Coping With the Gods: Wayward Readings in Greek Theology (Religions in the Graeco-Roman World, 173)

Turning to the contents of the present study, it first should be noted that the book may be understood as being divided into two parts even if it is not presented as such in visual form. The central theme of the first three chapters can be summarized as ‘the systematics’ or ‘syntax’ of the divine world: how did polytheism work, how did (the) Greeks make sense of the inscrutable divine meddling in and with human life, and how did monistic and pluralistic conceptions of the divine world relate? The latter three chapters are concerned with questions about divine nature and qualities, more especially with correspondences and tensions between human and divine features in the nature of the gods. 9789004204904_webready_cover_front......Page 1 9789004204904_webready_content_text.pdf......Page 2 Contents......Page 8 Abbreviations......Page 12 Introduction......Page 16 1. Order versus Chaos......Page 38 1. The Greek pantheon: kosmos or chaos?......Page 41 1. In search of identities......Page 52 2. Names and surnames: one god or many?......Page 75 1. “The gods who dwell in our city”......Page 103 2. Beyond the polis border (and back)......Page 117 3. Ducking out: gods in personal religiosity......Page 134 4. Conclusions......Page 157 1. Controversial diction in archaic poetry......Page 166 2. Modern Voices......Page 175 2. Homer......Page 178 1. Two tales, many perspectives......Page 194 2. Modern voices: fear of diversity......Page 202 4. Saving the Author......Page 205 5. Solon Again......Page 216 6. Once More: Chaos or Order?......Page 227 1. Paratactic multiplicity......Page 228 2. ‘Gnomologisches Wissen’......Page 233 3. The rehabilitation of parataxis......Page 241 4. Thinking in gnomai—speaking in parataxis......Page 244 7. Putting to the Test: Hesiod......Page 246 8. Envoy......Page 249 1. Introduction......Page 254 2. One and Many: The God(s) of Xenophanes......Page 259 1. One or many?......Page 263 2. One and Many......Page 271 3. Concluding remarks......Page 281 1. On singular plurals......Page 283 2. Concluding remarks......Page 293 1. Praising the god......Page 295 2. Aretalogy......Page 298 3. Nine characteristics of henotheistic religion......Page 304 4. The nature of oneness in henotheistic religion......Page 311 5. Questions of origin......Page 316 6. Concluding remarks......Page 318 5. Conclusion......Page 319 1. Hungry Hermes and Greedy Interpreters......Page 324 2. Hermes: The Human God in the Hymn......Page 334 3. Hermes: The Eternal Dupe in the Fable......Page 342 1. Burlesques......Page 344 2. Paying a social call......Page 347 4. Hermes: The Present God in Visual Art......Page 350 1. Socializing......Page 352 2. More burlesques......Page 358 Herms and sacrifice......Page 363 5. Hungry Hermes: The Sacrificial Meal......Page 367 1. “The warm splanchna which I used to gobble up”......Page 368 2. “The titbits Hermes likes to eat”......Page 379 3. “Companion of the feast” (δαιτὸς ἑταίρε)......Page 382 6. Conclusion......Page 385 1. Self......Page 394 2. Other......Page 399 3. Self and other......Page 400 4. Gods: Self and other......Page 403 5. Some inferences......Page 406 2. God: Powerful or All-Powerful?......Page 411 3. Miracles in Double Perspective: The Case of Asklepios......Page 415 4. God: Powerful and All-Powerful......Page 437 1. Omnipotence, ancient philosophers and modern theologians......Page 442 2. Inconsistency in religious expression......Page 446 5. Conclusions......Page 451 1. A swollen-headed doctor: the case of Menekrates......Page 454 2. A charismatic prince: the case of Demetrios Poliorketes......Page 459 2. Modern Perplexities......Page 471 1. Language......Page 475 2. Performance......Page 478 4. Did (the) Greeks believe in the Divinity of their Rulers?......Page 480 5. Ritual Play: Sincere Hypocrisy......Page 485 6. Birds into Gods: Comic Theopoetics......Page 495 7. Making a God: A