The book critically examines the foundations of major world religions, presenting indisputable facts that challenge traditional beliefs without misinterpretation. It aims to expose the failings of these religious texts in a straightforward manner, offering a thought-provoking perspective that encourages readers to reconsider established doctrines.
Vol. VIII
Reprint of the original, first published in 1882.
Culturally significant, this reproduction preserves the integrity of the original artifact, including copyright references and library stamps. It reflects the knowledge base of civilization, offering readers an authentic glimpse into historical scholarship. The careful reproduction ensures that the essence and context of the original work are maintained, making it a valuable resource for understanding the past.
Exploring various facets of Latin literature and language, this book delves into textual history and criticism, offering insights into the evolution and interpretation of classical texts. It serves as a comprehensive resource for understanding the complexities of Latin literature, making it valuable for scholars and enthusiasts alike.
The Metamorphoses is rarely read as history, but its immediate models were both historiographical: the Chronica of Castor of Rhodes and the De Gente Populi Romani of Marcus Terentius Varro. They determined the poem’s chronological ordering of episodes and anticipated the way it views dynastic history in the «mythical» era of Greece and Italy as both a prelude to, and a source of precedents for, Roman imperium and Roman ruler cult. Ovid’s myth-historical poem is true to the «facts» of fabularis historia transmitted in Varro and Castor in the same way realistic historical novels are true to those of vera historia , but it combines fact with fictional supplements to create its own interpretation of the period dealt with. The result is a collective Bildungsroman taking mankind from its beginnings under divine patria potestas (books 1-5) past the erotic and military adventurism of 6-13 into a period of maturity (14-15) during which a series of leaders culminating in Augustus join or supplant the gods as guarantors of the universal rule of reason and law.