Achilles:
![Picture](/uploads/3/8/4/0/38404177/3844798_orig.jpeg)
Mythological Allusion Source: Edith Hamilton: Mythology
1. Famous tale told within Homers Iliad
2. Dipped into the river Styx as a child, invulnerable except ankle
3. Achilles' mother receives a prophecy that her son will die at Troy
4. Achilles is sent to Lycomedes court disguised as a woman
5. He bears a child there, Odysseus is sent to recover him for the war
6. Odysseus find Achilles by presenting the women with finery and weapons
7. Achilles unlike the women fingers and looks at only the weapons
8. Odysseus bring Achilles to Troy
9. Achilles rampages across the land and captures 12 cities
10. Achilles and Agamemnon have a falling out
11. Patroclus, Achilles longtime friend, impersonates Achilles in battle
12. Hector slays Patroclus
13. Achilles slays Hector
14. Achilles is wounded in his unprotected ankle by Paris
15. Achilles dies from his wound, his early death has come true
Commentary: The warrior archetype that is laid out in this story appears very often in literature. The warrior is not always the main protagonist or antagonist but they do play a significant role in a story. They are willing to achieve their ends through violence and no mercy, brutal and efficient.
1. Famous tale told within Homers Iliad
2. Dipped into the river Styx as a child, invulnerable except ankle
3. Achilles' mother receives a prophecy that her son will die at Troy
4. Achilles is sent to Lycomedes court disguised as a woman
5. He bears a child there, Odysseus is sent to recover him for the war
6. Odysseus find Achilles by presenting the women with finery and weapons
7. Achilles unlike the women fingers and looks at only the weapons
8. Odysseus bring Achilles to Troy
9. Achilles rampages across the land and captures 12 cities
10. Achilles and Agamemnon have a falling out
11. Patroclus, Achilles longtime friend, impersonates Achilles in battle
12. Hector slays Patroclus
13. Achilles slays Hector
14. Achilles is wounded in his unprotected ankle by Paris
15. Achilles dies from his wound, his early death has come true
Commentary: The warrior archetype that is laid out in this story appears very often in literature. The warrior is not always the main protagonist or antagonist but they do play a significant role in a story. They are willing to achieve their ends through violence and no mercy, brutal and efficient.
Agamemnon:
![Picture](/uploads/3/8/4/0/38404177/6786701_orig.jpg)
Mythological Allusion Source: Edith Hamilton: Mythology
1. Agamemnon and his brother Menelaus take refuge with King Tyndareus of Sparta after Atreus King of Mycenae was murdered
2. The brothers married Tyndareus' daughters Clytemnestra and Helen
3. Helen, wife of Menelaus who is now King of Sparta, is carried off by Paris son of King Priam of Troy
4. Agamemnon calls for a war to avenge this scorn to his brother and is appointed commander of the combined Greek forces
5. Agamemnon's fleet is unable to make headway to Troy due to winds thrown against them by Artemis
6. In order to appease Artemis Agamemnon is forced to sacrifice his eldest daughter Iphigenia to the goddess
7. The sacrifice subsides the winds and the Greek forces head to Troy
8. After the capture of Troy Agamemnon takes Priam's daughter as a prize
9. On his return home he stopped in Argolis where he was betrayed by Aegisthus and his entire family and comrades were murdered
Commentary: The myth of Agamemnon shows the classic family member is scorned and revenge is taken up by relatives to regain their families honor. It also holds within it an unfaithful wife that causes problems, this one being a war. An example of this situation is in
1. Agamemnon and his brother Menelaus take refuge with King Tyndareus of Sparta after Atreus King of Mycenae was murdered
2. The brothers married Tyndareus' daughters Clytemnestra and Helen
3. Helen, wife of Menelaus who is now King of Sparta, is carried off by Paris son of King Priam of Troy
4. Agamemnon calls for a war to avenge this scorn to his brother and is appointed commander of the combined Greek forces
5. Agamemnon's fleet is unable to make headway to Troy due to winds thrown against them by Artemis
6. In order to appease Artemis Agamemnon is forced to sacrifice his eldest daughter Iphigenia to the goddess
7. The sacrifice subsides the winds and the Greek forces head to Troy
8. After the capture of Troy Agamemnon takes Priam's daughter as a prize
