CLA204H1 Lecture : April 6 Lecture
Document Summary
Heraclitus of ephesus, xenophanes of colophon (6th/5th bce) criticized anthropomorphism of greek pantheon in homer. Xenophanes: homer and hesiod attributed to the gods everything that among men is cause for reproach and blame: thieving, adultery, deceiving one another. ". Pre-socratic thinkers had problems with the ways the gods were portrayed in a moderate, civil society. Characters, places, actions of myth mean something else. Gods are allegories of conflicting natural forces (hot vs cold, dry vs. wet) Apollo/helios vs. poseidon/scamander = celestial fire vs. water. Homeric problems responded to pre-socratic criticisms of homer. Allegory: saying ( agoreuein") different things ( alla") but meaning something other than what is said. Odyssey bk8: homer recognizing empedoclean philosophy in story of ares/aphrodite (strife/love) Ares and aphrodite caught in bed, hephaestus ties chains around them and the other gods laugh at them; shows love is conquering strife, something is being reconciled: brought together; product is. Hephaestus succeeds in trapping a mightier male divinity.
