Chapter One: Athena-Encountering the Mind of a Mollusk
This story begins at the New England Aquarium, in Boston. This is where the courtship with octopuses began for author Sy Montgomery. It started with an octopus named Athena. Octopuses are part of the invertebrate family. For numerous years, the octopus was considered an eminently dangerous sea going animal. Montgomery would initiate contact with Athena, it was far from dangerous. An octopus has a multitude of traits and talents. Octopuses have diverse personalities and act differently in relationship to those they trust. Octopuses are remarkably intelligent, and are known to be an escape-artist. Furthermore, octopuses need to be entertained or they will become bored. Montgomery started to form a friendship with Athena, however, Athena would die before their fourth meeting.
This chapter was extremely interesting. I already had knowledge on a number of facts about octopuses. Although, I did not know that they are venomous or that they lived such short lives. Nor did I know that they could fit through small holes or that they could be friendly and like to play.
Chapter Two: Octavia-This Shouldn’t Be Happening: Tasting Pain, Seeing Dreams
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Octavia was not sociable like Athena, at first. Contradictory to Athena, Octavia did not grow up at the aquarium. She was captured in the wild. Octopuses get along with the sunflower sea star, anemones, and starfish. Fish and other animals, are segregated from the octopus, because they would kill each other. The electric eel is one such animal. Even though, the octopus can be a receptive animal. It does have the ability to be dangerous. Octopuses can be extremely elusive and infamous for escaping. They can travel out of the water with ease. Octavia was an expert of camouflage and particularly intelligent. Eventually, Octavia would warm up to Montgomery and the two became friends. Octavia appeared to becoming
Throughout the story, the reader comes across several things that he or she will question. In the beginning of the story, a young boy goes to the aquarium to see the axolotls. He soon becomes obsessed with them and goes everyday to watch them. At the
When watching the first video you achieve gaining basic background knowledge on what takes place in The Odyssey, but are only left knowing that the book is of a journey after a long war. Not much else needs to be known when venturing into book reading, yet you take a look at the second video and are able to see four different perspectives on how the book plays out and certain intricacies within Homer’s book. Why does one want to read such a long poem? What makes this book a brilliant piece of literature? When asked such questions four people came together in discussion.
The Mark of Athena, written by Rick Riordan, is a thrilling, suspenseful, and action packed book about seven demigods going on a dangerous quest to save the world. The seven main characters are Percy, the son of Poseidon, Jason, the son of Zeus, Annabeth, the daughter of Athena, Piper, the daughter of Aphrodite, Frank, the son of Mars, Leo, the son of Hephaestus, and Hazel, the daughter of Pluto. All of these seven demigods are a mix between Roman and Greek demigods. Since ancient history, the Romans and Greeks have hated each other. But in order to complete their quest, both Romans and Greeks must overcome their differences. The plot summary of the story starts out with Leo. As an eidolon, a possessing Greek spirit, takes over his body, he starts attacking the Roman camp. This action destroyed the little trust and respect that the Romans had for the Greeks. However, this was Gaea’s doing. Gaea is one of the oldest goddesses of all. She plans to take over the world and destroy mankind. Stopping this awakening goddess is the main mission for these demigods. As the demigods sail to the...
On the Acropolis of Athens, there are a large number of votive images dedicated to Athena the city goddess in various medium, including marble, terracotta, bronze, relief and vase painting. Among these votive images of Athena, most of them are represented in a standing pose, either frontally facing the viewers or showing her profile (e.g. the bronze Athena Promachos (figure 1)); some of them are captured in the middle of an action (e.g. Athena in Gigantomachy on the pediment of the Parthenon (fg. 2)). However, the so-called Endoios Athena is a statue of Athena represented in a seated position. Although the seated position is not rare in reliefs, such as Athena on the East frieze (fg. 3) and on the metopes of the Parthenon (fg. 3), the so-called Endoios Athena is the only seated marble statue of Athena on the Acropolis in the history. (Mylonopoulos, The Acropolis of Athens in the 6th and 5th Century BCE, Lecture Notes at Columbia University, March 31)
Homer's great epic, "The Odyssey" was written several thousands of years ago, a time in human history when men played the dominant role in society. The entire structure of civilization was organized and controlled by men; It was an accepted fact that women held an inferior position in society. Society was constructed as if women were around only to serve the men. The involvement of women in any circumstance was almost completely dominated by what the men allowed. The women were valued in society, only they were not given important roles or any decision making power. It is as if they held no power in the ancient Greek society. This is why Homer's Odyssey is very unique, Homer put women into roles that were previously unheard of for women to possess. Unlike in The Iliad, where women served merely as an object to men; female characters of Odyssey are distinctive because they possess personality, and have intricate relationships with the male characters of the Odyssey. By characterizing the women in "The Odyssey", a reader may come to some conclusions about the role of women in this epic. Along with the belief that women played a secondary role to men in society, the female characters displayed certain traits that could not be exhibited by the men. Athena demonstrated the most intelligence and valor out of all the characters in "The Odyssey." The male characters play the most significant roles in this epic, but without the support of the females in "The Odyssey", Odysseus would not have made it through his journey.
