Revelation week of Jan. 30-Feb. 3

Questions only on #19—The Prayers of the Saints
1.What is Rev. 6:1-8:5 about?
2.What is Exodus 30:1-10 about?
3. Remember John is seeing as beginning what Daniel saw as future. Mark 1:15 says, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." What does PS say “the kingdom of God is at hand or is near means and what does he say is the proof of this?
4.What does PS say is the central core of Revelation?
Note: *3 sets is significant because on the basis of 2 or 3 witnesses everything is established—therefore, what is prophesied is absolutely certain.
*each set has 7 parts which indicates judgment is not partial & temporary but complete & final by end of final set
*are evident parallels between the 3 sets but there is also a progress from present to final judgments
5. What is the 7th seal?
6.What do harps & incense represent?
7.Give at least 3 scriptural references where incense is associated with prayer.
8. There is also a relationship between incense & sacrifice. Give at least 3 scriptural references for this.
NOTE: Exodus says altar of incense outside entrance to the Holy of Holies, while Heb. 9:3 says it’s inside the Holy of Holies. Why the discrepancy? The altar of incense (prayer) belongs in front of the throne (inside the Holy of Holies). In OT Holy of Holies could only be entered once a year. God in His mercy allowed altar of incense to be outside the veil so that there could be daily access.
NOTE: Only way to have access to the throne by prayer is sacrifice—this is why we pray in name of Jesus.
NOTE: Altar of incense made with wood although it was covered with thin layer of gold. How could one burn things on it? Ez. 31 (? Reference) seems to indicate that coals from altar of burnt offering were brought in censor to altar of incense and this was placed on the altar of incense and incense added to it.
9.Where is the altar of incense located in Revelation?
10.Give three examples from scripture where incense was not burned properly.
11. What does PS say silence in 8:1 is?
12.What is the significance of a half-hour (8:1)?
13.PS says that Rev. is the ultimate of three things. What are they?
14.Why are we commanded to pray for God’s judgment?
15.What are the two cautions in praying for God’s judgment?
16.Anything else you want to discuss?
17.What application did you make?
18.What Psalm did they end with and why?

Ancient Literature and History week of Jan.30 to Feb. 3

This week I want you to read pages 372 to 382 in Hamilton's mythology and answer the following questions:
Questions only on House of Thebes
1.What were the circumstances leading up to the founding of Thebes?
2. Who was Europa?
3.Who founded Thebes? .
4.Thebes is located in Boetia. What does this name mean?
5.What obstacle did Cadmus face in founding Thebes?
6.Who was his wife and who were her parents?
7.What gift did Aphrodite give Harmonia that brought disaster in a later generation?
8. What was the fate of each of their 4 daughters? (note they also had 1 son?)
9. What happened to Cadmus & Harmonia after the death of Penteus?
10. How did Laius (descendent of Cadmus) die and how was this a fulfillment of
Apollo’s prophecy? .
11. Who was the Sphinx and what was she doing to Thebes at the time Laius died?
12. Who saved Thebes and how?
13. What were the riddle and the answer?
14. Why had Oedipus left his home of Corinth?
15. The Thebans made Oedipus their king and he married Laius’s widow, Jocasta. When their 2 sons were grown a terrible plague came to Thebes. What did Apollo say was necessary to stop the plague?
16. After Oedipus pressured him who did the blind seer Teiresias say was the murdered?
17. With horror Jocasta and Oedipus soon have confirmed that Oedipus was indeed the son of King Laius and Jocasta and the murderer of Laius. What was the response of each?

Write a 50-100 word paper on the author of Oedipus Tyrannus who is Sophocles

Read Oedipus Tyrannus through for fun. I have posted below the4 discussion questions for the 2nd week we spend on this play. If you want to read through them before reading the play that is OK. These answers to these questions will not have to be turned in. Take notes only to aid you in discussion. Again these are for the week of 2/5/06 to 2/10/06. I posted them early because I thought they might help in your first reading of this play.
Discussion Questions on Sophocles
1. Who or what does the chorus represent in this play?
2. Oedipus means “swollen foot”. Leithart says there are many puns in the play related to this. Do you know what any of them are?
3.The Greek Title is Oedipus the Tyrant; the Latin is Oedipus the King. Do tyrant and king mean the same thing? If not, why the discrepancy? Oedipus was certainly a king. Was he also a tyrant?
4.Was Oedipus a religious man?
5. What would you say this play is primarily about?
6. What do you think of Laius’s and Jocasta’s original decision to get rid of Oedipus? Was that an accepted practice in Greece?
7.Do you detect any improbabilities in the play?
8.In the Eumenides we discussed the political message of the city replacing the
House, contract replacing blood. Do you see a political message in Oedipus Rex?
9.Leviticus 16 speaks of sending out a scapegoat from the camp on the Day of
Atonement. There was a similar Greek religious rite called pharmakos. Do you see any connections between Oedipus and a scapegoat?
10.The Greek view of life as stated by Protagoras was that “Man is the measure of all
things.” Is that the message of this play?
11. Can you name any sin on Oedipus’s part?
12.In this play the truth leads to despair. Does the Bible verse “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free” (John 8:32) have any relevance to this play?
13.In about lines 122-125 Creon says there were several robbers and Oedipus speaks of one. Do you see any significance to this?
14.What two crimes did Oedipus commit and how was each an attack on the city
15.Contrast Creon and Oedipus in lines 532-633.
16.Why doesn’t Oedipus realize that Teiresias is speaking truth in line 353, “you are
the land’s pollution?
17.In lines 435-440 Teiresias says the Oedipus needs to solve a riddle, but the answer
will destroy Oedipus. What is the riddle?
18. What does Oedipus mean when he says, “O generations of men, how I count you
as equal with those who live not at all!”?
19.How is Oedipus like Teiresias at the end of the play?
20.Do you see a connection between “mountain bull” in 478 and Oedipus’s actions in 1253-1271?
21.What is significance of Creon saying in line 1522, “Do not seek to be master in everything.”
22.Do the concluding lines of the chorus (1524-1530) remind you of any scripture?
Does this play teach truth or untruth?

