DOCSLIB.ORG

Representations of Truth and Falsehood in Hellenistic Poetry

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Representations of Truth and Falsehood in Hellenistic Poetry Representations of Truth and Falsehood in Hellenistic Poetry A dissertation submitted to the Graduate School of the University of Cincinnati in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy In the Department of Classics Of the College of Arts and Sciences by Kathleen Kidder B.A. University of Texas at Austin February 2018 Committee Chair: Kathryn J. Gutzwiller, Ph.D. Abstract This dissertation examines how five Hellenistic poets represent the processes of evaluating truth and falsehood. Applying the philosophic concept of a criterion of truth, I demonstrate that each poetic persona interrogates truth by suggesting a different kind of criterion. Due to the indebtedness of Hellenistic poetry to previous literature, the second chapter summarizes the evolution of pertinent vocabulary for truth and falsehood, tracking the words’ first appearances in early poetry to their reappearance in Hellenistic verse. In my third chapter, I discuss notions concerning the relationship between truth and poetry throughout Greek literary history. The fourth chapter covers Aratus’ Phaenomena and Nicander’s Theriaca, two poems containing scientific subject matter framed as true. Yet, as I argue, the poems’ contrasting treatments of myths attest to the differences in the knowability of the respective material. In the Phaemomena, a poem about visible signs, Aratus’ myths offer a model for interpreting an ordered Stoic universe via regular and perceptible signs. By contrast, Nicander’s myths replicate the uncertainty of his subject matter (deadly creatures and remedies) and the necessity of direct experience as a criterion. The dichotomy between certainty and uncertainty applies also to the fifth chapter, which analyzes the narratorial voices of Callimachus in the Aetia and Apollonius of Rhodes in the Argonautica. While the Callimachean persona exhibits a confident attitude in assessing sources and information, employing personal experience as a criterion, the Apollonian narrator expresses doubt and implies a lack of a definite criterion. The sixth chapter, devoted to Lycophron’s Alexandra, focuses on how the prophetess Cassandra assesses truth through her understanding of hidden inner essences. Cassandra’s strategy, however, contrasts with that of the messenger, who claims to report her speech accurately but fails to comprehend or believe it. Ultimately, in comparing the treatments of truth and falsehood in these five works, I show that ii the combination of poetic language, allusion, and myth can embody the methods for reconciling certainty and doubt. iii © 2018 Kathleen Kidder iv Preface The question of truth and falsehood is one of the fundamental issues underlying the study and reception of Ancient Greek poetry. Can poems, with their beautiful and ordered language, reveal deeper truths—truths about the world, society, and self? What role, moreover, does falsehood play in poetic production? Yet how can a person distinguish truth from falsehood, not just in verse, but in all spheres in existence? Is such a distinction even possible? These are the questions that motivate my analysis of five Hellenistic poems. During this time, not only had prose usurped poetry’s role as purveyor of knowledge, the notion of truth was further complicated by a variety of factors. While the philosophic schools debated the criterion of truth, the Library of Alexandria stored an accumulation of information, much of which was conflicting. In this dissertation I consider conflict, not just between truth and falsehood, but also between order and chaos, certainty and doubt, clarity and ambiguity, seen and unseen, and being and seeming. v Acknowledgments This dissertation is the culmination of ten years of training in Classics. The past two years of fellowship funding, from the Department of Classics and the University of Cincinnati, have facilitated this project, allowing more time for research and conference travel. Yet aside from these obvious requirements of time and financial support, numerous individuals have assisted in the genesis and completion of the work. I wish to thank them here. I begin by offering my profound thanks to my advisor, Kathryn Gutzwiller, who has supported me throughout my graduate career. Her insightful comments on my chapters aided me in developing and sharpening my arguments and analyses. Most importantly, she has taught me, to steal her metaphor, to look at the forest, not just the trees. At the same time, I would like to thank the members of the dissertation committee for their comments and advice. Richard Hunter offered bibliography and suggestions for revising some arguments, as did Daniel Markovic and Susan Prince, bringing in their own specialties. In addition to the committee members, there are several others here at UC whom I would like to acknowledge: Kathleen Lynch, Jack Davis, the late Getzel Cohen, Barbara Burrell, and Lauren Ginsberg. I would also like to thank the library staff: the retired Jacquie Riley, Mike Braunlin, Cade Stevens, and all of the student workers. Thank you also to Jenny Lin, Joseph Katemkamp, and John Wallrodt for assistance with administrative and technical issues. Finally, I would like to thank Angelica Wisenbarger, Andy Lund, and Carina Moss. All three kindly agreed to look at portions of the final draft for typos and errors. Over the past several years, I have received invaluable support from the following friends: Morgan Calahan, Erica Allseitz, Sarah Daigneault, Emily Wetzel, Molly Donnermeyer, Liz Barnes, Katie Durante, and Amy Rudnik. I express the deepest thanks to my partner Steven vi Kemple, who has supported me in every way possible, emotionally and intellectually. Not only has he used his librarian skills for proofreading and checking my bibliography, he has encouraged me to pursue my ideas in research, visual work, and performance. Without him, finishing this dissertation would have been possible, but much less pleasant. Finally, I thank my parents, Kay and Harold Kidder. Despite living far away in Texas, they have been with me every step of this process. I dedicate this dissertation to them. vii Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 2: The Vocabulary of Truth and Falsehood .............................................................. 