Brief Tales of Lovers—(pp 105+)
Cupid and Psyche:
1.Why was Venus (a goddess), so jealous of Psyche (a mortal) ?
2. What did Venus tell her son Cupid to do to Psyche?
3. How did Psyche feel about going to meet her destined husband?
4. How did the rest of her family feel?
5. Why?
6. Where was Psyche taken when she went to the hilltop?
7. What was surprising about the atmosphere that she was in and the way that she was treated?
8. How did Psyche's sisters react when they went to visit her and saw all of her wealth?
9. What was the plan that Psyche carried out one evening?
10. Why was she shocked at her findings?
11. Who did her husband turn out to be and what did he do/say when he saw her?
12. Psyche searched everywhere for her husband. Where did she finally find him and what was he doing there?
13. What were the four things that Venus made Psyche do out of bitterness and envy?
14. How did Psyche manage to get them done?
15. ♥List any archetypal story patterns, situations and characters at this point:
16.Why did Psyche open the box of beauty and what happened when she did?
17. How and why did Psyche become immortal?
18. Was Venus satisfied with this situation? Why or why not?
19. What does the name Psyche mean?
20. ♥♥List any archetypal story patterns, situations and characters at this point:
Pyramus and Thisbe:
1. Why couldn't Pyramus and Thisbe marry?
2. What separated them?
3. Where did they arrange to meet?
4. Why did Pyramus think Thisbe was dead?
5. What did Pyramus do after he thought Thisbe was dead?
6. What did Thisbe do when she found Pyramus?
7. What happened to the mulberry tree?
Orpheus and Eurydice:
1. What was Orpheus skilled at?
2. After Orpheus and Eurydice were married, what happened to Eurydice?
3. How did this happen?
4. Where did Orpheus decide to go?
5. What did Orpheus ask?
6. What were the conditions of the agreement?
7. What happened when Orpheus broke the condition?
Pygmalion and Galatea:
1. What was Pygmalion skilled at?
2. What did Pygmalion hate?
3. What did he make a statue of?
4. How did he feel about the statue?
5. Why was the statue making him unhappy?
6. What god/goddess helped Pygmalion?
7. What did Pygmalion ask of the god/goddess?
8. Why did Pygmalion think something favorable would happen?
9. What did he findwhen he went home?
10 Who did Pygmalion marry? 11. What was her name?
A her and make a long journey across the sea to consult an oracle. was hysterical with grief and worry. She had grown up in the palace of the King of the Winds and knew very well what often happened to ships at sea. When she was sure that he was firm in his determination to make this trip, she begged to be allowed to go with him, Yet, although Ceyx loved Alcyone as much as she loved him, he would not allow it. So he sailed alone.
Baucis and Philemon ask the gods that when they die, they would like to die together. Many years later, in their old age, they are in the middle of a conversation when they notice leaves springing forth from their bodies. They turn into a conjoined tree—a linden and an oak both growing from one trunk.
The gods do sometimes look over and care for humans, even when they do so against other gods. The gods do play favorites.
Scholars cite this story as an example of female independence and power, for Arethusa effectively escapes from the river god with the help of a goddess. Yet again, however, Arethusa becomes water, just the thing over which Alpheus seems to have control.
Once again, natural imagery defines the tale. By connecting Alpheus to spring water, the story effectively places her in the reader's physical world. Spring water (just like hyacinth flowers or an echo) is invoked to remind readers of the tale and the moral it holds.
The short tale of Endymion suggests that the gods do not necessarily know how to successfully solve their problems. The Moon puts a sleep spell on the object of her desire, but this does not quench her desire for him. Being asleep, he is not much of a companion. Her action just increases her feeling of quiet solitude. Knowing this myth, we might look at the moon as a lonely being in the night sky, when most beings are asleep.
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SUMMER READING OUTLINE
MYTHOLOGY
Edith Hamilton
Directions: Read the selections indicated on your summer reading handout from the book
Mythology and fill in the outline below. You will receive a grade for a complete, succinct
answer. Neatness counts.
1. The Elder Gods
A. Name the two divisions of gods.
B. Name each of the twelve members of Zeus’ family and name their relationships.
C. What is the relationship between Zeus and Hera?
D. Give the title and area of power of each of the following along with their Roman
names:
a. Poseidon
b. Hades
c. Pallas Athena
d. Hermes
E. The Lesser Gods of Olympus Name their titles.
1. Eros –
2. Hebe –
3. Iris –
F. The Graces – Give their names and their responsibilities.
a.
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b.
c.
G. The Gods of the Waters.
Name the main water god.
H. The Underworld
1. Name the five rivers in the underworld..
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
I. The Lesser Gods of Earth
1. Name the supreme deities of the earth.
a.
b.
