Uncontrollable Passions in Greek and Roman Literature

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24520350
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: European literature (English literature excluded)
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: CIESKO Martin 京都大学, 文学研究科, 准教授 (80590489)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): TAKAHASHI Hiroyuki 京都大学, 文学研究科, 教授 (30188049)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 西洋古典学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

I have clarified the - at times nervous - relationship between passions and civic discourse in Ancient Greek literature. The main points that have become clear and discussed in detail in my articles: an unease at the public display of passions, a preference for using passions as a weapon against political or cultural opponents by denigrating their 'masculinity', an awareness of a pragmatic approach to passions which can be seen in public efforts to channel unavoidable passions into harmless pursuits. There is a unique combination of acceptance of passions, laughing at them, and using them as a weapon in public discourse. The changing discourse also reflects a larger change in Greek language of psychological motivation - motivations for passions are at first found with gods, but in classical Athens this view begins to clash with the emerging view of personal responsibility. Accusations directed at passions never lost their political charge.

Free Research Field

人文学