her daughter abandoning crops in her grief. At last Zeus —> Persephone should spend winter in the underworld but in spring return to mother, saving crops and thus the human race.
• This belief = BASIS OF ELEUSIAN MYSTERIES and also a BASIS OF WOMAN-ONLY FESTIVAL - Thesmorphia
11
Q
HERMES
A
Son of Zeus Messenger god and friendly to mankind. Feels like a younger brother took messages but also trickster patron god of thieves. Guide of souls and bells spirits.
12
Q
HEPHAESTUS
A
- God of fire and metal working
- LAME
- Having being violent my cast out of Olympus by Zeus, somehow Hephaestus = Less respected by gods themselves but for mortals = patron of important area of life.
- Aligned with working classes, those who got their hands dirty. Represented as a sturdy workman. In a short tunic. He has some association with Athena. Thought to be married to Aphrodite. 
13
Q
DIONYSUS
A
• God of Wine and theatre
depicted as a beautiful young man with king curls
- Similar to Apollo although he’s sometimes seen as a mature, bearded man.
- He travelled around with a band of revellers and could readily change id appearance.
- His slightly disreputable character reflected in the idea that he came from elsewhere from the east: He is a newcomer.
14
Q
Polytheism
A
- Green religion was Polytheistic.
- Greeks believed in and worshipped multiple gods.
- Unfortunate result of multiple Gods in the Odyssey: did not always see eye to eye.
- POSEIDON vs ATHENA.
- In the Iliad — Zeus and Hera have a nasty quarrel at the end of book 1z But Hephaestus persuades them not to pursue it —> spoil their Olympian enjoyment.
15
Q
Name the different titles and epithets of Gods
A
- Even a single god could be worshipped under different titles or epithets.
- ZEUS HERKEIOS = Protector of FAMILIES
- Zeus POLIAS = Who watched over the whole city
- Zeus AGORAIOS = who watched over the agora or marketplace.
- Zeus Phrartrios = who watched over the Athenian Phratries or brotherhoods.
- Zeus PHILIOS = god of individual prosperity
—> such epithets would be attached to particular shrines including little domestic shrines cared for the householder. The god would be worshipped under the relevant epithet at this shrine.
16
Q
ANTHROPOMORPHISM
A
- Gods appeared as humans physically even though their powers were super human
- Athena on the Panathenaic Amphora HUMAN FIGURE.
- All gods could change shape at will, however in the odyssey Athena changing herself —> different characters = OFTEN shift her purposes.
- Zeus famously changed his shape into a SWAN, BULL, LADYS HUSBAND AND AMOROUS ADVENTURES — Bacchae - Semele // Very selfish.
- BACCHAE = Dionysus mainly disguised though sometimes he appears as himself very ATTRACTIVE HUMAN FIGURE; long hair, youthful
- Pentheus in his trance sees him as a bull with Horns. These changes seem to spring from his essential wild and exuberant nature, no particular purpose.
- Deities = OUTSTANDING human beings
17
Q
ANTHROPOMORPHISM 2
A
Gods not only looked human; also displayed human emotions: GRIEF OF DEMETER, ANGER OF POSEIDON.
• HOWEVER THEY RESPONDED IN A WAY THAT WAS ANYTHING BUT HUMAN —> Poseidon = POWER TO CONTROL THE SEA, SUMMON STORMS AND SINK SHIPS.
18
Q
Relationships between gods and mortals:
A
- Relationshjp between gods and mortals = RECIPROCAL, operating under a principle of I GIVE SO THAT YOU MIGHT GIVE.
- Gods delighted in being honoured properly and in return valued and helped mortals for doing so: In Homer’s ILIAD, when Trojan prince Hector is about to die, Zeus = mournful because he had always made sacrifices in his honour.
- Gods protected and assisted humans because they deserved it.
- Athena and Odysseus = affection based on AFFINITY AND SIMILARITY
19
Q
Special roles of the gods:
A
- In the Bacchae, Dionysus = visited each city in order to establish his worship. he intends to be worshipped throughout Greece.
- The Athenians watching Euripedes’ play were well aware that they were sitting in the actual sanctuary of Dionysus, at Athens and watching a drama in theatre of Dionysus. The audience will have had a sense of participating in the god’s history from their present stance in his future.
- However, Dionysus is also integrated into their daily domestic lives being the god of wine. Dionysus = GOD of SYMPOSIUM which was the male drinking party and the main social event that took place in the home. Began with prayers, a hymn and offerings to the god of wine.