Working Assumptions about Revelation

“Assumptions” to be proved
1. Definition: church age=time between 1st and 2nd comings of Christ
Church age =Millennium (thousand years in 20:6-7)
=42 months (11:2)
=1260 days (11:3)
Note: 3 &1/2 days (11:9 & 11:11)
=1260 days (12:6)
[12:14 uses expression time, times, and half a time as period church
nourished from presence or face of the serpent
time, times, and half a time also found in Daniel 7:25 as length of time
saints given into hand of 4th beast]
=42 months (13:5)

2. the Sea beast(s) comes from in 13:1 & Daniel 7:3 = abyss; in other words sea represents home of Satanic forces; home of those who oppose the true God

3. Forces of Satan can go into and out of abysss; Satan is bound in abyss for almost the entire church age; comes out at the end for the final great battle and his utter defeat.
[ABYSS (#12—abussos: bottomless depth, abyss (a) as the place of the dead, Rom. 10:7;
(b) as the prison of demons (Luke 8:31, Rev. 20:3)—found 9x in NT]
(1) Luke 8:30-31--And Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" And he said,
"Legion"; for many demons had entered him.’/ And they were entreating Him
not to command them to depart into the abyss.
(2) Romans 10:6-7-- But the righteousness based on faith speaks thus, "DO NOT
SAY IN YOUR HEART, ‘WHO WILL ASCEND INTO HEAVEN?’ (that is,
to bring Christ down), or ‘WHO WILL DESCEND INTO THE ABYSS?’
(that is, to bring Christ up from the dead)."
(3) Rev. 9:1-3-- And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which
had fallen to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit (#12) was given to
him./And he opened the bottomless pit (#12); and smoke went up out of the
pit, like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened
by the smoke of the pit./And out of the smoke came forth locusts upon the
earth; and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
(4) Rev. 9:11-- They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name
in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon.
(5) Rev. 11:7--And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that
comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them
and kill them.
(6) Rev.17:8— "The beast that you saw was and is not, and is about to come up
out of the abyss and to go to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth
will wonder, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the
foundation of the world, when they see the beast, that he was and is not and
will come.
(7) Rev.20:1-3-- And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key
of the abyss and a great chain in his hand./ And he laid hold of the dragon, the
serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand
years,/and threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that
he should not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were
completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.

4. White horse in Rev. 6:2 represents Satanic force and its weapon is deception.
A. Why does Swartz say white horse in 6:2 represents Satanic forces?
(1)Chiasm: 1. white horse (6:2)
2. red, black, and ashen horses (6:3-8a)
3. authority …..to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence
(6:8b)
4. authority…..to kill by the wild beasts of the earth (6:8c)
Therefore white horse and wild beasts of the earth go together
(Ez. 14:21 lists these same 4 judgments—sword, famine, wild beasts, plague)
B. Why does Barry York say the white horse is Christ? (cf. Beale 375-377)
(1) Promise is Christ’s: I even I will punish you (Lev. 26:28) [The judgments are clearly coming from heaven when Christ breaks a seal—therefore all are from the throne—punishment is from God even if the white horse is not Christ]
(2) Color is Christ’s: white is color of righteousness throughout Revelation—used 14 other times and in each clearly refers to holiness of God, Christ, or the saints.
[Bible does tell us that Satan comes disguised as an angel of light—2 Cor. 11:14; note also the synoptic gospels in their accounts of the 2nd coming each warn about false Christs at the beginning—Mark 13:5-6; Matt. 24:4-5; Luke 21:8; also Rev. 12 & 13 shows an imitation trinity in dragon, beast from sea, and beast from the land]
(3) Weapon is Christ’s: Christ is the one with all military power; He is in the habit of using weapons every day against those who refuse to repent; see Ps. 7:11-13
(4) Crown is Christ’s: Psalm 132:18 [locusts from abyss have same crown—9:7]
2 Greek words for crown: diadem (#1238)—12:3 (dragon); 13:1 (dragon);
19:12 Christ)
stephanos (#4735)—used in Rev. 2:10 (saints);
3:11 (saints); 4:4 (twenty four elders); 4:10 (24 elders); 6:2
(rider on white horse in 1st seal); 9:7 (locusts from abyss); 12:1 (woman
who I think represents the church); 14:14 (one like a son of man)
diadem is usually crown of royalty &
stephanos is usually earned crown
(5) Victory is Christ’s: over and over already church has been pictured as overcomers if they obey (i.e. victors) [cf Dan. 7:21; Rev. 11:7; Rev. 13:7]
(6) Additional argument from Beale (not made by York): if one doesn’t accept the chiastic structure Swartz gives for the 4 horsemen, white horse is only one not linked to a specific woe

5. Rev. 20:1-3 and Rev. 12:9 are both talking of the dethronement of Satan after the
crucifixion and resurrection of Christ.

