When we first starting talking about reading the times and not the eternities I have to admit I was kinda skeptical. I didn't totally understand the concept and I didn't really believe that it could be true. However, if I have learned anything in this class it is most definitely that the past does possess the present.
Through the presentation of the material and mostly through the group presentations, this concept has really hit home. I see the strories we have read in everyday life and see that each of our lives is influenced by those that came before us. As Brian said in his paper, there is no such thing as orginality.
I enjoyed reading each of the texts, because each one had a new idea to be considered and something new to apply to my life. However, Ovid was one of my favorite books that we read. I have always been a sucker for fairytales and I think this is why I enjoyed this particular book so much. Each story contained a transformation that, whatever truth it revealed, it could not happen without some kind of divine or magical intervention. I also enjoyed them because they were so short and every single one had a message and very action packed.
Overall I really enjoyed this class and the kind of creativity it allowed. I was impressed by my peers and my own ability to grasp the material and apply it to my life.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
Group Presentations
I really enjoyed today's group presentations. The way the information was presented by both groups was very creative. I was very interested in what group 1 had to say about the idea of love. Jillian's was very creative and I especially enjoyed the rhyming that she did. While it was a more comic view of love it held as much truth as the others.
However, Zach's ideas on love spoke to me the most. I'm currently in a long distance relationship with my boyfriend living in Colorado. While Zach's ideas differ slightly from any of those discussed in the Symposium they still describe the kind of love that some of us experience. He mentioned holding the phone wishing it was their hand and knowing that if you look back once more you won't be able to get on the plane.
Each person's rendition of love was different than the last. What I got most from the presentation of group 1 is that our ideas on love our shaped most by our experiences. That is why each person's speech was different without them trying. Each person sees love based on the things that see and experience in everyday life.
Group 2 was very creative in the presentation of their material. They drove home the point that the past really does possess the present while getting the class involved.
So good job being the first two groups to go. Looking forward to the rest of the presentations.
However, Zach's ideas on love spoke to me the most. I'm currently in a long distance relationship with my boyfriend living in Colorado. While Zach's ideas differ slightly from any of those discussed in the Symposium they still describe the kind of love that some of us experience. He mentioned holding the phone wishing it was their hand and knowing that if you look back once more you won't be able to get on the plane.
Each person's rendition of love was different than the last. What I got most from the presentation of group 1 is that our ideas on love our shaped most by our experiences. That is why each person's speech was different without them trying. Each person sees love based on the things that see and experience in everyday life.
Group 2 was very creative in the presentation of their material. They drove home the point that the past really does possess the present while getting the class involved.
So good job being the first two groups to go. Looking forward to the rest of the presentations.
Term Paper
Immortality is a reoccurring theme throughout many modern fantasy novels. The character who possesses this specific trait struggles throughout the story with the many conflicts that arise from being immortal. These include watching all the people they love die, dealing with humanity far longer than anyone should have to, and deciding whether they will live as a superhero or a regular Joe. Clearly, there are lots of decisions to be made and lots of obstacles to overcome, when someone is going to live forever. However, things get significantly easier when it is only your soul that is everlasting. The soul remembers the many experiences it’s had, but the mind doesn’t. One such theory was created by Pythagoras and recorded by Ovid in his Metamorphosis. Pythagoras gave this theory its name, metempsychosis.
Many eastern religions are associated with the idea of an immortal soul. These religions come in many shapes and sized, but one of the most commonly known is Buddhism. It is common knowledge that two of the simplest elements of Buddhism are karma and reincarnation. In their most basic principles these two elements are intertwined. Karma is the actions, thoughts, and words of any one man. How the man uses these elements, whether for good or bad, influences his reincarnation in his next life. Quite simply, if he has good thoughts, words and actions he will move up, and if they are bad he will move down. The act of reincarnation takes place after the person dies, but it is not simply a physical rebirth of the person as something else. The Buddhists believe that each person possesses an immortal soul and this is what is being reborn in a different form each time the person is reincarnated (Tsuji).
The theory of metempsychosis is closely related to the eastern belief of reincarnation, but it does differ slightly. In chapter 15 of Ovid’s Metamorphosis, Pythagoras states the theory of metempsychosis as: “Everything changes, nothing dies: the spirit wanders, arriving here or there and occupying whatever body it pleases, passing from a wild beast into human being…but is never destroyed” (“Metamorphosis”). Pythagoras believed that the soul stayed the same, but simply took other forms (“Metamorphosis”). This is where the idea of metempsychosis differs from that of reincarnation. In Buddhism and other eastern religions, the karma of a human or animal determined what its soul was destined to be in its next life. However, in metempsychosis there is no such thing as karma. The soul is not bound by any of its previous actions in its next life. In metempsychosis the soul doesn’t really have a goal in mind; it just simply wanders from one body to the next as it pleases. In reincarnation, though, the soul is trying to reach an ultimate goal of enlightenment; it must perpetrate good actions and thoughts to climb up the next rung of the ladder. The Buddhist soul is forever bound by the actions in all its lives.
In Ovid’s Metamorphosis Pythagoras takes his theory one step further and uses it to express and support his belief in vegetarianism. Pythagoras sees each soul as an equal. There is no such thing as a human’s soul and a cat’s soul, but only an immortal soul. Following this train of thought, if someone was to kill and eat a cow, or any other animal, they would essentially be eating a kindred spirit. A being that is so like them, that they would essentially be practicing cannibalism. Pythagoras instead advises that we stick to the abundance of fruit and plants that surround us. In this way we can avoid the self-destructive act of killing our own kind. He even takes it one step further and demands that sacrifices come to an end. He says that humans have involved the divine ones in their crimes against humanity, and that we are crazy to think that any god delights in the suffering of any living thing. In the last paragraph of his section on vegetarianism Pythagoras sums up his anguish by saying “When you place the flesh of slaughtered cattle in your mouths, know and feel that you are devouring your fellow-creature.”
Every theory has merit, but they don’t ever seem to ring true until they point at which they are somehow demonstrated. Ovid understood this and so within the same book that he included Pythagoras’s ideas on metempsychosis and vegetari anism, he also included examples; in the form of stories, of just how powerful these theories can be. One of these stories is the story of Callisto and it goes something like this: Callisto is the very beautiful, favorite, virgin nymph of the goddess Diana. Callisto is so beautiful that she catches the eye of Jupiter himself, but Jupiter knows that she will never consent to lay with him. One day after a long day of hunting Callisto decides to nap under a tree and Jupiter sees this as his chance to have her. He appears to Callisto as Diana so that she will trust him and allow him near her. Callisto is fooled by Jupiter’s disguise and only becomes frightened when he grabs her so she cannot move. Although she fights with everything she has Callisto is no match for Jupiter himself and he proceeds to rape her. The rape deeply scars Callisto and after nine months when Diana and the other nymphs discover the pregnancy that resulted from the rape, they banish her from the only home she has ever known. By this time Juno has caught wind of Callisto’s pregnancy and she is in such a rage that she decides that as soon as Callisto’s child is born she is going to punish Callisto for what she has done. Callisto soon gives birth to a boy called Arcas, after which Juno keeps her promise and turns Callisto into a bear. Callisto spends the next 15 years wandering the forest unhappily in her new form. Until one day her now grown son is hunting in the forest and sees her. He=2 0knows nothing about his mother, so naturally he tries to kill her. Only by the intervention of Jupiter, who caused all the problems in the first place, is this killing stopped. Jupiter takes mother and son and sends them up into the stars as the great bear and the small bear (Hughes, 42-48).
It is true that Callisto only changed form with the help of a god, but Pythagoras’s theories still apply. In the form of a bear Callisto still had human thoughts and emotions; her soul was still the same as before. Also, Arcas had believed in the preservation of all souls and that killing any other life form was a great crime, he most likely would not have tried to kill his mother. If Jupiter had not decided to intervene on the part of Callisto, and save her from her son’s spear, than a great tradegy would have occurred; a son would have killed his mother. This is exactly the kind of tragedy that Pythagoras wants us to avoid.
Another great example of this theory is the story of Pentheus; although he is not quite as lucky as Callisto. Pentheus was the king of Thebes and when the great seer Tiresias came to tell of a new god, Bacchus, Pentheus was the only man who refused to believe in this new god. Despite Pentheus’s dislike for Bacchus, the whole town of Thebes celebrates in his honor and Pentheus is so angry that he demands his royal guard to find and arrest Bacchus. The guards return, not with Bacchus, but with his high priest. T he priest tells a great story about Bacchus, but Pentheus still does not believe and sends the priest to his dungeon. Finally Pentheus decides to go see about this new god for himself and begins to climb the mountain consecrated to Bacchus. Halfway up the mountain he comes to a clearing, which he enters and he finds a group of women performing the naked mysteries. The women spot him, but they do not see a man because Bacchus has transformed Pentheus into a boar. The women run at him and the first to throw a spear into him is his own mother. The women continue to tear him limb from limb, while he screams, but they hear only the squeals of a boar (Hughes 171-187).
This story is a true tragedy. A mother kills her son while he screams for mercy, but she cannot hear him because he no longer has the form of her beloved child. If she had believed in the immortal soul, perhaps her son would have been spared and perhaps she would have been spared being the orchestrator in his brutal killing.
Metempsychosis carries many implications both in the moral and spiritual senses. While it may not influence significant change in the life of the reader, it certainly can be considered food for thought. If nothing else, the concept can be considered morally motivational. Like all spiritual concepts, it is based upon influencing people into better decisions, and promoting peace. Regardless of the moral and social implications of this concept, it undoubtedly makes for some very interesting and thought provoking stories.
