Again, as mentioned above, to a modern reader such a practice may be interpreted as dishonest but, to an ancient hearer of the tale, the story's message was important, not the "facts" contained therein. Plato discusses this in his work Republic, Book II, when he is addressing the concept of the True Lie (also known as the Lie in the Soul). In discussing various kinds of untruths, he has the character of Socrates say:
Whereas the lie in words is in certain cases useful and not hateful; in dealing with enemies – that would be an instance; or again, when those whom we call our friends in a fit of madness or illusion are going to do some harm, then it is useful and is a sort of medicine or preventative; also in the tales of mythology, of which we were just now speaking – because we do not know the truth about ancient times, we make falsehood as much like truth as we can, and so turn it to account. (378-382d)
If you want to change selection, open document below and click on "Move attachment"
Truths Wrapped in Fiction: Mesopotamian Naru Literature - Ancient History Encyclopedia he did, was of no consequence to the author of The Curse of Agade; what mattered was the moral of the story, and historical truths that did not fit that story were of no importance. Conclusion <span>Again, as mentioned above, to a modern reader such a practice may be interpreted as dishonest but, to an ancient hearer of the tale, the story's message was important, not the "facts" contained therein. Plato discusses this in his work Republic, Book II, when he is addressing the concept of the True Lie (also known as the Lie in the Soul). In discussing various kinds of untruths, he has the character of Socrates say: Whereas the lie in words is in certain cases useful and not hateful; in dealing with enemies – that would be an instance; or again, when those whom we call our friends in a fit of madness or illusion are going to do some harm, then it is useful and is a sort of medicine or preventative; also in the tales of mythology , of which we were just now speaking – because we do not know the truth about ancient times, we make falsehood as much like truth as we can, and so turn it to account. (378-382d) Mythology has always explained to human beings how the world works, where people came from, why they are here, and mythology has always been accepted by those hearing the tales, either Summary
| status | not read | | reprioritisations | |
|---|
| last reprioritisation on | | | suggested re-reading day | |
|---|
| started reading on | | | finished reading on | |
|---|
Details