9. On his return home he stopped in Argolis where he was betrayed by Aegisthus and his entire family and comrades were murdered
Commentary: The myth of Agamemnon shows the classic family member is scorned and revenge is taken up by relatives to regain their families honor. It also holds within it an unfaithful wife that causes problems, this one being a war. An example of this situation is in
Antigone:
![Picture](/uploads/3/8/4/0/38404177/3556904_orig.jpg)
Mythological Allusion Source: Edith Hamilton: Mythology
1. Antigone is the daughter of Oedipus; she has a sister Ismene and two brothers Eteocles and Polyneices
2. Oedipus has recently died and Antigone and her sister Ismene return to the city of Thebes to reconcile the quarrel between their brothers
3. Both Eteocles and Polyneices have claimed the throne of Thebes and now are poised to battle each other over the city
4. Unfortunately the sisters arrive too late and cannot stop the bloodshed between the two brothers, they end up killing one another
5. After the battle Thebes is turned over to Creon, who with anger towards Polyneices the brother who besieged Thebes orders that he is not to be buried and given rights
6. Antigone goes against Creon's orders even at the penalty of death and she buries her beloved brother
7. Antigone is put to death for her actions
Commentary: The story of Antigone is one about following through with what you believe is right even when it is against the laws of man. The story of Romeo and Juliet alludes to the story of Antigone. Both Romeo and Juliet believe in fighting for their right to love each other regardless of their parents decisions. They even declare this through their suicides, going against all odds and even facing death just like Antigone did for her brother.
1. Antigone is the daughter of Oedipus; she has a sister Ismene and two brothers Eteocles and Polyneices
2. Oedipus has recently died and Antigone and her sister Ismene return to the city of Thebes to reconcile the quarrel between their brothers
3. Both Eteocles and Polyneices have claimed the throne of Thebes and now are poised to battle each other over the city
4. Unfortunately the sisters arrive too late and cannot stop the bloodshed between the two brothers, they end up killing one another
5. After the battle Thebes is turned over to Creon, who with anger towards Polyneices the brother who besieged Thebes orders that he is not to be buried and given rights
6. Antigone goes against Creon's orders even at the penalty of death and she buries her beloved brother
7. Antigone is put to death for her actions
Commentary: The story of Antigone is one about following through with what you believe is right even when it is against the laws of man. The story of Romeo and Juliet alludes to the story of Antigone. Both Romeo and Juliet believe in fighting for their right to love each other regardless of their parents decisions. They even declare this through their suicides, going against all odds and even facing death just like Antigone did for her brother.
Cupid and Psyche:
![Picture](/uploads/3/8/4/0/38404177/5732354_orig.jpg)
Mythological Allusion Source: Edith Hamilton: Mythology
1. There once was a princess named Psyche who was so beautiful that people began to neglect the worship of Venus
2. Venus sent her son cupid to cause Psyche to fall in love with a monster
3. But when Cupid saw Psyche he decided to prick himself with an arrow and fall in love with her
4. No one would marry Psyche because the word was that she was destined to marry a monster
5. Psyche was sent to the top of a mountain to await her monster
6. She was taken away to a palace and waited on by invisible servants
7. There she met her husband who loved her and took care of her, but only at night and she was never allowed to see him
8. Jealous of her life Psyche's sisters convinced her to peek at her husband, she ended up startling cupid and he disappeared
9. Psyche's search for her husband led her to Venus where she begged her to bring Cupid to her
10. Venus forced Psyche to perform many various tasks, she succeeded at all of them
11. Cupid pleads with Zeus to force Venus to stop the tasks
12. Cupid succeeds and marries Psyche
Commentary: This story is about a pair of lovers who cannot be together due to outside forces, this being Venus in terms of this story. The two lovers succeed at being together because their love is so powerful. An example of this would be the classic Beauty and the Beast fairy tale.