Multiple Perspective Approach......Page 500 Epilogue......Page 508 Appendices......Page 514 1. All the Gods......Page 516 2. The Twelve Gods......Page 522 Appendix Two Unity or Diversity—One God or Many? A Modern Debate......Page 532 Appendix Three Drive Towards Coherence in Two Herodotus-Studies......Page 542 Appendix Four Did the Greeks Believe in their Gods?......Page 554 Bibliography......Page 576 Index of Passages Cited......Page 592 Greek Words......Page 599 General Index......Page 602 9789004204904_webready_cover_front 1 9789004204904_webready_content_text.pdf 2 Contents 8 Abbreviations 12 Introduction 16 Chapter One Many Gods Complications of Polytheism 38 1. Order versus Chaos 38 1. The Greek pantheon: kosmos or chaos? 41 2. Ingredients for Chaos 52 1. In search of identities 52 2. Names and surnames: one god or many? 75 3. Creating Order: Taking Place 103 1. “The gods who dwell in our city” 103 2. Beyond the polis border (and back) 117 3. Ducking out: gods in personal religiosity 134 4. Conclusions 157 Chapter Two The Gods Divine Justice or Divine Arbitrariness? 166 1. Introduction 166 1. Controversial diction in archaic poetry 166 2. Modern Voices 175 2. Homer 178 3. Herodotus 194 1. Two tales, many perspectives 194 2. Modern voices: fear of diversity 202 4. Saving the Author 205 5. Solon Again 216 6. Once More: Chaos or Order? 227 1. Paratactic multiplicity 228 2. ‘Gnomologisches Wissen’ 233 3. The rehabilitation of parataxis 241 4. Thinking in gnomai—speaking in parataxis 244 7. Putting to the Test: Hesiod 246 8. Envoy 249 Chapter Three One God Three Greek Experiments in Oneness 254 1. Introduction 254 2. One and Many: The God(s) of Xenophanes 259 1. One or many? 263 2. One and Many 271 3. Concluding remarks 281 3. One is Many: The Gods, the God and the Divine 283 1. On singular plurals 283 2. Concluding remarks 293 4. “One is the God” 295 1. Praising the god 295 2. Aretalogy 298 3. Nine characteristics of henotheistic religion 304 4. The nature of oneness in henotheistic religion 311 5. Questions of origin 316 6. Concluding remarks 318 5. Conclusion 319 Chapter Four A God Why is Hermes Hungry? 324 1. Hungry Hermes and Greedy Interpreters 324 2. Hermes: The Human God in the Hymn 334 3. Hermes: The Eternal Dupe in the Fable 342 1. Burlesques 344 2. Paying a social call 347 4. Hermes: The Present God in Visual Art 350 1. Socializing 352 2. More burlesques 358 Herms and sacrifice 363 5. Hungry Hermes: The Sacrificial Meal 367 1. “The warm splanchna which I used to gobble up” 368 2. “The titbits Hermes likes to eat” 379 3. “Companion of the feast” (δαιτὸς ἑταίρε) 382 6. Conclusion 385 Chapter Five God the Question of Divine Omnipotence 394 1. God: Self and Other 394 1. Self 394 2. Other 399 3. Self and other 400 4. Gods: Self and other 403 5. Some inferences 406 2. God: Powerful or All-Powerful? 411 3. Miracles in Double Perspective: The Case of Asklepios 415 4. God: Powerful and All-Powerful 437 1. Omnipotence, ancient philosophers and modern theologians 442 2. Inconsistency in religious expression 446 5. Conclusions 451 Chapter Six Playing (the) God did (the) Greeks Believe in the Divinity of their Rulers? 454 1. Men into Gods 454 1. A swollen-headed doctor: the case of Menekrates 454 2. A charismatic prince: the case of Demetrios Poliorketes 459 2. Modern Perplexities 471 3. The Construction of a God 475 1. Language 475 2. Performance 478 4. Did (the) Greeks believe in the Divinity of their Rulers? 