Athenian Political Art from the Fifth and Fourth
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The Conditions of Dramatic Production to the Death of Aeschylus Hammond, N G L Greek, Roman and Byzantine Studies; Winter 1972; 13, 4; Proquest Pg
The Conditions of Dramatic Production to the Death of Aeschylus Hammond, N G L Greek, Roman and Byzantine Studies; Winter 1972; 13, 4; ProQuest pg. 387 The Conditions of Dramatic Production to the Death of Aeschylus N. G. L. Hammond TUDENTS of ancient history sometimes fall into the error of read Sing their history backwards. They assume that the features of a fully developed institution were already there in its earliest form. Something similar seems to have happened recently in the study of the early Attic theatre. Thus T. B. L. Webster introduces his excellent list of monuments illustrating tragedy and satyr-play with the following sentences: "Nothing, except the remains of the old Dionysos temple, helps us to envisage the earliest tragic background. The references to the plays of Aeschylus are to the lines of the Loeb edition. I am most grateful to G. S. Kirk, H. D. F. Kitto, D. W. Lucas, F. H. Sandbach, B. A. Sparkes and Homer Thompson for their criticisms, which have contributed greatly to the final form of this article. The students of the Classical Society at Bristol produce a Greek play each year, and on one occasion they combined with the boys of Bristol Grammar School and the Cathedral School to produce Aeschylus' Oresteia; they have made me think about the problems of staging. The following abbreviations are used: AAG: The Athenian Agora, a Guide to the Excavation and Museum! (Athens 1962). ARNon, Conventions: P. D. Arnott, Greek Scenic Conventions in the Fifth Century B.C. (Oxford 1962). BIEBER, History: M. Bieber, The History of the Greek and Roman Theatre2 (Princeton 1961). -
Beauty on Display Plato and the Concept of the Kalon
BEAUTY ON DISPLAY PLATO AND THE CONCEPT OF THE KALON JONATHAN FINE Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 2018 © 2018 Jonathan Fine All rights reserved ABSTRACT BEAUTY ON DISPLAY: PLATO AND THE CONCEPT OF THE KALON JONATHAN FINE A central concept for Plato is the kalon – often translated as the beautiful, fine, admirable, or noble. This dissertation shows that only by prioritizing dimensions of beauty in the concept can we understand the nature, use, and insights of the kalon in Plato. The concept of the kalon organizes aspirations to appear and be admired as beautiful for one’s virtue. We may consider beauty superficial and concern for it vain – but what if it were also indispensable to living well? By analyzing how Plato uses the concept of the kalon to contest cultural practices of shame and honour regulated by ideals of beauty, we come to see not only the tensions within the concept but also how attractions to beauty steer, but can subvert, our attempts to live well. TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements ii 1 Coordinating the Kalon: A Critical Introduction 1 1 The Kalon and the Dominant Approach 2 2 A Conceptual Problem 10 3 Overview 24 2 Beauty, Shame, and the Appearance of Virtue 29 1 Our Ancient Contemporaries 29 2 The Cultural Imagination 34 3 Spirit and the Social Dimension of the Kalon 55 4 Before the Eyes of Others 82 3 Glory, Grief, and the Problem of Achilles 100 1 A Tragic Worldview 103 2 The Heroic Ideal 110 3 Disgracing Achilles 125 4 Putting Poikilia in its Place 135 1 Some Ambivalences 135 2 The Aesthetics of Poikilia 138 3 The Taste of Democracy 148 4 Lovers of Sights and Sounds 173 5 The Possibility of Wonder 182 5 The Guise of the Beautiful 188 1 A Psychological Distinction 190 2 From Disinterested Admiration to Agency 202 3 The Opacity of Love 212 4 Looking Good? 218 Bibliography 234 i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS “To do philosophy is to explore one’s own temperament,” Iris Murdoch suggested at the outset of “Of ‘God’ and ‘Good’”. -
The Nature of Hellenistic Domestic Sculpture in Its Cultural and Spatial Contexts
