This article is about the section of the Greek underworld. For other uses, see Asphodel.
In Greek mythology, the Asphodel Meadows or Asphodel Fields (Ancient Greek: ἀσφοδελὸς λειμών, romanized: asphodelòs leimṓn)[1] was a section of the ancient Greek underworld where the majority of ordinary souls were sent to live after death.[2] It was one of the three main divisions of the underworld along with Elysium, where righteous souls were granted reward, and Tartarus, where vicious souls were granted punishment.[2] In his Odyssey, Homer locates the Fields of Asphodel close to the Land of dreams. He further refers to them as the dwelling place of the spirits of men who have abandoned their earthly labors.[3]
The name of the land, inspired by the plant Asphodelus, appears in the literature as far back as Homer's Odyssey, where it features in Odysseus’ survey of the underworld. Many ancient Greek poets and Homeric commentators understand the adjective asphodelòs to mean 'flowery', 'fragrant', or 'fertile'.[4] According to others, the unattractive plant was chosen by the Greeks because of its ghostly gray colour which is appropriate to the shadowy atmosphere of the underworld.[5]
A different proposal explains the name of the land as 'field of ashes' basing it on sphodelos or spodelos, an alternative version of the name[6] that could be related to "σποδός", spodós ('ashes', 'embers').[7][8]
Later depictionsedit
The Asphodel Meadows is most probably where the souls of people who lived mediocre lives remain. Its relationship to other places in the Greek afterlife remains uncertain.
For later Greek poets the very ancient pre-Homeric association of the asphodel flower with a positive form of afterlife as well as the enlarged role of Elysium as it became the destination of more than just a few lucky heroes, altered the character of the meadows. Greek poets who wrote after Homer's time describe them as untouched, lovely, soft and holy. Such an evolutionary change is quite common: "Like most cultures throughout human history, both ancient and modern, the Greeks held complex and sometimes contradictory views about the afterlife".[9]
Some depictions describe it as a land of utter neutrality. That is, while the inhabitants were in life neither good nor evil, so they are treated in the afterlife. Other depictions have also stated that all residents drink from the river Lethe before entering the fields, thus losing their identities. This somewhat negative outlook on the afterlife for those who make little impact was perhaps passed down to encourage militarism in Greek cultures (as opposed to inaction). In fact, those who did take up arms and became heroes were rewarded with everlasting joy in the fields of Elysium.
Edith Hamilton suggested that the asphodel of these fields are not exactly like the asphodel of our world, but are "presumably strange, pallid, ghostly flowers."[10] Others have suggested, in 2002, that they were actually narcissi.[11]
^Reece, Steve (2009). Homer's winged words : the evolution of early Greek epic diction in the light of oral theory. Leiden. ISBN978-90-474-2787-2. OCLC 569990385.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^Tripp, Edward (1970). Crowell's handbook of classical mythology. Internet Archive. New York, Crowell. p. 105. ISBN978-0-690-22608-9.
^Amigues, S (2002). "La "Prairie d'Asphodèle" de l'Odyssée et de l'Hymne homérique à Hermès". Revue de philologie, de littérature et d'histoire anciennes. 76: 7–14. doi:10.3917/phil.761.0007.
^Edith Hamilton. Mythology. New York: Warner Books, 1999. Ch. 1, p. 40.
