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2015 | 16 | 337-354

Article title

Quod gaudium est rivos sanguinis cernere? The suffering of animals in the christian critique of the traditional graeco-roman sacrifice

Authors

Content

Title variants

PL
Quod gaudium est rivos sanguinis cernere? Cierpienie zwierząt w chrześcijańskiej krytyce tradycyjnej ofiary u Greków i Rzymian

Languages of publication

Abstracts

EN
The Latin quotation in the title of the article ('What joy is there in observing the rivers of blood?') comes from the apologetic work of Arnobius "Against the Heathen" (Adversus nationes). The seventh book of this work contains perhaps the most explicit Christian critique of the Greeks and Romans who sacrificed animals. One of the arguments used by the learned speaker is the suffering of these animals, which were killed unnecessarily because the gods do not require sacrifices from men. Emphasising the fact that suffering is given to the victims and that there is no point in killing of the animals, Arnobius introduces the shocking details of what this sacrificial ritual (killing) was in practice. In this article, I try to draw attention to the fact that in presenting this information, the Christian advocate referred to earlier statements of classical authors such as Pythagoras and Plutarch, who also criticised the common ritual. Although one occasionally hears opinions today that the early Christian thinkers were indifferent to the fate of sacrificial animals, the writer of Sicca Venera affirms that it would be very difficult to apply generalisations, just as it would be very difficult to apply generalisations to the fate of sacrificial animals.just as it is justified to speak of sensitivity and empathy in this case.

Year

Volume

16

Pages

337-354

Physical description

Dates

published
2015

Contributors

References

  • Ekroth G., Animal Sacrifice in Antiquity, in: The Oxford Handbook of Animals in Classical Thought and Life, ed. G.L. Campbell, Oxford 2014.
  • Huet V., Watching Rituals, in: A Companion to the Archaeology of Religion in the Ancient World, eds. R. Raja and J. Rüpke, Malden – Oxford – Chichester 2015, p. 146–147.
  • Kirk G.S., Some Methodological Pitfalls in the Study of Ancient Greek Sacrifice (in particular), in: Le sacrifice dans l’antiquité [Entretiens Foundation Hardt 27], eds. O. Reverdin and B. Grange, Geneva 1981.
  • Kucz A., Umbra veri. Arnobiusz i nurty filozofii klasycznej, Katowice 2012.
  • Kucz A., Krytyka antropomorfizmu pogańskiego w „Adversus nationes” Arnobiusza, Śląskie Studia Historyczno-Teologiczne 42 (2009), p. 65–71.
  • Lissarague F., Figuring Religious Ritual, in: A Companion to Greek Art II, eds. T.J. Smith and D. Plantzos, Malden – Oxford 2012.
  • Naiden F.S., Smoke Signals for the Gods. Ancient Greek Sacrifice from the Archaic through Roman Periods, Oxford 2013.
  • North J.A., Arnobius on Sacrifice, in: Wolf Liebeschuetz Reflected. Essays Presented by Colleagues, Friends and Pupils [BICS Supplement 91], eds. J. Drinkwater and B. Salway, London 2007, p. 27–36.
  • Sorabji R., Animal Minds and Human Morals. The Origins of Western Debate, Ithaca 1993.
  • Zuntz G., Persephone. Three Essays on Religion and Thought in Magna Graecia, Oxford 1971.

Document Type

Publication order reference

Identifiers

Biblioteka Nauki
2151028

YADDA identifier

bwmeta1.element.ojs-issn-1507-9058-year-2015-volume-16-article-14c01484-3808-3dd7-88c0-947ab2d44690
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