- GODS = integrated into Greek life: allocated diff. qualities, places, natural features, activities, constantly requiring attention and prayers and offerings.
- Priest and priestesses = MAIN BURDEN, MAIN SACRIFICES but households = DUTIES. Divided between man and woman of the house.
- Problem = NERVOUS PERSON MIGHT WORRY ABOUT NEGLECT RESULTING IN OFFENDING A GOD = Paul from Acts walks around Athens, surprised at the multiplicity of SHRINES to different deities. DEDICATIONS which might have been made to cover worrying possibility of neglecting a God.
20
Q
NATURE OF WORSHIP
A
- Mortals worshipped and sacrificed to the gods = HIGHLY IMPORTANT as a GOOD RELATIONSHIP with the gods led to SAFETY and PROSPERITY
- important animal sacrifices and hundreds of other kinds of offerings were made by individuals. Daily offerings = FLOWERS, FRUIT, or other things.
- Ordinary people = other opportunities for making special offerings at public shrines. TERRACOTTA MODELS of deity could be purchased
- Bible Passage in Acts: Diana of the Ephesians = received offerings more expensive than clay. Paul = HUGE audiences that idols = IRRELEVANT. God = SPIRIT. No visible form.
21
Q
NATURE OF WORSHIP - INDIVIDUAL CULTS
A
- Each God has = distinctive personality
- Each individual cult = ritual differences that the local priest or priestess was expected to know.
- Correct procedure = IMPORTANT
- Every cult or temple had its own PRIEST for a god or PRIESTESS for a goddess. Directly responsible for that cult and that cult alone.
- Make sure premises = are NICE, worship was carried out correctly whether at public worship events or by individuals wishing to make an offering or lone prayer.
22
Q
NATURE OF WORSHIP - THE GODS
A
- Each god = AREA of POWER
- In practice these merged
- City = great choice of places to worship and keen worshipper might intend several of the gods. Alternatively, might pick the god who best fit the description.
23
Q
NATURE OF WORSHIP - FESTIVALS
A
- Worshipper would enjoy great civic festivals LIKE the PANATHENAIA in Athens
- This great festival not only honoured the city’s patron goddess Athena: but also conferred enormous honour and prestige onto the city and citizens, buildings
- ENORMOUS pleasure
- Many citizens (including girls) = are INVOLVED in procession, games and activities in various roles.
- All citizens watch the spectacle and partake in the sacred feast which was part of the sacrifice.
- Olympian Gods = PANHELLENIC, worshipped throughout GREECE but also localised and personal in HOW they were worshipped. Number of levels: Household, Deme, Polis and PANHELLENIC.
24
Q
HERO CULTS - HEROES
A
- The pantheon of Greek gods was not a closed shop, new deities were springing up all the time.
- Greeks worshipped heroes like Heracles and Achilles
- Homer’s world - HERO on a certain social level. He would be a warrior in war and perhaps a land-owner in peace. Odysseus = HERO. Solved problems and attracted people. He was prominent, admirable, females all fell for him.
25
Q
REAL LIFE HERO & COLONIES
A
- Real-life hero = founder of new city or colony, all colonies started with a group led by a well-born leader.
- Usually given a CONSPICUOUS GRAVE, either in the centre of the new city or else on the border of the new territory.
- Did not matter what person was actually like –> they = heroes, lending spiritual protection and identity to a colony.
- PAESTUM = well known Greek colony in ITALY = tomb in the market place, no body but extensive series of fine offerings
- CADMUS = example –> after death, they will be immortalised and presumably will be worshipped in-hero shrines.
- HERACLES another hero = very well known found in hundreds of vase paintings. Olympus after his death. Parallel between hero and deceased founder of Paestum = large amphora painted of Heracles –> symbolic tomb.
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26
Q
HERO CULTS - PELOPS
A
- At OLYMPIA –> Pelops founder of games was honoured with shrine and sacrifices
- ARCHEOLOGY suggest shrine was far older than the sanctuary at Olympia, ancient tomb got drawn into service and acquired a story as sanctuary grew up around it.
- Grave mound can still be seen today, near the great temple and the site of the main altar to Zeus. Myth of PELOPS involved his marriage to a local princess, HIPPODEMIA.
- Her shrine was once equally prominent in the sanctuary although it has now COMPLETELY VANISHED. At this shrine, plenty of FEMALE ACTIVITY: preparation for the girls’ athletic competitions.