Eumenides Discussion Questions

Some of these questions already have been discussed. I have given my answer to some. I would like you to think about the rest of these as you read through the Eumenides a second or third time. You don't have to turn any of these in but they will be the basis of our discussion next Wednesday.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Trace the lines of revenge that end when Orestes is given mercy.
(a) Tantalus tried to fool Olympians into becoming cannibals by boiling son
Pelops and feeding him to the gods ---house of Atreus cursed
(b) Pelops had two sons: Atreus and Thyestes; 2nd committed adultery with
wife of first; to retaliate Atreus killed Thyestes’s two little children, cut them up, cooked them, and fed them to his brother who unsuspectingly ate them
(c) Atreus had 2 sons: Agamemnon & Menelaus
Thyestes had son, Aegisthus
(d) Agamemnon sacrificed his daughter Iphigenia to get favorable winds for
voyage to Troy
(e) Greece merciless in slaughter of Troy—gods seek revenge on
Their leader Agamemnon
(f) Clytemenstra with aid of her illicit lover Aegisthus kills Agamemnon &
Cassandra
(g) Orestes kills his mother Clytemenstra to avenge Agamemnon’s murder
2. What if anything is the difference between the Biblical blood avenger (Numbers 23:10-34) and the Greek idea of blood revenge?
Biblical blood avenger can pursue murderer but there must be a trial and a place
of refuge for those guilty of manslaughter; under blood feud rules cycle of
vengeance never ends—under Biblical rule blood avenger can’t be avenged
3. Leithart says the Eumenides is full of contrasts & conflicts and gives the following list:
Theology: Furies vs. Olympians (Apollo both worked with & against the
Furies: see question #8 Leithart 921f)
Sexual: Female vs. male Furies (lines 50, 51, 55) vs. Apollo but
Athena casts deciding vote: physical descent especially
important to female deities; decision of court based on Apollo’s
view of procreation (lines 665-671)—man is source of seed;
woman just stores it.
Social Unit: House (blood) vs. city (contract) (The court helps this
transition)
Basis of Society: Blood vs. contract: for older gods most sacred connections are
those of physical birth and descent; better to betray neighbor
than brother; for younger Olympians, agreements, contracts,
covenants, and oaths are most sacred—marriage bonds and
bonds between king and his people more important than blood
bonds
Resolve disputes: Feud vs. court (law courts make possible transition from house
to city and from blood to contract)
Speech: Oracles vs. argument (“Older gods speak riddling prophecies
like Apollo’s oracles, but these give way to the persuasive and
public speech of the Athenian democratic assembly, where
opposing arguments can be weighed and tested” Leithart,
p.289)
Geography: Delphi vs. Athens (change of location dramatizes complex
transitions from old to new)
Justice: Revenge “eye for eye” vs. law: Athena says Furies seek
appearance of justice not true justice which requires more than
mechanical “tit for tat”; need to examine circumstances &
motives; disputes resolved by persuasion (lines 893 & 894);
“transition involves creation of new form of politics, the order
of democratic Greece” (Leithart, p.287); Simon Goldhill
(Leithart, p. 288) says the Orestian trilogy “traces a
transformation from dike as revenge to dike as legal justice.”
[dike=Greek word for justice; righteousness]
4. Complexities:
(a) Agamemnon’s choice: attack Troy (city) vs. protect Iphigenia (blood)
(b) Orestes in Libation Bearers: attack house (mother) to preserve house (regain throne)
(c) In Eumenides struggle is explicitly between values of house & values of city; preservation of Orestes’s house accomplished by Athena’s city; house isn’t destroyed but resurrected as part of city
(d) Likewise, theological change doesn’t mean older gods are rejected; instead they are changed—furies become eumenides (lines 833-926, especially, 913-923)
5. What is the significance of Pythia’s initial speech? Try to get answer for class
6. “Politically, blood feud can lead only to anarchy or tyranny.” (Leithart, p. 288): in Agamemnon death of Agamemnon leads to anarchy as chorus breaks from unity to individual members (lines 1374-1391) and then to tyranny as Aegisthus takes control. Olympians favor “Neither anarchy nor tyranny, my people. Worship the mean……” (lines 709-721)
7. What is relationship between Apollo and the Furies? (Leithart 291-293: I don’t really understand. See if any of this makes sense to you
(a) Apollo not hospitable to them: threatens them with arrows (176-179); mocks them as grey, ancient children (73), goddesses born for destruction only, the dark pit who are most at home in the world of death, loathed by men and by Olympians (74-75); belong where heads are severed, eyes gouged out, etc. (183-195)
(b) Furies disgust him (72)
