Goatism and the Arts
The origins of theatre in Ancient Greece were spiritual and religious - probably growing out of Dionysian ritual. Less well known is that the etymology of the word "tragedy" suggests that the plays of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides were, in essence, part of the deep rooted Greek cultural homage to the all encompassing Goat. Dr Richard Joyce, Research Fellow in the Philosophy Program at RSSS, points out that:
"the word 'tragedy', on which Aristotle discoursed at length, and concerning which philosophers still argue, comes from the Greek 'tragoidia' = 'tragos' (goat) + 'oide' (song) = goat-song".
He goes on to explain that scholars have previously been unsure of why the word should have this root. Previous attempts at explanation suggested something to do with sacrificing goats and singing songs at the ceremony; perhaps to do with earlier 'satyr plays' associated with Dionysian symbolism.
However, it seems likely that the word came from the early and primitive rituals of Goat worship which evolved into the theatrical/religious ceremonies at which the Greek tragedians performed.
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