希腊罗马神话期末考试

Section1：T or F

Section2：Choice

Section3：Explain idioms

? 1. Pandora’s Box 灾难之盒

含义：to open Pandora's box means to create evil that cannot be undone.

来源：Pandora's box involves a mythological story in which the a box was given to a human who was warned never to open the box, but his curiosity made him open it resulting in a disaster.

? 2. The Horn of Amalthea丰饶角

含义：A symbol of abundance and nourishment, commonly a large horn-shaped container overflowing with produce, flowers, nuts, other edibles, or wealth in some form.

来源：One day, as Amalthea played with little Zeus, she accidentally broke off her horn. To make up for it and as a sign of gratitude, Zeus made the broken horn always be full of whatever its owner desired.

? 3. The Midas/Golden Touch点石成金

含义：Ability to turn everything he touched into gold. if someone has the Midas touch, everything they do is successful and makes money for them

来源：Mi das’s job knew no bounds and as soon as he got home, he ordered the servants to set a splendid repast on the table.

? 4. A Procrustean Bed 强迫一致

含义：When something is Procrustean, different lengths or sizes or properties are fitted to an arbitrary standard.

来源：Procrustes was a rogue smith and bandit from Attica who physically attacked people by stretching them or cutting off their legs, so as to force them to fit the size of an iron bed.

? 5. Sow the Dragon Teeth挑起纠纷

含义：The dragon's teeth, once planted, would grow into fully armed warriors.

来源：In Greek myth, dragon’s teeth feature prominently in the legends of the Phoenician prince Cadmus and Jason's quest for the Golden Fleece.

? 6. Apple of Discord祸根

含义：A euphemism for a small matter that could lead to a bigger dispute.

来源：The Greek goddess of discord, Eris, became disgruntled after she was excluded from the wedding of Peleus and Thetis. In retaliation, she tossed a golden apple inscribed Kallisti(‘for the most beautiful one'), into the wedding party. Three goddesses claimed the apple: Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite. Paris of Troy was appointed to select the recipient. He awarded the apple to Aphrodite, thus indirectly causing the Trojan War.

?7. The Heel of Achilles唯一的弱点

含义：A deadly weakness in spite of overall strength, that can actually or potentially leads to downfall

来源：The mythological origin refers to a physical vulnerability, metaphorical references to other attributes or qualities that can lead to downfall are common.

Thetis treated Achilles with Ambrosia, making him invulnerable. Thetis burned away his mortality in the house fire except on the heel, with which he was held.

Thetis dipped the infant Achilles in the river Styx, holding onto him by his heel.

?8. Penelope’s Web永远做不完的工作

含义：The tactics of delaying sth on purpose; the task that can never be finished

来源：Penelope is the wife of Odysseus who was called to fight in the Trojan War. She waits twenty years for the final return of her husband .In order to put off remarriage, She has devised tricks to delay her suitors, one of which is to pretend to be weaving a burial shroud for Odysseus's elderly father Laertes and claiming that she will choose a suitor when she has finished. Every night for three years, she undoes part of the shroud, until Melantho, one of twelve unfaithful serving women, discovers her chicanery and reveals it to the suitors.

?9. Between Scylla and Charybdis进退维谷

含义：Being between Scylla and Charybdis is an idiom expresses the meaning of "having to choose between two evils".

来源：Scylla was rationalized as a rock shoal (described as a six-headed sea monster) on the Italian side of the strait and Charybdis was a whirlpool off the coast of Sicily. They were regarded as a sea hazard located close enough to each other that they posed an inescapable threat to passing sailors; avoiding Charybdis meant passing too close to Scylla and vice versa. According to Homer, Odysseus was forced to choose which monster to confront while passing through the strait; he opted to pass by Scylla and lose only a few sailors, rather than risk the loss of his entire ship in the whirlpool.

?10. Necklace of Harmonia不祥之物

含义：Necklace of Harmonia brought great misfortune to all of its wearers or owners.

来源：Aphrodite bore a daughter, Harmonia, from Ares' seed. Harmonia married Cadmus, the founder of Thebes. Upon hearing of the royal engagement, Hephaestus presented Harmonia with an exquisite

necklace as a wedding gift. The necklace was made by Hephaestus' own hand and was cursed to bring disaster to any who wore it.