^Dweck, A. C. The folklore of Narcissus. pp. 19–29. In Hanks (2002)
Works citededit
Hanks, Gordon R (2002). Narcissus and Daffodil: The Genus Narcissus. London: Taylor and Francis. ISBN0415273447. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
Anonymous (May–October 1887). "Homer the botanist". Macmillan's Magazine. 56. London: Macmillan and Company: 428–436. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
January 01, 1970
asphodel, meadows, this, article, about, section, greek, underworld, other, uses, asphodel, greek, mythology, asphodel, fields, ancient, greek, ἀσφοδελὸς, λειμών, romanized, asphodelòs, leimṓn, section, ancient, greek, underworld, where, majority, ordinary, so. This article is about the section of the Greek underworld For other uses see Asphodel In Greek mythology the Asphodel Meadows or Asphodel Fields Ancient Greek ἀsfodelὸs leimwn romanized asphodelos leimṓn 1 was a section of the ancient Greek underworld where the majority of ordinary souls were sent to live after death 2 It was one of the three main divisions of the underworld along with Elysium where righteous souls were granted reward and Tartarus where vicious souls were granted punishment 2 In his Odyssey Homer locates the Fields of Asphodel close to the Land of dreams He further refers to them as the dwelling place of the spirits of men who have abandoned their earthly labors 3 A field of white Asphodels Contents 1 Name 2 Later depictions 3 References 4 Works citedName edit nbsp The plant Asphodelus ramosus The name of the land inspired by the plant Asphodelus appears in the literature as far back as Homer s Odyssey where it features in Odysseus survey of the underworld Many ancient Greek poets and Homeric commentators understand the adjective asphodelos to mean flowery fragrant or fertile 4 According to others the unattractive plant was chosen by the Greeks because of its ghostly gray colour which is appropriate to the shadowy atmosphere of the underworld 5 A different proposal explains the name of the land as field of ashes basing it on sphodelos or spodelos an alternative version of the name 6 that could be related to spodos spodos ashes embers 7 8 Later depictions editThe Asphodel Meadows is most probably where the souls of people who lived mediocre lives remain Its relationship to other places in the Greek afterlife remains uncertain For later Greek poets the very ancient pre Homeric association of the asphodel flower with a positive form of afterlife as well as the enlarged role of Elysium as it became the destination of more than just a few lucky heroes altered the character of the meadows Greek poets who wrote after Homer s time describe them as untouched lovely soft and holy Such an evolutionary change is quite common Like most cultures throughout human history both ancient and modern the Greeks held complex and sometimes contradictory views about the afterlife 9 Some depictions describe it as a land of utter neutrality That is while the inhabitants were in life neither good nor evil so they are treated in the afterlife Other depictions have also stated that all residents drink from the river Lethe before entering the fields thus losing their identities This somewhat negative outlook on the afterlife for those who make little impact was perhaps passed down to encourage militarism in Greek cultures as opposed to inaction In fact those who did take up arms and became heroes were rewarded with everlasting joy in the fields of Elysium Edith Hamilton suggested that the asphodel of these fields are not exactly like the asphodel of our world but are presumably strange pallid ghostly flowers 10 Others have suggested in 2002 that they were actually narcissi 11 References edit ἀsfodelos Liddell Henry George Scott Robert A Greek English Lexicon at the Perseus Project a b Westmoreland Perry L 2006 Ancient Greek beliefs San Ysidro CA Lee and Vance Publishing Co ISBN 978 0 9793248 1 9 OCLC 276682916 Homer Odyssey 24 11 14 Reece Steve 2009 Homer s winged words the evolution of early Greek epic diction in the light of oral theory Leiden ISBN 978 90 474 2787 2 OCLC 569990385 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link Tripp Edward 1970 Crowell s handbook of classical mythology Internet Archive New York Crowell p 105 ISBN 978 0 690 22608 9 Harper Douglas asphodel Online Etymology Dictionary spodos Liddell Henry George Scott Robert A Greek English Lexicon at the Perseus Project Amigues S 2002 La Prairie d Asphodele de l Odyssee et de l Hymne homerique a Hermes Revue de philologie de litterature et d histoire anciennes 76 7 14 doi 10 3917 phil 761 0007 Reece Steve Homer s Asphodel Meadow Greek Roman and Byzantine Studies 47 2007 389 400 Edith Hamilton Mythology New York Warner Books 1999 Ch 1 p 40 Dweck A C The folklore ofNarcissus pp 19 29 In Hanks 2002 Works cited editHanks Gordon R 2002 Narcissus and Daffodil The Genus Narcissus London Taylor and Francis ISBN 0415273447 Retrieved 2 October 2014 Anonymous May October 1887 Homer the botanist Macmillan s Magazine 56 London Macmillan and Company 428 436 Retrieved 3 November 2014 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Asphodel Meadows amp oldid 1214611054, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