(c) But Furies are in his temple—why? Do they have place in Olympian order? Throughout Orestian trilogy an alliance is assumed: Zeus sends Agamemnon and Menelaus to Troy as “Furies” (Agamemnon, 65-67); Cassandra calls Apollo her destroyer because he sent her to house where Furies have been unleashed (1079-1080)-my note: doesn’t really mention the Furies but seems to be talking about what furies caused as if Apollo did it
(d) Zeus has contempt for furies but they do his work (359-389)—I’m not sure it says this
8. What is significance of Athena winning furies over with persuasion rather than force (833-846)?
9.Do you think the ending is realistic? Why or why not?
10. Acts 19 is only Biblical account of an assembly in ancient Greek. Does it seem like Garden of Eden or is blood struggling within the city?
11. What is the difference between the mercy that Athena offers and the mercy Christ offers? 12. Is the blood for blood demanded by the Furies the same as the blood for blood demanded by the Bible?
13. What is the Areopagus? (1)Oldest and most respected council of ancient Athens; made up of prominent citizens who had held office of archon, the highest office in Athens; held office in Areopagus for life; early in 6th century B.C. a new group took over many of its duties-called the Council of 400; after Age of Pericles Areopagus only tried murder cases & looked after morals of citizens;
(2) Areopagus=Hill of Ares (cf. acropolis=highest city; acropolis of Athens 200’ above rest of city); also called Mars Hill; Ares (Greek)=Mars (Roman)=god of war
14. If there are any obscure words or parts of play you don't understand just list them.
15. Was Orestes correct to kill his mother according to Greek law? according to Biblical law?
Did he really have any guilt to confess? Should there have been a trial?
16. Aristotle says that Aeschylus's great innovation was adding a second actor. Is there any place in the Eumenides where 3 actors (excluding the chorus) are on the stage at the same time.
17. Does the play say outright or indicate that the blood tie of a child to a mother is stronger than the blood tie of a child to a father?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1.Trace the lines of revenge that end when Orestes is given mercy.
2.What if anything is the difference between the Biblical blood avenger (Numbers 23:10-34) and the Greek idea of blood revenge?
3. Leithart says the Eumenides is full of contrasts & conflicts and gives the following list:
Theology: Furies vs. Olympians
Sexual: Female vs. male
Social Unit: House (blood) vs. city (contract)
Basis of Society: Blood vs. contract:
Resolve disputes: Feud vs. court
Speech: Oracles vs. argument
Geography: Delphi vs. Athens
Justice: Revenge “eye for eye” vs. law:
Can you discuss any of these?
4.*Complexities:
a.Agamemnon’s choice: attack Troy (city) vs. protect Iphigenia (blood)
b.Orestes in Libation Bearers: attack house (mother) to preserve house (regain throne)
c.In Eumenides struggle is explicitly between values of house & values of city; preservation of Orestes’s house accomplished by Athena’s city; house isn’t destroyed but resurrected as part of city
d.Likewise, theological change doesn’t mean older gods are rejected; instead they are changed—furies become eumenides (lines 833-926, especially, 913-923)
5.What is the significance of Pythia’s initial speech?
6.*“Politically, blood feud can lead only to anarchy or tyranny.” (Leithart, p. 288): in Agamemnon death of Agamemnon leads to anarchy as chorus breaks from unity to individual members (lines 1374-1391) and then to tyranny as Aegisthus takes control. Olympians favor “Neither anarchy nor tyranny, my people. Worship the mean……” (lines 709-721)
7.What is relationship between the Olympians and the Furies?
8.What is significance of Athena winning furies over with persuasion rather than force (833-846)?
9.Do you think the ending is realistic? Why or why not?
10.Acts 19 is only Biblical account of an assembly in ancient Greek. Does it seem edenic or is blood struggling within the city?
11.What is the difference between the mercy that Athena offers and the mercy Christ offers?
12.Is the blood for blood for blood demanded by the Furies the same as the blood for blood demanded by the Bible?
13.*What is the Areopagus? (1) Oldest and most respected council of ancient Athens; made up of prominent citizens who had held office of archon, the highest office in Athens; held office in Areopagus for life; early in 6th century B.C. a new group took over many of its duties-called the Council of 400; after Age of Pericles Areopagus only tried murder cases & looked after morals of citizens;
(2)Areopagus=Hill of Ares (cf. acropolis=highest city; acropolis of Athens 200’ above rest of city
14.List any obscure words in rest of play you would like to either look up or be told what they mean.

