J. M. Wallace‐Hadrill
- Published in print:
- 1983
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780198269069
- eISBN:
- 9780191600777
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0198269064.003.0002
- Subject:
- Religion, Church History
The Franks, or any other Germanic people, were not pagan one day and Christian the next; this simple solution does no justice to the texts and is overthrown by archaeological evidence. Fifth‐century ...
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The Franks, or any other Germanic people, were not pagan one day and Christian the next; this simple solution does no justice to the texts and is overthrown by archaeological evidence. Fifth‐century Gaul was Christian and mostly Catholic in a formal sense, but behind the forms lay a scarcely converted countryside where Celtic and other pagan beliefs still worried the clergy, and remained active in the 6th and 7th centuries, not only in indigenous peoples, but also in the various settler enclaves; these pagan beliefs also affected the way the Franks accepted Christianity. This is one side of the picture; the other is the nature of Germanic paganism — no sense can be made of Frankish Christianity, when it comes, unless allowance is first made for the fact that all Germans were religious people, conditioned by the sense they had of good and evil, life and death, gods and demons. This can best be seen in the archaeological evidence from their remote homeland in a more distant time, and much can be inferred from later literary evidence. This chapter discusses Frankish (Germanic) interest in and worship of pagan gods and heroes (Woden, in particular), Frankish grave gods (and the grave gods of settlers, with which they can be easily confused), the new religion the Franks found and were converted to under Clovis (or Chlodovech), their conqueror from northern Gaul, who was himself a convert to Catholicism, and the difficulties in converting the people in the countryside, where there had been a fusion of Germanic and Celtic paganism.Less
The Franks, or any other Germanic people, were not pagan one day and Christian the next; this simple solution does no justice to the texts and is overthrown by archaeological evidence. Fifth‐century Gaul was Christian and mostly Catholic in a formal sense, but behind the forms lay a scarcely converted countryside where Celtic and other pagan beliefs still worried the clergy, and remained active in the 6th and 7th centuries, not only in indigenous peoples, but also in the various settler enclaves; these pagan beliefs also affected the way the Franks accepted Christianity. This is one side of the picture; the other is the nature of Germanic paganism — no sense can be made of Frankish Christianity, when it comes, unless allowance is first made for the fact that all Germans were religious people, conditioned by the sense they had of good and evil, life and death, gods and demons. This can best be seen in the archaeological evidence from their remote homeland in a more distant time, and much can be inferred from later literary evidence. This chapter discusses Frankish (Germanic) interest in and worship of pagan gods and heroes (Woden, in particular), Frankish grave gods (and the grave gods of settlers, with which they can be easily confused), the new religion the Franks found and were converted to under Clovis (or Chlodovech), their conqueror from northern Gaul, who was himself a convert to Catholicism, and the difficulties in converting the people in the countryside, where there had been a fusion of Germanic and Celtic paganism.
Michael Ward
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195313871
- eISBN:
- 9780199871964
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195313871.003.0002
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Literature
Lewis was interested in the medieval heavens both from an academic and an imaginative perspective. The pagan gods, to his mind, were aesthetically beautiful and also apologetically useful, and ...
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Lewis was interested in the medieval heavens both from an academic and an imaginative perspective. The pagan gods, to his mind, were aesthetically beautiful and also apologetically useful, and Ptolemaic astrology was deemed consonant with Christianity until at least the sixteenth century (Dante being chief among those poets who Christianized it). The seven planets Lewis regarded as spiritual symbols of permanent value, able to convey truths relating to psychology, rationality, and novitas. Lewis's Idealism and his dislike of spiritual introspection pertinent to the question of Enjoyment of these symbols. Contemplating the planets and their influences in the Chronicles of Narnia.Less
Lewis was interested in the medieval heavens both from an academic and an imaginative perspective. The pagan gods, to his mind, were aesthetically beautiful and also apologetically useful, and Ptolemaic astrology was deemed consonant with Christianity until at least the sixteenth century (Dante being chief among those poets who Christianized it). The seven planets Lewis regarded as spiritual symbols of permanent value, able to convey truths relating to psychology, rationality, and novitas. Lewis's Idealism and his dislike of spiritual introspection pertinent to the question of Enjoyment of these symbols. Contemplating the planets and their influences in the Chronicles of Narnia.
