CLASSICS 370 Chapter Notes - Chapter 15: Medus, Castor And Pollux, Aeschylus
5 Sep 2016
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Unit xv reading notes: classical myth: theseus and the myths of athens. Several characters bearing the same name turn up in different generations of the early kings. Athens" greatest hero, theseus - 6th and 5th century bc cecrops, erichthonus, and the daughters of the cecrops. When athens became an important military power and cultural center. Athenians made three claims about their origins: (386) Descended from athena, even though she was a virgin goddess. In a golden age, cecrops introduced the arts of civilization and monogamous marriage to the people. Theme of autochthony appears in story about erichthonius, another early king of athens - succeeded cecrops. Story of birth: athena went to hephaestus for repair of weapons lusted after her, ejaculated semen onto her leg: in disgust, she wiped it off and threw it on the ground erichthonius. Athena took him in a basket, gave him to daughters of cecrops: aglaurus, herse, and pandrosus (387)
