Coping with the gods : wayward readings in Greek theology / by H.S. Versnel. [electronic resource]

Includes bibliographies and index.

Inspired by a critical reconsideration of current monolithic approaches to the study of Greek religion, this book argues that ancient Greeks displayed a disquieting capacity to validate two (or more) dissonant, if not contradictory, representations of the divine world in a complementary rather than mutually exclusive manner. From this perspective the six chapters explore problems inherent in: order vs. variety/chaos in polytheism, arbitrariness vs. justice in theodicy, the peaceful co-existence of mono- and polytheistic theologies, human traits in divine imagery, divine omnipotence vs. limitat.

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English.

Introduction -- chapter 1: Many gods: complications of polytheism -- chapter 2: The gods: divine justice or divine arbitrariness? -- chapter 3: One god: three Greek experiment in oneness -- chapter 4: A god: why is Hermes hungry? -- chapter 5: God: the question of divine omnipotence -- chapter 6: Playing (the) god: did (the) Greeks believe in the divinity of their rulers? -- Epilogue -- Appendix one: Grouping the gods -- Appendix two: Unity or diversity-one god or many? a modern debate -- Appendix three: Drive towards coherence in two Herodotus studies -- Appendix four: Did the Greeks believe in their gods?

Many Gods: Complications of Polytheism -- Order versus Chaos -- The Greek pantheon: kosmos or chaos? -- Ingredients for Chaos -- In search of identities -- Names and surnames: one god or many? -- Creating Order: Taking Place -- The gods who dwell in our city -- Beyond the polis border (and back) -- Ducking out: gods in personal religiosity -- The Gods: Divine Justice or Divine Arbitrariness? -- Controversial diction in archaic poetry -- Modern Voices -- Homer -- Herodotus -- Two tales, many perspectives -- Modern voices: fear of diversity -- Saving the Author -- Solon Again -- Once More: Chaos or Order? -- Paratactic multiplicity -- 'Gnomologisches Wissen' -- The rehabilitation of parataxis -- Thinking in gnomai--speaking in parataxis -- Putting to the Test: Hesiod -- Envoy -- One God: Three Greek Experiments in Oneness -- One and Many: The God(s) of Xenophanes -- One or many? -- One and Many -- One is Many: The Gods, the God and the Divine -- On singular plurals -- One is the God -- Praising the god -- Aretalogy -- Nine characteristics of henotheistic religion -- The nature of oneness in henotheistic religion -- Questions of origin -- A God: Why is Hermes Hungry? -- Hungry Hermes and Greedy Interpreters -- Hermes: The Human God in the Hymn -- Hermes: The Eternal Dupe in the Fable -- Burlesques -- Paying a social call -- Hermes: The Present God in Visual Art -- Socializing -- More burlesques -- Herms and sacrifice -- Hungry Hermes: The Sacrificial Meal -- The warm splanchna which I used to gobble up -- The titbits Hermes likes to eat -- Companion of the feast -- God: the Question of Divine Omnipotence -- God: Self and Other -- Self -- Other -- Self and other -- Gods: Self and other -- Some inferences -- God: Powerful or All-Powerful? -- Miracles in Double Perspective: The Case of Asklepios -- God: Powerful and All-Powerful -- Omnipotence, ancient philosophers and modern theologians -- Inconsistency in religious expression -- Playing (the) God: did (the) Greeks Believe in the Divinity of their Rulers? -- Men into Gods -- A swollen-headed doctor: the case of Menekrates -- A charismatic prince: the case of Demetrios Poliorketes -- Modern Perplexities -- The Construction of a God -- Language -- Performance -- Did (the) Greeks believe in the Divinity of their Rulers? -- Ritual Play: Sincere Hypocrisy -- Birds into Gods: Comic Theopoetics -- Making a God: A Multiple Perspective Approach -- Grouping the Gods -- Unity or Diversity--One God or Many? A Modern Debate -- Drive Towards Coherence in Two Herodotus-Studies -- Did the Greeks Believe in their Gods?