Classical Civilisation

PANDORA - SOURCES + INFORMATION

• HESIOD, WORKS AND DAYS
• "weaving of the richly wrought loom"- given art of crafts, seen as useful and desirable, modest and virtuous
• "she wrought miserable cares on humankind"/"he had accepted a curse" - cause of suffering of many, suggesting that women signified the end of a time of ease and comfort, inherent evil within
• "lifting the giant lid of her jar" - lack of self control and disobedient by nature
• "golden trinkets upon her skin"- attractive by society's standards, idealistic, alluring, illusion
• "put lies and crafty words and a thievish nature into her heart" imposed on her, suggests figure of function, vessel of vengeance
• Zeus was going to punish mankind as Prometheus stole fire from gods + given it to mortals as a gift
• Gathered the Olympians in order to create a maiden that would bring destruction to the world
• Hephaestus created her form/body and gave her speech/strength. Athena taught her crafts
• Aphrodite made her charming and Hermes gave her a thievish nature + a bitch's mind
• Athena clothed/styled her and Aphrodite put golden trinket/garland around her
• Zeus named her Pandora
• Sent her to Earth as gift for Epimetheus + accepted it
• Pandora's curiosity got the better of her + opened pithos releasing evil into the world
• Hope never left the jar

HELEN OF TROY - SOURCES + INFO

• EURIPIDES, HELEN:
• "my body at least may not bring shame upon itself here" - mentally strong, take control of her fate , protects her virtue, formidable character, conscience decision
• "grew puffed up with conceit" - brought carnage to the land in vengeance
• HOMER, ILIAD:
• "I wish I had chosen death rather than following your son" - regretful, illustrates how important loyalty is, dramatic, declarative statement, responsibility/burden of the plight of Troy lies with her
• "Surely the gods must to blame" - sympathetic to her dilemma
• "Paris, it seems, and Menelaus, beloved of Ares, plan to fight for you" - passive character, observing the destruction and casualties she induced, female dependence on men

TARPEIA - SOURCES + INFORMATION

• PROPERTIUS ELEGIES:
• "wicked girl, who wanted, Vesta, to betray your flames" - goddess of hearth/home/family by given Sabine the ability to enter the city, betrayal of family/identity
• "she was stunned by the king's face" - easily manipulated
• LIVY, HISTORY OF ROME:
• "Sabine were in the habit of wearing heavy gold armlets on their left arm... made them promise to give her 'what they had on their left arms'" - bound by her material greed, emphasises the power women place on beauty
• BASILICA AEMILIA FRIEZE (VISUAL SOURCE):
• Standing in same position like Jesus, martyr for state
• Ripped clothes, vulgar, sexual interpretations/violence
• Encased in rocks, future determined, bound by earthly greed
• Unmarried girl
• Daughter of Tarpeius, an important Roman general
• Was outside the city gates when Talius, king of the Sabines, arrived with his men
• Showed the Sabines the gate
• Was killed by the Sabine soldiers once they gained access inside
• Later a cliff in Rome was named 'Tarpeian Rock', traitors would be thrown to their deaths from here

LUCRETIA - SOURCES + INFORMATION

• OVID'S FASTI:
• "The cloak our hands have made" - playing the role that society gave to her, duty of a sedulous, submissive wife, virtuous
• "modest tears" - woman of high moral standard, loyal, female dependence on men
• LIVY, THE HISTORY OF ROME:
• "she thrusts it into her heart and died" - active role, refuses to live her life tainted, shameful of her unwilling actions, paid ultimate price to protect her reputation, without it worth nothing in society, disposable
• "completely occupied by her spinning" simple minded character, innocence, free from sin, content with her life, happy to delegate power to husband, model wife, sign of obedience + hard work
• Some leading Roman men, including king's son + Collatinus, at a drinking party + discuss their wives
• Each man says their wife is the most virtuous
• Collatinus suggests they should make a surprise visit to women
• All the other wives selfishly enjoying themselves, Lucretia at the loom, declared the most virtuous
• Tarquinius, prince, wants to sleep with her as she is so virtuous + beautiful
• Came back after a few days, after dinner when Lucretia went to bed, Sextus came armed into her room
• Tried to win her over by confessing his love + threatened with death, didn't work so threatened to destroy her honour
• Raped her
• Sent messages to father + husband, told them what happened said she was blameless
• Made every man swear to punish Sextus + killed herself

