Theseus: An Epilogue To Homer's Odyssey

As Helen said “Have you a favorite mortal man there too?”, she regarded Aphrodite as the embodiment of sexual desire, implying that Aphrodite was trying to use her immortal power of lust to enslave Helen as the sex partner of Paris. Holding the one cardinal idea that she is not supposed to be a sex slave, Helen used her words to punch Aphrodite right in the face, as she replied “Is that why you beckon here beside me now with all the immortal cunning in your heart?” But with the infuriated reply “Don’t provoke me — wretched, headstrong girl! Or in my immortal rage I may just toss you over, hate you as I adore you now…”, Aphrodite had implied that she could either love or hate Helen. More importantly, Aphrodite also noted that if Helen chose to be hated, then Aphrodite as an immortal could use her power to make other people hate Helen, as she said “withering hate from both sides at once… then your fate can tread you down to dust!” This had really left Helen with a great shock, as she could not afford the consequence of being hated by both the immortals and mortals. So as a result, she had no choice but to obey Aphrodite and return to Paris, failing to establish her agency. Bear in mind that Helen was the daughter of Zeus and she got such treatment, it could be even worse for other

6. What alternatives does Theseus offer Hermia? In what tone do you imagine him presenting these alternatives? Quote

Theseus, the newly found prince of Athens, embarks on several hero journeys including on against Minos’ Minotaur and the Labyrinth. Joseph Campbell’s representation of the hero’s journey fully encompasses Theseus’ narrative throughout his quest to defeat the Minotaur. Beginning with a call to adventure on through the crossing of the threshold and on to the reward and resurrection. Compared to Rank’s hero’s journey which includes a revelation and transformation with atonement, Campbell’s process fits more precisely to Theseus’ story.

Our first introduction of Ariadne is of her abandonment by Theseus. Ariadne looks on as Theseus abandons her on the island “ bearing wild furies in the heart.”

Focus on the descriptions of the palaces of Nestor and Menelaus. Find quotations that describe their virtues:

In parallel to the argument between the Just and Unjust speeches, ‘new’ triumphs over ‘old’ once again in the fight between Strepsiades and Pheidippides. Pheidippides declares to his father, “I will make it clearly apparent, by Zeus, that I was beating you with justice (Clouds, 1332). Throughout their argument, Pheidippides was applying the same techniques to his speech that the Unjust speech utilized. Their apparently cynical disrespect for social mores emphasizes the fact that what is ‘old’ is losing its strength within society. What is right is in palpable contrast to what is currently occurring in the social order. Strepsiades broached the suggestion that as a father he has nurtured Pheidippides from infancy to his adulthood. Because of this, Strepsiades insists that he has earned his son’s respect. However, Pheidippides is convinced

Having power, whether it is authority, physical, godlike, or monetary, plays an important role in many situations. In these myths, the individuals can be positively or negatively affected by this power. In the myth, Theseus, we can see how individuals with power, like Theseus himself, use their abilities responsibly to aid others. We also can see from the myth Adventure of Odysseus, Odysseus himself use his powers similarly however more responsibly then Theseus. Although some individuals in these myths let their power negatively affect them by letting them use it to hinder or deceive another person, other individuals with power let it affect them positively by using it to help and protect others.

he Odyssey, as written by Homer, intricately and excitingly weaves Colin Renfrew’s Subsystem Theories throughout the entire play. Many of the five subsystem theories can be seen and support understanding of the novel. Of the five systems, trade/communication, social/ political hierarchy and symbolic subsystems will be the focus of analysis in this paper. All of these subsystems come together in The Odyssey to explain the characters and their lives, and also how they fit into the society which they live in. To understand the growth and development of the characters, we must understand the systems theories, “many human actions have a meaning at several different levels, with undertones and overtones… it is the complex interconnectedness of the subsystems which gives human culture its unique potential for growth.” As this paper will demonstrate within The Odyssey, trade and communication, social and political hierarchy and lastly symbolic subsystems create adventure in Odysseus’s harrowing, yet exciting journey back to his kingdom and family. These specific subsystems add depth and excitement because we see how each specific one impacts Odysseus’s journey back home. They help us understand who Odysseus is a man and sympathize with all that he goes through. The communication subsystem helps explain how communication between people (and gods) in different lands aid to the success of his return home. We are able to see from the social subsystem how Odysseus and other men

