Heroic Myths

• Odysseus & the Underworld: Powell, Chapter 12 (11 in 6th-4th editions):
  • Key Names & Terms: Circe, Tiresias, Achilles, Anticlea
  • go to Powell's web site: click here
• Jason: Powell, Chapter 19 (18 in ...):
  • Key Names & Terms: Pelias, Jason, Hera, Chiron, Argo, Phineus, Aeëtes, Medea, Apsyrtus, Creon
  • go to Powell's web site (Ch 7): click here
• The Trojan War: The House of Atreus; The Anger of Achilles: Powell, Chapter 20 (19 in ...):
  • Key Names & Terms: Zeus, Artemis, Hera, Athena, Aphrodite, Atreus, Pelops, Oenomaus, Hippodamia, Thyestes, Aegisthus, Menelaus, Agamemnon, Tyndareus, Leda, Polydeuces, Castor, Helen, Clytemnestra, Peleus, Thetis, Achilles, Ajax, Aulis, Telemachus, Calchas, Chryses, Chryseis, Briseis, Andromache, Hector, Paris, Priam, Hecabe
  • Sample questions at Powell's web site: click here
• The Trojan War: The fall of Troy; The Return of Agamemnon: Powell, Chapter 21 (20 in ...):
  • Key Names & Terms: Zeus, Athena, Apollo, Penthesilea, Neoptolemus, Laocoon, Polyxena, Clytemnestra, Cassandra, Aegisthus, Orestes, Electra, Theseus, Furies, Eumenides
  • Sample questions at Powell's web site: click here
• The Return of Odysseus: Powell, Chapter 22 (21 in ...):
  • Key Names & Terms: Odysseus, Lotus Eaters, Cyclopes, Polyphemus, Aeolus, Laestrygonians, Circe, Sirens, Charybdis, Scylla, Calypso, Phaeacians, Nausicaa, Eumaeus, Eurycleia, Telemachus, Penelope, Athena, Poseidon, Zeus, Aegisthus
  • Sample questions at Powell's web site: click here
• The movie Troy
  • Key Names & Terms: Thetis, Apollo, Achilles, Agamemnon, Menelaus, Helen, Hector, Paris, Odysseus, Patroclus, Andromache, Priam, Briseis, Ajax, Trojan Priest, Nestor, Glaucus

Possible Essay Questions:

• Heroic Code (as defined in class):
  • Evaluate Achilles' actions (note that actions also includes words), in the movie Troy, from the standpoint of the Heroic Code. See directions above for in-text citing and works cited entry directions. (NB: if you wrote on Achilles in Paper 5, then restrict yourself to his actions after the Greeks start sailing to Troy)
  • Evaluate Odysseus' actions (note that actions also includes words), in the movie Troy, from the standpoint of the Heroic Code. See directions above for in-text citing and works cited entry directions.
  • Evaluate Hector's actions (note that actions also includes words), in the movie Troy, from the standpoint of the Heroic Code. See directions above for in-text citing and works cited entry directions.
  • If you wish, you may combine two of the above into one essay.
  • Reminder: use only class notes for the Heroic Code and use only the movie or the script for Troy


• Xenia (as defined in class):
  • Examine, in the movie Troy, the interaction between Menelaus (and Helen) and the Trojan princes, Hector and Paris, from the standpoint of Xenia — if you didn't write on this in Paper 5. See directions for citing and works cited entry directions.
  • Examine, in the movie Troy, the interactions between the Trojans and Helen, from the standpoint of Xenia. See directions for citing and works cited entry directions.
  • Examine, in the movie Troy, the interaction between Achilles and Priam, from the standpoint of Xenia. See directions for citing and works cited entry directions.
  • If you wish, you may combine two of the above into one essay.
  • Reminder: use only class notes the Xenia and use only the movie or the script for Troy