UNIT 2 - MYTHOLOGY Flashcards
What are the first six steps of the Hero’s Journey?
- The Ordinary World
- The Call to Adventure
- Refusal of the Call
- Relationship with the Mentor
- Crossing the 1ST Threshold
- Test/Allies/Enemies
What are the next 6 steps of the Hero’s Journey?
- Approach to the Innermost Cave
- The Supreme Ordeal
- Reward
- The Road Back
- Resurrection
- Return with the Elixir
What are satyrs?
These creatures are human from the waist up, goat from the waist down.
- Inhabit wild places
- Companions of Dionysus
- Pan = satyr and is the God of wild, shepherds and flocks, nature of mountain wilds, rustic music and impromptus, and companion of the nymphs.
Who are the Fates (Fata/Parcae)?
These were three sister goddesses that appeared in Greek and Roman mythology and were believed to have “spun out” a child’s destiny at birth.
- Aspects of a person’s life were determined by them (when life began, when it ended, and everything in between)
- Immortal Gods were afraid of them (supposedly)
Who is Cerberus?
The three-headed dog who guards the
gates of the Underworld.
- permits new spirits to enter the world of the
dead, but will not allow any to leave
- Son of monster Echidna
Who is Charon?
The ferryman of the dead.
Who is Medusa?
She was a maiden who had an affair with Poseidon in the temple of Athena.
- Because of this, Athena turned her into a monster
- Hair became live snakes and her gaze turned people to stone
Who is Arachne?
A mortal weaver who bragged about being the best weaver in the world. This angered Athena.
- She lost a weaving challenge with Athena
- Punishment was to not weave or touch a loom again
- She said she would rather die, so Athena pitied her and turned her into a spider
How many Olympians are there?
12 OLYMPIANS
- Zeus (Jupiter)
- Hera (Juno)
- Poseidon (Neptune)
- Athena (Minerva)
- Ares (Mars)
- Apollo
- Artemis (Diana)
- Hephaestus (Vulcan)
- Hermes (Mercury)
- Dionysus (Bacchus)
- Demeter (Ceres)
- Aphrodite (Venus)
(MINOR GODS) Who is Eros and Psyche?
Eros = God of Love, aka CUPID
- son of Aphrodite and Ares
- portrayed shooting arrows at mortals that make them fall in love
Psyche = was the most beautiful woman in the world
- Eros fell in love with her
- Made goddess of the soul by Zeus
(MINOR GODS) Who is Nemesis?
As the goddess of revenge, she helped punish those who had wronged others. Helped the universe stay balanced.
(MINOR GODS) Who is Nike?
The winged goddess of victory. She ran and flew very fast.
(MINOR GODS) Who are the Muses?
9 daughters of Zeus and the Titan Mnemosyne (Goddess of Memory).
- They inspired mortals to create art, literature, and music.
- They liked to hang out with Apollo and sing and dance at celebrations for the gods.
(HEROES) Who is Achilles?
Son of a mortal king and a sea nymph,
- mother dipped him into River Styx for invincibility
- Got shot by an arrow in Trojan war in his heel, later died
(HEROES) Who is Hercules?
Son of Zeus and a mortal woman named Alcmene.
- Was given courage, strength, kindness, bravery and compassion
- Known for the 12 Labours of Heracles
(HEROES) Who is Perseus?
The grandson of the King of Acrisius of Argos..
- Him and his mother Danae were locked in a box and thrown in the ocean, later saved by Zeus.
- Perseus agreed to bring the King (who wanted to marry his mom) the head of Medusa in exchange for leaving his mother alone
- Athena (gave shield) and Hermes (gave sword) helped Perseus
- He killed Medusa by cutting it off and gave it as a gift to Athena, who then put it on her shield
Who are Gaia and Uranus?
They are the ORIGINAL BEINGS.
- Gaia (Mother Earth) and Uranus (The Sky) appeared from chaos
- They married each other and had 12 kids, known as the Titans
Who is Cronos (Saturn)?
He is the LORD of the Titans, and youngest and bravest son of Uranus and Gaia.
- He sliced his father up with a scythe
- He was scared of his children doing the same as he did, so he ate them as soon as they were born
- Tricked by Zeus
- Eventually cast into Tartarus
Who are the 4 Titans?
Coeus + Phoebe, Cronos + Rhea
Who is Rhea (Opis)?
She is the wife of Cronos and mother to the first six gods: Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Demeter and Hestia.
- Told by Gaia to hide Zeus (child #6) on the island of Crete
- Goddess of female fertility, motherhood, and generation
- Symbols are the turret crown and the
cymbal
Who is Zeus (Jupiter)?
King of all Gods, Ruler of humans and Chief of Mount Olympus
- Father died and he took possession of all the heavens
Powers: Shapeshifting and control over the skies and weather
Weapons: the lightning bolt (main)
Who is Hera (Juno)?
GODDESS OF MARRIAGE AND MOTHERHOOD, and the protector of all women.
