Greek Mythology

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Demigod

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Half god half man. Achilles and Hercules are both demigods.

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Age of Heroes

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The age of the Demigods between the coming of the Greeks from Thessaly through their return from Troy. Spanned about 6 generations.

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Leto

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From The Hymn to Apollo. A nymph who with Zeus birthed Apollo and Artemis. while pregnant, no one wanted her to give birth on their land, but she finally found a floating island.

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Danaans, Argives, Acheans

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Names that Homer uses for the Greeks. Interestingly, he does not use the term "Hellenes" which is how the Greeks usually refer to themselves

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Mount Helicon

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There are two springs here created by Pegasus that are sacred to the Muses. This is where Hesiod was taught how to sing by them.

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Perses

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Hesiod's brother and father of Hecate.

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Dolphins

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There is connection between dolphins and poets. It was said that Hesiod turned into a Dolphin upon his death

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Demeter

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From Hymn to Demeter. Persephone's mother who is angered at Zeus and casts herself to Earth to Wander after Hades takes Persephone. She is the God worshiped in the Eleusinian Mysteries.

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Persephone

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Daughter of Demeter and Zeus who is taken by Hades in the Hymn to Demeter. Also called "Kore." she has to spend 1/3 of the year in the underworld and the rest on earth.

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Eleusinian Mysteries

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The etiological Hymn to Demeter gives the basis to these. It is a 9 day festival. It Begins in Athens and walks to Eluses which is meant to Replicate the Trip of Demeter.

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Mystai

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Initiates to the Eleusinian Mysteries. They must complete a series of tasks in order to be accepted into the cult

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Epopai

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The initiated members of the Eleusinian mysteries

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Maenad

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The followers of Dionysus who were known to dance a lot.

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Argeiphontes

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Also know as Hermes. son of Zeus. The One who Killed Argos. Invented the Lyre and messenger of the gods

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Aetiological

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A type of story that tells the origin of something. The Hymn to Demeter tells the story of how the Eleusinian mysteries began. Hymn to Hermes tells how the Lyre began, etc.

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Hades

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God of the Underworld. Is referenced in many of the stories, but is most prevalent in "The Hymn to Demeter" where her takes Persephone to be his wife as well as "The Frogs"

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Helios

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God of the Sun. He sees everything. Is referenced in many stories, but is prevalent in the Odyssey and "The Hymn to Demeter" The only one who saw Hades take Persephone.

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Kelios

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Son of Eleusinos. Has Demeter watch over their child. after his wife, Metanoira, angers Demeter, she forces his people to build a temple to worship her.

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Metanoira

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Kelios' wife. Finds Demeter trying to turn her son into a god by sticking him in fire and is enraged. this in turn angers Demeter and she is forced to help build a temple in honor of Demeter.

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Iambe

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Meter of Abuse poetry. She makes Demeter laugh when she is grieving (possibly lifts her skirt)

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Pythia

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Hymn to Apollo. Oracle located on Delos. priestess at the Temple of Apollo. She has many prophesies inspired by him.

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Delos

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The floating island on which Apollo is born

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Mt Kynthos

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Where Leto gave birth to Apollo

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Python

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A monster that Apollo kills at Delphi. It begins to rot on the spot where Apollo killed him that The Oracles have their Temple

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Parthenogenesis

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When a mother gives birth without conception by a father. It usually results in a monster.

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Artemis

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Goddess of the Hunt. Daughter of Leto and Zeus. Swears to get revenge on Athena for killing Hyppolytus

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Ortygia

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Birthplace of Artemis

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Floating Islands

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Among the Lower ranks of Landmasses. Apollo was born on the floating island of Delos

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Aphitrite

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Wife of Poseidon.

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Maia

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one of the Pleiades and mother of Hermes

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Anchises

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Hymn to Aphrodite. The mortal with whom Aphrodite falls in love.

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Hekate

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Goddess of Magic. One of the three virgin goddesses. Helped Demeter in her search for Persephone

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Agon

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Greek word for competition. Agons have come up various times in our readings, especially in the Iliad and the Odyssey.

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Xenia

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Guest/Host relationship overseen by Zeus. This is very important in ancient greek society. In the Odyssey, Polyphemus defies this by eating Odysseus' men

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Dike

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Daughter of Zeus, greek word for Justice.

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Philoi

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greek word for Friends and Family. this word was especially important in Agamemnon where his wife committed Philiocide by killing her husband and the Medea where she kills her children

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Hubris

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Not knowing your place or where you stand (often with respect to the Gods). Oedipus is a victim to this by sleeping with his mother (taking his father's place)

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Sphragis

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Seal. Signing a poem with your name. Achilles recognizes his Sphragis in the Iliad

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Pandora

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from the Theogony. Brings the “Jar” from Zeus. In the Jar is contained mortality (sickness, plague, etc), only hope (Elpis) is left in the Pithas

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Prometheus

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directly translated into “Forethought” in the theogony, he Steals fire from Zeus

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Epimetheus

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directly translated to “Afterthought.” In the Theogony, he opens the gift from Zeus even though Prometheus warns him not to

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Metis

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First wife of Zeus (Means clever, tricky). was from the Titan generation in the Theogony

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Themes

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Second wife of Zeus (means Law)

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Mnemnosyne

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5th wife of Zeus. She is the mother of the Muses. Name means Memory

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Ganemede

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was abducted by Zeus in the form of an eagle to be his cup bearer

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Tithonus and Dawn

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The god, Dawn, falls in love with a mortal and asks that he live forever, but not for eternal use. He becomes super old, then only a voice

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Dionysus

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Son of Zeus who climbs to Olympus and becomes a God. God of Wine and Madness and poetry

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Aphrodite

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Goddess of Love. Zeus makes her fall in love with a Mortal b/c that’s what she had done the same to many others. Curses Hippolytus because he is chaste.

