Chapters of Thury’s book…complete all of the following questions. Support material (ppt/ and publisher Chapter notes) within the “content” link within Course Tools. Remember you must post your responses to the discussion questions before viewing and replying to others’ posts.
Ovid’s Creation Story:
What would it feel like to live as a believer in the stories Ovid tells? What would be your view of the world if you worshipped the same deities? Would it be better or worse than living under the divine system described by Hesiod?
List the Ages of Man according to Hesiod (Chapter 3), and then compare them with those according to Ovid.
Explain the differences between Hesiod’s and Ovid’s accounts of creation. Be specific about the different details to be found in each account.
Consider the nature of Prometheus in Ovid and in Hesiod (Chapter 3). Does he seem different to the two authors? He has been called a trickster, a figure connected both to creation and to satisfying his own appetites. Do you find evidence for these characteristics in the readings thus far? (there will be more discussion of his nature in Chapter 25).
Ovid was described in Chapter 2 as a sophisticated writer who is more interested in amusing his audience than in telling stories related to a common belief system. Can you find evidence in the stories in this chapter that Ovid is detached from the stories he is telling?
Biblical Creation Stories:
Q1. Explain the differences among the three writers of Genesis. Be specific.
Explain what the Priestly (P) source is arguing for in his account in Genesis. Be specific in referring to things he says.
Explain the importance of covenant to the writers of Genesis. Be sure to refer to specific things that happen in specific stories and to differentiate at least two of the writers of the story.
Enuma Elish:
Q2. Find the descriptions in the text (there are many) that describe Marduk’s lasting achievements. What does this myth reveal about the understanding humans’ role in the world?
Discuss family relationships in Enuma Elish. Why is the discord such an important element in the story? What do these relationships tell us about the culture of the myth keepers?
What role does magic play in Enuma Elish? Find specific examples and analyze how they fit into the larger context of the society.