1. There once was a princess named Psyche who was so beautiful that people began to neglect the worship of Venus
2. Venus sent her son cupid to cause Psyche to fall in love with a monster
3. But when Cupid saw Psyche he decided to prick himself with an arrow and fall in love with her
4. No one would marry Psyche because the word was that she was destined to marry a monster
5. Psyche was sent to the top of a mountain to await her monster
6. She was taken away to a palace and waited on by invisible servants
7. There she met her husband who loved her and took care of her, but only at night and she was never allowed to see him
8. Jealous of her life Psyche's sisters convinced her to peek at her husband, she ended up startling cupid and he disappeared
9. Psyche's search for her husband led her to Venus where she begged her to bring Cupid to her
10. Venus forced Psyche to perform many various tasks, she succeeded at all of them
11. Cupid pleads with Zeus to force Venus to stop the tasks
12. Cupid succeeds and marries Psyche
Commentary: This story is about a pair of lovers who cannot be together due to outside forces, this being Venus in terms of this story. The two lovers succeed at being together because their love is so powerful. An example of this would be the classic Beauty and the Beast fairy tale.
Daedelus and Icarus:
![Picture](/uploads/3/8/4/0/38404177/6748501_orig.jpg)
1. Daedelus and Icarus were imprisoned within the Labyrinth on the island of Crete
2. Daedelus Icarus' father was a genius inventor and hatched a plan to escape
3. Daedelus built them wings made of wax and taught Icarus how to fly
4. The one rule that Icarus had to follow was that he could not fly too close to the sun because his wings would melt
5. At first Icarus follows this rule but soon enough he gets too excited at the prospect of flying and flies too close to the sun, his wings begin to melt
6. Icarus plummets to his death into the sea
Commentary: The core of this myth is that one should listen to and heed their parents advice. Icarus does not do so and therefore faces terrible consequences. There are many stories that allude to the incident that Icarus had. In the book Eragon, Eragon and Saphira fly too high and can no longer breathe. They ended up surviving but the connection to Icarus flying too high to only plummet to the ground is evident.
2. Daedelus Icarus' father was a genius inventor and hatched a plan to escape
3. Daedelus built them wings made of wax and taught Icarus how to fly
4. The one rule that Icarus had to follow was that he could not fly too close to the sun because his wings would melt
5. At first Icarus follows this rule but soon enough he gets too excited at the prospect of flying and flies too close to the sun, his wings begin to melt
6. Icarus plummets to his death into the sea
Commentary: The core of this myth is that one should listen to and heed their parents advice. Icarus does not do so and therefore faces terrible consequences. There are many stories that allude to the incident that Icarus had. In the book Eragon, Eragon and Saphira fly too high and can no longer breathe. They ended up surviving but the connection to Icarus flying too high to only plummet to the ground is evident.
