Beyond Good and Evil · Chapter
49 explained
The chapter contrasts the religious life of ancient Greeks, characterized by an 'irrestrainable stream of gratitude' from a 'superior kind of man,' with the later popular religion dominated by fear, which prepared the ground for Christianit
What happens
The chapter contrasts the religious life of ancient Greeks, characterized by an 'irrestrainable stream of gratitude' from a 'superior kind of man,' with the later popular religion dominated by fear, which prepared the ground for Christianity.
Themes in this chapter
Nobility and Order of Rank
Contrasts the 'superior kind of man' capable of gratitude with the fearful populace that gained the upper hand.
The Role of Religion
Analyzes the psychological shift in religious sentiment from aristocratic gratitude to popular fear, leading to Christianity.
Characters to notice
- Gods
Implied as the recipients of the ancient Greeks' grateful religious attitude.
- Christianity
Identified as the religion that prepared itself from the later, fear-based popular religious sentiment in Greece.
Key passages
“That which is so astonishing in the religious life of the ancient Greeks is the irrestrainable stream of gratitude which it pours forth”
The most remarkable feature of ancient Greek religion was its overwhelming expression of thankfulness.
Posits gratitude as the defining, positive characteristic of early Greek religion.
“it is a very superior kind of man who takes such an attitude towards nature and life.”
Only a higher type of human being adopts such a grateful stance toward existence.
Links the religious attitude directly to a noble, aristocratic type of person.
“Later on, when the populace got the upper hand in Greece, fear became rampant also in religion; and Christianity was preparing itself.”
When the common people gained dominance in Greece, fear spread through religion, setting the stage for Christianity.
Describes a historical and psychological decline from gratitude to fear, culminating in Christianity's emergence.