introduction to classics

Introduction to Classics

Mythology

The Greek view of the World• The world was flat and circular• Greece (Hellas) was at the centre – Delphi, or Mt Olympus, was the centre

point• The Mediterranean Sea divided the world into equal parts – east and west• Around the Earth flowed the river Ocean, a steady flow and never stormy• In the North lived the Hyperboreans – living happily ever after behind the

mountains from which came the cold north winds. These people suffered no disease, old age, toil or warfare

• In the South lived the Ethiopians – as happy and virtuous as the Hyperboreans. They were favoured by the gods with visits

• In the West lay the Elysian Plains. Mortals favoured by the gods were taken there to enjoy immortal bliss without tasting death

• In the east were the barbarians. These were in many cases the only real people with whom the Greeks came into contact.

The Greek view of the World

• The Greek gods (Zeus et al) originated from turmoil in ‘heaven’ involving Uranus. Gaia and 2 of their children, Cronos and Rhea who were Titans.

• For those unlucky enough not to go to the Elysian Fields, there was the prospect of the Underworld, the kingdom of Hades. To get into Hades’ kingdom, one had to cross the river Styx, using the services of the boatman Charon and get past the 3-headed guard dog Cerberus

The Greek view of the World• Believed in magic and that they could manipulate the

outside world through rituals and spells• Believed that the world was inhabited by sprits, the

ghosts of the dead• Distinctions between the animal world and the human

world were not necessary. Animals may have human qualities (eg. speech) and a human may be born not of woman, but of something in the natural world (eg. a tree).

• The supernatural world mixed with the human. A human could be born of a god or spirit (eg. Achilles’ mother was a sea-nymph)

Greek gods and goddesses

Aphrodite (Venus)

• Goddess of love, beauty and fertility• Married to Hephaistos, but bore children by several

other gods, including Dionysus and Ares• Often depicted nude, with long flowing hair, rising

from the sea• Birth myth – when the Titan Cronos cut off the penis of

his father Uranus, he cast the immortal member into the sea, where it floated amid white foam. Inside the penis Aphrodite grew and was then washed up at Paphos on Cyprus

• Constant companion was Eros (Cupid) – ‘love or desire’

Aphrodite (Venus)

The birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli, c. 1482.

Aphrodite (Venus)

Venus and Mars, Piero di Sosimo, 1498

Apollo

• Son of Zeus and Titaness Leto, twin brother of the goddess Artemis, the virgin huntress

• God of prophecy, archery and music• Had an interest in healing, and his son Asclepius was

also identified with healing.• His role in prophecy was especially associated with the

oracular shrine to him at Delphi – the Delphic Oracle• Skilled lyre player• Commonly depicted with the lyre in art, beardless and

youthful.

Apollo

Ares (Mars)

• Son of Zeus and Hera• God of war• Had 3 children by Aphrodite• Depicted in mythology as an

instigator of violence, a tempestuous and passionate lover and an unscrupulous friend

Artemis (Diana)

• Daughter of Titaness Leto and Zeus, twin sister of Apollo

• Goddess of the wild• Liked to roam the mountains

with a companion of nymphs• A virgin goddess who resented

any kind of intrusion into her domain or any harm done to her favourite animals

Artemis (Diana)

Diana and Actaeon by Titian, 1556-59

Athena (Minerva)

• Daughter of Zeus and Titaness Metis• Goddess of war and crafts• A fierce virgin like Artemis• Was a city goddess (at Athens)• Athena’s symbols were the wise owl, which

featured on Athenian coins, and the olive tree which she gave to Athens

• Sometimes depicted with a snake

Athena (Minerva)• In classical times she was the protector of all

cities (although she had her favourites) and of the crafts and arts that city life makes possible, never more so than in Athens. In this sense she was the goddess of wisdom – the know-how needed to run a city properly. She protects especially the women’s craft of weaving, but also the male craft of carpentry

• Always represented in armour, wearing a helmet, often carrying a spear, and usually holding a shield.

