Messene Odeion

THE #ODEION AT #MESSENE #odeion #messene

Whats left of most Greek and Roman Odeions makes them look like smaller versions of theatres however descriptions left by Pausanias and other writers suggests most of them were covered and had much more elaborate backstage structures. Instead of the well known Athenian Odeion I'm going to show you the two best photos I could find of the lesser known Odeion at Messene's ancient capital on Mt Ithome.

Some books describe this as a theatre and some experts think it was used for rituals but there is no trace of an altar and it certainly follows the standard Odeion format and placement. Near other public buildings and a fan shape with raised seating. It also has retained its tiled flooring perhaps because of the remoteness of Mt Ithome?

Perhaps as I speculated before theatres and odeions was used for a variety of events between major cultural or religious festivals. Homeric recitals? Rehearsals of new plays? Choral performances combining dance and song. Public Oratory? Oratory Training. There are many possibilities.

Be(come) Merciful

#mercy #greeknewtestament #biblestudy #ginesthe #

So just after the terrible events of the slaughter in the Tree of Live Synagouge in Philadelphi I'm flicking through pages trying to find a verse of usefulness and healing and I end up returning to the page in Luke I had tagged and rereading the passage I found myself drawn again and again to Luke 6:36

In the RSV translation BE Merciful

Going back up a few verses the passage talks about loving sinners loving your enemy and doing good EVEN when you can't expect a response.
Jesus speaks of doing this because the most high is kind to the ungrateful and evil though poneros could also be translated as wretched.

No I am not calling on people to forgive the shooter.
He's probably a psycho triggered by other people's violence
I'm not calling on you to forgive the owners and other users of the various social media platforms and sites  that allowed him to vent his hate and DID NOTHING TO STOP IT OR TELL HIM HE WAS WRONG.

But let us consider what he did was a lack of mercy or compassion !

The Greek verb translated as Be is actually a form of ginomai in this verse an aorist middle imperative GIVESTHE
Not just be but become happen make it happen

The shooter opted for violence not mercy and showed no pity that we know of ... perhaps he hestitated at the last minute and opted to show some mercy to younger members of the congregation but perhaps and probably not ...

He did not love his enemies do good or show mercy

BE MERCIFUL
We are all sinners but please strive to do good anyway !

The Thorikos Oddity

While 90 to 95 % of Greek and Roman Theatres and Odeion follow a standard design with minor tweaks to adapt to the locale the #theatre at #thorikos is oval rather than fan or circular in shape. It is also one of the oldest if not the oldest Greek Theatre.

many thanks to whoever took the drone shot !

Given this predates the stone theatres in Athens scholars and archaeologists it was originally used for political events or religious festivals so I find myself wondering 

WHAT WERE THEATRES and ODEIONS used for the REST of the YEAR?

Between Major Festivals?

Possibilities include Poetry Recitals of Homeric Epics, Orations on set themes, Training of Orators, and maybe political meetings if the agora was too small? 

Possibly training Actors and Choruses or maybe reruns of winning plays from previous contests?

Cursing and Blessing

CURSING AND BLESSING
FOUR VERBS in LUKE 6:27-28

#biblestudy #greeknewtestament

But to you I say to those hearing

LOVE THE ENEMIES OF YOU
DO GOOD TO THOSE HATING YOU
BLESS THE ONES WHO CURSE YOU
PRAY FOR THOSE AROUND
MAKING CURSES (about  towards) YOU

Agapapate  LOVE Your enemies agapoo !

Kaloos Poieite  do good act "finely / beautifully to the hating

Eulogeite BLESS speak well eologeoo those who Kataroomenous kataraomai  curse

Proseukhesthe pray for proseukhomai people around you making curses epeereazooo

NOTE THE IMPERATIVE FORMS

Kataraomai Kata+ ara+omai
to pray "down" to curse to ask or invoke  the divine to perform negative actions that harm others 

Eukhomai is strengthened by pros and peri
pray or wish for vow to

Epeereazontoon Epeereazoo related to epeereia

epi plus the er stem
to put words upon in a negative way threaten or abuse insult be spiteful despise verbally

This doesnt mean we can not speak out against evil use satire or have to allow evil "free speech" or spread propaganda

We are commanded to strive to counter balance or overwhelm evil with good.

