Fragment of a Hound

#stele #classicalgreeksculpture classicalgreekart

I rather miss we had all of this stele!

What we have shows a hound or small dog apparently adoringly looking up at its master.

The sculptor has contrasted on the pose and time has eroded some of the detail but the position of the dogs head looking up ... just exquisite even in its incomplete damaged state.

PRIDE

#greeknewtestament #bibelstudy #wordstudy #hypereephania

The Word used in the Greek New Testament and other secular prose and poetry that we translate as Pride or Arrogance has a very different etymology and origin than the word we use in English which is borrowed from French.


In #mark7:22 HYPEREEPHANIA is listed as a human sin

Note that the long e is inserted as the greeks had an almost involuntary hardwired dislike of  certain combinations of medial double consonants except in passive verb forms. You see r + ph in short words but the greeks with their passion for rhetoric were very careful about having balanced euphony to the thought of obsession.

It literally translates as over+appearance with the idea something is TOO obvious conspicious or bright and while sometimes used as a compliment was often used to describe people who thought too highly of themselves.

IN English we sometimes use Pride with a meaning of self respect but the Greek word does not have this connotation in texts I've seen. This is the form of Pride that's an egomania or obsession with status or thinking of one as being better or more important than others when you're not.

Metousia Fans some upcoming blog changes need your feedback

#google #image #search Changes

DEAR Metousia fans due to changes to Google Image Search Settings its going to be a lot more time and data consuming to find pictures to search with you so you have to let me know if
a) I should spilt this blog in two  ie one for greek language and bible study and start another one for topics
b) reduce posts to weekly schedule
c) focus on classical era only
d) focus on new testament greek only ?

Please send feedback !

Greek Diphthongs

#diphthongs #greek #classicalgreek

GREEK DIPHTHONGS

Δίφθογγοι

αι Classical high aisle height Demotic e as in ten

αυ Classical how law house Demotic af or av

ει Classical fiancee fete they feign Demotic i

ευ Classical met moon new Demotic ef or ev

ηυ Classical ee + ou

οι Classical foil boy Demotic i

ου Classical moon Demotic u

υι Classical we why French oui lui

You are welcome to suggest or add other examples in the comments !

Eros and Agape 2018

February the Fourteenth day is a day in which we hopefully combine eros and agape to find some true love?

Hopefully the boy god willn't treat you too badly today!

Recommended reading The Tale of Eros and Psyche form Apuleius' golden ass.

Although written in Latin it incorporates elements from older folktales from Greece and elsewhere.

Penguin Classics has a translation.

Bad Words and Blasphemy.

#greekbiblestudy #biblestudy #greeknewtestament

The RSV translates Blasphemia in several places as slander rather than blasphemy in the modern sense of the word.

The parallel passages Matthew 15:19 and Mark 7:22 are two of those places.

So why Slander?

Blasphemy originally meant something more like "ILL SPEAKING"  to speak evil against someone, to slander , insult, to use words hurtfully, against other humans, not deities.

It translates a Hebrew / Aramaic word GUDAPHA.
(If any readers know Hebrew please comment my Hebrew Aramaic can best be described as sparse)

Blasphemia is a compound of BLAS +PHEMIA

The blas is NOT related to English Blast which is Germanic in origin or to the radical Blast- used in biology coming from a word meaning growth.

So in this passage Jesus is not just talking about blasphemy towards the divine but using insults and slander in general.

This doesn't mean you can't sometimes be sarcastic or snarky or you're sinning if you blurt out certain types of words  under extreme stress or provocation  but if your intent is to be willingly evil and hurt some one ...

This whole chapter speaks of how we need to be concerned with wilful error, and that following certain rituals and customs don't necessarily make you holy or righteous or pure if you sin in other ways.

Our mid week secular theme at the moment is Dogs in Classical Art.

PLEASE Watch my Twitter  @JVartndesign account for updates or follow me on Goggle Plus or this Blog directly.

Military Hounds

The painting on this vase probably depicts a regular inspection of hoplite armor and equipment rather than a departure for fighting.
It looks rather like some people's pet house dogs got out and followed them to the inspection as there are no visible leashes on the dogs. Plus the posture of one dog with body language that seems to say  gosh me and the boss have joined a bigger pack.
Another reason I say house dogs is that I wonder if these are female dogs and the light build suggests a dog kept for both hunting small game and guarding the house and playing with the kids hence the lack of leashes because this is a trained house pet?

The Evil Eye

#gospelofmark #evileye #malice #envy #biblestudy

The Evil Eye is a folk belief or rather superstition that some people can willingly or even UNWILLINGLY curse another person or thing simply by looking at it.
In #mark 7:22 however the words that are literally eye evil seem to be referring to malice and envy.
Jesus says that evil comes out of the heart of man, from within, that sin is an emotional reaction that rather than repressing we act out on, doing evil things.

It is not desire that is wrong or even lust but the action of fornication, porneia is an action not just a thought. The desires of the heart can be a source of sin.

However we also make ourselves suffer if we feel malice. Note Jesus uses a word translatable as wretched as well as evil, poneros in the Greek NT, a condition as well as an action.

Its a temptation all too easy to fell into, having evil thoughts about neighbors or relatives, especially if they are doing something you consider wrong.

Treat those thought like weeds. Sometimes the weed you cut can be used as compost, other times treat it as garbage, but weeds are sometimes herbs, bitter medicine, reminding us we are not perfect like those neighbours or others we may envy.

Next time Blasphemia.

Don't forget to check for grammar posts! I'm going to bump some older ones!