The school of Greek philosopher Epicurus, which became known as
the Garden, famously put great stock in happiness and pleasure. As
a philosophical community, and a way of seeing the world,
Epicureanism had a centuries-long life in Athens and Rome, as well
as across the Mediterranean.
"The Invention and Gendering of Epicurus" studies how the
Garden's outlook on pleasure captured Greek and Roman
imaginations---particularly among non-Epicureans---for generations
after its legendary founding. Unsympathetic sources from disparate
eras generally focus not on historic personages but on the symbolic
Epicurean. And yet the traditions of this imagined Garden, with its
disreputable women and unmanly men, give us intermittent glimpses
of historical Epicureans and their conceptions of the Epicurean
life.
Pamela Gordon suggests how a close hearing and contextualization
of anti-Epicurean discourse leads us to a better understanding of
the cultural history of Epicureanism. Her primary focus is on
sources hostile to the Garden, but her Epicurean-friendly
perspective is apparent throughout. Her engagement with ancient
anti-Epicurean texts makes more palpable their impact on modern
responses to the Garden.
Intended both for students and for scholars of Epicureanism and
its response, the volume is organized primarily according to the
themes common among Epicurus' detractors. It considers the place of
women in Epicurean circles, as well as the role of Epicurean
philosophy in Homer and other writers.
General
Imprint: |
The University of Michigan Press
|
Country of origin: |
United States |
Release date: |
April 2012 |
First published: |
April 2012 |
Authors: |
Pamela Gordon
|
Dimensions: |
237 x 162 x 23mm (L x W x T) |
Format: |
Hardcover - Cloth over boards
|
Pages: |
248 |
ISBN-13: |
978-0-472-11808-3 |
Categories: |
Books
|
LSN: |
0-472-11808-0 |
Barcode: |
9780472118083 |
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