The seer (mantis); an expert in the art of divination; operated in ancient Greek society through a combination of charismatic inspiration and diverse skills ranging from examining the livers of sacrificed animals to spirit possession. Unlike the palm readers and mediums who exist on the fringe of modern society; many seers were highly paid; well respected; educated members of the elite who played an essential role in the conduct of daily life; political decisions; and military campaigns. Armies; for example; never went anywhere without one. This engaging book; the only comprehensive study of this fascinating figure; enters into the socioreligious world of ancient Greece to explore what seers did; why they were so widely employed; and how their craft served as a viable and useful social practice.
#1237651 in Books 2007-08-02Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 .85 x 6.38 x 9.30l; 1.13 #File Name: 0520249488232 pages
Review
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. Re-imaging the netherworldBy Farmer JohnIn this book; Stephen Bokenkamp deals with the arrival of Buddhism to China and its effects on native Chinese conceptions of death and the afterlife. He traces a shift between Eastern Han conceptions of death; which treat ancestral worship as a private matter and stress the ability of the ancestors to influence the world of the living; and the ideas of life and death that can be found in the Religious Daoist texts from the 5th century CE; which depict ancestral worship as a public endeavor and stresses not what the ancestors can do for the living but that duties the living have to do to ensure their fate. Buddhism; argues Bokenkamp; gave the Chinese new tool in dealing with this anxiety through the idea of rebirth.This is definitely not an easy book to read; mostly since it is intended for a fairly small target audience who is probably already familiar with Bokenkamp's immense contribution to the study of Chinese religion. Readers who are interested in the history of religion in China will find this book an excellent addition to a rapidly growing field.0 of 1 people found the following review helpful. it will find a good home for some graduate studentBy SquarecrowI didn't get into this book. I studied with one of Bokenkamp's disciples; but we never used the book in the course. I tried to read it later; and found it difficult to engage.0 of 6 people found the following review helpful. Reletavily interestingBy BLieuwI found this book quite interesting; but the only obstacle for me to really appreciate it would be the difficulty in relating to the examined culture. The writing was splendid though.