Echo and Narcissus:
![Picture](/uploads/3/8/4/0/38404177/2230145_orig.jpg)
1. The nymph Echo was cursed by Hera to only be able to repeat the last words of someones sentence, and can never speak first
2. A beautiful man named Narcissus comes upon a pond where the nymph Echo resides
3. Echo instantly falls in love with Narcissus
4. The god Nemesis curses Narcissus to fall in love with his reflection in the pool
5. Narcissus cannot bear to leave his reflection and eventually perishes there
6. Echo, being unable to speak at her own will, repeats Narcissus' last words to his reflection, "farewell"
2. A beautiful man named Narcissus comes upon a pond where the nymph Echo resides
3. Echo instantly falls in love with Narcissus
4. The god Nemesis curses Narcissus to fall in love with his reflection in the pool
5. Narcissus cannot bear to leave his reflection and eventually perishes there
6. Echo, being unable to speak at her own will, repeats Narcissus' last words to his reflection, "farewell"
Eurydice and Orpheus:
![Picture](/uploads/3/8/4/0/38404177/6625652_orig.jpg)
1. Eurydice and Orpheus get married
2. On their wedding night Eurydice is bitten by a snake and dies
3. Overcome with grief Orpheus travels to the underworld to reclaim his love
4. Using his enchanting music Orpheus charms his way into Hades palace and convinces him to release Eurydice to the living world
5. One condition is made though. Orpheus cannot look at Eurydice until they are out of the underworld
6. Just as they are about to exit the underworld Orpheus sneaks a quick glance at Eurydice
7. Eurydice is sucked back into the underworld and lost forever
8. Orpheus again overcome with grief travels around singing. He also spurns all advances by other women
9. Eventually a group of women who worship Dionysus rip him from limb to limb because of his declining their advances
2. On their wedding night Eurydice is bitten by a snake and dies
3. Overcome with grief Orpheus travels to the underworld to reclaim his love
4. Using his enchanting music Orpheus charms his way into Hades palace and convinces him to release Eurydice to the living world
5. One condition is made though. Orpheus cannot look at Eurydice until they are out of the underworld
6. Just as they are about to exit the underworld Orpheus sneaks a quick glance at Eurydice
7. Eurydice is sucked back into the underworld and lost forever
8. Orpheus again overcome with grief travels around singing. He also spurns all advances by other women
9. Eventually a group of women who worship Dionysus rip him from limb to limb because of his declining their advances
Hector:
![Picture](/uploads/3/8/4/0/38404177/6215804_orig.jpg)
1. Hector was the son of King Priam of Troy and a great warrior in his time
2. He led the defense of Troy against the Greeks in the Trojan War
3. When Achilles deserted the Greeks during his feud with Agamemnon Hector almost succeeded in driving back the Greeks and burning their boats
4. When Patroclus impersonated Achilles to inspire the Greeks Hector killed him
5. Stricken with grief and bloodlust Achilles kills Hector and drags his body behind his chariot
6. Priam comes in the middle of the night and begs Achilles to return his sons body for burial, Achilles concedes
2. He led the defense of Troy against the Greeks in the Trojan War
3. When Achilles deserted the Greeks during his feud with Agamemnon Hector almost succeeded in driving back the Greeks and burning their boats
4. When Patroclus impersonated Achilles to inspire the Greeks Hector killed him
5. Stricken with grief and bloodlust Achilles kills Hector and drags his body behind his chariot
6. Priam comes in the middle of the night and begs Achilles to return his sons body for burial, Achilles concedes
Hercules:
![Picture](/uploads/3/8/4/0/38404177/8462164_orig.jpg)
1. Hercules is the son of Zeus and Alcmene
2. Famous for his great strength but also ridiculed for his brutish actions
3. Wast tasked with the 12 labors
4. Slayed the Nemean Lion
5. Killed the Lernaean Hydra
6. Captured Cerberus the three headed dog
7. Eventually was lofted to the status of a God
2. Famous for his great strength but also ridiculed for his brutish actions
3. Wast tasked with the 12 labors
4. Slayed the Nemean Lion
5. Killed the Lernaean Hydra
6. Captured Cerberus the three headed dog
7. Eventually was lofted to the status of a God
Jason and the Golden Fleece:
![Picture](/uploads/3/8/4/0/38404177/7802753_orig.jpg)
1. Jason was the leader of the Argonauts
2. Son of Aeson, the King of Lolcos
3. Brought together a team of heroes to retrieve the golden fleece, the Argonauts
4. Faced many trials and obstacles on the way to retrieving the fleece from Colchis
5. While in Colchis Jason and a woman named Medea fell in love
6. Jason and his companions found the fleece and began their return voyage from Colchis
7. On the way back the Argonauts faced many more challenges, such as a run in with the deadly sirens
8. They eventually make it back home successful heroes
Odysseus and the Trojan Horse:
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1. Odysseus was the King of Ithaca and had been dragged into the Trojan War to fight with the Greeks against Troy
2. As a King he was one of Agamemnon's, the war leader, greatest advisers
3. The walls of Troy would not fall to the Greeks through brute force, so Odysseus hatched a plan
4. The Greeks would build a giant wooden horse, the symbol of Poseidon, and offer it as a peace offering to the Trojans and then sail away. Odysseus would first fill the wooden horse with Greek soldiers and then once the Trojans were sleeping they would jump out and attack, taking the city.