17 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 17 Truth .......................................................................................................................................... 18 ἀλήθεια and ἀληθής .............................................................................................................. 18 ἔτυμος, ἐτήτυμος, and ἐτεός ................................................................................................. 20 νημερτής and ἀτρεκής ........................................................................................................... 22 Truth in Hellenistic Poetry .................................................................................................... 24 Falsehood .................................................................................................................................. 27 ψεῦδος and ψεύδομαι ............................................................................................................ 27 Falsehood in Hellenistic Poetry ............................................................................................ 28 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 29 Chapter 3: Background .............................................................................................................. 32 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 32 Poetry ........................................................................................................................................ 33 Homer ....................................................................................................................................... 33 Hesiod ................................................................................................................................... 38 Pindar .................................................................................................................................... 42 Sixth and Fifth Century Criticism ............................................................................................. 44 Philosophy................................................................................................................................. 48 Plato ...................................................................................................................................... 48 Aristotle................................................................................................................................. 53 The Early Stoics .................................................................................................................... 57 Chapter 4: Aratus and Nicander ............................................................................................... 61 Introduction ..............................................................................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Hellenic Saga Gaia (Earth)
    The Hellenic Saga Gaia (Earth) Uranus (Heaven) Oceanus = Tethys Iapetus (Titan) = Clymene Themis Atlas Menoetius Prometheus Epimetheus = Pandora Prometheus • “Prometheus made humans out of earth and water, and he also gave them fire…” (Apollodorus Library 1.7.1) • … “and scatter-brained Epimetheus from the first was a mischief to men who eat bread; for it was he who first took of Zeus the woman, the maiden whom he had formed” (Hesiod Theogony ca. 509) Prometheus and Zeus • Zeus concealed the secret of life • Trick of the meat and fat • Zeus concealed fire • Prometheus stole it and gave it to man • Freidrich H. Fuger, 1751 - 1818 • Zeus ordered the creation of Pandora • Zeus chained Prometheus to a mountain • The accounts here are many and confused Maxfield Parish Prometheus 1919 Prometheus Chained Dirck van Baburen 1594 - 1624 Prometheus Nicolas-Sébastien Adam 1705 - 1778 Frankenstein: The Modern Prometheus • Novel by Mary Shelly • First published in 1818. • The first true Science Fiction novel • Victor Frankenstein is Prometheus • As with the story of Prometheus, the novel asks about cause and effect, and about responsibility. • Is man accountable for his creations? • Is God? • Are there moral, ethical constraints on man’s creative urges? Mary Shelly • “I saw the pale student of unhallowed arts kneeling beside the thing he had put together. I saw the hideous phantasm of a man stretched out, and then, on the working of some powerful engine, show signs of life, and stir with an uneasy, half vital motion. Frightful must it be; for supremely frightful would be the effect of any human endeavour to mock the stupendous mechanism of the Creator of the world” (Introduction to the 1831 edition) Did I request thee, from my clay To mould me man? Did I solicit thee From darkness to promote me? John Milton, Paradise Lost 10.
