Categories: All - rhetoric - allegory - rationalism

by Saranya Wallooppillai 10 years ago

205

Classical Mythology 351 Exam 1 Review

Various ancient Greek philosophers and scholars approached myths in unique ways to uncover deeper meanings. Heraclitus used moral allegory to defend Homeric tales from accusations of impiety, while Sophists prioritized rational argument and rhetoric, often devaluing traditional stories.

Classical Mythology 351 Exam 1 Review

Stoics: philisophical sect founded by Zeno

used physical allegory to explain myth

Poets

Xenophanes of Colophon

more monothesitic ideas
criticized immoral(human) behavior of the gods
criticized anthropomorphism
anthropomorphism: idea that the gods a certain entity worships will be worshipped in the similar form of that entity

Hesiod

Theogeny
Works and Days

Homer

Odyssey
Illiad

Pre Socratic Philosophy:6th centur BC

rationalism:universe is ordered

Kosmos

Rejection of theological explanations of natural phenomena

Thales of Miletus:inquired about the causes and principles of the natural world

Anaximander: Thales' pupil
said air was the first principle of nature
thought everyhtign was made of hot, cold, wet, and dry elements

Damkina

Sophists

protagoras of Abderas was the first

emphasized logos

rational argument

devalued mythos

traditional stories

taught political skills and rhetoric for money

rhetoric:presuasive speech

Theagenes of rhegium

defended Homer by interpreting his works as physicla allegories

authorities on greek myth

Palaephatus: explained myths as a misunderstanding of actual events

actaeon

driven to death by his dogs

sphinx

was actually a spited amazonian woman

Anu

Ea

Heraclitus

used moral allegroy to defens Homer from impiety

Lahamu

Lahmu

Tiamat

Apsu

Kingu

Kishar

Anshar

Marduk

Euhemerus

euhemerism

Gods were actually humans

wrote that he visited an island whereUranos, Cronus, and Zeus had actually been kings

Allegorical interpretation: saying something in a different way

historical

correllating a historical event with a myth
Actean and his dogs

moral

showing that a myth is representative of a moral/ethical lesson
Heracles shooting Hera= Heracles defeating the mist (aer) which clouded divine reason

physical

explaining the physical state of something using myth
THe union of Hera and Zeus= the meeting of air and aether

Greek Myth