THE NATURE OF HELLENISTIC DOMESTIC SCULPTURE IN ITS CULTURAL AND SPATIAL CONTEXTS DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for The Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Craig I. Hardiman, B.Comm., B.A., M.A. ***** The Ohio State University 2005 Dissertation Committee: Approved by Dr. Mark D. Fullerton, Advisor Dr. Timothy J. McNiven _______________________________ Advisor Dr. Stephen V. Tracy Graduate Program in the History of Art Copyright by Craig I. Hardiman 2005 ABSTRACT This dissertation marks the first synthetic and contextual analysis of domestic sculpture for the whole of the Hellenistic period (323 BCE – 31 BCE). Prior to this study, Hellenistic domestic sculpture had been examined from a broadly literary perspective or had been the focus of smaller regional or site-specific studies. Rather than taking any one approach, this dissertation examines both the literary testimonia and the material record in order to develop as full a picture as possible for the location, function and meaning(s) of these pieces. The study begins with a reconsideration of the literary evidence. The testimonia deal chiefly with the residences of the Hellenistic kings and their conspicuous displays of wealth in the most public rooms in the home, namely courtyards and dining rooms. Following this, the material evidence from the Greek mainland and Asia Minor is considered. The general evidence supports the literary testimonia’s location for these sculptures. In addition, several individual examples offer insights into the sophistication of domestic decorative programs among the Greeks, something usually associated with the Romans. -
Agorapicbk-17.Pdf
Excavations of the Athenian Agora Picture Book No. 17 Prepared by Mabel L. Lang Dedicated to Eugene Vanderpool o American School of Classical Studies at Athens ISBN 87661-617-1 Produced by the Meriden Gravure Company Meriden, Connecticut COVER: Bone figure of Socrates TITLE PAGE: Hemlock SOCRATES IN THE AGORA AMERICAN SCHOOL OF CLASSICAL STUDIES AT ATHENS PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY 1978 ‘Everything combines to make our knowledge of Socrates himself a subject of Socratic irony. The only thing we know definitely about him is that we know nothing.’ -L. Brunschvicg As FAR AS we know Socrates himselfwrote nothing, yet not only were his life and words given dramatic attention in his own time in the Clouds of Ar- istophanes, but they have also become the subject of many others’ writing in the centuries since his death. Fourth-century B.C. writers who had first-hand knowledge of him composed either dialogues in which he was the dominant figure (Plato and Aeschines) or memories of his teaching and activities (Xe- nophon). Later authors down even to the present day have written numerous biographies based on these early sources and considering this most protean of philosophers from every possible point of view except perhaps the topograph- ical one which is attempted here. Instead of putting Socrates in the context of 5th-century B.C. philosophy, politics, ethics or rhetoric, we shall look to find him in the material world and physical surroundings of his favorite stamping- grounds, the Athenian Agora. Just as ‘agora’ in its original sense meant ‘gathering place’ but came in time to mean ‘market place’, so the agora itself was originally a gathering place I. -
And the Walls Came Tumblin' Down …
And the walls came tumblin’ down … Nigel Spivey, The Ancient Olympics. Oxford University Press, 2004. ISBN 0-19-280433-2. Pp. i-xxi + 273. Anmeldt af Thomas Heine Nielsen Der er tradition for, at afholdelsen af de moderne Olympiske Lege afføder en del publikationer om antikkens Olympiske Lege. Det var fx i 1976, da der var OL i Montreal, at M.I. Finley & H.W. Pleket publicerede deres The Olympic Games. The first Thousand Years - en bog der stadig er en god introduktion til emnet - og det var i 1960, da der var OL i Rom, at Leo Hjortsøs Olympia. Den græske Olympiade udkom. Det kan derfor ikke overraske, at når OL nu ‘vender hjem’ til Athen, er strømmen af publikationer en kende stærkere end ellers. Herhjemme har SFINX genudgivet Den græske Olympiade, og British Museum har ligeledes genudgivet Judith Swaddlings The Ancient Olympic Games, begge oprindeligt fra 1980, da der var OL i Moskva. Men der publiceres naturligvis også nyskrevne værker. Nigel Spivey (= S.) er sikkert mest kendt for bøger som Understanding Greek Sculpture. Ancient Meanings, Modern Readings (London, 1996) og Greek Art (London, 1997), men nu har han under titlen The Ancient Olympics begået et nyt værk. Bogens hensigt er at redegøre for Olympias “strangeness” og “historical peculiarities” (xix), og den placerer sig dermed smukt i den efterhånden lange række af nyere bøger, der fokuserer på den afgrundsdybe forskel mellem antikken og den moderne vestlige verden: “Olympia past is another country” (xix). Heldigvis er det ikke en hensigt, der præger bogen i så høj grad, at den bliver ulæselig. -
