Diagoras of Melos: A Contribution to the History of Ancient Atheism (Beiträge Zur Altertumskunde) (Beiträge Zur Altertumskunde, 350)

Diagoras of Melos (lyric poet, 5th c. B.C.) has received special attention for some time now because he was regarded as a radical atheist and the author of a prose work on atheism in antiquity. He was notorious for revealing and ridiculing the Eleusinian Mysteries and was condemned for impiety at Athens. The present book evaluates Diagoras biography and shows that he cannot be considered to have been an atheist in the modern sense. " I. Current State of Research II. Analysis of the More Important Sources III. The Life of Diagoras IV. The Problem of Diagoras’ Atheism V. Diagoras as the Supposed Author of the Commentary on the Derveni Papyrus VI. Conclusions Appendix I: Diagoras as an Impious Person and Atheist Appendix II: Contra Deos Testimonium Appendix III: Gods Punish Those Who Stay With an Impious Person