Download Edith Hamilton 1. What is the difference between primitive and

Edith Hamilton
1. What is the difference between primitive and classical mythology?
Classical mythology is from a more civilized time than primitive mythology. Primitive
mythology
deals with the ugliness and terror found everywhere. Greek mythology is more inclined
to
deal with nymph-like creatures in the forests, heroes, explanations of the world, and
other more
pleasant topics.
2. How are the Greek gods different from Egyptian or Mesopotamian gods?
Gods from other cultures are part animal, such as part bird or part lion. Greek gods are
primarily
human in form and feature.
3. What is “the miracle of Greek mythology”?
Because Greek gods appear more human, man can feel more comfortable and at ease
with them,
whereas half-beast/half-human gods of other mythologies instill fear
4. What are the “dark spots” referred to by Edith Hamilton?
When Greek gods behave in a cruel or indecent manner, these traits can be traced to
older times
of beasts, satyrs, or partly human creatures.
5. How does she define mythology?
Mythology is an explanation of something in nature; it is not an account of religion.
However,
there are examples of myths that explain nothing and other examples where religion
seems to
be a part of mythology.
6. What is her explanation for differing views of the same gods?
Mythology changes as people develop and change. There are different versions of a
single story
because these stories come from different times and from different authors. One
example is the
fact that two writers, Homer and Hesiod, both recognize Zeus as the chief of the gods,
but they
view his character in different ways.
1. Identify the best-known writers of Greek and Roman mythology.
A. Ovid – responsible for telling almost all of the mythological stories at great length;
“a
compendium of mythology”
B. Homer – writer of the Iliad and the Odyssey, the oldest of Greek writings
C. Hesiod – a poor farmer whose poetry shows man how to live a good life
D. Pindar – the greatest lyric poet of Greece
E. Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides – the greatest playwrights of Greece
F. Aristophanes – a great writer of Greek comedy
G. Plato – a great Greek philosopher
H. Virgil – Roman author who writes about but does not believe in mythological events
2. What is the best guide to Greek mythology?
“The best guides to a knowledge of Greek mythology are the Greek writers, who
believed in
what they wrote.”
3. Briefly identify the twelve gods of Olympus by both Greek and Roman names.
A. Zeus (Jupiter) – Lord of the Sky; he falls in love many times. His power is greater
than all
the gods combined.
B. Hera (Juno) – wife of Zeus; her job is to protect marriage. She often punishes Zeus
and his
female lovers.
C. Poseidon (Neptune) – God of the Sea; he is second in power to Zeus. He provides
humans
with the use of the horse.
D. Hades (Pluto) – ruler of the underworld; he marries Persephone. The kingdom of
the dead
carries his name, Hades.
E. Athena (Minerva) – the daughter of Zeus; she is Goddess of the City. Her job is to
defend
the city against any enemies.
F. Phoebus Apollo (Apollo) – the god of light and truth. He is supposed to guide man
to know
the truth of the link between the gods and man.
G. Artemis (Diana) – Apollo’s sister; she protects the young. She is also the Goddess of
the Hunt.
H. Aphrodite (Venus) – the Goddess of Beauty and Love; she is usually surrounded by
beautiful
things. She can entice men with her beauty.
I. Hermes (Mercury) – the messenger of Zeus; he is graceful and swift. He appears in
more
myths than any other god.
J. Ares (Mars) – the God of War; he is found in many myths. He is associated with
fighting
and destruction.
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K. Hephaestus (Vulcan) – the God of Fire; he is ugly and crippled. He is the most peaceloving
and kind of the gods.
L. Hestia (Vesta) – the sister of Zeus; she is not found in many myths. She takes care of
the gods’
home.
4. Identify some of the lesser Gods of Olympus.
A. Eros – the God of Love
B. Hebe – the Goddess of Youth
C. Iris – the Goddess of the Rainbow
D. The Graces – the triple incarnation of grace and beauty; the “queens of song”
E. The Muses – the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, Memory
5. Identify some of the Gods of the Waters.
A. Poseidon (Neptune) – ruler of the seas on and below the Earth
B. Ocean – the Lord of the river Ocean which surrounds the Earth
C. Triton – the trumpeter of the sea who uses a large shell as his trumpet
D. Proteus – son of Poseidon who can foretell the future and change his shape
E. Naiads – water nymphs
6. Identify some of the Gods of the Underworld.
A. Charon – the person who ferries the souls of the dead to the shores of Hades
B. Cerberus – the three-headed, dragon-tailed dog that allows spirits to enter Hades
but not
to leave
C. Acheron, Cocytus, Styx – the three rivers of Hades
D. The Furies – punishers of evildoers
E. Sleep and Death – brothers who dwell in the lower world
7. Identify some of the lesser Gods of the Earth.
A. emeter (Ceres) – associated with grain or harvest
B. Dionysus (Bacchus) – associated with wine
C. Pan (Faunus) – associated with the forest; a goat-man
D. Castor and Pollux – popular brother gods who live half of their lives on Earth and
half in
heaven; the protectors of sailors
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E. The Satyrs – goat-men found in the wild places of the earth
F. Nymphs – the lesser gods of nature; nymphs of the sea, of the waters, of the
mountains,
and of the trees
G. Boreas, Notus, Eurus, Zephyr – the four winds; North, South, East, and West winds,
respectively
H. The Centaurs – half man, half horse; savage beast-like creatures
I. The Gorgons – dragonlike creatures that can turn men into stone
J. The Sirens – creatures with enchanting voices that lure sailors to their death
K. Clotho, Lachesis, Atropos – associated with the fates: the spinner, the disposer of
lots, and
the cutter of the thread of life, respectively
8. Who are two well-known lesser Roman gods?
A. Saturn – the Protector of the Sowers and the Seed
B. Janus – the God with two faces in opposite directions; namesake of the