Stoa Poikile) Built About 475-450 BC
Arrangement Classical Greek cities – either result of continuous growth, or created at a single moment. Former – had streets –lines of communication, curving, bending- ease gradients. Later- had grid plans – straight streets crossing at right angles- ignoring obstacles became stairways where gradients were too steep. Despite these differences, certain features and principles of arrangement are common to both. Greek towns Towns had fixed boundaries. In 6th century BC some were surrounded by fortifications, later became more frequent., but even where there were no walls - demarcation of interior and exterior was clear. In most Greek towns availability of area- devoted to public use rather than private use. Agora- important gathering place – conveniently placed for communication and easily accessible from all directions. The Agora Of Athens • Agora originally meant "gathering place" but came to mean the market place and public square in an ancient Greek city. It was the political, civic, and commercial center of the city, near which were stoas, temples, administrative & public buildings, market places, monuments, shrines etc. • The agora in Athens had private housing, until it was reorganized by Peisistratus in the 6th century BC. • Although he may have lived on the agora himself, he removed the other houses, closed wells, and made it the centre of Athenian government. • He also built a drainage system, fountains and a temple to the Olympian gods. • Cimon later improved the agora by constructing new buildings and planting trees. • In the 5th century BC there were temples constructed to Hephaestus, Zeus and Apollo. • The Areopagus and the assembly of all citizens met elsewhere in Athens, but some public meetings, such as those to discuss ostracism, were held in the agora. -
The Limits of Communication Between Mortals and Immortals in the Homeric Hymns
Body Language: The Limits of Communication between Mortals and Immortals in the Homeric Hymns. Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Bridget Susan Buchholz, M.A. Graduate Program in Greek and Latin The Ohio State University 2009 Dissertation Committee: Sarah Iles Johnston Fritz Graf Carolina López-Ruiz Copyright by Bridget Susan Buchholz 2009 Abstract This project explores issues of communication as represented in the Homeric Hymns. Drawing on a cognitive model, which provides certain parameters and expectations for the representations of the gods, in particular, for the physical representations their bodies, I examine the anthropomorphic representation of the gods. I show how the narratives of the Homeric Hymns represent communication as based upon false assumptions between the mortals and immortals about the body. I argue that two methods are used to create and maintain the commonality between mortal bodies and immortal bodies; the allocation of skills among many gods and the transference of displays of power to tools used by the gods. However, despite these techniques, the texts represent communication based upon assumptions about the body as unsuccessful. Next, I analyze the instances in which the assumed body of the god is recognized by mortals, within a narrative. This recognition is not based upon physical attributes, but upon the spoken self identification by the god. Finally, I demonstrate how successful communication occurs, within the text, after the god has been recognized. Successful communication is represented as occurring in the presence of ritual references. -
Sacred Mushrooms of the Goddess and the Secrets of Eleusis
