Greek studies;: A series of essays

by Walter Pater

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Genres: History, Essays, Art, Mythology, 19th Century

298 pages, Unknown Binding

First published June 1, 2002

About the author

People know British writer Walter Horatio Pater for his volumes of aesthetic criticism, including Appreciations (1889).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_...

Reviews

[Illiterate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pater's creative criticism evokes the popular, pagan, humanist backgrounds to Greek art.

[Taj]

Flowery prose styling sometimes fun and sometimes a bit irritating. The heavy reliance on a "Asian"-"European" dichotomy in Pater's narrative of the development of Greek art, with the mystical genius & spirit of the latter transcending the exquisite but lifeless ornament of the former, induces a few eye rolls. But useful as a snapshot of the field at the time, I suppose.
More interesting points are his exploration of the chthonic roots of Dionysus, Demeter, Persephone, and even Artemis, though, on checking more recent literature, some of the philology seems a bit shaky. It's all written in a very speculative style, anyway—very few footnotes to be found.
An intriguing contrast is drawn between Homer, "the warrior's delight", and Hesiod, "the poet of the helots"; in Pater's reading, the latter draws on some of the themes of pre-Greek religion, surviving, perhaps, among the subjects of the "Indo-Germanic" martial elite.
A last memorable theme: the Homeric focus on metalwork. Colors are somewhat sparse, and not usually too vivid. But the shield of Achilles, the palace of Alcinous—all done in cleverly joined materials: gold, silver, bronze, "περὶ δὲ θριγκὸς κυάνοιο". Paint is entirely absent. Pater's explanation for the union of "crook-backed and uncomely" Hephaestus with Aphrodite lies in this: as the forge god, he is, in this great bronze age, "the god of all art", given the pre-eminence of metalworking at this early date. The goddess of beauty, of adorned & perfumed personal splendor, is inherently linked with the artisan maker of her charms. And as Aphrodite—anadyomene—appears at Paphos, the divine smith is of course tied to Cyprus as the great copper-depot of the Mediterranean bronze age.

[holly gc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paganism and Hellenism! what more do you need srsly

[Oshun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-reading. Just had to interrupt my reading to say how beautifully he uses language and with what passion he approaches the subject. No wonder I adored him when I was young.