Cheiron

Health and healing | Mythological healers: Cheiron and Asklepios

The recently published Gallery | Health and healing introduced us to the world of medicine, including Asklepios and Hygieia, and some Homeric passages. This post explores a few more references in ancient Greek texts to healers, doctors, drugs, and health, looking at a few passages on Cheiron and his teachings; and on the cult of Asklepios. Cheiron and his teachings Cheiron is a centaur and healer who teaches various heroes… Read more

Core Vocab: nomos

Our next Core Vocab term, taken from terms listed in H24H[1] and tracked in the associated Sourcebook[2] is nomos [νόμος]. Gregory Nagy glosses the word as follows: “nomos, plural nomoi ‘local custom; customary law; law’.” In Eumenides we see Athena changing the old system of vendetta, personified by the Furies or Erinyes, to that of a justice system and trial by jury[3]. The Furies complain (twice): Younger gods, you have ridden down… Read more