DR. J'S ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO THE CLASSICAL WORLD
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FOR 106
Myth and Meaning

Syllabus

Calendar

Materials
 by chapter

Grades

Power
points

Topics of
Interest

Internet
Resources

 


 

 

Chapter 6

Anthropomorphism

The Divine Hierarchy (I am in the process of working this out...)
Gods:
Olympian and Chthonic (from chthonos, "earth")
Monsters
: offspring of a human and an animal, with divine intervention
Creatures: offspring of a god and an animal
Biforms: some combination of animals, sometimes including a pinch of man
Nymphs:
Muses: daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, provide divine inspiration to human artists
Demigods: one immortal parent
Heroes: mortal but can go beyond human limits, honored with cult after death
 

Zeus and Monotheism: an iffy connection
Zeus' interest in protecting the morality of the universe
Other gods' (mostly goddesses' ability) to sway/thwart/ him
see cartoon (source unknown)

Greek Humanism: Is Man free to act or limited by fate?

Role of Fortune in Human Life:

Solon: "And so then, Croesus, a human being is completely a thing of chance...good fortune keeps [doom and desire] from [a lucky man], and he is unmaimed, free from disease, does not suffer evils, and has fine children and a fine appearance. If in addition to these things he still ends his life well, this is the one whom you seek who is worthy to be called happy. Before he dies do not yet call him happy, but only fortunate." (M&L p 137)

"Happy" comes from the word "hap," meaning "chance. Cf. "happenstance" and "hapless". Things that cause our good or bad fortunes are out of our control. In Latin, the word "felix" (cf. English "felicitous") means both "happy" and "fortunate" depending on the context. For Herodotus, you can enjoy your good "fortune" while alive, but only be deemed "happy" after the final act has been played.

Story of Cleobis and Biton:
Argive Heraion
Statues in Delphi Museum