The Tale of Euhemerus and Euhemerism

Subject Areas : Mytho

Sirous Shamisā ¹ , Shoobāneh Sarrāf ²

1 - The Professor of Persian Language and Literature, Allameh Tabataba'i University
2 - Ph. D. Candidate of Persian Language and Literature, Allameh Tabataba'i University

Received: 2017-12-17 Accepted : 2017-12-17 Published : 2017-11-22

Keywords: Mythology, Euhemerism, Euhemerus, Sacred History, Chronicle, Kush-nameh,

Abstract :

One of the oldest and most important schools in mythology, without doubt, is Euhemerism which considers myths as distorted accounts of historical events. Although, for a long time, this theory has had many supporters in Iran, there has been little research attempted on it. In the present article, we examine the history of Euhemerism from the time of publication of Euhemerus’s Sacred History in 300 BC to the 18th century when it became an established school in mythology. We demonstrate how and why Euhemerus's point of view, a theory about ancient gods, has gradually turned into a school of thought in modern mythology. In this regard, we utilize original texts and have translated a part of Sacred History to Persian. Finally, we attempt to find reflections of Euhemerus's work in Persian literature and to show that a part of Kush-nama can be considered as an adaptation of his work.

References:

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English References

Acosta-Hughes, Benjamin and etal. 2011. Brill'sCompanion to Callimachus. Leiden:Brill.

Akbarzadeh, Daryoosh. 2015. “Alexander's tale or a collection of symbols according to the Kush-Nameh”. Byzantion Nea Hellás. No.34. PP. 293-307.

Alter, Stephen. 2004. Elephas maximus, A portrait of the Indian elephant. Orlando: Harcourt.

Bonnefoy, Yves. (ed.) 1991. Roman and European Mythologies, Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Brisson, Luc. 2008. How Philosophers Saved Myths: Allegorical Interpretation And Classical Mythology. Tr. by Catherine Tihanyi. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Cole, Spencer. 2013. Cicero and the Rise of Deification at Rome. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.

Diodorus, Siculus. 1935. Library of History: Loeb Classical Library. Tr. by Oldfather, C. H. Cambridge, MA.: Harvard University Press.

Falco, Raphael. 2010. Charisma and Myth. London: Continuum International Publishing Group.

Feldman, Burton & Richardson, Robert D. Jr. 1972. The Rise of Modern Mythology:1680-1860. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.

Grewal, Royina. 2001. The Book of Ganesha,New Delhi: Penguin Books.

Hawes, Greta. 2014. Rationalizing Myth in Antiquity. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Kokolakis, Minos. 1995. Zeus' tomb: An object of pride and reproach. Kernos 8:123-138.

Kuiper, Kathleen. 1995.Merriam-Webster's encyclopedia of literature. Springfield, Mass. : Merriam-Webster.

Roubekas, Nickolas. 2014. “What is Euhemerism? A Brief History of Research and Some Persisting Questions”. Bulletin for the Study of Religion. Vol. 43, No. 2. PP. 30-37.

Murdock, D. M. 2009. Christ in Egypt: The Horus-Jesus Connection. Seattle: Stellar House Publishing.

Seznec,Jean. 1953. Survival of Pagan Gods. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Winiarczyk, Marek. 2013. The ‘Sacred History’ of Euhemerus of Messene. Tr .by Witold Zbirohowski-Kośeia. Beiträge zur Altertums-kunde . Berlin and New York: De Gruyter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Āydenlū, Sajjād. (2007/1386SH). Nāresīde toranj. Esfahān: Naghsh-e Mānā.

Bronowski, Jacob. 1359. Orūj-e ensān (‎The Ascent of man).Tr. by Siyāvaš Mošfeq. Tehrān: Kāvoš.

Coyajee, Jahāngir Cooverji. (2009/ 1388SH). Ayīn-hāva afsāne-hā-ye īrān va čīn-e bāstān. Tr. by Jalīl Dūstxāh. Tehrān: Āgah.

Dādvar, Abolqāsem & Ādele Qarbī. (2012/1391SH). Motāle'e-ye tatbīqī-ye noqūš-e barjaste-ye haxāmanešī va sāsānī dar Īrān. Tehrān: Nashr-e Pašūtan.

Eliade, Mircea.  (1983/1362 SH). Čašm-andāz-hā-ye ostūre (Aspects du mythe). Tr. by Jalāl Sattārī. Tehrān: Tūs.

Esmā'ilpūr, Abolqāsem. (1998/ 1377SH). Ostūre bayān-e namādīn. Tehrān: Sorūš.

Heydarī, Alī. (2012/1391SH). “Tahlīl-e erfānī-ye dāstān-e zahhāk”.Quarterly Journal of Mytho-Mystic Literature. Islamic Azad University- South Tehran Branch.Year 8. No. 26. Pp. 53-75.

Homer. (1980/1359SH). Īliyād (Iliad). Tr. by Sa’īd Nafīsī. 4^th ed. Tehrān: Bongāh-e Tarjome va Našr-e Ketāb.