Many eastern religions are associated with the idea of an immortal soul. These religions come in many shapes and sized, but one of the most commonly known is Buddhism. It is common knowledge that two of the simplest elements of Buddhism are karma and reincarnation. In their most basic principles these two elements are intertwined. Karma is the actions, thoughts, and words of any one man. How the man uses these elements, whether for good or bad, influences his reincarnation in his next life. Quite simply, if he has good thoughts, words and actions he will move up, and if they are bad he will move down. The act of reincarnation takes place after the person dies, but it is not simply a physical rebirth of the person as something else. The Buddhists believe that each person possesses an immortal soul and this is what is being reborn in a different form each time the person is reincarnated (Tsuji).
The theory of metempsychosis is closely related to the eastern belief of reincarnation, but it does differ slightly. In chapter 15 of Ovid’s Metamorphosis, Pythagoras states the theory of metempsychosis as: “Everything changes, nothing dies: the spirit wanders, arriving here or there and occupying whatever body it pleases, passing from a wild beast into human being…but is never destroyed” (“Metamorphosis”). Pythagoras believed that the soul stayed the same, but simply took other forms (“Metamorphosis”). This is where the idea of metempsychosis differs from that of reincarnation. In Buddhism and other eastern religions, the karma of a human or animal determined what its soul was destined to be in its next life. However, in metempsychosis there is no such thing as karma. The soul is not bound by any of its previous actions in its next life. In metempsychosis the soul doesn’t really have a goal in mind; it just simply wanders from one body to the next as it pleases. In reincarnation, though, the soul is trying to reach an ultimate goal of enlightenment; it must perpetrate good actions and thoughts to climb up the next rung of the ladder. The Buddhist soul is forever bound by the actions in all its lives.
In Ovid’s Metamorphosis Pythagoras takes his theory one step further and uses it to express and support his belief in vegetarianism. Pythagoras sees each soul as an equal. There is no such thing as a human’s soul and a cat’s soul, but only an immortal soul. Following this train of thought, if someone was to kill and eat a cow, or any other animal, they would essentially be eating a kindred spirit. A being that is so like them, that they would essentially be practicing cannibalism. Pythagoras instead advises that we stick to the abundance of fruit and plants that surround us. In this way we can avoid the self-destructive act of killing our own kind. He even takes it one step further and demands that sacrifices come to an end. He says that humans have involved the divine ones in their crimes against humanity, and that we are crazy to think that any god delights in the suffering of any living thing. In the last paragraph of his section on vegetarianism Pythagoras sums up his anguish by saying “When you place the flesh of slaughtered cattle in your mouths, know and feel that you are devouring your fellow-creature.”
Every theory has merit, but they don’t ever seem to ring true until they point at which they are somehow demonstrated. Ovid understood this and so within the same book that he included Pythagoras’s ideas on metempsychosis and vegetari anism, he also included examples; in the form of stories, of just how powerful these theories can be. One of these stories is the story of Callisto and it goes something like this: Callisto is the very beautiful, favorite, virgin nymph of the goddess Diana. Callisto is so beautiful that she catches the eye of Jupiter himself, but Jupiter knows that she will never consent to lay with him. One day after a long day of hunting Callisto decides to nap under a tree and Jupiter sees this as his chance to have her. He appears to Callisto as Diana so that she will trust him and allow him near her. Callisto is fooled by Jupiter’s disguise and only becomes frightened when he grabs her so she cannot move. Although she fights with everything she has Callisto is no match for Jupiter himself and he proceeds to rape her. The rape deeply scars Callisto and after nine months when Diana and the other nymphs discover the pregnancy that resulted from the rape, they banish her from the only home she has ever known. By this time Juno has caught wind of Callisto’s pregnancy and she is in such a rage that she decides that as soon as Callisto’s child is born she is going to punish Callisto for what she has done. Callisto soon gives birth to a boy called Arcas, after which Juno keeps her promise and turns Callisto into a bear. Callisto spends the next 15 years wandering the forest unhappily in her new form. Until one day her now grown son is hunting in the forest and sees her. He=2 0knows nothing about his mother, so naturally he tries to kill her. Only by the intervention of Jupiter, who caused all the problems in the first place, is this killing stopped. Jupiter takes mother and son and sends them up into the stars as the great bear and the small bear (Hughes, 42-48).
It is true that Callisto only changed form with the help of a god, but Pythagoras’s theories still apply. In the form of a bear Callisto still had human thoughts and emotions; her soul was still the same as before. Also, Arcas had believed in the preservation of all souls and that killing any other life form was a great crime, he most likely would not have tried to kill his mother. If Jupiter had not decided to intervene on the part of Callisto, and save her from her son’s spear, than a great tradegy would have occurred; a son would have killed his mother. This is exactly the kind of tragedy that Pythagoras wants us to avoid.
Another great example of this theory is the story of Pentheus; although he is not quite as lucky as Callisto. Pentheus was the king of Thebes and when the great seer Tiresias came to tell of a new god, Bacchus, Pentheus was the only man who refused to believe in this new god. Despite Pentheus’s dislike for Bacchus, the whole town of Thebes celebrates in his honor and Pentheus is so angry that he demands his royal guard to find and arrest Bacchus. The guards return, not with Bacchus, but with his high priest. T he priest tells a great story about Bacchus, but Pentheus still does not believe and sends the priest to his dungeon. Finally Pentheus decides to go see about this new god for himself and begins to climb the mountain consecrated to Bacchus. Halfway up the mountain he comes to a clearing, which he enters and he finds a group of women performing the naked mysteries. The women spot him, but they do not see a man because Bacchus has transformed Pentheus into a boar. The women run at him and the first to throw a spear into him is his own mother. The women continue to tear him limb from limb, while he screams, but they hear only the squeals of a boar (Hughes 171-187).
This story is a true tragedy. A mother kills her son while he screams for mercy, but she cannot hear him because he no longer has the form of her beloved child. If she had believed in the immortal soul, perhaps her son would have been spared and perhaps she would have been spared being the orchestrator in his brutal killing.
Metempsychosis carries many implications both in the moral and spiritual senses. While it may not influence significant change in the life of the reader, it certainly can be considered food for thought. If nothing else, the concept can be considered morally motivational. Like all spiritual concepts, it is based upon influencing people into better decisions, and promoting peace. Regardless of the moral and social implications of this concept, it undoubtedly makes for some very interesting and thought provoking stories.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Cupid and Psyche
Cupid and Psyche was one of my favorite stories from the Golden Ass. It spans 3 chapters and I finished all three chapters at once, unable to put the book down before I finished the story.
Cupid goes against his mother's wishes and weds and beds Psyche himself. One thing that I found most interesing about the story was Psyche stay in the empty castle. She has nothing other than voices and magic to keep her company, but she seems happy enough. She had always wanted to marry and it seems that just being in the state makes her content. I was fascinated by the way that Psyche is able to fall for cupid without ever seeing him. His voice and his love is enough. It is the makings of a true love story. In the end Psyche is tricked by her wicked step sisters (Cinderella anyone?) and she loses her beloved Cupid. When Psyche is under Venus's control she is given many impossible tasks, but repeatedly other gods take pity on Psyche and help her complete said tasks. It again shows the power of love. The love Psyche has for Cupid inspires others and I think helps her case when all appears lost.
As doctor sexton promised there are lots of pictures on the w
eb of Cupid and Psyche. Here are just a few that I found:
eb of Cupid and Psyche. Here are just a few that I found:
Saturday, April 4, 2009
The Golden Ass
I have started reading the Golden Ass, the last book we are reading for this class. As I read through it I am totally entranced by the story it has to tell. The story is mainly a story about Lucius and his adventures after he is accidently turned into an ass. However, woven throughout the story there are many other interesting and engaging stories.
Lucius is a natural story teller and so he latches on and relates the stories of others that he comes across. Each story has its own magic and its own lessons to relate. It reminds me of Ovid. It really is a collection of stories like Ovid and it is just as enjoyable of a read as Ovid was.
My favorite story so far, though, is the story of Lucius himself. His misfortune in turning into an ass is comical and his subsquent adventures all have lessons in them. The term that comes to mind is in fact, metempsychosis. Seeing what happens to Lucius when he is in the form of an ass, shows people that you need to be careful who you are abusing. None of the people know that the ass the are abusing is in fact a human and i'm sure if they knew that they would have treated him slightly differently. I guess it shows you just have to be careful what you are doing and treat every living being with the respect that you would show a fellow human being.
Lucius is a natural story teller and so he latches on and relates the stories of others that he comes across. Each story has its own magic and its own lessons to relate. It reminds me of Ovid. It really is a collection of stories like Ovid and it is just as enjoyable of a read as Ovid was.
My favorite story so far, though, is the story of Lucius himself. His misfortune in turning into an ass is comical and his subsquent adventures all have lessons in them. The term that comes to mind is in fact, metempsychosis. Seeing what happens to Lucius when he is in the form of an ass, shows people that you need to be careful who you are abusing. None of the people know that the ass the are abusing is in fact a human and i'm sure if they knew that they would have treated him slightly differently. I guess it shows you just have to be careful what you are doing and treat every living being with the respect that you would show a fellow human being.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Retelling of Arethusa
So my story is the story of the woman Arethusa. Arethusa is a very beautiful woman, but she hates that her beauty attracts men. She is in to much more manly things like hunting. One day she is out hunting and its very hot. She sees this amazing pool of clear water and decides to go for a swim. She strips down and enters the cool water. After swimming for awhile she sees a ripple in the water and runs to the bank. The god Alpheus comes out of the water and asks her where she is going. Her clothes are on the opposite bank of the stream so she decides to abandon them and runs away from Alpheus. He chases for a very long time, but he won't give up so Arethusa calls on Diana for help. Diana creates a fog to cover Arethusa, but Alpheus still won't give up looking for her. He is about to find her when Diana helps one more time and turns Arethusa into a stream. However, Alpheus returns to the form of a stream as well and mixes with Arethusa's water. Diana once again intervenes and opens a gorge for Arethusa who enters it and is free of Alpheus finally. She travels underground for a while before returning to the world again.
