This is the first study which brings together the references to ancient Greek myths (154 episodes) in medieval Armenian literature. The main source for such stories are translations, but direct citations from Greek in original Armenian works also exist Greek myths were, to some extent, familiar to medieval Armenian authors, mainly through translations of late classical and early Christian writings; they also appear in original works, but this knowledge was never profound or accurate. Both translators and Armenian authors, as well as later scribes, while translating, renarrating and copying short mythical stories, or mentioning or just alluding to them often related the stories and the familiar or unfamiliar names occurring in them correctly, but sometimes they made mistakes, chiefly corrupting names not well-known to them, and sometimes, even details of the plot. This is the first study which brings together the references to ancient Greek myths (154 episodes) in medieval Armenian literature by including the original Armenian and Greek (if extant) text and translation. With appendices listing the occurrences of Greek gods, their Armenian equivalents, images, altars, temples, and rites, the Aesopian fables and the Trojan war Acknowledgements -- Preface -- Introduction -- 1 Ancient Greek Myths in Christian Authors -- 2 Ancient Greek Myths in Old Armenian Literature -- 3 Names of Gods and Other Personages of Myths -- Editorial Principles -- Texts -- 1 The Hundred-handed, Titans, Giants, Cerberus, Chimera and Gorgos -- 2 The Castration of Uranus and the Birth of Aphrodite -- 3 Cyclopes -- 4 Children of Uranus and Gea -- 5 The Birth of Zeus -- 6 Zeus’ Tomb in Crete -- 7 Atlas -- 8 Centaurs -- 9 Mythical Musicians -- 10 Musician Thamyris -- 11 Punishment of Hera, Hephaestus’ Disabling, Aphrodite and Ares -- 12 The Birth of Athena -- 13 Founding Eleusis and Attica -- 14 Leto and Tityos -- 15 Apollo and Daphne -- 16 The Court of Areopagus -- 17 Orion -- 18 Demeter, Persephone and Triptolemus -- 19 Zeus and Persephone-Pherephatte -- 20 Revolt of the Giants against Zeus -- 21 Prometheus and Hephaestus -- 22 Deucalion and the Flood -- 23 Graeci and the Origin of the Name of the Hellenes -- 24 Ion and the Origin of the Name of the Greeks -- 25 Otus and Ephialtes -- 26 The Flight of Phrixus and Helle from Ino -- 27 The Foundation of Corinth -- 28 Salmoneus and Tyro -- 29 Soothsayer Melampus -- 30 The Argonauts -- 31 Pelias Killed by Medea -- 32 Medea Takes Revenge on Jason -- 33 Medea’s Son Medus -- 34 The First Kings of Sicyon -- 35 The First Kings of Argos -- 36 Zeus and Inachus’s Daughter Io -- 37 Belus King of Assyria -- 38 The Daughters of Danaus and Sons of Egypt -- 39 Bellerophontes and Chimera -- 40 Zeus and Danae, the Birth of Perseus -- 41 Perseus and Gorgo Medusa -- 42 Eurystheus Reigns over Mycenae -- 43 The Birth of Heracles -- 44 Heracles and the Fifty Daughters of Thespius -- 45 Heracles’ Madness -- 46 Heracles and the Nemean Lion -- 47 Heracles and the Lernean Hydra -- 48 The Mares of Diomedes -- 49 The Amazons -- 50 Geryon and the Pillars of Heracles -- 51 Heracles’ Single Combat with Antaeus -- 52 Heracles and Busiris -- 53 The Adventures of Theseus and Pirithous -- 54 Cerberus and Heracles -- 55 Cercopes and Heracles -- 56 Heracles Destroys Troy -- 57 Heracles and Auge, the Birth of Telephus -- 58 Heracles and the Oxen of Thiodamas -- 59 Heracles and Deianeira. Heracles’ Death -- 60 The Apotheosis of Heracles -- 61 The Return of the Heraclids to Peloponnese, Aristodemus