Epimenides

Epimenides of Knossos

Epimenides ofKnossos(orEpimenides ofCrete) (/ɛpɪˈmɛnɪdiːz/;Greek:Ἐπιμενίδης) was a semi-mythical7th or 6th century BCGreekseerandphilosopher-poet,fromKnossosorPhaistos.

Life

While tending his father's sheep, Epimenides is said to have fallen asleep for fifty-seven years in aCretancave sacred toZeus,after which he reportedly awoke with the gift of prophecy (Diogenes Laërtiusi. 109–115).Plutarchwrites that Epimenides purifiedAthensafter the pollution brought by theAlcmeonidae,and that the seer's expertise insacrificesand reform of funeral practices were of great help toSolonin his reform of the Athenian state. The only reward he would accept was a branch of the sacred olive, and a promise of perpetual friendship between Athens andKnossos(Plutarch,Life of Solon,12;Aristotle,Ath. Pol.1).

Athenaeusalso mentions him, in connection with the self-sacrifice of theerastesanderomenospair ofAristodemus and Cratinus,who were believed to have given their lives in order to purify Athens. Even in antiquity there were those who held the story to be mere fiction (The Deipnosophists,XIII. 78–79). Diogenes Laërtius preserves a number of spurious letters between Epimenides andSolonin hisLives of the Philosophers.Epimenides was also said to have prophesied atSpartaon military matters.

He died in Crete at an advanced age; according to his countrymen, who afterwards honoured him as a god, he lived nearly three hundred years. According to another story, he was taken prisoner in a war between the Spartans and Knossians, and put to death by his captors, because he refused to prophesy favourably for them.Pausaniasreports that when Epimenides died, his skin was found to be covered withtattooedwriting. This was considered odd, because the Greeks reserved tattooing forslaves.Some modernscholarshave seen this as evidence that Epimenides was heir to theshamanicreligionsofCentral Asia,because tattooing is often associated with shamanicinitiation.The skin of Epimenides was preserved at the courts of theephoresinSparta,conceivably as a good-luck charm. Epimenides is also reckoned withMelampusandOnomacritusas one of the founders ofOrphism.

According to Diogenes Laërtius, Epimenides metPythagorasin Crete, and they went to theCave of Ida.

Works

Epimenides from "Promptuarii Iconum Insigniorum"

Several prose and poetic works, now lost, were attributed to Epimenides, including atheogony,an epic poem on theArgonautic expedition,prose works on purifications and sacrifices, acosmogony,oracles, a work on the laws of Crete, and a treatise onMinosandRhadymanthus.

Cretica

Epimenides'Cretica(Κρητικά) is quoted twice in theNew Testament.Its only source is a 9th-centurySyriaccommentary byIsho'dad of Mervon theActs of the Apostles,discovered, edited and translated (into Greek) by Prof.J. Rendel Harrisin a series of articles.

In the poem, Minos addressesZeusthus:

J. Rendel Harris'hypotheticalGreek text: Τύμβον ἐτεκτήναντο σέθεν, κύδιστε μέγιστε, Κρῆτες, ἀεὶ ψευδεῖς, κακὰ θηρία, γαστέρες ἀργαί. Ἀλλὰ σὺ γ᾽ οὐ θνῇσκεις, ἕστηκας γὰρ ζοὸς αίεί, Ἐν γὰρ σοὶ ζῶμεν καὶ κινύμεθ᾽ ἠδὲ καὶ ἐσμέν.	Translation: They fashioned a tomb for you, holy and high one, Cretans, always liars, evil beasts, idle bellies. But you are not dead: you live and abide forever, For in you we live and move and have our being.

The "lie" of the Cretans is that Zeus was mortal; Epimenides considered Zeus immortal. "Cretans, always liars," with the same theological intent as Epimenides, also appears in theHymn to ZeusofCallimachus.The fourth line is quoted (with a reference to one of "your own poets" ) inActs of the Apostles,chapter 17, verse 28.

The second line is quoted, with a veiled attribution ( "a prophet of their own" ), in theEpistle to Titus,chapter 1, verse 12,to warn Titus about the Cretans. The "prophet" inTitus 1:12is identified byClement of Alexandriaas "Epimenides" (Stromata,i. 14). In this passage, Clement mentions that "some say" Epimenides should be counted among the seven wisest philosophers.

Chrysostom(Homily 3 on Titus) gives an alternative fragment:

For even a tomb, King, of you

They made, who never died, but ever shall be.

Epimenides paradox

It is not clear when Epimenides became associated with theEpimenides paradox,a variation of theliar paradox.Epimenides himself does not appear to have intended any irony or paradox in his statement "Cretans, always liars." In theepistle to Titus,there is a warning that "One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, the Cretians are always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies." In theMiddle Ages,many forms of the liar paradox were studied under the heading ofinsolubilia,but these were not associated with Epimenides.

See also

• Non-canonical books referenced in the Bible

References

• This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain:Chisholm, Hugh,ed. (1911). "Epimenides".Encyclopædia Britannica.Vol. 9 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 694.

Further reading

• Zaykov, Andrey.Epimemdes' activities in Sparta(In Russian + English summary). In: Journal of Ancient History. Moscow, 2002. No 4. P. 110-130.
• Laërtius, Diogenes(1925)."The Seven Sages: Epimenides".Lives of the Eminent Philosophers.Vol. 1:1. Translated byHicks, Robert Drew(Two volume ed.). Loeb Classical Library.
• Epimenides of Crete Fragmentsatdemonax.info