The logo of the Melammu Project

The Melammu Project

The Heritage of Mesopotamia and the Ancient Near East

  The Melammu Project
  
   General description
   Search string
   Browse by topic
   Search keyword
   Submit entry
  
   About
   Open search
   Thematic search
   Digital Library
   Submit item
  
   Ancient texts
   Dictionaries
   Projects
   Varia
   Submit link
  FAQ
  Contact us
  About

  The Newsletter
  To Project Information >

  

Causes of divine madness (1)

 Printable view
Topics (move over topic to see place in topic list)

03 Religious festivals, cults, rituals and practices


 		Keywords
frenzy
oracles
Period
4th century CE
Roman Empire 		Channel
Helleno-Roman philosophers and scholars

Text
Iamblichus, De Mysteriis 3.8.117:
But it is necessary to investigate the causes of divine madness. These are by illuminations descending from the gods, the spirits given off by them, and the full power from them which both encompasses everything in us, and entirely banishes our own conciousness and movement. The madness sends forth words, but not with the understanding of the speakers; on the contrary, it is said that they utter them with a “frenzied mouth” while wholly serving and surrendering to the unique activity of the one controlling them. Divine possession is brought to perfection by such causes, speaking generally and without precision.

Source (list of abbreviations)
Iamblichus, De Mysteriis 3.8.117

Bibliography

Clarke, Dillon and Hershell 2003, 137Clarke, Emma C., John M. Dillon and Jackson P. Hershbell. Iamblichus, De Mysteriis. Translated with an Introduction and Notes. Writings from the Graeco-Roman World 4. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature 2003.

Amar Annus


URL for this entry: http://www.aakkl.helsinki.fi/melammu/database/gen_html/a0001132.php

Illustrations
No pictures

^
T
O
P