Athena (Minerva)

Demeter (Ceres)

• Daughter of Cronos and Rhea

• Goddess of vegetation and fruitfulness, especially associated with corn

• Possessed mysterious powers of growth and even resurrection

Dionysus (Bacchus)• Son of Zeus and Semele (a Theban princess)• A youthful god of vegetation, wine and ecstasy• God of fertility (Demeter’s male equivalent)• Originally associated with Demeter’s role as

mother-earth, his cult developed into one of personal salvation, especially for women worshippers who were known as maenads . These maenads carried the thyrus, a staff wound with ivy leaves crowned with a pine cone.

• The cult of Dionysus was associated with wild, orgiastic rites

Dionysus (Bacchus)

• Thick, luscious ivy was a sign of his presence. He wore a leopard skin and panthers pulled his chariot. The phallus and the horns of a bull were his emblems.

• Male followers of Dionysus were satyrs, half-human creatures with erect phalli, sometimes of enormous size, and the tails and ears of horses; later they acquired goat-like legs

Dionysus (Bacchus)

Hades (Pluto)• Hades = the unseen one• Pluto = the enricher,

because from beneath the earth comes mineral and agricultural wealth

• Greek god of the underworld, the realm of the dead

• Not thought of as an evil force like Satan in Christianity, but seen as grim and implacable

Hephaistos (Vulcan)

• Son of Zeus and Hera• Greek smith god – patron of those who works

with their hands to form metals into useful or beautiful objects

• Was lame as a result of having interfered in a quarrel between his parents – in anger Zeus flung his son from the top of Mt Olympus and let him fall heavily on the volcanic island of Lemnos in the northern part of the Aegean Sea

Hephaistos (Vulcan)

• Another story tells how Hera tried to drown her imperfect son, only to be thwarted by sea-nymphs who took him to a beach. The smith god then took revenge on his mother by making her a golden throne which was actually a trap. None of the gods could release Hera, so Hephaistos was invited to return permanently to Mt Olympus. There, under the influence of drink, he was persuaded by Dionysus to unlock the device and let his mother escape.

Hephaistos (Vulcan)

The return of Hephaistos to Olympus

Hephaistos (Vulcan)

The Forge of Vulcan by Diego Velaquez, 1630

Hera (Juno)

• Daughter of Cronos and Rhea• Wife of Zeus• Her status as Zeus’ wife is often

symbolised by a crown and veil• Chiefly a goddess of marriage

and of women’s sexuality and fertility

• Vindictively persecutes Zeus’ many mistresses and illegitimate children, especially the hero Heracles

Hermes (Mercury)• Messenger god• Son of Zeus and Maia• It was believed that he guided the dead into the realm of

Hades, the underworld• Hermes is usually depicted as a young man with a wide-

brimmed hat and winged sandals, carrying a herald’s staff crowned with 2 snakes. In ancient Greece this staff assured the messenger safe passage even during time of war.

• Protector of travellers - protects thieves (for thieves travel through the night,

taking what they want through intelligence and stealth)- protects merchants, who must travel to bring their goods to market

Hermes (Mercury)

Poseidon (Neptune)• Son of Cronos and Rhea• Greek god of the sea• Particularly associated with horses and bulls• After the overthrow of Cronos, his 3 sons divided the world

between them: Zeus took over the sky, Hades the underworld and Poseidon the sea, while the land was ruled by all three.

• Possibly because his element was the tempestuous sea, Poseidon was thought to be an unruly god. Earthquakes were attributed to his anger

• Commonly pictured riding the sea in a chariot pulled by golden sea horses. He held a mighty trident, a weapon capable of stirring the waters to fury.

Poseidon (Neptune)

Neptune and his horses, by E K Birce, c. 1880

Poseidon (Neptune)

Zeus (Jupiter)• Supreme deity in Greek mythology – the all powerful sky god• Son of the Titans Cronos and Rhea• Had numerous mortal and immortal lovers (115!). Father of many

gods and heroes. • Although he makes every final decision, he can be won over by

flattery, charm, bribery and deception• Identified with the sky in general, but more particularly with the

weather• His natural home is on the top of mountains, where the dark

clouds gather before a storm• Most outstanding attribute is his irresistible strength• The thunderbolt is Zeus’ weapon

Zeus (Jupiter)

• The aegis, “goat skin” was an emblem of Zeus’ power, a magical object that inspired terror in all who beheld it. In art it is shown as a shield with snake-headed tassels.

