Project Details
Projekt
Autonomous secondary divinities of the netherworld: stratification-based and comparative ap-proaches to mythical Stoffe of Hecate and the Erinyes in Graeco-Roman sources
Applicant
Professor Dr. Heinz-Günther Nesselrath
Subject Area
Greek and Latin Philology
Term
from 2015 to 2024
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 235014259
Greek myths about autonomous underworld entities in the second tier pose various challenges for scholars, in much the same way that myths about the transition between spheres in the un-derworld do, as we have seen in phase 1 of the research unit (RU) 2064 STRATA. It is also where, apart from ominous descriptions referring to death and dying, we have been able to uncover traces which point to a more positive view of underworldly entities and dominions: for example Elysium and the Island of the Blessed, which are ruled by righteous beings (Rhad-amanthys, Persephone; cf. phase 1 results). At the same time, there are subordinate, sinister entities like the ferryman of the dead or the "hound of Hades," Cerberus, who are closely associated with border regions or boundary-forming bodies of water.Project GR in phase 2 has the following aims:• to reconstruct the relevant myths and their variants, with the help of a philological investigation of the sources that takes advantage of the current state of research as well as the hyleme-analytical methods of mythological research, defined as Erzählstoffforschung, which we have developed in phase 1,• by analyzing the mythical strata, to obtain detailed historical insights into the centuries-long transmission of myths about entities and dominions of the underworld, and thus to arrive at a comprehensive understanding of important autonomous underworld entities of the second, or lesser, order, namely the Erinyes and the goddess Hekate• through trans-disciplinary cooperation within the RU, and with the participation of the DH and KM Projects, to arrive at comparative research results for different ancient cultures (AM, KA and AP Projects), which will enable us to analyze the specific concerns and needs addressed by Greco-Roman myths and mythical figures related to the underworld, to delineate them within their respective historical contexts and interpretive horizons from a comparative-differentiating perspective, and to examine similar hyleme sequences for possible typological or genetic connections.By investigating mythical manifestations, not only in texts but also in iconographic sources and ritual acts, the GR project will contribute substantially to the transmedial methodology of the RU 2064 STRATA and, with the concluding synthesis, to the establishment of a new study of myths that will be transmedial and will focus on stratification analysis.
DFG Programme
Research Units
