Classical Mythology Test Guide
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Know:
- Definition
of myth
- Kinds
of tales involved in myth (myth proper, legend/saga, folktale/fairy tale)
- Greek
Cosmogony (creation) vs. Ovid’s
- Who
Homer was and when and where (rhapsodos)
Who
Ovid was and when and where- Basic
theories of myth
- Cultural
Themes of myths read
- Main
Titans and Olympian gods (both Greek and Roman names)
- Some
artistic/poetic uses of myths read
Know particular stories and characters from Ovid assignments:
Beginnings: Creation, Four Ages of Man, Lycaon, Flood, Deucalion & Pyrrha, Apollo & Daphne, Jove & Io, Argus, Syrinx, Phaethon (Earth’s role), aftermath of Phaethon’s death, Jove and Callisto (in Arcady), raven and Coronis and crow and Athena; Centaur, Chiron, Ocyrhoe; Mercury and Battus; Mercury, Herse, Aglauros; house of the goddess Envy
Theban Tales: Europa, Cadmus and founding of Thebes in Boeotia; Acteon, Semele and Bacchus, Tiresias, Echo and Narcissus, Nemesis, Pentheus and Bacchus, Bacchus and the sailors, Daughters of Minyas—their tales: Pyramus and Thisbe, Mars and Venus, Sun-god (Helius or Apollo) and Leucothoe and Clytie (in Persia), Salmacis (in Asia)--, Athamas and Ino, Underworld’s sinners/rivers and Tisiphone; end of Cadmus
Know:
· How classical legends transfer to film
· The characteristics of heroic legends and heroes (Perseus, Jason, Theseus, Cephalus, Meleager)
· Marriage patterns – wedding customs
· How myths ratify or authenticate religious and social structures
· How myths reflect family relations – mother/daughter, husband/wife
· Gender roles and relations in classical myth
Know particular stories and characters from Ovid assignments:
Tales from
Andromeda, Pegasus,
Phineus, Cassiopeia
Minerva and the Muses-- 9 Daughters of Pierus challenge the Muses, Song of
Calliope—story of Ceres (Demeter) and daughter
Proserpina (Persephone), abducted by Pluto (Hades), transformations of
Ascalaphus and Sirens, story
of
Arethusa, story of Minerva and Arachne (in Lydia)
Assorted Royal Families-- Story of Niobe and Latona (Leto), birth of Apollo
and Diana, Marsyas, story of Tereus, Procne, and
Philomela, Pandion (Erectheus), King of Athens, whose daughter Orithyia
married Boreas, the north
wind
More stories of the Minyans:--Jason and Medea, Hecate, Aeetes, Phrixus and
Helle, Pelias, Aeson, Phineus, Clashing Rocks,
Argo, Argonauts
Stories from Athens-- Aegeus, Medea, Theseus; Minos (Europa’s son), King of
Crete, at war with Athens; Cephalus of Athens and
Aeacus of
Aegina, story of plague and repopulation of Aegina—origins of Myrmidons
(Ant-people), Cephalus
and
Procris and Aurora (Eos, the Dawn)—story of Laelaps, the hound and the magic
javelin
Stories from Crete--story of Nisus and his daughter Scylla, story of
Daedalus and his son Icarus
Finally on mainland
Consider
the following general topics:
· Ovid’s variations on love and familial relations
· Positive examples of love and faithfulness among the myths
· Hercules’ qualities as the definitive hero
· Overall impressions of Ovid’s work
· Trojan War – how different from modern warfare
· Returns – difficulties for homecoming warriors then and now
· Composition of Odyssey – why Homer begins where he does
-
women – helping, hindering
-
Why has the Odyssey survived?
