α β γ δ ε ζ η θ ι κ λ μ ν ξ ο π ρ ς σ τ υ φ χ ψ ω Α Β Γ Δ Ε Ζ Η Θ Ι Κ Λ Μ Ν Ξ Ο Π Ρ C Σ Τ Υ Φ Χ Ψ Ω ἀ ἁ ά ὰ ᾶ ἄ ἅ ἂ ἃ ἆ ἇ ᾳ ᾷ Ἀ Ἁ Ἄ Ἅ Ἂ Ἃ Ἆ Ἇ ἐ ἑ έ ὲ ἔ ἕ ἒ ἓ Ἐ Ἑ Ἔ Ἕ ἠ ἡ ή ὴ ῆ ἤ ἥ ἢ ἣ ἦ ἧ ῃ ῇ ᾗ Ἠ Ἡ Ἤ Ἥ Ἦ Ἧ ἰ ἱ ί ὶ ἴ ἵ ἲ ἳ ἶ ἷ ῖ Ἰ Ἱ Ἴ Ἵ Ἶ Ἷ ὀ ὁ ό ὸ ὄ ὅ ὂ ὃ Ὀ Ὁ Ὄ Ὅ Ὂ Ὃ ῥ ὐ ὑ ύ ὺ ὔ ὕ ὒ ὓ ὖ ὗ ῦ Ὑ Ὓ Ὕ Ὗ Ῠ Ῡ Ὺ Ύ ὠ ὡ ώ ὼ ὤ ὥ ὢ ὣ ὦ ὧ ῳ ῶ ῷ ᾧ ᾤ Ὠ Ὡ Ὤ Ὥ Ὢ Ὣ Ὦ Ὧ Schließen Bewegen ?
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Menekrates von Syrakus #2 (240 Aufrufe)
Γραικύλος schrieb am 11.04.2026 um 12:25 Uhr (Zitieren)
Self-promotion like this, by Athena, would not have been indulged in even by Menecrates of Syracuse, who was nicknamed Zeus and was extremely proud, since he was convinced that his medical skills were the only thing that kept people alive. He required the individuals he was treating, at any rate, for the so-called sacred diseases (1) to draw up a document promising that, if they survived, they would serve him like slaves. One man used to accompany him wearing a Heracles-outfit and was actually referred to as Heracles. (This was Nicostratus of Argos, who had been cured of the sacred disease.) [...] Another man followed him outfitted with a heavy wool cloak and a herald’s stuff, like Hermes, and with wings as well, like Nicagoras of Zeleia, who was the tyrant of his native island [...]. Hegesander (2) reports that Menecrates cured Astycreon and referred to him as Apollo; another person he kept from dying dressed like Asclepius and wandered around with him. And “Zeus” himself, clothed in purple, wearing a gold garland on his head, wielding a scepter, and with high Boots on his feet, travelled everywhere accompanied by his divine retinue. In a letter to King Philip he wrote the following: Menecrates (Zeus) extends his greetings to Philip. You are the king of Macedon, whereas I am the king of medicine; and you can put healthy people to death whenever you wish, whereas I am capable of saving the sick and keeping healthy individuals alive and free from disease until they reach old age, if they follow my instructions. Macedonians therefore serve as your bodyguard, whereas those who anticipate being such attend me; for in the guise of Zeus I furnish them with life. Philip in his reply treated him like a madman: Philip wishes Menecrates good health. Menecrates sent similar letters to the Spartan king Archidamus and everyone else he wrote, showing no reluctance to refer to himself as Zeus. Once when Philip invited Menecrates to dinner along with his personal deities, he had them all lie down on a central couch, which was very high and elaborately decorated in a style appropriate for gods, and set a table beside him with an altar of first-fruits of all the earth’s products on top of it. Whenever food was brought to the other guests, the slaves burned incense and poured libations for Menecrates’ group; and in the end the new Zeus fled the party with everyone laughing at him and his subject deities, according to Hegesander.

[Athenaeus, The Learned Banqueters. VII vols., ed. By S. Douglas Olson. Cambridge, Massachusetts/London 2008; Book VII 289]

(1) Epilepsie und ähnliche Krankeiten
(2) antiker Historiker, auf den Athenaios sich bezieht
 
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