5. One Greek soldier pretended to be a deserter and informed the Trojans that the Greeks had sailed away in defeat, the Trojans accepted the Greek offering of the wooden horse.
6. Odysseus' plan worked and the Greeks took Troy
Oedipus:
![Picture](/uploads/3/8/4/0/38404177/8413539_orig.jpg)
1. Oedipus was the King of Thebes and the son of Laius and Jocasta
2. He was prophesized to kill his father and marry his mother
3. As a baby he was abandoned and left for dead
4. Instead he was found and raised by King Polybus and Queen Merope of Corinth
5. As he grew older Oedipus heard of his prophecy and left Corinth for Thebes to escape his destiny
6. While traveling to Thebes Oedipus got into a fight with a man on a chariot and ended up killing him, that man was his true father the King of Thebes.
7. On his arrival in Thebes
2. He was prophesized to kill his father and marry his mother
3. As a baby he was abandoned and left for dead
4. Instead he was found and raised by King Polybus and Queen Merope of Corinth
5. As he grew older Oedipus heard of his prophecy and left Corinth for Thebes to escape his destiny
6. While traveling to Thebes Oedipus got into a fight with a man on a chariot and ended up killing him, that man was his true father the King of Thebes.
7. On his arrival in Thebes
Persephone:
![Picture](/uploads/3/8/4/0/38404177/9739123_orig.jpg)
1. Persephone is the daughter of Zeus and Demeter
2. She is the Queen of the Underworld and the Goddess of vegetation
3. She was captured by Hades and forced to stay in the Underworld with him as his wife for one third of the year
4. In Greek myth this is why the season winter occurs
2. She is the Queen of the Underworld and the Goddess of vegetation
3. She was captured by Hades and forced to stay in the Underworld with him as his wife for one third of the year
4. In Greek myth this is why the season winter occurs
Perseus:
![Picture](/uploads/3/8/4/0/38404177/4457953_orig.jpg)
1. Perseus is the son of Zeus and Danae
2. He was prophesized to kill the King of Argos, Acrisius, who was his grandfather
3. Acrisius found out about the prophecy but did not want to anger the Gods by killing Perseus. So when Perseus was still a baby he threw Danae and him into a wooden chest and tossed them into the sea.
4. Perseus was found and raised by the fisherman Dictys
5. When Perseus reached adulthood he embarked on a quest to kill the Gorgon Medusa and succeeded
6. Perseus then married Andromeda
7. During a series of games Perseus accidentally killed Acrisius with a spear, fulfilling the prophecy
8. Later Perseus founded the city of Mycenae and ruled over it with Andromeda
2. He was prophesized to kill the King of Argos, Acrisius, who was his grandfather
3. Acrisius found out about the prophecy but did not want to anger the Gods by killing Perseus. So when Perseus was still a baby he threw Danae and him into a wooden chest and tossed them into the sea.
4. Perseus was found and raised by the fisherman Dictys
5. When Perseus reached adulthood he embarked on a quest to kill the Gorgon Medusa and succeeded
6. Perseus then married Andromeda
7. During a series of games Perseus accidentally killed Acrisius with a spear, fulfilling the prophecy
8. Later Perseus founded the city of Mycenae and ruled over it with Andromeda
Prometheus:
![Picture](/uploads/3/8/4/0/38404177/1103982_orig.jpg)
1. Prometheus was a Titan who decided to side with Zeus and the Gods during the Titan war
2. Prometheus also favored the humans and tricked Zeus into allowing them to consume the meat of animals and leaving the fat and bones for the Gods.
