 | questions from the lecture that introduced you to myth
 | Carl Jung, archetypes, universal subconscious |
| anthropomorphism and what it says about the Greek view of men and gods |
| Scepticism: Xenophanes, Plato, Hellenistic Philosophers
(allegorical interpretation), Lucretius, Euhemerus |
| Paul's and Barnabas' encounter with a credulous crowd in Asia Minor |
| Time line (from the book): In what period do most myths take
place? Who came first, Greeks or Romans? When was Jesus born in
relation to the Trojan War? |
| the roots -machy and -gony |
| the precise definition of "mythology" |
|
| Hesiod's Theogony
| Muses' role as intermediaries of the truth (and the function of poetry
in that regard) |
| rulers of the three generations of the gods |
| the "division into opposites" point that I made |
| why Zeus was able to gain power and keep it, while others couldn't; who
helped him forge his weapons? |
| how man became alienated from the gods and how he hopes to be reconciled |
| Ovid's "chaos" vs. Hesiod's "chaos" |
| the flood story and the hope for redemption |
| the fate of Lycaon |
| the four ages of man, particularly the kinds of things that marked
mankind's degeneration |
| the composite picture of the human race after Deucalion and Pyrrha |
| the meaning of the name Pandora and her connection to magic; what is her
"box"? |
|
| Zeus
| Zeus' time in Crete: what location relating to Zeus did the
Cretans show to visitors? (from the lecture and the book's Hymn to
Zeus) |
| How does Cleanthes portray Zeus in his Hymn to Zeus? as
king of the gods, as the only god, or as not a god at all? |
| What do the early unions of Zeus show? |
| know the epithets of Zeus. |
| the Indo-European root of Zeus means what? |
| what was the fate of the stone that Rhea had Cronos swallow? |
| how is Zeus worshiped at Dodona? |
| describe the three Fates and what they do |
| What was wrong with the children of Zeus and Hera? What child did
Zeus produce on his own? |
| How was Zeus worshiped at Olympia? |
| What do the two jars by Zeus' throne represent? |
| What principle do the three Graces represent? Mnemosyne?
Themis? |
| How did Zeus introduce the divine, heroic seed among humans? |
|
| Hephaestus, Poseidon, Hermes
| How did Hera become pregnant with Hephaestus? What is the
difference between "clear" eggs and "Zephyrian" eggs? |
| How did Hera treat Hephaestus? How did Hephaestus get back at her? |
| What did Hermes steal while still a baby? Why did Zeus and Apollo
finally let him off? |
| What is "kakometis"? "psychopompos"? |
| What responsibilities does Hermes have? |
| What special event happened with Tiresias? |
| What are the epithets of Poseidon and what do they say about his
character? |
| What is the Erechtheum? The contest of Athena and Poseidon? |
|
| Artemis
| know the following terms:
 | eschatiai |
| rites of passage, liminal |
| Brauron and the arkteia |
| Hippolytus |
| Actaeon |
| Iphigenia at Aulis |
| Potnia Theron |
|
| What is Artemis' connection with the moon? |
|
| Athena
| From where does Athena get the epithet "Pallas"? |
| What is the Panathenaea? |
| Who is Erichthonius and where did he come from? |
| Why was Athena angry at Arachne? |
| What did Athena invent to counter the wildness of Poseidon? |
|
Sample question about Mycenae:
Which of the following adjectives best describes the walls of Mycenae?
a) smoothed over with stucco
b) made with stones so big only the Cyclopes could have moved them
c) a hollow facade with inner chambers for burial
d) Mycenae had no walls!
e) surrounded by a deep moat of water.
