Greek Terminology: Definitions of Key Concepts in Ancient Greek Culture, Quizzes of Classical Philology

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TERM 1 aristos DEFINITION 1 Best TERM 2 arate DEFINITION 2 Being best, excellence, courage, virtue noun related to agathos and aristos TERM 3 agathos DEFINITION 3 good, noble adjective TERM 4 aidos DEFINITION 4 shame, respect for others, compunction noun TERM 5 aischros DEFINITION 5 ugly, base, shameful adjective noun-aischune TERM 6 basileus DEFINITION 6 lord, king noun TERM 7 daimon DEFINITION 7 spirit, god, supernatural power noun TERM 8 demos DEFINITION 8 the majority, the people noun TERM 9 dike DEFINITION 9 justice, case, verdict noun adjective-dikaios TERM 10 epos DEFINITION 10 word, saying; a line of verse, epic noun TERM 21 oikis DEFINITION 21 family, household, house noun the male dominance over woman in the household: the father then the husband TERM 22 oligoi DEFINITION 22 few (hence "minority rule, oligarchy") noun (oligarchia) TERM 23 philos DEFINITION 23 dear, friendly, one's "own" adjective TERM 24 philia DEFINITION 24 friendship noun TERM 25 physis DEFINITION 25 nature, growth noun TERM 26 polis DEFINITION 26 city, state, community noun TERM 27 polites DEFINITION 27 citizen TERM 28 psyche DEFINITION 28 like-breath, soul, mind noun TERM 29 sophos DEFINITION 29 wise, clever adjective ex. characteristic of sophists TERM 30 sophia, sophistes DEFINITION 30 wisdom, sophist noun TERM 31 sophron DEFINITION 31 sensible, restrained, chaste adjective TERM 32 sophrsyne DEFINITION 32 self-restraint, moderation, chastity noun TERM 33 theos DEFINITION 33 god (goddess) noun (feminine-thea) TERM 34 time DEFINITION 34 honor, privilege, reward, value noun TERM 35 tyrannos DEFINITION 35 unconstitutional monarch noun TERM 46 Achaeans (Akhaioi) DEFINITION 46 -the Greek city-states unified under the Greek basileus Agamemnon. -They attack Troy, -warlike people similar to the Hittites TERM 47 Indo-European DEFINITION 47 -The Proto-Indo-Europeans were the speakers of the Proto- Indo-European language (PIE), an unattested but now reconstructed prehistoric language. - TERM 48 Briseis DEFINITION 48 Homer: Iliad -shows up first in Book 1 -a Trojan woman captured by the Greeks in the Iliad. -Taken from Achiles by Agamemnon. -This prompts Achiles to refuse to fight; - Achilles wants to shows Agamemnon that he is important and necessary to win the battle. TERM 49 Thersites DEFINITION 49 Homer: Iliad -was a rank-and-file soldier of the Greek army during the Trojan War. -His father isnt named which indicates that he is just a commoner. - Homer describes Thersites a ugly and vulgar and Thersites insults Agamemnon and Odysseus who then hits Thersites. -Shows that Homer is biased towards the elite. TERM 50 Nestor DEFINITION 50 Homer: Iliad -In Greek mythology, Nestor of Gernia (; gen.: ) was the son of Neleus and Chloris, and the King of Pylos. -Oldest Greek king, wise, intelligent. - Is the only old person that the Greeks listen to in the Iliad (this is rare because they normally only consider younger men important since they can still prove themselves in battle and posses arte(excellence) and time(honor).) TERM 51 Andromache DEFINITION 51 Homer: Iliad -Trojan woman -wife to hector (the good wife) - mother of Astyanax -pleads with Hector to not resume battle, he needs to live for the sake of his son TERM 52 Astyanax DEFINITION 52 Homer: Iliad -was the son of Hector and Andromache. -he is afraid of his father when Hector is in his armor shows the male role division. you can't be a fighter like he is and still be a father like what his son wants TERM 53 Sarpedon DEFINITION 53 Homer: Iliad -Son of Zeus, -ally of the Trojans. -Zeus contemplates saving him even though it is his fate to be killed at Troy. TERM 54 Thetis DEFINITION 54 Homer: Iliad -Mother of Achilles, -Achilles pleads with her to help him obtain his honor since he is fated to die. -She pleads with Zeus to interfere and assist the Trojans to insure Achilles his honor (so the Greeks would realize that Achilles is necessary for them to win.) -Silver-footed Thetis -a sea nymph, TERM 55 Priam DEFINITION 55 Homer: Iliad -was the king of Troy during the Trojan War and youngest son of Laomedon. -father of Hector -plays an