Note: questions with asterisks are not questions--they give you info

Revelation #18--week of 1/23/06 to 1/27/06

#18—Sealed by God
1. What is Rev. 7:1-17 about?
2. What is Ezekiel 9:1-11 about?
3. What 2 chapters in the gospels does PS say discuss the testing of the people of God?
4. What does PS say is proof that the end has begun?
5. What is PS’s summary of the seals?
6. What is Rev. 6:17 (for the great day of their wrath has come; and who is able to stand?") answered by?
7. List 5 places in scripture where the saving intervention of God is seen before His judgment takes place.
NOTE: Things PS said about seal of God
*just like the seven seals it can’t be broken except by the Lamb (I don’t understand this)
*God put seal on Cain (Gen. 4:15—7-fold vengeance if he is killed)
*God knows about this seal although we don’t see it although we may see evidence of it. (2 Tim. 2:19--Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of the Lord abstain from wickedness.")
(Rev. 2:17--‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.’
*Plate on Aaron’s turban had seal
Exodus 28:36-37--"You shall also make a plate of pure gold and shall engrave on it, like the engravings of a seal, ‘Holy
to the LORD.’ "And you shall fasten it on a blue cord, and it shall be on the turban; it shall be at the front of the turban.
Ex. 39:30--And they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and inscribed it like the engravings of a signet, "Holy
to the LORD."
NOTE: Things PS said about the sealed of God:
*they are bond-slaves; it is an humiliating thing to be owned by someone; we are to honor one who owns us
*when enemies of God destroy world at God’s command they can’t touch those who are sealed
*Rev. 14:1--And I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads. (underlined part sounds like baptism); man can’t tell by looking who has been baptized by God can & so can destroying angels
8. What 3 things does PS tell us about the numbered multitude (Rev. 7:4; also 14:1, 3)
NOTE: the fact that it is numbered means that it is a definite number known to God
9. What two things does PS discuss about the innumerable multitude (7:9)
10. So in summary what is the significance of the numbered multitude & the innumerable multitude?
11. What 3 things characterize the innumerable host standing before the throne (7:9-10)
12. What does PS say the great tribulation is?
NOTE: this innumerable multitude was in the immediate presence of God
*reminds us of Adam & Eve in the garden (gen. 3:8-24)
*God spread His tabernacle over them (7:15)
Ruth 3:9--And he said, "Who are you?" And she answered, "I am Ruth your maid. So spread your covering over your maid, for you are a close relative."
Phil. 1:23--But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better;
John 17:24--"Father, I desire that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am, in order that they may behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me; for Thou didst love Me before the foundation of the world.
13. What 4 things characterize the full & final salvation (7:16, 17--"They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.")
14. Who can stand?
15. Anything else in this passage that you would like to discuss?
16. What application did you make?
17. What Psalm did they sing at the end and why?

Ancient Literature of History--week of 1/23/06 to 1/27/06

1. Who is the author of the Eumenides? Write a short (50-100 word) biography of him and place him on your time line.
2. Some of the Eumenides is very difficult to understand, and some is quite simple. We are not going to analyze all the difficult parts in detail, but we are going to analyze one difficult section because I want each of you to understand that you can do it! Read the first 30 lines of the play (the speech by Pythia until she turns to the audience)—if you are like me you won’t get much out of this the first time you read it. Next I want you to read it one line at a time looking up every word whose meaning you don’t know and write down the definition. This includes proper names of places & people whom you don’t know. For example on line 3, I didn’t know who “Tradition” was or the meaning of “mantic.” (The words will vary from translation to translation.) Then read it through a third time referring to the meanings you have written down. Does it make more sense to you? With enough time and the proper reference books, each of you could understand the entire play, line by line.


3. Leithart says has the following “roughly chiastic arrangement”:
Scene 1: Apollo’s temple at Delphi: Orestes departs, Furies driven out (1-232)
Scene 2: Athena’s temple in Athens: Orestes contends with Furies (232-570)
Scene 3: Areopagus: Court decides between Orestes and Furies (571-791)
Scene 4: Areopagus: Athena welcomes Furies to Athens (792-1057)

When you read the play through the 2nd time write down a favorite line, a question, a comment, or something else from each section.

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Dear Mrs. Ray,Luke Hovee here. I came up with these in about five minutes, but I think it is pretty good."O brother, where art thou?"Protagonist: Everett (the leader of the three)Antagonist: Man who is going to marry Everett’s wifeInciting Incident: This takes place before the movie starts. When Everett finds out of his wife's plan to remarry.Conflict: Everett saving his marriageClimax: When KKK leader exposes the Soggy Bottom Boys. Then they are pardoned, and Everett reclaims his wife. Thesis: A marriage is worth the effort to save.I relies that this leaves out quite a lot of the movie, but it seems logical to me.Luke

Next is my brilliant analysis--if you don't want to read all the interesting commentary look to the end for my analysis:
Oh Brother Where Art Thou