Do good not just be nice Not to curse but to bless Love instead of hate

Prayer and Action

Greek Theatres - Mantinea

While I'm on the subject of theatres here's a reminder of what one looks like

This is the remains of the theatre at Mantinea.

The original would have had a stone or wooden super structure for supporting canvas screens and of course probably no grass and perhaps outer walls but note the shape a semi circle with tiers.

JOHN THE WRITER

#INKTOBER and JOHN THE WRITER

JOHN THE WRITER

Its #inktober2018 so lets look at New Testament verses in which #paper #pen and #ink are mentioned!

Who mentions these basic writing materials? The #Apostle JOHN!

2 John 1:12

Πολλὰ ἔχων ὑμῖν γράφειν οὐκ ἐβουλήθην διὰ χάρτου καὶ μέλανος,

ἀλλὰ ἐλπίζω γενέσθαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς καὶ …

Many things having to you to write not I would by “paper” and “black”

Khartou is paper made from papyrus and melanos is the black of ink.

John goes on to say he would rather have the joy of meeting with you face to face.

It is noteworthy he mentions writing himself with ink and not having a scribe do it so this means somehow John despite probably coming from a lower class family in Galilee that primarily spoke Aramaic could read and write in Greek! Did he learn as an adult or get tutored as a child? 

In Johns Third letter he again notes that he has written himself to the church

3 John 1:9 ἔγραψά Note again the first person verb form and then

3 John 1:13

Πολλὰ εἶχον γράψαι σοι ἀλλ̓ οὐ θέλω διὰ μέλανος καὶ καλάμου σοι γράφειν

Much I had to write to you but not I wish by black (ink) and reed (pen) to you to write

Again it not because of any lack of writing skills but because he would rather speak to them in person and hopes to see them soon.

One factor though in his reluctance to write long letters may have been the cost of papyrus sheets which could only be made and obtained in Egypt.

How lucky we are to have an abundance of cheap paper and the blessing of modern technology.

I am typing on the keyboard of a laptop that will be linked to the net via a wireless modem when I upload this to the metousia blog whereas John had to hope someone would donate paper and with no regular post service wait for a courier or church member to be travelling and carry the letter.

Do something for #inktober2018 

Draw an illustration!  Do Typography or Calligraphy! Art can be Ministry !?

More Theatre Masks and some questions

#theatre masks  THEATRE MASKS

These were found  in Britain and the style suggests they are characters from GREEK DRAMA though they date from the Roman Imperial era. This presents interesting possibilities. Did touring companies of actors visit the provinces and not just the festival circuit in Greece? South Italian ceramics and art from Pompeii and Herculaneum show theatre companies and images from myths that often look like stage settings. London and the other major Roman settlements could have had supported theatre companies which suggests a high level of education in the Provinces. 

Or were these just souvenirs brought or sent from Italy or Greece to a Roman settler? 

Or the equivalent of trendy interior design? Masks as objects of art placed for decoration?

The same way one might display copies of Noh masks? 

Clean or Pure ? A Short Note on Katharos

#katharos #gospelofluke #greeknewtestament

KATHAROS 
and its various related nouns and verbs means both purify and cleanse in GREEK

This creates a dilemma for translators

Which to use?

I'm currently (re)reading Luke Chapter 5 and have gotten to verse 13 in which Jesus says to the Leper

"I will Be Clean" in the RSV

The Greek is two Simple Verbs THELOO KATHARISTTHEETI

Theloo is the shortened post classical  form of ethelooo

I want this event to happen

Then An Aorist  Passive Imperative

It will happen to you the cleansing from disease

Remember this was a era without antibiotics and whether this man had Hansens or some other form of skin disease or cancer the only treatments available were bathing bandages and various ointments based on herbs or minerals and whether the cause was a fungus virus or bacteria the patient was often isolated. His condition was so serious he was described as "fully leprous" and how he got through the crowds to Jesus is not stated. Perhaps the crowds parted fearing infection as the man approached Jesus.

Not a word here about sin just a simple act of healing.

This is probably why the RSV uses CLEAN.

Greek Theatre Masks Two

#greekcomedy #thalia #theatremasks

The Muse of Comedy looking at one of the masks used  by male actors.

At least we think most actors were male however the Romans allowed female performers in what they called pantomime and given the diversity of the empire I suspect sooner or later a mosaic or fresco featuring an actress will turn up.

and perhaps the young lady used as a model for this was contemplating writing for the theatre ?