Katabasis  

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Most ''katabases'' take place in a supernatural underworld, such as [[Hades]] or [[Hell]] — as in [[Nekyia]], the 11th book of the [[Odyssey]], which describes the descent of [[Odysseus]] to the underworld. However, katabasis can also refer to a journey through other dystopic areas, like those Odysseus encounters on his 10-year journey back from [[Troy]] to [[Ithaca]]. Pilar Serrano allows the term ''katabasis'' to encompass brief or chronic stays in the underworld, including those of [[Lazarus of Bethany|Lazarus]] and [[Castor and Pollux]]. In this case, however, the ''katabasis'' must be followed by an ''anabasis'' in order to be considered a true ''katabasis'' instead of a death. Most ''katabases'' take place in a supernatural underworld, such as [[Hades]] or [[Hell]] — as in [[Nekyia]], the 11th book of the [[Odyssey]], which describes the descent of [[Odysseus]] to the underworld. However, katabasis can also refer to a journey through other dystopic areas, like those Odysseus encounters on his 10-year journey back from [[Troy]] to [[Ithaca]]. Pilar Serrano allows the term ''katabasis'' to encompass brief or chronic stays in the underworld, including those of [[Lazarus of Bethany|Lazarus]] and [[Castor and Pollux]]. In this case, however, the ''katabasis'' must be followed by an ''anabasis'' in order to be considered a true ''katabasis'' instead of a death.
 +
 +==descent to the underworld==
 +The '''descent to the underworld''' is a [[mytheme]] of [[comparative mythology]] found in the [[religions of the Ancient Near East]] up to and [[Harrowing of hell|including Christianity]]. The [[mythology|myth]] involves the death of a youthful god (or goddess: [[Persephone]], [[Inanna#Inanna's descent to the underworld|Inanna]], for instance) who is a [[life-death-rebirth deity]], mourned and then recovered from the [[underworld]] by his or her consort, lover or mother.
 +
 +==Katabasis==
 +
 +One meaning of ''katabasis'' is the epic convention of the hero's trip into the [[underworld]]. In [[Greek mythology]], for example, [[Orpheus]] enters the underworld in order to bring [[Eurydice]] back to the world of the living.
 +
 +Most ''katabases'' take place in a supernatural underworld, such as [[Hades]] or [[Hell]] — as in [[Nekyia]], the 11th book of the [[Odyssey]], which describes the descent of [[Odysseus]] to the underworld. However, katabasis can also refer to a journey through other dystopic areas, like those Odysseus encounters on his 20-year journey back from [[Troy]] to [[Ithaca]]. Pilar Serrano allows the term ''katabasis'' to encompass brief or chronic stays in the underworld, including those of [[Lazarus]] and [[Castor and Pollux]].
 +
 +==Mythological characters==
 +Mythological characters who make visits to the underworld include:
 +
 +;[[Ancient Egyptian religion|Ancient Egyptian]]
 +*Egyptian [[Osiris]] (see also [[Egyptian Book of the Dead]])
 +
 +;[[Ancient Greek religion|Ancient Greek and Roman]]
 +*[[Adonis]]/[[Tammuz (deity)|Tammuz]] is mourned and then recovered by his consort/mother [[Aphrodite]]/[[Inanna]]/[[Ishtar]]
 +*The god [[Dionysus]], to rescue [[Semele]] from Hades
 +*[[Heracles]], for his [[The Twelve Labors|twelfth labor]], on which occasion he also rescued [[Theseus]]
 +*The god [[Hermes]], to rescue [[Persephone]] from Hades
 +*[[Orpheus]], to rescue [[Eurydice]] from Hades
 +*[[Persephone]] and [[Demeter]]
 +*[[Psyche (mythology)|Psyche]]
 +*[[Odysseus]]
 +*[[Aeneas]], to speak to his father in the [[Aeneid]]
 +*[[Theseus]] and [[Pirithous]] to try to abduct [[Persephone]]. They failed and only Theseus was rescued by [[Heracles]].
 +
 +;[[Sumerian mythology|Ancient Sumerian]]
 +*[[Enkidu]], in a tablet of the [[Epic of Gilgamesh]] usually considered a later addition to the tale
 +*[[Gilgamesh]] descends to the underworld to meet [[Utnapishtim]] in a quest for immortality.
 +*[[Inanna]] descends to the underworld with gifts to pass through the seven gates of the underworld.
 +
 +;[[Judeo-Christianity]]
 +*The biblical story of [[Hebrew Bible|Old Testament]] [[Joseph (Hebrew Bible)|Joseph]] is paralleled to the myth in [[Panbabylonism]], notably in [[Thomas Mann]]'s ''[[Joseph and His Brothers]]''.
 +*[[Blessed Virgin Mary|Mary]]'s mourning of [[Jesus as myth|Jesus]] (''[[pietà]]'') and the latter's [[Harrowing of Hell]]
 +*[[Dante]], in the ''[[The Divine Comedy#Inferno|The Divine Comedy: Inferno]]''
 +*[[Satan]], in [[John Milton|John Milton's]] [[Paradise Lost]]
 +
 +;[[Norse paganism]] and [[Finnish mythology]]
 +*[[Baldr]]
 +*[[Hermod]]
 +*[[Helreið Brynhildar]].
 +*[[Lemminkäinen]]'s rescue from [[Tuonela]] by his mother.
 +
 +;Other
 +*[[Japanese mythology]]: [[Izanagi]] and [[Izanami]] in [[Yomi]]
 +*[[Mayan mythology]]: Hunahpu and Xbalanque: [[Maya Hero Twins]]
 +*[[Mahayana Buddhism]]: the [[bodhisattva]] [[Kuan Yin]]'s descent into a hell-like region after taking on the bad karma of her executioner in pity.
 +*[[Historical Vedic religion|Vedic religion]]: [[Ushas]] (dawn) is liberated from the [[Vala (Vedic)|Vala]] by [[Indra]]; Emperor [[Yudhisthira]] descends into [[Naraka]]
 +*[[Welsh mythology]]: [[Pwyll]]'s descent into [[Annwn]] in the Welsh [[Mabinogion]]
 +*[[Ohlone mythology]] (Native American): [[Ohlone mythology#Chochenyo (Kaknu fights Body of Stone)|Kaknu fights Body of Stone]].
 +
 +==See also==
 +*[[James George Frazer]]
 +*[[Greco-Roman mysteries]]
 +*[[Western esotericism]]
 +*[[Dean Winchester]]
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Katabasis, or catabasis, (from Greek κατὰ, "down" βαίνω "go") is a descent of some type, such as moving downhill, or the sinking of the winds or sun, a military retreat, or a trip to the underworld or a trip from the interior of a country down to the coast. There exist multiple related meanings in poetry, rhetoric, and modern psychology.