    [Show full text]
  • 6 X 10 Long.P65
    Cambridge University Press 0521853060 - Strabo’s Cultural Geography: The Making of a Kolossourgia Edited by Daniela Dueck, Hugh Lindsay and Sarah Pothecary Index More information Index of geographical names g. = gulf; is. = island; l. = lake; mt. = mountain; s. = sea Acarnania is. 95, 97 Anti-Lebanon 241 Ace (Acre) 253 Antioch 148 Achaea 146, 147, 153, 158, 160, 162, 176, 178 Antitaurus 210 Achaeans 124, 125 Apamea 205 Acherusian marsh 78 Apollonia 10, 11, 17 Acrocorinthus 153-4 Aquitania 168, 169, 177 Actium 67, 130, 149, 195, 197, 198 Arabia 92, 95, 245, 251, 257 Adriatic s. 173, 176 Arabian s. 36 Aea 229 Arabs 245 Aega 99 Arcadia 136, 152, 153, 154 Aegean is. 131 Argaeus mt. 210, 212 Aegean s. 145 Argos 10, 99 Aegina is. 94, 98 Aria 52 Aequi 126 Arians 49 Aetna mt. 78 Arimaspians 229 Africa see also Libya 221 Armenia 180, 193, 195, 198, 200-3, 205, 210, 214 Ahmed Serai 192 Armenians 203, 245 Ainali-Maghara 188 Ascalon 254 Alabanda 12, 129 Ashdodites 256-7 Albania 224 Asia see Asia Minor Alexandria 2, 41, 92, 106, 108, 116, 117, 132, 137, Asia Minor 44, 46, 59, 73, 79, 92, 99, 100, 122, 125, 139, 148, 208, 238, 254 129, 132, 133, 135, 136, 137, 139, 140-1, 142, 143, Alpes Maritimae 169-70, 173, 178 151, 155, 158, 159, 175, 177, 180, 185, 198, 199, Alps 92, 169-70, 171, 173, 178 202, 203, 204, 209, 214, 218, 219, 220, 221, Alps, Pontic 180 223, 225 Amanus r. 210 Asphalt l. see also Dead Sea 239, 241, 242, 243, Amasia 1, 58, 69, 82, 131, 141, 180-99, 224 244, 245 Amastris 192 Aspurgiani 198, 227 Amasya see Amasia Asteeis r.
    [Show full text]
  • Mailch 16, Hlol. Cientri1nc AMERJCAN SUPPLEMENT
    MAIlCH 16, HlOl. �CIENtrI1NC AMERJCAN SUPPLEMENT, No. 1315 21083 of this piece is remar kable ; bu t what adds peculiar ley." Turning, then, to the particular examples before had already been transferred to the skies, i. e., we have interest are the bright colors with which it is set off. us, we find 4 : constellation-figures as coin-types. The Lion, Grab and The body is colored pale red; the hair is of a darker No. 1. H erakles kneeUng. "HerakIes, bearded Water-snake of the modern globe preserve the story. red, and alm ost brown, and the wings are white. Upon naked, kneeling on one knee, r." With club, strung King Herakles could not be placed next thern, even in the back, a delicate stripe of gold descends along the bow, and two arrows; behind, Tunny. Cyzicus. Cir. the Bab. Sphere, as he had already been located else­ spinal column, bifurcates and passes aver the sid�s. B. C. 500-450. Every Sign of the Zodaic, except where. These obvious instances justify us in presum­ This curious figurine, so artistically fashioned, seems Aquarius, and other constellation-figures, whether as ing a probable, or almost certain, connection between to be comparable as a work of art to the best terra such or not, appear on the coins of this city, which, constellation-figure and coin-type where, at first sight, cottas of the Cyrenaic period. through Miletus and Lampsacus, is connected with the evidence may not be quite so clear. Herakles is Visitors to the museum can scarcely believe that this Crete and Ph.
