Part One Multiple-Choice Terminology

Transcription

1 Mythology Review May 2014 Part One Multiple-Choice Terminology Greek Mythology Chaos the primordial void or abyss that will give rise to creation. Tartarus spawned from primordial chaos; a deep place beneath the underworld, so dark and sunless it receives its own personification: Erebus; the titans will be later imprisoned here by Zeus. Gaea mother earth. Uranus sky god and father of the titans; the first ruler; created by Gaea; had offspring (12 titans). Cronus ruling titan and father of the Olympian gods; tried to eat his children; Zeus escaped. Rhea titan and wife of Cronus; mother of the Olympian gods. Epimetheus a stupid titan; his name means afterthought; accepted the gift of Pandora from Zeus and introduced evil into the world; also, introduced hope. Prometheus the wisest titan; his name means forethought; created man from clay; brought fire to humanity; fought with Zeus instead of against him.

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3 Hades (Pluto)- King of the underworld/realm of death; presided over funeral rites; his name is left off temples in his honor do not speak his name; kidnapped and married Persephone; most famous symbol is his helmet of invisibility; other symbols include Cerberus (the three-headed dog) and cypress; Interestingly enough, appears in Revelations. Hestia (Vesta) Goddess of the hearth and home; Zeus sister and like Athena and Artemis a virgin goddess. Pan God of shepherds; Hermes son; loud and merry; plays reed pipes; half-man, half-goat a satyr; women were afraid of him; origin of panic. Persephone Demeter s daughter; kidnapped by Hades; responsible for the change of seasons; queen of the underworld. Eros (Cupid) son of Aphrodite; makes his home in men s hearts; beautiful youth who causes love in others; fairest of the deathless gods; mischievous at times. Hecate Goddess of ghosts, sorcery, graveyards leads men/travelers astray in the forest on moonless nights; some say the dark side of Artemis. Gorgons dragon-like creatures with wings that turned men to stone two were immortal, while one (Medusa) was not. Perseus hero: the slayer of Medusa. Theseus hero: the slayer of the Minotaur. Hercules (Heracles) hero: famous for his strength and adventures, including the Twelve Labours e.g. slay the Nemean lion). Atalanta hero: famous for slaying the Calydonian boar; tricked by desire for golden apples into marriage (loses a footrace). Norse Mythology Ginnungagap an empty void or seeming emptiness; the primordial void separating Niflheim and Muspell; from here, life begins with the origin of the frost giant Ymir. Ymir the primordial giant that gave rise to the Norse world; created the race of frost giants; also, created Buri, the first god; Buri s sons were Odin, Ve and Vili they killed Ymir and with his skull made the sky and his eyebrows created Midgard; his bones formed the mountains and his blood all water. Aesir The collective name for the principal race of Norse gods; they who lived in Asgard, and with the All-Father Odin, ruled the lives of mortal men, along with the Vanir.

4 Vanir nature and fertility gods that eventually join the Aesir. Odin the all-father; associated with wisdom, poetry and magic; gave his eye to Mimer to obtain wisdom; brooding and oversees Valhalla; killed by the wolf Fenrir (son of Loki) during Ragnarok. Thor god of thunder and son of Odin; lightning flashes whenever he throws his hammer, Mjollnir; the greatest warrior in Asgard; associated with thunderstorms; kills the Midgard serpent Jormungand (child of Loki) during Ragnarok, but dies from its poison. Also, North s mascot. Balder god of beauty, innocence, peace and rebirth; beloved son of Odin; in fact, everyone loved him; impervious to harm but killed by Loki with overlooked mistletoe. His death marks the beginning of the end for the Norse Gods. Heimdallr watchman of the gods against the giants; guards the Bifrost bridge into Asgard; he can see a hundred miles around him (night and day); his hearing is so accurate he can hear the grass grow. Loki trickster and god of mischief; crafty and malicious, yet regarded as heroic; becomes progressively less pleasant and helpful as Ragnarok approaches; a god amongst the Aesir and a giant; punished with dripping venom from a snake for his devious plots; it is thought that this roots out evil from Asgard, but it doesn t because the gods are quite fallible like humans; they fail to recognize this and it will spell the end of everything as things fall out of balance; he kills and is killed by Heimdall during Ragnarok. Tyr god of war; inspires courage and heroism, since he willingly lost his hand to chain the wolf Fenrir; his spear is a symbol of justice; later in Norse terminology, Tyr literally became the word god; kills the hellhound Garm during Ragnarok, but dies of wound inflicted by the beast. Freya former Vanir who joins the Aesir; the goddess of love and fertility she is beautiful; ironically, the top Valkyrie who collects half the valorous dead herself for her hall (Sessrumnir); all valorous women proceed to her hall as well; demonstrates the fixation and reality of death in the Viking world, even though she promotes life. Valhalla hall of the valorous slain, presided over by Odin; you get to fight and be killed every day and all the mead and song one could ever hope for Valkyries choosers of the slain; beautiful young women on winged horses with helmets and spears; they select who will die and who will be escorted to Valhalla after death; known to perform errands for Odin as well; their flickering armor in the sky creates the Aurora Borealis. Hel ruler of the realm of the dead; Loki s youngest child; described as half alive and half dead, a corpse-like horrible hag; those not taken to Valhalla are destined for her world. Idun goddess of eternal youth; manages the golden apples to keep the Aesir gods young; rescued by Loki when abducted by the storm giant Thiazi. Kvasir wisest of the Vanir responsible for the creation of mead and poetry both for gods and Midgard poets.

5 Surt a fire giant; his name means charred appearance; his sword shines brighter than the sun; at Ragnarok, he sets the world(s) on fire and burns it down. Yggradasil the world tree that links the nine realms of Norse mythology. The Nine Worlds 1) Midgard the only visible world; the one inhabited by people; in the middle. 2) Asgard home of the Aesir gods and Valhalla. 3) Vanaheim associated with nature and fertility home of the Vanir gods. 4) Jotunheim land of the giants. 5) Niflheim the primordial world of ice. 6) Muspelheim the primordial world of fire. 7) Alfheim the world of elves. 8) Svartalfheim the world of dwarves. 9) Helheim the realm of Hel inhabited by those who do not achieve Valhalla not an evil place in and of itself. Ragnarok doom of the Gods; the end of all, but there is a new beginning thereafter with Lif and Lifthrasir. Supplemental Vocabulary (it s always good to learn new words in English for your future studies. ) 1) Brevity briefness; short duration 2) Cognizant awareness; conscious of 3) Commiserate to sympathize; express compassion 4) Copious plentiful; abundant 5) Dearth shortage; scarcity; not much of 6) Decadence decline; decay; moral deterioration 7) Expedient convenient; easy route that is self-serving 8) Frivolous not sensible; not serious; silly 9) Hackneyed overused, stale 10) Jargon specialized language; technical language 11) Misanthrope antisocial; hater of humankind 12) Morose very gloomy; lacking in cheer 13) Opulence riches; luxury; wealth 14) Parsimonious stingy; a miser 15) Progeny offspring; children; descendent 16) Sagacious wise, sensible 17) Surreptitious secretive; sly; stealthy 18) Stoic unemotional; indifferent 19) Torpor drowsy; sluggish state mentally and/or physically 20) Vacillate to hesitate; sway indecisively