Midas Aesculapius The Danaïds

1. MidasAesculapiusThe Danaïds By: Amy Herrod

2. King Midas and the Golden Touch • Midas was the King of Phrygia which was the land of roses. • Helped Silenus get back to Bacchus • Bacchus gave him a wish for returning Silenus. He wished that everything he touched turned gold. • When he tried to eat, he couldn’t because food turned to gold. • Bacchus told him to bathe in the source of the river Pactolus. So that’s why gold was found in the sands of the river.

3. King Midas and Music • Midas was asked to judge music contest between Pan and Apollo. • Pan was good, but when Apollo started playing his lyre there was no sound on heaven or earth that could match it except the Muses choir. • Midas was not very intelligent and chose Pan. • After angering Apollo, was given the ears of a donkey*. • The servant that cut his hair was the only person that knew about the ears. He swore not to tell anybody. • He whispered into a hole in the ground and then felt better. When the spring reeds came up and the wind blew them, they told the king’s story.

4. Aesculapius Birth and Early Life • Mother was Coronis and father was Apollo. • She didn’t care for him and preferred a mortal. Forgot that Apollo could not be decieved. • The raven told Apollo and he got so mad he made the feathers go from white to black • Apollo killed Coronis but saved Aesculapuis from her as Zeus did with Seleme • Took baby to Mount Pelion to Chiron (centaur) to raise. • Aesculapius ws the only child who wanted to learn the art of healing from Chiron • He passed Chiron and was able to help with all problems.

5. Aesculapius Death and Afterwards • He made big mistake and rose one person from the dead for large amount of money. • He was killed by Zeus because Zeus felt he had too much power. • Was shot by Zeus’s thunderbolt • The death of his son angered Apollo and he killed the Cyclops that made the thunderbolts. • After killing the Cyclops, Apollo had to serve King Admetus as a slave. • Snakes played some part in cures and were sacred to Aesculapius.

6. Danaïds • There were 50 • All daughters of Danaüs, one of Io’s descendents. • Their 50 cousins, sons of Aegyptus, wanted to marry them. • All opposed and fled to Argos where they were safe. • Later, they were forced to marry and on the day of wedding Danaüs gave all of his daughters daggers. • 49 of the women killed her husband on the wedding night as they were told to do.

7. The One Different Danaïd • She was Hypermnesta • She pitied her husband, whose name was Lynceus, and woke him • She helped him escape • Her father put her in prison but she later got out and lived happily with Lynceus • Son was Abas, great-grandfather of Perseus • All the other sisters had punishment in the lower world for murdering their husband. • They had to forever fill jars with holes and watch the water go out and fill them over again.