Women in Legends

• summarise the story of Pandora


  - Prometheus steals fire from the Gods

  - Zeus creates the first woman on Earth, Pandora to punish him

  - Epimetheus accepts the gift of Pandora, despite Prometheus warning him not to

  - Beforehand, mankind was lovely with no death, disease or hardship

  - Pandora opens a jar she received from Zeus and brings misery to mankind, all that was left was hope.
• what does 'Pandora' mean?

  all the gifts
• what sources can you learn about Pandora from?


  1. Hesiod's Works and Days

  2. calyx-krater of the creation of Pandora
• How does Hesiod present Pandora's character?

  - sly, selfish, manipulative, luring men into trusting her

  - lacks self control because she lifts the jar

  - attractive and appealing because that's what men would value over anything else, women were objectified 'irresistible'

  - 'a bane for men', very dangerous

  - 'wrought miserable cares on humankind' evil villain
• What gifts were given to Pandora?


  - charm sprinkled about her face (Aphrodite)

  - pretty form alike to the immortal goddess (Hephaestus)

  - bitch's mind, thievish nature (Hermes)

  - taught the 'weaving of the richly wrought loom' (Athena)

  - the jar (Zeus)
• Who is Prometheus?


  the man who stole fire from the gods; the son of Iapetus
• Why was Pandora created?


  to punish mankind for accepting Prometheus's gift of fire to them
• Who is Epimetheus?


  Prometheus' brother who accepted the gift of Pandora
• What was released from the jar that Pandora lifted?


  misery
• What did later version of the story Pandora suggest?


  - Pandora was given the box and told not do open it yet does so anyway

  - she lacks self-regulation, is weak-minded
• How is Pandora presented on the calyx-krater of the Creation of Pandora?


  - a victim, standing like a mannequin, still-like stance

  - however is smirking, showing manipulative nature
• What does Pandora's presentation tells us about Greek views of women?


  - women were seen as weaker, more evil than men

  - misogynist patriarchal society, Hesiod's Theogony describes them as having 'a nature to do evil'

  - all versions of Pandora show her in a negative light, suggesting that women are to blame for everything
• summarise the story of Helen of Troy.


  - Paris picks Aphrodite as the fairest in the golden apple contest

  - Aphrodite promises Paris the most beautiful woman, Helen

  - Helen is abducted from Sparta to Troy

  - Helen's suitors had sworn an oath to protect her

  - Menelaus and the Greek fleet go to Troy to retrieve Helen and the outbreak of the 10 year Trojan war occurs
• Where is Helen originally from?


  Sparta
• What sources can you learn about Helen of Troy from?


  1. Homer's Iliad Book 3

  2. Euripides' Helen

  3. Sappho's Fragment 16

  4. Homer's The Odyssey Book 4
• How does Homer present Helen in the Iliad?


  - feminine ideal: 'white-armed', 'weaving' 'like an immortal goddess', 'lovely Helen'

  - regretful and a perpetrator: 'i wish i had chosen death rather than following your son', calls herself 'shameless creature', Menelaus calls her 'wh*re'

  - modest: 'veiled herself'

  - respectful: 'dear father in law'

  - alternative; objectified, with no choice: 'the winner will claim you as his wife
• How does Homer present Helen in the Odyssey?


  - as a perpetrator who had agency: 'my had changed by now'

  - misses her home deeply: 'my dear land'

  - weak-minded: 'roused' by gods but could not resist temptation

  - self-aware: calls herself 'wicked shedog'

  - manipulative: Menelaus claims she likened her voice to the wives of the Argives as a trick
• What is Helen's parentage?


  - daughter of Zeus and Leda (she is a demi-goddess)

  - born from an egg with her brother Pollux
• Who is Priam?


  King of Troy, absolves Helen of blame
• How does Euripides present Helen?


