8. The Interpretatio of the Gods

Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents v
3. Introduction: The Gods in Exile 1
4. 1. Sacrificing the Nativity Scene and Bombing the Mosque 13
5. 2. Festivity Figurines: Animals, Shepherds, Three Kings 20
6. 3. End of the Year Figurines: Sigilla, Sigillaria, and Compitalia 26
7. 4. A Life Through Figurines: The Lararium 30
8. 5. Thou Shalt Have No Other God Before Me 34
9. 6. Translating the Gods, Translating God 41
10. 7. Grammatical Paradoxes: The Name of God 48
11. 8. The Interpretatio of the Gods 55
12. 9. Polytheism, Curiosity, and Knowledge 61
13. 10. What If Monotheisms Were Just Polytheisms in Disguise? 67
14. 11. Tolerance vs. Interpretatio 70
15. 12. Polytheism as Language 76
16. 13. Giving Citizenship to the Gods 82
17. 14. The Long Shadow of Words 90
18. 15. The Twilight of Writing, the Sunset of Scripture 101
19. Appendix A. Religious Tolerance and Intolerance in the Ancient World 113
20. Appendix B. The Ups and Downs of Paganus 119
21. Notes 121
22. Bibliography 143