Third Day of "Iliad Character" Presentations

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 Achilles

B1:

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.

Second Day of "Iliad Character" Presentations...

Dear Mythology Kids,

For those of you gone on choir and drama tours, I hope you are having a wonderful time.

For Wednesday, February 25th we discussed five characters. These included Helen, Menelaus, Agamemnon, Clytemnestra, and Iphigenia. Please review your handouts covering each of the characters. I have included an image of each character below, and the quotes that were chosen by the groups for each class. I would review the quotes for EACH CLASS, as doing so will give you insights into each character. The HOMEWORK for Wednesday was to read pages 185 to the last paragraph on 196 of The Iliad located in your textbook.

Cheers,

Crampton

Helen, "The face that launched a thousand ships."

B1:
1. "Then Priam brought Hector home, mourned in Troy as never another, even Helen wept. 'The other Trojans upbraided me, ' she said, 'but always I had comfort from you through your gentleness of spirit and your kind words. You were only my friend."
2. "The most fascinating things about Helen was her story. It was far better than she was. We do not see any real character development in her and have to regard her as a a pawn of the gods. The larger story is involved with the people around her, their rise and fall. She herself seemed oblivious to the horrors that surrounded her."

B2
1. "If only death had pleased me then, grim death, that day I followed your son to Troy, forsaking my marriage bed, my kinsmen and my children."
2. "Never set food on Mt. Olympus ...never! ---suffer Paris, protect Paris, for eternity....until he makes you his wedded wife---that or his slave. Not I, I'll never go back again. It would be wrong, disgraceful to share that coward's bed once more."

B4
1. "Aphrodite led Paris to Sparta, the home of a Greek prince named Menelaus. Helen, his wife was considered the most beautiful woman in the world. Paris fell in love with Helen and carried her off to Troy."
2. "When Menelaus returned home and discovered Helen gone, he called on the leaders of Greece, who had sworn to support him if necessary. The Greeks organized a great expedition and set sail for Troy. Their arrival at Troy marked the beginning of the Trojan War."

Menelaus, King of Sparta/Husband to Helen

B1:

1."When Agamemnon's leadership was jeopardized, Menelaus tricked Clytemnestra into trusting them with her daughter, Iphigenia, who was sacrificed to the gods so that Agamemnon might retrain command."

2. " Paris struck first, but Menelaus caught the swift spear on his shield then hurled his own. It rent Paris' but did not wound him. Menelaus drew his sword, his only weapon now, but as he did so it fell from his hand broken. Undaunted though unarmed he leaped upon Paris and seizing him...he would have dragged him to the Greeks victoriously if it had not been for Aphrodite saving him. "

B2:

1. "Menelaus and Helen received him graciously as their guest. The ties between guest and host were strong. Each was bound to help and never harm the other. But Paris broke that bond. Menelaus trusting completely to it left Paris in his home and went off to Crete."

2. "Later after Paris' death, the Trojans gave Helen to his brother Deiphobus, in whose house, on the night of the fall of Troy, Menelaus found her. He had meant to kill her on the spot, but her beauty and Aphrodite's power deterred him."

B4:

1. "Menelaus saw who was making the challenge and was as glad as a lion coming on the carcass of a wild goat....He stood and looked at his rival with contempt."

2. Same as the second quote for B1..refer to the second quote for B1.

The burial mask of "Agamemnon," found by Henrick Schleimann, while he

was doing excavation work at Mycenae

B1:

1. "When Menelaus' wife, Helen, was enchanted by Aphrodite and taken to the city of Troy by Alexandros, Agamemnon formed an army and sailed to Tory to retrieve Helen and her dowry."

2. "Agamemnon, in Greek Mythology, was King of Mycenae, and a commander of the Greek forces in the Trojan War. When the Greeks had assembled at Aulis for their voyage to Troy they were held back by adverse winds. Agamemnon had killed one of Artemis' sacred hares and the young; she was angry with Agamemnon's arrogance, so she caused the winds to blow unceasingly. To punish Agamemnon, she required the sacrifice of his eldest daughter Iphigenia. "

B2:

1. ""Agamemnon sent a letter to Clytemnestra and their child, Iphigenia, asking them to come and join them at Aulis, where Iphigenia he said was going to be married to the great Achilles."

2. "He insulted the goddess Artemis by bragging that he was a better hunter than she and by killing a sacred hare. As punishment, Artemis caused the winds to blow so hard that the Greek fleet could not set sail."

B4:

1. "Agamemnon had been forewarned about the danger of returning home with Cassandra, yet his pride blinded him and he thought himself invinsible. He was vulnerable because he refused to listen to Cassandra, so Clytemnestra killed him."