- Wife of Zeus (and his sister)
- Jealous of the attention Zeus gives to other women
- Zeus and Hera = first formal marriage ever
Powers: She can morph humans into anything or anyone.
Who is Poseidon (Neptune)?
GOD OF THE SEAS
- Also God of Earthquakes
- SECOND most powerful god
- He commanded all the waters and all the creatures in them
Powers: able to control the water and dry up rivers or create tidal waves. Caused shipwrecks.
Weapons: The trident, a three-pronged spear, which he uses to stir up terrible storms at sea.
Who is Hades (Pluto)?
GOD OF DEATH (but not death itself)
- Ruler of the underworld
- Also God of Wealth because gold and other precious minerals come from underground
- Guards pit of Tartarus
- His servants include: three Furies, Charon the ferryman of the dead, and the three-headed dog Cerberus.
Who is Athena (Minerva)?
GODDESS OF WAR, WISDOM, USEFUL CRAFTS (think weaving and pottery)
- Patron goddess of Athens
- Sprung from Zeus’ head (split by Hephaestus)
- Invented chariot and loom,
- Symbols are the olive tree and owl
Power: Change shape
Weapons: Spear, a shield called Aegis with Medusa’s head mounted on it, helmet armor
Who is Ares (Mars)?
GOD OF WAR
- Son of Zeus and Hera
- Has fierce and strength but coward at heart
- Liked participating in bloody battles
- Other gods did not trust him
- Amazons are thought to be the descendants of Ares
Who is Apollo?
GOD OF THE SUN, MUSIC, POETRY, ARCHERY, HEALING
- Handsome and talented
- twin of artemis
- He used magic to put an oracle (someone who could look into the future)in a temple in the city of Delphi
- 7th DAY OF EACH MONTH, the oracle told the future to whoever asked
Who is Artemis (Diana)?
GODDESS OF THE HUNT, WILD ANIMALS, AND THE MOON
- Apollo’s twin sister, daughter of Zeus
- Not warm and loving but adores animals + family
- Fiercely independent and never wants to get married
Who is Hephaestus (Vulcan)?
GOD OF FIRE, METALWORK AND BUILDING
- the husband of Aphrodite
- Thrown out of his home as a baby by Zeus so therefore he is ugly and crippled
- Good at working with his hands and can make anything from metal
- Built many weapons for the Gods
Weapons: hammer, anvil, axe
Who is Aphrodite (Venus)?
GODDESS OF LOVE AND BEAUTY
- Born of sea foam
- Married to Hephaestus
- Subject to many works of art (Birth of Venus by Italian artist Bottecelli in 1400’s)
Power: She could make any mortal fall in love with anyone she chose
Weapons: A golden belt that made people fall in love with her
Who is Hermes (Mercury)?
GOD OF TRAVEL AND THIEVES
- Messenger of the gods
- watches over all who use the roads and guides the dead to the Underworld
Powers: He could fly between Mount Olympus, Earth and the Underworld. He was the fastest of all the gods, both running and flying.
Who is Dionysus (Bacchus)?
GOD OF WINE, FEASTING, AND AGRICULTURE
- son of Zeus and a mortal woman Semele, and the only god to have a mortal parent
- wild and crazy god who liked a good party
Who is Demeter (Ceres)?
GODDESS OF THE HARVEST
- in charge of crops, farming, flowers, and trees
- Visited earth often
- Daughter of Cronos and Rhea
Who is Persephone (Prosperina)?
GODDESS OF SPRINGTIME
- stayed in the Underworld for 6 months because she was kidnapped and tricked by Hades
- Not an olympian
Who is Hestia (Vesta)?
GODDESS OF THE HEARTH AND FIRE
- Gave her spot up as an olympian to Dionysus.
- Never participated in war so she was loved
- Tends the sacred fire on Mount Olympus
(TITANS CHILDREN) Who is Prometheus?
Son of Titan Lapetus.
- Born with the gift of prophecy
- Sided with Zeus during the Titanomachy (war b/w Titans and Olympian Gods)
- Tasked with molding man (taught them how to plant crops and tame animals)
- Brought the secret of fire to man
- Zeus chained him to a rock, where an eagle ate his liver everyday (his liver regrew every night)
- Saved by Hercules
(TITANS CHILDREN) Who is Atlas?
The God of Astronomy and the commander of the Titan army.
- Zeus decided to punish him for his actions by making him stand on the edge of Earth and hold the weight of the sky on his shoulders for eternity.
What did the stories about gods explain to mortals? (IMPORTANCE)
Everything from religious rituals to the weather, and gave meaning to the world people saw around them.
When was the first origin story of Greek mythology written?
Around 700 BC .
Who is at the center of Greek Mythology?
The group of deities who were said to live on Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece. (basically the Gods and Goddesses)
- They ruled every aspect of human life.
- They were vulnerable to human weaknesses and passions
How did the Greeks believe the world began?
The Greeks believed the creation of the world began with Chaos, which was emptiness and confusion.
