Plutarch's Moon: A New Approach to De facie quae in orbe lunae apparet

Description

In Plutarch's Moon Luisa Lesage Gárriga offers a new approach on Plutarch's views on cosmos, the afterlife and salvation, focusing on one of his most fascinating treatises. Dealing with the nature and function of the moon from multiple perspectives, this treatise offers a comprehensive overview of scientific knowledge and religious-philosophical thought from the first centuries CE. Yet, up until now no single scholar has attempted an integral approach to its various and complementary perspectives, generally focusing on a specific aspect, as if they were unrelated. By means of this study, the author shows that De facie is a literary creation that reflects and conveys a coherent worldview, finally providing a solid and overarching understanding of the treatise. ‎Contents ‎Abbreviations ‎Chapter 1. Introduction ‎1. Characters ‎2. Date of Composition ‎3. Date and Location of the Dramatic Action ‎4. Structure of the Treatise and Summary of Its Contents ‎4.1. The Lost Beginning ‎4.2. Means of Communication ‎4.3. First Part: The Discussion ‎4.3.1. The Stains and Irregularities on the Moon’s Surface ‎4.3.2. The Moon’s Nature: Aether and Light or Air and Fire ‎4.3.3. The Order of the Cosmos and the Moon’s Place in It ‎4.3.4. The Moon’s Nature according to Aristotelianism ‎4.3.5. The Question of the Moon’s Illumination ‎4.3.6. The Question of the Moon’s Obscuration ‎4.3.7. Possible Refutations of the Academic Theory ‎4.4. Second Part: The Transitional Dialogue ‎4.5. Third Part: The Monologue ‎4.5.1. The Content of the Myth ‎4.5.2. The Structure of the Myth ‎Chapter 2. Study of the Content ‎1. Plutarch and His Context ‎1.1. External Evidence ‎1.2. Internal Evidence: Plutarch ‎1.3. Internal Evidence: De facie ‎1.4. Criteria for the Study ‎2. Nature of the Moon ‎2.1. Introduction ‎2.2. Ontology ‎2.2.1. The Substance of the Moon ‎2.2.2. The Size of the Moon ‎2.3. Mythology ‎2.3.1. Artemis (& Eileithyia) ‎2.3.2. Athena ‎2.3.3. Hecate ‎2.3.4. Persephone-Kore ‎2.3.5. Moirai ‎3. Habitability of the Moon ‎3.1. Introduction ‎3.2. Orography ‎3.2.1. The Face of the Moon ‎3.2.2. The Archipelago of Ogygia and the Moon ‎3.2.3. The Moon’s Surface: A Selenography ‎3.3. Demography ‎3.3.1. Life on the Moon as a Reflection of Life on Earth ‎3.3.2. Fall of the Moon and Its Inhabitants ‎3.3.3. The Souls, True Inhabitants of the Moon ‎4. Position of the Moon ‎4.1. Introduction ‎4.2. Cosmography ‎4.2.1. Illumination ‎4.2.2. Obscuration ‎4.3. Anthropology ‎4.3.1. The Moon and Mankind ‎4.3.2. The Tripartite Human Being ‎5. Conclusions ‎5.1. Intermediacy ‎5.2. Ethical Concern ‎5.3. Literal and Allegorical Interpretations of the Moon ‎Chapter 3. General Conclusions ‎1. Date of Composition of De facie ‎2. Date and Location of the Dramatic Action ‎3. Structure of the Text ‎4. Conceptual Framework of De facie ‎5. Philosophical Purpose of De facie ‎Bibliography ‎Index of Ancient Sources