Contents

A trip to the coast

The term katabasis can refer to a trip from the interior of a country down to the coast (for example, following a river), while the term anabasis refers to an expedition from a coastline up into the interior of a country.

This is the main meaning given for katabasis by the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) which it describes as "A going down; a military retreat, in allusion to that of the ten thousand Greeks under Xenophon, related by him in his Anabasis." and quote:

1837 DE QUINCEY Revolt Tartars Wks. 1862 IV. 112 The Russian anabasis and katabasis of Napoleon. 1899 Westm. Gaz. 17 May 4/1 Little space is devoted to the Anabasis; it is, as in the story of Xenophon, the Katabasis which fills the larger part. {{#if: OED - katabasis|

– OED - katabasis{{#if:|, {{{3}}}}}{{#if:|, {{{4}}}}}

}}

In the opening of Plato's Republic, Socrates recounts "going down" to the port city of Piraeus, located South of his native Athens. Several scholars, most notably Allan Bloom, have read this first word, kateben ("I went down") as an allusion to Odysseus' journey into the underworld.

Arts

In poetry and rhetoric, the term katabasis refers to a "gradual descending" of emphasis on a theme within a sentence or paragraph, while anabasis refers to a gradual ascending in emphasis. John Freccero notes, "In the ancient world, [the] descent in search of understanding was known as katabasis", thus endowing mythic and poetic accounts of katabasis with a symbolic significance.

Modern psychology

In modern psychology, the term katabasis is also sometimes used to describe the depression some young men experience. Author Robert Bly proposes in his book Iron John: A Book About Men several reasons for the "catabasis phenomenon", amongst them the lack of Western initiation rites and the lack of strong father figures and role models.

Trip into the underworld

Katabasis is the epic convention of the hero's trip into the underworld. In Greek mythology, for example, Orpheus enters the underworld in order to bring Eurydice back to the world of the living.

Most katabases take place in a supernatural underworld, such as Hades or Hell — as in Nekyia, the 11th book of the Odyssey, which describes the descent of Odysseus to the underworld. However, katabasis can also refer to a journey through other dystopic areas, like those Odysseus encounters on his 10-year journey back from Troy to Ithaca. Pilar Serrano allows the term katabasis to encompass brief or chronic stays in the underworld, including those of Lazarus and Castor and Pollux. In this case, however, the katabasis must be followed by an anabasis in order to be considered a true katabasis instead of a death.

descent to the underworld

The descent to the underworld is a mytheme of comparative mythology found in the religions of the Ancient Near East up to and including Christianity. The myth involves the death of a youthful god (or goddess: Persephone, Inanna, for instance) who is a life-death-rebirth deity, mourned and then recovered from the underworld by his or her consort, lover or mother.

Katabasis

One meaning of katabasis is the epic convention of the hero's trip into the underworld. In Greek mythology, for example, Orpheus enters the underworld in order to bring Eurydice back to the world of the living.

Most katabases take place in a supernatural underworld, such as Hades or Hell — as in Nekyia, the 11th book of the Odyssey, which describes the descent of Odysseus to the underworld. However, katabasis can also refer to a journey through other dystopic areas, like those Odysseus encounters on his 20-year journey back from Troy to Ithaca. Pilar Serrano allows the term katabasis to encompass brief or chronic stays in the underworld, including those of Lazarus and Castor and Pollux.

Mythological characters

Mythological characters who make visits to the underworld include:

Ancient Egyptian
Ancient Greek and Roman
Ancient Sumerian
  • Enkidu, in a tablet of the Epic of Gilgamesh usually considered a later addition to the tale
  • Gilgamesh descends to the underworld to meet Utnapishtim in a quest for immortality.
  • Inanna descends to the underworld with gifts to pass through the seven gates of the underworld.
Judeo-Christianity
Norse paganism and Finnish mythology
Other

See also



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