3. This gave rise to the Greek tradition to eat the meat of animals and to burn the fat and bones for the Gods
4. The trickery of Prometheus angered Zeus so he withheld fire from Humans
5. Prometheus decided to take action and stole the fire from Zeus and gave it to Humanity
6. Due to this transgression Zeus punished Prometheus and chained him to a rock where his liver was eaten out daily by and eagle. He was not allowed to die either as he was immortal, so it was a punishment of eternal pain and suffering.
7. Prometheus was eventually rescued and set free by Hercules
2. Prometheus also favored the humans and tricked Zeus into allowing them to consume the meat of animals and leaving the fat and bones for the Gods.
3. This gave rise to the Greek tradition to eat the meat of animals and to burn the fat and bones for the Gods
4. The trickery of Prometheus angered Zeus so he withheld fire from Humans
5. Prometheus decided to take action and stole the fire from Zeus and gave it to Humanity
6. Due to this transgression Zeus punished Prometheus and chained him to a rock where his liver was eaten out daily by and eagle. He was not allowed to die either as he was immortal, so it was a punishment of eternal pain and suffering.
7. Prometheus was eventually rescued and set free by Hercules
River Styx:
![Picture](/uploads/3/8/4/0/38404177/4148744_orig.jpg)
1. The River Styx is the river in Greek myth that divides the world of the living and the underworld
2. The Gods swore oaths upon the River Styx after the Titan war, a binding contract
3. Could grant the gift of invulnerability, ie: Achilles was dipped into the River Styx and made invulnerable
4. A ferryman named Charon ferries souls across the River to the underworld
5. The living would place coins on the eyes and the mouth of a deceased person to pay the toll to cross into the underworld
6. The River Styx is associated with death, and passing from one life into another
2. The Gods swore oaths upon the River Styx after the Titan war, a binding contract
3. Could grant the gift of invulnerability, ie: Achilles was dipped into the River Styx and made invulnerable
4. A ferryman named Charon ferries souls across the River to the underworld
5. The living would place coins on the eyes and the mouth of a deceased person to pay the toll to cross into the underworld
6. The River Styx is associated with death, and passing from one life into another
The Gods of Olympus:
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1. The Gods of Olympus are the deities in Greek culture and myth
2. They lived on top of Mount Olympus in the sky
3. They were immortal beings of great power
4. They first rose to power after the great war with the Titans
5. Many stories about the Gods and Goddesses of Olympus tell about creation and the reason natural events occur
6. Zeus is the King of the Gods and the God of the sky
2. They lived on top of Mount Olympus in the sky
3. They were immortal beings of great power
4. They first rose to power after the great war with the Titans
5. Many stories about the Gods and Goddesses of Olympus tell about creation and the reason natural events occur
6. Zeus is the King of the Gods and the God of the sky
Theseus:
![Picture](/uploads/3/8/4/0/38404177/9960441_orig.jpg)
1. Theseus was the son of Poseidon and Aethra and born in Athens
2. Theseus embarked on a quest to kill the Minotaur of Crete
3. He told his father that if he succeeded he would return with a white sail
4. After he arrived in Crete, Theseus met King Minos' daughter Ariadne and they fell in love
5. Ariadne did not want Theseus to perish and become lost in the Labyrinth so she gave him a string to hold on to and to follow back once he killed the Minotaur
6. Theseus succeeded in defeating the Minotaur and escaped from the Labyrinth safely.
7. He escaped Crete and ran away with Ariadne to return home
8. On his return home Theseus forgot to put up his white sail, and thinking his son was dead, Aegeus the King, committed suicide
2. Theseus embarked on a quest to kill the Minotaur of Crete
3. He told his father that if he succeeded he would return with a white sail
4. After he arrived in Crete, Theseus met King Minos' daughter Ariadne and they fell in love
5. Ariadne did not want Theseus to perish and become lost in the Labyrinth so she gave him a string to hold on to and to follow back once he killed the Minotaur
6. Theseus succeeded in defeating the Minotaur and escaped from the Labyrinth safely.
7. He escaped Crete and ran away with Ariadne to return home
8. On his return home Theseus forgot to put up his white sail, and thinking his son was dead, Aegeus the King, committed suicide