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The Emotions of the Ancient Greeks: Studies in Aristotle and Classical Literature (Robson Classical Lectures) Paperback – December 22, 2007

by David Konstan (Author)

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It is generally assumed that whatever else has changed about the human condition since the dawn of civilization, basic human emotions - love, fear, anger, envy, shame - have remained constant. David Konstan, however, argues that the emotions of the ancient Greeks were in some significant respects different from our own, and that recognizing these differences is important to understanding ancient Greek literature and culture.

With The Emotions of the Ancient Greeks, Konstan reexamines the traditional assumption that the Greek terms designating the emotions correspond more or less to those of today. Beneath the similarities, there are striking discrepancies. References to Greek 'anger' or 'love' or 'envy,' for example, commonly neglect the fact that the Greeks themselves did not use these terms, but rather words in their own language, such as orgê and philia and phthonos, which do not translate neatly into our modern emotional vocabulary. Konstan argues that classical representations and analyses of the emotions correspond to a world of intense competition for status, and focused on the attitudes, motives, and actions of others rather than on chance or natural events as the elicitors of emotion. Konstan makes use of Greek emotional concepts to interpret various works of classical literature, including epic, drama, history, and oratory. Moreover, he illustrates how the Greeks' conception of emotions has something to tell us about our own views, whether about the nature of particular emotions or of the category of emotion itself.

The Emotions of the Ancient Greeks: Studies in Aristotle and Classical Literature (Robson Classical Lectures)

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Product Details

Series: Robson Classical Lectures
Paperback: 428 pages
Publisher: University of Toronto Press, Scholarly Publishing Division (December 22, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0802095585
ISBN-13: 978-0802095589
Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.9 x 8.9 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #984,110 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1188 in Books > Literature & Fiction > History & Criticism > Movements & Periods > Ancient & Classical
- #1348 in Books > Literature & Fiction > History & Criticism > Movements & Periods > Medieval
- #2082 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Mental Health > Emotions

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Not Konstan's Best Work

By Dan on January 4, 2007

Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase

If you're interested in the topic of Emotion in the ancient world, particularly Greek literature & philosophy, I suggest an earlier, more focused study of Konstan's: Pity Transformed. This book is a lot longer and covers more "emotions" than the earlier text, but it's mostly just retread of earlier material or less detailed - one chapter per "emotion."

The the theoretical bent of the text itself is forthright and pretty popular in period studies: understanding emotions is a processes of translation. And just because we relate certain English words like "fear" to the Greek word "phobos" does not mean that the two words represent the same idea. He does well explaining this theory. And he never says anything outrageous, but I think he goes a bit too far in emphasizing the rationality of Greek concepts of emotions. He's doing it in reaction to a modern tendency to think in terms of rational "mind" in opposition to irrational "emotions," but it's still somewhat ridiculous to completely void the obvious mystification of emotion that existed in Greek literature (see, for example, two works from Ruth Padel in the early/mid 90s: In and Out of Mind; Whom Gods Destroy - both authors are pretty philological; most classical scholars are).

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Very interesting book!

By Maya.B on September 11, 2012

Format: Paperback Verified Purchase

A lot of thanks for a very interesting book and for fast delivery! The book arrived in excellent condition, in just a right time, and this is what I really expected, I mean, its topic. This author is hughly recommended for anyone who is interested in ancient thinking in general, and in philosophy nad literature, in particular. Take any of David Konstan's books and you'll see that. I currently study this for my PhD in philosophy. I really appreciate the Amazon for the marvellous job.

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A good hand-me-down book

By Irina Shlosman on January 27, 2013

Format: Paperback Verified Purchase

The book in itself turned out to be a fascinating introduction into the psychology of the Ancient Greeks, largely based on the writings of Aristotle. It is both easy to comprehend for any unprepared reader and scientifically valid!

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