Perfect Medium?

Elsa Giovanna Simonetti obtained her PhD in philosophy from Universita di Padova and KU Leuven in 2016.

"An extremely thorough, erudite, and convincing exploration of Plutarch's philosophical conceptions of oracular divination, which offers a detailed and sensitive analysis of Plutarch's philosophical theories regarding the operation and efficacy of divination and makes an extremely important contribution to scholarship on ancient philosophy and its relationship with divination. As such, this work should be read by all scholars and postgraduate students of ancient philosophy and Graeco-Roman religions. It will also be immensely useful for scholars and students in philosophy, classics, religious studies, theology, and anthropology." * Bryn Mawr Classical Review *

• AcknowledgementsIntroduction1. An analysis of De Pythiae oraculis1. Introduction1.1. The character of Diogenianus and the style of philosophy1.2 The role of the symbol1.3 The function of the temple2. The concept of krâsis3. Prodigies4. From poetry to prose 5. Enthusiasm5.1 Body and soul5.2 The soul of the Pythia5.3 The dynamic of enthusiasm5.4 The features of the Pythia6. The history of the oracle7. Solar symbolism2. An analysis of De defectu oraculorum1. Introduction2. The character of Didymus and the style of philosophy3. Narratives and inquiries4. God’s responsibility4.1. A plurality of worlds5. The demons and the moon5.1 Demonology, the kinds of divination and the structure of the soul6. The psychology of divination7. The sun and god8. The theory of double causation9. The theory of double causation applied on oracular divination9.1 The pneûma9.2 The role of the demons in the temple9.3 Preliminary sacrifices and the concept of ‘kairos’9.4 Delphi as a unique place10. The Pythia3. An analysis of De E apud Delphos1. Introduction2. Importance of symbols and riddles for philosophy and rational reflection3. Tentative solutions3.1. Apollo. The god of popular devotion3.2. Religion and logic3.3. Numerology and Pythagoreanism4. Ammonius’ explanation4.1. Ammonius: Apollo and the sun4.2. Ammonius’ explanation of the ‘E’5. The final image of Apollo and Plutarch’s god5.1. Fate-providence-freedom6. Plutarch’s dualism6.1. Egypt and Oriental religions7. ‘Conclusion’ and value of the dialogue4. Divination and the soul1. Plutarch’s psychology: the individual soul and the world soul1.1. The individual soul1.2. The cosmic soul1.3. The analogy between the individual and the cosmic soul2. The psychology of individual divination3. Plutarch and the Timaeus3.1. A ‘likely account’3.2. Some remarks on the practical dynamics of Delphic divination4. The “matter” of divination4.1. The multiple characters of the Pythia5. Apollo and the oracle: from chaos to harmony6. The importance of studying the oracleConclusionBibliographyAbbreviationsDictionariesReferencesIndex Locorum