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Herodotus, Poseidon, Athena, Aphrodite Herodotus

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Herodotus, Poseidon, Athena, Aphrodite Herodotus Lecture 3: Herodotus, Poseidon, Athena, Aphrodite Herodotus -5th century historian Wrote Histories (history of the Persian War) Solon and Croesus Croesus, king of Lydia, invites Solon the Athenian in to his house, shows him the wondrous treasuries, asks who is the most happy: -Tellus the Athenian (city prosperous, saw children and grandchildren, died gloriously in battle) -Cleobis and Biton come second…yoked to mother’s chariot, carry her into town, she prays for the best to happen to them, death *Solon says he cannot say Croesus is happy just because he is rich…happiness can only be measured at the end of one’s life. *Croesus angry and dismisses Solon for these answers Adrastus and Atys Adrastus the Phrygian comes to Lydia to be purified…Croesus purifies him, hears his story, and welcomes him to stay -Croesus had received a dream that indicated his son Atys would be killed by the point of an iron weapon -A beastly boar comes onto the scene, and at first Croesus doesn’t want Atys to go, but he convinces him -Adrastus, accompanying Atys as a guardian, accidentally kills him (Kills himself) *you can’t avoid your fate! Croesus and Cyrus Croesus goes to the oracle at Delphi: If you go to war against the Persians, you will destroy a mighty empire (HIS OWN!) Croesus attacks the Persians Croesus’ mute son saves him by speaking Croesus is taken by Persians, put on pyre (Cyrus either wants to make offering or test Croesus’ faith), and calls out “Solon” three times Cyrus intrigued, Croesus explains, Croesus becomes Cyrus’ counselor Poseidon God of the Sea (not the only water divinity…Oceanus, Oceanids, Pontus) similar in appearance to Zeus (majestic, bearded) but more severe and rough carries a trident also a god of earthquakes (he is a turbulent divinity) can destroy with a strike from the trident might have origins in a sky god Nereus (son of Pontus and Ge) m. Doris (an Oceanid) = Nereids (Thetis, Galatea, Amphitrite Peleus and Thetis Prophecy: Thetis was destined to bear a son that would be greater than his father. -Zeus learns this and avoids her -Thetis could shape shift; Peleus fell in love with her, was watching her sleeping, and pounced on her…she finally had to shapeshift back Thetis + Peleus = Achilles (the great hero of the Iliad) Galatea and Polyphemus Monster + delicate nymph Polyphemus the Cyclops loved Galatea; she did not return his affection, but loved Acis -Polyphemus sings to her as she lies in Acis’ arms -he through the tip of a mountain at Acis, it buried him, and he turned into a river god (waves come out) Poseidon and Amphitrite Amphitrite is Poseidon’s wife, but a reluctant bride -she is very jealous like Hera (and Poseidon has a weakness for women) Amphitrite + Poseidon = Triton (a merman)…can shapeshift, depicted as trumpeter of the sea (with conch shell) Proteus A sea divinity Either attendant or son of Poseidon Confusion among sea divinities Scylla and Charybdis Scylla was pursued by Zeus and her bathing waters were poisoned by Amphitrite in jealousy OR the mortal Glaucus was rejected by Scylla, he prayed to Circe, she fell in love and poisoned Scylla’s waters = transformed into a monster with a ring of dog’s heads Charybdis: daughter of Poseidon and Ge *Scylla and Charybdis become terrors of mariners Pontus + Ge = Some of their descendants are : -the Nereids -the Harpies -Graeae (the old ones…one eye and one tooth), personifications of old age -Gorgons -Medusa most important (mortal, Poseidon’s lover) -Perseus beheads her (birth of Pegasus and Chrysaor) -Ladon (the dragon), helped the Hesperides guard the golden apples (one of Herakles’ 12 labors) Athena -Born out of Zeus’ head (Zeus swallows Metis, afraid she would have a son that would overthrow him) -therefore the goddess of wisdom -born from Zeus = masculine traits emphasized in Athena -in some versions Hephaestus helped by splitting Zeus’ head with axe -goddess of crafts, weaving, warfare, wisdom, counsel -weaving = resourcefulness, as well as the arete of a woman -usually depicted in art with war attributes The Parthenon Athena = patroness of Athens Contest between Athena and Poseidon (he creates a spring, she creates an olive tree), she is chosen Parthenon built 447-438 (432) BC = triumph of the Athenians over the Persians (they had sacked the Acropolis in 480)…rebuilding was necessary: Perserschutt East pediment: the birth of Athena West Pediment: victory of Athena over Poseidon for control of Athens *neither of these groups exist monumental chryselephantine statue of Athena Parthenos by Pheidias (with aegis…Medusa on it, shield, and Nike in palm) Athena and Arachne Arachne believed she was the greatest weaver in the world -forgets to mention that she was schooled by Athena -challenges Athena to weaving contest -Athena comes disguised to dissuade her (hubris!) -they create equally amazing tapestries -Athena’s tapestry glorified the god’s, Arachne’s pointed out the horrible deeds done by gods -in anger, Athena rips up the tapestry and starts wailing on Arachne (she hangs herself) -at the last minute, Athena pities and turns her into a spider Aphrodite The goddess of Love! -2 births = duality in character Aphrodite Urania: older, cosmic, stronger, spiritual Aphrodite Pandemos (“all-men”)base, devoted to sexuality (I don’t agree!) Goddess of beauty, love and marriage Very enticing, has magical girdle (Hera borrows it in Iliad) Older cult images- emphasize the sexuality (breasts and hips) Her attendants The Graces (3) are personifications of aspects of loveliness The Horae (hours=time=seasons) are sometimes indistinguishable with Graces, but are personifications of seasons (daughters of Zeus and Themis) Priapus Physical aspects of Aphrodite’s nature Son of Aphrodite and (Hermes, Dionysus, Pan, Adonis, Zeus?) Fertility god Deformed, huge phallus Found in gardens, at doorways Bringer of luch, guardian against thieves Pygmalion Lives in Cyprus Enraged with Cypriot women (all prostitutes and disgusting) Creates a woman of ivory, falls in love, and prays to Aphrodite She becomes human (read p. 176) Aphrodite and Adonis Even Aphrodite falls in love! Adonis (son of Cinyras and Myrrha) = myrrh tree She loves him and warns him not to attack beasts He is gored and Aphrodite comes to his aid, only to see him die Anenome comes up (beautiful, red like blood, and very fragile=short life) Aphrodite and Anchises Aphrodite falls in love with Anchises (Zeus’ doing) She is embarrassed (even she knows how strong and potent the force is) Read p. 182-183 She reveals herself in full to him (he is afraid he will die or waste away) Eros Male counterpart to Aphrodite Dual birth (cosmic force or son of Aphrodite) Portrayed as a young man, idealized masculine beauty God of love, homosexuality Plato’s Symposium Symposium on Eros Aristophanes’ story about creation of humans (circular people…too much power), divided in half (seek out other half) Socrates’ love (Diotima teaches him stairs leading to realm of ideas) Alcibiades comes into the symposium drunk Cupid and Psyche People think Psyche is reincarnated Venus (this outrages her, she demands that Cupid make her fall in love with most base of men) -instead, he falls in love -Psyche left on mountaintop to be wed by serpent (demanded to father by Apollo) -rescued by Cupid, taken to Palace, given everything she desired, and at night was visited by mysterious bridegroom -her sisters visit her three times and try to get her to say who the husband is, tell her that it really is the serpent (she plans to kill him) -looks upon him with lamp, overcome with desire, lamp burns Cupid, he flees -Psyche wants to win Cupid back. Aphrodite gives her a set of impossible tasks -Cupid and Psyche are finally reunited .
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