Olympians-Divine Anthropomorphism And The Scope Of Divine Power Flashcards
what is divine anthropomorphism
Divine anthropomorphism refers to the idea that the gods are like human beings. The idea refers primarily to physical attributes: the idea that the gods look
like us (even if more idealised).
However, there are also less obvious forms of anthropomorphism which
are also relevant. The gods are also like us in behaviour and psychology.
They are also like human beings in that they are limited.
The gods differ from us in terms of power, beauty and immortality.
the gods are like us; physical appearance
Panathenaic Amphora; Parthenon
sculptures; lots of evidence from Homeric epics and Hesiod’s poems.
the gods are like us; psychology
Lots of Homeric and Hesiodic examples Hera’s anger, Zeus’ pity or anger,
Thetis’ sympathy, etc.
the gods are like us; behaviour
Panathenaic Amphora (Athena striding);
lots of Homeric and Hesiodic examples,
including divine parentage (hinting at
human means of reproduction).
scholarly debate, is the anthropomorphism of the gods metephor or reality. trad view garland
the gods are literally human in form, even if more powerful and more perfect.
evidence for this includes the
philosopher Xenophanes’ rejection (6th century BC) of human-like gods, seemingly implying that people who was? really did believe that the gods are like us in form: ‘If oxen or horses or lions had hands or could paint a
picture and create works of art like men, horses would draw pictures of the gods like horses, oxen pictures of gods like oxen, and each species would make the body of its gods in accordance with its own appearance.’ Also the sheer physicality of Homer and Hesiod’s gods— if Thetis was not Achilles’ mother,
the gods are like us; limitations
Though more powerful than us, the
gods are still limited and show weak
ness. Hera manages to trick Zeus in Iliad 14, putting him to sleep while the pro Greek gods fight for their favourites.
scholarly debate, is the anthropomorphism of the gods metaphor or reality. zaidman and panel
depicting gods with
idealised human bodies just a symbolic
expression of their divine perfection—i.e., the gods are not literally like us in body, but are shown like us to help us understand them.
In favour of Z&P’s view, the Oltos cup of c.510BC, depicting the gods unrealistically holding/wearing objects identifying them, indicating that their depictions are symbolic rather than literal.
how the gods differ from us; power
Lots of Homeric and Hesiodic examples,
including Zeus and Hera’s almost casual decision in Book 4 of the Iliad to destroy Troy (and Troy is duly destroyed, of course)
how the gods differ from us; beauty
From Homer, Iliad 18: ‘The [army] set
out, led by Ares and Athene, all made of
gold. Tall and beautiful in their golden
clothes and armour, as gods should
look, they rose above the smaller warriors at their feet.’
how the gods differ from us; immortality and happiness
Homer, Iliad 24, Achilles: ‘We men are
wretched creatures and the gods have
woven grief into our lives: but they
themselves are free from care.’
