Victim of the Muses: Poet as Scapegoat, Warrior, and Hero in Greco-Roman and Indo-European Myth and HistoryCenter for Hellenic Studies, Trustees for Harvard University, 2006 - 432 pages This book, which has relevance both for literary history and comparative religion, probes the narratives of poets who are exiled, tried or executed for their satire. Aesop, fabulist and riddle warrior, is assimilated to the pharmakos - the wretched human scapegoat who is expelled from the city or killed in response to a crisis - after satirizing the Delphians. Other prominent legendary and historical Greek and Roman poets, such as Archilochus, Homer, Hesiod, Sappho, Tyrtaeus, Euripides, Socrates, Naevius, Cicero, Ovid, and Juvenal, are also considered in this context. In much the same way, Dumezil's Indo-European heroes, Starkathr and Suibhne, are both warrior-poets persecuted by patron deities. This book views the scapegoat as a group's dominant warrior, sent out to confront predators or besieging forces. Both poets and warriors specialize in madness and aggression, are necessary to society, yet dangerous to society. |
From inside the book
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Page 149
... Socrates , in every possible way , one of those who had been present said to Socrates , “ Are you not indignant , Socrates , that he used you as he did in the play ? ” “ No indeed , ” he replied , " when they break a jest upon me in the ...
... Socrates , in every possible way , one of those who had been present said to Socrates , “ Are you not indignant , Socrates , that he used you as he did in the play ? ” “ No indeed , ” he replied , " when they break a jest upon me in the ...
Page 159
... Socrates takes the cup of poison " cheer- fully " ( Phaedo 117b , mala hileōs ) and drinks the poison " with no sign of distaste " ( 117c , eukolōs ) . This serenity is probably an idealization , to some extent.35 Oddly enough , or ...
... Socrates takes the cup of poison " cheer- fully " ( Phaedo 117b , mala hileōs ) and drinks the poison " with no sign of distaste " ( 117c , eukolōs ) . This serenity is probably an idealization , to some extent.35 Oddly enough , or ...
Page 163
... Socrates is being healed by the poison that is bringing about his death . The poison is his medicine , just as he is the dose of healing poison administered to Athens . Thus , Socrates , as portrayed by his disciples , is the best of ...
... Socrates is being healed by the poison that is bringing about his death . The poison is his medicine , just as he is the dose of healing poison administered to Athens . Thus , Socrates , as portrayed by his disciples , is the best of ...
Contents
Poetry Politics Exile | 106 |
Faceless Exile | 114 |
Little Ugly | 130 |
Copyright | |
16 other sections not shown
Common terms and phrases
abuse According Aeschylus Aesop Alcaeus animal Apollo archaic Archilochus Aristophanes aspects associated Athenians attack battle becomes blame Burkert called cause Cicero close common comparable connected consecration contest cult curse death Delphi discussion divine Dumézil enemy Euripides example execution exile fable figure function further give given gods Greece Greek Heracles hero hero cult Hesiod Hipponax historical Homer important Indo-European interpretation Irish killed king later legend linked lives madness murder Muses myth Naevius Nagy notes Odin offers oracle Ovid parallel pattern Pausanias perhaps pharmakos Plato Plutarch poem poet poet's poetic poetry political possible praise punishment receives references ritual Roman sacred Sappho satire satirist scapegoat seems shame shows society Socrates Starkaðr stoning story suggests Suibhne tells theme tradition trans Tyrtaeus verbal victim violent Vita warrior West writes δὲ καὶ τὴν τὸν τοῦ