French psychologist Paul Diel wrote “Symbolism in Greek Mythology: Human Desire and Its Transformations” in 1966. It was translated from the French in 1980.
Diel references solar mythology early on, confounds the Titanomachy and the Gigantomachy, adds Medusa to the brood of Echidna, thinks Chiron was the only centaur with a name, believes baby Oedipus’ tendons were cut by his father, says Cerberus has two heads...
His un-referenced work provides interpretations of the classical myths that are more esoteric in nature than I am use to seeing in scholarly works. But, that’s okay; I bought the work to learn new perspectives. Early on Diel states, “…mythical explanation must follow a strict rule…This rule is: never be satisfied with an isolated translation of a symbolic feature. The meaning of a symbol is considered to be substantiated only if the assumed meaning explains not only the myth in question, but all myths containing that symbol.” I found that rule encouraging, but rarely followed. Rather Diel states the meaning and uses that definition throughout the series of myths he studies without further discussion.
Starting with page, Diel begins laying out his world neatly.
· The super conscious or spirit is represented by mountains, Olympus, the sky and the sky-gods.
· Consciousness and intellect occupy the earth.
· And the subconscious is “represented by monsters which emerge from the underground regions from a dark cavern, from a den…” and “monsters which rise the ocean depths.”
So;
· “The radiant sun…becomes a symbol of the illuminating spirit."
· “Intellect is symbolized by terrestrial fire”
The book then analyzes a dozen or so Greek heroes based on their futile attempt to become “sublime”. As often happens with scholarly tomes, the greatest arguments are submitted at the beginning of the book. At which point you can look at the rest of the book as supporting arguments. Or, and I’m sorry to have to say this, the accumulation of mis-information and false logic because such a burden in later chapter the exhausted reader sets down the book and walks away. That’s what I did at page 125 of 208.
But along the way I read some interesting things;
Of Tantalus the author says, “A man cannot be “the guest of the gods” at every moment of his life.” He says we shouldn’t even wish to live in that sublime sphere, but must be able to “come down earth” to fulfill our earthly needs. He also suggests that “Tantalus…offers this abominable food to the gods, (his son Pelops in a stew)because, wishing to become their equal but being unable to rise to their level, he tries to bring them (the gods) down to his own.”
Diel says, “(Phaeton) dissatisfied with being only the mortal son, means to play the god; he wants to become the equal of the divinity.” Phaeton’s wish is to drive the solar chariot across the sky. “The horse is the symbol of impetuous desire…Helios begs his son to give up his immoderately exalted wish” but Phaeton “is reluctant to school himself according to the counsel of the spirit(his father a sky-god).” “Just as he tame and controls the horse, man must be able to bridle his desires”.
Of the Earth Goddesses
· Demeter represents the earth populated by man.
· Gaea is the symbol of the undefiled and monstrously wild
land.
· Rhea, the symbol of the earth over flowing with wildlife.
Starting with page, Diel begins laying out his world neatly.
· The super conscious or spirit is represented by mountains, Olympus, the sky and the sky-gods.
· Consciousness and intellect occupy the earth.
· And the subconscious is “represented by monsters which emerge from the underground regions from a dark cavern, from a den…” and “monsters which rise the ocean depths.”
So;
· “The radiant sun…becomes a symbol of the illuminating spirit."
· “Intellect is symbolized by terrestrial fire”
The book then analyzes a dozen or so Greek heroes based on their futile attempt to become “sublime”. As often happens with scholarly tomes, the greatest arguments are submitted at the beginning of the book. At which point you can look at the rest of the book as supporting arguments. Or, and I’m sorry to have to say this, the accumulation of mis-information and false logic because such a burden in later chapter the exhausted reader sets down the book and walks away. That’s what I did at page 125 of 208.
But along the way I read some interesting things;
Of Tantalus the author says, “A man cannot be “the guest of the gods” at every moment of his life.” He says we shouldn’t even wish to live in that sublime sphere, but must be able to “come down earth” to fulfill our earthly needs. He also suggests that “Tantalus…offers this abominable food to the gods, (his son Pelops in a stew)because, wishing to become their equal but being unable to rise to their level, he tries to bring them (the gods) down to his own.”
Diel says, “(Phaeton) dissatisfied with being only the mortal son, means to play the god; he wants to become the equal of the divinity.” Phaeton’s wish is to drive the solar chariot across the sky. “The horse is the symbol of impetuous desire…Helios begs his son to give up his immoderately exalted wish” but Phaeton “is reluctant to school himself according to the counsel of the spirit(his father a sky-god).” “Just as he tame and controls the horse, man must be able to bridle his desires”.
Of the Earth Goddesses
· Demeter represents the earth populated by man.
· Gaea is the symbol of the undefiled and monstrously wild
land.
· Rhea, the symbol of the earth over flowing with wildlife.