    [Show full text]
  • The Argonautica, Book 1;
    '^THE ARGONAUTICA OF GAIUS VALERIUS FLACCUS (SETINUS BALBUS BOOK I TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH PROSE WITH INTRODUCTION AND NOTES BY H. G. BLOMFIELD, M.A., I.C.S. LATE SCHOLAR OF EXETER COLLEGE, OXFORD OXFORD B. H. BLACKWELL, BROAD STREET 1916 NEW YORK LONGMANS GREEN & CO. FOURTH AVENUE AND 30TH STREET TO MY WIFE h2 ; ; ; — CANDIDO LECTORI Reader, I'll spin you, if you please, A tough yarn of the good ship Argo, And how she carried o'er the seas Her somewhat miscellaneous cargo; And how one Jason did with ease (Spite of the Colchian King's embargo) Contrive to bone the fleecy prize That by the dragon fierce was guarded, Closing its soporific eyes By spells with honey interlarded How, spite of favouring winds and skies, His homeward voyage was retarded And how the Princess, by whose aid Her father's purpose had been thwarted, With the Greek stranger in the glade Of Ares secretly consorted, And how his converse with the maid Is generally thus reported : ' Medea, the premature decease Of my respected parent causes A vacancy in Northern Greece, And no one's claim 's as good as yours is To fill the blank : come, take the lease. Conditioned by the following clauses : You'll have to do a midnight bunk With me aboard the S.S. Argo But there 's no earthly need to funk, Or think the crew cannot so far go : They're not invariably drunk, And you can act as supercargo. — CANDIDO LECTORI • Nor should you very greatly care If sometimes you're a little sea-sick; There's no escape from mal-de-mer, Why, storms have actually made me sick : Take a Pope-Roach, and don't despair ; The best thing simply is to be sick.' H.
    [Show full text]
  • Artaxerxes II
    Artaxerxes II John Shannahan BAncHist (Hons) (Macquarie University) Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Department of Ancient History, Macquarie University. May, 2015. ii Contents List of Illustrations v Abstract ix Declaration xi Acknowledgements xiii Abbreviations and Conventions xv Introduction 1 CHAPTER 1 THE EARLY REIGN OF ARTAXERXES II The Birth of Artaxerxes to Cyrus’ Challenge 15 The Revolt of Cyrus 41 Observations on the Egyptians at Cunaxa 53 Royal Tactics at Cunaxa 61 The Repercussions of the Revolt 78 CHAPTER 2 399-390: COMBATING THE GREEKS Responses to Thibron, Dercylidas, and Agesilaus 87 The Role of Athens and the Persian Fleet 116 Evagoras the Opportunist and Carian Commanders 135 Artaxerxes’ First Invasion of Egypt: 392/1-390/89? 144 CHAPTER 3 389-380: THE KING’S PEACE AND CYPRUS The King’s Peace (387/6): Purpose and Influence 161 The Chronology of the 380s 172 CHAPTER 4 NUMISMATIC EXPRESSIONS OF SOLIDARITY Coinage in the Reign of Artaxerxes 197 The Baal/Figure in the Winged Disc Staters of Tiribazus 202 Catalogue 203 Date 212 Interpretation 214 Significance 223 Numismatic Iconography and Egyptian Independence 225 Four Comments on Achaemenid Motifs in 227 Philistian Coins iii The Figure in the Winged Disc in Samaria 232 The Pertinence of the Political Situation 241 CHAPTER 5 379-370: EGYPT Planning for the Second Invasion of Egypt 245 Pharnabazus’ Invasion of Egypt and Aftermath 259 CHAPTER 6 THE END OF THE REIGN Destabilisation in the West 267 The Nature of the Evidence 267 Summary of Current Analyses 268 Reconciliation 269 Court Intrigue and the End of Artaxerxes’ Reign 295 Conclusion: Artaxerxes the Diplomat 301 Bibliography 309 Dies 333 Issus 333 Mallus 335 Soli 337 Tarsus 338 Unknown 339 Figures 341 iv List of Illustrations MAP Map 1 Map of the Persian Empire xviii-xix Brosius, The Persians, 54-55 DIES Issus O1 Künker 174 (2010) 403 333 O2 Lanz 125 (2005) 426 333 O3 CNG 200 (2008) 63 333 O4 Künker 143 (2008) 233 333 R1 Babelon, Traité 2, pl.
