Uncovering the Sacred Language of Homer

The most ancient form of commentary is sacred commentary. Allegorical readings of literature—above all the mythological poems of Homer and Hesiod, were decoded as accounts of the physical world or the truths of morality. These coded and cypher readings are not modern but appear in our sources as early as the 6th century BCE. They were an established (if controversial) practice by the end of the 5th century.

What passages of the Iliad and Odyssey are especially rich in allegorical symbols and codes? How did this style of thinking emerge and develop? What tools do we need to interpret and understand these ancient syncretic interpretations of the cosmos?


Questions? Drop me (Aaron) a comment below or email at [email protected]

Greek myth explained:
What is Myth?:    • What is Myth?  
Was Greece an Egyptian colony?:    • Was Ancient Greece an Egyptian colony?  
Did Ancient Greece have Ancient History?:    • Did "Ancient" Greece have Ancient His...  
Did the Greeks Believe in their Myths?:    • Did the Greeks Believe in their Myths?  

Greek Religious Practice:
The Truth about Ancient Sacrifice:    • The Truth about Ancient Sacrifice  
The Orphic Mysteries: https: //   • The Secrets of the Orphic Mysteries  
Homer's Theory of the Soul:    • Homer's Theory of the Mind: Psyche, T...  

Greek gods and their myths:
Zeus:    • Was Zeus a Sun God?  
Poseidon:    • Poseidon. Ancient Greek Mythology: go...  
The Nine Muses:    • The Nine Muses. Ancient Greek Mytholo...  
Apollo:    • Apollo, the Healing God of the Greeks.  
Aphrodite:    • Aphrodite: Cosmic Goddess.  
Hekate:    • Hecate: The Mysterious Goddess of Wit...  

Greek Sanctuaries:
Olympia:    • The Ancient Olympics: a day in the li...  

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction
03:49 - Moral Allegory
07:48 - The Stoic Creed
12:05 - Modern Interpretations
12:56 - Outro