|
KMID : 1160420190010010023
|
|
Epilia: Epilepsy Commun
2019 Volume.1 No. 1 p.23 ~ p.27
|
|
|
Epilepsy in Greco-Roman Mythology
|
|
You Soo-Yeoun
|
|
|
Abstract
|
|
|
Objectives: Perceptions existed about epilepsy in the ancient Greco-Roman civilization, which is referred to as the primordial age of modern medicine. This study was conducted to explore the ideas of the ancient Greeks and Romans about epilepsy through an investigation of relevant myths that reflected their culture.
Methods: We used the keywords ‘Greek mythology,’ ‘epilepsy,’ ‘seizure,’ ‘Roman mythology,’ and ‘myth’ in English and Korean to search Google and PubMed for information on epilepsy and seizures in Greek and Roman mythology.
Results: The ancient Greeks regarded epilepsy as a "sacred disease," and considered it to be a punishment caused by the curses of various gods, especially the goddess of the moon, Selene or Artemis. The story of Cydippe deals with the illness caused by the curse of the goddess of the moon, and the features depicted in the story resemble the symptoms of epilepsy. Furthermore, the stories of Pythia, Hyacinthus, and Hercules seem to be metaphors for the symptoms of epilepsy.
Conclusions: The descriptions of epilepsy and seizures in Greco-Roman myths are diverse, and can be thought of as an accumulation of the ancients' perceptions and experiences of epilepsy. This can be interpreted from a medical point of view as underscoring the significance of epilepsy and seizures.
|
|
|
KEYWORD
|
|
|
Epilepsy, Seizure, Greek mythology, Roman mythology, Myth
|
|
|
FullTexts / Linksout information
|
|
|
|
|
Listed journal information
|
|
|
|
|