?13. A Sisyphean Task

含义：Endlessly laborious or futile

来源：Sisyphus was famed as the craftiest of men. He was condemned forever to roll a huge stone up a hill in Hades only to have it roll down again on nearing the top.

?15. Give a cake to Cerberus

含义：bribe

来源：Cerberus is a watchdog at the gates of Tartarus. He would let the souls in but not out. However he could be bribed with a honey cake on occasion or with sweet music.

Section4：Explain in English the meaning of following terms. 15% (5)

? 1. Anthropomorphism神人同形同性

In Greek myth, the gods and goddesses are not only personifications of the forces of the universe, they are seen as beings much like common men and women. The term for this is “Anthropomorphism”, meaning “in the form of a human being.”

? 2. The Five Ages of Men五个时代

The Golden Age; the Silver Age; the Bronze Age; the Heroic Age; the Iron Age

? 3. Tartarus 地狱

The deeper region, where the Titans had been imprisoned(Tartarus itself formed a dismal picture, it had gates of bronze guarded by Cerberus, surrounded by fire, encased by triple wall, and within, the wailing and cries of those being punished. It is the underworld zone of eternal torment, where the greatest sinners have been punished for their wrong doing.)

? 4. The Elysian Field 天堂领域

The paradise for the Greeks

? 5. The Asphodel Field 充满游魂的地方

A field inhabited by wandering souls

? 6. Styx 冥河

A river in Hades across which Charon ferried the souls of the dead.

?7.Hubris 过分骄傲

Overbearing pride or presumption.

?8. Satyr森林之神，好色的人

Satyrs are a troop of male companions of Pan and Dionysus .In myths they are often associated with pipe-playing

?9. Maenad 酒神的女祭司，异常激动的女人

Often the maenads were portrayed as inspired by him into a state of ecstatic frenzy, through a combination of dancing and drunken intoxication. In this state, they would lose all self-control.

?10. Narcissism 自恋

Narcissus is a man who was renowned for his beauty. He was exceptionally proud, in that he disdained those who loved him. Nemesis saw this and attracted Narcissus to a pool where he saw his own reflection in the water and fell in love with it, not realizing it was merely an image. Unable to leave the beauty of his reflection, Narcissus died.

?11. Harpy鹰身女妖

Half woman, half bird ；vicious winged monster; often depicted as a bird with the head of a woman

?12. Xenia好客

Xenia is the Greek concept of hospitality, or generosity and courtesy shown to those who are far from home.

?13.Dionysia 酒神节

(in ancient Greece) festivals of the god Dionysus, an orgiastic festival in ancient Greece in honor of Dionysus

?14.Aegis 羊皮盾（宙斯及其女儿雅典娜所持的帝盾）

A shield hold by Athena.

Under one’s aegis means doing something under the protection of a powerful, knowledgeable, or benevolent source.

15. Metamorphosis 变形，变质

A person or thing develops and changes into something completely different.( 变形a complete change of physical form or substance especially as by magic or witchcraft.)

?16.Demigod 半人半神

A less important god, especially one who is half god and half human.

?17.Centaur 人首马身的动物，半人马

A creature with the head, arms, and chest of a man, and the body and legs of a horse.( In classical mythology, a centaur is a creature with the head, arms, and body of a man, and the body and legs of a horse.)

?18.The Deucalion Flood

Aphrodite's magic girdle was a golden girdle that caused men and gods to fall hopelessly in love with her.( Zeus visited Arcadia and Thessaly，and disliked the deadly wrongs of men ．He decided to clear the earth of them all．Without hesitation he released the rainy south wind and called upon the heartless Poseidon to help．Soon the whole world sank in a vast ocean，and the entire human race disappeared in the unheard of flood，all but two poor Thessalians ．)

Section5：Essay questions 15 %( 3)

?Unit 1: Examples of mythological accounts explaining the explainable.

Uranus lay upon Gaia and made love to her without stop. (The interplay between rain and soil that makes plants come to life and grow.)

