CLA 2323 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Ancient Greek
24 May 2018
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Zeus’ sexual violence— p. 97-101!
chart of some of Zeus’ involvement w/ mortal women— p. 97 !
-general pattern = by the time Zeus becomes ruler of the universe, there was already
a human race !
-zeus has sex w/ demigoddesses & these produce gods like hermes, apollo, artemis,
athena !
-in homer, aphrodite is the daughter of zeus and dione !
-from the start, there is a pattern of zeus going outside his marriage, having
intercourse!
-zeus and demeter make persephone !
-zeus doesn’t stop at the level of sex w/ gods or goddesses !
-there’s a third level in the universe = us !
-zeus now descends to earth and has sex w/ a number of mortal women !
-the sex aways produces a child, the child usually is male (but not always)!
-whether male or female, the child is born w/ special powers— is a hero (hérós—
protector) !
-children are part of zeus’ hierarchy !
-children from earth= hercules, troy, etc. !
-reason zeus has children w/ these women = partly to improve the human race by
introducing a breed of heroes (are heroes bc they have his seed) !
-in mythology, the girl/woman is almost always a virgin !
-why the sexual violence/rape? !
-we have to imagine the society of the ancient greek, women did not get
married before marriage ever. so, if it is the case that these women have to
get pregnant for the sake of the human race, how do we explain that they get
pregnant? in one story, zeus doesn’t exactly commit sexual violence, he
commits deceit(?) !
-Alkamene, is a newly wed wife and before she and her husband can get
together, he’s rushed off bc there is some sort of war. a short while later, she’s
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Document Summary
Zeus" sexual violence p. 97-101 chart of some of zeus" involvement w/ mortal women p. 97. General pattern = by the time zeus becomes ruler of the universe, there was already a human race. Zeus has sex w/ demigoddesses & these produce gods like hermes, apollo, artemis, athena. In homer, aphrodite is the daughter of zeus and dione. From the start, there is a pattern of zeus going outside his marriage, having intercourse. Zeus doesn"t stop at the level of sex w/ gods or goddesses. There"s a third level in the universe = us. Zeus now descends to earth and has sex w/ a number of mortal women. The sex aways produces a child, the child usually is male (but not always) Whether male or female, the child is born w/ special powers is a hero (h r s protector)