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- February 2021
- ISBN:
- 9780856688546
- eISBN:
- 9781800343016
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Liverpool University Press
- DOI:
- 10.3828/liverpool/9780856688546.001.0001
- Subject:
- Classical Studies, Ancient Greek, Roman, and Early Christian Philosophy
This edition of St. Augustine's The City of God (De Civitate Dei) is the only one in English to provide a text and translation as well as a detailed commentary of this most influential document in ...
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This edition of St. Augustine's The City of God (De Civitate Dei) is the only one in English to provide a text and translation as well as a detailed commentary of this most influential document in the history of western Christianity. In these books, written in the aftermath of the sack of Rome in AD 410 by the Goths, Augustine replies to the pagans, who attributed the fall of Rome to the Christian religion and its prohibition of the worship of the pagan gods. Before his conversion to Christianity in 386, Augustine had devoted himself to the study of Platonism. In books VIII and IX of De Civitate Dei, Augustine renews his acquaintance with this philosophy, which had played such a fundamental role in his conversion. The main topic of these books is demonology, with Augustine using the De Deo Socratis of Apuleius, which places demons as the intermediaries between gods and men, as the foundation of his exploration into this theme. Augustine is keen to point out the similarities between Platonism and Christianity and therefore puts forward the theory that the ideal mediator between God and man is Christ — he who shares temporary mortality with humans and permanent blessedness with God and can therefore lead men from wretchedness to eternal bliss. The volume presents Latin text with facing-page English translation, introduction and commentary.Less
This edition of St. Augustine's The City of God (De Civitate Dei) is the only one in English to provide a text and translation as well as a detailed commentary of this most influential document in the history of western Christianity. In these books, written in the aftermath of the sack of Rome in AD 410 by the Goths, Augustine replies to the pagans, who attributed the fall of Rome to the Christian religion and its prohibition of the worship of the pagan gods. Before his conversion to Christianity in 386, Augustine had devoted himself to the study of Platonism. In books VIII and IX of De Civitate Dei, Augustine renews his acquaintance with this philosophy, which had played such a fundamental role in his conversion. The main topic of these books is demonology, with Augustine using the De Deo Socratis of Apuleius, which places demons as the intermediaries between gods and men, as the foundation of his exploration into this theme. Augustine is keen to point out the similarities between Platonism and Christianity and therefore puts forward the theory that the ideal mediator between God and man is Christ — he who shares temporary mortality with humans and permanent blessedness with God and can therefore lead men from wretchedness to eternal bliss. The volume presents Latin text with facing-page English translation, introduction and commentary.
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- February 2021
- ISBN:
- 9780856688782
- eISBN:
- 9781800343009
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Liverpool University Press
- DOI:
- 10.3828/liverpool/9780856688782.001.0001
- Subject:
- Classical Studies, Ancient Greek, Roman, and Early Christian Philosophy
This edition of St. Augustine's The City of God (De Civitate Dei) is the only one in English to provide a text and translation as well as a detailed commentary of this most influential document in ...
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This edition of St. Augustine's The City of God (De Civitate Dei) is the only one in English to provide a text and translation as well as a detailed commentary of this most influential document in the history of western Christianity. In these books, written in the aftermath of the sack of Rome in AD 410 by the Goths, Augustine replies to the pagans, who attributed the fall of Rome to the Christian religion and its prohibition of the worship of the pagan gods. Books VI and VII focus on the figure of Terentius Varro, a man revered by Augustine's pagan contemporaries. By exploiting Varro's learned researches on Roman religion, Augustine condemns Roman religious practices and beliefs in order to refute pagan claims that the Roman deities had guaranteed a blessed life in the hereafter for their devotees. These books are therefore not only an invaluable source for the study of early Christianity but also for any student of Classical Rome, who is provided here with a detailed account of one of the most learned figures of Roman antiquity, whose own works have not survived in the same state. The volume presents Latin text with facing-page English translation, introduction and commentary.Less
This edition of St. Augustine's The City of God (De Civitate Dei) is the only one in English to provide a text and translation as well as a detailed commentary of this most influential document in the history of western Christianity. In these books, written in the aftermath of the sack of Rome in AD 410 by the Goths, Augustine replies to the pagans, who attributed the fall of Rome to the Christian religion and its prohibition of the worship of the pagan gods. Books VI and VII focus on the figure of Terentius Varro, a man revered by Augustine's pagan contemporaries. By exploiting Varro's learned researches on Roman religion, Augustine condemns Roman religious practices and beliefs in order to refute pagan claims that the Roman deities had guaranteed a blessed life in the hereafter for their devotees. These books are therefore not only an invaluable source for the study of early Christianity but also for any student of Classical Rome, who is provided here with a detailed account of one of the most learned figures of Roman antiquity, whose own works have not survived in the same state. The volume presents Latin text with facing-page English translation, introduction and commentary.
