Description
PLUTARCH'S OSIRIS
Book Summary
This work offers an exhaustive analysis of the Egyptological core of Plutarch's treatise De Iside et Osiride, one of the most important classical sources on the mythology and religion of ancient Egypt. The reader will find a first-class philological and cultural study that unravels how a Greek intellectual of the 2nd century AD interpreted and transmitted the mysteries of Isis and Osiris. It is a critical and scholarly edition that revises and updates knowledge on this fundamental text, marking the first time in over two decades that a competent specialist has thoroughly examined its Egyptian content.
What is it about?
Jean-Fabrice Nardelli takes up the analysis of the Plutarchan treatise De Iside et Osiride, focusing specifically on its Egyptological core, which had not been rigorously examined by a specialist since the year 2000. The work breaks down how Plutarch, from his position as a Greek philosopher and scholar, compiled and reinterpreted Egyptian traditions regarding the myth of Osiris, his murder at the hands of Seth, the search and resurrection carried out by Isis, and the final judgment of the god. The study addresses the Egyptian sources to which Plutarch may have had access, the parallels with hieroglyphic and demotic documentation, and the way in which the Hellenistic author adapted these beliefs to his own Platonic philosophical framework. The result is an in-depth investigation that clarifies the layers of Greek and Egyptian interpretation present in the text.
Main Topics
- Philological and Egyptological analysis of Plutarch's De Iside et Osiride treatise.
- Greek interpretation of ancient Egyptian mythology and religion.
- Study of classical Egyptian sources on the myth of Osiris and Isis.
- Critical review of modern scholarship on the Plutarchan text.
- Relationship between Platonic thought and Egyptian religious traditions.
Who is it recommended for?
This book is intended for specialists in classical philology, Egyptology, and the history of ancient religions. It is also of great interest to researchers and advanced students working on Plutarch, the reception of Egypt in the Greco-Roman world, or cultural syncretism in Antiquity. Furthermore, it is an indispensable reference work for academic libraries and any reader with a high level of specialization in these fields.
What this book contributes
- Updates and deepens knowledge of the Egyptian core of Plutarch's work after more than twenty years without a specialized study.
- Offers a critical and detailed analysis of the classical author's sources and methodology.
- Provides a reference tool for future research on religious syncretism in Antiquity.
- Facilitates the understanding of how a classic Greek text can be a primary source for the study of Pharaonic Egypt.
Technical Data
- Author: NARDELLI, JEAN-FABRICE
- Publisher: Universidad de Huelva
- Language: French
- Subject: CLASSICAL TEXTS, LITERARY STUDIES: CLASSICAL, EARLY AND MEDIEVAL
- Collection: ANEJOS EXEMPLARIA CLASSICA
- Binding: Other
- Edition Date: Not available
- Number of pages: 626
- Weight: 2043 g
Editorial Assessment
This is a work of rigorous scholarship that fills a significant void in Plutarchan and Egyptological studies. Nardelli's research is meticulous and necessary for those seeking an updated and specialized analysis of a key classical source. Its interest is eminently academic, aimed at an audience that values philological depth and critical revision of ancient texts. It is a valuable acquisition for any university library or researcher dedicated to these disciplines.