    [Show full text]
  • Jewish and Christian Cosmogony in Late Antiquity
    Texts and Studies in Ancient Judaism Texte und Studien zum Antiken Judentum Edited by Peter Schäfer (Princeton, NJ/Berlin) Annette Yoshiko Reed (Philadelphia, PA) Seth Schwartz (New York, NY) Azzan Yadin-Israel (New Brunswick, NJ) 155 Jewish and Christian Cosmogony in Late Antiquity Edited by Lance Jenott and Sarit Kattan Gribetz Mohr Siebeck Lance Jenott, born 1980, is a post-doctoral research fellow at the University of Oslo. He studied History, Classics, and Religion at the University of Washington (Seattle) and Princeton University, and holds a PhD in the Religions of Late Antiquity from Princeton University. Sarit Kattan Gribetz, born 1984, is a post-doctoral fellow at the Jewish Theological Semi- nary and Harvard University. She studied Religion, Jewish Studies, and Classics at Prince- ton University, where she earned an AB and PhD in the Religions of Late Antiquity. ISBN 978-3-16-151993-2 ISSN 0721-8753 (Texts and Studies in Ancient Judaism) Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbiblio- graphie; detailed bibliographic data are available on the Internet at http://dnb.dnb.de. © 2013 by Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, Germany, www.mohr.de This book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, in any form (beyond that permitted by copyright law) without the publisher's written permission. This applies particularly to reproductions, translations, microfilms and storage and processing in electronic systems. The book was printed on non-aging paper by Guide-Druck in Tübingen and bound by Großbuchbinderei Spinner in Ottersweier. Printed in Germany. Preface This volume presents essays that emerged from a colloquium on the topic of cosmogony (the creation of the world) among ancient Jews and Chris- tians held at Princeton University in May 2010.
    [Show full text]
  • The Satrap of Western Anatolia and the Greeks
    University of Pennsylvania ScholarlyCommons Publicly Accessible Penn Dissertations 2017 The aS trap Of Western Anatolia And The Greeks Eyal Meyer University of Pennsylvania, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations Part of the Ancient History, Greek and Roman through Late Antiquity Commons Recommended Citation Meyer, Eyal, "The aS trap Of Western Anatolia And The Greeks" (2017). Publicly Accessible Penn Dissertations. 2473. https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/2473 This paper is posted at ScholarlyCommons. https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/2473 For more information, please contact [email protected]. The aS trap Of Western Anatolia And The Greeks Abstract This dissertation explores the extent to which Persian policies in the western satrapies originated from the provincial capitals in the Anatolian periphery rather than from the royal centers in the Persian heartland in the fifth ec ntury BC. I begin by establishing that the Persian administrative apparatus was a product of a grand reform initiated by Darius I, which was aimed at producing a more uniform and centralized administrative infrastructure. In the following chapter I show that the provincial administration was embedded with chancellors, scribes, secretaries and military personnel of royal status and that the satrapies were periodically inspected by the Persian King or his loyal agents, which allowed to central authorities to monitory the provinces. In chapter three I delineate the extent of satrapal authority, responsibility and resources, and conclude that the satraps were supplied with considerable resources which enabled to fulfill the duties of their office. After the power dynamic between the Great Persian King and his provincial governors and the nature of the office of satrap has been analyzed, I begin a diachronic scrutiny of Greco-Persian interactions in the fifth century BC.