The transformation of course is the change of Arethusa into a stream. We have talked a lot about the extremes of human emotion that Ovid includes in his stories. In this story the extreme emotion is lust. A lust that consumes Alpheus so that he will not give up having Arethusa.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
The Imaginary Life
The main connection in The Imaginary Life by David Moulaf is to Plato’s Symposium. When he first arrives in Tomis, Ovid hates it and can see no beauty in his place of exile. He dreams of Rome and the life he had there writing poetry and appreciating the arts. He sees these people he has come to live with, almost, as inferior to him. They have no time for the arts and when he tries to teach the grandson Latin, the boy is an unwilling participant in the process. When he first comes to Tomis he has two main complaints. One, there is no color and he constantly talks about the colors he remembers and loved from his time in Rome. Second, he cannot communicate. None of the people in Tomis speak Roman and he has not yet learned their language. For the first time in his life he is very much alone.
Then one day something amazing happens. Ovid is out on the steppes taking a walk and suddenly he sees a flash of color. He soon discovers that it is a single scarlet poppy growing out on the steppes. He is so overcome with joy at the sight of this tiny flower that he sits on the ground to observe it. He says “I love this poppy. I shall watch over it.” Ovid has come to the first rung in the ladder of love. He has found an inanimate, like a rock, and come to love it as he would a person. This was discussed in both the Symposium and A Tree. A Rock. A Cloud. After he discovers his poppy, his tone about the place around him changes. He talks more of the small joys he finds everyday in his life in Tomis. One of these times is when he accompanies them for the first time on the hunt and he experiences the running of the grave mounds. He has climbed the next rung of the ladder and he sees that everything possess some kind of beauty.
His final rungs of the ladder are attained with the coming of the child. Ovid is immediately taken with the child the first time he sees him. Ovid obsesses over the Child and his thoughts are only of him for several seasons. Finally the child is captured and Ovid climbs another rung of the ladder. Ovid himself says the Child is not beautiful and never really describes a physical characteristic about the Child that would cause him to be pleasing to the eye. However, Ovid loves him and cares for him because he can see the Child’s inner beauty; the beauty of his soul. He is fascinated by the way that the Child sees the world and sees the uniqueness and thus the beauty in the Child’s view.
At the end of the book, it seems that Ovid has climbed to the last rung of the ladder and grasped the idea of true beauty. Ovid lies dying in the grass watching the child at the nearby stream and describes the scene. Although he is describing the scene to us, he seems to understand that beauty is a concept to be grasped and not an idea or anything of a physical nature. Ovid dies having understood the idea of true beauty.
Another connection to The Imaginary Life is in the theme of the class; all that is in the past possess the present. This is seen in two main ways throughout the novel. One is Ovid looking back on his own life. Throughout the book Ovid looks back on his childhood and reflects on the way it influenced his later life and even his exile. He talks about his father’s disapproval driving him from the farm and his brother’s death bringing the unwanted burden of heir to him. Most importantly he talks of a child he knew as a boy his father’s ranch. He is convinced that the child he found in the woods is the same the child as the one from his boyhood. This is part feels so attached to the Child; he was part of his past. The other way Ovid talks expresses this theme is through is talk of the future. First, he talks about how he now sees how far Rome has come from a place like Tomis. He recognizes Tomis as a starting point and sees that places like it have been shaped into great cities like Rome. He says that he is “the product of generation after generation of wishing to thus.” He also talks of the future and often reflects on what kind of person the reader is and he often makes references to the reader as possibly a god. He understands the concept that each generation influences the next.
Then one day something amazing happens. Ovid is out on the steppes taking a walk and suddenly he sees a flash of color. He soon discovers that it is a single scarlet poppy growing out on the steppes. He is so overcome with joy at the sight of this tiny flower that he sits on the ground to observe it. He says “I love this poppy. I shall watch over it.” Ovid has come to the first rung in the ladder of love. He has found an inanimate, like a rock, and come to love it as he would a person. This was discussed in both the Symposium and A Tree. A Rock. A Cloud. After he discovers his poppy, his tone about the place around him changes. He talks more of the small joys he finds everyday in his life in Tomis. One of these times is when he accompanies them for the first time on the hunt and he experiences the running of the grave mounds. He has climbed the next rung of the ladder and he sees that everything possess some kind of beauty.
His final rungs of the ladder are attained with the coming of the child. Ovid is immediately taken with the child the first time he sees him. Ovid obsesses over the Child and his thoughts are only of him for several seasons. Finally the child is captured and Ovid climbs another rung of the ladder. Ovid himself says the Child is not beautiful and never really describes a physical characteristic about the Child that would cause him to be pleasing to the eye. However, Ovid loves him and cares for him because he can see the Child’s inner beauty; the beauty of his soul. He is fascinated by the way that the Child sees the world and sees the uniqueness and thus the beauty in the Child’s view.
At the end of the book, it seems that Ovid has climbed to the last rung of the ladder and grasped the idea of true beauty. Ovid lies dying in the grass watching the child at the nearby stream and describes the scene. Although he is describing the scene to us, he seems to understand that beauty is a concept to be grasped and not an idea or anything of a physical nature. Ovid dies having understood the idea of true beauty.
Another connection to The Imaginary Life is in the theme of the class; all that is in the past possess the present. This is seen in two main ways throughout the novel. One is Ovid looking back on his own life. Throughout the book Ovid looks back on his childhood and reflects on the way it influenced his later life and even his exile. He talks about his father’s disapproval driving him from the farm and his brother’s death bringing the unwanted burden of heir to him. Most importantly he talks of a child he knew as a boy his father’s ranch. He is convinced that the child he found in the woods is the same the child as the one from his boyhood. This is part feels so attached to the Child; he was part of his past. The other way Ovid talks expresses this theme is through is talk of the future. First, he talks about how he now sees how far Rome has come from a place like Tomis. He recognizes Tomis as a starting point and sees that places like it have been shaped into great cities like Rome. He says that he is “the product of generation after generation of wishing to thus.” He also talks of the future and often reflects on what kind of person the reader is and he often makes references to the reader as possibly a god. He understands the concept that each generation influences the next.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Ovid's Metamorphisis
So far Ovid's metamorphisis is my favorite book that we have read for class. I really enjoy his writing, and find myself captured by the stories he tells. As we have discussed in class they are the extremes of human emotion and I find myself responding emotionally to them. I believe that shows that Ovid really is a good writer. He writes stories that evoke emotion and allows his readers to live out the experiences of his characters.
I am always amazed at how ancient literature can still be relevant today. That is something that has only been reinforced by this class. The stories of Ovid are things that we still see today, in one form or another. Like the story of Callisto who becomes pregnant and then is cast out from her family. There are stories of young girls being abandoned by their family on the talk shows all the time. Also the story of Echo and Narcissus is another that still has a place in modern day. Unreturned love is more and more common today and while the men may not fall madly in love with themselves, they usually think that they are pretty awesome. The story of Midas is a prefect example of the saying "be careful what you wish for."
More than any other book that we have read, to me, Ovid's Metamorphisis shows up more in modern day. I have throughly enjoyed hearing everyone's stories and look forward to more Ovid on friday and perhaps meet more of Ovid's talk show guests.
I am always amazed at how ancient literature can still be relevant today. That is something that has only been reinforced by this class. The stories of Ovid are things that we still see today, in one form or another. Like the story of Callisto who becomes pregnant and then is cast out from her family. There are stories of young girls being abandoned by their family on the talk shows all the time. Also the story of Echo and Narcissus is another that still has a place in modern day. Unreturned love is more and more common today and while the men may not fall madly in love with themselves, they usually think that they are pretty awesome. The story of Midas is a prefect example of the saying "be careful what you wish for."
More than any other book that we have read, to me, Ovid's Metamorphisis shows up more in modern day. I have throughly enjoyed hearing everyone's stories and look forward to more Ovid on friday and perhaps meet more of Ovid's talk show guests.
Monday, March 23, 2009
The Flaying of Marsysas
Today in class we talked about the Tale of Marsysas from the tales from Ovid. Dr. Sexton told us that this story was not included in our translation of Ovid so I decided to do some research of my own on the story.
Here is the myth:
The story of Marsyas and Apollo is superficially simple: Athena, having invented the flute, realizes how she distorts her face in playing it. Cursing the instrument, she throws it away, whereupon it is picked up by Marsyas, who either doesn’t hear the curse or prefers to ignore it. Marsyas becomes a skilled player, so much so that he challenges Apollo to a contest.
