Download AS / A2 CLASSICAL CIVILISATION: USEFUL TERMS

AS / A2 CLASSICAL CIVILISATION: USEFUL TERMS
EPIC / TRAGEDY
agon
allegory
allusion
anagnorisis
anthropomorphic
antilabe
antistrophe
antithesis
apostrophe
apotheosis
arete
aristeia
atimia
bathos
catharsis
choregos
denouement
deus ex machina
dike
dramatic irony
ecphrasis
ekkyklema
epic
epiphany
epithet
epode
exodos
formula
genre
hamartia
hybris
hyperbole
in medias res
kleos
kommos
mechane
metaphor
misanthropy
misogyny
motif
noblesse oblige
nostos
orchestra
paradox
parodos
pathos
patronymic
peripeteia
personification
physis vs nomos
prologos
contest or trial, used especially of central debate in Greek drama
prolonged metaphor; thinly disguised symbolic description / representation
passing reference - e.g. to a myth
recognition of situation (tragedy)
(gods) presented as having human form / personality
dramatic dialogue in which characters abruptly interject mid-sentence
chorus' second lyric song in a stasimon (see strophe)
direct opposite / contrast of ideas.
direct speech / address (often to dead or absent person)
deification (literal or figurative)
goodness (not especially moral); greatly valued by Iliadic heroes. e.g. arete of knife is to be sharp
heroic exploits - e.g. Odysseus' slaughter of the Suitors
loss of honour / civic rights
fall from the sublime to commonplace; an anticlimax
cleansing of emotions afforded by drama
"chorus leader"; wealthy citizen responsible for chorus recruitment, training, costumes etc
unravelling of plot / final solution
"god from the machinery"; timely event / power to solve difficulty in drama
justice, law
language / scenes which have inner meaning for a privileged audience
"a speaking out"; description of person, experience, object - e.g. Aeneas' shield (alt: ekphrasis)
trolley used in Greek theatre to produce corpses etc
long, grandiose poem about heroic exploits - purportedly based on distant, historical events
appearance / manifestation (usually of a god)
adjective expressing a quality or attribute
afterpiece, marking the end of a stasimon
"a going out"; end of play - often contains choral comment, messenger speech, deus ex machina
repeated word or phrase; useful aide-memoire for oral poet
literary form - eg epic or satire
fault / failing or sin committed by a person (central to Greek Tragedy)
insolent pride / arrogance towards the gods
exaggeration for effect, not to be taken literally
(reader is plunged) into the midst of action, without preamble
glory; greatly valued by Iliadic heroes
lyric exchange of lamentation between chorus & actor
crane used in Greek theatre
description linked imaginatively to an object or action, but not literally - eg a glaring error
hatred of mankind
hatred of women
dominant theme
concept that with high position comes responsibility - e.g. Odysseus & his companions
a homeward return - eg Odysseus / Orestes
circular floor space in theatre where chorus dance & sing
seemingly absurd statement, though perhaps well-founded
chorus' first entrance into drama / entrance "corridors" either side of stage
pity / sorrow
name derived from father's name - e.g. Atreidae ("sons of Atreus": Agamemnon & Menelaus)
sudden reversal of fortune in drama
description of inanimate object or concept in terms of human qualities
natural law as opposed to law of the land
prologue; drama's introduction for setting the scene
AS / A2 CLASSICAL CIVILISATION: USEFUL TERMS
propaganda
protagonist
rhetoric
simile
skene
stasimon
stichomythia
strophe
Telemachy
time
tone
xenia ritual
information spread systematically to promote a cause
principal performer / leading character in drama
persuasive, impressive language
comparison for illustration, introduced by "like" or "as"
stage building in Greek theatre
regular choral song (usually five in a play)
"line speech"; dramatic dialogue involving rapid interchange between characters
chorus' first lyric song in a stasimon (see antistrophe)
term often used for Odyssey books 1-4, which focus on Telemachus
honour / respect (see atimia)
prevailing character / sentiment of passage
guest-friendship code - reciprocal arrangement overseen by Zeus
ART & ARCHITECTURE
abacus
acropolis ( Athens )
acroterion
alabastron
amphora
archaic
architrave
black-figure
capital
catenary
cella
chiton
contrapposto
dinos
Doric order
early classical
entablature
foreshortening
free standing
frieze
geometric style
high classical
hydria
Ionic Order
incision
kantharos
kore
kouros
krater
kylix
lekythos
loutrophoros
maenad
metope
modelling
modelling
motif
motion lines
oinochoe
order
pediment
square bearing-section at top of a capital
large, flat-topped rock given over to the sanctuaries of the gods
decorative ornament over each of three angles of a pediment
narrow-necked perfume holder
large, two handled storage jar
early Greek period: c. 660-480 BC
series of beams supported by columns
vase-painting technique: figures drawn in black silhouette, incision used for details
bearing element at top of a column
U-shaped folds in drapery
main "room" of temple, containing statue of god to whom building was dedicated
woman's linen dress
balanced pose of human figure weight unevenly distributed & axes of shoulders & hips differing
bowl in which wine & water are mixed
design / proportions of columns & superstructures (used for temples in mainland Greece & West)
period from c. 480 - c. 450 BC
entire superstructure (architrave, frieze, cornice) supported by columns
device for suggesting the recession of forms in depth
statues carved fully in the round
series of decorative carvings above columns in a temple
prevailing style in 8th century BC
period from c. 450 - c. 420 BC
jar for carrying water with two handles at the sides & one at the back
design / proportions of columns & superstructures (used for temples in East Greek & Aegean area)
scratched or shallow line in pottery or sculpture
elegant, high-handled cup
archaic, draped female statue
archaic, nude male statue; rigid / relaxed pose (often striding forward) & faint smile (pl: kouroi)
wide-mouthed bowl for mixing wine & water
two-handled, stemmed cup
narrow-necked container for oil
ritual vessel to carry water for bride's bath
ecstatic female follower of the wine-god Dionysus
flat, stone panel alternating with triglyphs in Doric frieze (may be plain, painted or sculptured)
in painting: rendering the illusion of a volume on a surface through shading
in sculpture: representation of a solid form
particular type of subject, distinctive feature, element of design or composition
long, double-curving lines in drapery suggestive of movement
wine jug
type of columns used, together with their entablature
triangular end of a gabled roof, filled with relief / free standing sculpture
AS / A2 CLASSICAL CIVILISATION: USEFUL TERMS
pelike
peplos
peristyle
perspective
phiale
plinth
pyxis
red-figure
relief
skyphos
tensile strength
tondo
transparency
triglyph
white-ground
two-handled, pot-bellied jar
woollen dress made from a rectangular piece of cloth
colonnade surrounding a temple
technique for painting three-dimensional scenes on two-dimensional surface
saucer-like bowl for pouring libations to the gods
bottom of a marble statue
cylindrical box for trinkets / cosmetics
vase painting where figures are left in natural colour of clay with background & details painted black
sculpture remaining attached to background
deep two-handled, mug-like, stemless cup
resistance of material to stress
circular centre on the inside of a cup
technique of carving on nude forms suggesting thin veil of drapery
"triple grooved"; rectangular blocks with vertical grooves, which separate metopes of Doric frieze
covering the surface of a vase with a white slip as a background to paint on