    [Show full text]
  • The Roles of Solon in Plato's Dialogues
    The Roles of Solon in Plato’s Dialogues Dissertation Presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Samuel Ortencio Flores, M.A. Graduate Program in Greek and Latin The Ohio State University 2013 Dissertation Committee: Bruce Heiden, Advisor Anthony Kaldellis Richard Fletcher Greg Anderson Copyrighy by Samuel Ortencio Flores 2013 Abstract This dissertation is a study of Plato’s use and adaptation of an earlier model and tradition of wisdom based on the thought and legacy of the sixth-century archon, legislator, and poet Solon. Solon is cited and/or quoted thirty-four times in Plato’s dialogues, and alluded to many more times. My study shows that these references and allusions have deeper meaning when contextualized within the reception of Solon in the classical period. For Plato, Solon is a rhetorically powerful figure in advancing the relatively new practice of philosophy in Athens. While Solon himself did not adequately establish justice in the city, his legacy provided a model upon which Platonic philosophy could improve. Chapter One surveys the passing references to Solon in the dialogues as an introduction to my chapters on the dialogues in which Solon is a very prominent figure, Timaeus- Critias, Republic, and Laws. Chapter Two examines Critias’ use of his ancestor Solon to establish his own philosophic credentials. Chapter Three suggests that Socrates re- appropriates the aims and themes of Solon’s political poetry for Socratic philosophy. Chapter Four suggests that Solon provides a legislative model which Plato reconstructs in the Laws for the philosopher to supplant the role of legislator in Greek thought.
    [Show full text]
  • The Herodotos Project (OSU-Ugent): Studies in Ancient Ethnography
    Faculty of Literature and Philosophy Julie Boeten The Herodotos Project (OSU-UGent): Studies in Ancient Ethnography Barbarians in Strabo’s ‘Geography’ (Abii-Ionians) With a case-study: the Cappadocians Master thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master in Linguistics and Literature, Greek and Latin. 2015 Promotor: Prof. Dr. Mark Janse UGent Department of Greek Linguistics Co-Promotores: Prof. Brian Joseph Ohio State University Dr. Christopher Brown Ohio State University ACKNOWLEDGMENT In this acknowledgment I would like to thank everybody who has in some way been a part of this master thesis. First and foremost I want to thank my promotor Prof. Janse for giving me the opportunity to write my thesis in the context of the Herodotos Project, and for giving me suggestions and answering my questions. I am also grateful to Prof. Joseph and Dr. Brown, who have given Anke and me the chance to be a part of the Herodotos Project and who have consented into being our co- promotores. On a whole other level I wish to express my thanks to my parents, without whom I would not have been able to study at all. They have also supported me throughout the writing process and have read parts of the draft. Finally, I would also like to thank Kenneth, for being there for me and for correcting some passages of the thesis. Julie Boeten NEDERLANDSE SAMENVATTING Deze scriptie is geschreven in het kader van het Herodotos Project, een onderneming van de Ohio State University in samenwerking met UGent. De doelstelling van het project is het aanleggen van een databank met alle volkeren die gekend waren in de oudheid.