The god wins, of course, though it is interesting to note that it is not always through honest means. Nearly all accounts indicate Apollo, rather than match Marsyas with instrument, plays upon his lyre; when it becomes apparent that Marsyas may, in fact, win, Apollo turns his lyre upside down and continues. Marsyas, with a flute, cannot. Whether through trickery or divine skill, what follows is defeat. As the terms of the contest clearly stated winner could do to the
The god wins, of course, though it is interesting to note that it is not always through honest means. Nearly all accounts indicate Apollo, rather than match Marsyas with instrument, plays upon his lyre; when it becomes apparent that Marsyas may, in fact, win, Apollo turns his lyre upside down and continues. Marsyas, with a flute, cannot. Whether through trickery or divine skill, what follows is defeat. As the terms of the contest clearly stated winner could do to the
loser whatever he liked, Apollo flays Marsyas alive.
“Why do you strip myself from me?” he cried. “O I give in, I lose, forgive me now, No hollow shin-bone’s worth this punishment.” And as he cried the skin cracked from his body In one wound, blood streaming over muscles, Veins stripped naked, pulse beating; entrails could be Counted as they moved; even the heart shone red Within his breast.
The tale ends with Marsyas becoming the river of the same name: either through the tears of the contest’s spectators (woodland deities, mostly), or by his own blood as it left him.
“Why do you strip myself from me?” he cried. “O I give in, I lose, forgive me now, No hollow shin-bone’s worth this punishment.” And as he cried the skin cracked from his body In one wound, blood streaming over muscles, Veins stripped naked, pulse beating; entrails could be Counted as they moved; even the heart shone red Within his breast.
The tale ends with Marsyas becoming the river of the same name: either through the tears of the contest’s spectators (woodland deities, mostly), or by his own blood as it left him.
As expected this is a very gruesome account. It makes my skin crawl to read it. As we were discussing in class it seems a human extreme. To have your very skin torn from your body is a torture that I can't even imagine. Ovid certainly seems to have quite an imaginati
on for torture.
on for torture.Here is the painting called "The Flaying of Marsysas"
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Arethusa
Over spring break I read Arethus from the Tales from Ovid. At first I was very skeptical because the story was only about 3 pages long. I wondered how anything could really happen in a story that was only 3 pages long. However, I was pleasantly surprised when I read the story.
The three pages were filled with action. I did enjoy the fact that the story was about the woman. Her metamorphisis was based on a one-sided love connection, which I think might be a pattern in these stories, based on the things we've discussed in class. Also a pattern that I am expecting to see is that the changes, are caused by gods since they are the only ones that would have that kind of power. There are no exceptions in my story. Arethus is changed into a stream by the goddess Diana. I found my story extremely interesting and I am really looking forward to hearing about the other stories that people have read. I have a feeling that despite the fact that all these stories are about metamorphisis, that they will all be very different and all entertaining.
The three pages were filled with action. I did enjoy the fact that the story was about the woman. Her metamorphisis was based on a one-sided love connection, which I think might be a pattern in these stories, based on the things we've discussed in class. Also a pattern that I am expecting to see is that the changes, are caused by gods since they are the only ones that would have that kind of power. There are no exceptions in my story. Arethus is changed into a stream by the goddess Diana. I found my story extremely interesting and I am really looking forward to hearing about the other stories that people have read. I have a feeling that despite the fact that all these stories are about metamorphisis, that they will all be very different and all entertaining.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Death of a Child
In today's world we have become desensitized to many things. We see and hear things on TV everyday that would horrify and shock our grandparents and older relatives. Rap songs talk a lot about hoes, bitches, drugs use, sex, you name it there is probably a rap song with it. TV really isn't much better also having tons of sex, drugs and foul language. We see tons of things about rape and murder on TV, but constantly think that none of that will happen to us. The death we see on TV doesn't really seem to affect us that much anymore.
In class we talked about how Euripedes really understood tradegy and really understood how to tug at our heart strings. On Friday we watched the scene where Hector's wife learns that her son is to be killed. It was a heart wrenching scene, one of the worst I have ever seen on film. I believe in today's world this tradegy is something that still effects people very deeply. The death of a child is considered one of the worst things to ever happen and Euripedes understands that. Recently a teacher from my hometown lost her one year old son. I had never met the baby and barely knew the teacher, but as soon as I heard about it my heart went out to her and her family. There have been several sites, including a facebook group, created for people to send their condolences and support to the family. No matter how much our culture is exposed to I believe that the death of a child will never be something that people can deal with or just brush off. As we saw in the movie the death of a child deeply effects people no matter how close you were to the child or the parents.
In class we talked about how Euripedes really understood tradegy and really understood how to tug at our heart strings. On Friday we watched the scene where Hector's wife learns that her son is to be killed. It was a heart wrenching scene, one of the worst I have ever seen on film. I believe in today's world this tradegy is something that still effects people very deeply. The death of a child is considered one of the worst things to ever happen and Euripedes understands that. Recently a teacher from my hometown lost her one year old son. I had never met the baby and barely knew the teacher, but as soon as I heard about it my heart went out to her and her family. There have been several sites, including a facebook group, created for people to send their condolences and support to the family. No matter how much our culture is exposed to I believe that the death of a child will never be something that people can deal with or just brush off. As we saw in the movie the death of a child deeply effects people no matter how close you were to the child or the parents.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
My Favorite Part of Lysistrata
I throughly enjoyed Lysistrata as a whole, it was crude and funny. I believe that Ruden did a stellar job translating the jokes to the modern day. One particular part of the story I found especially enjoyable. Cinesias comes to visit his wife, Myrrhine, and he wants to have sex with her because he has been deprived for so long. Lysistrata greets him and then calls down his wife.
His wife is distracted by their baby so he sends the baby away and then asks her to have sex right there on the floor. She refuses and then proceeds to come up with many excuses to avoid having sex with him before running off and leaving him in a "compromised" position. Although we didn't talk about it much in class I believe this is one of the best examples of womanly wit in the play. A regular Athenian women would never have denied her man sex, and here Myrrhine didn't really do that either. She used her intelligence to not only to keep from having breaking her pact, but also to advance their cause. By teasing her husband he is more likely to get others to do what the women want. It was an enjoyable scene mostly for show of a strong female character that I always enjoy.
His wife is distracted by their baby so he sends the baby away and then asks her to have sex right there on the floor. She refuses and then proceeds to come up with many excuses to avoid having sex with him before running off and leaving him in a "compromised" position. Although we didn't talk about it much in class I believe this is one of the best examples of womanly wit in the play. A regular Athenian women would never have denied her man sex, and here Myrrhine didn't really do that either. She used her intelligence to not only to keep from having breaking her pact, but also to advance their cause. By teasing her husband he is more likely to get others to do what the women want. It was an enjoyable scene mostly for show of a strong female character that I always enjoy.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Athenian Women
For some reason I had this idea in my head that Athenian women had more power than other anicient women. I had an idea that they had more say in what was done and had more freedom with their lives. However, after reading the commentary on Athenian Women, I realize that I was dead wrong. They were more repressed than most other women. Their lives were made harder by the fact that many male Athenians were misogynists and wanted as little contact with women as possible. It makes me wonder what the women thought about their situation. I think they probably didn't realize their repression and were just happy to be provided for and to have their children provided for.
This fact made me enjoy the character of Lysistra even more than I already did. She is a strong female character who knows what she wants and exactly how she is going get it. She is interesting and funny. As Sarah Ruden says in her preface "She is just wonderful to have around, comforting and inspiriting as well as entertaining, a Joan of Arc you can go to a bar with."
This fact made me enjoy the character of Lysistra even more than I already did. She is a strong female character who knows what she wants and exactly how she is going get it. She is interesting and funny. As Sarah Ruden says in her preface "She is just wonderful to have around, comforting and inspiriting as well as entertaining, a Joan of Arc you can go to a bar with."
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Flyting Between Sisters
Most of my flyting over the years has happened between me and my sister. Being siblings close in age who shared a room, we had our fair share of fights. We are two very different people and the fighting was endless, especially when we hit middle school.
I don't remember that exact content of any specific fight, but I can come up with one that is pretty close to how a real fight would have gone. HER:Can I borrow a shirt to wear to school today? ME: Which one? HER:I don't know which one can I wear? ME: I don't really want you to wear my shirts, you'll stretch them out. HER: You're such a bitch, why don't you ever let me borrow anything. ME: You're the bitch, I'm so nice to you I give you rides everywhere. I'm too nice to you. HER: No you're not. You're a big bitch. All you do is tell mom what I say and tattle on me all the time. ME: Do not. Someone has to be nice to mom and dad, you only care about yourself. You're so self-centered! HER: Well at least I have friends. ME: You're an asshole!! The fight would eventually end up in a physical fight and we were always yelling. We've become closer since then, but we still fight because we have to share and a car. We both think that we deserve to have the car more.
I don't remember that exact content of any specific fight, but I can come up with one that is pretty close to how a real fight would have gone. HER:Can I borrow a shirt to wear to school today? ME: Which one? HER:I don't know which one can I wear? ME: I don't really want you to wear my shirts, you'll stretch them out. HER: You're such a bitch, why don't you ever let me borrow anything. ME: You're the bitch, I'm so nice to you I give you rides everywhere. I'm too nice to you. HER: No you're not. You're a big bitch. All you do is tell mom what I say and tattle on me all the time. ME: Do not. Someone has to be nice to mom and dad, you only care about yourself. You're so self-centered! HER: Well at least I have friends. ME: You're an asshole!! The fight would eventually end up in a physical fight and we were always yelling. We've become closer since then, but we still fight because we have to share and a car. We both think that we deserve to have the car more.
Monday, March 2, 2009
First Thoughts On Lysistrata
Lysistrata is indeed full of crude sexual humor. I believe it is very well translated by Sarah Ruden. She does a good job of making as many jokes as possible, funny to a modern audience. I found the play extremely funny, enjoyable and quick read.
