[lit-ideas] Spartakeia
- From: Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 28 Nov 2007 21:15:35 EST
Further to the notes, I have read (sort of) Sargent for ref. to Sparta and I
notice he claims TWO 'founding myths', as the translation goes, are
especifically Spartan.
(i ) The well-known one of Hyacinthus -- refs from Liddell/Scott online
"Greek Lexicon" below.
More interestingly,
(ii) The Elakatas myth --.
(He suggests references of the Hyppolitos myth as well, etc.)
For (ii) I have not been able to find much outside Sargent's book. One
website, which I have not checked, goes:
_Associazione O-zone | L’erotismo nel mondo antico: greci, etruschi ..._
(http://www.associazioneozone.net/territorio/ricerca-e-valorizzazione/lerotismo-ne
l-mondo-antico-greci-etruschi-e-barbari/) - [ _Translate this page_
(http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=it&u=http://www.associazioneozone.net/te
rritorio/ricerca-e-valorizzazione/lerotismo-nel-mondo-antico-greci-etruschi-e-
barbari/&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=1&ct=result&prev=/search?q=Elakatas&hl=en&ie
=UTF-8) ] ... radici nel mito di Apollo e Giacinto; un’altro mito
considerato fondatore per la società spartana era quello di Heracle (erastes)
Elakatas (eromenos). ...
_www.associazioneozone.net/.../ricerca-e-valorizzazione/www.associazioneozone.
net/.../ricerca-e-valorizzazio_
(http://www.associazioneozone.net/.../ricerca-e-valorizzazione/lerotismo-nel-mondo-antico-greci-etruschi-e-barbari/)
For (i)
A. Hyacinthus, a Laconian youth, beloved by Apollo, who killed him by an
unlucky cast of the discus, E.Hel.1469 (lyr.), Apollo.3.10.3, Paus.3.1.3: cf.
Huakinthia.
B. as Appellat.,
I. huakinthos , , hu. sparte Thphr. HP6.8.2 ; said to have sprung up from
the blood of Hyacinthus
[with the interjection AI AI deciphered in the petals being the expression
of Apollo's grief]
Huakinthia [u^], ta (sc. hiera), a Laconian festival in honour of
Hyacinthus,
Herodotos.9.7,11, Thucydides 5.23, Xenophon Historia Graeca 4.5.11, etc.
---- Sargent's point is that both are foundational myths for Sparta (this is
the second time I'm trying to write this post -- it got deleted by mistake:
this copying and pasting can be a bore), and you know how trying is to retry
a post), so I'll be brief.
Both were names of months and part of the military calendar. The Hiacinthia
was celebrated south of Sparta (males and females) alike, to provide a tribute
to the 'resurrection' of their brave soldier (now underground). The
Elakateia marked the end of the yearly campaign and involved some contest with
wreath-runners.
Nothing earth-shattering, but I think it's good to know what we are talking
about when we talk "Spartan" and try to 'overuse' the term to mean almost
"everything you always wanted to know about military austerity -- but were
afraid to ask". And Helm is right that it all went to the dogs when they
(Spartans) became successful and wealthy.
Cheers,
JL
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