2. Name the son of Hermes.
3. Name for the goat-men.
4. Name the King of the Winds.
5. Name for half man, half horse.
6. Name for those with “enchanting voices”
II. The Two Great Gods of Earth
A. Name the two gods and each one’s area of authority
1.
2.
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B. Name the only daughter of the first god from letter A, who was kidnapped by Hades.
C. The second god was known as god of the ______.
III. How the World and Mankind Were Created
A. Who stole fire for man?
B. Why did Zeus create women?
C. Tell the story of Pandora briefly in three sentences.
IV. Early Heroes
A. How did Zeus fall in love with Europa?
B. What did Zeus change himself into when he appeared before Europa for the first
time?
C. Where did Zeus take Europa after they crossed the sea?
D. Who landed his boat on the Cyclops's land?
E. How did Odysseus gauge Polyphemus's eye out?
F. Who was Polyphemus's father?
G. Who did Polyphemus fall in love with?
Narcissus Questions
A. How did Zeus use the narcissus flower to help Hades lure Persephone?
B. Why did Hera punish Echo?
C. How did she punish her?
D. What happened to Echo after she was rejected by Narcissus?
E. How did Nemesis punish Narcissus?
F. How did death set Narcissus free?
G. What happened to Narcissus's body after he died?
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Hyacinthus Questions
A. How did Hyacinthus die?
B. What happened to Hyacinthus after he died?
Adonis Questions
A. What is the name of Adonis's flower?
B. What 2 goddesses did Adonis split his time with?
C. What seasons did he spend with each?
D. How did Adonis die?
IV. Prometheus and Io
A. What was Prometheus’ punishment for giving fire to men?
B. To whom did Hera give Io so that Zeus could not get to her?
C. What shape did Zeus take to steal Europa away from the group of girls?
D. Whom did Polyphemus love who didn’t love him in return?
Cupid and Psyche
A. Why was Venus (a goddess), so jealous of Psyche (a mortal) ?
B. What did Venus tell her son Cupid to do to Psyche?
D. How did Psyche feel about going to meet her destined husband? How did the
rest of her family feel? Why?
E. Where was Psyche taken when she went to the hilltop? What was surprising
about the atmosphere that she was in and the way that she was treated?
F. How did Psyche's sisters react when they went to visit her and saw all of her
wealth?
G. What was the plan that Psyche carried out one evening? Why was she shocked at
her findings?
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H. Psyche searched everywhere for her husband. Where did she finally find him
and what was he doing there?
I. What were the four things that Venus made Psyche do out of bitterness and envy?
J. Why did Psyche open the box of beauty and what happened when she did?
K. How and why did Psyche become immortal?
L. What does the name Psyche mean?
Pyramus and Thisbe:
1. Why couldn't Pyramus and Thisbe marry?
2. What separated them and where did they arrange to meet?
3. Why did Pyramus think Thisbe was dead?
4. What did Pyramus do after he thought Thisbe was dead?
5. What did Thisbe do when she found Pyramus?
6. What happened to the mulberry tree?
Orpheus and Eurydice:
1. What was Orpheus skilled at?
2. After Orpheus and Eurydice were married, what happened to Eurydice? How did this
happen?
3. Where did Orpheus decide to go?
4. What did Orpheus ask? What were the conditions of the agreement?
5. What happened when Orpheus broke the condition?
Ceyx and Alcyone:
1. Why were Ceyx and Alcyone going to be apart?
2. What did Alcyone do every night while Ceyx was away?
3. What happened to Ceyx?
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4. What did Juno decide to do for Alcyone?
5. Who did Juno send and who did she send her to?
6. What did Somnus' son do?
7. What did Alcyone do when she woke up?
8. What did the gods do to the two lovers?
Pygmalion and Galatea:
1. What was Pygmalion skilled at?
2. What did he make a statue of? How did he feel about the statue?
3. What god/goddess helped Pygmalion?
4. What did Pygmalion ask of the god/goddess?
5. Who did Pygmalion marry? What was her name?
Baucis and Philemon:
1. What gods decided to visit Phrygia?
2. What trait was very important to the god?
3. How did Baucis and Philemon respond to the gods?
4. What happened to the wine being served?
5. What happened when Baucis and Philemon tried to catch the goose?
6. What did the couple ask of the gods?
Endymion:
1. What was Endymion's job?
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2. What did the Moon do when she saw him?
3. What happened after the Moon came down to him?
Daphne:
1. What did Daphne like to do?
2. What did Daphne hate?
4. Who fell in love with her?
5. What did Daphne do when he started to pursue her?
6. What did her father do to help her?
7. What did the god chasing her decide to do after that?
Alpheus and Arethusa:
1. What was Arethusa first and who did she follow?
2. What happened when she went swimming in the river
3. Who did Arethusa call on and what did the god do?
Phaethon:
1. Who is Phaethon’s mother?
2. Why did Phaethon seek out the Sun god?
3. What did Phaethon ask to do?
4. Why was the Sun reluctant to allow this request?
5. What happened to the world during Phaethon’s ride?
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6. What does Mother Earth request? How does Jove react?