2. Same as the second quote for B2

Clytemnestra, Queen of Mycenae, wife to Agamemnon, mother to Iphigenia, sister to Helen of Sparta

B1:

1. " She saw no reason to explain her act or excuse it. She was not a murderer in her own eyes, she was an executioner. She had punished and murdered the murderer of his own child."

2. "Dark red stains were on her dress, her hands, her face, yet she herself looked unshaken, strongly sure of herself...It was his blood that stained her dress and face and she was glad."

B2:

1: Same quote as b1

2: Same quote as b1

B4:

1. Same quote as b1

2. "Here lies my husband dead, struck down justly by my hand."

Sacrifice of Iphigenia, daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra

B1:

1. "When she came to her wedding she was carried to the alter to be killed by her father."

2. "She would only send a favorable wind if the king propitiated her by offering up Iphigenia, the most beautiful of his daughters, as a sacrifice to the goddess."

B2:

1. Same as B1

2. "Iphigenia was a tragic heroine. She was the first person to have her life flipped upside down because of the Trojan War and it was her death which allowed the Greek fleet to set sail for Troy. Iphigenia was extremely brave and she is the reason why the entire war was able to continue."

B4:

1. Same as B1

2. Same as B2

The first day of "Iliad Character" Presentations

Dear Mythology Kids,

If you missed class on Monday, February 23rd, we started our presentations concerning the characters of The Iliad. Each partnership and/or individual student submitted their handouts and their visual representation of their assigned character. Due to the fact that Monday was an "early out," we were only able to complete the presentations for PRIAM and PARIS. I have included images below of both characters and the quotes selected by the groups that
presented for each class.


Priam, King of Troy, bowing before Achilles

• B1/B2:
• 1. "I have endured what no other mortal on the face of the earth has yet endured, to reach forth my hand to the face of him that has slain my sons."
• 2. " So accompanied the old man past the guards and came into the presence of the man who had killed and maltreated his son. He clasped his knees and kissed his hands and as he did so, Achilles felt awe and so did all the other there....."
• B4:
• 1. "Priam was killed by Neopotolemus, the son of Achilles. Achilles had spared Priam, but Achilles' son struck him down before the eyes of his wife and daughters."
• 2. ""In Greek Mythology, Priam was the last king of Troy, a ruler who witnessed the destruction of his city in the Trojan War. His son Paris caused the war, while another son, Hector, became the greatest Trojan hero during the long struggle with the Greeks."
  

Paris, Prince of Troy

B1:

1. "Hera promised to make him Lord of Europe and Asia; Athena, that he would lead the Trojans to victory against the Greeks and lay Greece in ruins; Aphrodite, that the fairest woman in all the world would be his."

2. "Paris, a weakling and something of a coward, too, as later events showed, chose the last."

B2:

1. "Paris himself, who had not fought at all, except to throw his spear, she caught up in a cloud and took him back to Helen."

2. "His single combat with Menelaus, Helen's husband, was suppose to have settled the outcome of the whole war. Instead it revealed Paris as a coward, who only escaped through the intervention of Aphrodite."

B4:

1. "In Sparta, Menelaus, husband of Helen, treated Paris as a royal guest. However, when Menelaus left Sparta for a funeral, Paris abducted Helen and also carried off much of Menelaus' wealth."

2. "What men care for most was set before him. Hera promised to make him Lord of Europe and Asia; Athena, that he would lead the Trojans to victory against the Greeks and lay Greece in ruins; Aphrodite, that the fairest woman in all the world should be his. Paris, a weakling and something of a coward, too, as later events showed, chose the last. He gave Aphrodite the golden apple."

I hope this assists those of you that were not in class on Monday. Do your best to NOT miss any more school, guys, as doing so is extremely detrimental to your future success.

The Iliad

Dear Mythology Kids,

I hope you are enjoying your weekend. I just wanted to remind you that your presentations are due on Monday, Feb. 23rd, regarding the character that you have been researching for The Iliad. Remember the following requirements:

1. 33 Handouts

2. A transparency of your handout

3.The visual image of your character

Each part of your assignment is due on Monday, even though some of you may not present on Monday. Presentations will begin on Monday and will finish on Friday.

Enjoy your weekend!

Cheers,

Crampton

What to expect for Thursday, Feb. 12th, 2009

Dear Mythology Students,

Don't forget that you have a quiz on Thursday covering the introductory information I gave you regarding the ancient city of Troy. Your quiz was originally scheduled for Tuesday, but I felt that the quiz was unfair as we hadn't discussed the questions as thoroughly as we needed to; therefore, I postponed the quiz until tomorrow. If you did miss class on Tuesday, make sure you review your white information sheet pertaining to Troy. You should also read the second half of the handout.

DON'T FORGET that your "Desk-Top" teaching assignment for your vocabulary word is due tomorrow. Remember that you are teaching the definition, etymology and correct spelling. If you need assistance, please send me an e-mail so that we can solve your concerns.