important role in Book 24 when he does t Achilles' camp to get Hector's body back after Achilles had killed him and dragged his body back to his camp TERM 56 Hera DEFINITION 56 Homer: Iliad -most powerful of the female goddesses -wife and older sister of Zeus. -hates the Trojans. -Hera doesnt like Thetis request to help the Trojans (so the Greeks would realize that Achilles is necessary for them to win) because she doesnt want Zeus to interfere in the Trojan War on behalf of the Trojans. -is very jealous of Zeus' sexual escapades TERM 57 Competitive Virtues DEFINITION 57 -how to prove arte: excellence, courage, virtue, being the best. -There is physical (Achilles): intellectual (Odysseus), and cooperative (Nestor) arte. -First: in fighting and athletic completion. -Second: wits intelligence. -Third: teamwork, getting along. -The physical form of arte is the best in Homeric times. TERM 58 Hawk and Nightengale DEFINITION 58 a brief story in Hesiods Works and Days. Talking about how the strong conquer the weak; the more the weak resist the more they will get hurt and be humiliated. Greeks are possibly the hawks. TERM 59 Muses DEFINITION 59 they inspire people (intellectuals, artists.) Daughters of Zeus (9 of them- technically goddesses.) TERM 60 aition (aetiology) DEFINITION 60 cause or reason (why work is so important and please is so dangerous and destracting TERM 71 Cleisthenes DEFINITION 71 -noble of Athens, reformed the constitution to become more Democratic. -Father of Athenian democracy, overthrew tyrant son of Pisistratus (Hippias). -Part of Alcmaeonid family. -Divided Athenian population into 10 tribes, then each tribe into 30 trittyes. -Abolished surnames to eliminate the old power base. - Reorganized the Boule (lower council) and the law courts, introduced ostracism TERM 72 (Battle of) Thermopylae DEFINITION 72 Hot Gates; a narrow passage that the Spartans (Leonides) defended against the invading Persians (led by Xerces), second Persian War TERM 73 Darius DEFINITION 73 -490 bce - sends an invading force by sea to attack Attica, Greece. -His army was defeated at Marathon by the Athenians and their allies TERM 74 (Battle of) Marathon DEFINITION 74 - took place in 490 BC during the first Persian invasion of Greece. -massive land battle between the Athenians and the Persians. -They waited for the Persian cavalry to board the ships then they attacked them in phalanx formation and won TERM 75 (Battle of) Salamis DEFINITION 75 -479 bce -naval battle during the second Persian war that proves the might of the Athenian navy. - Athens had abandoned their city and taken refuge on the island of Salamis; - Themistocles lured the Persian navy into the straights of Salamis and whips their ass TERM 76 Themistocles DEFINITION 76 -Athenian general who lures the Persian navy into the straights of Salamis and whips their ass during the second Persian war. -He engineered the whole Athenian war strategy TERM 77 Delian League DEFINITION 77 - began as a collective defense force against the Persians but Pericles turned it into the Athenian empire. -The money that was contributed to the league by the members was supposed to be used for collective defense but it is suspected that instead Athens used it to build up their demolished temples. - Basically started the Peloponnesian War because Athens was gaining too much control TERM 78 Pericles DEFINITION 78 Athenian statesman, orator, general, and politician; rival was Cimon. Of Athenss Golden Age (btwn Persian and Peloponnesian Wars). Populist, social policy: 451 law that required that citizens have Athenian parentage on both sides. Pericles turned Delian League in an Athenian empire; beautified Athens and oversaw the Acropolis building, including the Parthenon. He warned Athens against overextending themselves but his advice wasnt followed and Athens created the Sicilian expedition wh TERM 79 Cleon DEFINITION 79 -Athenian statesman during the Peloponnesian war. -He and Pericles were political rivals. -He was for the extermination of the Mytileane male population, which passed TERM 80 Nicias DEFINITION 80 - (c.470 BC-413 BC) was an Athenian politician and general during the period of the Peloponnesian War. -created the Peace of Nicias: temporary peace agreement between Athens and