In memory of Blaise Daniel Staples, my companion and soul mate. He is dearly missed. PREFACE by Huston Smith WHEN I WAS ABOUT TO PUBLISH Cleansing the Doors of Perception: The Religious Significance of Entheogenic Plants and Chemicals, there were those who advised me not to do so, saying that it would destroy my reputation. Time has proved them wrong. As the religious significance of these substances comes to be increasingly accepted—the glaring exception being the Food and Drug Administration—the sales of that book (favorably reviewed from the beginning) continue to rise. As does my conviction of the importance of the issue, and I will say why. The great achievement of the linguist Noam Chomsky, who was my colleague during the fifteen years I taught at MIT, was to discover the universal grammar that every spoken language–– English, Chinese, French, whatever––must conform to, for it seems to be imprinted into the human brain. I, for my part, have worked out the universal grammar of religion to which authentic religions conform. Reduced to a single sentence, that grammar concludes that Reality is Perfect, and that human beings should do their best to conform their lives to that perfection. Reality’s perfection seems to be contradicted by perception of the world, but this is not surprising, for Reality is Infinite and our minds are not. Out minds must expand if they are to receive even glimpses of the Infinite Perfection. Thus the question is: how can they do this? Perfect Reality has provided a way. Through the entheogens, to be sure, but here we come to a point that has been under-noticed in the discussion of this important subject. -
Pompeii and the Roman Villa
Pompeii and the Roman Villa ART AND CULTURE AROUND THE BAY OF NAPLES __________________________________________________________________________________________________ HE ANCIENT GREEK PHILOSOPHER EPICURUS STATED: “PLEASURE IS THE BEGINNING and end of living happily.” This statement rang true for prominent Romans who spent their leisure time in luxurious villas and houses in the towns of TPompeii, Herculaneum, and other ancient Roman towns that were centers of activity along the Bay of Naples in the first century BC and the first century AD. Epicurus’s philosophy appealed to many Romans who retreated to their country homes in the spring and summer months to enjoy a respite from their working lives in Rome. Pompeii, in the region of Campania, retained its Greek culture and character after becoming a Roman colony in 80 BC. The Romans considered Greece a source of culture, beauty, and wisdom, and knowledge of Greek culture was a status symbol that signaled refinement and education. Greek influence pervaded the decor of Roman residences around the Bay of Naples and was reflected in the works of art both acquired and emulated by Roman patrons. Some Romans, when on vacation, even wore Greek dress—such as a chiton for men or a peplos for women—rather than the standard toga of the day. These curriculum materials explore the cultural and artistic life in Pompeii and other towns around the Bay of Naples in the centuries leading up to the eruption of Vesuvius in the year 79. Two works of art, the mosaic Plato’s Academy (1st century BC–1st century AD) and the fresco Garden Scene (1st century BC–1st century AD), are examples of the embellishments applied to the gardens and interiors of Pompeian villas. -
Naked and Unashamed: a Study of the Aphrodite
Naked and Unashamed: A Study of the Aphrodite Anadyomene in the Greco-Roman World by Marianne Eileen Wardle Department of Art, Art History and Visual Studies Duke University Date:_______________________ Approved: ___________________________ Sheila Dillon, Supervisor ___________________________ Mary T. Boatwright ___________________________ Caroline A. Bruzelius ___________________________ Richard J. Powell ___________________________ Kristine Stiles Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosopy in the Department of Art, Art History and Visual Studies in the Graduate School of Duke University 2010 ABSTRACT Naked and Unashamed: A Study of the Aphrodite Anadyomene in the Greco-Roman World by Marianne Eileen Wardle Department of Art, Art History and Visual Studies Duke University Date:_______________________ Approved: ___________________________ Sheila Dillon, Supervisor ___________________________ Mary T. Boatwright ___________________________ Caroline A. Bruzelius ___________________________ Richard J. Powell ___________________________ Kristine Stiles An abstract of a dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosopy in the Department of Art, Art History and Visual Studies in the Graduate School of Duke University 2010 Copyright by Marianne Eileen Wardle 2010 Abstract This dissertation presents a study of the Aphrodite Anadyomene type in its cultural and physical contexts. Like many other naked Aphrodites, the Anadyomene was not posed to conceal the body, but with arms raised, naked and unashamed, exposing the goddess’ body to the gaze. Depictions of the Aphrodite Anadyomene present the female body as an object to be desired. The Anadyomene offers none of the complicated games of peek-a- boo which pudica Venuses play by shielding their bodies from view. Instead, the goddess offers her body to the viewer’s gaze and there is no doubt that we, as viewers, are meant to look, and that our looking should produce desire. -
The Temple Classics
THE TEMPLE CLASSICS Edited by W. H. D. ROUSE M.A. First iss_t *f titis Edition, J898 ; R#printtd t908 , 191o PRINTZD IN OJUgAT BH|TAIN In compliance with eurre,lt copyright law, the Univer- sity of Minnesota Bindery produced this facsimile on permanent-durable paper to replace the irreparably deteriorated original volume owned by the University Library. 1988 TO THE MOST HIGH AND MIGHTV PRINCESS ELIZABETH By the Grace of God, of F.mghmd, France, It_ Ireland Queen, Defender of the Fltith, etc. U_DER hope of your Highness' gracious and accus- To the . tomed favour, I have presumed to present here wiaeamd _unto your Majesty, Plutarch's Lives translated, as virtuo,,- • a book fit to be protected by your Highness, and Queea -meet to be set forth in English--for who is , fitter to give countenance to so many great states, - than such an high and mighty Princess ._ who is fitter to revive the dead memory of their _', fame, than she that beareth the lively image of ...their vertues ? who is fitter to authorise a work _of so great learning and wisedom, than she whom all do honour as the Muse of the world ? Therefore I humbly beseech your Majesty, to -_suffer the simpleness of my translation, to be covered under the ampleness of your Highness' pro- _gtecfion. For, most gracious Sovereign, though _-this book be no book for your Majesty's self, =who are meeter to be the chief stone, than a '_student therein, and can better understand it in Greek, than any man can make in English: ' U;k_. -
Enhancing the Mind in Ancient Greece.Pdf
Enhancing the Mind in Ancient Greece Plato's Academy Mosaic from Pompeii first cent. BC/AD Yulia Ustinova Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Israel Suda, s.v. epipnoia: Epipnoia is enthousiasmos Inspiration in engoddedness (possession, seizure by a deity) Inspired performer Amphora, attributed to the Berlin Painter, ca. 490 Plan of the presentation Inspiration and methods of its attaining ► of ancient Greek philosophers (Plato and Socrates) ► of traditional sages (Pythagoras) ► of prophetic priests (at Claros) Aims of the presentation ► to describe ancient Greek practices ► to underscore the interaction between cross-cultural aspiration for mind enhancement and historically conditioned environment of a particular culture Mental experiences of exceptional intensity and divine intervention Mortals who tried to communicate with the divine Plutarch, Solon 12 (on Epimenides, one of the Archaic sages): ‘acquired the knowledge of the divine by means of ecstatic wisdom’ A poet and the Muses. Hesiod Painter, 460-450 BC Methods of consciousness manipulation ► Some mystics claimed that they could release their souls at will; independent of the body, the soul could achieve superhuman knowledge ► Others attained states of intense concentration by means of meditation-like techniques ► The state construed in antiquity as possession by a deity, divinely inspired madness, enabled temporary abandonment of the human self and transformed an individual into a medium The Pythia (Apollo’s prophetic medium at Delphi) and an enquirer The Vulci cup, Codrus Painter 440-430 BC Plato and ecstatic revelation ► Plato associates philosophical doctrines with ecstatic revelation ► Perhaps experienced mystical revelation himself Plato 427-347 BC Roman copy of a work by Silanion, fourth cent.