CLST 100 Lecture : September 20,2012- Magic and Curses.docx

• School: Queen's University
• Department: Classical Studies
• Course: CLST 100
• Professor: Christina Zaccagnino

Document Summary

Cursed tablets and sometimes figurines were put in graves and sanctuaries. There was activity of the gods and human activity. In ancient greece it was believed that if something occurred that was difficult to understand it was due to the intervention of the gods, not natural causes. Hippokrates wrote about the sacred disease saying he did not think it was any more divine or sacred than any other disease: said because of its rare characteristics man assumed it was from the gods. People knew that gods could be envious and disruptive; often put in negative light. Gods did not give rules to men to govern human societies. Rules and order of the kosmos were in the god"s interest and under the gods" rules. Time- honour and respect; what the gods wanted. Individuals under gods" care: suppliants, heralds, strangers, beggars. If it was deemed enough, the killer could come home. The guarantors of an oath were the gods.