Mythology in AP Poetry Andromeda sorrowing father was close at hand, and her mother too. They were Andromeda was the princess of Ethiopia, daughter of Cepheus and both in deep distress, though the mother had more cause to be so Cassiopeia. Cassiopeia was a boastful woman, and foolishly bragged (Metamorphoses IV 674-692) Perseus said to her parents that he that she was more beautiful than Juno, the queen of the gods, and the would kill the monster if they agree to give him their daughter's hand Nereids. In order to avenge the insult to his nymphs, Neptune sent a in marriage. They of course gave their consent, and Perseus killed the sea monster to ravage the Ethiopian coast. (Some accounts state that monster. (His exact method of doing so varies in different versions of the constellation Cetus represents the sea monster, but a more the myth. Ovid has Perseus stab the monster to death after a drawn- common view of Cetus is that he is a peaceful whale.) out, bloody battle, while other versions have the hero simply hold up the head of Medusa, turning the monster to stone.) Andromeda was The horrified king consulted Ammon, the oracle of Jupiter, who said freed, and the two joyously marry. that Neptune could be appeased only by sacrificing Cassiopeia's *Andromeda is represented in the sky as the figure of a woman with beautiful virgin daughter, Andromeda, to the monster. Andromeda her arms outstretched and chained at the wrists. was duly chained to a rock on the coast, fully exposed to the monster. Fortunately for her, the hero Perseus happened to be flying by on his way back from killing the Gorgon Medusa: When Perseus saw the princess, her arms chained to the hard rock, he would have taken her for a marble statue, had not the light breeze stirred her hair, and warm tears streamed from her eyes. Without realizing it, he fell in love. Amazed at the sight of such rare beauty, he stood still in wonder, and almost forgot to keep his wings moving in the air. As he came to a halt, he called out: "You should not be wearing such chains as these, the proper bonds for you are those which bind the hearts of fond lovers! Tell me your name, I pray, and the name of your country, and why you are in chains." At first she was silent; for, being a girl, she did not dare to speak to a man. She would have concealed her face modestly behind her hands, had they not been bound fast. What she could do, she did, filling her eyes with starting tears. When Perseus persisted, questioning her again and again, she became afraid lest her unwillingness to talk might seem due to guilt; so she told him the name of her country, and her own name, and she also told him how her mother, a beautiful woman, had been too confident in her beauty. Before she had finished, the waters roared and from the ocean wastes there came a menacing monster, its breast covering the waves far and wide. The girl screamed. Her Mythology in AP Poetry Midas the depth of his mistake. Desperate, Midas pleaded to Dionysus for Midas was the king of Pessinus, help. Dionysus instructed Midas to bathe in the headwaters of the capital of Phrygia, a region in Asia Pactolus River, and the wish would be washed away. Midas went to Minor. He was the adopted son of the river, and as soon as he touched the water, the river carried away Gordias and Cybele and was well the golden touch. The gold settled in the sands of the Pactolus River known for his pristine rose garden and and was carried downstream to Lydia, one of the richest kingdoms in love of the pleasures of life. the ancient world and the source of the earliest coinage. The most famous myth about King Midas is when he received the golden This myth is ethiological since it explains why the Pactolus River is touch from Dionysus, god of the life rich with gold and how Lydia came to be one of the richest force. Dionysus was associated with kingdoms. It is also carries a common motif in Greek folklore the intoxication and was followed by a "short-sighted wish". Midas let his greed blind him to the future. group of satyrs -- half human, half Most notably, this myth has aspects characteristic of myths of goat individuals with a lust for wine Dionysus. Child sacrifice is a frequent theme in Dionysian myths. and sexual pleasures. The leader of Frequently, Dionysus would punish mortals indirectly by having them the satyrs, entrusted with Dionysus' kill their own children. King Midas kills his daughter by turning her education, was Silenus. One day, to gold. He pays for his greed. completely in character for a satyr, Silenus became intoxicated and