Hamilton

Hamilton begins by sleuthlight the common misunderstanding that mythology depicts the blissful state of man in his superior harmony with nature. On the contrary, Hamilton notes, the lives of ancient people were not romantic and beautiful, entirely full of hardship, disease, and violence. For Hamilton, the Greek myths are remarkable In that they supply how removed the Greeks, an ancient clvlllzatlon, had advanced beyond a primitive state of heinousness and brutality. By the time Homer wrote his epic, the Iliad, a new way of flavour at the human being had come into being.According to Hamilton, this new erspective is critically authorized, revealing a great deal not only about ancient Greece further about modern America as wellas so much of our own culture comes directly from the Greeks. One of the most important aspects of the Greek worldview was that it was the first to put humanity at the center of the universe. dissimilar the animal deities of the Egyptians and Mesopota mians, the gods of the Greeks are human in form. Not only do they possess human physical characteristics, but they embody the emotional flaws of humans as well.Unlike the gods of other ancient civilizations, Greek gods are not infinitely omniscient and omnipotent, manifesting ypical human foibles such as philandering, feasting and drinking, and obsessive Jealousy. To the Creeks, the animation of the gods so closely resembled human life that the gods felt real and tangible, kinda than Incomprehensible and remote. In this way, Hamilton argues, the myths of the Greeks reflect a view of the universe that acknowledges the riddle and beauty of humanity.Even the most magical of Greek myths contain real-world elements the elfin Hercules lives in the very real city of Thebes, and the goddess Aphrodite is born in a spot any ancient tourist could visit, off the island of Cythera. In general, Greek myths withdraw less strange and frightening magic than the myths of other ancient civilizat ions. In this more rational world, individuals become heroes by virtue of bravery and effectuality rather than supernatural powers.Hamilton contends that this revolutionary way of thinking about the world elevates humans and the worth of their abilities, making It a far less frighten place In which to live. Hamilton points out a downside to this rational view of the supernaturalIlke humans, the gods are often unpredictable. They do not perpetually operate on the highest moral grounds, and they get fantastic and jealous, ometimes doing terrible things like exacting retribution or calling for sacrifices.Even though Greek myth lacks wizards and demonic spellcasters, in that respect are still plenty of horrible magic creaturesthe snake-haired Gorgons, for Instancethat expect to be relics of that older, primitive world. In the end, however, as Hamilton points out, the Greek hero always manages to defeat these-creatures. Hamilton By vandad91 of hardship, disease, and violence. For Hamilton, the Greek myths are remarkable in that they show how far the Greeks, an ancient civilization, had advanced beyond a ealousy.To the Greeks, the life of the gods so closely resembled human life that the gods felt real and tangible, rather than deep and remote. In this way, about the world elevates humans and the worth of their abilities, making it a far less terrifying place in which to live. Hamilton points out a downside to this rational view of the supernaturallike humans, the gods are often unpredictable. They do not always operate on the highest moral grounds, and they get angry and Jealous, horrible magic creaturesthe snake-haired Gorgons, for instancethat appear to be