The Greco-Roman Universe by Cartari
The Greco-Roman Universe
Le Imagini de i Dei de gli Antichi, Vincenzo Cartari. Heidelberg University Library.
- The structure of the universe in Greco-Roman thought was inherently hierarchical, conceptualized as a series of concentric, interconnected layers rising from the underworld (Hades) to the celestial realm of the gods. As illustrated, this world-view presents a vast cosmos ordered by ascending degrees of power and divinity. Following the elemental realms of Earth, Water, Air, and Fire, the diagram delineates the celestial spheres, with Saturn's sphere, the highest planet, notably contained by the zodiac. Above this final physical constraint, sitting at the very peak of the hierarchy, are the twelve Olympian gods, arranged in six pairs of male and female deities, who rule supreme over all creation.
- This ordered, layered arrangement holds profound symbolic and spiritual significance. The progression from Hades to Olympus represents a journey of the soul, a spiritual ascent from the basest, carnal state to the highest level of divine consciousness and order. The elemental spheres serve as intermediaries, while the planetary realms, capped by the zodiac, symbolize the fates and influences that govern human existence. The twelve Olympians, seated above the stars, do not merely rule but embody the essential, operating forces of the universe—reason, love, war, time, and destiny—reflecting a belief in a world directed by divine intelligence.
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