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- February 2021
- ISBN:
- 9780856687525
- eISBN:
- 9781800342989
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Liverpool University Press
- DOI:
- 10.3828/liverpool/9780856687525.001.0001
- Subject:
- Classical Studies, Ancient Greek, Roman, and Early Christian Philosophy
This edition of Books I & II of St. Augustine's The City of God (De Civitate Dei) is the only edition in English to provide a text and translation as well as a detailed commentary of this most ...
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This edition of Books I & II of St. Augustine's The City of God (De Civitate Dei) is the only edition in English to provide a text and translation as well as a detailed commentary of this most influential document in the history of western Christianity. In these books, written in the aftermath of the sack of Rome in AD 410 by the Goths, Augustine replies to the pagans, who attributed the fall of Rome to the Christian religion and its prohibition of the worship of the pagan gods. It begins with a focus on Augustine, who was the sole bishop of Hippo from 396 to 397 and had achieved cult status as the leading apologist for Christian orthodoxy in Africa. It explains how Augustine wrote an extended contrast between Jerusalem and Babylon, the city of God and the secular city. It also mentions Augustine's City of God, which culminated the patristic tradition of Christian apology in the West during the mid-second century. The book then looks at Augustine's central criticism of Roman religion, which implies that the Roman gods are demonic spirits that impersonate humans. It explores the basic belief on which Augustine constructs his work, the contrast between the city where injustice and violence reign and the city of justice and peace. The edition contains Latin text with facing-page English translation, introduction and commentary for both books.Less
This edition of Books I & II of St. Augustine's The City of God (De Civitate Dei) is the only edition in English to provide a text and translation as well as a detailed commentary of this most influential document in the history of western Christianity. In these books, written in the aftermath of the sack of Rome in AD 410 by the Goths, Augustine replies to the pagans, who attributed the fall of Rome to the Christian religion and its prohibition of the worship of the pagan gods. It begins with a focus on Augustine, who was the sole bishop of Hippo from 396 to 397 and had achieved cult status as the leading apologist for Christian orthodoxy in Africa. It explains how Augustine wrote an extended contrast between Jerusalem and Babylon, the city of God and the secular city. It also mentions Augustine's City of God, which culminated the patristic tradition of Christian apology in the West during the mid-second century. The book then looks at Augustine's central criticism of Roman religion, which implies that the Roman gods are demonic spirits that impersonate humans. It explores the basic belief on which Augustine constructs his work, the contrast between the city where injustice and violence reign and the city of justice and peace. The edition contains Latin text with facing-page English translation, introduction and commentary for both books.
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- February 2021
- ISBN:
- 9780856688492
- eISBN:
- 9781800342972
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Liverpool University Press
- DOI:
- 10.3828/liverpool/9780856688492.001.0001
- Subject:
- Classical Studies, Ancient Greek, Roman, and Early Christian Philosophy
This edition of St. Augustine's The City of God (De Civitate Dei) is the only one in English to provide a text and translation as well as a detailed commentary of this most influential document in ...
More
This edition of St. Augustine's The City of God (De Civitate Dei) is the only one in English to provide a text and translation as well as a detailed commentary of this most influential document in the history of western Christianity. In these books, written in the aftermath of the sack of Rome in AD 410 by the Goths, Augustine replies to the pagans, who attributed the fall of Rome to the Christian religion and its prohibition of the worship of the pagan gods. Following on from Book IX, this book discusses the issue of demons and their role in Platonism as being partly identical with the lesser gods. Having previously argued that in order to achieve the blessed life, we must worship one true God alone, Augustine now continues his discussion using the celebrated Neoplatonist Porphyry as his main source. Whilst applauding aspects of Porphyry's views, Augustine's main concern is to deliver his message that the sole path to blessedness after death is acknowledgement of the Incarnation and Christ as Mediator. Increasingly concerned with promoting the Christian message, Augustine cites the Bible frequently in Book X. The edition presents Latin text with facing-page translation, introduction and commentary.Less
This edition of St. Augustine's The City of God (De Civitate Dei) is the only one in English to provide a text and translation as well as a detailed commentary of this most influential document in the history of western Christianity. In these books, written in the aftermath of the sack of Rome in AD 410 by the Goths, Augustine replies to the pagans, who attributed the fall of Rome to the Christian religion and its prohibition of the worship of the pagan gods. Following on from Book IX, this book discusses the issue of demons and their role in Platonism as being partly identical with the lesser gods. Having previously argued that in order to achieve the blessed life, we must worship one true God alone, Augustine now continues his discussion using the celebrated Neoplatonist Porphyry as his main source. Whilst applauding aspects of Porphyry's views, Augustine's main concern is to deliver his message that the sole path to blessedness after death is acknowledgement of the Incarnation and Christ as Mediator. Increasingly concerned with promoting the Christian message, Augustine cites the Bible frequently in Book X. The edition presents Latin text with facing-page translation, introduction and commentary.
