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Mythic paradigms and the Platonic life: Becoming a Bacchus in Damascius’ Philosophical History

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Abstract
The fragmentary biographical work by Damascius, known as either the Life of Isidore or Philosophical History, appears to have begun with the myths of the dismemberment of Osiris and Dionysus. These programmatic allusions establish an important theme in the text that followed: ‘becoming a Bacchus’. This, as is clear from Damascius’ Phaedo Commentary, refers to the process of unifying and liberating oneself from the body at the ‘cathartic’ stage in the Neoplatonic scale of virtues. The acquisition of likeness to this specific deity is, therefore, a vital though far from final stage in the progression towards the ultimate goal of late antique Platonic philosophy: ‘becoming like god as far as possible’.
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: | Miles, G |
Keywords: | myth, Bacchus, Damascius, biography, Philosophical History, Life of Isidore, Dionysus |
Journal or Publication Title: | Journal of Hellenic Studies |
Publisher: | Soc Promotion Hellenic Stud |
ISSN: | 0075-4269 |
DOI / ID Number: | 10.1017/S0075426918000046 |
Copyright Information: | Copyright 2018 The Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies |
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