Gorgon's head on a silver coin of Naples permission to use image granted

S12: CLA215, Mythology:   Review for Exam 2

The god Apollo on a gold coin of Syracuse image courtesy of Edgar L. Owen, #3803

Theories of Myth Interpretation: (Powell, Ch 24 in 6th edit; Ch 25 in 7th edit.)

• Key Names & Terms: rationalism, Xenophanes, Hecataeus, Plato, Theagenes, Euhemerus, Palaephatus
  
• go to Powell's web site: click here (pay attention to the terms at the back of the chapters)

Myths of the Olympian gods: The Male Deities (Powell, Ch 8 in 7th edit, part of Ch 7 in 4th-6th editions)

• Key Names & Terms: Hephaestus, Ares, Hermes, caduceus, psychopompos, Maia
  
• go to Powell's web site (Ch 7): click here
  

Myths of "The Male Divine" (Leonard & McClure, Ch. 4)

• Hindu: Arjuna, Krishna, Sanjaya, terms: karma & dharma
  
• Yoruba: Agemo, Orunmila, Eshu, orishas, Orunmila's wife, divining bag
  
• Norse: Odin, Thor, Hrungnir, Mist Calf, Mjollnir, hone, Magni, Groa, Golden Mane, Thialfi, Freyja, Stone Fence House
  

Myths of "The Trickster" (Leonard & McClure, Ch. 5 & Powell, Ch 5 & 8)

• Yoruba: Ajapa, Aja, Oba, yams
  
• Norse: Thor; Sif; Loki; dwarves (sons of Ivaldi), their gifts: golden hair for Sif, Gungnir, + one other; dwarves (Brokk & Eitri), their gifts: Mjollnir + two others
  
• Greek: Prometheus, Zeus, Pandora, fire, sacrifice (bones/meat--choice of Zeus) [Powell, Ch 5 (click here)]
  
• Greek: Hermes, Apollo, cattle  [Powell, Ch 8 (click here)]
  

Myths of the Olympian gods: Female Divinities:

• Powell, Chapter 9 (8 in 4th-6th edit):
• Key Names & Terms:
  
• Hestia,
  
• Aphrodite, Cypris, Hermaphroditus, Pygmalion, Myrrha, Anchises,
  
• Artemis, Potnia Theron, Niobe, Orion, Actaeon,
  
• Athena, Arachne, Poseidon
  
• sample questions at his web site: click here
• Powell, Chapter 10 (9 in 4th-6th edit):
• Key Names & Terms:
  
• Demeter, Persephone, Kore, Hades, Pomegranate,
  
• Eleusinian Mysteries (& class notes),
  
• Inanna, Dumuzi,
  
• Isis, Osiris,
  
• Cybele, Attis, Agdestis,
  
• Adonis, Aphrodite
  
• sample questions at his web site: click here

Myths of the Female Divine, Leonard, Ch 3:

• The Fire Goddess (Hawaiian): Pe-le, Prince Lo-hi-au, sisters of Pe-le, Hi-i-aka, lehua trees, Kane-milo-hai (brother of Pe-le)
  
• White Buffalo Calf Woman (Brule Sioux): Standing Hollow Horn, Ptesan-wi, White Buffalo Calf Woman, Wakan Tanka, Chanunpa, White Buffalo, awanka waken
  
• A Taste of Earth (Vietnamese): Au Co, the Dragon Prince (Lac Dragon), A Nhi, goddess's tears (i.e. Au Co's tears), wedding gifts (rice, salt), jade stone
  

Possible Essay Question:

• A key aim for a Greek male aristocrat was the pursuit of success, fame, and glory. In many ways the Greek myths which we have studied in this unit can be looked upon as defining the ways an individual can pursue such success, fame, and glory. Does this also hold true for the non-Greek myths we have studied in this unit? After examining how this is true in Homeric Hymn to Hermes, discuss for any one of the following:
  
• 1. the two Norse myths in Leonard & McClure, chapters 4 and 5
  
• 2. the three Yoruba myths in Leonard & McClure, chapters 4 and 5

• Scholars of Homer's works have noted that three pairs of opposites describes well how the Olympians deities relate to humans--the deities sometimes emphasize their nearness to humans and sometimes emphasize how great a gulf separates humans from the deities; the deities are sometimes kind and sometimes cruel to humans; the deities sometimes act according to justice and sometimes according to selfish "whims." Use these three pairs of opposites to examine the following:
  
• Demeter in Powell's Chapter 10
  
• Krishna in Leonard & McClure's chapter 4 or Pe-le in "The Fire Goddess" in Leonard & McClure's chapter 3 (if you didn't write on "The Fire Goddess" for paper 2)
  
In your conclusion discuss the significance of the similarities/differences between the two cultures' myths.