Main Character: Ulysses Everett McGill
Governor has same name as a character in Odyssey: Menelaus
Governor actually comparable to Zeus in Odyssey
Opponent for governor named after author of Odyssey: Homer
Wife is Penny—in Odyssey wife is Penelope
Is a suitor: Vernon T. Waltrip; in Odyssey were many suitors
In both the protagonist was trying to make it home
In both the protagonist came home disguised
Everett’s pride in his hair parallels Odysseus pride
In both there is a distrust of women
Zeus says Calypso has to let Odysseus go home
Odysseus and Everett both reveal themselves by performing an act no one else could: Odysseus strings a special bow and fires it through seven rings; Everett sings "Man of Constant Sorrow" as only the leader of the Soggy Bottom Boys can.
"Sing in me O Muse... ", the line at the beginning of the film, is the first line of the Odyssey.
every time Ulysses falls asleep something bad happens.
the song which plays throughout the movie is called "Man of Constant Sorrow", Odysseus means "man who is in constant pain and sorrow". A man of constant sorrow is also a description of Odysseus.
There is a "Blind Bard" who pays the boys to "sing into his can". Homer was always thought to be a blind bard who told his stories verbally to his students.
Sheriff still tries to kill Everett after the governor’s pardon just as Poseidon tried to kill Odysseus after Zeus said to let him go home.
Loose connections with each of Odysseus’ adventures
(1) Cicones:
(2) Lotus Eaters: people going to river to be baptized attractive to Pete and Delmar but not to Everett just as Lotus Eaters were to Odysseus’ men but not to Odysseus
(3) Cyclops: Big Dan, the Bible salesman had one eye; pointed log almost went in his eye; flaming cross did hit him
(4) Aeolus: Baby Face George is a bag of hot air who leads 3
characters toward crime (wrong direction)
(5) Laestrygonians:
(6) Circe: Pete hung up like a “pig”
(7) Journey to the Underworld: blind prophet told them about the
journey home
(8) Sirens: voices of 3 sirens entice; Pete turned in for bounty
(9) Scylla: “Damn, we’re in a tight spot”; also only danger Everett and boys faced twice was a burning barn—only danger Odysseus faced twice was Scylla & Charybdis
(10) Cattle of the Sun: Baby Face George Nelson machine guns cattle
(11) Charybdis: “Damn we’re in a tight spot”; saved from flood by clinging to coffin; also Odysseus saved from whirlpool by clinging to tree trunk
(12) Calypso: escapes from jail to make journey home; “escapes”
Calypso to make final journey home
(13) Phaeacians: crowd at rally welcome Everett and send him home just as Phaeacians did for Odysseus


Loose with truth
Is a supernaural

What is historical?
Mississippi in the depression (farms repossessed; suicide after losing family farm)
TVA flooded part of Mississipi (?)
Crooked politicians
Riding out of town on a rail; what does expression really mean
KKK did hang blacks
Real life Delta bluesman guitarist Robert Johnson said to have gain otherworldly talents by pact with devil as did Tommy Johnson
Baby Face George Nelson: Lester M. Gills; famous for itchy trigger finger and hot temper; died in shootout in 1934—3 years before time setting in movie
Governor O’Daniel: W. Lee (Pappy) O’Daniel was governor of Texas 1938-1942 and later a senator; had a radio show and sang with the Light Crust Doughboys


Connections to other works of art
Wizard of Oz
(1) KKK Rally: dance is like that of the guard outside the witch’s castle; tinman, scarecrow, and lion drag off three guards and change into their outfits (as opposed to dragging off 3 KKK members and putting on their robes)
(2) Governor’s final speech pardoning the three and inviting them to become advisors compares to Wizard of Oz’s final speech as he prepares to depart and leaving the travelers to rule
Odyssey
The whole concept is loosely based on author Howard Waldrop's novella, "A Dozen Tough Jobs", which recounts the labors of Hercules in a similar Mississippi setting, albeit ten years earlier. The Coen brothers tip their hat in Waldrop's direction through the name of Penny's suitor, "Waldrip". [Note: other people compare Hercules’ twelve labors to Odysseus’ adventures.]
Another possible link comes from the Faulkner short novel, "Old Man". In it a convict survives an Odyssey like adventure. The "tall convict" in the story is carried away on the flooding Mississippi of 1927 and struggles to return home. At the very end of the story he remembers the only sweetheart he had before being incarcerated and how she stopped visiting him in prison or returning his letters until finally sending him a postcard. "It was a postcard, a colored lithograph of a Birmingham hotel, a childish X inked heavily across one window, the heavy writing on the reverse slanted and primer-like too: This is where were honnymonning at. Your friend (Mrs) Vernon Waldrip."
with scraps of "Moby-Dick," (I don’t know what these are)
Preston Sturges's "Sullivan's Travels," the source of the film's title.

Seer’s prophecy: You will get a treasure but not the one you seek; don’t fear the obstacles in your way; your redemption has been vouchsafed Devil as described by Tommy Johnson hollow eyes, white as you guys, and a big mean dog.Sheriff: the law is a human institution

ANALYSIS:
Protagonist: Ulysses Everett McGill
Antagonist: sheriff with hound dog aka devil
Inciting Incident: escape from chain gang (Joseph thinks it was when seer spoke)
Conflict: escaping sheriff, getting home, and reclaiming wife (treasure Everett was
seeking); sheriff’s goal is to keep him from recognizing there is a supernatural
and thus gain redemption which is the true treasure the seer spoke of
Climax: flood
Denouement: Everett explains away his “deathbed conversion” and says he’s glad to get
back to rationalism of French Revolution; Everett sees cow on roof and
realizes rationalism is wrong
Thesis: putting away clever rationalisms leads to redemption

Revelation for week of Jan. 16-Jan. 20

Only Questions #17—How Long, O Lord?

1. What is Rev. 6:1-17 about?
2. What is Daniel 7:1-28 about?
3. Into what 3 main divisions does PS divide the book of Rev.?
4. What are the three main sets of visions in Rev.?
5. Where is the 7 seals vision found?
6. What are the major elements in the seal judgments?
7. PS says that the seal judgments are based on the template of Daniel 7. Which parts of
Dan. 7 relate to which parts of Rev.?
8. PS says Revelation is the final chapter of Judges & Kings. Why?
9. How is Revelation 6 a picture of the God who answers the cries of His saints?
10. What applications does PS make?
11. What application did you make?
12. Anything else you would like to discuss from this tape?
13. What Psalm did they sing at the end & why?