  Euripides found Helen fascinating and wrote her pov in Egypt

  - victim: unaware of her parentage so product of deceit and trickery, a 'phantom Helen' is sent to Troy by Hera in her place, described to have 'suffered' from evil things

  - loyal: keeps her 'bed undefiled for Menelaus', resisting sexual urges

  - feels guilty despite not being her fault, concerned for her reputation: 'many souls have perished for my sake', calls herself 'abomination'

  - absolved of blame: the gods are blamed for everything, she is powerless, wishes she were 'plain' instead of 'beautiful
• Who is Theoclymenus?


  son of Proteus, tries to marry Helen
• How does Sappho present Helen?


  Sappho is the female voice

  -defends Helen, does not judge her

  - gives her agency because she 'abandoned her husband'

  - claims Helen is just a girl following her heart: 'passion directed her
• Who is Helen's husband?


  Menelaus
• Who did Helen run away with?


  Paris, son of Priam, prince of Troy
• How does Helen's presentation reflect Greek views on women?


  - Helen epitomises feminine ideals by being modest, beautiful and performing domestic duties, she is very valued for this

  - Fidelity and loyalty to husband was important because Helen is constantly scrutisined for leaving Menelaus
• summarise the story of the Sabine Women


  - Romulus, the founder of Rome invites refugees to settle into his kingdom but notices there is a shortage of women

  - This would limit the future generations

  - Romulus invites neighbouring towns to Roman festival

  - Roman men seize and carry the Sabine women off

  - Sabine women are furious, however they are given Roman citizenship and soothed by their new husbands to please them

  - King Tatius is angry and tries to retrieve the stolen women, fight breaks out

  - Sabine women go to the middle of the fighting and tell the men to stop

  - The men stop fighting and there is peace, the two nations are united doubling the size of Rome.
• Who is Romulus?


  Founder of Rome
• How is Romulus presented?


  - recognising the importance of women

  - god-like and powerful: 'heavenly voice', calls upon Jupiter, so has god's favour suggesting this is why Rome is so powerful.

  - fair ruler: ruled together with King Tatius in harmony
• Who is the Sabine King?


  King Tatius
• Who is the Sabine general?

  Mettius Curtius
• What source can you learn about the Sabine Women from?


  Livy's History of Rome
• How are the Sabine Women presented?


  - equal to men: given Roman citizenship

  - powerless: they literally got snatched...

  - blamed by Livy: 'grievance had cause the war'

  - influential and brave: 'their plea moved both the ranks of soldiers and their leaders', they ended the war and caused peace preventing parricide, state 'it would be better for us to die'

  - easily swayed: the men's efforts to charm them was 'most effective way to appeal to a woman's heart',
• Who is Tarpeia?


  The greatest traitoress in Roman history, cliff called Tarpeian rock named after her
• summarise the story of Tarpeia.


  - When collecting water, she is bribed to give the Sabine men entrance to Rome with jewellery

  - In some versions, she asks for the Sabine's shields

  - The Sabine men agreed, but then instead crush her with their shields
• How is Tarpeia presented?


  - greedy: let the Sabines into Rome for a materialistic reason (gold on their arms), unable to have self-control

  - a victim and heroine: trying to give Rome the advantage by asking the Sabines for their shields
• summarise the story of Lucretia


  - Collatinus and other men have a comeptition to decide who's wife was the best

  - Collatinus wins because his wife, Lucretia, is shown to be the embodiment of femininity

  - Sextus Tarquinius lusts to rape Lucretia because she is so attractive and visits her at night

  - Tarquinius threatens to kill Lucretia, she doesn't care because she is loyal, it is only when her honour is threatened that she submits

  - Lucretia is devastated, tells her father, husband and his friends what happened and stabs herself with a knife

  - They are outraged and do not blame Lucretia, the public is outraged, revolt against the monarchy which is abolished
• Who was Lucretia?


  patrician woman,who was regarded as possessing the perfect example of female virtue
• What source can you learn about Lucretia from?


  Livy's History of Rome
• Who raped Lucretia?


  Sextus Tarquinius
• Who was Lucretia's husband?


  Collatinus