Robert Lanier Reid
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- May 2017
- ISBN:
- 9781526109170
- eISBN:
- 9781526121134
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Manchester University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7228/manchester/9781526109170.003.0008
- Subject:
- Literature, Shakespeare Studies
Does Spenser’s Mutabilitie Songcomplete his epic,or point to a more transcendent scope in its final half?It derogates the pagan gods; itreforms the titan Mutability (unlike the discarded demon-titans ...
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Does Spenser’s Mutabilitie Songcomplete his epic,or point to a more transcendent scope in its final half?It derogates the pagan gods; itreforms the titan Mutability (unlike the discarded demon-titans in books 1-6); and its grand pastoral pageantfalls short of the symbolic city toward which the poem moves. Spenser’s holistic design is more clearly implied in his ordering of deadly sins (FQ 1.4). Compared with Dante’s pattern of sins, of purgations, and of ascensions in the Commedia, it offers a vital clue to The Faerie Queene’s format–based on the Christian-Platonismthat informs all its figures and sequences. Much evidence suggests Elizabeth I would admire a mystic structuring of this epic that so honors her. As for Shakespeare’s attentiveness to last things, we explore the theme of ‘summoning’ in Hamlet and King Lear, both concerned–as in The Summoning of Everyman–with ‘readiness’ and ’ripeness’ in the face of death and judgment. In The Tempest’s deft collocation of all social levels and artistic genres, and its odd convergence with Spenserian allegory, we debate the insistence on Shakespeare’s secularism by examining the range of meaning in Prospero’s ‘Art’.Less
Does Spenser’s Mutabilitie Songcomplete his epic,or point to a more transcendent scope in its final half?It derogates the pagan gods; itreforms the titan Mutability (unlike the discarded demon-titans in books 1-6); and its grand pastoral pageantfalls short of the symbolic city toward which the poem moves. Spenser’s holistic design is more clearly implied in his ordering of deadly sins (FQ 1.4). Compared with Dante’s pattern of sins, of purgations, and of ascensions in the Commedia, it offers a vital clue to The Faerie Queene’s format–based on the Christian-Platonismthat informs all its figures and sequences. Much evidence suggests Elizabeth I would admire a mystic structuring of this epic that so honors her. As for Shakespeare’s attentiveness to last things, we explore the theme of ‘summoning’ in Hamlet and King Lear, both concerned–as in The Summoning of Everyman–with ‘readiness’ and ’ripeness’ in the face of death and judgment. In The Tempest’s deft collocation of all social levels and artistic genres, and its odd convergence with Spenserian allegory, we debate the insistence on Shakespeare’s secularism by examining the range of meaning in Prospero’s ‘Art’.
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- February 2021
- ISBN:
- 9780856688720
- eISBN:
- 9781800343023
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Liverpool University Press
- DOI:
- 10.3828/liverpool/9780856688720.001.0001
- Subject:
- Classical Studies, Ancient Greek, Roman, and Early Christian Philosophy
In books I–V of De Civitate Dei, St. Augustine rejects the claim that worship of the pagan gods had brought success in this life, and in books VI–X, the prospect of a happy afterlife. In books ...
