The Egyptian Priests of the Graeco-Roman Period

Escolano-Poveda, Marina

doi:10.2307/j.ctv15vwk37

Cited by 7 publications

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“…This seems to be a safe conclusion, but after our close look at Zosimus's imagery and at its inspirations, we may be justified in suggesting another, cumulative hypothesis. Since we have been able, with Escolano-Poveda, to connect his main symbols with the religious setting of Egyptian temples, and it is likely that the rituals and representations that inspired him had already existed for quite some time before he learned about them (or witnessed them), 178 we may suggest the possibility that Plutarch's eschatological imagination was partly influenced by the aesthetics of Egyptian religion. 179 This hypothesis is not far-fetched, if we consider that Plutarch's most developed considerations on theological and mythological hermeneutics are framed in De Iside et Osiride, a relatively long treatise devoted entirely to Egyptian religious discourse and practice, and addressed to none other than a priestess of Osiris (Klea, on whom see 1, 351c and 35, 364d-e).…”

Section: Plutarch' S Originality and The Alexandrian Milieumentioning

confidence: 99%

Quenching greedy souls in metal lakes

Morrone

2022

Arys

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Plutarch’s theological dialogue De sera numinis vindicta ends with an eschatological myth narrating the afterlife vision of Thespesius (22-33, 563b-568a), centred on the souls’ “purification” from their earthly vices – obtained by means of punishments – and on the process of their reincarnation. This myth includes symbolic images of metallurgic interest. The most elaborate of these corresponds to the description of the chastisement of the “insatiable” and “greedy” souls, which are cyclically immersed into lakes of gold, lead, and iron, enduring painful transformations in each lake (30, 567c-d). This article focuses on the analysis of the implications and literary genesis of this scene, in the frame of the rest of the myth and of the dialogic part of De sera num., of Plutarch’s ethical and scientific ideas, of his culture, and of the tendencies of his metaphorical and analogical prose (as evidenced by his other works). It begins with an introduction to Plutarch’s religious thought and use of Platonic myths, defending the assumption that these should be treated as non-literal “enigmatic” tales and thus interpreted symbolically. A section is then dedicated to the narrative frame of Thespesius’s vision – the story of the moral conversion of an unscrupulously hedonist and greedy man – and to Plutarch’s symbolic presentation of the stains of vice (26, 565b-d), each associated with a colour, focusing on the stain of “miserliness and greed”. After an overview of the other punishments witnessed by Thespesius, mainly to be interpreted as forms of contrapasso and exhibitions of the souls’ hidden, wicked selves, the analysis of Plutarch’s treatment of greed is completed with an extensive discussion of the scene of the metallic lakes. Previous scholarly treatments of the scene are also discussed, with a focus on those which connected it with alchemy. Considering a recently proposed comparison between Plutarch’s scene and some of the images used by the alchemist Zosimus in his allegorical dreams (MA X, XI, XII Mertens), the hypothesis of their affinity is explored with mainly negative results. However, a further hypothesis is suggested without full endorsement: namely, that the symbols used by Plutarch, like those used by Zosimus, were influenced by the aesthetics of Egyptian and/or Jewish religion in the syncretising environment of 1st-cent. CE Alexandria.

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Section: Plutarch' S Originality and The Alexandrian Milieumentioning

confidence: 99%