Man’s Creation Myth in the Timaeus of Plato in the Context of Orphic Myth of Dionysus-Zagreus and Titans
Journal Title: Вісник Житомирського державного університету імені Івана Франка - Year 2018, Vol 87, Issue 1
Abstract
The article discusses the problem if it is reasonable to compare the two myths – the myth of the creation of man presented in the Timaeus – one of the latest and most mature Plato's dialogue which synthesizes his physical and metaphysical concepts – and the myth of Dionysus-Zagreus and Titans, the most important myth concerning cosmo- and anthropo- gonical concepts of the Orphics. Then, on the basis of the available sources and studies of Orphism a rudimentary lore of Orphic beliefs, science, mystery, orphic lifestyle is presented. The next chapter is devoted to Plato's attitude towards myth which, as it turns out, plays essential role in the effort to express supernatural world of ideas. The language of the myth is as important as the dialectic and discursive one, in spiritual mystagogic initiation through myth, symbol, allegory and parable – that is, all those literary means, which are finally able to establish a model of poetic and metaphorical expression of transcendent reality. Plato reveals heuristic and hermeneutic role of metaphor, which cannot be replaced by purely logical discourse. The chapter also highlights the elements that link philosopher to utterly mysterious phenomenon of Orphic beliefs. Then the myth of Dionysus-Zagreusie and Titans itself is presented, which came to us in many variants. There are taken into account these elements of the myth, which are important for understanding the greatest mystery Orphism: the unity of multiplicity. The last chapter is devoted to outlining the foundations of Plato's anthropology based on the myths known from other dialogues and the myth of the creation of man from the Timaeus. The author excerpts from the dialogue these fragments that accentuate the dualistic approach and human trichotomous division of the soul: rational, irascible, and concupiscent.
Authors and Affiliations
Jakub Andrzej. Jurkowski
Keywords
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