passed After the death of his daughter, Midas hated wealth and splendor and out in Midas' rose garden. The peasants found him and brought him became a worshiper of Pan, god of woodlands. In another myth, Pan before their king. Luckily, Midas recognized Silenus and treated him challenged Apollo, god of the music, to a test of skill at music. well for five days and nights. During this time, Silenus entertained Tmolus, god of the mountain, was the judge at the contest and ruled Midas and his court with fantastic tales. that Apollo was the victor. Midas, being a follower of Pan, questioned the ruling and this offended Apollo. As a punishment for Midas' lack Dionysus came to Midas and was glad to be reunited with Silenus his of musical "taste", Apollo changed Midas' ears into donkey ears. surrogate father. He decided to reward Midas for his hospitality and Ashamed of his disfigurement, he hid his ears under a large hat with granted him one wish. Midas wished that everything he touched be only his barber knowing about the deformity. It was so hard for the turned to gold. Dionysus warned him about the dangers of such a barber to keep the secret that he dug a hole, whispered the secret into wish, but Midas was too distracted with the prospect of being the hole, then covered it with earth. From this spot grew reeds that surrounded by gold to listen. Dionysus gave him the gift. Initially, whispered, "Midas has donkey ears!" every time the wind blew. King Midas was thrilled with his new gift and turned everything he Another version has the queen letting out the secret. In the end, could to gold, including his beloved roses. His attitude changed, Midas ran away from Phrygia never to be heard from again. however, when he was unable to eat or drink since his food and wine Cybele: Also known as Kybele and Magna Mater and the Mother of the were also changed to unappetizing gold. He even accidentally killed Gods, the worship of this goddess spread throughout the Roman Empire. his daughter when he touched her, and this truly made him realize Originally Phrygian, she was a goddess of caverns, of the Earth in its Mythology in AP Poetry primitive state; worshipped on mountain tops. She ruled over wild beasts, in Pieria. Modern words deriving from the god Muses: Museum, and was also a bee goddess. Her festival came first on the Roman calender. Music Along with her consort, the vegetation god Attis, Cybele was worshipped in wild, emotional, bloody, orgiastic, cathartic ceremonies. Cybele was the goddess of nature and fertility. Because Cybele presided over mountains and Muse Domain Emblem fortresses, her crown was in the form of a city wall. The cult of Cybele was directed by eunuch priests called Corybantes, who led the faithful in orgiastic Calliope Epic poetry Writing tablet rites accompanied by wild cries and the frenzied music of flutes, drums, and cymbals. Her annual spring festival celebrated the death and resurrection of Clio History Scrolls her beloved Attis. Her Greek mythology counterpart was Rhea Erato Love poetry Cithara (an Silenus: Originally plural (Sileni), but later mentioned as one Silenus, the teacher and faithful companion of the wine-god Dionysus. A notorious ancient Greek consumer of wine, he is usually totally drunk and is supported by satyrs or musical instrument carried by a donkey. When the Phrygian king Midas took the drunk Silenus in his house, Dionysus handsomely reward Midas for his hospitality. He has in the lyre family) much wisdom and if captured by mortals he can reveal important secrets. Silenus is usually portrayed as a plump jovial old man with a long beard and Euterpe Song and Elegiac Aulos (an ancient stump nose, bald and with a horse's tail. poetry Greek musical instrument like a The Creation of the Muses: The Muses were a group flute) of nine very intelligent, beautiful and careless divinities. Each Muse was responsible for a different literary or Melpomene Tragedy Tragic mask poetic genre. They were created by Zeus, the King of the Polyhymnia Hymns Veil Gods, who secretly lay nine nights with Mnemosyne, the titaness of memory. Terpsichore Dance Lyre The Muses were brought to life to make the world disremember the Thalia Comedy Comic mask evil and relieve the sorrows and to praise the gods, and especially the Urania Astronomy Globe and Olympian Gods' victory over their ancestors, the Titans. Apollo was the main teacher of the Muses. They were usually accompanying him compass and the Graces on their strolls and loved singing and dancing on soft feet on laurel leaves, while Apollo was playing the lyre.