Greek Mythology

Front 1

Apotheosis

Back 1

Elevation of something to divine status,

Herackles becomes a god after his mortal death

Front 2

Herakles

Back 2

"Glory of Hera", Twelve Labors

Front 3

Alcmene

Back 3

Mother of Herakles, Zeus disguised himself as her husband

Front 4

Amphityron

Back 4

Husband of Alcmene, Surrogate father to Herakles

Front 5

Iphicles

Back 5

Half-Brother of Herkales, son of Amphityron, carried to term at same time

Front 6

Eileithyia

Back 6

Goddess of childbirth, sent to slow birth of Herakles (and Apollo and Artemis), and speed up birth of Eurytheus

Front 7

Eurytheus

Back 7

Prince of Tiryns, descendant of Zeus through Perseus, had birth sped up to complete prophecy that child of his seed will rule over all others, keeps track of Herakles' tasks

Front 8

Snakes

Back 8

Used to kill sons of Alcmene, Herakles kills them

Front 9

Thespius

Back 9

Neighboring king near Herakles, tricks Herakles into having sex with all 50 of his daughters

Front 10

Lion of Cithaeron

Back 10

Plagues King Thespius, eats his cattle, Herakles kills it

Front 11

Linus

Back 11

Music tutor of Herakles, Herakles kills him when Linus hits him over the head for missing a note

Front 12

Megara

Back 12

Wife of Herakles, Daughter of King Creon of Thebes, killed by Herakles along with their

children when he is sent into a madness

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Iolaus

Back 13

Nephew of Herakles. Helps Herakles defeat the Hydra of Lerna

Front 14

Nemean Lion

Back 14

1st labor: Child of Typheus, near city of Corinth, impervious to weapons, overwhelmed by brute strength of Herakles

Front 15

Hydra of Lerna

Back 15

2nd Labor (Doesn't count): Accompanied by
Iolaus. 9 heads, cut one off two grow back, one impervious to injury. Herakles cuts them off,
Iolaus cauterizes the wound. Cut off impervious head, bury it in sand. Arrows dipped in poisonous blood

Front 16

Hind of Arcadia

Back 16

3rd Labor: Needs to catch very fast deer. Chases for a year, catches it

Front 17

Erymanthian Boar

Back 17

4th Labor: Comes across centaurs while on way to accomplish task (bad news, discussed on other card). Subdues and captures boar. In some versions Herakles travels with Argonauts briefly around this time

Front 18

Augean Stable

Back 18

5th Labor (Doesn't count): King of Elis had stable with massive cattle. Full of manure, Herakles diverts two rivers to clean stables. Does labor for wage, Eurystheus doesn't count it

Front 19

Stymphalian Birds

Back 19

6th Labor: Monsters in some version, nuisances in others. Can't get close to the birds, makes rattle that makes birds fly, shoots them until they leave

Front 20

Creton Bull

Back 20

7th Labor: Poseidon had sent bull from sea to Minos who was supposed to sacrifice it, does not and his wife has sex with it. Herakles captures it and brings it back to mainland Greece

Front 21

Mares of Diomedes of Thrace

Back 21

8th Labor: Human flesh eating horses, Herakles feeds Diomedes to his horses, captures the horses and releases them in a deserted portion of Greece. Meets Admetus during this labor

Front 22

Battle of Hippolyta

Back 22

9th Labor: Herakles needs belt of Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons. Would have been easy exchange but Hera got involved. She convinces amazons that their queen will be killed, battle ensues, Hippolyta is killed

Front 23

Cattle of Geryon

Back 23

10th Labor: Start of Western Labors. Crosses over to Spain with help of Helios, Rock of Gilbrator. Herakles kills Geryon (who has the upper body of three people) and brings his cattle back to Greece.

Front 24

Apples of the Hesperides

Back 24

11th Labor: Herakles must get golden apple from tree that was gift to Hera from mother Earth. Told by Prometheus, who he freed to go to Atlas. Atlas offers to get apple if H takes burden from him temp. Does not want to take back burden after getting apple, Herakles tricks him (pillow trick)

Front 25

Capturing of Cerberus (Harrowing of Hell)

Back 25

12th Labor: Herakles charms Cerberus instead of using force

Front 26

Molorchus

Back 26

Farmer that Herakles comes across during 1st labor. Wants to sacrifice to H as god, H tells him wait 30 days, if he does not return sacrifice to him as god, if he does, sacrifice to Zeus

Front 27

Pholus

Back 27

Centaur that Herakles comes across during 4th Labor. H is given wine by Pholus (against rules. A conflict erupts, H kills some centaurs. Pholus drops one of H's poisoned arrows on his foot, dies. Centaurs now dislike H

Front 28

Admetus

Back 28

King who has lost his wife that Herakles comes across during his 8th labor. Admetus doesnt want to be bad host, pretends nothing is wrong, H finds out, brings his wife (Alcestis) back from underworld

Front 29

Alcestis

Back 29

Wife of Admetus who is brought back from the underworld by Herakles

Front 30

Rock of Gilbrator

Back 30

Pillar of Herakles

Front 31

Antaeus

Back 31

Son of Earth that Herakles wrestles and kills. Must disconnect him from ground to weaken him. Encounters him during 10th labor

Front 32

King Busiris

Back 32

King of Egypt who tries to sacrifice Herakles when he passes through his land on way to 10th labor

Front 33

Deianeira

Back 33

Daughter of king Calydon. Betrothed to river god Achelous. Herakles defeats Achelous in a wrestling match and marries her.

