Dear Mythology Kids,
We discussed the characters of Cassandra, Achilles, Patroclus, Hector and Odysseus (except in b1) on Friday. We will finish with the character presentations on Tuesday with Odysseus (for b1), Ajax (g) and Ajax (l), Aeneus, Penelope and Telemachus. Your homework for the weekend was to complete reading The Iliad (read up to page 200), and read the myth of"Niobe" found on the bottom of 249-251 for Tuesday. This myth helps to further characterize Artemis and how livid she could become if mankind ever affronted her. Remember to keep reviewing the characters, as your "Quest" covering The Iliad will be on Thursday.
Cassandra, Trojan Princess, daughter to Priam, sister to Paris and Hector, Agamemnon's "prize of war"
B1:
1. "Later Apollo turned against her because she refused his love, and although he could not take back his gift--divine favors once bestowed might not be revoked--he made it of no account, as no one ever believed her."
2. "After the war began, Cassandra continued to predict calamities in store for the Trojans."
B2:
1. "Ajax, the lesser, dragged her away, overturning the statue, and raped her on the spot, while the image of Athena turned its eyes away in horror."
2. "It was her fate always to know the disaster that was coming and be unable to avert it."
B4:
1. "Cassandra foresaw everything that was to happen. Even her family believed her to be mad...In fact, to avoid scandal, her father had her locked away, order the women who attended her to report everything she said."
2. "When the Greeks sacked Troy she was in Athena's temple clinging to her image."
Achilles, son to Peleus and Thetis, Greek hero
B1:
1. "Beg no more, you fawning dog--begging me by my parents! Would to god my rage, my fury would drive me now to hack your flesh away and eat you raw."
2. "She held the young Achilles by the heel an dipped him in the river Styx; everything the sacred waters touched became invulnerable, but the heel remained dry and therefore unprotected."
B2:
1. "If I do not make Hector pay with his life for Patroclus' death, then I can say that I did not help my comrade in the hour when he needed me most."
2. "...an expert with sword, spear, bow and arrow, and he could outrun any horse except his own two immortal stallions. In his flashing armor, forged by the god Hephaestus, he filled the enemy with terror."
B4:
1. "I did not help my comrade in his sore need. I will kill the destroyer of him I will the destroyer of him I loved; then I will accept death when it comes."
2. " Our comrades lie dead on the field and you call to food," answered Achilles scornfully. "Down my throat shall go neither bite nor sup until my dear comrade is avenged."
Patroclus, Greek, friend/lover to AchillesB1:
1. "Give me your armor. If they think I am you, the Trojans may pause and the worn-out Greeks have a breathing space. You and I are fresh. We may yet drive back the enemy."
2. "And indeed for a time Patroclus fought as gloriously as that great hero himself could have done."
B2:
1."You can wrath while your country men go down in ruin, " he cried to Achilles. "I cannot."
2. Same as B1
B4:
1. "Not even for Achilles' sake could he stay longer away from the battle."
2. Same as B1
Hector, Prince of Troy, husband to Andromache and father to Astynax
B1:
1. " His glancing helm was everywhere and one gallant warrior after another fell beneath his terrible bronze spear. When evening ended the battle, the Trojans had driven the Greeks back almost to their ships."
2. " Apollo forbade Hector to enter upon a contest with Achilles, but when the two heroes met, they were protected by Apollo and Athena. The Trojans fled, but Hector, although called back by his parents in the most imploring terms, remained and awaited Achilles."
B2:
1. Same as B1
2. Same as B2
B4:
1. "My doom has come upon me; let me not then die ingloriously and without a struggle, but let me first do some great thing that she be told among me hereafter."
2. "If I kill you I will give you back to your friends and you do the same for me."
Odysseus, King of Ithaca, "inventor" of the Trojan Horse
B1:
Presentation for Odysseus will be on Tuesday
B2:
1. "Renowned for his eloquent and persuasive speaking, Odysseus was called upon many times to give advice. Although he fought bravely he preferred strategy to heroics."
2. "...if anything went wrong...the men inside the wooden horse would surely die. Odysseus, as can be readily believed, had not overlooked this fact....he was prepared."
B4:
Quotes will be given to us on Tuesday by the Odysseus group for B4.
