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Home , Acrisius, Andromeda (mythology), Danaus, Epaphus, Hypermnestra, Memphis (mythology)

Fri Feb 10: Introduction to the Greek Hero and Heroine Ch. 1, pp. 6-12, Ch. 13, pp. 324-338 and his travels Ch.14, pp. 339-360 Places to note: Uruk, Argive plain, River, ,

Characteristics of Greek Hero: most stories have many of these elements mortal remarkable birth innately superior alienated somehow confrontation with monsters confrontation with mortality protected by a divinity in conflict with a divine antagonist fragmentation and re-integration of identity remarkable death seeks everlasting fame -- kleos -- in pan-Hellenic poetry that can appeal to audiences all across the Greek speaking world honored in a cult centered on his grave in one particular place

A Comparative approach: Powell discusses the myth of Gilgamesh and shows that it has elements in common with the Greek hero stories we will study in this half of the term. This is thought to be because Greeks got some of their hero story patterns from Mesopotamian cultures. these common elements include: • Gilgamesh: real kiing of Uruk, around 2600 BCE • the story we have was written on tablets around 612 BCE "the man who saw everything to the ends fo the earth" we'll see this is like Odysseus • part divine, part mortal (like Greek heroes) • has a close friend (Enkidu, who he fought with then became friends with) (like Achilles and Patroclus) • broke a taboo -- cut down the forbidden forest of Humbaba, killed Humbaba, provoked fury of storm god Enlil (like Odysseus vs the cylcops) • mourns for companion Enkidu, who died as punsihment for killing the Bull of Heaven and offending Ishtar (we will see that this is like Achilles mourning for Patroclus) • makes a journey to the underworld (as Greek and Roman heroes do) the divine beer maid Siduri tries to tell him not to, to just enjoy life, but Gilgamesh insists on going. Uses special magical poles to get his boat there (we can compare Aeneas' use of golden bough) "There is no picture of death" (compare to the meaning of the name Hades 'the invisible one)

The myths of Perseus: Water, Water everywhere ...

Legends of Argos -- see family tree on p. 342

1. + -> birth of Io, daughter of River Inachus Zeus pursues her, kept them hidden in a cloud transformed into a cow journey from Argos to Egypt

Epaphus +

2. The Danaids, daughters of , descended from Io and her son Epaphus

Danaid's reject marriage to sons of Aegytus; flee from Egypt to Argos

49 Danaids murder husbands on wedding night, carry water in leaky jars in underworld, (and stand as pillars in the Roman emperor Augustus' portico of the temple of (a celebration of his defeat of queen of Egypt in 31 BCE at the battle of Actium) heads of husbands buried in swamp of

3. Danae as an example of the folktale pattern of "THE GIRL'S TRAGEDY" Danae's grandfather Lynceus is the son of , the one Danaid who did not kill her husband

• prohibition -- Danae's father wants to keep her away from all men because there is a prophecy that her son will kill her father • seclusion - he hides her in a bronze chamber • violation of the prohibition -- Zeus in the form of a shower of gold coins impregnates Danae - > birth of Perseus • threat of punishment or death -- Acrisius seals Danae and Perseus up in a wooden chest and pushes it out to sea • liberation -- the fisherman ('netman') finds the box and releases Danae and Perseus -- > second threat: Dictys' brother tries to sleep with Danae, who resists. Polydectes fakes a plan to marry someone else () and demands a horse as a wedding present from everyone on the island. Perseus has no horse, but promises to get 'anything, even a 's head'. Yes that, says Polydectes, so Perseus has to set off on his QUEST.

4. Perseus' quest

3 Graeae (they share one eye and one tooth). By seizing the eye, Perseus forces them to tell him where the helpful can be found the nymphs give him objects to help get the head of cap of darkness winged sandals satchel (leather pouch)

3 live by Ocean at edge of the world. Using the reflection of his shield to make it so he does not need to look at Medusa, Perseus cuts off her head. horse is born from her body. When Pegasus later on strikes his hoof on Mt Helicon, a spring bursts out of the ground (greek word for spring is pege)

5. , tied to a rock to be killed by a seamonster Perseus defeats the monster, rescues Andromeda, and marries her

Return to Argos, accidentally kills Danae's father with a discus throw at some games.

Scroll down for some practice questions ....

Practice questions: choose the best answer (answer key on next page)

1. The daughters of Danaus were punished in the underworld by a) having to push giant stones up hills b) having to keep filling jars that leaked c) having to spin thread and weave cloth d) having to sing

2. The daughters of Danaus were punished in the underworld because a) they opened boxes that should have been kept closed b) they had sex outside of marriage c) they revealed religious rituals that were supposed to be secret d) they killed the men they were supposed to marry

3. Io was transformed into a cow because a) she loved bulls b) Zeus wished to punish her for marrying a mortal c) Zeus wanted to hide Io from d) she was trampled by a herd of ' cattle

4. The woman whom Zeus visited in the form of a shower of gold was named a) Demeter b) Dione c) Dorcas d) Danae

5. Perseus had an unusual birth and childhood because a) his father shut Perseus and his mother inside a chest and sent it out to sea b) Demeter hid him in a cornfield c) he was hatched from an egg d) an eagle snatched him up and brought him to a mountaintop

6. Which magical object was not one of the things that Perseus carried with him? a) cap of Hades b) winged sandals c) cloak of invisibility d) satchel (=leather pouch)

7. Medusa was distinctive because a) she could turn someone to stone by looking at them b) she had only one eye c) she had eyes in the back of her hed d) her eyes cried rivers of tears

8) Which was not part of the quest of Perseus for the gorgon Medusa's head? a) holding up the sky for Atlas b) having the winged horse Pegasus spring up from Medusa's dead body c) boasting to a man annoying his mother that he (Perseus) could obtaint the gorgon's head d) giving the head of Medusa to

9. Andromeda was tied to a rock because a) Zeus had sex with her b) her father became angry when she ran away to be with Perseus c) an said that only by sacrificing Andromeda to the sea-monster would it be possible to stop the destruction that the gods sent after her mother boasted she was more beautiful thant the Nerieds d) Hera hated her

10) Which of the following is not a typical element of the folk tale pattern of the GIrl's Tragedy a) liberation: the girl is freed b) prohibition: the girl is prevented from marrying c) seclusion: the girl is hidden d) murder: the girl kills a monster scroll down for answer key ....

answer key to Perseus sample questions 1. b 2. d 3. c 4. d 5. a 6. c 7. a 8. a 9. c 10. d