Hey all,
Diodorus Siculus or Diodorus of Sicily was a Greek writing under Roman rule in the 1st century BC. We read some of a later book of his history which dealt with Alexander the Great (in Mensch and Romm). His work is called the Library of History and it is a 44 book universal history. Universal history is a specific sub-genre of history in the ancient world that tried to tell the history of the whole world from the earliest times. In many ways Herodotus' long digressions on other cultures such as Egyptians, Persians, and Lydians inspired the universal historians. In fact, the universal historians often tried to validate their new histories by showing how Herodotus and other previous historians had been wrong and so "improving" on earlier histories. Another influence on universal historians came from the mythographers including the early ones like Hecataeus of Miletus (6th bc) who predated Herodotus and later ones like the author of Pseudo-Apollodorus' Library (2nd AD?) which we read earlier in the course. These mythographers had sometimes rationalized the myths to make them suitable for history.
Diodorus like other universal historians saw the world as a common or universal home for all mankind. He tells early history in a way akin to how many ancient philosophers described it. It is a story of how ambitious great men used their strength and intelligence to benefit all of mankind by killing large or monstrous beasts by killing bandits and tyrants to bring order out of chaos and peace out of violence. Furthermore, these benefactors of mankind bring civilization in the form of agriculture, astronomy, religion, architecture, medicine, metal working, and in short all good arts and sciences that make life better for human beings. At times, Diodorus shows that he knows there are multiple versions of a story that conflict. However, he seems little concerned with such conflicts when examining the earliest periods, since he apparently is more concerned with presenting the ideals and imagined precedents of these proto-historical or legendary figures so that they can be models for contemporary men.
Because he is concerned with the whole world, he and other universal historians often show connections between various cultures--some of these connections are found in what we consider the mythical period where Heracles, Aeneas, and other heroes are seen as world traveling founders of other states around the world. Such world-traveling heroes thus connect the world together, showing that we are all related if you go far enough back in time--an important claim if one wants to suggest that we are all one.
The sections to read are: 4.1-39
Things to look for this time (make note of section numbers for discussion)...
1) Diodorus' self-glorification or criticism of other historians (a key trait of most ancient historiography)
2) Examples of euergesia or benefactions of heroes that better the world
3) Examples of nations, peoples, and institutions that are created by these culture heroes
4) After reading my description of how Diodorus wrote and reading the assignment, how would you describe what Diodorus is doing? Why does he write the way he does? Do you think he is trying to tell the truth? If so, what did truth mean to him?
Jordann Markowitz
ReplyDeleteHermaphrodites were mentioned as being a god. Would this be because that would have been the only way ancient cultures had of describing the scientific phenomenon of one person having both sexes?
Katie Burke
ReplyDeleteI noticed that Diodorus Siculus often times will cite other sources, like in [4.2.2] where he talks about how Dionysus's name is derived from Zeus and Nysa. Personally I think his 'evidence' is a stretch. But is citing stuff like this to make is work seem more credible?
Sara Welish
ReplyDeleteIn 4.1.2 he Diodoris says the greatest historians did not write about ancient mythology because it was too confusing. After the introduction he goes on to discuss ancient mythology. Wouldn't his introduction make his text seem unreliable?
What is a narthex?
Erin Bradley
ReplyDeleteWhen Diodoris is talking about the birth of Heracles he says that Zeus only slept with Alcmene for the sake of procreation and not for love. Are we supposed to think that all the other times he sleeps with women it's for love? I think that's a little to much to put stalk in. Also, how often does Zeus have to deceive the woman he is trying to sleep with?
Another interesting thing is how similar Heracles and is father are when it comes to sleeping with women.
Maeve Tischbein
ReplyDeleteDionysus is said to be equated to the Egyptian god, Orisis. However, the story we read is for the most part a different account than the version of Dionysus/Orisis told by Plutarch (read earlier for a Wed. class). Is there any reason that accounts for the differences (i.e Plato altering the Gyges story for moral purpose)?
Krysta Brown
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting that Diodorus chose to title his work "Bibliotheca historica." I am wondering if it was an attempt to legitimize the sources that he used. He is obviously not trying to disguise the fact that his stories come from everywhere and that there is no one "reliable" source By acknowledging this he deflects criticism about his sources and instead uses his wide base as a strength.
Shannon Potts
ReplyDeleteI thought it was interesting how Diodorus went about criticizing other historians to make his history look better.
What is a "narthex"? (4.4.6)
Is this Creon mentioned in the Heracles stories the same king from the story of Antigone?
Doug Ritchey
ReplyDeleteWe see signs of Diodorus asserting his superiority over historians of the past because he claims to include more of the historic accounts of tales that he heard, unlike Callisthenes and Theopompus who tend to overlook other historic accounts and apply there own favored versions. pg217
Zander,
ReplyDeleteIn the begging it seems as if Diodorus knows that these are myths, but then in the story tries to rationalize them. Was this ment to be a history of what actually happened? Or where the various myths came from?
AR
ReplyDeleteWe addressed all the questions through Shannon in class, so I will not discuss them here.
Doug,
I think that Diodorus really means that these others did not include the mythical period in their histories (except as digressions in later history).
Zander,
Diodorus is not a very careful historian, but he has big ideas. He wants to praise figures like Heracles whom he believes to have been real men and benefactors of mankind, but he does this through a mishmash of various kinds of stories derived from discordant sources. Some of his stories such as those of the Hydra and Cerberus are mythical-souding; others like the Garden of Hesperides are very rationalized and believeable. He is certainly very interested in rationalized and euhemeristic history but does not take the effort to streamline his stories so that they are all similarly presented. Many scholars think that he is merely quoting or paraphrasing earlier sources.