Artemis - Diana HH 9 Muse, sing of Artemis, sister of the Far-shooter, the virgin who delights in

arrows, who was fostered with Apollo. She waters her horses from Meles deep in reeds, and swiftly drives her all-golden chariot through Smyrna [5] to vine-clad Claros where Apollo, god of the silver bow, sits waiting for the far-shooting goddess who delights in

arrows.

Homeric adolescent woman

potnia therôn deer, bear

Moon - Selene, Hecate

golden arrows - shafts of woe, sudden death of girls

virgin but not asexual, hunt

Brauron, kourotrophos

But the goddess with a bold heart [10] turns every way destroying the race of wild beasts: and when she is satisfied and has cheered her heart, this huntress who delights in arrows slackens her supple bow and goes to the great house of her dear brother Phoebus Apollo, to the rich land of Delphi, [15] there to order the lovely dance of the Muses and Graces. There she hangs up her curved bow and her arrows, and heads and leads the dances, gracefully arrayed, while all they utter their heavenly voice, singing how neat-ankled Leto bore children [20] supreme among the immortals both in thought and in deed.

HH 27 I sing of Artemis, whose shafts are of gold, who cheers on the hounds, the pure maiden, shooter of stags, who delights in archery, own sister to Apollo with the golden sword. Over the shadowy hills and windy peaks [5] she draws her golden bow, rejoicing in the chase, and sends out grievous shafts. The tops of the high mountains tremble and the tangled wood echoes awesomely with the outcry of beasts: earth quakes and the sea also where fishes shoal.

Apollo - ApolloHH 21 Phoebus, of you even the swan sings with clear voice to the beating of his

wings, as he alights upon the bank by the eddying river Peneios; and of you the sweet-tongued singer, holding his high-pitched lyre, always sings both first and last.

kouros

apellai initiation festival

poetry as unifier, poets’ god

bow - lyre

Ionians

healer and destroyer

sun god , Phoebus

antithesis to Dionysus, sôphrosynê

Laurel, Daphne

Delphi, prophecy

Hermes - Mercuryherma, heap of stones, bearded headliminal, herm, ithyphallic, apotropaic,hermeneutic bringer of luck - guide of souls (psychopompus)

HH 18 I sing of Cyllenian Hermes, the Slayer of Argus, lord of Cyllene and Arcadia rich in flocks, luck-bringing messenger of the deathless gods. He was born of Maia, the daughter of Atlas, when she had mated with Zeus, — [5] a shy goddess she. Ever she avoided the throng of the blessed gods and lived in a shadowy cave, and there the Son of Cronos used to lie with the rich-tressed nymph at dead of night, while white-armed Hera lay bound in sweet sleep: and neither deathless god nor mortal man knew it. [10] And so hail to you, Son of Zeus and Maia; with you I have begun: now I will turn to another song! Hail, Hermes, giver of grace, guide, and giver of good things!

idealization of youthArgeiphontes (Slayer of Argos). Messenger, winged boots, hat petasos, kerykeion (herald’s staff) a.k.a caduceus

Aphrodite - Venus HH 6 I will sing of stately Aphrodite, gold-crowned and beautiful, whose dominion is the walled cities of all sea-set Cyprus. There the moist breath of the western wind wafted her over the waves of the loud-moaning sea [5] in soft foam, and there the gold-filleted Horai welcomed her joyously. They clothed her with heavenly garments: on her head they put a fine, well-wrought crown of gold, and in her pierced ears they hung ornaments of copper and precious gold, [10] and adorned her with golden necklaces over her soft neck and snow-white breasts, jewels which the gold-filleted Horai wear themselves whenever they go to their father's house to join the lovely dances of the gods. And when they had fully decked her, [15] they brought her to the gods, who welcomed her when they saw her, giving her their hands. Each one of them prayed that he might lead her home to be his wedded wife, so greatly were they amazed at the beauty of violet-crowned Cytherea. Hail, sweetly-winning, coy-eyed goddess! Grant that I may gain the victory in this contest, [20] and order you my song. And now I will remember you and another song also.

Dionysus - Bacchus - Bromius - Liber HH 26 I begin to sing of ivy-crowned Dionysus, the loud-crying god, splendid son of Zeus and glorious Semele. The rich-haired Nymphs received him in their bosoms from the lord his father and fostered and nurtured him carefully [5] in the dells of Nysa, where by the will of his father

he grew up in a sweet-smelling cave, being reckoned among the immortals. But when the goddesses had brought him up, a god oft hymned, then began he to wander continually through

the woody coombes, thickly wreathed with ivy and laurel. And the Nymphs followed in his train [10] with him for their leader; and the boundless forest was filled with their outcry.

And so hail to you, Dionysus, god of abundant clusters!

wine, ecstasia, enthousiasmos

merging of votary and god

Zeus (Dios), Semele,

Cadmus of Thebes,

phallus

latecomer to Olympian pantheon

vegetation

Maenads, mania, Bacchae,

goat, lion,

Compare the images of gods and goddesses in the Homeric Hymns

assigned for today’s class.

The shorter Homeric Hymns suggest a subordinate role for women in the society

that produced them.

The shorter Homeric Hymns suggest a subordinate role for women in the

society that produced them. While the poems characterize the Olympian gods in their

own right, they generally define the Olympian goddesses in terms of a god. Emphasis

is put on each as a wife or a sister, or, in one case, as a mother. The principal figures of

this divine society are thus male, the females being secondary. The efforts the poets

make to link the goddesses to gods must reflect a social phenomenon in archaic Greek

society, in which women likewise did not have social status independent of male

guardians. One exception to this rule is Aphrodite, goddess of love, a force so

elemental that her feminine embodiment of it cannot be limited to any one god.

Zeus is “best and greatest among gods” (23.1), and Poseidon is a “great god” (22.1). Hades

is “host of many” (2.18). Even the lesser gods derive their identity from some special strength:

Apollo has his lyre (21.4), and Hermes his divine messenger service (18.3). Among his many

epithets, Ares is “father of warlike Victory” and “ally of Themis”, but these figures are abstract

features for strength and justice (9.4); he is not dependent on them. Hephaestus is “famed for

inventions” (20.1), but he shares this role with Athena (20.2), which may be an indication of

lower status. Dionysus is defined emphatically as son of Zeus and Semele (26.2), which is more

than a simple patronymic, but his poem makes a point of saying that he is “counted among the

immortals” (26.6), as if this were disputable. His divine status seems suspect. He keeps the

company of nymphs (26.9-10). The dependence of his identity on his parents may likewise be

part of a somewhat androgynous character.

While Dionysus’ divinity and masculinity may be suspect, even the highest and

most divine Olympian goddesses are closely associated with gods, who seem to give

them status. Hera is “sister and wife” of Zeus (12.3-4). Hestia tends Apollo’s house

(24.1), and Artemis is the sister of Apollo, to whom she drives her chariot (9.1, 4-5).

Hestia is also honoured at the immortals’ banquets, but she shares this honour with

Hermes (29.4-6). Athena likewise “cares for war”, but only with Ares (11.2).

Emphasis is also put on her being born from Zeus’ head (28.4-5).

Aphrodite is not linked to any one god, but instead every god wishes to have her as

a wife (6.17). She is thus a sort of universal companion. Demeter is also somewhat

anomalous in being known principally as a mother, though not as a wife (13.2). Her

short hymn, which is very short and may leave out important information, makes no

reference to the girl’s father. Demeter thus has no dependence on a male god, which

raises issues that have to be explored in her longer hymn (2). It may be that she reflects

a sort of forlorn single-mother figure in ancient Greek culture, whose membership in

society is ambiguous.

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