In Aesop's Fables there is a cautionary tale, numbered 239 in the Perry Index, indicating that retribution is swift where the god is defied.[3] Oath-taking and the penalties for perjuring oneself played an important part in the Ancient Greek concept of justice.
According to Hesiod's Theogony, Horkos "who most troubles men upon earth when anyone willfully swears a false oath" was the offspring of Eris (Strife), with no father.[4] Compare with Hyginus which has Iusiurandum (Oath) as the offspring of Aether and Terra (Earth).[5]
Mythologyedit
In his Works and Days, Hesiod states that the Erinyes (Furies) assisted at the birth of Horkos, "whom Eris bore, to be a plague on those who take false oath", and that the fifth day of each month was especially dangerous as being the day on which he was born.[6] However, according to the moral given in an ethical parable related by Aesop, there is no fixed day on which the god's punishment falls on the wicked.
Aesop's fable concerns a man who had taken a deposit from a friend and, when asked to swear an oath regarding it, left the town hurriedly. A lame man whom he met told his fellow-traveller that he was Horkos on his way to track down wicked people. The man asked Horkos how often he returned to the city they were leaving. "I come back after forty years, or sometimes thirty," Horkos replied. Believing himself to be free from danger, the man returned the following morning and swore that he had never received the deposit. Almost immediately, Horkos arrived to execute the perjurer by throwing him off a cliff. Protesting, the man asked why the god had said he was not coming back for years when in fact he did not grant even a day's reprieve. Horkos replied, "You should also know that if somebody intends to provoke me, I am accustomed to come back again the very same day."
A similar story was told by Herodotus and may even have been the fable's origin.[7] It concerned a man who asked the Delphic oracle's advice about dishonouring such an oath and received the answer that he would profit for the moment but that it would bring about the destruction of him and his heirs - for Horkos has a son 'who is nameless and without hands or feet, swift in pursuit'. Nor can there be any repentance, for intent is no different from action.[8]
The severity of such justice underlines the importance of oath-taking in Ancient Greece, which was undertaken in the name of the gods. To perjure oneself meant waging war on the gods, who even themselves could suffer under the same sanctions.[9] In taking an oath one called down a conditional curse on oneself, to take effect if one lied or broke one's promise.[10] The lasting nature of this curse, and the corresponding benefit of honouring one's word, is also emphasised by Hesiod in discussing the matter: "Whoever wilfully swears a false oath, telling a lie in his testimony, he himself is incurably hurt at the same time as he harms Justice, and in after times his family is left more obscure, whereas the family of the man who keeps his oath is better in after times."[11]
In later times, the role of bringing justice for broken oaths was undertaken by the Furies, specified by Hesiod as the midwives at the birth of Horkos. Justice was also under the protection of the King of the gods, who in this aspect is referred to as Zeus Horkios (guardian of oaths); in circumstances where other divine entities were named, they too took responsibility for retribution.[12]
Alan H. Sommerstein, Isabelle C. Torrance, Oaths and Swearing in Ancient Greece, Berlin 2014
Hard, Robin (2004), The Routledge Handbook of Greek Mythology: Based on H.J. Rose's "Handbook of Greek Mythology", Psychology Press, 2004, ISBN9780415186360. Google Books.
Hyginus, Gaius Julius, Fabulae, in The Myths of Hyginus, edited and translated by Mary A. Grant, Lawrence: University of Kansas Press, 1960. Online version at ToposText.
Hesiod, Theogony, in The Homeric Hymns and Homerica with an English Translation by Hugh G. Evelyn-White, Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1914. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.
