Early Greek Philosophy: Cosmological Speculations

LCL 525: 58-59

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EARLY GREEK PHILOSOPHY II

COSMOLOGICAL SPECULATIONS

The Structure of the World (T1–T9) Earth and Heavens (T1)

T1 (> 7 B2) Hom. Il. 18.483–89

ἐν μὲν γαῖαν ἔτευξ’, ἐν δ’ οὐρανόν, ἐν δὲ θάλασσαν, ἠέλιόν τ’ ἀκάμαντα σελήνην τε πλήθουσαν, 485ἐν δὲ τὰ τείρεα πάντα, τά τ’ οὐρανὸς ἐστεφάνωται, Πληϊάδας θ’ Ὑάδας τε τό τε σθένος Ὠρίωνος Ἄρκτόν θ’, ἣν καὶ Ἄμαξαν ἐπίκλησιν καλέουσιν, ἥ τ’ αὐτοῦ στρέφεται καί τ’ Ὠρίωνα δοκεύει, οἴη δ’ ἄμμορός ἐστι λοετρῶν Ὠκεανοῖο.

Ocean (T2–T3)

T2 Hom. Il.

a (> 1 B2, ad B10, B13; 3 B5; 11 A12; 70 A24) 14.200–201 ≈ 14.301–2

εἶμι γὰρ ὀψομένη πολυφόρβου πείρατα γαίης,

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COSMOLOGICAL SPECULATIONS

COSMOLOGICAL SPECULATIONS

The Structure of the World (T1–T9) Earth and Heavens (T1)

T1 (> 7 B2) Homer, Iliad

He [i.e. Hephaestus] made the earth on it [i.e. Achilles’ shield], and the heavens, and the sea, And the tireless sun and the full moon, 485And all the constellations with which the heavens are crowned, The Pleiades and the Hyades and Orion’s strength And the Bear, which they also call the Wagon by name, Which turns around in place and watches Orion, And is the only one to have no share of Ocean’s baths.

Ocean (T2–T3)

T2 Homer, Iliad

a (> 1 B2, ad B10, B13; 3 B5; 11 A12; 70 A24)

For I [i.e. Hera] am going to see the limits of the all-nourishing earth,

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DOI: 10.4159/DLCL.early_greek_philosophy_cosmological_speculations.2016