2.  Each Greek hero: ◦ is born of one divine parent or is at least helped by a deity during his quest. ◦ is sent on a seemingly impossible quest. ◦ is hindered by a deity and/or terrible monster(s) during his quest. ◦ escapes certain death to live a happy life, usually with his new bride. ◦ is mythical, as signaled by the interference of gods and monsters during each quest.

3. HeroParentsQuestObstaclesResult OdysseusLaertes and Anticleia (Mortals) Aided by Athene Return home to wife, Penelope, and child, Telemachus Lotus-Eaters, Cyclops, Poseidon Arrives home after being gone for almost ten years PerseusZeus and Danae (Immortal and Mortal) Aided by Athene Kill Medusa and bring her head back to King Polydectes Medusa the Gorgon, Rescues Andromeda from sea monster Marries Andromeda, Returns home by killing his enemies

4. Theseus Aegeus (or Poseidon) and Aethra (Mortals) Aided by Ariadne, priestess of Cretan goddess Part of group who was to be victims to the Minotaur The Minotaur in Crete, Finds his way out of the labyrinth Escapes successfully from Crete, Marries defeated Amazon Queen Hippolyte, and later Phaedra HeraclesZeus and Alcmene (Immortal and Mortal) Complete 12 Labors Nemean Lion, Hydra, Cretan Bull, Thracian Horses, Hera Marries Megara, Kills their children, Marries Deianeira, Cannot settle down AeneasAnchises and Venus (Mortal and Immortal) Escape Troy and Carthage, Be ancestor of Roman race Aeolus blows ships off course, Dido, Hindered by Juno Reaches Italy and settles, Ancestor Romulus founds Rome

6.  Son of a divine father and mortal mother  Leaves his father to save the world  Begins his mission with initiation  Continues with “tests” offered by a shadowy enemy  Heals, banishes evil forces, establishes customs and laws  Dies  Through his death purifies all people from evil  Returns from the Underworld, overcoming death  Returns to his father

7.  Separation: a hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of “supernatural wonder”  Initiation: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won  Return: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow men  e.g. Prometheus ascended to the heavens, stole fire from the gods, and descended

8.  1) “The Call to Adventure”  The signs of the vocation of the hero  Cf. Isaiah 6, 1 Nephi 1  2) “Refusal of the Call”  The folly of the flight from the god  Cf. Jonah  3) “Supernatural Aid”  The unsuspected assistance that comes, sometimes in the form  of a magical device or ability, sometimes from direct intervention  In later myth, Athena was the regular patroness of heroes  4) “The Crossing of the First Threshold”  5) “The Belly of the Whale”  The passage into the realm of night: the hero was must risk death  or imprisonment