-
Consider how the film "Black Opheus" developed themes of the myth
Know particular stories from Ovid and class:
Stories told to Theseus: Baucis and Philemon, Achelous’ duel with Hercules over Deianira, Horn of Plenty (Cornucopia), Heracles’ history (12 Labors—Nemean Lion, Lernean Hydra, Cerynean Stag, Erymantian Boar, Augean Stables, Stymphalian Birds, Cretan Bull, Mares of Diomedes, Girdle of Hippolyta, Cattle of Geryon, Apples of Hesperides, Theft of Cerberus—Eurystheus), Heracles’ death, Almena (H’s mother) tells tale of Heracles’ birth (Amphitryon), Iole; Iole tells story of her sister Dryope
Narrator’s tales: Caunus and Byblis, Iphis and Ianthe, Orpheus and Eurydice
Orpheus’ tales: Ganymede, Apollo and Hyacinthus; Venus’
punishment of women of
Narrator: Death of Orpheus
Odyssey, Homer
Trojan War – Back story
History of Troy (Tros, Ilus, Dardanus), Zeus and Leda and children (Helen, Clytemnestra, Castor, Polydeuces, wedding of Thetis and Peleus and their son (Achilles), competition for the Golden Apple tossed by Ate, competition for Helen, abduction of Helen
Trojan War – 10 Years
- Mustering
of Greek forces (reluctant members, sacrifice of Iphigenia at Aulis),
incident on voyage to
- Events
of Last Year: Quarrel among Greek kings, death of Hector, death of
Achilles, quarrel over Achilles’ armor, fetching Achilles’ son
(Neoptolemus), trick of Trojan horse, fall of
Trojan War – Aftermath
· Death of all Trojan men and enslavement of women, esp. royal household; death or exile of Greek kings on their return home.
Odyssey: Books I-IV
- Start
of the story, scenes: Gods,
- Characters:
gods, Penelope, Telemachus,
Odyssey: Books V-VIII
Calypso, Hermes, Zeus, Poseidon, Athene; Alcinoos and his wife, Arete, and daughter, Nausicaa in the mystical city of Phaeacia; Demodocos – Phaeacian singer
Scenes to know: The cave of Calypso; Odysseus on his raft, shipwrecked in Phaeacia; encounter with the young girls and Nausicaa and entry into the city; banquets and athletic competitions – songs of the Trojan War and Odysseus’ response
Helen, by Rossetti 1863
Odyssey, Books 9-16
General
Considerations:
- the personality and character of
Odysseus
- the temptations, dangers, and
attractions of sea travel
- perils of going home
-
examples illustrating the rules of
hospitality
-
conceptions of nobility – in birth, in
spirit
-
values of the Bronze Age confirmed by
the legends
-
relations between gods and men
Folks to know:
Aeolos,
Polyphemus, Circe, Elpenor, Tiresias, Eumaeus, Theoclymenus, Antinoos, Penelope
Scenes/Tales to know:
Odysseus’ telling of his
encounters since Troy: Cicones, Lotus-eaters; Cyclopes – Polyphemus and the
pun, the curse; Aeolos and the winds, Laestrygonians, Circe on the island of
Aiaia and her advice to Odysseus – death of Elpenor; trip to the underworld and
encounters with the dead, Tiresias’ predictions, parade of dead Greek warriors
– Agamemnon, Achilles, Ajax --, sight of great sinners (Tityos, Tantalos,
Sisyphos); back to Circe’s island and her further advice; Sirens, Scylla &
Charybdis, Cattle of the Sun (sailors’ mistake); only Odysseus survives,
drifting to Calypso’s island and Odysseus’ story to Phaecians ends; Phaecians
return Odysseus to Ithaca and suffer Poseidon’s anger; Odysseus encounters
Athene on Ithaca and she advises him; in disguise Odysseus visits his
swineherd, Eumaeus; Athene also advises Telemachus to return to Ithaca; Eumaeus
tells his own story; the reunion of Odysseus and his son; suitors plotting
evil.
Odyssey, Books 17 – 24
General Considerations:
- Proper treatment of strangers (even beggars) in Ithacan households
- Penelope’s character and personality
- Telemachus becoming a man, his transitions
- Re-establishing Odysseus in his household; Odysseus in his community
- Tokens
by which Odysseus is recognized by
Folks/Creatures to
know:
Eurycleia (aged servant of Penelope), Melanthios (goatherd,
ally of suitors),
Tales:
Odysseus, disguised, goes to his house with Eumaeus; they
encounter Melanthios on the way; Odysseus’ old dog,