| Elysian Fields From Homer’s Odyssey, we have the story of Odysseus and Calypso, which tells of the feast and the offering of immortality: [192] So saying, the beautiful goddess led the way quickly, and [Odysseus] followed in the footsteps of the goddess. And they came to the hollow cave, the goddess and the man, and he sat down upon the chair from which Hermes had arisen, and the nymph set before him all manner of food to eat and drink, of such sort as mortal men eat. But she herself sat over against divine Odysseus, and before her the handmaids set ambrosia and nectar. So, they put forth their hands to the good cheer lying ready before them. But when they had their fill of food and drink, Calypso, the beautiful goddess, was the first to speak, and said: “Son of Laertes, sprung from Zeus, Odysseus of many devices, would'st thou then fare now forthwith home to thy dear native land! Yet, even so fare thee well. Howbeit if in thy heart thou knewest all the measure of woe it is thy fate to fulfil before thou comest to thy native land thou wouldest abide here and keep this house with me, and wouldest be immortal, for all thy desire to see thy wife for whom thou longest day by day. Surely not inferior to her do I declare myself to be either in form or stature, for in no wise is it seemly that mortal women should vie with immortals in form or comeliness.” [214] Then Odysseus of many wiles answered her, and said: “Mighty goddess, be not wroth with me for this. I know full well of myself that wise Penelope is meaner to look upon than thou in comeliness and in stature, for she is a mortal, while thou art immortal and ageless. But even so I wish and long day by day to reach my home, and to see the day of my return. And if again some god shall smite me on the wine-dark sea, I will endure it, having in my breast a heart that endures affliction. For ere this I have suffered much and toiled much amid the waves and in war; let this also be added unto that.” [225] So he spoke, and the sun set and darkness came on. And the two went into the innermost recess of the hollow cave, and took their joy of love, abiding each by the other's side. [228] As soon as early Dawn appeared, the rosy-fingered, straightway Odysseus put on a cloak and a tunic, and the nymph clothed herself in a long white robe, finely woven and beautiful, and about her waist she cast a fair girdle of gold, and on her head a veil above. Then she set herself to plan the sending of the great-hearted Odysseus. She gave him a great axe, well fitted to his hands, an axe of bronze, sharpened on both sides; and in it was a beautiful handle of olive wood, securely fastened.” (Odyssey 5:192-228) |
In Ugaritic myth, there are Elysian Fields which are the fields of the gods. It’s the fields of Asherah and Anath. (6) In Greek myth, the concept of the Elysian plains is likely the source for the Mystery of Eleusis. The Odyssey recollects, [554] “So I spoke, and he straightway made answer, and said: ‘It is the son of Laertes, whose home is in Ithaca. Him I saw in an island, shedding big tears, in the halls of the nymph Calypso, who keeps him there perforce, and he cannot come to his native land, for he has at hand no ships with oars and no comrades to send him on his way over the broad back of the sea. But for thyself, Menelaus, fostered of Zeus, it is not ordained that thou shouldst die and meet thy fate in horse-pasturing Argos, but to the Elysian plain and the bounds of the earth will the immortals convey thee, where dwells fair-haired Rhadamanthus, and where life is easiest for men’.” (Odyssey 4:554) In the Canaanite text of Ugarit, in text #52 it opens with the invocation: “Let me proclaim the Good and Gracious Gods,” then reads, “Eat of every food, Drink of the liquor of every wine!” and then the Elysian fields are described, “The field is the field of the gods. The field of Asherah and the Girl.” The Rephaim as Giants Daniel, in the myth of Daniel and Aqhat, is a “Rapha-man.” This may or may not connect him with the Ropheim or Rephaim, a race of underworld giants. The word Ropheim, denotes “doctors” or “healers” and the word Rephaim in relation to Hebrew texts reveals a description of “shades,” “spirits” or “dead.” T.J. Lewsi has undertaken extensive investigation into the Ugaritic Funerary Text where beings called rapi'uma, the long dead, and malakuma, recently dead kings, were invoked for the blessing of the future king, along with food and drink offerings. (7) In his book, Of Dead Kings and Dirges: Myth and Meaning in Isaiah 14:4b-21, R. Mark Shipp investigates the meaning of this word, and mentions its significance in relation to “deceased ancestors of kings.” (8) The Rephaim are described as giants in the following passage: (11) For only Og king of Bashan had remained of the remnant of the Rephaim. His bed of iron, nine cubits long and four cubits wide, is still in Rabbah of the Ammonites. (Deuteronomy 3:11) (6) Before the Bible, p. 172-3 (7) ibid, p. 169; T. J. Lewis, Professor of Hebrew Bible at Johns Hopkins University), Cults of the Dead in Ancient Israel and Ugarit (Scholars Press, 1989 (8) Of Dead Kings and Dirges, Myth and Meaning in Isaiah 14:4b-21, R. Mark Shipp, p. 117-122; https://books.google.com/books?id=LTyDz6J Uv28C&pg=PA122&lpg=PA122&dq= Rapha-man+ancient+texts&source=bl&ots=cxNc3RJb TM&sig=ACfU3U0iYTjZM0VmmMk4er3O0 fgESEq5gA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj Qi6aDnNflAhUgJjQIHbRIBAUQ6AEwAnoE CAcQAQ#v=onepage&q=Rapha-man%20ancient %20texts&f=false |