Week 12 (Aristophanes' Clouds & Ancient Greek Athletics) Flashcards
Aristophanes’ Clouds was originally presented in the Great Dionysia theater in 423 BC, but the current version we read is the ________ version from c. 419-416 BC. The play is a ______ of contemporary philosophy (specifically the ________ and Socrates) from an intellectual POV.
revised
satire
sophists
Themes & Literary Devices
1) satire
2) Breaking the fourth wall (conveyed through the ______)
3) Pride
4) Personification (Better Argument vs. Worse Argument, the clouds)
5) Religion vs. Science (how important is education?)
6) slapstick
2) Chorus
Strepsiades, the main character, is in debt due to his son’s (Pheidippides) _____ hobby. Strepsiades views himself as ____ __ _____, and he complains of his “luxurious” wife. Strepsiades plans to enroll his son in the Thinkery, so that he can ______ his creditors. Pheidippides refuses, so Strepsiades goes himself.
horse
down to earth
outwit
Strepsiades is meeted by a pupil his first time at the Thinkery. The pupil is characterized as impatient, arrogant, snobby, and exhibiting ____-like behavior. The pupils conduct ridiculous experiments (does a gnat produce its buzzing sound through its rear, how far does a flea jump?). Despite how outlandish the experiments are presented, Aristophanes still notes the in-depth ___________ conducted, an underlying seriousness in his overall parody of new learning.
cult-like
observation
The pupils are described as POW with their pale skin. They’re not allowed to go _______, and they study geology and astronomy as the same time (with their rear pointed towards the sky). Socrates is characterized as arrogant (descending from a ______), but he still uses rational thought (ex. monist importance of water). He advocates for new gods, called the ______.
outside
basket
Clouds
Socrates _______ the traditional gods as fantasies (ex. Zeus). This seriousness is undercut with a joke that the rain is Zeus’ piss. Aristophanes critiques people like Socrates for preying on the impressionability and “soft headedness” of people like Strepsiades.
rejects
Aristophanes ______ the audience for not liking his play initially. He expresses his counter-cultural views, such as disliking _____ and Athenian ___________.
scolds
Cleon and Athenian imperialism
Strepsiades comes up with schemes after listening to Socrates
1) hire a _____ to hide the moon so the day he pays his creditors never comes
2) use a __________ glass to burn his debts
3) ___ himself
The Clouds convince Strepsiades to enroll Pheidippides into the Thinkery, with the Better and Worse arguments appealing to him.
1) witch
2) magnifying
3) kill
The Better argument is more ___________, with emphasis on modesty, toughness (ex. soldiers at marathon). The worse argument represents new-thinking: how to win the losing argument, how the better argument leads to a deprived life. The worse argument ultimately wins, and teaches Pheidippides.
traditional
Strepsiades attempts to argue his way out with the creditors, but does not work. He beats them up, and they sue. Pheidippides becomes a _____ man, beating up his father, convincing him he deserves his beating, and that his mother deserves it as well. The play ends with Strepsiades burning down the ________, and the Clouds turn out to be the traditional gods.
worse
Thinkery
Ancient Greek Athletics
Stephanitic (Panhellenic) games
1) ______
2) ______
3) Nemea
4) Isthmia
1) Olympia
2) Delphi
Athlon: prize or reward for achieve arete (___________), athletes expect renown and tangible rewards.
Agon: competition, conflict, struggle
Competition divided between men and boys (ageneioi, or youths without a _____ were an intermediate category). Athletic events were held at ancient Greek _________ festivals across the Mediterranean, proliferation of athletic games during Hellenistic period (323-31 BC).
excellence
beard
religious
Nudity was expected from ancient Greek athletes (gymnos = nude), the gymnasium as the place for training. Athletes would rub down their body with _____ ___ (stored in aryballos or alabastron). The strigil was used to ____ off oil, dirt, and sweat, followed by a sponge bath (ex. Apoxyomenos “the _________” of Lysippos, c. 340-330 BC)
olive oil
wipe
“the scrapper”
Equestrian (_____ riding) events were common, musicial events were unique to the Pythian games at Delphi. The Olympic games were established c. ___ BC, Delphi, Nemean, and Isthmian games emerge in the _th cent. BC coinciding with the emergence of the _____.
horse
776 BC, 6th
polis
Footraces
stadion: ___m sprint, was the only event at the Olympics from 776-724 BC. The winner gave his name to each Olympiad (dating of history between each Olympics every 4 years). This was the only footrace ____ were allowed to participate.
