Οἱ δαίμονες

Among the supernatural entities formulated in the imagination of the Greeks, daemons are perhaps the most elusive. The term δαίμων, most likely connected to the verb δαίομαι “to divide”, denotes at times the beings themselves and their personified will, while at other times the spirits of heroes, and on occasion ambiguous entities that exercise power in both the human and divine realm. Daemons are the protective spirits appointed to each human being at birth; daemons are the embodiment of fears, diseases, and of ill fortune; daemons are also beings which dwell in dark night in the form of nightmares, bogeymen, and vampires.

In this seminar we will seek to immerse ourselves in the imagination of the Greeks through the exploration of texts from the works of Homer, Hesiod, the tragedians, Aristophanes, Plato, and Philostratus. We will also examine some selections from the Papyri Graecae Magicae.

This seminar, conducted entirely in Ancient Greek, will not only give you an opportunity to explore less commonly read passages from classical literature, but will also allow you to experience our teaching methods which center on the study of ancient text through the active use of Latin and Greek.

 

 

When and Where? Instructors
Sunday, October 11th, 2020. 17:00 CEST

Online, using Zoom as a platform.

Michael Kopf (Polis. The Jerusalem Institute of Languages and Humanities)

Rogelio Toledo (Freie Universität, Berlino)

Paolo Pezzuolo (Schola Humanistica, Padova)