Cornutus, Survey of the Traditions of Greek Theology
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 23614809 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Ilaria L E Ramelli (Theology, Angelicum), Ilaria Ramelli (0000-0003-1479-4182, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2022 |
| Pages | 170-177 |
| Publication date | 2022-10-20 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | CHAPTER |
| Venue | The Oxford Handbook of Greek and Roman Mythography (SOURCE_BOOK) |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190648312.013.12 |
| OpenAlex | W4307698910 |
| ISBN | 9780190648312 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 7 |
This chapter concentrates on the Roman Stoic Cornutus’s mythological allegoresis in his handbook of Greek theology. For each divinity, from Ouranos to Hades, Cornutus provides an allegorical-etymological interpretation of its names and epithets, attributes, aspects of its myths and rituals, and so on. Physical allegory (Zeus represents the ether; Hera, the air, etc.) is prevalent, although there are also examples of ethical and historical exegeses. Special attention is paid to the programmatic assertion that “the ancients were not people of no account, but they were also able to understand the nature of the cosmos and had the ability to philosophise on it by means of symbols and enigmata” (35). The ancients were nothing less than philosophers, since they were endowed with the understanding of the cosmos, of what exists. What they expressed allegorically are philosophical truths. Philosophical allegoresis interprets their expressions and finds philosophical tenets therein. The chapter then shows how Cornutus was strongly influenced by Chrysippus, Apollodorus, and Crates, and how Seneca, who was no allegorizer, probably polemicized with Cornutus. Finally, it demonstrates that the Stoic allegorists of myths Cornutus and Chaeremon influenced the greatest allegorist of biblical myths, Origen.
Allegory · Art · Assertion · Divinity · Epistemology · Epithet · Greek mythology · Interpretation (philosophy) · Linguistics · Literature · Mythology · Nothing · Theology · Classical Antiquity Studies · Classical Philosophy and Thought · Classics · Historical, Religious, and Philosophical Studies · Philosophy
| Highly cited | No |
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