[lit-ideas] Hellenism Galore
- From: Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2007 20:01:46 EST
Spartaca
Jelm
"and [the females] performed gymnastics, all
completely naked and in full public view, to the consternation of Greek
visitors from other cities. They were also keen on horses. . . The
reputation of Spartan girls and women for outstanding physical beauty went
right back as far as Helen of Troy - or Helen of Sparta, as she of course
was originally."
Well, not for nothing, as they say, 'gymnasium' means 'the naked place', and
'gymnosperm', the naked seed.
Anyway, they said that Paris, to complement, was thought to be the
handsomest man ever conceived. I don't tend to agree when I see the
representations of
him in paintings.
There's this myth "The Judgement of Paris" where he has to judge as to who
the most handsome female (goddess) was --. The myth makes sense if one thinks
that the Greeks conceived of this Trojan as the most handsome man (or male,
god or not).
The phrase 'god or not god' is also to please Geary. Xenophon (was he?) used
to say that if oxen could sculpt, they would sculpt oxen. Empedocles used
that to prove that all religion is relativistic.
Helena _is_ usually portrayed -- even in film -- as the most beautiful woman.
This reminds me also of the language-question. Paris, unlike Helen, would
be, to the Greeks, a furriner -- or barbarian -- but he was not. The Trojans I
forget if the Greeks thought of as Indo-European or what have you. In any case
they don't look too foreign (to Achilles etc.)
Nor to Aeneas -- who found the myth politically useful to create the own
foundational myth for the Romans. And here, but I'd have to check with my Loeb,
is something I found interesting by reading this "Dict. of Mythology" (Teach
Yourself Books).
They said that to avoid the problems that Aeneas and his kin would speak
Trojan, and not Latin, Ares punished them by "Forgetting their Mother Language"
and acquiring Latina (Lingua Latina) instead, from the tribe they were
copulating with -- the Latins of Latium. Ah, myths -- who's teaching them now!
---- Talking of Aeneas reminds of the ENNEADS (not to confuse them). This
were pairs of nine (philosophical treatises) by Plotinus. Porphyry says that
Plotinus suffered of bladder problems, but thought an enema was not dignified
for a Roman. He loved Polemos, whom he'd hear recite the multiplication table.
He also had foresight, Plotinus did. He foresaw that Polemos would be
'amorous and short-lived'. And Porphyry writes, "indeed he was" (Loeb, vol. 1).
Cheers,
JLS, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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