Unit C terms

Question 1

Achilles

Answer 1

Greatest warrior from the Iliad. See the powerpoint review slides.

Question 2

Agamemnon

Answer 2

Shows up in Iliad. Achilles is mad at him for taking his slave girl. Agamemnon’s own slavegirl was the daughter of the priest of Apollo, so Apollo brings a plague until she’s given back. Achilles criticizes Agamemnon for several reasons, including the fact that Agamenon does not fight on the front lines

Question 3

Agave

Answer 3

Mother of Pentheus, Daughter of Kadmos. Driven mad by Dionysus for not honoring him, kills her own son thinking he’s a lion cub.

Question 4

Alcmene

Answer 4

Human mother of Heracles. Zeus comes to her disguised as her husband Amphitryon and has sex with her multiple times. She gives birth to Heracles, Zeus’ son, and Iphicles, who is Amphitryon’s son.

Question 5

Amazons

Answer 5

Group of fierce warrior women that terrified the Greeks because they defied typical Athenian women’s roles. Source of many inversions. Unstoppable until Heracles annihilates them.

Question 6

Amphitryon

Answer 6

Alcmene’s husband, Iphicles’ father. Zeus disguises himself as Amphitryon in order to sleep with Alcmene.

Question 7

Apollo

Answer 7

God who is somewhat in opposition to both Dionysus and Hermes. God who maintains boundaries while Dionysus and Hermes test them or transgress them. Framed as archetypal Greek god who represents Greek values, but was really one of the newer gods imported from Asia/Asia minor.

Question 8

Apollodorus

Answer 8

Wrote the accounts of Heracles, from his birth, youth, killing of his children, 12 labors, deeds after his 12 labors and death. Apollodorus’ Library is a handbook of Greek myth that was compiled sometime during the first two centuries AD. Valuable source for details of Heracles’ life.

Question 9

Athena

Answer 9

Helps Odysseus. Both intelligent strategists.

Question 10

Bakkhai

Answer 10

Play by Euripides about Dionysus’ revenge on Thebes

Question 11

Cornutus

Answer 11

Tells us about Dionysiac worship, like the use of wine and the thrysos, sacrifice of goats.

Question 12

Diodorus Siculus

Answer 12

Gives us information about the amazons. Tried to write a universal history. Used myth for early history but always tried to rationalize it.

Question 13

Dionysus/Bakkhos

Answer 13

God of wine. Main character in Bakkhai. See powerpoint.

Question 14

Eumaeus

Answer 14

Odysseus’ faithful swineheard. Hosts Odysseus when he’s disguised as a beggar. Assists Odysseus in the slaughter of the suitors.

Question 15

Euripides

Answer 15

Author of the Bakkhai

Question 16

Eurycleia

Answer 16

Nurse to Odysseus and Telemachus. Recognizes Odysseus’ scar on his thigh, but keeps his identity a secret. Praises Odysseus for the death of the suitors but he says it was the gods and their own (the suitors’) sins that killed them.

Question 17

Eurystheus

Answer 17

Imposed 12 labors on Heracles.

Question 18

Hera

Answer 18

Hates Heracles because he is the product of yet another of Zeus’ affairs. Tries to kill Heracles on at least two occasions.

Question 19

Heracles

Answer 19

See powerpoint. Review Apollodorus K1-K21.

Question 20

Hermes

Answer 20

See powerpoint, read Homeric Hymn to Hermes.

Question 21

Homer

Answer 21

Author of Iliad and Odyssey

Question 22

Iliad

Answer 22

Tale of trojian war and Achilles’ rage.

Question 23

Ithaca

Answer 23

Homeland of Odysseus. Where Odysseus is trying to reach for most of the Odyssey. When he arrives home he slaughters all the suitors trying to marry Penelope.

Question 24

Kadmos

Answer 24

Grandfather of Pentheus, mother of Agave. Sees the practical side of worshipping Dionysus: it’s cool to have a god in the family.

Question 25

Laertes

Answer 25

Odysseus’ father

Question 26

Maia

Answer 26

Mother of Hermes

Question 27

Megara

Answer 27

First wife of Heracles. In some accounts, she’s killed by him, sometimes H just his children.

Question 28

Mentor

Answer 28

Close friend of Odysseus who is to look after the household while Odysseus is gone. Athena often appears in his form.

Question 29

Odysseus

Answer 29

See powerpoint. Heroic contrast to Achilles

Question 30

Odyssey

Answer 30

See powerpoint

Question 31

Palaephatus

Answer 31

Says that the Amazons were not women but men who shaved their beards and dressed up like women.

Question 32

Penelope

Answer 32

Wife of Odysseus. Equally matched. She ,too, is tricky and cunning. She, like Odysseus, shows how the Greek concept of the heroic is changing.

Question 33

Pentheus

Answer 33

From the Bakkhai, often in contrast with Dionysus. Opposes worship of Dionysus. Dies. Killed by his own mother who was driven crazy by Dionysus.

Question 34

Priam

Answer 34

King of the Trojans, father of Hector. Goes to Achilles to ask for Hector’s body back.

Question 35

Telemachus

Answer 35

Son of Odysseus. A little too young to fight off the suitors on his own, but helps his father Odysseus when he returns.

Question 36

Thebes

Answer 36

Setting of Bakkhai. Also the place where Semele, mother of Dionysus, is buried.

Question 37

Tiresias

Answer 37

Old blind seer, wants to worship Dionysus, doesn’t have a problem with it. Isn’t driven mad by the gods, just wants to take part in the rites and worship a god as a god should be worshipped.

Question 38

Troy

Answer 38

Setting of the Iliad. Site where Achilles refuses to fight and then, finally, returns to the fight.

Question 39

Zeus

Answer 39

In relation to the Homeric Hymn to Hermes: Just laughs at Hermes’ antics, like stealing the cattle of Apollo. Thinks its funny.
In relation to Bakkhai: Dionysus says that his punishment of Pentheus did not go too far because he’s a god, and besides, Zeus okayed it.
In relation to general myth: Dionysus gestates in Zeus’ thigh after Semele, Dionysus’, mother is killed.