Roman/ancient history: Checkmate, Atenists

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Mad Hamish: Jun 15, 2008; WILL AMOUNT TO NOTHING IN LIFE.

LITERALLY A BIRD posted:

I am currently reading Before Philosophy: The Intellectual Adventure of Ancient Man, as recommended by fellow thread enthusiast Charlatan Eschaton, which is about the theory of mythopoeic thought. Here is an explanation of that from Wikipedia:

And the contents of the section labeled "Criticism":

Robert Segal is probably correct that things are getting very oversimplified in this book but it feels nevertheless as though they are being oversimplified from the right direction, if that makes sense. Typically we the modern humans are always peering back at ancient belief through telescopes of our current philosophy. The Frankforts wish to have us up close instead, with microscopes and magnifying glasses, to establish that this way of thinking was fundamentally different from the ways of thinking that are employed today, and so there is relentless emphasis of the way it was, they believe, the standard ground from which all ancient speculative thought arose. I feel like the "why not both" meme could apply here but understand their desire to impress this upon me, the ever-modern reader.

Anyway I liked this section talking about the multiplicity of forms involved with the Sun God, and was reminded of the quoted posts above I thought you both might like it too.

It reminded me a bit of this rather more succinct sentiment as well, from a university talk on the philosophy of polytheism.

edit: come to think of it is that first Wikipedia blip not just describing pantheism versus theism, basically

Having read Robert Graves, the term 'mythopoeic' makes me want to break out in hives.

Fukkin
Celtic tree calendar

# ¿ Jan 29, 2024 03:18

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# ¿ May 12, 2024 06:49

Mad Hamish: Jun 15, 2008; WILL AMOUNT TO NOTHING IN LIFE.

LMAO holy poo poo that's loving incredible.

Graves was a great novelist, even if poo poo did get a bit weird in King Jesus and Seven Days in New Crete, but my god TWG is one of the most incomprehensible things I've ever read.

# ¿ Jan 29, 2024 04:54

Mad Hamish: Jun 15, 2008; WILL AMOUNT TO NOTHING IN LIFE.

I can't precisely recall, but there's a bit in The White Goddess that suggests some phalange-counting thing was used by uhhhh Druids? for either textual communication or for actual counting, I can't remember which at the moment.

God dammit Robert Graves what were you smoking?

# ¿ Jan 30, 2024 16:34

Mad Hamish: Jun 15, 2008; WILL AMOUNT TO NOTHING IN LIFE.

Graves' fetish was being involved with a woman who fucks you, then kills you, and then maybe fucks you again, possibly as a part of the mourning process and possibly back to life.

# ¿ Jan 30, 2024 16:41

Mad Hamish: Jun 15, 2008; WILL AMOUNT TO NOTHING IN LIFE.

sullat posted:

Hanging gardens: burned down for immortality
Great lighthouse: fell over after earthquake
Colossus: fell over after earthquake
Mausoleum of Halicarnassus: fell over after earthquake
Temple of Artemis: destroyed by Christians
Statue of Zeus: destroyed by Christians
Pyramids: still ticking

The Temple of Artemis was burned down for immortality (which worked). Not sure what happened to the Hanging Gardens.

# ¿ Feb 24, 2024 04:24

Mad Hamish: Jun 15, 2008; WILL AMOUNT TO NOTHING IN LIFE.

Silver2195 posted:

Correct. It’s not clear what happened to the Hanging Gardens; some historians argue that they never existed in the first place.

Some dude invents the wall-mounted planter and people just lose their poo poo.

# ¿ Feb 24, 2024 15:38

Mad Hamish: Jun 15, 2008; WILL AMOUNT TO NOTHING IN LIFE.

Crab Dad posted:

Not being at war is boooooooring.

OK Ares

# ¿ Mar 1, 2024 16:08

Mad Hamish: Jun 15, 2008; WILL AMOUNT TO NOTHING IN LIFE.

Well, Re spends the day sailing across the sky in His solar barque which is named Millions of Years, so we know that at least one Egyptian boat had a name.

The one He travels in through the twelve caverns of the Underworld which are the hours of the night has a way less badass name, which is just plain old Night Boat.

# ¿ Mar 27, 2024 03:13

Mad Hamish: Jun 15, 2008; WILL AMOUNT TO NOTHING IN LIFE.

Actually, while I'm thinking of it, the pyramids in ancient Egypt also had names. The Great Pyramid's proper name is Khufu's Horizon, and the name of Djedefre's pyramid (Khufu's successor) is Djedefre's Starry Sky.

# ¿ Mar 27, 2024 17:12

Mad Hamish: Jun 15, 2008; WILL AMOUNT TO NOTHING IN LIFE.

Hell, it was popular with slaves.

# ¿ Mar 29, 2024 01:16

Mad Hamish: Jun 15, 2008; WILL AMOUNT TO NOTHING IN LIFE.

Didn't the Romans - presumably Jules C - write down that the Gauls or the Celts or the Druids or whoever it was they wanted to feel better than sacrifice criminals to their gods? I feel weird about that, like, wouldn't you want to give the Gods something you see as valuable?

# ¿ May 9, 2024 15:59

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# ¿ May 12, 2024 06:49

Mad Hamish: Jun 15, 2008; WILL AMOUNT TO NOTHING IN LIFE.

skasion posted:

The gods prefer the guilty. Or anyway so says Caesar.

How convenient.

# ¿ May 9, 2024 17:50

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Roman/ancient history: Checkmate, Atenists

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