Imānpūr, Mohammad Taqī & Najm-od-dīn Gīlānī. (2013/1392SH).  “Barresī-ye tatbīqī-ye sūrenāy-e tārīxī ba rostam-e hamāse”. Majalle-ye Motāle'āt-e Īrānī. Year 12. No. 24. Pp. 43-63.

Irānshān ebn-e Abel-Xayr. (1998/1377SH). Kushnāmeh. With the Effort of Jalāl Matīnī. Tehrān: Entešārāt-e Elmī.

Ketāb-hā'ū az ahd-e atīq (Ketab-hā-ye qānūnī sānī). (2001/1380SH). Tr. by Pīrūz Sayyār. First ed. Tehrān: Ney.

Mozaffarī, Alī Rezā & Ali Asqar Zāre’ī. (2013/1392SH). “Zahhāk va beynolnahreyn”. Quarterly Journal of Mytho-Mystic Literature. Islamic Azad University- South Tehran Branch. Year 9. No.33. Pp. 87-115.

Nafīsī, Sa'td. (1980/ 1359 SH). Introduction to Iliad (see Homer).

Nūrāyī, Eliyās. (2013/1392SH). “Peyvand-e ostūre va erfān; bardāšt-hā-ye erfānī-ye sohravardī az šāhnāme-ye ferdowsī”. Quarterly Journal of Mytho-Mystic Literature. Islamic Azad University- South Tehran Branch. Year 9. No.32. Pp. 233-259.

Pūrnāmdāriyān, Taqī. (1996/1375SH). Ramz va dāstān-hā-ye ramzī dar adab-e Fārsī. 4^th ed. Tehrān: Entešārāt-e Elmī va Farhangī.

Safā, Zabīhollāh. (2010/1389SH). Hamāseh sarāyī dar īrān. 9^th  ed. Tehrān: Amīr Kabīr. 

Saffārī, Nastaran & et al. (2010/1389SH).  “Hamāse-hā-ye rostam va xāndānaš”. Kohan-Nāme-ye Adab-e Pārsī. Year 1. No.1. Pp. 59-72.

Sarkārātī, Bahman.(2006/1385SH). Sāyeh-hā-ye šekār šode, gozīde-ye maqālāt-e fārsī. 2^nd ed. Tehrān: Tahūrī.

Segal, Robert Alan. (2010/1389SH). Ostoureh  (Myth). Tr. by Farīde Farnūdfar. 2^nd ed. Tehrān: Basīrat.

Tudor, Henry. (2004/1383SH). Mafāhim-e Asāsi dar Oloum-e Siasi: Ostoureh-e Siāsi (Political myth). Tr. by Seyyed Mohammad Dāmādī. Tehrān: Amīr Kabīr.

Vosūqī, Mohammad Bāqer. (2014/1393 SH).  “Nām-e qadīm-e kore dar Motūn-e joqrāfiyāyī va tārīxī”. Pažūheš-hā-ye Olūm-e Tārīxī. Year 6. No. 2. Pp.135-150. 

English References

Acosta-Hughes, Benjamin and etal. 2011. Brill'sCompanion to Callimachus. Leiden:Brill.

Akbarzadeh, Daryoosh. 2015. “Alexander's tale or a collection of symbols according to the Kush-Nameh”. Byzantion Nea Hellás. No.34. PP. 293-307.

Alter, Stephen. 2004. Elephas maximus, A portrait of the Indian elephant. Orlando: Harcourt.

Bonnefoy, Yves. (ed.) 1991. Roman and European Mythologies, Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Brisson, Luc. 2008. How Philosophers Saved Myths: Allegorical Interpretation And Classical Mythology. Tr. by Catherine Tihanyi. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Cole, Spencer. 2013. Cicero and the Rise of Deification at Rome. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.

Diodorus, Siculus. 1935. Library of History: Loeb Classical Library. Tr. by Oldfather, C. H. Cambridge, MA.: Harvard University Press.

Falco, Raphael. 2010. Charisma and Myth. London: Continuum International Publishing Group.

Feldman, Burton & Richardson, Robert D. Jr. 1972. The Rise of Modern Mythology:1680-1860. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.

Grewal, Royina. 2001. The Book of Ganesha,New Delhi: Penguin Books.

Hawes, Greta. 2014. Rationalizing Myth in Antiquity. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Kokolakis, Minos. 1995. Zeus' tomb: An object of pride and reproach. Kernos 8:123-138.

Kuiper, Kathleen. 1995.Merriam-Webster's encyclopedia of literature. Springfield, Mass. : Merriam-Webster.

Roubekas, Nickolas. 2014. “What is Euhemerism? A Brief History of Research and Some Persisting Questions”. Bulletin for the Study of Religion. Vol. 43, No. 2. PP. 30-37.

Murdock, D. M. 2009. Christ in Egypt: The Horus-Jesus Connection. Seattle: Stellar House Publishing.

