On the Gods
On the Gods
On one reading, the gods, to the Divine Church of Jupiter, hardly matter. We do not believe that they literally exist, as most Christian Churches believe in the God of the Bible, or Muslims in Allah. The notion of faith, which is so intrinsic to our sense of religion, had no place in Romans' understanding of their relationships with the gods; for them, the gods were a given and their rites, vows and prayers assumed the form of contract rather than covenant, i.e. they would ask for something in particular and offer a prayer, vow or sacrifice to that end. It was all rather transactional; one did not love the gods anymore than one would love the shopkeeper, or the delivery boy.
What value do the gods retain then? The pleasures of ceremony aside, the gods can be interpreted as types in human psychology and behaviour. Their rather strange behaviour, at times, sheds light on the perversity and oddity of man, helping us to arraign and control what are the common shortfalls of humanity. Viewing divinities as flawed, at least in their personifications, also means that we become more aware of human frailty without exalting an unreal nature that is wholly opposed to our own contingency. It makes much more sense, thus, than the sin-based ethics of Christianity.
Another aspect of reading the ancient myths is that they remind us that the Great and Good can be flawed, whatever gifts or power they might have. Jupiter, thus, could be capricious and unjust, whereas there is nothing saintly or all that virtuous with Juno. Such people are not necessarily better than you or I and they hold office, power and riches at the behest of the people of this country, rather than "by the grace of God". The gods also provide us with psychological "types", i.e. they shed light on how certain people behave in certain situations, such as when they have power or wealth.
To conclude; the gods are warnings to mankind of what his malevolence and his failings can mean, as well as a warning that no creature, no leader, is perfect, or should claim that perfection (as does the "infallible" pope). May the gods assist us always.
On one reading, the gods, to the Divine Church of Jupiter, hardly matter. We do not believe that they literally exist, as most Christian Churches believe in the God of the Bible, or Muslims in Allah. The notion of faith, which is so intrinsic to our sense of religion, had no place in Romans' understanding of their relationships with the gods; for them, the gods were a given and their rites, vows and prayers assumed the form of contract rather than covenant, i.e. they would ask for something in particular and offer a prayer, vow or sacrifice to that end. It was all rather transactional; one did not love the gods anymore than one would love the shopkeeper, or the delivery boy.
What value do the gods retain then? The pleasures of ceremony aside, the gods can be interpreted as types in human psychology and behaviour. Their rather strange behaviour, at times, sheds light on the perversity and oddity of man, helping us to arraign and control what are the common shortfalls of humanity. Viewing divinities as flawed, at least in their personifications, also means that we become more aware of human frailty without exalting an unreal nature that is wholly opposed to our own contingency. It makes much more sense, thus, than the sin-based ethics of Christianity.
Another aspect of reading the ancient myths is that they remind us that the Great and Good can be flawed, whatever gifts or power they might have. Jupiter, thus, could be capricious and unjust, whereas there is nothing saintly or all that virtuous with Juno. Such people are not necessarily better than you or I and they hold office, power and riches at the behest of the people of this country, rather than "by the grace of God". The gods also provide us with psychological "types", i.e. they shed light on how certain people behave in certain situations, such as when they have power or wealth.
To conclude; the gods are warnings to mankind of what his malevolence and his failings can mean, as well as a warning that no creature, no leader, is perfect, or should claim that perfection (as does the "infallible" pope). May the gods assist us always.
Comments
Post a Comment