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The Furies

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Sisters of Aphrodite. Born of the blood of Uranus. They seek justice vengeance on those who committed crimes

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Dolos

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Greek word for trick

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Apate

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greek word for Deception

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Polyphemus

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one eyed son of Poseidon. in the Odyssey, he is blinded by Odysseus because he traps and continues to eat Odysseus' men.

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When were the Iliad, Odyssey, and Hesiod written?

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Iliad - 750
Odyssey - 725
Hesiod - 700

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Kalypso

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The Odyssey. She is a nymph who takes Odysseus and keeps him for herself for many years until Zeus sends Hermes to tell her to let him go.

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Telemachy

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The first 4 books of the Odyssey that revolve around Odysseus' son, Telemachus. They are believed to be written at a different time then the Odysseus and added on.

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Phemius/Demodocus

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two Poets that are mentioned in the Odyssey, unlike the Iliad where no poets are mentioned

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Telemakhos

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son of Odysseus and Penelope. He sets off to find his father. once he returns, Odysseus is back and they both kill the suitors who have been taking advantage of him

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Nestor

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King of Pylos. Telemachus visits him to see if he knows where Odysseus is. He does not have much info

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Penelope

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Wife of Odysseus. she is left in Ithica while Odysseus goes to and returns from war. after Odysseus is believed to be dead, she has may suitors who want to marry her

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Antinoos and Eurymachus

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Head suitors of Penelope. Antinoos is the first one killed when Odysseus seeks revenge

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Orestes

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son of Agamemnon who kills his mother for the murder of his father. In the Odyssey, he praised for being a great son

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Klytemnestra and Agamemnon

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Klymenestra kills Agamemnon on the day he returns from Troy. Orestes kills her in vengeance of his father

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Nausikaa

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daughter of Alcinoos who finds Odysseus washed up on the shore

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Alcinoos

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King of the Phaecians, in whose palace Odysseus tells a large portion of the story.

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Menelaus

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King of Sparta and brother of Agamemnon. Telemachus visits him to see if he knows where his father is. He offers assistance to find him.

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Helen

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Wife of Menelaus. She is abducted by the trojans which sparks the trojan war.

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Proteus

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Sea God who Menelaus gets the info about Odysseus, Ajax, and Agamemnon form

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The Elysian Fields

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hinted at in the Odyssey. it is the opposition to Hades, like heaven in christianity.

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Laistrygones

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The Odyssey. Those who eat people. They attack Odysseus' fleet and eat everyone except those on Odysseus' trip.

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Elpenor

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one of Odysseus' crew members who falls off the roof and brakes his neck. when Odysseus goes to the underworld, he asks Odysseus to go back and have a proper burial

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Eumaeus

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A shephard who along with Philoetius, helps Odysseus take back his throne. He gives Odysseus food and shelter when he is disguised.

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Neguia

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The underworld where Odysseus meets Tiresias

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Helios

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Has cattle that Odysseus' men aren’t supposed to eat, but they are about to starve and eat some anyways

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Arete

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Wife to Alcinous. She tells Odysseus to appeal for assistance.

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Amphinomus

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The only decent suitor to Penelope. Odysseus finds sympathy for him and warns him to leave, but he doesn't, so he is killed

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Tiresias

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a prophet who is in the Underworld. Odysseus goes to find him to ask him how to get back to Ithica

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Melanthius and Melantho

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both abuse Odysseus when he is disguised as a beggar in his own house. Melantho is having an affair with Eurymachus. both are killed when Odysseus gets revenge

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Circe

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the beautiful witch-goddess who turns Odysseus's men into pigs. Odysseus is her lover for a year/

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Kikones

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Odysseus and his men ransack the town then when they are drunk the Kikones come back and kill 6 men from each ship

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Philoitios

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Along with Eumaeus, he helps Odysseus take back his throne

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Satyr Play

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A comic relief (farce) for the Tragedies. All are based upon myths.

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Ananke

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greek for Necessity/compulsion

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Deus ex Machina

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A devine intervention to end a dispute or problem. Euripides uses this very often and is sometimes believed to be the creator of this. In the Medea, Zeus sends a chariot to carry her away back to Athens

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Thespis

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(540 BC) We date drama back to Thespis, although we do not have any of his plays. Possibly created dialogue

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Tragos

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Poetic competition that comes from the greek word goat. possibly because a goat was awarded to the winner

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Aeschylus

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(525-456 BC) great tragedian, adds another actor for dialogue instead of simply using the chorus. Wrote in Trilogies. Like Hesiod is very focused on Dike (justice) and the Legal Processes

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Sophocles

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(495-405) Sophocles adds the 3rd actor. Did not write in Trilogies

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City Dionysia

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Important festival for poetry, had tragedy in the Spring

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Lenaia

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Only Athenians went to this tragedy

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Panathenaea

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Included Homeric bards. Athens response to the Olympics (Every 4 years). First of the 3 large State festivals

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Oresteia

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Trilogy made up of Agamemnon, Choephori (Libation Bearers), and Eumenedes (The Furies). Satyr Play is Proteus

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Pathe Mathos

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experience/learn by suffering. Prevalent in the Oresteia

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Kletic Hymn

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Invokes a God and tries to get them to appear

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Stichomythia

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Conversation that goes back and forth line on line (type of dialogue)

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Ekkyklema

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Moving stage that the bodies are brought out on after the offstage killings

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Hamartia

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Tragic flaw/ Logical Mistake

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Ageus

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king of Athens who swears to give Medea Xenia

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Hesiod

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Author of the Theogony and The Works and the Days