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In books I–V of De Civitate Dei, St. Augustine rejects the claim that worship of the pagan gods had brought success in this life, and in books VI–X, the prospect of a happy afterlife. In books XI–XII, Augustine turns from attack to defence, for at this point he initiates his apology for the Christian faith. Books XI and XII document the initial phase of the rise of the two cities, the city of God and the city of this world, beginning with the Creation of the world and the human race. In Book XI, Augustine rejects the theories of Aristotle, Plato and the Epicureans on the creation of the universe and addresses the creation of angels, Satan, the role of the holy Trinity and the importance of numerology in the Genesis account. In Book XII, Augustine is chiefly concerned with refuting standard objections to the Christian tradition, returning to discussion of the Creation, including his calculation, based on the scriptures, that the world was created less than 6,000 years ago. This book is the only edition in English to provide not only a text but also a detailed commentary on one of the most influential documents in the history of western Christianity. It presents Latin text, with facing-page English translation, introduction, notes and commentary.Less
In books I–V of De Civitate Dei, St. Augustine rejects the claim that worship of the pagan gods had brought success in this life, and in books VI–X, the prospect of a happy afterlife. In books XI–XII, Augustine turns from attack to defence, for at this point he initiates his apology for the Christian faith. Books XI and XII document the initial phase of the rise of the two cities, the city of God and the city of this world, beginning with the Creation of the world and the human race. In Book XI, Augustine rejects the theories of Aristotle, Plato and the Epicureans on the creation of the universe and addresses the creation of angels, Satan, the role of the holy Trinity and the importance of numerology in the Genesis account. In Book XII, Augustine is chiefly concerned with refuting standard objections to the Christian tradition, returning to discussion of the Creation, including his calculation, based on the scriptures, that the world was created less than 6,000 years ago. This book is the only edition in English to provide not only a text but also a detailed commentary on one of the most influential documents in the history of western Christianity. It presents Latin text, with facing-page English translation, introduction, notes and commentary.
Elizabeth Archibald
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- January 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780198112099
- eISBN:
- 9780191708497
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198112099.003.0007
- Subject:
- Literature, Early and Medieval Literature
Incest seems an ever-present danger in medieval literature, although it can be absolved by repentance and grace. The genetic consequences of inbreeding are ignored: children of incest are usually ...
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Incest seems an ever-present danger in medieval literature, although it can be absolved by repentance and grace. The genetic consequences of inbreeding are ignored: children of incest are usually heroic and beautiful (Adonis), with a few exceptions (Mordred). Medieval incest narratives are compared with Renaissance drama, where incest leads to many deaths and represents corruption in society, not individual sinfulness. The one exception to the taboo is the Virgin Mary, regularly described in medieval texts as the mother/sister/daughter/bride of Christ. Her ‘incest’ is necessary for Christian salvation; it happens only once, and is spiritual not sexual, a victory rather than a moral defeat. It is suggested that this trope may have developed as a response to the carnality of the pagan gods, and to the frequent accusations of sexual misbehaviour aimed at the early Christians. Medieval incest stories reflect a strong sense of human sinfulness, but incest is also a productive literary theme.Less
Incest seems an ever-present danger in medieval literature, although it can be absolved by repentance and grace. The genetic consequences of inbreeding are ignored: children of incest are usually heroic and beautiful (Adonis), with a few exceptions (Mordred). Medieval incest narratives are compared with Renaissance drama, where incest leads to many deaths and represents corruption in society, not individual sinfulness. The one exception to the taboo is the Virgin Mary, regularly described in medieval texts as the mother/sister/daughter/bride of Christ. Her ‘incest’ is necessary for Christian salvation; it happens only once, and is spiritual not sexual, a victory rather than a moral defeat. It is suggested that this trope may have developed as a response to the carnality of the pagan gods, and to the frequent accusations of sexual misbehaviour aimed at the early Christians. Medieval incest stories reflect a strong sense of human sinfulness, but incest is also a productive literary theme.
Alastair Minnis
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- March 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780199587230
- eISBN:
- 9780191820410
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199587230.003.0020
- Subject:
- Classical Studies, Literary Studies: Classical, Early, and Medieval
Chaucer’s classicism is as much about the present as it is about the past. It accommodates, indeed enables, a remarkable degree of cultural relativism, which is reluctant to resort to simplistic ...