One of my favorite characters from this story is the choruses of old men and women. Today in class we were talking about how today we look to "shelter" older people instead of them sheltering us, but that definitely doesn't apply here. The old members of the story are as crude as their younger counterparts. They mostly argue with other and don't hold back on the insults. At one point the chorus of women says "Fine. Try it. Here's a cheek for you to smack. And then I'll tear your balls off like a bitch." By the end they have resolved their differences and have become one united chorus, but their arguments are definitely a constant source of enjoyment throughout the play.
One of my favorite characters from this story is the choruses of old men and women. Today in class we were talking about how today we look to "shelter" older people instead of them sheltering us, but that definitely doesn't apply here. The old members of the story are as crude as their younger counterparts. They mostly argue with other and don't hold back on the insults. At one point the chorus of women says "Fine. Try it. Here's a cheek for you to smack. And then I'll tear your balls off like a bitch." By the end they have resolved their differences and have become one united chorus, but their arguments are definitely a constant source of enjoyment throughout the play.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Line From Aristophanes
In the Symposium Aristophanes, during his story on the three genders, says "For the intense yearning which each of them has toward the other does not appear to be the desire of intercourse, but of something else which the soul desires, but cannot tell..."
This is one of my favorite lines from the Symposium. It is something that in modern day everyone wants to find. We are all looking for our better or, at least, other half. Some people don't believe in only one person for everyone, but in the end we are all trying to find a partner in life that we can share everything with. That relationship, when we finally find it, it definately about more than sex. As is pointed out in the Symposium, if love is only the love of beauty then it will fade, but I believe the love of the person will remain much longer.
I believe that this quote speaks to all people. Many people know when they've found "the one" based on the fact that their relationship is deeper and has gone beyond the physical. It is something that still speaks to every modern day couple.
This is one of my favorite lines from the Symposium. It is something that in modern day everyone wants to find. We are all looking for our better or, at least, other half. Some people don't believe in only one person for everyone, but in the end we are all trying to find a partner in life that we can share everything with. That relationship, when we finally find it, it definately about more than sex. As is pointed out in the Symposium, if love is only the love of beauty then it will fade, but I believe the love of the person will remain much longer.
I believe that this quote speaks to all people. Many people know when they've found "the one" based on the fact that their relationship is deeper and has gone beyond the physical. It is something that still speaks to every modern day couple.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Pet Rock
On Wedneday in class Dr. Sexton said we should find a rock, since its much cheaper than a goldfish, and bring it to class tomorrow. The objective for bringing the rock is to start at the bottom of the ladder and work our way up. The funny thing is that I've already done this.
One day me and my sister were playing outside and decided that we needed to make rock pets. Now, my dad has a thing for rocks and he uses them in all of the "landscaping" (I'm using the word loosely) around our house. Thus, there was no shortage of good specimens for us to choose from. However, just choosing the right rock wasn't all that was involved. At some point we had recieved a bunch of colored sand as a gift, so in order for the rocks to really become pets we slathered them with elmer's glue and brightly colored sand. Besides that I believe there were some markers involved.
After we had each completed about 2 or 3 rocks we wanted to take them inside and put them in our room where we could see them and love them everyday, but my mom would have none of that. She didn't want rocks in her house so instead she suggested we put them in the garden where she assured us they would be much happier. Since mom was in charge that's what we did, but it didn't mean we didn't love them any less.
I believe that children find it much easier to love than adults do. They're vision of the world isn't damaged by experience. They are able to see the good in everything and therefore able to love anything, even a lowly rock and that gives nothing back to them. They have a more pure view of the world and require less from. They give all of themselves into loving, something that I believe many adults are unable to do.
One day me and my sister were playing outside and decided that we needed to make rock pets. Now, my dad has a thing for rocks and he uses them in all of the "landscaping" (I'm using the word loosely) around our house. Thus, there was no shortage of good specimens for us to choose from. However, just choosing the right rock wasn't all that was involved. At some point we had recieved a bunch of colored sand as a gift, so in order for the rocks to really become pets we slathered them with elmer's glue and brightly colored sand. Besides that I believe there were some markers involved.
After we had each completed about 2 or 3 rocks we wanted to take them inside and put them in our room where we could see them and love them everyday, but my mom would have none of that. She didn't want rocks in her house so instead she suggested we put them in the garden where she assured us they would be much happier. Since mom was in charge that's what we did, but it didn't mean we didn't love them any less.
I believe that children find it much easier to love than adults do. They're vision of the world isn't damaged by experience. They are able to see the good in everything and therefore able to love anything, even a lowly rock and that gives nothing back to them. They have a more pure view of the world and require less from. They give all of themselves into loving, something that I believe many adults are unable to do.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Two Short Stories
I read the three short stories that Dr. Sexson recommened that we read for class tomorrow. They are all very interesting stories and in true short story style they have a lot of personal interpretation in them and the endings are never concrete. You never know what happens to the characters or what they do next.
I started with A tree. A rock. A cloud. I found that this story grabbed my attention from the beginning when the man asks the boy to come sit by him. I thought, as Leo seems to think, that the man was after the boy for some kind of perverted sexual encounter. This idea was only strengthened by the fact that the Symposium is about the love of men and young children. However, that is not what the man has in mind. His idea about love as a science is something I have heard before, although not quite in the same way. I was watching the news one day and this story came on about a dating service that matches you to other singles based on your DNA. What the man is this story is talking about is slightly different. His idea of the science of love is that it is a learning process and that we must start by loving smaller things before we can move on to the much more complex ideas that love has. This brings to mind the quote that I have heard many times in many places "You must love yourself before you can love another." I believe that love is a learning process and that we must have many different experiences before we truly understand love and can fully take advantage of everything it has to offer us.
Another story we were supposed to read is the Joyce Carol Oates story. This story I found deeply disturbing. I felt like I was in a horror movie and the whole time I wanted to yell at the girl to run or to stop talking to the man and shut the door and go inside. I was constantly wondering the whole story what it is about this man that keeps her at the door. They always tell us as children that you can never tell who might be a kidnapper or murderer. Some of the most notorious serial killers where harmless looking men. As a child I was told to never talk to strangers and never go with anyone I didn't know. My parents even came up with a code word so that if they couldn't come get me then I would know that they had really sent the other person. In today's world we have become obsessed with keeping kids safe, but Connie is not really a child. She is 15 and feels fully able to handle herself in the situation that Arnold Friend presents, but soon enough we watch as the situation slips out of her control and she spirals into terror. As a character Arnold Friends seems to have mastered the art of phsycological manipulation and allows Connie to think she is safe for quite sometime. He is a great orator like Socrates himself in the Symposium and can make others believe everything he says. Overall this story gave me the creeps and I will be interested to see how it is discussed in class tomorrow.
I started with A tree. A rock. A cloud. I found that this story grabbed my attention from the beginning when the man asks the boy to come sit by him. I thought, as Leo seems to think, that the man was after the boy for some kind of perverted sexual encounter. This idea was only strengthened by the fact that the Symposium is about the love of men and young children. However, that is not what the man has in mind. His idea about love as a science is something I have heard before, although not quite in the same way. I was watching the news one day and this story came on about a dating service that matches you to other singles based on your DNA. What the man is this story is talking about is slightly different. His idea of the science of love is that it is a learning process and that we must start by loving smaller things before we can move on to the much more complex ideas that love has. This brings to mind the quote that I have heard many times in many places "You must love yourself before you can love another." I believe that love is a learning process and that we must have many different experiences before we truly understand love and can fully take advantage of everything it has to offer us.
Another story we were supposed to read is the Joyce Carol Oates story. This story I found deeply disturbing. I felt like I was in a horror movie and the whole time I wanted to yell at the girl to run or to stop talking to the man and shut the door and go inside. I was constantly wondering the whole story what it is about this man that keeps her at the door. They always tell us as children that you can never tell who might be a kidnapper or murderer. Some of the most notorious serial killers where harmless looking men. As a child I was told to never talk to strangers and never go with anyone I didn't know. My parents even came up with a code word so that if they couldn't come get me then I would know that they had really sent the other person. In today's world we have become obsessed with keeping kids safe, but Connie is not really a child. She is 15 and feels fully able to handle herself in the situation that Arnold Friend presents, but soon enough we watch as the situation slips out of her control and she spirals into terror. As a character Arnold Friends seems to have mastered the art of phsycological manipulation and allows Connie to think she is safe for quite sometime. He is a great orator like Socrates himself in the Symposium and can make others believe everything he says. Overall this story gave me the creeps and I will be interested to see how it is discussed in class tomorrow.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Plato Symposium: Part 2
Today I finished the Symposium. I didn't find the second half as enjoyable as the first. I found the material harder to grasp, maybe because it didn't speak as much to the more romantic and modern ideas of love.
Even though I didn't understand everything Socrates said in his speech to love his view seemed to be less positive than the speeches that took place before him. I did like the way he started his speech. He asked a series of questions to prove a point before he started. Getting others involved seemed like a good strategy to me. However, overall I found his ideas about love much less appealing. Maybe they were more true, but I prefer a fantastical view of love; like the views expressed by the other guests at the party. Socrates does know what he's doing though when I comes to public speaking he does know how to capture his audience even if what he says is sometimes hard to understand.
