Classical Studies 2200 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Lightning, Fetus, Melicertes

• School: Western University
• Department: Classical Studies
• Course: Classical Studies 2200
• Professor: Aara Suksi

Document Summary

Cadmus goes to oracle looking for his sister, oracle says she is fine and that his destiny is to find the city of thebes. Harmonia and cadmus have four daughters (relevant: semele) Cadmus sows an army of men (dragon teeth sown into ground, army rises from the earth) Sown men battle, remaining 3 wed his daughters. Hera tricked semele, who was destroyed by lightning bolt. Plants doubt in semele"s mind, convinces her that zeus should visit semele in his true form. Zeus comes to semele in form of lightning bolt and incinerates her on the spot. Fetus was inserted into thigh of zeus, later born again. Nysa, raised by nymphs, changed into a goat. Hermes gave infant dionysus to athamas and ino, who raised him as a girl. Athamas hunted and killed elder son learchus, thinking he was a deer. Ino threw herself into sea, together with son melicertes.