The Derveni Papyrus and Early
Greek Allegorical Interpretation
DR. MIRJAM KOTWICK, DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY, THE NEW SCHOOOL
The Derveni Papyrus, a fragmentary late 5th century BCE text of unknown
authorship, contains enigmatic discussions of religious practicezs and a strange
interpretation of an Orphic theogony as a physical account of the universe. There are
many puzzles about who the author is, the purpose for which the author wrote, and
how all the contents of the text fit together. This talk focuses on the allegorical
method that the author employs and argues that this method is crucial for
understanding the author’s persona and mission.
Friday, February 10, 2017 at 5:00 PM
HUMN 135