西方文學的源頭：• 時間： c. 850 B.C.? 與 c. 750 B.C.?• 地點：地中海 (the Mediterranean Sea) 四周

• 民族： the Greeks and the Jews• 語言： Hellenic ( 古希腊語 ) ， Hebrew ( 古閃族語 )

• 文類： mythological ( 神話的 ) ， religious ( 宗教的 )• 代表作： the Homeric epics ( 荷馬的史詩 ) ， The Bible ( 聖經 )

What is an epic ( 史詩 )?

• It is an extended narrative poem, exalted in style and heroic in theme.

early or primary epics vs. literary epics

Epic conventions: invocation, in medias res (in the middle of things), hero’s notable deeds (descent into the underworld), etc.

E.g.: Iliad, Odyssey, Beowulf; Aeneid, Paradise Lost

荷馬的史詩 Homer’s Epics ：• 作品： The Iliad ( 伊里亞德 ) &

The Odyssey ( 奧迪賽 )• 內容： the Trojan War (c. 1200 B.C.)

Iliad: for Ilios (Troy) or for Helen

Odyssey: Odysseus’ homeward wanderings

• 趣事： a. The Golden Apple: “To the fairest”

Peleus & Thetis, Eris (Discord)

Hera, Athena, Aphrodite

Zeus, Paris, Helen, Menelaus, Agamemnon

To the Fairest

荷馬的史詩：• 趣事： b. Achilles’ Anger: Agamemnon, Chryseis, Apollo Briseis, Achilles, Patroclus, Hector, Priam• c. The Escape from Sirens: Odysseus and his men, the Sirens Filling ears with beeswax, tying to the mast• d. The Chaste Penelope: 50 suitors, weaving a shroud, Telemachus, Odysseus’ bow

Achilles and Patroclus

Odysseus & the Sirens

Penelope & her Suitors

聖經 (The Bible) ：• 包括： the Old Testament, the New Testament (& the Apocrypha)• 舊約：共 39 Books ( 篇 ) in 6 groups ( 類 ) written originally in Hebrew ： History, Prophetic Books, Lyric Poetry Drama, Wisdom Literature, Tales• 故事： Genesis: the creation of the world and man, the fall of Adam and Eve, Noah’s flood, the Tower of Babel

Tower of Babel

聖經 (The Bible) ：• Exodus: the escape by the Jews from their bondage in Egypt, led by Moses, crossing the Red Sea, wandering 40 years in the Sinai wilderness, reaching Canaan.• “The Book of Job” (drama): the problem of evil. Satan, God, Job, the Voice out of the Whirlwind theodicy ( 神義論 )• “Jonah and the Whale” (tale): Jehovah wanted the prophet to preach in Nineveh. Rebelliousness & selfishness; universality & mercifulness of God.

Job suffering from boils

Moses & Tablet

二源 即 二元：• The Hellenic Tradition The Hebraic Tradition 希腊的：神話的文化 希伯萊的：宗教的文化 Mythological culture Religious culture Polytheistic 多神 Monotheistic 單神 Humanism 人文主義 Theism 神文主義 Hedonism 享樂 Asceticism 禁慾 For this world 今生 For the other world 來世 Secular life 世俗生話 Divine life 神明生活 Id ( 抑德 ) & Ego ( 本我 ) Super-ego ( 超我 )

至今的影響：• 建築、雕刻：• 繪畫、音樂：• 戲劇、文學、電影：• 日常生活：

• It’s a choice between Scylla and Charybdis.

• We are David and Jonathan.

Scylla and Charybdis

David and Jonathan