    [Show full text]
  • What the Muses Sang: Theogony 1-115 Jenny Strauss Clay
    STRAUSS CLAY, JENNY, What the Muses Sang: "Theogony" 1-115 , Greek, Roman and Byzantine Studies, 29:4 (1988:Winter) p.323 What the Muses Sang: Theogony 1-115 Jenny Strauss Clay HE PROEM to the Theogony has often been analyzed both in T terms of its formal structure and in relation to recurrent hym­ nic conventions;l it has also been interpreted as a fundamental statement of archaic Greek poetics.2 While differing somewhat in its perspective, the present investigation builds on and complements those previous studies. Dedicated to the Muses, the patronesses of poetry, the opening of the Theogony repeatedly describes these divini­ ties engaged in their characteristic activity, that is, singing. In the course of the proem, the Muses sing four times: once as they descend from Helicon (lines 11-21), twice on Olympus (44-50, 66f), and once as they make their way from their birthplace in Pieria and ascend to Olympus (71-75). In addition, the prologue describes the song the goddesses inspire in their servants, the aoidoi (99-101), as well as the song Hesiod requests that they sing for him, the invocation proper (105-15). My aim here is a simple one: to examine the texts and contexts of each of these songs and to compare them to the song the Muses instruct Hesiod to sing and the one he finally produces. I See, for example, P. Friedlander, "Das Pro6mium von Hesiods Theogonie" (1914), in E. HEITSCH, Hesiod (Darmstadt 1966: hereafter "Heitsch") 277-94; W. Otto, "Hesiodea," in Varia Variorum: Festgabe fUr Karl Reinhardt (Munster 1952) 49-53; P.
    [Show full text]
  • Naming the Extrasolar Planets
    Naming the extrasolar planets W. Lyra Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, K¨onigstuhl 17, 69177, Heidelberg, Germany [email protected] Abstract and OGLE-TR-182 b, which does not help educators convey the message that these planets are quite similar to Jupiter. Extrasolar planets are not named and are referred to only In stark contrast, the sentence“planet Apollo is a gas giant by their assigned scientific designation. The reason given like Jupiter” is heavily - yet invisibly - coated with Coper- by the IAU to not name the planets is that it is consid- nicanism. ered impractical as planets are expected to be common. I One reason given by the IAU for not considering naming advance some reasons as to why this logic is flawed, and sug- the extrasolar planets is that it is a task deemed impractical. gest names for the 403 extrasolar planet candidates known One source is quoted as having said “if planets are found to as of Oct 2009. The names follow a scheme of association occur very frequently in the Universe, a system of individual with the constellation that the host star pertains to, and names for planets might well rapidly be found equally im- therefore are mostly drawn from Roman-Greek mythology. practicable as it is for stars, as planet discoveries progress.” Other mythologies may also be used given that a suitable 1. This leads to a second argument. It is indeed impractical association is established. to name all stars. But some stars are named nonetheless. In fact, all other classes of astronomical bodies are named.
    [Show full text]
  • Apollonius of Rhodes Argonautica Book 3, Translated by Robert Cooper Seaton, Harvard University Press, Cambridge MA, 1912
    Apollonius of Rhodes Argonautica book 3, translated by Robert Cooper Seaton, Harvard University Press, Cambridge MA, 1912. (http://oaks.nvg.org/sa4ra16.html#tres) Come Now, Erato, stand by my side, and say next how Jason brought back the fleece to Iolcus aided by the love of Medea. For you share the power of Cypris, and by your love-cares charm unwedded maidens; wherefore to you too is attached a name that tells of love. Thus the heroes, unobserved, were waiting in ambush amid the thick reed-beds; but Hera and Athena took note of them, and, apart from Zeus and the other immortals, entered a chamber and took counsel together; and Hera first made trial of Athena: "Do you now first, daughter of Zeus, give advice. What must be done? Will you devise some scheme whereby they may seize the golden fleece of Aeetes and bear it to Hellas, or can they deceive the king with soft words and so work persuasion? Of a truth he is terribly overweening. Still it is right to shrink from no endeavour." Thus she spoke, and at once Athena addressed her: "I too was pondering such thoughts in my heart, Hera, when you did ask me outright. But not yet do I think that I have conceived a scheme to aid the courage of the heroes, though I have balanced many plans." She ended, and the goddesses fixed their eyes on the ground at their feet, brooding apart; and straightway Hera was the first to speak her thought: "Come, let us go to Cypris; let both of us accost her and urge her to bid her son (if only he will obey) speed his shaft at the daughter of Aeetes, the enchantress, and charm her with love for Jason.
    [Show full text]