The nature of the gods in early Greek poetic thought
pp. 163-176
Abstrakt
In addressing the question of nature in the ancient Greek world, I thought that I would turn to the gods because they so complicate conventional distinctions between nature and culture.1 At one end of the spectrum, they embody elements of nature and indeed personify natural forces — Zeus, the Indo-European Sky God, cloud gatherer and hurler of thunderbolts, and at the other end they represent ideals of civilization and moral order: Zeus Polieus, Zeus Euboulos ("the Good Counsellor"), Zeus Xenios ("Protector of Hospitality"); or consider anarchic Aphrodite, the joyous and dangerous goddess of sexual intercourse, often flanked by two winged youths Eros and Himeros, abstract nouns for sexual desire and yearning, as contrasted with Aphrodite, defender of cities and warlike Bringer of Victory (Nikephoros), portrayed in sculpture with a diadem of towers on her head.
Publication details
Published in:
Cohen Robert S, Tauber Alfred (1998) Philosophies of nature: the human dimension: in celebration of Erazim Kohák. Dordrecht, Springer.
Seiten: 163-176
DOI: 10.1007/978-94-017-2614-6_12
Referenz:
Scully Stephen (1998) „The nature of the gods in early Greek poetic thought“, In: R.S. Cohen & A. Tauber (eds.), Philosophies of nature: the human dimension, Dordrecht, Springer, 163–176.