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Chaucer’s classicism is as much about the present as it is about the past. It accommodates, indeed enables, a remarkable degree of cultural relativism, which is reluctant to resort to simplistic forms of Christian triumphalism. The question of the salvation of the heathen is left to the professional theologians, as Chaucer celebrates the chivalric achievements and the occasional monotheistic discourse of characters like Theseus, Troilus, and Cambyuskan. The pagan gods are berated for their cruelty, and certain extreme feats of heathen virtue are clearly to be admired rather than emulated. Yet much pagan learning is deemed at least partly trustworthy (whether it relates to metaphysics, ethics, natural science, and possibly alchemy), and naturalistic explanations rather than miracles are sought for many phenomena. Such attitudes permeate Chaucer’s writing, contributing to a forward-looking classicism that has much yet to disclose.Less
Chaucer’s classicism is as much about the present as it is about the past. It accommodates, indeed enables, a remarkable degree of cultural relativism, which is reluctant to resort to simplistic forms of Christian triumphalism. The question of the salvation of the heathen is left to the professional theologians, as Chaucer celebrates the chivalric achievements and the occasional monotheistic discourse of characters like Theseus, Troilus, and Cambyuskan. The pagan gods are berated for their cruelty, and certain extreme feats of heathen virtue are clearly to be admired rather than emulated. Yet much pagan learning is deemed at least partly trustworthy (whether it relates to metaphysics, ethics, natural science, and possibly alchemy), and naturalistic explanations rather than miracles are sought for many phenomena. Such attitudes permeate Chaucer’s writing, contributing to a forward-looking classicism that has much yet to disclose.
Larry F. Norman
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- February 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780226591483
- eISBN:
- 9780226591506
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226591506.003.0009
- Subject:
- Literature, European Literature
In the view of the Moderns, the indecency of the pagan gods exposes more than the purely intellectual and spiritual errors arising from the ancients' misapprehension of divine nature. The scandal of ...
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In the view of the Moderns, the indecency of the pagan gods exposes more than the purely intellectual and spiritual errors arising from the ancients' misapprehension of divine nature. The scandal of paganism also reveals, as Fontenelle remarked, the day-to-day moral crudeness of the humans who created those illusory gods as mirrors of their own savage nature. The pagans had the gods they deserved. This chapter turns then from gods to humans—or rather to human literary characters, for it is above all the poetic representations of exemplary figures that obsess the Moderns. The two scandals, theological and moral, frequently converge. Just as was the case with the primitive pagan gods, the moral fault that the moderns find most characteristic of “first men”—and most reviling to contemporary norms—is their unreflective brutality.Less
In the view of the Moderns, the indecency of the pagan gods exposes more than the purely intellectual and spiritual errors arising from the ancients' misapprehension of divine nature. The scandal of paganism also reveals, as Fontenelle remarked, the day-to-day moral crudeness of the humans who created those illusory gods as mirrors of their own savage nature. The pagans had the gods they deserved. This chapter turns then from gods to humans—or rather to human literary characters, for it is above all the poetic representations of exemplary figures that obsess the Moderns. The two scandals, theological and moral, frequently converge. Just as was the case with the primitive pagan gods, the moral fault that the moderns find most characteristic of “first men”—and most reviling to contemporary norms—is their unreflective brutality.
David Bebbington
- Published in print:
- 2000
- Published Online:
- June 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780853239253
- eISBN:
- 9781846313202
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Liverpool University Press
- DOI:
- 10.5949/liverpool/9780853239253.003.0004
- Subject:
- Political Science, UK Politics
This chapter examines the reasons why Gladstone took up Homeric studies and attempts to bring out the significance of the substantial shift in his views. One reason for Gladstone's study of Homer is ...
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This chapter examines the reasons why Gladstone took up Homeric studies and attempts to bring out the significance of the substantial shift in his views. One reason for Gladstone's study of Homer is that the task provided a diversion from politics, a way of spending spare time profitably. A second explanation of his dedication to Homer is that he was eager to attack the opinions of George Grote, the leading authority of the day on ancient Greece. A third reason for the Homeric enterprise was distinctly religious. During the 1850s Gladstone became troubled by the growth of the assumption that little or nothing about religion was supernatural. He mounted an assault on the notion that religion is merely an expression of human instincts, using Homer's depiction of the pagan gods and goddesses.Less
This chapter examines the reasons why Gladstone took up Homeric studies and attempts to bring out the significance of the substantial shift in his views. One reason for Gladstone's study of Homer is that the task provided a diversion from politics, a way of spending spare time profitably. A second explanation of his dedication to Homer is that he was eager to attack the opinions of George Grote, the leading authority of the day on ancient Greece. A third reason for the Homeric enterprise was distinctly religious. During the 1850s Gladstone became troubled by the growth of the assumption that little or nothing about religion was supernatural. He mounted an assault on the notion that religion is merely an expression of human instincts, using Homer's depiction of the pagan gods and goddesses.