Abraham offered a prayer of Thanksgiving in a field near his home in Bethsheeba, counting his blessings- his land, life,

children. He told God of his delighted son, Isaac. God summoned an angel and told the angel that he intended to test the steadfastness of Abraham by asking him to sacrifice Isaac.

Abraham was ready to obey, but was confused since God had promised that Isaacs sons would become a great nation ( with Isaac being sacrificed, this would not be possible unless God raised him from the dead)

Abraham goes to the top of a mountain and prepares his son to be killed. Just as he is raising his knife to kill him, an angel shouts to stop him. The angel says that she knows he loves God more than his son and has nothing left to prove.

Relieved, Abraham offered a ram to God and named the place which the alter was made Jehovah-jireh, meaning The Lord will provide This showed Abraham that God did not wish for human sacrifices. Therefore, for years to come ram and sheep were made as offerings to God.

Abraham and Isaac

The third son of the King of Israel Considered the most beautiful man in the kingdom When his sister was raped by their oldest brother, Amnon, he waited two yrs. And then had his servants kill him at a feast held by the King.
He then fled to his grandfathers house, who was the King of Geshur

In Samuel II, Absalom (Davids son) was killed in battle when Joab thrusted three spears into his heart while attempting to usurp his fathers throne. His father had a monument built. He grieved: O my son Absalom, my son, my son
The term Absalom alludes to paternal grief, and to a lost and faithless son.
Faulkner used the word as a title

Greek hero of the Trojan War Most important warrior in the Illiad Most handsome and quickest amongst the warriors in the Battle of Troy
He was half god, half mortal

As an infant, his mother, Thetis attempted to make him mortal by bathing him in the river, Styx, however, his heel was the only part of him that didnt get wet, and so it became his only vulnerable spot.
He was slain by Paris who shot an arrow into his heel. Achilles heel: refers to a vulnerable part of ones character or ones weakness

The king of Mycenae or Argos ( both have been recorded) Commander of the Achaeans in the Trojan War Sacrificed his daughter, Iphigenia, during the war with Troy in order to win the gods approval Later murdered by his wife, Clytemnestra, for being unfaithful

Daughter of King Oedipus and Jocasta ( they were mother and son) Antigone attempts to give a proper burial for her brother, Polynices, who was a traitor to Creon and therefore was not to be given a burial upon his death.
Symbolic of Justice vs. the Law Who wins? God and tradition (respect) or the Law?

The site of the final battle between God and Satan ( good and evil)
Literature: apocalyptic event or time of judgment

When she was born, her father (Iasion) left her in the woods to die because she was not the male he wanted.
She was raised by a hunter Later her father wanted to reclaim her and choose her husband.

Atlanta valued her freedom. She had a male friend that loved her but she did not return the affection. ( they were boar hunting pals)
Atlanta said she would only marry a man that could outrun her. Her father decided any man that lost would be killed.

She was defeated by Hippomenes. Hippomenes went to Aphrodite for help. He was given three golden apples to drop during the race so that Atlanta would pause to pick them up and he would win- they were married Archetype of speed, strength and trickery

A titan who rebelled against Zeus

Forced to hold the weight of the world on his shoulders

Matthew 15 and Luke 6 Blindness represents a lack of spirituality, according to the Bible
This quote literally means that one can not learn the teachings of God from someone that is not spiritually enlightened.

Exodus: to get Moses attention Where God told Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt The bush burns but doesnt burn in the fire
Symbolic of initial reluctance followed by truth and proof of divinity.

Matthew 4 :4 : Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God
Found again in Luke 4:4 Meaning:
Not all of our needs are met by food- faith can provide spiritual sustenance.

Brother in Genesis- sons of Adam and Eve Cain became jealous when God did not accept his offering but accepted Abels so he decided to murder his brother out of jealousy. Archetype for: Innocent blood/ brother v.s brother

Matthew 19:24 Mark 10: 25 Luke 18: 25 Easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get to heaven

The daughter of Priam, king of Troy Possessed the gift of prophecy but was fated by Apollo top never be believed:
When she was a young girl,she spent the night at the temple of Thymbraean Apollo with her twin brother, Helenus. When their parents looked on them the next morning they were entwined with serpents, which flicked their tongues into the childrens ears

When she had grown up, she spend the night at Apollos temple again but he tried to force himself upon her. She refused his advances and he cursed her so that no one would believe her ( although they would be true She represents an accurate but unheeded prophet of doom.