horkos, greek, mythology, figure, ɔːr, ancient, greek, Ὅρκος, hór, oath, personifies, curse, that, will, inflicted, person, swears, false, oath, aesop, fables, there, cautionary, tale, numbered, perry, index, indicating, that, retribution, swift, where, defied. In Greek mythology the figure of Horkos ˈ h ɔːr k ɒ s Ancient Greek Ὅrkos hor kos lit oath 1 personifies the curse that will be inflicted on any person who swears a false oath 2 In Aesop s Fables there is a cautionary tale numbered 239 in the Perry Index indicating that retribution is swift where the god is defied 3 Oath taking and the penalties for perjuring oneself played an important part in the Ancient Greek concept of justice Contents 1 Family 2 Mythology 3 Concepts of justice 4 Notes 5 ReferencesFamily editAccording to Hesiod s Theogony Horkos who most troubles men upon earth when anyone willfully swears a false oath was the offspring of Eris Strife with no father 4 Compare with Hyginus which has Iusiurandum Oath as the offspring of Aether and Terra Earth 5 Mythology editIn his Works and Days Hesiod states that the Erinyes Furies assisted at the birth of Horkos whom Eris bore to be a plague on those who take false oath and that the fifth day of each month was especially dangerous as being the day on which he was born 6 However according to the moral given in an ethical parable related by Aesop there is no fixed day on which the god s punishment falls on the wicked Aesop s fable concerns a man who had taken a deposit from a friend and when asked to swear an oath regarding it left the town hurriedly A lame man whom he met told his fellow traveller that he was Horkos on his way to track down wicked people The man asked Horkos how often he returned to the city they were leaving I come back after forty years or sometimes thirty Horkos replied Believing himself to be free from danger the man returned the following morning and swore that he had never received the deposit Almost immediately Horkos arrived to execute the perjurer by throwing him off a cliff Protesting the man asked why the god had said he was not coming back for years when in fact he did not grant even a day s reprieve Horkos replied You should also know that if somebody intends to provoke me I am accustomed to come back again the very same day Concepts of justice edit nbsp A 1610 depiction of a Fury from the Kunsthistorisches Museum A similar story was told by Herodotus and may even have been the fable s origin 7 It concerned a man who asked the Delphic oracle s advice about dishonouring such an oath and received the answer that he would profit for the moment but that it would bring about the destruction of him and his heirs for Horkos has a son who is nameless and without hands or feet swift in pursuit Nor can there be any repentance for intent is no different from action 8 The severity of such justice underlines the importance of oath taking in Ancient Greece which was undertaken in the name of the gods To perjure oneself meant waging war on the gods who even themselves could suffer under the same sanctions 9 In taking an oath one called down a conditional curse on oneself to take effect if one lied or broke one s promise 10 The lasting nature of this curse and the corresponding benefit of honouring one s word is also emphasised by Hesiod in discussing the matter Whoever wilfully swears a false oath telling a lie in his testimony he himself is incurably hurt at the same time as he harms Justice and in after times his family is left more obscure whereas the family of the man who keeps his oath is better in after times 11 In later times the role of bringing justice for broken oaths was undertaken by the Furies specified by Hesiod as the midwives at the birth of Horkos Justice was also under the protection of the King of the gods who in this aspect is referred to as Zeus Horkios guardian of oaths in circumstances where other divine entities were named they too took responsibility for retribution 12 Notes edit ὅrkos Liddell Henry George Scott Robert A Greek English Lexicon at the Perseus Project Hard p 31 Aesopica Hesiod Theogony 231 232 Hyginus Fabulae Preface 3 1 Evelyn White H G trans 1914 Works and Days p 804 Francisco Rodriguez Adrados History of the Graeco Latin Fable Vol 3 Brill 2003 pp 275 6 The History of Herodotus VI 86 pp 93 4 Everett L Wheeler Sophistic interpretations and Greek treaties Princeton University October 1984 Sommerstein amp Torrance p 1 Hesiod Works and Days 282 5 Sommerstein amp Torrance pp 295 9References editAlan H Sommerstein Isabelle C Torrance Oaths and Swearing in Ancient Greece Berlin 2014 Hard Robin 2004 The Routledge Handbook of Greek Mythology Based on H J Rose s Handbook of Greek Mythology Psychology Press 2004 ISBN 9780415186360 Google Books Hyginus Gaius Julius Fabulae in The Myths of Hyginus edited and translated by Mary A Grant Lawrence University of Kansas Press 1960 Online version at ToposText Herodotus Histories A D Godley translator Cambridge Massachusetts Harvard University Press 1920 ISBN 0674991338 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library Hesiod Theogony in The Homeric Hymns and Homerica with an English Translation by Hugh G Evelyn White Cambridge Massachusetts Harvard University Press London William Heinemann Ltd 1914 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library Hesiod Works and Days in Hesiod Theogony Works and Days Testimonia Edited and translated by Glenn W Most Loeb Classical Library No 57 Cambridge Massachusetts Harvard University Press 2018 ISBN 978 0 674 99720 2 Online version at Harvard University Press Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Horkos amp oldid 1210688087, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
