1. Poseidon, Sea Deities, Group Divinities, and Monsters
September 17, 2015

7. Questions on the Nereids: Galatea and Thetis [tophat]
--Does the story of Galatea remind you of any other myth or myths? What are some similarities and differences?
--How do you explain the myth variant of Polyphemus and Galatea in the Roman fresco? Why does it exist and what message does it send?
--What themes and ideas about marriage are expressed in the story of Thetis?

8. Thoughts on Galatea and Thetis
Galatea: echoes Aphrodite triangle, but:
Acis is not Ares; different model of beauty
Polyphemus: Hephaestus’ nightmare (or fantasy)
Roman fresco: utopian victory of the ‘lesser’ man
Thetis:
Female resistance to marriage; female instability
‘marrying up’ for Peleus; son surpassing father
Human wish: mortal ‘rapes’ god (but: male/female)

9. Questions on Scylla (class)
--How do the two versions of the myth of Scylla enrich the myth with different elements?
--Is there any symbolic significance in the fact that dogs, and not some other animal, attach to Scylla?

10. Two models of ‘female jealousy’
Pandora< Hermes

12. Interpretative Models for Marine Deities
Psychological and anthropological: human desire and fear of sea travel; transgression (e.g. The Titanic)
Religious: sea is mysterious and unpredictable; mishaps and successes at sea are due to divine powers
Societal: seafaring drives commerce and progress but also forces transformation of the people (landlocked vs. coastal regions)

13. Questions on Poseidon and Water Deities [tophat]
What are some modern expressions of the human fascination with the sea?