John 8:7 A woman caught in adultery was to be publicly stoned But Jesus said: He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her
Meaning: warning against hypocrisy

Ecclesiastes 11: 1-6 Share your wealth with those who need it and it shall be returned to you.

Acts 22: 6-11 Saul, Roman citizen, persecuted Christian believers On his way to Damascus, he was blinded by a light from heaven and heard the words of God 3 days later, he accepted baptism. He is known as St. Paul- major figure in early Christian church

The death of Christ on the cross Sacrifice that redeemed fallen humankind

Daedalus-great architect Icarus- son of Daedalus They were imprisoned due to creating the labrinth that held captive the Minotaur of Crete They designed wings of wax and feathers that would allow them to escape.

Warned not to fly too high, Icarus went to close to the sun god Apollo- wax on his wings melted, and he died
Symbolic of danger to enter the realm of gods
James Joyce uses the character in A Portrait of the Artist that dared to question the strict teachings of his catholic upbringing

The story is based on a legend about the Syracusan tyrant Dionysius II and the fawning Damocles, who called Dionysius the most fortunate person ever. Dionysius offered him the opportunity to try out his lucky life, and Damocles readily agreed. Amid all the gold and luxuries that Damocles could enjoy, there was a sharp sword hanging from a slender thread (and in imminent danger of dropping) above Damocles' head. Damocles quickly wished to go back to his less fortunate life.

This is a symbol of impending peril.

Modern: impending disaster

two inseparable friends Would lay down their lives for each other Symbolize lasting friendship

Biblical hero Cast into the lions den to punish him for fidelity to God He was delivered divinely
Representative of extreme bravery and unwavering faith Also interpreted Nebuchadnezzars dream

adulterous relationship with Bathsheba Bathsheba became pregnant, David sent her husbands, Uriah, into battle where he was killed. They married The child of their affair died, but Bathsheba later gave birth to Solomon

The battle and victory became symbolic of the just defeating the unjust, despite the latters superior strength.
Modern Example: Jack and the Beanstalk

God of wine, revelry, power of nature, fertility, emotional ecstasy Representative of the creative-intuitive principle

Biblical parable explaining the time of judgment, when the faithful ( saved) would be separated from the unfaithful

Leviticus Exacting specific and equal punishment Revised in Matthew

Revelation John prophesies the end of the world. Uses a metaphor of four enormously powerful horsemen as the ultimate destructive forces of :
War Death Plague Famine Symbolic of powerful destructive forces

Outside of Jerusalem where the agony and betrayal of Jesus took place Symbolic: a great physical or psychological suffering

Despite the long-standing mutual hatred between Jews and Samaritans- a Samaritan stopped to help a Jew who had been waylaid by thieves
Prototype for the good neighbor Helping a stranger in need

Chalice ( cup) that caught the blood from Christs side and which he had used at the Last Supper
Holy Grail brings health and sustenance to those who hold it and may found only by the pure of heart

Proverbs Treat your enemy with kindness. It will sting as though the person had heaps of coal on him
Be kind to your enemy

King of Jews who ruled Judea at the time of Jesus birth Ordered massacre of male children in Bethlehem born within a year of Christs birth

Christ assured Peter that his fathers house (heaven) has room for all who believe

Eldest child of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra Sacrificed by her father in exchange for a guarantee of fair winds for the Greek fleet on its way to Troy

His son was the recipient of the promise or covenant with God

12 sons were the founders of the 12 tribes of Israel

Twin sons of Isaac and Rebekah. Esau- stronger than his brother Jacob- more clever Esau sold Jacob his birthright in a moment of weakness Jacob received his fathers blessing, originally meant for Esau
Politics of borthright

Dream of a ladder from Earth to heaven Symbolic of the path to God and to heaven

Judges Fathers sacrifice to keep a vow for victory over the Ammonites Daughter is the model Christian who died to protect

Kings Phoenician princess who married Ahab and urged him to sin Became enemy of Elijah
Revelation Jezebel is the name of the false prophet Refers to a seductive woman who leads the hero astray

Prepared his cousin Jesus as Messiah Beheaded by Herod at request of Salome