Human Beings fashioned from clay

Gods and heroes descending into the Underground in the west and emerging in the East. ( Sun rises in the East and sets in the West.)

Persephone lived three months in the Underground with her husband and returned to live with her mother Demeter for the rest of year. (The return of spring after winter.)

Eros, equipped with his sharp and blunt arrows, brings about many tragedies of human love. (Freud’s theory about love or sex as the most fundamental drive from humans.)

?Unit 2: Similarities between “the first woman” in the Greek(Pandora) and Christian creation myth(Eve)

Eve was the instigator of tbe whole affair, for through her beauty and her wiles she seduced Adam to taste of the forbidden fruit.

"Woman is like an apple, lovely without, rotten within."

Eve was lured by the snake. Pandora was driven by her curiosity. Their behaviors caused evil and plagues to human-beings.

?Unit 3: Reasons that ancient Greeks tend to depict Zeus as a promiscuous man, an unfaithful husband?

Zeus’ fatal Weaknesses: an uncontrollable lust for sexual drive

This shows the anthropomorphism. The ancient emperors usually had many lovers, so the Greeks depict Zeus as a promiscuous man. This also shows the ancient Greeks’ imagination for a man. Reproduction is blessing.

?Unit 4: Symbolic meaning of Olive Tree in the Greek story and Holy Bible

When Poseidon and Athena disputed as to which of them should give the name to the capital of Attica, the gods decided, that it should receive its name from him who should bestow upon man the most useful gift. Poseidon then created the horse, and Athena called forth the olive tree, for which the honor was conferred on her. The olive branch in Bible appears in the story of Noah’s ark. When the water receded, a dove flied with an olive branch in its mouse. In the Greek story, Olive Tree means peace and wealth. In the Holy Bible , Olive Tree appeared after the flood ,so it represents peace.

?Unit 5:

?Differences between Athena and Ares

Ares: thirst for the “hand to hand combat” and the “frenzy of battle and bloodshed”

Athena: “war for the purposes of justice”, “peaceful settlements” "war at a distance", “strategic planning of war”

?What are the distinctive features of Dionysus as a religious festival?

The Dionysia was a large religious festival in ancient Athens in honor of Dionysus.

The central event was the performance of tragedies and comedies.

Dionysus was a god, mirroring the innate wildness of humanity which Athenians abhorred and tried to control. The Dionysia was a time to let out their inhibitions through highly emotional tragedies or irreverent comedies. People dressed like Satyrs and Maenads. Some men dressed as women and women as men.

The Dionysia was also marked by an element of role-reversal and boundary-crossing: lower class citizens could mock the upper class; or women could insult their male relatives.

?What are the Apollonian and Dionysian elements in music style and human psyche?

?Unit 6

?Interpretation of the Furies’, Apollo’s and Athena’s judgment on Orestes’matricide.( See the scripts in PPT for Unit 6)

Orestes is being hounded and terrorized by the Furies for the blood crime of matricide. Orestes killed his mother Clytemnestra, who murdered his father Agamemnon.（背景）

Furies: holiness of motherhood, reminiscent of matriarchies; tribal laws = an eye for eye

Apollo: laws of males-dominated society

Athena: representing the voice of womanhood to deny mother’s role as the creator.

?In the tales of Callisto being transformed into a bear, and Acteon being transformed into a stag, what common theme does the “transformation” reveal?

Ancient Greeks were sober and contemplative. They explore the mystery of human identify and human destiny.

1) Transformation from human to non- human which indicates the loss of human identifies.

2) Inescapable destiny of “the Hunter being hunted”

?Unit 7

?How do you interpret the landscape imagery in the story of Narcissus? (See PPT for session 7)

Landscape imagery:

"There was a clear fountain, with water like silver, to which the shepherds never drove their flocks. Nor did the mountain goats resort to it, nor any of the beasts of the forest; neither was it defaced with fallen leaves or branches; but the grass grew fresh around it, and the rocks sheltered it from the sun.

His tears fell into the water and disturbed the image.

