To what extent was Xenophanes a radical (20 marker)

Radical: Rejection of traditional myths

• Importance of myths

  • Seen in plays, vases and temple decoration

  • Gigantomachy depicted on the parthenon

• Xenophanes says fictional/godly battles are not virtuous

  • Gigantomachy, centauromachy, titanomachy etc

Radical: Rejection of Anthropomorphism

• Vases, gods look like humans

  • Panathenaic amphora

  • Pediments - Parthenon, birth of Athena, Athena vs Poseidon

• Xenophanes, hands example

• Objects to the anthropomorphic actions as well as appearance

• Immoral behaviour

  • Hera deceiving Zeus

  • Zeus’ affairs

  • Zeus killing his dad

  • Hera tricking Zeus into killing Semele

  • Artemis punishing Acteon

  • Aphrodite’s affair with Ares

• Power of gods

  • Iris/Rainbows - not the goddess but coloured clouds

  • Zeus/Thunder - clouds hitting each other

  • St Elmo’s fire - static electricity at the top of ship masts, he believed it to be a result of agitation of the clouds

  • Other greeks believed that St Elmo’s fire was a visit from Castor and Pollux (Saviours of sailors in peril)

Not radical:Still respected the gods

• Sacrifices + libations were encouraged, even washing hands to do it correctly

Not radical: He is not the only one thinking this

• Pre-socratics

• Euripides’ play, Heracles

• These thoughts are common through to be in plays

• Though he is fragmentary towers shadowed to don’t know how influential he was