탐무즈와 페르세포네의 재생에 나타난 죽음의 의미와 이해

Abstract

J.G. Frazer categorized many gods who annually experienced death and revival into "Dying and Rising gods." Both Tammuz and Persephone analysed here come to a tragic death, visit the nether world and return to the earth every year. On this score, many scholars have considered them as fertility gods and also analogized their death and revival with the vegetational cycle. But it is impossible to explain entirely what their dying and rising means without considering the view of death because "revival" implies the conquest of death. Considering this, we can find the meaning of these gods' death completely different. Ideas about Tammuz's death and revival had his worshippers develop a down-to-earth view of death. Instead of expecting happier life in the nether world, They chose to live happily in this world by appeasing the souls who annually ascended with Tammuz, and protecting their life from the diseases and curses accompanied with the dead. So, the ritual showing Tammuz' s revival, especially mourning rites and exorcism, became more and more active. Persephone's dying and rising was also projected into her myth and ritual. However, the attitude toward the life after death presented by Eleusinian Mysteries and the Homeric Hymn to Demeter was more positive than that of Tammuz's. Whoever took part in her special ritual, he could assure him self of getting beatitude in the life after death. Based on this faith, initiates of Eleusinian Mysteries could make a momentum to conquer the fear of death.