Front 34

Nessus

Back 34

Centaur who ferries Deianeira across river and assaults her, Herakles shoots him with a poision arrow. In dying moments he tricks Deianeira by telling his blood will act as a love potion on Herakles

Front 35

Iole

Back 35

Woman who Herakles wants to get with, asks Deianeira (his wife) for help and she unwittingly posions him with what she thought was a love potion

Front 36

Hyllus

Back 36

son of herakles

Front 37

Philocletus

Back 37

lights funeral pyre of Herakles, gets his bow

Front 38

Cadmus

Back 38

brother of Europa, founder of Thebes, creator of spartoi. Husband of Harmonia

Front 39

Spartoi

Back 39

"sown men", soldiers made from the teeth of a dragon that were planted in the ground by Cadmus. The Spartoi fight amoung themselves and the surviving ones make up the Royal Houses of Thebes

Front 40

Polydorus

Back 40

son of Cadmus and Harmonia, great grandfather of Oedipus, king of Thebes

Front 41

Labdracus

Back 41

"Halting one" Grandfather of Oedipus, king of Thebes

Front 42

Laius

Back 42

"Lefty" Father of Oedipus. Husband of Jocasta, King of Thebes. Told not to have children, that son would kill him and marry Jocasta. Messed up big time, got killed by Oedipus

Front 43

Oedipus

Back 43

"swollen foot", Born in Thebes, Raised in Corinth

Front 44

Sphinx

Back 44

Plagues Thebes, Oedipus defeats it by answering riddle, shows Oedipus' intelligence/penchant for solving puzzles

Front 45

Children Of Oedipus

Back 45

Antigone, Ismene, Eteocles, Polynices

Front 46

Creon

Back 46

Becomes King of Thebes after Oedipus sons kill each other, sentences Antigone to death (she kills herself first)

Front 47

Eteocles

Back 47

Son of Oedipus, first to throne of Thebes and does not want to give up power though he was supposed to alternate with his brother Polynices

Front 48

Polynices

Back 48

THE SEVEN: Son of Oedipus, marches on Thebes when his brother will not relinquish power

Front 49

Levi-Strauss (MODERN VIEW)

Back 49

Speech acts and language across time, over and under valuing family relations, Autochthony

Front 50

Autochthony

Back 50

Birth from the earth, from the ground.

Front 51

Hamartia

Back 51

Heroes fatal flaw

Front 52

Katharsis

Back 52

cleansing us of our own anxieties

Front 53

Freud (MODERN)

Back 53

Oedipus Complex

Front 54

E.R. Dodds (MODERN)

Back 54

Oedipus tragically flawed, Fated to do what he does, is a puppet

Front 55

Adrastus

Back 55

King of Argos, Marries his daughters off to Tydeus and Polyneices because the fulfilled a prophecy when he finds them fighting on his palace steps with a lion shield and a boar shield. Helps Polyneices first, forms an army of seven champions

Front 56

Tydeus

Back 56

THE SEVEN: Son-in-law to Adrastus, brother-in-law to Polyneices. From Calydon, exiled for family murder. Would have been made immortal after being mortally wounded but he shocked Athena by eating the brain of Melanippus

Front 57

Capaneus

Back 57

THE SEVEN: Nephew of Adrastus, impiety, arrogance. Struck by thunderbolt from Zeus while scaling wall of THebes on later because he criticized the gods

Front 58

Eteocles

Back 58

THE SEVEN: Capaneus' brother in law, Charioteer

Front 59

Amphiaraus

Back 59

THE SEVEN: Prophet, brother in law to Adrastus, married to Eriphyle, Tripod shield (Apollo). One honorable member of the seven. Knows the campaign will fail. Swallowed by earth in battle before he can be stabbed

Front 60

Hippomedon

Back 60

THE SEVEN: Brother of Adrastus, Typhon shield

Front 61

Parthenopaeus

Back 61

THE SEVEN: Another hero from Calydon, beautiful, has sphinx shield

Front 62

Eriphyle

Back 62

Wife of Amphiaraus, sister of Adrastus, the two men have to obey her judgement. Bribed with necklace of harmonia to convince her husband he should go to Thebes

Front 63

Melanippus

Back 63

poor guy that got his brain eaten by Tydeus

Front 64

Jason

Back 64

Son of Aeson, family from Ioleus, but in exile because his uncle Pelias claimed power and exiled them. Raised in exile by Cheiron (Centaur). Goes on quest for golden fleece