He trains them, strengthening their skill and power. He shows his true leadership, becoming a sort of teacher to them. When they arrive at Knossos, he tries to convince King Minos to let the tributes go. He is not only thinking for himself, but for his people. Minos refuses, but Theseus is still set on fighting the bull, not for the glory now, but so others will not have to be killed. His mindset has practically switched, instead of being self-pitying, he is now selfless. Theseus successfully slays the Minotaur, and takes his tributes and the two of Minos’ daughters home. He is so happy, “drunk with strength and joy,” that he forgets a promise he made to his father. When he was leaving Athens, he swore that if he killed the beast and made it back alive, he would change his sail from black cloth to white. Theseus forgets to change the black sail, and his father, under the assumption that Theseus is dad, jumps off a cliff, killing himself. This makes Theseus the king, and he unites many City-states in Greece, and eventually takes King Minos’s kingdom as well. He rules as a fair and wise king, and many people look up to and respect

Now Theseus is older and is in his father’s palace in Athens, the fame seeking youth decided to set his sights on a new journey. A journey which would lead to him being loved and remembered by all the people of Athens. During this time Athens had a severe problem, the neighboring island Crete would attack them every so often. The king of Athens decided to try and compromise with Crete. He stated if Crete left Athens alone for nine years they would send fourteen Athenian youths seven male and seven females as a sacrifice to Minos to be fed to the Minotaur king Minos pet. The king of Athens goal was to build a strong navy, so they could defend themselves from Crete. Surprisingly the king of Crete Mino kept his word and never attacked Athens. Now nine years had come, and it was Athens turn to keep their word. The king of Athens was conflicted as he knew the value of keeping one's word. Theseus seeing this as the perfect opportunity to earn new fame and liken his image in Athens volunteered as the seventh male Athenian youth. Theseus’s goal is to slay the Minotaur and save his fellow Athenians. Theseus promises his father, he will return alive and when he does, he will change the color of the sail on the ship from white to black. In the event the sails stay black his father should assume Theseus has met his demise. After the Athenians arrive in Crete they are welcomed by King Mino’s and princess Ariadne, upon seeing

Helen displays her flirtatious attitude to Hector, however it could also be inferred that she is unsatisfied with Paris and Menelaus. During her argument with Aphrodite, she claims she does not want to be looked at poorly by the Trojans for serving Paris is bed. This shows a sudden desire to be socially accepted and looked beyond just her beauty or as a nuisance by the Trojans.

When he is there, he is almost sacrificed by being poisoned by Lady Medea, but the cup of poisoned wine is knocked away. “As my mouth touched it, I felt it plucked from my hands” (Renault 125). The reason he was going to be killed was to break the curse plaguing Athens that was brought upon by Aigeus’s grandfather. Aigeus weeps after Theseus discovers the king’s plan, but Theseus understands why he was supposed to die and feels that it is his duty to rule Athens to make up for the curse. Theseus inherits the curse, however, and his own son dies. However, the death of his son is the cause for the renewal of Athens and the lifting of the

Virgil’s The Aeneid is a Latin epic poem that tells the legendary story of Aeneas, a Trojan who travelled to Italy, where he became the ancestor of the Romans. The poem details the journey of Aeneas and his men after they are forced to flee burning Troy and as they wander the seas in search of land suitable to found a new Troy. Throughout the many books, the Trojans suffer through the Trojan War, the loss of their home, fierce storms, horrible monsters, and the wrath of the gods. A major theme of The Aeneid is human suffering as the characters in the poem experience the full front of despair and pain.

• The chorus talks about the inevitability of crime and punishment by the gods. Zeus will punish Paris because he is the god of hospitality and it is his laws of hospitality that have been broken; they also suggest that there is no way to “enchant away the rigid fury”.

Introduced as “a conqueror…greater” than any other “beneath the sun,” Thesëus, the wise and chivalrous lord Athens, is a merciful and noble duke (Chaucer 24). As a wise and noble leader, Thesëus, with a “heart of pity,” mends the ailments of his people, “ as he [is] a true knight.” (26).