Throned in Splendor, Deathless, O

¶ … Throned in splendor, deathless, O Aphrodite," what is the speaker asking the goddess of love to do?

The speaker asks Aphrodite to "set me / free from doubt and sorrow." She also asks the goddess of love to "accomplish all those things my heart desires to be done" and to "appear and / stand at my shoulder." The speaker wants the goddess of love to make her presence known in her life.

What might the narrator of "Like the very gods in my sight is he" mean by the final statement that "death has come near me"? Read about what the French have called la petite mort.

The speaker refers to having an orgasm. She speaks about the "sweat breaks running upon me." She also starts the poem by describing intimacy with "he who / sits where he can look into your eyes, who listens / close to you." Coming near to death is like the moment of transcendence that sexual union entails.

Does it surprise you that a woman might be writing about sex around 600 B.C. Why or why not?

Sappho of Lesbos was an aristocrat who had a great degree of freedom in her life. Although women were not political equals with males in ancient Greek society, Greek social norms regarding female sexuality were not as rigid as they have been since the Victorian era. Therefore, it only seems surprising that a woman would write about sex in 600 BCE because of the social and gender norms that govern modern society.

What is Arjuna's dilemma at the beginning of the Bhagavad-Gita? Why is he tormented by grief?

Arjuna is filled with grief because he realizes he is fighting his own relatives. He doubts his purpose of a warrior and needs Krishna to encourage him to remain true to his ideals.

What is the "embodied self"?

The embodied self refers to the physical manifestation of the human soul. According to Hindu philosophy, a human being is a transcendent spirit that assumes a physical body in many different incarnations.

What might it mean to focus on the action and not the "fruits of action"?

The ideal state of mind is to be free from attachments, and to be unconcerned with the vicissitudes of life. Winning or losing mean nothing. The key is to be focused on the action, on the task at hand. Being attached to the fruits of action can bring fleeting and illusory emotions, whether pleasure or pain.

Describe the yogi, the "man of discipline."

The yogi or "man of discipline" is one who has transcended duality. He (or she) has trained the mind to remain calm no matter what, even in the face of extreme circumstances. A yogi is a physical, mental, and spiritual warrior.

What do you think is meant by the term "the way"?

The way" refers to the Tao. The Tao is a way of life, a way of being. The way is a state of mind and a path of proper living.

The Analects are frequently presented as dialogues. What is the effect of this presentation in setting forth the Master's philosophy? How does it compare to the Platonic dialogue (the Apologie) you have read?

Establishing Confucian ethics, philosophy, and political theory in the form of a dialogue makes the text dynamic. The Analects are therefore timeless because they can be adapted to any situation. Readers are empowered to ask questions and receive answers in the text that are flexible for application in various social situations. Similar to a Socratic dialogue, the method encourages reasoned inquiry. However, the Analects present a more rigid set of social norms and ethics than the Apology. The Apology and the Socratic philosophy emphasizes individual thought and action whereas Confucian philosophy stresses social order and conformity.

What are the guidelines Confucius sets forth about the relationship between the ruler and the ruled? Do you think such would be possible in a modern society like our own? Why or why not?

Modern societies are disillusioned with political power. Rulers are mistrusted, and for good reason. Confucius advocated ethical leadership and so does present a vision of politics that does conform to a modern ideal. However, the relationship between the ruler and the ruled is one of superior to subordinate. Modern democracies are in many ways the antithesis of the Confucian vision of politics, even though many modern societies do retain respect for authority in ways America does not.

The poems Catullus wrote to the woman Lesbia are among his best known. How would you characterize their affair?

Catallus describes a conflicted and stormy affair with the women of Lesbia. Sexual tension is evident in his poems, which have a strong erotic content. Therefore, his affairs were passionate and physical.

If the gender roles were reversed and the woman were the narrator, do you think this series of poems would read differently? Explain.

The poems would read differently not because their content would have changed but because they would subvert social norms. As a male, Catallus is allowed, almost expected to write such explicit details about his physical affairs including references to love and hatred. Females would have been more subtle because of the widespread social persecution they might suffer if they admitted to promiscuity or tumultuous romantic interludes especially with married people.

Catullus ends up calling his lady a whore. Would you say this is a typical male reaction when a woman breaks off a relationship?

Cattalus' reaction is not typically male; it is typically human. Any time a person feels rejected he or she uses psychological defense mechanisms. Calling the ex-partner a whore or any other name is a way to ameliorate hard feelings. Catallus is simply expressing his anger and frustration through his lyrics.

What kinds of shape changes occur in Ovid's "Metamorphoses"? For what kinds of reasons do these changes occur?

Ovid describes transformations of creatures from one form to another, or shape shifting. Also, the physical world changes shape rapidly. The changes that take place are due to the wrath of the gods, punishing human beings for their transgressions.

Which of the stories did you like best, and why appreciated the stories in book one because of their evoking the controversial topic of rape, the relationship between power and sexuality, and sexual tension.

Some of these myths are rather gruesome or shocking. Did any parts of the readings surprise you?

Ovid's potent imagery is shocking, especially because of the age of the writing. Violence and rape are pervasive, illustrating the dark depths of human consciousness.

Many people say the lifestyle described in the Sermon on the Mount is impossible for anyone to achieve. If this statement is true, why do you think Jesus sets such a difficult standard?

The lifestyle is set forth as an ideal. Jesus presents the ideal so that human beings continually aspire for greatness. Even if total perfection is impossible, at least human beings can work hard to become better than they are now. Jesus reveals what is possible in the human spirit.