I recently asked the following question on Twitter:
What was the Ancient Greek conception of heaven? The Iliad & Odyssey talk about the gods in heaven, but they actually live on Mt Olympus, which is on earth. Was the Greek conception that heaven was distinct from earth (in another realm) or part of it? @SpencerKlavan @jasonstaples
— Erik Rostad (Books of Titans) (@booksoftitans) November 14, 2023
I received the following responses from Spencer Klavan and Dr. Jason A. Staples:
Spencer Klavan
Important here to keep in mind the difficulties of translation. When we hear “heaven” we think reflexively of a realm beyond *all* physical locations, perhaps known by analogy to outer space or the sky but ultimately beyond all material regions—as high beyond the *entirety* of… https://t.co/DwQIZH8Axo
— Spookster A. Klavan, dead language resurrector 👻 (@SpencerKlavan) November 14, 2023
Dr. Jason A. Staples
the “heavens” can be divided to the sub-lunar sphere (the domain of daimones too heavy to ascend further, etc.) and a higher, celestial heaven of the sun and stars beyond the moon’s orbit, which was the sphere of the immortal gods, aether, etc. But those gods could also descend.
— Jason A. Staples (@jasonstaples) November 14, 2023