Moon in the Greek and Roman Imagination - Myth, Literature, Science and Philosophy

This is a book for readers who are fascinated by the Moon and the earliest speculations about life on other worlds. It takes the reader on a journey from the earliest Greek poetry, philosophy and science, through Plutarch's mystical doctrines to the thrilling lunar adventures of Lucian of Samosata.

List of contents

Acknowledgements; Abbreviations, text references and translations; Part I. The Moon in the Mythic Imagination: Introduction: to the Moon! Journey into the ancient scientific imagination; 1. The Moon in ritual, myth and magic; Part II. The Moon in the Scientific Imagination: 2. Making sense of the Moon: philosophy and science; 3. Life on the Moon: between philosophy, science and fantasy; 4. The Moon of many faces: Plutarch's great lunar dialogue De facie; Part III. The Moon in the Fantastic Imagination: 5. The imaginary Moon: lunar journeys; 6. Selçnoskopia: the Moon-view from fiction to reality; Envoi: the legacy of ancient selenography; Bibliography; Index.

About the author

Karen ní Mheallaigh is Professor of Greek in the Department of Classics and Ancient History at the University of Exeter. She is the author of Reading Fiction with Lucian: Fakes, Freaks and Hyperreality (Cambridge, 2014).

Summary

This is a book for readers who are fascinated by the Moon and the earliest speculations about life on other worlds. It takes the reader on a journey from the earliest Greek poetry, philosophy and science, through Plutarch's mystical doctrines to the thrilling lunar adventures of Lucian of Samosata.

Product details

• Authors: Karen (University of Exeter) Ni Mheallaigh, Karen ní Mheallaigh
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 31.07.2021
• EAN: 9781108716284
• ISBN: 978-1-108-71628-4
• No. of pages: 336
• Series: Greek Culture in the Roman Wor; Greek Culture in the Roman World
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > General and comparative literary studies; HISTORY / Ancient / General, Literary studies: classical, early & medieval, Ancient History, Classical history / classical civilisation, Literary studies: ancient, classical and medieval