Consider the myths listed below and answer the questions that follow. Sources for the myths are given and/or suggested. You may use other sources, but you must cite them. Remember that I am interested in your own conclusions. TOTAL LENGTH: 500-700 words. Obviously you do not need to retell the myths, but refer to them to substantiate your statements.
General sources: Morford and Lenardon (textbook or homepage). PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ETYMOLOGIES IN THE CHARACTERS GLOSSARY OF M&L ONLINE ARE HIGHLY UNRELIABLE!
Hestia[1]
Atalanta[2]
Nausicaa[3]
Iphigenia[4]
Hippodameia[5]
QUESTIONS
Compare and contrast the myths of the virgins listed above and answer the following questions.
a) What does the fact that Hestia, a goddess of the household, was worshiped in public ceremonies, suggest to you concerning the relationship of home and state in ancient Greece?
b) Which of these virgins offer an ideal feminine model?
c) What gender roles do these myths justify or support? Give specifics, and if you refer to historical life of women in ancient Greece, look up, e.g., the Overview in Perseus or Lefkowiz/Fant in Diotima.
Diodorus Siculus, Library: book 14, chapter 4,
section 7
[6] Critias, fearing that Theramenes might overthrow
the oligarchy, threw about him a band of soldiers with drawn swords. [7]
They were going to arrest him, but, forestalling them, Theramenes leaped
up to the altar of Hestia of the Council Chamber, crying out, "I
flee for refuge to the gods, not with the thought that I shall be saved,
but to make sure that my slayers will involve themselves in an act of impiety
against the gods."
Lycurgus, Speeches: speech 1, section 77 [Against Leocrates]. This is part of the oath that the ephebes took at the Panathenaic festival:
Witnesses to this shall be the gods Agraulus, Hestia,
Enyo, Enyalius, Ares, Athena the Warrior, Zeus, Thallo, Auxo, Hegemone,
Heracles, and the boundaries of my
native land, wheat, barley, vines, olive trees, fig trees.
Pindar, Nemean 11
[str. 1]
Daughter of Rhea, you who have received the town hall under your protection, Hestia, sister of Zeus the highest and of Hera who shares his throne, welcome Aristagoras to your dwelling, and welcome to a place near your splendid scepter his companions, [5] who, in honoring you, guard Tenedos and keep her on a straight course;
[ant. 1]
often they worship you, first of the gods, with libations, and often with the savor of burnt sacrifice. Lyres and songs peal among them, and Themis, who belongs to Zeus, the god of hospitality, is honored with everlasting feasts.
31) Plato, Laws: section 745b
After this, he must divide off twelve portions of land,
when he has first set apart a sacred glebe for Hestia, Zeus and Athena,
to which he shall give the name acropolis and circle it round with a ring
wall;
32) Plato, Laws: section 848d
... of each of the twelve districts; and in each village
we shall first select temples and a market place for the gods and demigods;
and if there exist any local deities of the Magnetes or any shrines of
other ancient gods whose memory is still preserved, we shall pay to them
the same worship as did the men of old; and everywhere we shall erect temples
to Hestia and Zeus and Athena, and whatever other deity is the patron of
the district concerned.
33) Plato, Laws: section 856a
... of all the judges, they shall lay them up at the
altar of Hestia.
34) Plato, Laws: section 856a
And after doing this thrice, during which proceedings
they shall pay full attention to evidence and witnesses, each of the judges
shall cast a sacred vote, promising by Hestia tO give just and true judgment
to the best of his power; and thus they shall bring to its end this form
of trial.
41) Plato, P Phaedrus, section 246e [Phaedrus]
Now the great leader in heaven, Zeus, driving a winged
chariot, goes first, arranging all things and caring for all things.
He is followed by an army of gods and spirits, arrayed in eleven squadrons;
Hestia alone remains in the house of the gods.
Apollodorus 3.9.2
And Iasus had a daughter Atalanta by Clymene, daughter of Minyas. This Atalanta was exposed by her father, because he desired male children; and a she bear came often and gave her suck, till hunters found her and brought her up among themselves. Grown to womanhood, Atalanta kept herself a virgin, and hunting in the wilderness she remained always under arms. The centaurs Rhoecus and Hylaeus tried to force her, but were shot down and killed by her. She went moreover with the chiefs to hunt the Calydonian boar, and at the games held in honor of Pelias she wrestled with Peleus and won. Afterwards she discovered her parents, but when her father would have persuaded her to wed, she went away to a place that might serve as a racecourse, and, having planted a stake three cubits high in the middle of it, she caused her wooers to race before her from there, and ran herself in arms; and if the wooer was caught up, his due was death on the spot, and if he was not caught up, his due was marriage. When many had already perished, Melanion came to run for love of her, bringing golden apples from Aphrodite, and being pursued he threw them down, and she, picking up the dropped fruit, was beaten in the race. So Melanion married her. And once on a time it is said that out hunting they entered into the precinct of Zeus, and there taking their fill of love were changed into lions. But Hesiod and some others have said that Atalanta was not a daughter of Iasus, but of Schoeneus; and Euripides says that she was a daughter of Maenalus, and that her husband was not Melanion but Hippomenes. And by Melanion, or Ares, Atalanta had a son Parthenopaeus, who went to the war against Thebes.
Passages from Homer's Odyssey:
in Perseus: #Book
6, line 15 #Book
8, line 455
or read them from R. Fagles' translation, on reserve
in the Library.
SOURCES:
Morford and Lenardon, ch. 17
Apollodorus E.3.21-22
Euripides, Iphigenia
in Aulis, Iphigenia
in Tauris
Apollodorus E.2.4