Greek Myth
Allegorical interpretation: saying something in a different way
physical
explaining the physical state of something using myth
THe union of Hera and Zeus= the meeting of air and aether
moral
showing that a myth is representative of a moral/ethical lesson
Heracles shooting Hera= Heracles defeating the mist (aer) which clouded divine reason
historical
correllating a historical event with a myth
Actean and his dogs
Euhemerus
wrote that he visited an island whereUranos, Cronus, and Zeus had actually been kings
euhemerism
Gods were actually humans
Marduk
Kishar
Anshar
Tiamat
Kingu
Apsu
Lahamu
Lahmu
Heraclitus
used moral allegroy to defens Homer from impiety
Anu
Ea
Palaephatus: explained myths as a misunderstanding of actual events
sphinx
was actually a spited amazonian woman
actaeon
driven to death by his dogs
authorities on greek myth
Theagenes of rhegium
defended Homer by interpreting his works as physicla allegories
Sophists
taught political skills and rhetoric for money
rhetoric:presuasive speech
devalued mythos
traditional stories
emphasized logos
rational argument
protagoras of Abderas was the first
Damkina
Pre Socratic Philosophy:6th centur BC
Thales of Miletus:inquired about the causes and principles of the natural world
thought everyhtign was made of hot, cold, wet, and dry elements
Anaximander: Thales' pupil
said air was the first principle of nature
Rejection of theological explanations of natural phenomena
rationalism:universe is ordered
Kosmos
Poets
Homer
Illiad
Odyssey
Hesiod
Works and Days
Theogeny
Xenophanes of Colophon
criticized anthropomorphism
anthropomorphism: idea that the gods a certain entity worships will be worshipped in the similar form of that entity
criticized immoral(human) behavior of the gods
more monothesitic ideas