Plato in the First Murder and the Nephelims

[Kaplok Kaplok]

The connection made by N. Godfrey on the tales containing the first murder in Greek mythology and on the Bible is claimed to be based on Pindar's Pythian II.

Ixion
Ixion is a demigod who married a Dia, refused to pay dowry to her father. He then killed is father-in-law, and was later banished by the people and then was taken in by Zeus in Mt. Olympus. But there, being an ingrate like he is, he tried to SA Hera. Zeus formed a fake Hera out of clouds, creating a cloud dryad Nephele. Ixiom fell for it later bearing half man, half horse, bastard offspring called Kentauros, which father the later on Centaurs. Ixion is also known to be the Father of the Lapiths through his wife, Dia.

Lapith and Centaurs
In other mythical accounts, Centaurs and Lapiths were portrayed to be brothers involved in the Centauromachy, or the battle between Centaurs and the Lapith king Caineus. N. Godfrey notes this name similarity to Bible's Cain.

With this other myth in mind, Pindar underlying message in Pythian II is that due to Ixion's ungratefulness that man was cursed by Zeus, thus now having to constantly work throughout their life.

Pythian II. 30
But his arrogance drove him to extreme delusion; and soon the man suffered a suitable [30] exquisite punishment. Both of his crimes brought him toil in the end. First, he was the hero who, not without guile, was the first to stain mortal men with kindred blood; second, in the vast recesses of that bridal chamber he once made an attempt on the wife of Zeus. A man must always measure all things according to his own place.

Which is the same theme that is echoed into the Bible at the end of The Fall.

Genesis 2:14
So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,“Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life.

I do think this is weak and circumstantial evidence to prove that Cain and Abel was inspired from this myth. Like the vague connections towards brotherly conflicts between Centaurs and Lapiths, the first murder by Ixion, and somewhat similar names - Caineus and Cain .

But the overarching theme that really shows Platonic roots is by the surprising conclusion of the Bible to the murder:

Genesis 4 : 14-15
¹⁴Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”
¹⁵ But the Lord said to him, “Not so; anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him.

And how this kind of justice is seen in Plato's Laws Regarding murder:

But if (a murderer) fly and will not stand his trial, let him fly for ever; or, if he set foot anywhere on any part of the murdered man’s country, let any relation of the deceased, or any other citizen who may first happen to meet with him, kill him with impunity, or bind and deliver him to those among the judges of the case who are magistrates, that they may put him to death. (Plato, Laws 871 d-e)

Nephilim and Nephele​

In the past, Jewish Bible interpreters describes Nephilim to be large and strong, loosely translated as "giants". They are said to be offsprings of "Fallen Angels", due to the similarity to the Hebrew word naphal - "to fall". This seems to be too speculative of an explanation considering the Bible's words here and is what it actually say:

Genesis 6:4
The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.

Pindar Pythian 2
“the man in his ignorance chased a sweet fake and lay with a cloud, for its form was like the supreme celestial goddess, the daughter of Cronus”

Presented these explanation, and the story above in Pindar's Pythian II, I am more inclined to conclude that Nephelim is more likely referring to Centaurs and Lapiths, the name as a reference to the centaurs mother, cloud dryad/goddess Nephele, and Bible the verse is more a description of demi-god Ixion's escapades. I strongly urge you to re-read the story above to see what I mean.

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[OrangeMoon]

Mga Greek talaga mga OG hehe, pati Romans gumaya

 

[Kaplok Kaplok]

Mga Greek talaga mga OG hehe, pati Romans gumaya

at least yung Romans aamin yan na gumaYa sila. Strategy nila yan kasi para madali mag assimilate ang mga Greek sa Roman empire.