Sparta which was supposed to last for fifty years. -Athens kept its empire. -Corinth and Megara refused to sign. -This ended the first half of the Peloponnesian War. TERM 81 Alicibiades DEFINITION 81 was a great Athenian general. He defected to Sparta in the Peloponnesian war because he was accused of vandalizing Hermes (blocks with a head and penis), then to the Persians. Athens admitted that they could not win war without him and recalled him. If he had originally stayed with Athens then they may have won the war. He was a pupil of Socrates who was accused of corrupting youth in Platos Apology; he was an example of a corrupted youth. he crashed the Symposium in Platos writing and talked a TERM 82 Revolt of Mytilene DEFINITION 82 Mytilene wanted to revolt against Athens and join Sparta in the Peloponnesian war. -They were slaughtered by the Athenians and the entire male population was exterminated like Cleon, an Athenian statesman, wanted 45) TERM 83 Melian Dialogue DEFINITION 83 -The Melian dialogue is a passage found in Book V of the History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides. -a dialogue between Melos and Athens during the Peloponnesian War. -The Athenians give the Melians the choice to pay tribute to Athens or be destroyed. Melians respond by saying that they are neutral and that if the Athenians attack them the Spartans will help them. Athens ends up killing all the Melian men and enslaving the women and children. TERM 84 Funeral Oration DEFINITION 84 -Given by Pericles in Thucydidess History of the Peloponnesian War; -Pericles says that women should be neither heard nor seen. -This delivered in honor of fallen Athenians in the Peloponnesian war TERM 85 Sicilian Expidiion DEFINITION 85 Sicilian city of Segesta appeals to Athens, vs. their neighbor Selinus, which had Spartan support. Pericles warned Athens against overextending themselves, but he had died/. Hermes is vandalized the night before the expedition. Alcibiades is sent with large force. Athens gets less support from cities of Sicily than expected, generals are unable to settle on plan of action. Alcibiades defects to Sparta. Athens loses, cant even escape by sea, & are intercepted by Syracusans while trying to escape by la TERM 96 Iole DEFINITION 96 Women of Trachis - daughter of Eurytus, king of Oechalia. - Princess of Oechalia and the girl that Heracles brings back. - Deianira is jealous of her. -Heracles tells his son to marry her even though Hyllus considers her the reason that both of his parents die TERM 97 Nessus DEFINITION 97 Women of Trachis -Heracless nemesis. Heracles shoots him with a poisoned arrow as Nessus tries to carry of Deianira. -Nessus tells Deianira that his blood is a love potion and if Hercules is ever unfaithful she should spread it on his robe and not let it see sunlight. -She tries this and in the end he gets revenge and is the one who kills Heracles. TERM 98 Jason DEFINITION 98 Euripides: Medea -Medeas husband. -Leader of the Argonauts. - He retrieved the Golden Fleece w/ the great help of Medea. -He wants to divorce Medea and marry Creons, King of Corinth, daughter who is later killed by Medea in revenge; Jason tried to justify the divorce by saying that his new marriage would be beneficial for their familys standing in Corinth TERM 99 Aegeus DEFINITION 99 Euripides The Medea -The king of Athens. - An old time friend of Medea. -Medea tells him how to have children and that she would give him children and in return he promises her sanctuary. TERM 100 Cadmus DEFINITION 100 The Bacchae, Euripides -grandfather of Penthus - He follows Dionysus against Penthuss wishes because he does believe that Dionysus is a god TERM 101 Agave DEFINITION 101 Euripides-The Bacchae -Penthuss mother. -She chops him up in a fit of rage spurred by Dionysus and carries his head on a spit to the center of the city TERM 102 komos DEFINITION 102 -rowdy celebration; a ritualistic drunken procession performed by revelers in ancient Greece. -Is spontaneous, happens at the end of Aristophaness Lysistrata. -Comedy tends to end with this or other such scenes of the whole community being included in the celebration TERM 103 komoidia DEFINITION 103 -literally the song of revelers. -Comedy, absurd, grotesque costumes, unrealistic, set in