Cheers,
Crampton

What did we do in class on Friday, Feb. 6th?

Did the Trojan War actually take place?

This is a replica of the Trojan horse displayed at Troy.

Dear Mythology Students,

Just a few reminders for you:


1. Remember that your "desk-top" teaching assignment is due on Thursday. If you missed class on Friday (shame on you), PLEASE VISIT WITH ME on Tuesday, as your "desk-top" teaching assignment will take some time to explain.


2. Remember that you will have a quiz on Tuesday covering the introductory information that was given to you on Friday concerning The Iliad.


3. Complete the following as a review for your quiz. You know the "routine".....
a. Who was Henrick Schliemann?
b. How was Troy discovered?
c. Define the term "epic."
d. Give a synopsis of The Iliad and The Odyssey
e. What is meant by "nine cities?" Explain.
f. What is the ancient name for the Greeks?
g. What is the ancient name for Troy?

h. What is meant when we refer to "Schliemann's scar."
i. According to history, what was the cause of the Trojan War?

Do you remember this man and his significance to Troy?


Homer would have called this soldier an Achean.

These are recent pictures of what Troy looks like today.
I will see you on Tuesday!

Cheers,

Crampton

If you missed class on Wednesday, Feb. 4th....

Dear Mythology Students,
If you missed class on Wednesday, you missed your quiz covering the irony present in the "Heracles" myth. The quiz takes approximately 45 minutes, so please be prepared to take the quiz tomorrow during lunch or after school. You will need to plan your schedule accordingly.

DON'T MISS CLASS ON FRIDAY!
Cheers,
Crampton

Disatrous Disney!

Dear Mythology Kids,

During our church services today, I sat by a man that I did not know. So, naturally, I introduced myself and my family. I asked him what he did for a living and he replied, "I own a construction company."

"Really, what is the name of your company?"

"Hercules construction."

I started to laugh, and he naturally questioned my response. I explained that I taught Mythology at Timpanogos and that we had just discussed the myth of Heracles this past week. I then asked him why he had elected to name his company after a mythology character. This was his reply.

"I studied mythology while in college, and I was always interested in the myth of "Hercules." He was recognized for his strength and being able to complete any task given to him, so I thought that using the name "Hercules would be an appropriate title for my business."

I just thought I would share that story with you, as Mythology really is every where!

As you know, Disney films are not my favorites. This is due to the fact that Disney always "warps" the story they are re-telling. You were able to recognize this in class on Friday as you watched 15 minutes of Hercules. Disney's interpretation of the myth was quite poor. Even some of you have admitted that you considered Hades to be a malevolent character due to the impression Disney creates of Hades in the film. This illustrates the value of reading a text prior to watching the film version of it, so that you know what is "correct." I hope when you have time that you will watch the entire movie. It is entertaining to identify the MANY ERRORS within the film in comparison to the actual myth.

Don't forget that you will have a QUIZ covering the irony found within the myth of "Heracles," and how those aspects of irony add to the pathos experienced by our hero on Wednesday.

"How do I prepare for the quiz, Crampton?"

"Make sure you have read the myth of Heracles found on page 166 in your textbook. In addition, review the storyboard that we completed in class on Friday. The examples of irony that we identified together will be the questions for your quiz.

"Will there be extra credit for this quiz?"

"Absolutely! I have listed the aspects of irony below. Respond to each one as if you were taking your quiz. Remember that you will have two of the six listed. If you review this way, you will clearly be successful, as you will have two of the six included below, you just don't know which two. You are to discuss the irony found in each excerpt from the myth of “Heracles,” and how the irony adds to the pathos experienced by Heracles. Please be thorough in your response; assume that your audience has no schema on the character of Heracles. Cut and paste the questions into a Word document, and then respond to them on your computer.

#1. "Alcemene's first son was given the name of “Heracles,” which means “glory of Hera.”

#2. “ Athena showed the child to Hera and urged the goddess to pity the beautiful child so cruelly neglected. Without questioning, Hera bared her breast to the baby.”

#3. " The priestess of Delphi instructed him to go to Tiryns and perform 10 impossible tasks devised for him by King Eurytheus.”

#4. "Before returning to Eurytheus to received his next labor, Heracles dipped his arrows in the poisonous blood of the Hydra. Therefore, anyone wounded with one of his arrows would die.”

#5. “ I must bring Alcestis back from the dead. I will go down to Hades to find her. I will return good to my friend who has been so good to me.”

#6. "He sent his servant home to Deianeira in order to obtain the special ceremonial shirt he wore on these religious occasions. When the servant mentioned to Deianeira that Iole was accompany Heracles, Deianeira fear that her husband loved the beautiful princess.”

Enjoy the rest of your long weekend! I will look forward to seeing you on

Wednesday.

Cheers, Crampton