Women living in Ancient Greece had limited rights, if any, and were treated as property, owned by either their father or husband. They were never allowed to enter battle and their job was to keep to household in order. However, in Greek stories, women were given a major role and showed strength, wit, and cunning unusual to the stereotypical woman of the time. The Greek writers used women who possessed these traits to progress the plot and evoke the emotions famous in Greek drama and tragedies.
For as long as I can remember, there has been a woman, who goes by Medusa. She is from Athens, Greece. Medusa obeyed all the Greek gods & goddess, all except the goddess of wisdom, which is my official title. I am Athena, goddess of wisdom. Medusa is established as woman who is all about herself. Throughout my tale you will understand why they conceive this opinion.
Odyssey have in common: they are all very clever. There are two ways that the
The people of Greece believed in mythology and believed they were blessed by the deity which inspired the artists’ creation of the spectacular sculptures including Athena Parthenos, the goddess of wisdom. Wisdom during this period was highly regarded. Most of the sculptures in Athens were made of different types of bronze. (See Figure 1.)
The monsters of Homer’s The Odyssey as written by Robert Fitzgerald all share traits in common, but there is always the small differences which make each close encounter more gripping than the last. When the not-so-glorious Odysseus, son of Laertes just manages to elude the cannibalistic clutches of the blinded Kyklops (IX) and takes to the high seas, he becomes arrogant and taunts his nemesis. He does not realize this, but the very words he uttered then sets the holy executioner upon the necks of his crew. Every island he passes or makes port at, his men become feasts for native monsters; however upon the beautiful island of Aiolia his men are not eaten, nor do they die at the hands of any mortal or immortal foe. What is so significant about Kirke and what does she represent? Is there any value in dominance? The hidden truths that lie within her are things only the Muse of Minstrels could tell until now.
In book eight of Homer’s The Odyssey, Odysseus is on the island of the Phaeacians and is waiting to return home to Ithaca. Meanwhile, Alcinous, the Phaeacian king, has arranged for a feast and celebration of games in honor of Odysseus, who has not yet revealed his true identity. During the feast, a blind bard named Demodocus sings about the quarrel between Odysseus and Achilles at Troy. The song causes Odysseus to start weeping, so Alcinous ends the feast and orders the games to begin. During dinner after the games, Odysseus asks Demodocus to sing about the Trojan horse and the sack of Troy. This song too causes Odysseus to break down and cry. Homer uses a dramatic simile to describe the pain and sorrow that Odysseus feels as he recalls the story of Troy.
The women in The Odyssey are a fair representation of women in ancient Greek culture. In his work, Homer brings forth women of different prestige. First there are the goddesses, then Penelope, and lastly the servant girls. Each of the three factions forms an important part of The Odyssey and helps us look into what women were like in ancient Greece.
Women play an influential role in The Odyssey. Women appear throughout the story, as goddesses, wives, princesses, or servants. The nymph Calypso enslaves Odysseus for many years. Odysseus desires to reach home and his wife Penelope. It is the goddess Athena who sets the action of The Odyssey rolling; she also guides and orchestrates everything to Odysseus’ good. Women in The Odyssey are divided into two classes: seductresses and helpmeets. By doing so, Homer demonstrates that women have the power to either hinder of help men. Only one woman is able to successfully combine elements of both classes: Penelope. She serves as a role model of virtue and craftiness. All the other women are compared to and contrasted with Penelope.
There was no shortage of powerful female characters throughout the Archaic world. In fact, many of the most widely renowned figures in history are found in the works of Homer and other authors from this time period. These women often play an influential—and essential—role in the story. However, despite the presence of multiple powerful and strong-willed women in works such as Homer’s Odyssey, the most significant of these characters were created as hinderences to the male hero by means of their sexuality. Through Odysseus’ encounters with the likes of Calypso and Circe—contrasted by young Narsicaa’s morality and Penelope’s fidelity—the negative light shed on female sexuality in Archaic Greece is apparent.
Athena was the Greek Goddess of many ideas, but she was famous mostly for her superior wisdom, her cunning skills in times of war, and her implausible talent for household tasks, such as weaving and pottery. She was celebrated more than any other God in ancient mythology, was the supposed inventor of countless innovations, and her figure gave reason for Greek woman to gain rights long before others of their time. The goddess of war, the guardian of Athens, and the defender of Heroes; Athena’s impact on the lives of Ancient Greeks is outstanding.