The "stillness" of clear fountain suggests Narcissus' insusceptibility to the lust of the world. While his tears disturbed the image, his lust of eyes had "deflowered" him, taking away his virginity - a pure soul and a peaceful mind.

?Interpretation of how Cupid (Eros) falls in love with Psyche. (See the scripts in PPT for unit 7)

The erotic love (Eros) and the spiritual love (Psyche) belong together in an inseparable union. The symbolic meaning of “the union of Cupid (Eros) and Psyche” is "animating spirit".

In Venus's garden there are two fountains: one with sweet water, the other one with bitter. Cupid fills two vases with each and then goes to Psyche's bedchamber where she is sleeping. Cupid proceeds to let a few

drops from the bitter fountain water fall on her lips, then touches her side with his pointed arrow.Feeling the touch of the arrow, Psyche wakes up, opens her eyes, and seems to be gazing straight at Cupid who is invisible. This startles Cupid enough that he ends up wounding himself. Cupid immediately sets out to repair the damage he has done to Psyche, and pours a few drops of the sweet water in her hair.

?Interpretation of ancient Greeks’ attitudes toward immortality in the love story of Tithonus and Eos

Ancient Greeks against immortal youth. They thought that a man shouldn't desire in any way to vary from the kindly race of men, or pass beyond the goal of ordinance.

?Unit 8&9

? 1 Why is Perseus regarded as a perfect hero?

Perseus was the most perfect Greek hero in myths. He was the only Greek hero who maintained supportive relationship with women throughout his career.

In his pursuit of glory, he exhibited both courage and wisdom. In killing Medusa, he outwitted the monster by his shrewdness and tricks rather than mere courage and strength.

He was favored by gods when he was alive and after his death, he was transformed into a constellation.

? 2 What is Greeks’ conception of Hero as the story of Heracles/Jason reveals.

Hercules is Greece's greatest heroes in myth, is the embodiment of strength, courage and wisdom. Jason :

youthful confidence and the spirit of adventure

courage to come alone to capture a kingdom ?

leader of a group of heroes ?

valiance to fight enormous evils and conquer monsters

success in accomplishing the impossible

? 3 What is Greeks’ conception of destiny as t he story of Oedipus reveals?

It reflects the contradiction between human will and fate, hero of courage, integrity, kindness, courage to take responsibility.

Highlight the complex relationship between necessity and contingency, the fate of the "uncertainty" and "frustrated". Describes the fate predominates in Western myth point of view.

The riddle of the Sphinx is a symbol of human self-understanding and self-discovery for the first time, began the era of human philosophy.

It is also the ancient Greece formation of new moral concepts, expressing the painful memories of humanity from barbarism to civilization.

?Unit 10

? 1 Please interpret the bird imagery in Odysseus’ speech

树上坐着一窝小鸟，一窝嗷嗷待哺的麻雀，鸟巢筑在树端的枝桠上，叶片下，雏鸟嗦嗦发抖，一窝八只，连同生养它们的母亲，一共九只。蛇把幼鸟尽数吞食，全然不顾后者凄惨的尖叫，雌鸟竭声哀鸣，为了孩子们的不幸，扑门在蛇的上方。青蛇盘起身子，迅猛出击，钳住她的翅膀，伴随着雌鸟的嘶号；长蛇吞食了麻雀，连同她的雏鸟。

…shall we war there for so many years, but in the tenth shall we take the broad-wayed city.

? 2 The theme of Iliad

Iliad: Wrath of Achilles

Suffering of Humans

Zeus spoke the following words to horses driving chariot of Achilles: “There is nothing alive more agonized than man of all that breathe and crawl across the earth.”

It mainly describes the most tragic page in a victorious war. It shows the brutality of war and the value of peace. It expresses forms of victory and the agony of defeat. It describes the achievements of heroes and battle hard.

? 3 Different attitudes towards “Kleos” (glory) in Iliad and Odyssey as conveyed by Achilles

I reassured the ghost, but he broke out, protesting, “No winn ing words about death to me, shining Odysseus! By god, I’d rather slave on earth for another man—some dirt-poor tenant farmer who scrapes to keep alive—than rule down here over all the breathless dead.”

Section6：writing