CH 6 Book Notes - Summary Classical Mythology PDF

Preview

Summary

The Nature of the Gods...

Description

CH 6: The Nature of the Gods Anthropomorphism ● The greeks and romans conceived of their deities as anthropomorphic ○ Human in form and character ● These gods/goddesses are idealized mortals in their physical beauty, human beings being larger than life through the intensity of their emotions, and their superhuman powers ● They perform extraordinary feats but appear tragically human in their pain and sorrows, rivalries, and sins ● Ichor (not blood) runs through their veins and they feast not on mortals but instead drink nectar and eat ambrosia Olympian Deities ● Their home is Mt Olympus ○ Splendid houses ○ Opulent feasts ● Immortals are worshiped by mortals in temples and honored with statues, altars, and animal sacrifices ● Priests serve them and officiate at celebrations Chthonic Deities ● Gods and goddesses who are primarily associated with the Underworld are called Chthonic (‘of the earth’) ● Hades is primarily a chthonic deity ○ King of the underworld ○ His wife is Persephone ● Hecate and the Furies are other examples of important chthonic deities Zeus and Greek Monotheism ● Strong element of monotheism from the beginning ● Zeus is the sovereign deity and is concerned with moral values ○ His monotheism and patriarchy are tested by other divinities, esp goddesses ● Hera’s power is able to thwart Zeus’ plans ● Aphrodite can bend all the gods to her will except Hestia, Athena, and Artemis ● Zeus became the almighty god of morality and justice Greek Humanism ● A belief in the inevitability of fate or the Fates created a particularly somber mood for the development of greek literature ○ Sense of predetermined destiny for each individual was analyzed in terms of the meaning and possibility of free and independent action ● Developed a strong and realistic awareness of the misery, uncertainty, and unpredictability of human life ordained by the gods

●

○ “It is better to be dead than alive” “Man is the measure of all thing” ○ Mortals, not gods, are the arbiters of the human condition ○ Hope and achievement are possible

The Legend of Solon and Croesus Tellus the Athenian ● Solon set out to see the world after being in Athens for a year with extraordinary powers ● He visited Croesus, the king of Lydia ○ Croesus tried to impress Solon with a tour of his treasures ○ Asked Solon, “who is the happiest of human beings?” ○ Solon answered saying, “Tellus” ● Tellus was the answer given because: ○ He came from a prosperous city and was prosperous himself ○ He could fulfill his full potential as a human ○ He had beautiful and good children ○ He died gloriously fighting on behalf of his family and his city ● Tellus was honored with burial at public expense in the place where he fell Cleobis and Biton ● Despotic Croesus persisted in asking who was the second happiest ○ He thought he would win at least second place ● Solon named two young men from Argos ○ Cleobis and Biton ○ Won prizes in the athletic games ○ Their mother was a priestess of Hera ● Once when the oxen did not arrive in time, her two sons yoked themselves to their mother’s chariot and brought her to the temple ○ The whole congregation marveled at this deed ● The mom was so happy,, she prayed before the statue of the goddess to giver her sons the best thing for human beings to attain ○ Cleobis and Biton went to sleep in the temple and never woke up ○ The end of their life was the very better ○ God showed how it is better to be dead than alive ● Statues of the brothers were set up in Delphi The Nature of God and Human Life ● Croesus angrily asked why his happiness was dismissed as nothing and he was not even put on a par with ordinary men ● Solon explained -> all deity is jealous and fond of causing trouble ○ Furthermore, in the length of a lifetime of seventy years there is much that one does not wish to see and not one of the days in all those years will bring exactly the same experiences ○ A human being is a completely a thing of chance ● A human life cannot be judged happy until it has been completed ○ The one whom fate has kept most evils and misfortunes and to whom fate has

given most blessings and good fortune, this one is the happiest, provided as well that his death at the end is good ● Croesus considered Solon a fool, but Nemesis punished him for his hubris in thinking that he was the happiest of mortals Croesus and His Son Atys ● Croesus had a fine son named Atys, “the doomed one” ○ He placed all his hopes in the son ● A dream came to Croesus and foretold him that Atys would die ○ He would be struck by the point of an iron weapon ○ He forbade his son to engage in any further military activity ○ Removed all weapons ○ Arranged that his son get a wife ● In the marriage, Adrastus came and begged Croesus for purification ● Croesus purified him and accepted him in his palace The Mysian Boar Hunt ● Neighboring Mysians were unable to overcome a monstrous boar that was destroying their lands ● They appealed to Croesus to send his son with an expedition to come to their aid ○ Croesus refused ○ His son convinced Croesus to let him go ● Croesus asked Adrastus that he go along with Atys to act as his guardian ○ Adrastus could not refuse this request ● During the hunt, attackers hurled their weapons against the beast ● Adrastus missed his aim and hit instead Atys and killed him ● The prophecy of the dream was fulfilled The Suicide of Adrastus ● When they got home from the expedition, Adrastus stood before the corpse and begged Croesus to kill him ● Croesus answered that it was the god who had warned him of this evil who was responsible ○ He forgave Adrastus ● Adrastus could not forgive himself ● He slaughtered himself on the tomb of Atys ○ Realized he was the unhappiest of mortals and most oppressed by misfortune The Defeat of Croesus by Cyrus the Great ● Cyrus the Great was the king of the Persians ○ He had been carving out a vast empire to the east ● He threatened Croesus’ kingdom of Lydia to the west ● Croesus sent offerings to Delphi before consulting the great oracle of Apollo there for advice ○ The god said if he marched against Persia, a great empire would fall ● Croesus marched against Cyrus, but his own Lydian empire fell The Enlightenment and Salvation of Croesus ● When Sardis (the capital of Lydia) was captured, Cyrus had a great pyre built and

● ●

● ●

● ●

Croesus placed upon it As Croesus stood on it, about to be burned alive, he now understood that the words of Solon about the nature of happiness for mortals were inspired by god Croesus called out the name of Solon three times ○ Cyrus heard him and was perplexed ○ Croesus explained the truth expounded to him by Solon: no one can be judged happy until dead Cyrus ordered Croesus to be saved Croesus realized Cyrus’ change of heart and saw that the men were unable to put out the fire, in tears he called to Apollo ○ God answered him by sending out of the clear and calm sky, torrents of rain that extinguished the fire Cyrus knew then that Croesus was a god man, beloved by god and made him his wise and benevolent counselor Later Croesus inquired at Delphi why Apollo had deceived him by his oracle ○ Apollo answered that it was Croesus’ own fault for misinterpreting the oracle and not inquiring for further clarification ○ Croesus agreed with Apollo...