The nature of the gods in early Greek poetic thought

Stephen Scully

pp. 163-176

in: Robert S. Cohen, Alfred Tauber (eds), Philosophies of nature: the human dimension, Berlin, Springer, 1998

Abstract

In addressing the question of nature in the ancient Greek world, I thought that I would turn to the gods because they so complicate conventional distinctions between nature and culture.¹ At one end of the spectrum, they embody elements of nature and indeed personify natural forces — Zeus, the Indo-European Sky God, cloud gatherer and hurler of thunderbolts, and at the other end they represent ideals of civilization and moral order: Zeus Polieus, Zeus Euboulos ("the Good Counsellor"), Zeus Xenios ("Protector of Hospitality"); or consider anarchic Aphrodite, the joyous and dangerous goddess of sexual intercourse, often flanked by two winged youths Eros and Himeros, abstract nouns for sexual desire and yearning, as contrasted with Aphrodite, defender of cities and warlike Bringer of Victory (Nikephoros), portrayed in sculpture with a diadem of towers on her head.