the present. -Also is performed in the theatron at the festival of Dionysos like tragoidias TERM 104 Lysistrata/Lysimache DEFINITION 104 Aristophaness Lysistrata -(dissolver of armies/dissolver of battle) former was basically sexless in Aristophaness Lysistrata in which she organized the womens (Spartans Corinthians, and Athenians) refusal of sex to their men as a way to get them to compromise and end the Peloponnesian war. -The latter was the main priestess for Athene in Athens and Lysistratas name is a play on hers. TERM 105 Myrrhine DEFINITION 105 Aristophanes 'Lysistrata'. -Lysistratas best friend who was sexed crazed and teases her man, hinting that she would give him sex then leaving him once he is aroused. TERM 106 Lampito DEFINITION 106 Aristophanes 'Lysistrata' -she is Spartan and very masculine, -is all for not giving her man sex. TERM 107 Reconciliation DEFINITION 107 Aristophanes 'Lysistrata' -a non-speaking female sex object; - the gorgeous woman that gets split and gives Athenians sex from the front and Spartans sex from the back which ends the Peloponnesian wars TERM 108 Hippocrates DEFINITION 108 -wrote Airs, Waters, Places. -Was a medical thinker who theorized your environment, the climate, and what you did determined how you developed and the diseases you would get (black bile, yellow bile, blood, and flem). -Said Persians developed more effeminate TERM 109 Protagoras DEFINITION 109 -pre-Socratic, a sophist, -also has a dialogue written by Plato and named after him. -He was especially involved in the question of whether virtue could be taught TERM 110 Gorgias DEFINITION 110 -sophist (part of the first generation of Sophists), -pre- Socratic philosopher, taught rhetoric TERM 121 politikon zoon DEFINITION 121 "man is a political animal" -relates to Aristotle; thought this was a factor of achieving goodness -political animal, humans were meant to be a social being working in a functional Democratic government TERM 122 Pythagoras-Pythagoras of Samos and Croton (c. 600-540?) DEFINITION 122 -is said to have introduced the doctrine of transmigration of souls into Greece; his religious influence is reflected in the cult organization of the Pythagorean society, with periods of initiation, secret doctrines and passwords, special dietary restrictions, and burial rites. -many discoveries to scientific tradition including the Pythagorean Theorem; discovery of the musical consonances: the ratios 2 : 1, 3 : 2, and 4 : 3 representing the length of strings corresponding to the octave and the basic harmon TERM 123 Xenophanes-Xenophanes and Colophon and Sicily (c. 550-470) DEFINITION 123 -A poet, theologian, & natural philosopher, . -The origin of things is from earth and water; meteorological and celestial phenomena (including sun, moon, and stars) are explained by clouds formed from the sea. -Moderns have imagined him a monotheist, but he seems rather to have preached a harmonious polytheism, w/out conflict among the gods. -he appears as the 1st thinker systematically to formulate the conception of a cosmic god, and to found the tradition of natural theology followed by Plato , Aristotle TERM 124 Anaximander-Anaximander of Miletus (c. 580- 520) DEFINITION 124 -initiated the tradition of Greek natural philosophy by elaborating a system of the heavens, including an account of the origins of human life, & by leaving his speculation behind in written form.- believed that symmetry dictates that the world-order will perish into the source from which it has arisen, as symmetry explains why the earth is stable in the centre, equally balanced in every direction.world process begins when the opposites are separated out to generate the hot and the cold, the dry TERM 125 Thales-Thales of Miletus (c. 600-540 bce) DEFINITION 125 -engineer, geometer, and astronomer; in Aristotle's view he was the first natural philosopher and cosmologist. -left no written work, it is impossible to know achievements; include various geometrical discoveries and feats of mensuration, the study of solstices & measurement of the seasons, & many physical theses: that the earth floats on water, that a magnetic stone has a soul, or mind, (psych) since it makes things move, that all things are full of gods, and that water is the arch, the beginning o