Ancient Literature for week of Jan. 16 to Jan. 20

Only questions on House of Atreus
First read pages 345 through the first two lines on 362 in Hamilton’s Mythology and answer the following questions.

1. Who was the father of Tantalus?
2. What was Tantalus’s great sin?
3. Why did he do such a thing?
4. Did he succeed?
5. What punishment did the gods inflict on Tantalus?
6. Pelops was brought back to life by the gods and was happy in his marriage to Princess Hippodamia. How did he earn the right to marry her?
7. What two possibilities are given as the reason for the misfortune of the house of Atreus and which is more likely?
8. What was the great sin of Niobe (Tantalus’s daughter and Pelops’s sister)?
9. What was her punishment?
10. Who were Pelops’s two sons?
11. Thyestes made Atreus’s wife an adulteress. What did Atreus do to retaliate?
12. Homer in the Odyssey and Aeschylus in Agamemnon give different murderers and different motives for the murder of Agamemnon. Who were these murderers and what were their motives?
13. Who were Aegisthus’s father and uncle?
14. What was Orestes’s terrible dilemma?
15. Why did he decide to kill his mother?
16. Describe what Orestes saw after killing his mother that no one else did? [ NOTE: These were the Erinyes, the Furies. (see pages 44 & 80 in Hamilton’s Mythology.)]

Next read the Eumenides (Some of this is easy to understand and some is difficult. Don’t get bogged down in the difficult part. Just get an overview—we’ll work on the difficult stuff next week.)

Finally read 362-363 and answer the following questions:

17. How did Orestes free himself from the curse of the Erinyes?
18. What did Orestes say to Athena?
19. What was significant about these words?
20. What was result of these words?

Revelation for week of Jan.9-13

Questions on #16—Jesus Rules!
1. What is Rev. 5:1-14 about?

2. What is Daniel 7:1-28 about?

3. Once again when do the decrees (the 7 seals) take place in relation to Daniel? With relation to John in Rev.?


4. Why does PS say Rev. 4 & 5 is the foundation of hope for suffering Christians?


5. What are similarities that PS discusses between Daniel 7 & Rev.?


6. Where is Christ in Rev. 5:6?

7. What are the 6 things that PS discusses about the scroll?




8. What two names are given to Christ in Rev. 5:5?

9. What does PS say is the significance of calling Christ, a Lamb?


10. Why does PS say He is described “standing as slain”? Why were His wounds not healed when he was resurrected?


11. What does PS say 7 horns of Christ in Rev. 5:6 represent?

12. How is the trinity seen in Rev. 5:6 and what is the significance of each?


13. What are the three reasons given in Rev. 5:9b-10 for the Lamb being worthy to open the seals?


14. What resulted because the lamb was worthy (7-9a; 11-13)


15. PS says that because Christ rules 4 things should happen (somewhat tricky—outline only lists 3)



16. Is there anything else in this message that you would like to discuss?



17. What Psalm did they sing at the end? Why

Ancient Literature week of Jan. 2-6, 2006

PERICLES (c. 490-429 B.C.)---Fabius Maximus who fought against Hannibal
#1—Did you find anything interesting in this chapter?
*admiration of an action doesn’t necessarily make us want to emulate it; e.g. I might enjoy perfume & dye but wouldn’t lower myself to make either (shows Plutarch’s aristocratic bias against manual labor); is this bias wrong?
*What does this have to do with Pericles?
#2—Why does Plutarch say he decided to continue writing Lives
*what characteristics does he say Fabius Maximus & Pericles have in common?
#3—What deformity did Pericles have & how did artists hide this?
#7—Why was Pericles fearful of being ostracized?
*With Aristides dead, Themistocles in exile, & Cimon fighting abroad why did Pericles champion cause of common people even though this was contrary to his aristocratic nature?
#8—Why was Pericles called “Olympian”?
*What aristocrat was his long-time political rival?
#9—How did Pericles’ demagoguery (catering to the poor) differ from that of Cimon?
#10—Why was Pericles willing to invite Cimon back early from exile
*What was the division of power between Pericles & Cimon when Cimon returned?
#11—What were the 2 distinct factions in Athens at this time and who led each?
#12—What action by Pericles most angered Greek allies?
#13—What is impressive about the buildings built during Pericles’ administration?
#15—Once Thucydides was ostacized and Pericles’ power secure how did he govern?
*How does Plutarch say he directed people’s minds?
#16—How did he act financially?
#18-22---What is Pericles’ principally known for militarily?
#23—What is significance of recorded expenditure of 10 talents “for necessities”?
#24—Who was Aspasia? What happened to Pericles’s wife?
#25-28—Pericles went to war with Samos and won but this created some dissension in Athens. What was the reason for this war?
#29-30—Several reasons for animosity between Sparta & Athens were discussed but which does Plutarch say is the most important and who does he hold responsible for this and thus for the Peloponnesian Wars?
#31—Who was Phidias, what was he charged with, and what was the outcome?
#32—What was Aspasia charged with & what was the outcome?
#33—Why did Lacedaemonians want to overthrow Pericles?
#33-34---What was Pericles’ response to invasion of Attica by Spartans?
*What kept Spartans from giving up & returning home?
*Who did Athenians blame for the plague & why?
#35—Why was Pericles stripped of his military command & a fine imposed on him?
#36—What caused Pericles to burst into copious tears
#37—Why did people of Athens invite him back into leadership & make him one of their military commanders?
*What law which he had originally introduced did he repeal because it would help him?
#38—How did Pericles die?
*Those surrounding him at his death discussed his virtue & accomplishments including being able to set up 9 trophies for Athens as a successful military commander when they thought he was unconscious; he opened his eyes & asked why they didn’t mention most important thing, which was that no Athenian had to put on mourning clothes because of him. What did he mean by this?
#39—What opinion of the poets does Plutarch express?
*What does Plutarch seem to think was one of Pericles’ greatest accomplishment?

