Presentation
This series of three lectures explores the multiple fields of interaction between men and gods in ancient Greek society. Conceived with the power to manifest themselves in human form, and with a willingness to interact, Greek gods often entered the human world, creating a "gray zone" where the boundary between the divine and mortal worlds sometimes became blurred.
Encounters between mortals and immortals could take place anywhere, at any time, in a sanctuary as well as in the home,agora or gymnasium, or even in the forest. The first lecture will highlight the importance of human appearance in interactions, and in particular how this appearance creates a safe space for men in the presence of a deity, since direct contact with the gods constitutes a danger for men. The gods know this well: when it comes to seeing the mere mortal Semele, Zeus is reluctant to show himself in all his majestic splendor, as he appears to the goddess Hera. When a promise obliges him to do so, Semele pays the price with her death. The protection afforded to men by the all-human form assumed by the Greek gods can be illustrated by the example of Aphrodite seeking to seduce Anchises. But the concept of anthropomorphic gods also has other important implications for human beings, which we'll need to unpack. The lecture will examine these consequences: the anthropomorphic form offers men the possibility of touching and making physical contact, so to speak, with the gods, of looking them in the eye or turning their backs, and even of attacking them on a battlefield. What's more, the fact that the gods appear in human form gives men the dangerous opportunity to compare themselves with the divine, both physically and in terms of skill.