200m
boys
Footraces Continued
Diaulos: ___m sprint. Included lanes and turning posts.
Dolichos (4.5-5.6 miles): was the _______ footrace, added in 720 BC.
Hoplitodromos: racing with helmet and shield, added in 520 BC.
By 500 BC, the balbis (the starting and finishing lines made of _____) were added with foot grooves and a starting gate.
400m
longest
stone
Pale (_________) added in 708 BC. Athletes started with foreheads touching, goal was to throw opponent 3x. This event (like other combat events) took place in the ______ (“dug-up” place). There were no ______ classes, a boys division was added in 632 BC.
wrestling
skamma
weight
Pyx (_____) added to Olympics in 688 BC. The himantes (_______) were made of oxhide leather straps. The new himantes in the mid 4th cent. included fleece lining and a knuckle guard. There were no _____ or ____ limits, athletes would go until an agreed upon break, submission, or rarely death.
boxing
gloves
round or time
Pankration (______ + _________) was added in 648 BC. These fights went until submission. Some moves were illegal (ex. biting). A boys division was added much later in 200 BC.
boxing + wrestling
Pentathlon was added to the Olympics in 708 BC, that included multiple events: stadion, diskos, long jump, javelin, wrestling. The long jump included hand _______ (c. 3.5-5.5 lbs) in which athletes jumped into the skamma. The discus weighed c. 4.4 lbs, and the javelin was similar to our modern version, except it was propelled with a strap.
weights
Tetrahippon (____-horse chariot racing) added in 688 BC. C. 15-20 chariots would go 12 laps around the hippodrome (_____) for 9 miles. Professional charioteers were often ________ due to the risk. Victory was awarded to the elite or city-state that owned the winning chariot team, rather than the charioteer. Kyniska of Sparta was the first ______ victor of the race in 396 BC.
four
track
enslaved
female
Single horse racing was added in 648 BC, with small boys as the _______. Reins and bridle included, but saddles and stirrups had yet to be invented.
Two-horse chariot racing added in 408 BC.
Limited edition horse events: mule cart racing (500-444 BC), and kalpe (496-444 BC) in which the rider raced alongside his horse by ____ during the final lap.
jockeys
foot
Women & Athletics
- were ___ allowed to spectate or participate in men’s athletic competitions; however, elite women could _______/field chariot teams.
- women did participate in the Pythian games (_____ competitions)
- women did have their separate events
not
music
Women & Athletics Continued
- limited evidence for women’s participation in athletic events
- The Heraia (festival) at _______ with shorter stadion (200 m) for divisions of young women
-gymnasium and ceramic vessel fragments showcase women racing at women-only Sanctuary of _______ in Attica.
- competition tied to gender norms (transition from a young women into a matron)
Olympia
Artemis
Athletes & Heroes
- Athletes gained crowns (_________ gain) + great renown for themselves and their city-state
- stereotyped as blockheads
- tied to hero-_______, with emphasis on the divine
- Theagenes: boxer who was commemorated by a bronze ______ in his hometown of Thasos that supposedly had mystical powers.
Kleomedes: boxer known for accidentally _______ his opponent, and killing the children inside a school building. After his disappearance, the Oracle of Delphia declared him the “last of the heroes”
Milo of Croton (in Italty): famous wrestler who did ___ become a hero, meeting a foolish end being eaten by wolves while trapped in a tree.
monetary
hero-worship
statue
killed
not
As far as written and material evidence (particularly black and red-figure vase painting) suggest, in what athletic event(s) did ancient Greek women participate in those few contexts in which they were allowed? (Hint: 2 answers)
chariot racing
footraces