Stricken by a Thunderbolt -- 62 Distribution of the Towns of Peloponnese among the Heraclids -- 63 The Birth of Cadmus, Phoenician Letters Introduced to Greece -- 64 Europa and Zeus -- 65 Sarpedon in Lycia -- 66 Minos and Rhadamanthus as Judges -- 67 Pasiphae and the Bull, the Birth of Minotaur -- 68 Foundation of Thebes -- 69 Cadmus and the Sparti -- 70 Zeus and Semele, the Birth of Dionysus -- 71 Dionysus’ Upbringing -- 72 Madness of Athamas and Ino -- 73 Dionysus and the Tragedy -- 74 Actaeon -- 75 Dionysus and the Vine -- 76 Dionysus Torn Apart by the Titans -- 77 Dionysus and Pentheus -- 78 Dionysus’ Apotheosis -- 79 Labdacus and Lycus Reigning in Thebes -- 80 Zethus and Amphion, the Musician Arion -- 81 The Walls of Thebes -- 82 Niobe and Leto -- 83 The Sphinx Sent to Thebes -- 84 The Tragedy of Oedipus -- 85 Argos’ War against Thebes -- 86 The Transformation of Tiresias -- 87 Details of the Theban War -- 88 Single Battle of Eteocles and Polynices -- 89 Amphiaraus and Adrastus -- 90 The Epigones against Thebes -- 91 Zeus and Callisto, the Birth of Arcas -- 92 Atalanta and Hippomenes -- 93 Asclepius Struck by the Thunderbolt -- 94 Zeus and Leda -- 95 Dardania and Troy -- 96 The Rape of Ganymede -- 97 The Founding of Ilium and the Reign of Priam -- 98 Aeacus -- 99 The Birth and Upbringing of Achilles -- 100 Cecrops -- 101 Greek Letters Ascribed to Cecrops -- 102 Phoenix Blinded -- 103 The Strife of Athena and Poseidon for Athens -- 104 Cecrops’ Son Erysichthon -- 105 Phaethon -- 106 Myrrha, Birth of Adonis -- 107 Atthis and the Name of Attica -- 108 Cranaus’ Successors on the throne of Athens -- 109 The Birth of Erichthonius -- 110 The Daughters of Pandion, Triptolemus -- 111 Icarius -- 112 The Tragedy of Procne and Philomela -- 113 Erechteus’ Ascension to the Throne, Orythia and Boreas -- 114 Eumolpus -- 115 The Seventh to Eleventh Kings of Athens -- 116 Theseus in Attica -- 117 Daedalus and Icarus -- 118 Theseus and the Marathonian Bull -- 119 Medea’s Banishment from Athens -- 120 Theseus and Ariadne -- 121 Daedalus’ Flight and the Murder of Minos -- 122 Phaedra and Hippolytus -- 123 Ixion and Hera -- 124 The Battle of Centaurs and Lapiths -- 125 Helen Kidnapped by Theseus -- 126 The Adventures of Theseus and Pirithous in Hades -- 127 Tantalus’ Punishment -- 128 The Ivory Shoulder of Pelops -- 129 Pelops’ Marriage and Ascension to the Throne, the Pelopids -- 130 Atreus’ and Thyestes’ Ascension to the Throne -- 131 Agamenon and Menelaus, the Birth of Orestes -- 132 Helen’s Rape by Paris -- 133 Proteus Keeps Helen, Proteus’ Transformation, His Sons -- 134 Odysseus and Palamedes -- 135 Iphigenia in Aulis and in Tauris -- 136 Aphrodite Wounded -- 137 Diomedes Wounded by Paris’ Arrow -- 138 The Death of Patroclus -- 139 Achilles and the Scamander River -- 140 Hector Killed -- 141 Achilles and Thersites -- 142 Memnon Protector of Troy, Zarmayr -- 143 The Conquest of Troy, Polyxene -- 144 Orestes’ Ascension to the Mycenaean Throne, Pyrrhus Killed -- 145 The Island of the Cyclopes -- 146 Odysseus and Polyphemus -- 147 The Island of Circe -- 148 The Sirens -- 149 Scylla and Charybdis -- 150 On the Island of Calypso -- 151 Penelope’s Bridegrooms -- 152 The Birth of Pan -- 153 The Foundation of Rome -- 154 Narcissus -- Appendices -- 1 Mentions of Greek Gods, their Armenian Equivalents and Images -- 2 Complete Narrations about the Trojan War -- 3 Shaking Olympus -- 4 Candaules and Gyges, Midas -- 5 Halcyon -- 6 Hayk’s Grandson Cadmus -- Bibliography -- Literature -- Index of Names
|