• As ruler of the world, Zeus presided over law and justice. To ancient Greeks, law and justice referred to what had always been done and was therefore right – in other words, to custom. Zeus upheld the customary ways of Greek society. Those who acted illegally or unjustly – that is, against custom – also acted against Zeus

Zeus (Jupiter)• Above all, Zeus

protected the custom called xenia, roughly translated as “a formal institution of friendship”. Xenia enabled Greeks to travel safely to distant lands where other Greeks lived and bonds of reciprocal hospitality were formed

Zeus (Jupiter)

Greek Heroes

Greek Heroes

• The myths of all cultures contain inspiring individuals who express ideal traits and talents, such as courage, strength and endurance. These heroes have to overcome obstacles and win through despite all odds. They are not immortal, but are often helped, and sometimes hindered by the gods.

Heracles (Hercules)

• The greatest of all Greek heroes• Son of Zeus and Alcmene• Zeus fathered Heracles so he could help him in the

battle between the gods and Giants.• Zeus intended Heracles to be ruler of Mycenae or

Tiryns, but Hera prevented this and he became the slave of Eurystheus, King of Tiryns. Hera struck Heracles with a fit of madness, in the course of which he killed his wife and their 3 sons. To atone for this terrible deed he had to become Eurystheus’ slave and undertook his famous 12 labours.

Heracles’ Twelve Labours1. The killing of the Nemean lion

- could not be harmed by arrows, had to fight it with his bare hands and wooden club- after overcoming the lion he wore its skin as a trophy

2. The Lernaean Hydra- 9-headed serpent, sacred to Hera- every head he cut off his his sword 2 new ones grew in its place- his nephew helped him – burned the stumps of the necks as soon as Heracles severed each head

3. The Ceryneian Deer- a deer sacred to Artemis, goddess of the wild

4. The Erymanthian Boar- trapped it with a net

Heracles’ Twelve Labours5. The Augean stables

- to be cleanses (several feet in dung)- achieved by diverting a nearby river through the stables

6. The Stymphalian birds- to be removed from the Pelopnnese- were frightened away by the noise of a rattle which the goddess Athena had especially made for Heracles

7. The Cretan Bull- Minos had failed to sacrifice a bull to Poseidon. The bull mated with Minos’ wife, who then gave birth to the minotaur (bull-headed man). - Heracles captured Poseidon’s bull alive and later set it free

Heracles’ Twelve Labours

8. The Horses of Diomedes- man-eating horses, which he subdued after feeding them on their master’s flesh

9. The Girdle of Hippolyta- had to obtain the girdle of the Queen of the fierce Amazons

10. The Cattle of Geryon- had to capture the cattle of Geryon, a western king who had 3 heads, 3 bodies and 6 hands

Heracles’ Twelve Labours11. The apples of the Hesperides

- had to bring back the apples from this magical tree that Zeus had given to Hera as a wedding present. Because the Hesperides like to pilfer from the tree, Hera set a ferocious hundred-headed serpent to guard over it

12. Cerberus- this required a descent into the underworld to bring back the 3-headed guard dog Cerberus

As a result of this labour, Heracles attained immortality for himself. No other hero gained this honour.

1. The killing of the Nemean lion

2. The Lernaean Hydra

3. The Ceryneian Deer

4. The Erymanthian Boar

5. The Augean stables

6. The Stymphalian birds

7. The Cretan Bull

8. The Horses of Diomedes

9. The Girdle of Hippolyta

10. The Cattle of Geryon

11. The apples of the Hesperides

12. Cerberus

Achilles

• The greatest of the Greek warriors• Hero of the Trojan War• Son of King Peleus of Thessaly and the sea-

nymph Thetis.• Zeus and Poseidon wanted a son by Thetis, but

Prometheus, the fire god, had warned them that their offspring would be greater than its father. In order to avoid the emergence of a power superior to themselves, the gods carefully arranged the marriage of Thetis to a mortal.

Achilles

• Thetis tried to make her son immortal by various means. One way was dipping the new-born baby in the Styx, the river that ran through the underworld. Since Thetis had to hold him by the heel, this one spot was left vulnerable and at Troy brought about Achilles death from a poisoned arrow shot from the bow of Paris.

Achilles

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