Erôs in Ancient Greece
Ed Sanders, Chiara Thumiger, Christopher Carey, and Nick Lowe
Abstract
This book, arising out of a conference at University College London in 2009, examines erôs as an emotion in ancient Greek culture. It considers the phenomenology, psychology, and physiology of erôs; its associated language, metaphors, and imagery; the overlap of erôs with other emotions (jealousy, madness, philia, pothos); its role in political society; and the relationship between the human emotion and Eros the god. These topics build on recent advances in understanding of ancient Greek homo- and heterosexual customs and practices, visual and textual erotica, and philosophical approaches to e ... More
This book, arising out of a conference at University College London in 2009, examines erôs as an emotion in ancient Greek culture. It considers the phenomenology, psychology, and physiology of erôs; its associated language, metaphors, and imagery; the overlap of erôs with other emotions (jealousy, madness, philia, pothos); its role in political society; and the relationship between the human emotion and Eros the god. These topics build on recent advances in understanding of ancient Greek homo- and heterosexual customs and practices, visual and textual erotica, and philosophical approaches to erôs as manageable appetite or passion. However, the principal aim of the volume is to apply to erôs the theoretical insights offered by the rapidly expanding field of emotion studies, both in ancient cultures and elsewhere in the humanities and social sciences, thus maintaining throughout the focus on erôs as emotion. The volume covers a very broad range of sources and theoretical approaches, both in the chronological and the generic sense: all important thinking about the nature of erôs is considered, spanning the entire period from Hesiod to the Second Sophistic, including the input offered by figurative arts. Generically the volume ranges from Archaic epic and lyric poetry, through tragedy and comedy, to philosophical and technical treatises and more, and includes contributions from many scholars well published in the field of ancient Greek emotions – thus marking an important addition to this field.
Keywords:
erôs,
love,
desire,
sexual desire,
emotion,
psychology,
Greek,
homosexuality,
heterosexuality
Bibliographic Information
Print publication date: 2013 |
Print ISBN-13: 9780199605507 |
Published to Oxford Scholarship Online: May 2013 |
DOI:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199605507.001.0001 |
Authors
Affiliations are at time of print publication.
Ed Sanders, editor
Leverhulme Early Career Fellow, Royal Holloway, University of London
Chiara Thumiger, editor
Research Associate, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin
Christopher Carey, editor
Professor of Greek, University of London
Nick Lowe, editor
Reader in Classics, Royal Holloway, University of London
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