CLODIA/LESBIA - SOURCES + INFO

• Freeborn women from citizen family, not prostitute
• Wealthy, spent most of time at parties w/ social elite (drinking, wine, food, gambling ,sex)
• Old Roman noble family : Claudii
• Married to cousin Metellus Celer (LAST NAME: METELLI)
• Brother Clodius powerful politician
• Had a lot of power, broker deals + alliances w/ brother + husband
• Husband died under strange circumstances, politically against brother
• Had affairs w, poet Catullus + politician Caelius Rufus
• Rufus lover of Clodia, turned sour after she testified against him
• Accused of poisoning Egyptian ambassador + Clodia
• CATULLUS 58
• "Caelius, our Lesbia" - provoking her husband, lack of self respect
• "The very Lesbia whom Catullus loved" - 3rd person, distance himself from her sordid reputation, higher + morally better,hubristic
• CATULLUS 7: HOW MANY KISSES: TO LESBIA
• "your kisses kissed are enough and more for mad Catullus"- bewitched by unconditional love, highlighting his madness/drunk on love
• "often drawn to the girl" - infantilises her, restrained tone, his feelings seem trivial + unimportant, strip her of power
• PRO CAELIO (IN FAVOR OF CAELIUS)
• "opened her house to the passions of all"- suggests brothel, proud of reputation, lives off thrill
• "had the life + the habits of a prostitute" - derogative, degrading, worthless in the eyes of society, stupid, throwing away luxury granted for freedom

ASPASIA - SOURCES + INFORMATION

• A metic, born Miletus/Milesia
• Owned brothel in Athens and worked as hetaira
• Had high-profile relationship with Pericles (one of the most prominent politician of his day)
• Mixed reputation in society
• Greatly admired for artistic skills + wisdom in political + philosophical matters
• Looked down because she was a metic + sex worker
• Target of comedic play writers , wrote bawdy jokes about her
• Had a great deal of influence over Pericles + his politics
• PLATO'S MENEXENUS:
• "composing a funeral oration" - educated inthe art of public speaking (rhetoric) playing the role of a male
• "she was ready to strike me" - tempermental, threatening figure, aggressive, dominance, high status, matriarchy (holds primary power)
• PLUTARCH'S LIFE OF PERICLES
• "targeted the most powerful men" - never experienced true love, dynamic verb = manipulative, intelligent
• "Aspasia was born a Hera" - powerful (Hera queen of the gods) important + respected, eternal, accomplishments/actions live on in history, formidable - compared to OMPHALE ("'destroyer of her husband') + DEIANERIA (mythological eastern queen)

NEAIRA - INFORMATION

• Slave and hetaira, owned by Nicarete, born in Corinth
• Two young men brought her, benefitted from money she made as hetaira + were the only men to have sex w/ her.
• When owners wanted to settle down, sold to the Athenian Phrynion, abusive, escaped to city of Megara
• Returned to Athens + Stephanus, had 3 children, promised to live with her as though she was his wife + tell everyone she was daughter of Athenian citizen
• Exploited her, hired her out + blackmailed client.
• Law punished adultery between citizens harshly, keen to not be seen w/ Neaira, pay huge amounts of money.
• Her true identity revealed, court case made against her

CYTHERIS/LYCORIS INFORMATION

• Born a slave, an actress and a mime - became imfamia
• Name a reference to Aphrodite (nicknamed Cythera)
• Leno called Publius Voluminus Eutrapelus, name taken form his (Volumnia) indicating possession
• Freed from slavery at height of fame, charge a higher price for services
• Relationship with Mark Antony was noteworthy
• Kept as official mistress (quite expensive), called her by real name, brought her to visit his armies
• Relationship ended by Julius Caesar (his mentor), was public + personal instead of private + professional
• Had relationship with poet, soldier, politician Cornelius Gallus, wrote 4 books of poetry about relationship
• Indebted to leno all her life, business controlled by him, however famous, wealthy and respected (by some)
• OVID - AMORES
• "Gallus will be renowned in the west ... and Lycoris will be famous with her Gallus"- had a loving relationship/tender love, supported each other, formed spiritual/physical connection, were one