480 5. Ritual Play: Sincere Hypocrisy 485 6. Birds into Gods: Comic Theopoetics 495 7. Making a God: A Multiple Perspective Approach 500 Epilogue 508 Appendices 514 Appendix One Grouping the Gods 516 1. All the Gods 516 2. The Twelve Gods 522 Appendix Two Unity or Diversity—One God or Many? A Modern Debate 532 Appendix Three Drive Towards Coherence in Two Herodotus-Studies 542 Appendix Four Did the Greeks Believe in their Gods? 554 Bibliography 576 Index of Passages Cited 592 Greek Words 599 General Index 602 1.2.3.4.5.6.Appendices --Many Gods: Complications of Polytheism --Order versus Chaos --The Greek pantheon: kosmos or chaos? --Ingredients for Chaos --In search of identities --Names and surnames: one god or many? --Creating Order: Taking Place --The gods who dwell in our city --Beyond the polis border (and back) --Ducking out: gods in personal religiosity --The Gods: Divine Justice or Divine Arbitrariness? --Controversial diction in archaic poetry --Modern Voices --Homer --Herodotus --Two tales, many perspectives --Modern voices: fear of diversity --Saving the Author --Solon Again --Once More: Chaos or Order? --Paratactic multiplicity --'Gnomologisches Wissen' --The rehabilitation of parataxis --Thinking in gnomai--speaking in parataxis --Putting to the Test: Hesiod --Envoy --One God: Three Greek Experiments in Oneness --One and Many: The God(s) of Xenophanes --One or many? --One and Many --One is Many: The Gods, the God and the Divine --On singular plurals --One is the God --Praising the god --Aretalogy --Nine characteristics of henotheistic religion --The nature of oneness in henotheistic religion --Questions of origin --A God: Why is Hermes Hungry? --Hungry Hermes and Greedy Interpreters --Hermes: The Human God in the Hymn --Hermes: The Eternal Dupe in the Fable --Burlesques --Paying a social call --Hermes: The Present God in Visual Art --Socializing --More burlesques --Herms and sacrifice --Hungry Hermes: The Sacrificial Meal --The warm splanchna which I used to gobble up --The titbits Hermes likes to eat --Companion of the feast --God: the Question of Divine Omnipotence --God: Self and Other --Self --Other --Self and other --Gods: Self and other --Some inferences --God: Powerful or All-Powerful? --Miracles in Double Perspective: The Case of Asklepios --God: Powerful and All-Powerful --Omnipotence, ancient philosophers and modern theologians --Inconsistency in religious expression --Playing (the) God: did (the) Greeks Believe in the Divinity of their Rulers? --Men into Gods --A swollen-headed doctor: the case of Menekrates --A charismatic prince: the case of Demetrios Poliorketes --Modern Perplexities --The Construction of a God --Language --Performance --Did (the) Greeks believe in the Divinity of their Rulers? --Ritual Play: Sincere Hypocrisy --Birds into Gods: Comic Theopoetics --Making a God: A Multiple Perspective Approach --Grouping the Gods --Unity or Diversity--One God or Many? A Modern Debate --Drive Towards Coherence in Two Herodotus-Studies --Did the Greeks Believe in their Gods? Inspired by a critical reconsideration of current monolithic approaches to the study of Greek religion, this book argues that ancient Greeks displayed a disquieting capacity to validate two (or more) dissonant, if not contradictory, representations of the divine world in a complementary rather than mutually exclusive manner. From this perspective the six chapters explore problems inherent in: order vs. variety/chaos in polytheism, arbitrariness vs. justice in theodicy, the peaceful co-existence of mono- and polytheistic theologies, human traits in divine imagery, divine omnipotence vs. limitation of power, and ruler cult. Based on an intimate knowledge of ancient realia and literary testimonia the book stands out for its extensive application of relevant perceptions drawn from cultural anthropology, theology, cognitive science, psychology, and linguistics. Publisher's note Abandoning Monolithic Approaches And Embracing The Possibility Of Inconsistencies And Incongruities In Greek Thought, Behaviour, And Culture, This Book Investigates How Ancient Greeks Could Validate The Complementarity Of Dissonant, If Not Contradictory, Representations In E.g.polytheism, Theodicy, Divine Omnipotence And Ruler Cult. By H.s. Versnel. Description Based Upon Print Version Of Record And E-publication (viewed On March 5, 2019). Includes Bibliographical References And Indexes. Also Available In Print Form. Mode Of Access: Internet Via World Wide Web.