Route Of Parmenides
© Hermead of Surazeus
2011 11 02 - 09

Excerpt from my epic tale Hermead about scientists.
This segment is a speech by Xenophanes to young Parmenides.

Xenophanes points at clouds that float white
over rippling sea where gold shining sun
gleams spreading rays that permeate vast space.
"Clouds are formed when sun rays heat ocean waves
and vapor rises upward on wind wings
to swirl and shimmer in surrounding air.
God is sphere of light which creates our world.
People think Theos God is shaped like man
because Hesiodos wrote in tale about birth
how gods were born from dark chaos and light,
but God in no way resembles mankind.
Substance of Theos is composed of light
established in sphere surrounding our world,
one unblinking eye that sees everything,
for all minds of every creature that lives
are woven in one vast eternal thought.
We breathe deep spirit of Theos in air,
flushing our souls awake with glowing light,
yet all things that appear in dream of time
will perish, dissolving in sea of time.
Mass of real things we encounter in life
are never as perfect in shape or act
as we imagine, dreaming paradise
in vision of vain hope that dissipates
at jolting action, fantasy dissolved
by light of shining eye that reveals flaws
of real people who struggle to survive.
One God, greatest among both gods and men,
is not like us mortals in form or thought,
for we are to God like mice are to men.
Based on god tales clever Hesiodos wrote
mortals think gods are born and live and die,
walking earth contained in bodies of flesh,
speaking our same thoughts limited by words,
and wearing clothes resembling what we wear.
Are we imitating how gods appear,
or did we invent gods to look like us
flattering ourselves that we resemble them
to contend that we are good as our gods?
We are special because god looks like us.
But if cows, horses, or lions had hands,
or could paint with their hands and create works
of clever craft same as inventive men,
they would depict shape of gods like their own,
cows like cows, horses like horses, and lions
like lions, and present bodies of gods
short on four legs with faces like their own.
Cows would portray god to look like all cows,
so humans portray god to look like humans.
Ethiopians say their gods have snub noses
and black skin and wear leopard skin for clothes.
So Thrakians say their gods have long thin noses
and pale skin and red hair and wear wolf skin.
We Hellenes say god is thunderous and fierce
and wields thunderbolt that strikes hearts of men
and wears white robe like our first great king Zeos
who organized twelve wise people in hall
to manage social games of daily life.
Thus god is spirit vivid in our thoughts
who personifies species in one type,
model in spirit that defines whole group
in one image, and embodies best traits
shared by all members who spring from one form."