I also found the character of Alcibiades to be very interesting. He seemed to speak ill of Socrates and then in his speech praise him. Altogether he seemed a little bit of a different type of character from the others at the party. It was also an interesting discussion of the idea of homosexual love and overall the discussion of Socrates, while it seemed a little off from all the discussions it was indeed interesting. The ending seemed a little hurried and a little but of a let down, but overall, even though I stumbled sometimes, I did enjoy the discussions that took place in the book.
Even though I didn't understand everything Socrates said in his speech to love his view seemed to be less positive than the speeches that took place before him. I did like the way he started his speech. He asked a series of questions to prove a point before he started. Getting others involved seemed like a good strategy to me. However, overall I found his ideas about love much less appealing. Maybe they were more true, but I prefer a fantastical view of love; like the views expressed by the other guests at the party. Socrates does know what he's doing though when I comes to public speaking he does know how to capture his audience even if what he says is sometimes hard to understand.
I also found the character of Alcibiades to be very interesting. He seemed to speak ill of Socrates and then in his speech praise him. Altogether he seemed a little bit of a different type of character from the others at the party. It was also an interesting discussion of the idea of homosexual love and overall the discussion of Socrates, while it seemed a little off from all the discussions it was indeed interesting. The ending seemed a little hurried and a little but of a let down, but overall, even though I stumbled sometimes, I did enjoy the discussions that took place in the book.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Plato's Symposium: Part 1
I've started reading Plato's Symposium without knowing what to expect. I have so far found the book a little hard to understand at times, but overall I have discovered that many of the ideas discussed in the book very interesting.
First of all before they starting their discussion of love Socrates says that he wished wisdom could be absorbed, because Agathon has so much wisdom to offer him. Agathon is confused, he sees Socrates as extremely intelligent; much more intelligent than him. However, I agree with Socrates. Socrates has realized something that Creon would have done well to understand. All humans can learn something from all other humans. No matter who you are, everyone around you can teach you something.
Another thing that I found interesting about what was said about love is that many of the ideas expressed are things we still believe today. One of these ideas is that the love of young boys should be forbidden because no one knows how they will turn out. This lends itself to the modern idea that teenage boys will break hearts and that they need to "grow up" in order to become proper mates for women. Another topic discussed is that "...in the pursuit of love the custom of mankind allows him to do many strange things, which philosophy would bitterly censure if they were done from any motive of interest..." This speaks of the idea that 'love makes us do crazy things.' Finally, at one point it is said that "Evil is the vulgar lover who loves the body rather than the soul..." This is the same as the modern idea that love is better when you love the person for their personality rather than their body. This kind of love is supposed to be more pure and long lasting than the "lust" kind of love that is thought to come from loving a person's look.
I also enjoyed the discussions of how harmony comes to the world when the two kinds of love are equal and not in competition with one another. I found this a very interesting idea. Also the idea discussed that love rules all the other gods was something that I really enjoyed reading. I have always believed in the power of love and this is also very much like the modern idea that love conquers all. Finally was the idea that we are looking for our other half. This is the same as the phrase that lovers often utter: "He/She is my better half."
All of these modern ideas discussed in the book were a pleasant surprise. I didn't expect the book to speak so much to modern ideals. They were discussed in a slightly different way, but as is the mantra of the class all that is past possess our present.
Here is an article I found on the internet. I thought it has a lot of interesting, helpful ideas that helped me in understanding what was going on a little bit better.
http://condor.depaul.edu/~dsimpson/tlove/symposium.html
First of all before they starting their discussion of love Socrates says that he wished wisdom could be absorbed, because Agathon has so much wisdom to offer him. Agathon is confused, he sees Socrates as extremely intelligent; much more intelligent than him. However, I agree with Socrates. Socrates has realized something that Creon would have done well to understand. All humans can learn something from all other humans. No matter who you are, everyone around you can teach you something.
Another thing that I found interesting about what was said about love is that many of the ideas expressed are things we still believe today. One of these ideas is that the love of young boys should be forbidden because no one knows how they will turn out. This lends itself to the modern idea that teenage boys will break hearts and that they need to "grow up" in order to become proper mates for women. Another topic discussed is that "...in the pursuit of love the custom of mankind allows him to do many strange things, which philosophy would bitterly censure if they were done from any motive of interest..." This speaks of the idea that 'love makes us do crazy things.' Finally, at one point it is said that "Evil is the vulgar lover who loves the body rather than the soul..." This is the same as the modern idea that love is better when you love the person for their personality rather than their body. This kind of love is supposed to be more pure and long lasting than the "lust" kind of love that is thought to come from loving a person's look.
I also enjoyed the discussions of how harmony comes to the world when the two kinds of love are equal and not in competition with one another. I found this a very interesting idea. Also the idea discussed that love rules all the other gods was something that I really enjoyed reading. I have always believed in the power of love and this is also very much like the modern idea that love conquers all. Finally was the idea that we are looking for our other half. This is the same as the phrase that lovers often utter: "He/She is my better half."
All of these modern ideas discussed in the book were a pleasant surprise. I didn't expect the book to speak so much to modern ideals. They were discussed in a slightly different way, but as is the mantra of the class all that is past possess our present.
Here is an article I found on the internet. I thought it has a lot of interesting, helpful ideas that helped me in understanding what was going on a little bit better.
http://condor.depaul.edu/~dsimpson/tlove/symposium.html
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Cultural Influence
Last Wednesday we talked about how we have a very linear sense of time and that opportunities only come around once. I'm taking a class in Linguistics and we have also talked about this. Many Native American and Indigenous cultures have a cyclic view of time. They believe that if you miss out on something it will come around again.
Our view of time I believe creates a much more fleeting view of time. I have heard it said many times that life is fleeting and short. We are supposed to live life to the fullest and make everyday count. This creates a society that is always in debt. We believe that life doesn't last long so we have to buy cars, boats, houses and trips before our time runs out. The more places you've been and the more objects you have the fuller your life has been. I don't believe there is anything wrong with this but with a more cyclic view of time would probably create less stress. Choices and objects will often come around again or we will have another chance to take advantage of them. Culture influences how we think and feel. This example of how our idea of time is influenced is just one example. Many times culture influences other things, but it really is a truly powerful thing.
Sophocles over stepped his own cultural bounds by creating the character of Antigone. She was culturally different than any normal Greek woman and thus caused many Greek people to hate her. Overall Antigone is a very interesting character and one that I enjoy because she never makes excuses and is truly a strong female character.
Our view of time I believe creates a much more fleeting view of time. I have heard it said many times that life is fleeting and short. We are supposed to live life to the fullest and make everyday count. This creates a society that is always in debt. We believe that life doesn't last long so we have to buy cars, boats, houses and trips before our time runs out. The more places you've been and the more objects you have the fuller your life has been. I don't believe there is anything wrong with this but with a more cyclic view of time would probably create less stress. Choices and objects will often come around again or we will have another chance to take advantage of them. Culture influences how we think and feel. This example of how our idea of time is influenced is just one example. Many times culture influences other things, but it really is a truly powerful thing.
Sophocles over stepped his own cultural bounds by creating the character of Antigone. She was culturally different than any normal Greek woman and thus caused many Greek people to hate her. Overall Antigone is a very interesting character and one that I enjoy because she never makes excuses and is truly a strong female character.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
A Lost Pet
When I was young I had at least a couple pets die, but there is that I remember clearly as my first experience of death. It happened when I was about 5 or 6 and it was with a horse named Eagle.
I’ve been riding horses since before I could walk, but the first horse I got to ride all by myself was called Eagle. He was about 18 when I started riding him which is pretty old for a horse. He had seen just about everything and so my parents felt pretty comfortable with me riding him because he wasn’t going to spook or do anything to cause me to fall off. I remember one of the first week-long pack trips that we took I rode Eagle. At the beginning of the trail there was a bridge that we all had to cross and all the horses were freaking out and none of them would cross it, except of course Eagle. I rode him for a couple of years and we really struck up a close bond.
In the winter we don’t ride, because the snow in the mountains gets too deep to go anywhere so typically any horse that isn’t going to make it through the winter is put down in the fall after riding for that year is over. When we were younger our parents never told us, when or which horses were going to be put down in the fall. As a result of this my first experience of death was a little different. I wasn’t around the horses much in the winter, so it wasn’t until spring that I noticed that I hadn’t seen Eagle for quite some time. When I asked my mom where he was she told me that he had gotten too old and dad had sent him to horse heaven. I was sad that he was gone, but my parents had constructed horse heaven to be a much better place than Earth so I was satisfied with that answer. Since then I have had horses, cats and dogs die and each has affected me in a different way. When a pet dies another usually takes it place, but each pet is unique and can never be completely replaced. Parents try to shield children from the reality of death, but eventually we all must face this part of the life cycle.
I’ve been riding horses since before I could walk, but the first horse I got to ride all by myself was called Eagle. He was about 18 when I started riding him which is pretty old for a horse. He had seen just about everything and so my parents felt pretty comfortable with me riding him because he wasn’t going to spook or do anything to cause me to fall off. I remember one of the first week-long pack trips that we took I rode Eagle. At the beginning of the trail there was a bridge that we all had to cross and all the horses were freaking out and none of them would cross it, except of course Eagle. I rode him for a couple of years and we really struck up a close bond.
In the winter we don’t ride, because the snow in the mountains gets too deep to go anywhere so typically any horse that isn’t going to make it through the winter is put down in the fall after riding for that year is over. When we were younger our parents never told us, when or which horses were going to be put down in the fall. As a result of this my first experience of death was a little different. I wasn’t around the horses much in the winter, so it wasn’t until spring that I noticed that I hadn’t seen Eagle for quite some time. When I asked my mom where he was she told me that he had gotten too old and dad had sent him to horse heaven. I was sad that he was gone, but my parents had constructed horse heaven to be a much better place than Earth so I was satisfied with that answer. Since then I have had horses, cats and dogs die and each has affected me in a different way. When a pet dies another usually takes it place, but each pet is unique and can never be completely replaced. Parents try to shield children from the reality of death, but eventually we all must face this part of the life cycle.