7. What happened to Phaethon?
Pegasus and Bellerophon:
1. Who was Glaucus? How did he bring the wrath of the gods on him? What was his
fate?
2. Who was rumored to be Bellerophon's father? Who was his mother? Why did it seem
likely he was the son of a god?
3. What did Bellerophon want?
4. What was Bellerophon given so he could gain Pegasus? Who gave it to him?
5. Why did Anteia want her husband to kill Bellerophon? Why would he not do so and
what did he do instead?
6. Name three great beings Bellerophon conquered.
7. What eventually caused the beginning of Bellerophon's demise?
8. What happened to Pegasus after Bellerophon's death?
Otus and Ephialtes:
1. Who was their father?
2. What were they commonly called?
3. Who did they imprison? How did the gods free this prisoner?
4. How did they want to accomplish their goal?
5.
How does Poseidon convince Zeus not to throw his thunderbolt?
6. What two goddesses do Otus and Ephialtes love (respectively)?
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7. How does Artemis lead the two to their death? Why is their death especially painful?
Daedalus:
1. What was Daedulus' profession? What famous object did he build?
2. Who was Daedulus' son?
3. Why did King Minos imprison Daedulus and his son?
4. How did Daedulus and his son escape?
5. What did Daedulus warn his son of? What happened when his son did not heed
this warning?
6. What happened to Daedulus? King Minos?
7. What did the priestess tell King Acrisius about his daughter, Danae?
8. Why did Acrisius refuse to kill his daughter?
The Great Heroes before the Trojan War
1. Who visited Danae in her chamber? In what form was he?
2. Who was Perseus?
3. What did Acrisius do to make sure that his grandson would not kill him?
4. Why did Polydectes want to kill Perseus? What was his plan?
5. What happened to anyone who laid eyes on Medusa?
6. What did Hermes give to Perseus? Why was it special?
7. What did Athena give Perseus? How would it help him?
8. What gifts did the Hyperboreans give to Perseus?
9. What did the three Gorgons look like? Why could Perseus only kill Medusa?
10. Why was Andromeda being punished? What was her punishment?
11. What happened when Perseus entered the banquet?
12. Who kept Medusa's head? What did she do with it?
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13. Who was Electryon?
14. What was Theseus's ides of dealing with justice?
15. Why did the King want to poison Theseus?
16. Why did Minos demand fourteen youths and maidens?
17. Who is Ariadne? What happened when she first saw Theseus?
18. Who were the Centaurs? What happened at the wedding?
19. After death of Hippolytus, where did Theseus go? How did he die?
20. Why did Hercules consider himself an equal to the gods?
21. What was the only thing that could overcome Hercules?
22. How many labors did Hercules have to complete?
23. Why did Hercules bring Alcestis back from the dead?
24. Who did Hercules marry when he went to heaven?
25. What did Atalanta's father do to her when she was born?
26. Give a description of how Atalanta looked when she joined the Argo.
27. Who did Atalanta beat in a wrestling match?
28. How did her husband do this? What goddess helped him?
29. What was Atalanta's son's name?
30. What kind of animals were Atalanta and Meleager turned into?
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V. The Quest of the Golden Fleece
A. Who goes to capture the Golden Fleece?
B. Who becomes Jason’s wife?
C. What does Jason do to Medea even though she helps him?
VI. The Trojan War
A. Which of the prizes from the three goddesses did Paris chose?
B. Whom did Paris kidnap from Sparta that began the Trojan War?
C. Whom did Hector kill during the battle?
D. Whom did Achilles drag behind his chariot?
E. Who killed Achilles with an arrow to his heel?
F. What did the Greeks send into the city of Troy that led them to win the battle?
VII. The Adventures of Aeneas
A. Who was Aeneas mother?
B. Who especially hated Aeneas?
C. Who saved Aeneas from drowning?
D. What people are supposed to have descended from Aeneas?
E. Who killed herself because of love for Aeneas?
F. To what terrible place did Aeneas go?
G. Name the ferryman who took Aeneas across the river.
H. Whom did Aeneas marry?
VIII. The Royal House of Thebes
A. Who is the real father of Oedipus? His adoptive father?
B. Where did the father of Oedipus leave his infant son because of the curse?
C. What made Oedipus the King of Thebes?
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D. Who became Oedipus wife?
E. What did Oedipus learn about his wife and children?
F. Name Oedipus’ four children.
G. Which of Oedipus’ sons did Creon refuse to bury?
H. What did Antigone do because her brother was not buried?
I. What did Antigone finally do after she was arrested by Creon?
J. Who finally gave burial to the five warriors who had fought with Polyneices?
K. Who vowed vengeance on Thebes as the funeral pyre burned?