Seznec,Jean. 1953. Survival of Pagan Gods. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Winiarczyk, Marek. 2013. The ‘Sacred History’ of Euhemerus of Messene. Tr .by Witold Zbirohowski-Kośeia. Beiträge zur Altertums-kunde . Berlin and New York: De Gruyter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Āydenlū, Sajjād. (2007/1386SH). Nāresīde toranj. Esfahān: Naghsh-e Mānā.

Bronowski, Jacob. 1359. Orūj-e ensān (‎The Ascent of man).Tr. by Siyāvaš Mošfeq. Tehrān: Kāvoš.

Coyajee, Jahāngir Cooverji. (2009/ 1388SH). Ayīn-hāva afsāne-hā-ye īrān va čīn-e bāstān. Tr. by Jalīl Dūstxāh. Tehrān: Āgah.

Dādvar, Abolqāsem & Ādele Qarbī. (2012/1391SH). Motāle'e-ye tatbīqī-ye noqūš-e barjaste-ye haxāmanešī va sāsānī dar Īrān. Tehrān: Nashr-e Pašūtan.

Eliade, Mircea.  (1983/1362 SH). Čašm-andāz-hā-ye ostūre (Aspects du mythe). Tr. by Jalāl Sattārī. Tehrān: Tūs.

Esmā'ilpūr, Abolqāsem. (1998/ 1377SH). Ostūre bayān-e namādīn. Tehrān: Sorūš.

Heydarī, Alī. (2012/1391SH). “Tahlīl-e erfānī-ye dāstān-e zahhāk”.Quarterly Journal of Mytho-Mystic Literature. Islamic Azad University- South Tehran Branch.Year 8. No. 26. Pp. 53-75.

Homer. (1980/1359SH). Īliyād (Iliad). Tr. by Sa’īd Nafīsī. 4^th ed. Tehrān: Bongāh-e Tarjome va Našr-e Ketāb.

Imānpūr, Mohammad Taqī & Najm-od-dīn Gīlānī. (2013/1392SH).  “Barresī-ye tatbīqī-ye sūrenāy-e tārīxī ba rostam-e hamāse”. Majalle-ye Motāle'āt-e Īrānī. Year 12. No. 24. Pp. 43-63.

Irānshān ebn-e Abel-Xayr. (1998/1377SH). Kushnāmeh. With the Effort of Jalāl Matīnī. Tehrān: Entešārāt-e Elmī.

Ketāb-hā'ū az ahd-e atīq (Ketab-hā-ye qānūnī sānī). (2001/1380SH). Tr. by Pīrūz Sayyār. First ed. Tehrān: Ney.

Mozaffarī, Alī Rezā & Ali Asqar Zāre’ī. (2013/1392SH). “Zahhāk va beynolnahreyn”. Quarterly Journal of Mytho-Mystic Literature. Islamic Azad University- South Tehran Branch. Year 9. No.33. Pp. 87-115.

Nafīsī, Sa'td. (1980/ 1359 SH). Introduction to Iliad (see Homer).

Nūrāyī, Eliyās. (2013/1392SH). “Peyvand-e ostūre va erfān; bardāšt-hā-ye erfānī-ye sohravardī az šāhnāme-ye ferdowsī”. Quarterly Journal of Mytho-Mystic Literature. Islamic Azad University- South Tehran Branch. Year 9. No.32. Pp. 233-259.

Pūrnāmdāriyān, Taqī. (1996/1375SH). Ramz va dāstān-hā-ye ramzī dar adab-e Fārsī. 4^th ed. Tehrān: Entešārāt-e Elmī va Farhangī.

Safā, Zabīhollāh. (2010/1389SH). Hamāseh sarāyī dar īrān. 9^th  ed. Tehrān: Amīr Kabīr. 

Saffārī, Nastaran & et al. (2010/1389SH).  “Hamāse-hā-ye rostam va xāndānaš”. Kohan-Nāme-ye Adab-e Pārsī. Year 1. No.1. Pp. 59-72.

Sarkārātī, Bahman.(2006/1385SH). Sāyeh-hā-ye šekār šode, gozīde-ye maqālāt-e fārsī. 2^nd ed. Tehrān: Tahūrī.

Segal, Robert Alan. (2010/1389SH). Ostoureh  (Myth). Tr. by Farīde Farnūdfar. 2^nd ed. Tehrān: Basīrat.

Tudor, Henry. (2004/1383SH). Mafāhim-e Asāsi dar Oloum-e Siasi: Ostoureh-e Siāsi (Political myth). Tr. by Seyyed Mohammad Dāmādī. Tehrān: Amīr Kabīr.

Vosūqī, Mohammad Bāqer. (2014/1393 SH).  “Nām-e qadīm-e kore dar Motūn-e joqrāfiyāyī va tārīxī”. Pažūheš-hā-ye Olūm-e Tārīxī. Year 6. No. 2. Pp.135-150.