Nomen ________________________________________________ Dies _______________________ Hora __________
Mythology Study Guide II
Re-read and/or review all myths as needed; study guides from class may be your primary (i.e.
first and most important) resources for your test preparation.
However, n. b. there will be questions on the test that can only be answered from a solid
understanding of each myth and notes from class reading / discussion. Such questions are not
on the study guide, giving the grade advantage to those students who have diligently read and
reread myths, taken careful notes, and paid close attention during class.
IV. “Ζευς et Sua Familia” (i.e. (id est – that is) Zeus and His Family)
What is the Greek word for “food of the gods”?
What is the Greek word for “drink of the gods”?
What kind of minor goddess nursed baby Ζευς and tended him on the insula of Crete?
Who was Ζευς’ first wife, the mother of Athena?
How did Metis trick Kronos/Cronus into vomiting up most of his children?
Why did Kronons/Cronus flee the new deities?
Why did the titans revolt against their new ruler, Zeus?
Which two titans joined Zeus?
Why did they make that decision?
What weapon did the Cyclopes make for Πωσειδον?
What piece of armor did the Cyclopes make for Άδης?
What natural element did the Cyclopes forge for Ζευς?
Which two monster-parents had several children that were monsters?
Who were the six monsters that were their children?
After the Titan War is over, where do most of the gods reside?
Ζευς is the King of the Deities (spell his name using Roman letters).
Ήρα is the Queen of the Deities (spell her name using Roman letters).
Πωσειδον is Lord of the Sea (spell his name using Roman letters).
Άδης is Lord of the Dead and King of the Underworld (spell his name using Roman letters).
What is another name for the Underworld? (starts with a “T”)
Who is the Queen of the Underworld, known in Greek as Περσεφωνη ?
Αρης is the evil god of war. (spell his name using Roman letters).
Έρμης is Zeus’ fleet-footed messenger. (spell his name using Roman letters).
IV. “Zeus et Sua Familia” (i.e. (that is) Zeus and His Family) (continued)
Έφαεστος is god of the forge. (spell his name using Roman letters).
Δεμητερ is goddess of the harvest and the seasons; she is the mother of Περσεφωνη.
Αθηνα is goddess of wisdom and war strategy. Write her name in Roman letters.
Απολλω and Αρτεμις are twins, respectively the god of the sun (music, poetry, and
prophecy) and the moon (as well as the hunt). Write their names in Roman letters.
The only Greek deity who can die is Διωνυσυς. He is the god of wine and the frenzy. How
would you write his name in Roman letters?
V. Epic Conventions
An epic is usually what genre of literature? (e.g. novel, poem, play, etc.)
The speaker or poet generally begins with an invocation to which goddesses?
Christian poets usually invoke which Deity instead of those goddesses?
What in the world is an “invocation”?
What is the purpose for such an invocation to these goddesses of poetry and music?
What do we call colorful names for deities and heroes, such as “gray-eyed Athena”?
One characteristic of an epic is grand scale _________ between good and evil.
Epics sometimes feature lists of a hero’s ancestors. What are they called?
What is the Latin literary term for beginning an epic “in the middle of the action”?
VI. “Zeus et Io” (i.e. (that is) Zeus and Io)
What is Ζευς’ primary flaw as Ήρα’s husband?
What is Ήρα’s primary flaw as Ζευς’ wife?
Ζευς, in love with the beautiful Io, turns her into what animal?
Why does he do this?
How does Ήρα respond to this disguise?
Whom does Ήρα send to guard Io, who is now an animal?
Describe this monster’s physical appearance.
Whom does Ζευς send to distract this guardian-monster?
How does Ζευς’ messenger distract the guardian-monster?
When the guardian-monster is slain, and Io is free, what animal parvum (i.e. small animal)
does Ήρα send to torment her as she crosses the lands?
What happens to Argus’ eyes, according to myth?
Io ends up as the goddess-queen of what civilization?