The Wisdom of the Myths by Luc Ferry

Author:Luc Ferry
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2013-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

I. Tales of hubris: the case of those who “cheat

death,” Asclepius (Aesculapius) and Sisyphus

Within the category of stories addressing the tribulations to which mortals expose themselves by transgressing through immoderation, those myths that deal with the attempt to escape or “cheat” death—involving figures like Sisyphus or Asclepius, who try to outwit mortality by arts or by cunning—occupy a special place and demand close attention. Not only is the literary merit of these myths generally superior, but their cosmic aspect and their subsequent history are also of signal importance. Once again, as with Midas, we are dealing with a group of individuals who are not merely wrapped up in their own arrogance, as if their personal failings alone were in play, but whose behavior in effect menaces the universal order. Let us begin with the founder of medicine, Asclepius (Aesculapius for the Romans). Some versions of the myth diverge widely, which suggests we should pay attention to those among which there is close agreement. I shall follow, for the most part, the accounts of Pindar and Apollodorus; excepting a few details, without fundamental significance, they complement each other sufficiently for us to assume that they derive from a common source or tradition.

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