Lucian, The Assembly of the Gods, 5: Too Many Laughable, Strange Deities!

“Should we be surprised if men dismiss us when they see such mockable and annoying gods?”

 

K14.5Haides

Εἶτα θαυμάζομεν εἰ καταφρονοῦσιν ἡμῶν οἱ ἄνθρωποι ὁρῶντες οὕτω γελοίους θεοὺς καὶ τεραστίους;

In this dialogue, Lucian imagine the gods assembling to debate the strange and countless gods worshipped throughout the world and the concomitant loss of Olympian dignity and human reverence. The gods vote to clean out the divine ranks.

One thought on “Lucian, The Assembly of the Gods, 5: Too Many Laughable, Strange Deities!

  1. If Plato had had his way, then no one would have heard anything bad about the gods e.g. from the Republic

    Plat. Rep. 2.378d
    Ἥρας δὲ δεσμοὺς ὑπὸ ὑέος καὶ Ἡφαίστου ῥίψεις ὑπὸ πατρός, μέλλοντος τῇ μητρὶ τυπτομένῃ ἀμυνεῖν, καὶ θεομαχίας ὅσας Ὅμηρος πεποίηκεν οὐ παραδεκτέον εἰς τὴν πόλιν.

    The tying up of Hera by her son and the throwing of Hephaistus by his father when he was trying to prevent his mother being hit and the battles of the Gods which Homer composed must not be admitted into our city.

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