Chapter Eleven, Lecture One Myths of Death

Greeks mostly believed in a life after death, but it was a bleak vision It evolved and changed over time.

The Greek View of Death

Not a “natural process” for the Greeks –Life ended from some violent intervention Hades (“the unseen one”) –Pluto (Dis) –Euphemisms : Polydemôn; Polyxenos Individuals continued as an eidolon –Breath (anemos > anima) psychê

The Greek View of Death The recently dead had to be satisfied with rituals –Morning, noise, even food Invited to parties: the anthesteria Some ghosts are beneficent, others malevolent Hermes led them to their place of rest (psychopompus)

Odysseus’s Journey to Death’s Realm

Odysseus’s Journey Must get advice from the deceased Tiresias –Was once a woman; knew which enjoyed sex more Journey across the Ocean Blood sacrifice (vampirism) Elpenor –The fate of the unburied

Odysseus’s Journey Catalog of Noble Women Achilles –“Better to be a peon...” The arbitrators of the underworld –Minos, Rhadymanthus, Aeacus The illustrious evil –Tityus, Tantalus, Sisyphus

Odysseus’s Journey Heracles’s eidolon Elysium –Menelaüs

Orpheus and Eurydicê

Orpheus the singer Loses his intended Eurydicê at their wedding Loses her again on the way out of Hades Torn apart by Menaeds –Refused Dionysus’s cult or refused women followers or refused women in general ?

Orphism

Collection of writings (the Orphic Hymns) Religious cosmology Brought followers a better afterlife

Orphism ChronosZeus AetherDemeter ChaosPersephonê ErebusDionysus (Zagreus) PhanesPallas NyxTitans Gaea and Uranus Cronus

Orphism Cosmology to explain human nature –Sôma sêma Metempsychosis –Cycle can be broken –Ascetic purity –Magic formulas Influence from Shamanism Influence on Pythagoras, Plato, and early Christians

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