Front 65

Pelias

Back 65

Uncle of Jason that rules without right. Told a man from his family wearing one sandle would cause his death. Jason ends up being that man, so Pelias sends him on "impossible" quest for the golden fleece

Front 66

Golden Fleece

Back 66

From Ram that took Phrixus and Helle away when their stepmother (Ino) is about to sacrifice them. Helle fell into the sea. Ram continued on to Aea, home to Aeetas, father of Medea. The fleece was nailed to a tree and guarded by a sleeping dragon. Myth may have to do with amber myth

Front 67

Argo

Back 67

First ship? Built by Argus, talking plank from Athena.

Front 68

Argonauts

Back 68

Jason, Herakles, Orpheus, Castor and Polydeuces, Zete's and Calai's, Telamon and Peleus, Idmon (prophet), and Tiphys. Herakles selected as leader but defers to Jason. Formed to secure the golden fleece

Front 69

Lemnian Women

Back 69

Cursed by aphrodite-didnt honor love-made to smell bad-men get other women-women go insane-kill husbands. Jason and the Argonauts stay with women and have sex with them, new gen makes stench disappear

Front 70

Hylas

Back 70

Beautiful member of the Argonauts rumored to have had a relationship with Herakles. Drowned by nymphs, Herakles searches for him (left behind by argonauts)

Front 71

Phineus

Back 71

Prophet punished by Zeus with blindness for revealing the future. Tortured by having a tantalizing feast continuously ruined by harpies. Rescued by the Argonauts. Tells them to rely on Aphrodite for future difficulties

Front 72

Clashing Rocks

Back 72

Argonauts travel through these with some advice from Phineas. First a dove is sent through then the Argo goes through with some help from Athena.

Front 73

Medea

Back 73

crazy bitch, daughter of Aeetus, sorceress, helps Jason and the argonauts, kills her brother Apsyrtus, helps kill Talos, helps trick Pelias' daughters into killing him

Front 74

Tasks for Golden Fleece

Back 74

Yoke fire breathing cattle while sowing cadmus' dragon teeth and fight the warriors that spring up. accomplished with help from Medea

Front 75

Talos

Back 75

Giant robot that is charmed by Medea and mortally wounded in its vulnerable area (foot)

Front 76

Trick of Ram

Back 76

Medea convinces daughter of Pelias that they can turn their father young. Does this by cutting up old Ram and throwing it into a pot, a young ram jumps out. The girls do this to their father, he dies obviously

Front 77

Trojan War in Literature

Back 77

1) The Cypria (love stories that lead to war)

2) Iliad

3) The Little Iliad

4) Sack of Troy

5) Returns of Heroes

6) Odyssey

Front 78

Thetis

Back 78

Fated to have son more powerful than father, Zeus wants her to marry mortal. Peleus wrestles with her and wins, they marry. Son-Achilles

Front 79

Apple of Discord

Back 79

Had an inscription that read "for the fairest one" . Thrown among the goddesses at the wedding of Thetis and Peleus by Eris (goddess of strife) who was angered by not being invite. Hera, Aphrodite, and Athena fought over it.

Front 80

Judgement of Paris

Back 80

Paris judged that Aphrodite was fairest among Hera and Athena during the apple of discord incident. Paris is promised by Aphrodite that he will get Helen, the most beautiful woman

Front 81

Oath of Tyndareus

Back 81

Suitors of Helen made to swear an oath that they will abide by Tyndareus' decision on who his daughter will marry and if Helen is taken they will all band together to get her

Front 82

Menelaus

Back 82

Husband of Helen, won her hand by bringing the most gifts

Front 83

Odysseus and Helen

Back 83

One of her suitors, feigns madness when he is called on to help rescue her. Proven to be sane by Palamedes who puts Odysseus' son Telemachus in front of his plow

Front 84

Achilles and Helen

Back 84

Suitor of Helen, sent to King Lycomedes of Scyros and pretends to be a girl. Odysseus reveals the truth by tempting him with armor

Front 85

Protesilaus

Back 85

First person to disembark ship at Troy, dies at the hand of Hektor. New wife distraught, allowed to visit her as ghost, she kills herself

Front 86

Iphigeneia

Back 86

Daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. Sacrificed for favorable winds becasue Artemis was angered by the killing of animals in her territory

Front 87

Counter Intuitive Iliad

Back 87

Begins in 10th year of Battle, starts with fight between Achilles and Agamemnon not the Greeks and Trojans. False ends and beginnings

Front 88

Xenia

Back 88

guest friendship

Front 89

Bellerophon

Back 89

Reason why Diomedes and Glaucus can't kill each other, guest friendship with ancestors

Front 90

Andromache

Back 90

Wife of Hektor

Front 91

Aristeia

Back 91

Moment of glory in battle (Patrocles)