Monday, February 9, 2009
America's Funniest Home Videos
Today in class we talked about laughter in response to suffering and how the laughter takes away some of the power from the suffering. One thing I think of that has to do with laughter at other people’s suffering is America’s Funniest Home Videos. People send all kinds of videos into AFV, but undeniably the most popular are the ones of people getting hurt. Some of the classics are dads getting hit in the crotch with baseball bats, or people getting accidents on bikes and roller skates. We know that we shouldn’t be laughing about the suffering of other people, but we laugh anyway. The ability to laugh at other people’s suffering is also why shows like Jackass have such success. Watching other people get hurt is funny as long as it’s not happening to us. However, even when bad things happen to us we have to learn the laugh because it’s the only way to deal with our pain and get on with our lives. Here is some of those classic AFV videos hope you enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S060AmYejjM&feature=related and this is one of my all time favorite AFV videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pE42Gn74m2k
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Gift Giving
In class on Friday we started talking about the importance of gift giving. We talked about how Hermes understood the importance of gift giving and used it to get what he wanted. So I started thinking about how it has changed and its role in today’s society.
The last gifts I gave were at Christmas, where I gave my parents and little sister a TV and gave my boyfriend a few shirts. I didn’t give these gifts in order to gain anything although I did get gifts myself. I think today the essence of gift giving has changed. Today gifts aren’t really given in a spontaneous manner; instead they are given on specified holiday occasions like birthdays and Christmas. Holidays, especially Valentine’s Day and Christmas have become very commercialized. Christmas is a time when major big box stores try to make the “big bucks” and make up any money they may have lost during the year. Christmas is also seen as a very stressful time. People have long lists of people to buy for. As a result of this the magic of gift giving is really ruined. Instead of really thinking about what the recipient would really enjoy, people are just looking for a quick out. Hermes knew what Apollo would want and really demonstrated how the gift worked. Today expensive gifts are many times considered the “best” gifts and lots of money is wasted on gifts people will never use. I think often times the best gifts are well thought out and inexpensive…gifts that really come from the heart.
The last gifts I gave were at Christmas, where I gave my parents and little sister a TV and gave my boyfriend a few shirts. I didn’t give these gifts in order to gain anything although I did get gifts myself. I think today the essence of gift giving has changed. Today gifts aren’t really given in a spontaneous manner; instead they are given on specified holiday occasions like birthdays and Christmas. Holidays, especially Valentine’s Day and Christmas have become very commercialized. Christmas is a time when major big box stores try to make the “big bucks” and make up any money they may have lost during the year. Christmas is also seen as a very stressful time. People have long lists of people to buy for. As a result of this the magic of gift giving is really ruined. Instead of really thinking about what the recipient would really enjoy, people are just looking for a quick out. Hermes knew what Apollo would want and really demonstrated how the gift worked. Today expensive gifts are many times considered the “best” gifts and lots of money is wasted on gifts people will never use. I think often times the best gifts are well thought out and inexpensive…gifts that really come from the heart.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Athena in the Odyssey
As a high school senior I was asked to read the Odyssey as a class assignment. I’m not going to lie; I was pretty reluctant about reading it. It was long and it was written a long time ago. However, as I started reading I was totally taken in by the story. Even though the story was written a long time before I was born I still found the story intriguing and easy to understand and the characters relatable. Penelope had lost the man she loved, but she had remained faithful to him for 20 years and his son who held on to the belief that somewhere his father was still alive.
However, the character that most intrigued me was Athena. She was so devoted to getting Odysseus back to his family no matter what and she went up against many of her fellow gods to do it. Now as previously discussed in class Athena was the quite the daddy’s girl so he stood behind her in her quest to return Odysseus but there were still some major obstacles to overcome like the Cyclops and Calypso. Why was Athena so attached to Odysseus? It wasn’t sexual, she never tried to seduce him, so did she want to return him to his family? But that doesn’t really fit either since she’s the goddess of war. So why did she care so much for Odysseus? He was a great soldier, but is that all you have to be to earn the respect of the great goddess of war?
However, the character that most intrigued me was Athena. She was so devoted to getting Odysseus back to his family no matter what and she went up against many of her fellow gods to do it. Now as previously discussed in class Athena was the quite the daddy’s girl so he stood behind her in her quest to return Odysseus but there were still some major obstacles to overcome like the Cyclops and Calypso. Why was Athena so attached to Odysseus? It wasn’t sexual, she never tried to seduce him, so did she want to return him to his family? But that doesn’t really fit either since she’s the goddess of war. So why did she care so much for Odysseus? He was a great soldier, but is that all you have to be to earn the respect of the great goddess of war?
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Stewie=Hermes
I was scanning the new blog entries to see what other students had written about recently and to see if any caught my eye when I noticed Luke’s short entry about the connection he had made between Hermes and Stewie Griffin from Family Guy. I’m surprised I hadn’t made this connection myself. I’m an avid Family Guy watcher and to me I think it is clear that Stewie is a very good version of Hermes.
For those of you who don’t watch Family Guy, Stewie is the baby of the Griffin family but he has already developed a talent for diabolical plans. His ultimate goal is to take over the world, of course, but normally he simply focuses on killing his mother Lois. Stewie doesn’t steal cattle, but he’s often hatching plans to make the lives of his family very difficult. Like Hermes Stewie is a baby, but he, like Hermes, is not the typical baby. He walks talks and wields various weapons in an attempt to kill his mother. Stewie really is a trickster and a trouble maker, the Star Wars spoof of the show says it all when, Stewie, of course, plays Darth Vader. Here is a link to part of this particular episode: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcL6DwSufMI&feature=related
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Imagination
On Friday in class we were talking about the Eleusinian mysteries and Dr. Sexson said that the mysteries were “made sacred through the imagination.” I started thinking about what this really meant. In this particular context the imagination was used to induce awe and used a tool in religion. In religion imagination always plays a part. In Greek mythology imagination is what allowed the creation of all the Greek gods and the numerous stories about them. Also Christianity uses the imagination to create Christ, God and the stories that go along with them.
The human imagination is what sets us apart from other animals. It is one of the first tools we develop as children. Almost every child has an imaginary friend at one time or another. It allows us to get travel to other worlds in novels and allows us to imagine rock concerts we weren’t actually at. The imagination is an extremely powerful human ability.
We also talked about how the Greeks used to celebrate their defiance to their gods rather than their obedience. I am a christian and much of our time and worship is spent trying to model our lives after Christ and to be obedient in what he wants us to do. This new take on religion was intriguing to me. Why had the Greeks celebrated this other side of religion? I started to think about it and I decided that the gods often meddled directly in human affairs, and could pretty much make humans do their bidding. So, when a human was able to go against the gods and survive the wraith that probably followed it was a chance for celebration. The Greek gods were often doing things without regard to the humans themselves and instead caught up in their own battles with each other. This caused humans to get stuck in the cross fire and any resistance to this force that took away free will was good and a reason to celebrate.
The human imagination is what sets us apart from other animals. It is one of the first tools we develop as children. Almost every child has an imaginary friend at one time or another. It allows us to get travel to other worlds in novels and allows us to imagine rock concerts we weren’t actually at. The imagination is an extremely powerful human ability.
We also talked about how the Greeks used to celebrate their defiance to their gods rather than their obedience. I am a christian and much of our time and worship is spent trying to model our lives after Christ and to be obedient in what he wants us to do. This new take on religion was intriguing to me. Why had the Greeks celebrated this other side of religion? I started to think about it and I decided that the gods often meddled directly in human affairs, and could pretty much make humans do their bidding. So, when a human was able to go against the gods and survive the wraith that probably followed it was a chance for celebration. The Greek gods were often doing things without regard to the humans themselves and instead caught up in their own battles with each other. This caused humans to get stuck in the cross fire and any resistance to this force that took away free will was good and a reason to celebrate.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Mothers and Daughters and Sisters
Today in class we were talking about the relationship of a mother and a daughter. It is a mystery to many men and something that is sacred to those of us women involved. I, of course, participate in this sacred relationship. Before we starting talking about the mother-daughter relationship in class I never really saw it as sacred or special. However, after reading the story of Demeter and Persephone I started to examine my own relationship with my mother. Our relationship has never been through anything like what Demeter went through, but I realized that my mother would do anything for me and it is sacred. None of the men in my life really understand that special connection we have.
After thinking about my mother I turned my thoughts another relationship that I think men just can't possibly understand. That is the relationship between sisters. Its not that sisters don't fight just as much as brothers, but I think its that we share different childhood activities as children that bond us in a very special way. When boys are punching each other and shooting each other with toy guns, as boys will do, girls are playing tea party and barbies. They support each other in everything and some day when they have both grown up they become best friends. Most men don't understand the unique relationships between women and very often are annoyed and most times baffled by them, but they've been around since human kind has been around so men: just get used to it, its not going anywhere.
