The Dioscuri in the Christian Legends (Classic Reprint) - Couverture souple

J. Rendel Harris

Couverture souple

ISBN 10 : 1331850681 ISBN 13 : 9781331850687

Editeur : Forgotten Books, 2018

Synopsis

Uncover the enduring twin myths that shaped ancient faiths

In this scholarly study, the author traces how the Dioscuri—Castor and Pollux—were worshipped across the Mediterranean and how their cult shifted into Christian legends. You’ll see how hagiographies, coinage, and temple ruins reveal a connected web of belief that crosses cultures and centuries.

The book weaves together philology, history, and archaeology to explore how twin cults and their sister figures migrated from pagan centers to Christian narratives. It examines the evidence for Florus and Laurus, their possible ties to the Dioscuri, and the way myths transformed when churches replaced pagan temples.

• Learn how festival dates, names, and place-by-place clues point to a shared roots for the twins and related figures
• See how coins, inscriptions, and literary sources contribute to a broader picture of Mediterranean worship
• Understand how legendary martyrdoms and cult practices intersect with historical events
• Follow the author’s method for separating legendary elements from historical core

Ideal for readers curious about religious history, late antique mythologies, or the way ancient cults evolve into Christian storytelling.

A propos du livre

Présentation de l'éditeur

Excerpt from The Dioscuri in the Christian Legends

Even where the equivalence of the names is not apparent to the eye nor sensible to the ear, it is often quite clear to the reflecting mind.

But then the same things may be said of the young ladies who were ibis-wardens at Thebes, although one of them was called Tathautis and the other Taeibis; for we can dissect out of their names when the feminine prefix is removed (a) the god Thoth, (b) the sacred ibis which is his outward and visible equivalent.

A similar case in the Greek mythology is that of the two brethren Lynceus and Idas who kill Castor and Pollux, or rather who kill Castor, for Pollux is one of the immortals. It has been suspected by scholars that the conflict in question relates to a struggle for supremacy between two independent local cults of the Great Twin-brethren; and certainly when we examine the names of the supposed Dioscuri of Messene, Lynceus and Idas, we find the idea of sharp-sightedness, not only in the well-known Lynceus but also in his brother; and this encourages the belief that they are twins, though the names at first seem to be remote. Probably with a better knowledge of philology, we should be able to make the still desiderated nexus between the names of Castor and Pollux.

So, without any reference to the Acta Sanctorum, we were able to infer that Florus and Lauius were twins.

About the Publisher

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Présentation de l'éditeur

Originally published in 1903, this book traces the influence of the ancient pagan legends of Castor and Pollux, the Dioscuri, on later Christian hagiography. Rendel Harris charts how the Church not only displaced ancient religious practices centred around the Dioscuri with their own traditions, but also how Christians took pagan legends and reshaped them for their own purposes. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in comparative religious history, the history of the early church and the influences of paganism on Christianity.

Détails de l'édition

• Éditeur: Forgotten Books
• Date d'édition: 2018
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN 10: 1331850681
• ISBN 13: 9781331850687
• Reliure: Broché
• Nombre de pages: 74
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