Miturile homerice și originile vânătorii. Cel mai vechi tratat de vânătoare
Homeric myths and the origins of hunting. The oldest hunting treatise

Summary/Abstract: From Antiquity to the present day, the hunt and hunters appear in the mythologies, literatures and festive traditions of many cultures. A complex analysis of hunting requires the complementary use of mythological narratives, philosophy, history, literature, and especially the profound methodology of historical anthropology.Greek mythical, philosophical and historical thought shows us that there were several visions of hunting and its role in the mentality of ancient cities. Among the Greeks, the earliest details of hunting come from an age before the Trojan War and the legendary expedition of the Argonauts, some thirteen centuries before the Christian era.In Antiquity, an anthropology of hunting took shape, as catching animals required a moral code and some knowledge of rigorous physical and spiritual training strategies. Hunting was conceived of as a dangerous activity, practiced only by the most courageous and honest, with strict rules to be followed. Being a good hunter was part of the education of young people in the ethical and moral values and virtues of citizenship, namely paideia. The link between hunting and war was described at length in the Homeric texts.By the 9th century BC, Homer revealed the similarity between hunting and war, both being a life-and-death struggle with fierce adversaries. As in warfare, the Greek could be a skillful hunter or easy prey, so initiation into combat and the morality of confronting terrible forces was an essential condition of life. Xenophon (426–354 BC) left to posterity a generous Treatise on Hunting, which provides invaluable details about the hunting mentality of the Greek world.

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