After thinking about my mother I turned my thoughts another relationship that I think men just can't possibly understand. That is the relationship between sisters. Its not that sisters don't fight just as much as brothers, but I think its that we share different childhood activities as children that bond us in a very special way. When boys are punching each other and shooting each other with toy guns, as boys will do, girls are playing tea party and barbies. They support each other in everything and some day when they have both grown up they become best friends. Most men don't understand the unique relationships between women and very often are annoyed and most times baffled by them, but they've been around since human kind has been around so men: just get used to it, its not going anywhere.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Love
At the beginning of the third stasimon the chorus says something that just really caught my eye. They have this to say about love:
In battle the victory goes to Love;
Prizes and prosperities fall to Love.
Love dallies the night
On a girl’s soft cheeks,
Ranges across the sea,
Lodges in wild meadows.
O Love , no one can hide from you:
You take gods who live forever,
You take humans who die in a day,
And they take you and go mad.
Destroyer Love, you seize a good mind,
And pervert it to wickedness:
This fight is your doing,
This uproar in the family.
And the winner will be desire,
Shining in the eyes of a bride,
An invitation to bed,
A power to sweep across the bounds of what is Right.
For we are only toys in your hands,
Divine, unbeatable Aphrodite!
The way that love is personified in this selection really spoke to me. Giving love human characteristics speaks to the power love often has in life and especially literature. Often in stories love has more influence over people than anything else in the whole story. The story of Antigone is no different. It is her love for her brother that drives Antigone to go against her uncle and ultimately causes her death. Also, the death of Haemon is caused by his love for Antigone and Eurydice’s demise caused by the loss and love of Haemon.
Love has a lot of power over people. We don’t have the saying “Love makes you do funny things” for no reason. Even in modern culture love is known to have almost “magical” powers. Many people will do almost anything for love and in North American culture it is what everyone seeks in life and if/when it’s found people are essentially fulfilled in many aspects of their life.
My favorite part of this quotation is when they say “For we are only toys in your hands.” This is something that really speaks to me. I believe that we as humans are at love’s mercy. We have no control over it and it is a crazy, wild, experience. Whether you’ve fallen for a boy, a girl or have only experienced familial love you know its power. As the selection says it affects us all at some point, I believe in many aspects it is inescapable, but as love has the power to give happiness it also has the power to cause indescribable pain. People we love die or we break up with a girlfriend/boyfriend and we think that life will never go on. Love always comes again and if one love fades another is there to ease the hurt. This quote speaks to the power, fickleness and the universal aspects of love.
In battle the victory goes to Love;
Prizes and prosperities fall to Love.
Love dallies the night
On a girl’s soft cheeks,
Ranges across the sea,
Lodges in wild meadows.
O Love , no one can hide from you:
You take gods who live forever,
You take humans who die in a day,
And they take you and go mad.
Destroyer Love, you seize a good mind,
And pervert it to wickedness:
This fight is your doing,
This uproar in the family.
And the winner will be desire,
Shining in the eyes of a bride,
An invitation to bed,
A power to sweep across the bounds of what is Right.
For we are only toys in your hands,
Divine, unbeatable Aphrodite!
The way that love is personified in this selection really spoke to me. Giving love human characteristics speaks to the power love often has in life and especially literature. Often in stories love has more influence over people than anything else in the whole story. The story of Antigone is no different. It is her love for her brother that drives Antigone to go against her uncle and ultimately causes her death. Also, the death of Haemon is caused by his love for Antigone and Eurydice’s demise caused by the loss and love of Haemon.
Love has a lot of power over people. We don’t have the saying “Love makes you do funny things” for no reason. Even in modern culture love is known to have almost “magical” powers. Many people will do almost anything for love and in North American culture it is what everyone seeks in life and if/when it’s found people are essentially fulfilled in many aspects of their life.
My favorite part of this quotation is when they say “For we are only toys in your hands.” This is something that really speaks to me. I believe that we as humans are at love’s mercy. We have no control over it and it is a crazy, wild, experience. Whether you’ve fallen for a boy, a girl or have only experienced familial love you know its power. As the selection says it affects us all at some point, I believe in many aspects it is inescapable, but as love has the power to give happiness it also has the power to cause indescribable pain. People we love die or we break up with a girlfriend/boyfriend and we think that life will never go on. Love always comes again and if one love fades another is there to ease the hurt. This quote speaks to the power, fickleness and the universal aspects of love.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Anitgone vs. Creon
Reading the Introduction to Antigone I really didn’t know what to expect. There were long descriptions about the arguments of various disciplines about what exactly should be taken from this play and long character descriptions including motives, flaws and criticisms of each speaking character in the play. It talked a lot about how a Greek audience could’ve responded to the play, but what about a modern audience?
In Greek culture women submitted to men, as with many ancient cultures. There is nothing surprising about that or the fact that many Ancient Greeks might not have liked Antigone for her fiercely independent nature. In modern culture, though, times have changed. Women have fought hard and at least in many cultures have won a place equal to men. Our novels today are filled with stories of fiercely strong women who fight alongside and against men. I have always personally enjoyed the strong female characters and so I find Antigone intriguing and of course root for her. However, there are a few things in the way she expresses her feelings for her brother. Considering her background is it possible that her love for her brother goes beyond the love of one sibling for another? If it had been Eteocles who had been the traitor would she have felt so strongly about his proper burial? Also, she never denies her crime or tries to make it seem less severe making it seem like she has a death wish or is she just slightly unhinged? What bearing does her birth have on her actions?
On the flip side I, so far, find Creon extremely frustrating. He seems very full of himself as a ruler. He listens to no one and seems to think that if he changes his rules or makes exceptions his people will view him as a weak ruler. One thing I find very interesting is that both Antigone and Haemon know, and point out Creon’s one major flaw: that he won’t listen and his people fear him too much to speak out against him. When Antigone points it out Creon simply ignores it and when Haemon points it out Creon accuses him of being a slave to women and taking Antigone’s side over his. Is Creon so insecure and pompous that he can’t listen to what anyone else says? How has remained ruler for so long with such a strict refusal to listen? He appears to love himself and his place as ruler more than he loves his city and its people.
In Greek culture women submitted to men, as with many ancient cultures. There is nothing surprising about that or the fact that many Ancient Greeks might not have liked Antigone for her fiercely independent nature. In modern culture, though, times have changed. Women have fought hard and at least in many cultures have won a place equal to men. Our novels today are filled with stories of fiercely strong women who fight alongside and against men. I have always personally enjoyed the strong female characters and so I find Antigone intriguing and of course root for her. However, there are a few things in the way she expresses her feelings for her brother. Considering her background is it possible that her love for her brother goes beyond the love of one sibling for another? If it had been Eteocles who had been the traitor would she have felt so strongly about his proper burial? Also, she never denies her crime or tries to make it seem less severe making it seem like she has a death wish or is she just slightly unhinged? What bearing does her birth have on her actions?
On the flip side I, so far, find Creon extremely frustrating. He seems very full of himself as a ruler. He listens to no one and seems to think that if he changes his rules or makes exceptions his people will view him as a weak ruler. One thing I find very interesting is that both Antigone and Haemon know, and point out Creon’s one major flaw: that he won’t listen and his people fear him too much to speak out against him. When Antigone points it out Creon simply ignores it and when Haemon points it out Creon accuses him of being a slave to women and taking Antigone’s side over his. Is Creon so insecure and pompous that he can’t listen to what anyone else says? How has remained ruler for so long with such a strict refusal to listen? He appears to love himself and his place as ruler more than he loves his city and its people.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Homeric Hyms Intro
I opened my Homeric Hymns and proceeded to read the introduction. I was re-introduced to many characters I already knew from Greek mythology such as Zeus Hera, Apollo and Athena. I don't have anymore that the basic knowledge of Greek Mythology and the most time I've ever spent on it is the approximately 90 minutes it takes to watch the Disney animated version of Hercules. However the idea and "practice of Greek mythology has always fascinated me. The effort that the Greek people put into creating stories about their gods is some what mind blowing to me. The took the story telling way beyond the simple creation story and seemed to have written some stories just for the fun of it.
The introduction was pretty easy to understand, but with my limited knowledge of mythology I didn't realize just how many children Zeus had. I soon got bogged down in trying to connect and keep track of all the relations between the gods and mostly which ones Zeus had spawned. He was very promiscuous, something looked down upon today. However, the Greeks were notoriously promiscuous as a culture, having few of the lines concerning sexuality that we draw today. So I made a small leap and began to ask how these two ideas of promiscuity among the Greeks and their gods were connected. Obviously the Greeks wrote the stories so were the stories written to excuse or explain the Greek behavior? The idea that if the gods did it then it was OK for mortals to practice it was well? Or are the behaviors of the god/s of a culture inexplicably linked the culture that "worships" it? We can also see humans modeling their behavior after God in the example of Christians who model their behavior after Christ. Or perhaps the promiscuity of the Greek gods was simply of reflection of an already established Greek culture.
The introduction was pretty easy to understand, but with my limited knowledge of mythology I didn't realize just how many children Zeus had. I soon got bogged down in trying to connect and keep track of all the relations between the gods and mostly which ones Zeus had spawned. He was very promiscuous, something looked down upon today. However, the Greeks were notoriously promiscuous as a culture, having few of the lines concerning sexuality that we draw today. So I made a small leap and began to ask how these two ideas of promiscuity among the Greeks and their gods were connected. Obviously the Greeks wrote the stories so were the stories written to excuse or explain the Greek behavior? The idea that if the gods did it then it was OK for mortals to practice it was well? Or are the behaviors of the god/s of a culture inexplicably linked the culture that "worships" it? We can also see humans modeling their behavior after God in the example of Christians who model their behavior after Christ. Or perhaps the promiscuity of the Greek gods was simply of reflection of an already established Greek culture.
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