Classical Greek and Latin Discussion Group

Ralph Hancock | 28 Aug 2012 01:59

Re: re-purposing human skin

According to most sources the skin of Marsyas was simply hung up, on a
tree or in a cave, and no use was made of it. But Plato, in Euthydemus
285c-d, wrote:

Then Ctesippus said: I too, Socrates, am ready to offer myself to be
skinned by the strangers even more, if they choose, than they are
doing now, if my hide is not to end by being made into a wine-skin,
like that of Marsyas, but into the shape of virtue.

RH

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Janice Siegel | 28 Aug 2012 02:28

Re: re-purposing human skin

Thanks, Ralph.

And I forgot that I had found this weird story about Hermes, from Servius:
Choricus counseled his sons to cut off Hermes’ hands while he was sleeping
in revenge for stealing the idea of wrestling, which they came up with, but
which Hermes stole as his own idea (the boys’ sister Palaestra told her
lover Hermes about it and he taught it to mankind, taking credit for its
invention). Hermes complained to Zeus, flayed Choricus, and made a little
sack (folliculum) out of his skin. See Servius on Aen. 8.138.
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0053%3Abook%3D8%3Acommline%3D138

Where in the world did this come from???

And, too, neither Marysas nor Hermes are human beings...

On Mon, Aug 27, 2012 at 7:59 PM, Ralph Hancock <ralph.hancock <at> gmail.com>wrote:

> According to most sources the skin of Marsyas was simply hung up, on a
> tree or in a cave, and no use was made of it. But Plato, in Euthydemus
> 285c-d, wrote:
>
> Then Ctesippus said: I too, Socrates, am ready to offer myself to be
> skinned by the strangers even more, if they choose, than they are
> doing now, if my hide is not to end by being made into a wine-skin,
> like that of Marsyas, but into the shape of virtue.
>
> RH
>
>

(Continue reading)

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Janice Siegel | 28 Aug 2012 02:32

Re: re-purposing human skin

Ooops. Sorry. Hermes isn't eviscerated and bagified (although he does get
his hands cut off!). Very weird.
I really would like to know if there is another ancient source besides
Servius for this Choricus story.

Janice Siegel
Associate Professor of Classics and Chair of the Department
Hampden-Sydney College, P.O. Box 24, Hampden-Sydney, Virginia 23943
Office: Maples 004; 434-223-7204

On Mon, Aug 27, 2012 at 8:28 PM, Janice Siegel <jsiegel <at> hsc.edu> wrote:

> Thanks, Ralph.
>
> And I forgot that I had found this weird story about Hermes, from Servius:
> Choricus counseled his sons to cut off Hermes’ hands while he was sleeping
> in revenge for stealing the idea of wrestling, which they came up with, but
> which Hermes stole as his own idea (the boys’ sister Palaestra told her
> lover Hermes about it and he taught it to mankind, taking credit for its
> invention). Hermes complained to Zeus, flayed Choricus, and made a little
> sack (folliculum) out of his skin. See Servius on Aen. 8.138.
>
> http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0053%3Abook%3D8%3Acommline%3D138
>
> Where in the world did this come from???
>
> And, too, neither Marysas nor Hermes are human beings...
>
> On Mon, Aug 27, 2012 at 7:59 PM, Ralph Hancock <ralph.hancock <at> gmail.com>wrote:
>

(Continue reading)

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Goya | 28 Aug 2012 07:07

Re: re-purposing human skin

> Ooops. Sorry. Hermes isn't eviscerated and bagified (although he does get
> his hands cut off!). Very weird.
> I really would like to know if there is another ancient source besides
> Servius for this Choricus story.

M.C. Apparently not, at least acc. to Hiller von Gaertringen, RE III.2
2423. It seems like a late etymologizing myth, designed to explain the
origins of the term palaestra and *kôrukos*.

HTH, MIke

>
>
Michael Chase
CNRS UPR 76
Paris-Villejuif
France