The topic of the third meeting is Plutarch’s On Isis and Osiris. In this text, Plutarch offers a ‘philosophical’ analysis of the myth of Isis and Osiris and of Egyptian religion. In doing so, he presents different interpretations of this myth and assesses their feasibility. Thus, Plutarch rejects interpretations according to which Isis and Osiris are deified humans or ‘personifications’ of natural phenomena and opts for interpretations that are strongly influenced by Greek culture and especially by Plato’s philosophy. Scholarship on this work still faces many open questions, as for example: How do the different argumentative steps and the numerous digressions relate to each other? Which aspects of Plutarch’s Middle Platonism influence his analysis of Egyptian religion? In line with the profile and goals of the group, this meeting will strive for a cooperative working atmosphere in which the work will be commented upon. Each participant will introduce a section of the work from a historical and systematic point of view and chair the cooperative reading of selected passages.
The meeting is organized in cooperation with the ‘philological-philosophical colloquium’ of the University of Trier and with the German section of the International Plutarch Society (https://www.ku.de/slf/
According to current plans, the workshop will take place as a hybrid event in Trier and on ZOOM on June 18-19, 2021. Depending on the situation, the meeting might be held as an online-only event; the organizers will provide information in due time. Expenses may be partially refunded.
Interested young scholars can propose a ranking of up to three preferences focusing on specific sections of the work that they would like to read and comment on during the meeting. The organizers will then assign one section per participant.
Please send a ranking list with short explanation of max. 500 words and a CV to [email protected], debras