Ancient Literature week of Jan. 2-6, 2006

PERICLES (c. 490-429 B.C.)---Fabius Maximus who fought against Hannibal
#1—Did you find anything interesting in this chapter?
*admiration of an action doesn’t necessarily make us want to emulate it; e.g. I might enjoy perfume & dye but wouldn’t lower myself to make either (shows Plutarch’s aristocratic bias against manual labor); is this bias wrong?
*What does this have to do with Pericles?
#2—Why does Plutarch say he decided to continue writing Lives
*what characteristics does he say Fabius Maximus & Pericles have in common?
#3—What deformity did Pericles have & how did artists hide this?
#7—Why was Pericles fearful of being ostracized?
*With Aristides dead, Themistocles in exile, & Cimon fighting abroad why did Pericles champion cause of common people even though this was contrary to his aristocratic nature?
#8—Why was Pericles called “Olympian”?
*What aristocrat was his long-time political rival?
#9—How did Pericles’ demagoguery (catering to the poor) differ from that of Cimon?
#10—Why was Pericles willing to invite Cimon back early from exile
*What was the division of power between Pericles & Cimon when Cimon returned?
#11—What were the 2 distinct factions in Athens at this time and who led each?
#12—What action by Pericles most angered Greek allies?
#13—What is impressive about the buildings built during Pericles’ administration?
#15—Once Thucydides was ostacized and Pericles’ power secure how did he govern?
*How does Plutarch say he directed people’s minds?
#16—How did he act financially?
#18-22---What is Pericles’ principally known for militarily?
#23—What is significance of recorded expenditure of 10 talents “for necessities”?
#24—Who was Aspasia? What happened to Pericles’s wife?
#25-28—Pericles went to war with Samos and won but this created some dissension in Athens. What was the reason for this war?
#29-30—Several reasons for animosity between Sparta & Athens were discussed but which does Plutarch say is the most important and who does he hold responsible for this and thus for the Peloponnesian Wars?
#31—Who was Phidias, what was he charged with, and what was the outcome?
#32—What was Aspasia charged with & what was the outcome?
#33—Why did Lacedaemonians want to overthrow Pericles?
#33-34---What was Pericles’ response to invasion of Attica by Spartans?
*What kept Spartans from giving up & returning home?
*Who did Athenians blame for the plague & why?
#35—Why was Pericles stripped of his military command & a fine imposed on him?
#36—What caused Pericles to burst into copious tears
#37—Why did people of Athens invite him back into leadership & make him one of their military commanders?
*What law which he had originally introduced did he repeal because it would help him?
#38—How did Pericles die?
*Those surrounding him at his death discussed his virtue & accomplishments including being able to set up 9 trophies for Athens as a successful military commander when they thought he was unconscious; he opened his eyes & asked why they didn’t mention most important thing, which was that no Athenian had to put on mourning clothes because of him. What did he mean by this?
#39—What opinion of the poets does Plutarch express?
*What does Plutarch seem to think was one of Pericles’ greatest accomplishment?

Revelation for week of Jan. 2-6, 2006

Questions #15—God Rules
1. What is Rev. 4:1-11 about?


2. What is Daniel 4:1-37 about?


3. What is the foundation of our hope?


4. If Rev. 4 is a vision of God’s throne, what is Rev. 5?


5. Name four other places in scripture where God is seen on His throne.


6. What 3 features of this heavenly throne does PS discuss?


7. What two ways is God’s glory shown in this passage?



NOTE AGAIN: the importance of two witnesses
Deut. 19:15--A single witness shall not rise up against a man on account of any iniquity or any sin which he has committed; on the evidence of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed.
In Rev. 5:9f & 12f both give witness to fact God rules; thus by
these two witnesses we know there is hope for the righteous and
fear for the wicked.
8. What five applications does PS give?
9. What application did you make?
10. Anything else you want to discuss?
11. What Psalm did they sing at the end and why?










Further Discussion:
1.. Remember what Daniel saw as taking place in the future John sees as having already started (1:19 & 4:1) or going to take place quickly.
2. Remember the letters are preceded by a vision of Christ among His churches and this vision is referred back to throughout the letters. In the same way the visions are preceded by Rev. 4 & 5, a vision of God’s throne and of Christ on it.
3. Why does PS list 4 living creatures who are full of eyes as sign of God’s glory?