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1、IntroductionBasicConceptsHellenismHELLENISM,atermcreatedinJudeainthe2ndcenturyB.C.E.,signifyingtheadoptionbysomeoftheJewsofGreeklanguage,customs,andmanners.ByextensionitcametomeanGreekcultureandallthecharacteristicswhichmadeaGreekrecognizehimselfassuch.Intheabsenceo
2、fanyunifiedGreekpoliticalstate,itwastheirculturalaffiliationwhichmadetheGreeksrecognizethemselvesasmembersofoneandthesamecommunity.AmongthestrongpointsofGreekculturewerethefacilitywithwhichitspreadamongthenationswhowereintouchwiththeGreeksandtheappealitexercisedonth
3、em.Thesefactorsaccountforitslastinginfluence,evenafterthedisappearanceofthelastGreekstate,especiallyintheOrient,oneofthechiefdirectionsofitsexpansion.Culturalexchangewas,however,bynomeansone-sided;throughitscontactwithEasternandIraniancultures,Hellenismalsowastransf
4、ormed.Theserelationsthusledtomutualculturalenrichment.TheyalsoexplainthelongevityofHellenismthroughoutthecenturies.FriedrichNietzscheisa19thcenturyphilosopherwho,amongmanyotherthings,wroteagreatdealaboutHellenisticGreece.NietzschefoundthisHellenisticapproachtolifeco
5、mmendableandbelievedtheboldlivesofGreekheroesfoundinHomer'sepicsweresomethingworthaspiringto.However,hisopinionoftheAbrahamicreligionswasjuxtaposedwithhisformerofHellenism.ThehumbleandservileattitudesdemandedbytheGodofMoseswerenothingshortofdeplorabletoNietzsche,and
6、hisworkonethics;OnGenealogyofMoralsexplicateshissentimentonGreekvirtueincomparisontothoseofWesternEurope,namelyGermany.ExcerptfromNietzsche’sTheBirthofTragedy,Or:HellenismandPessimism:"WhoeverapproachestheseOlympianswithanotherreligioninhisheart,searchingamongthemfo
7、rmoralelevation,evenforsanctity,fordisincarnatespirituality,forcharityandbenevolence,willsoonbeforcedtoturnhisbackonthem,discouragedanddisappointed.Forthereisnothingherethatsuggestsasceticism,spirituality,orduty.Wehearnothingbuttheaccentsofanexuberant,triumphantlife
8、inwhichallthings,whethergoodorevil,aredeified.Andsothespectatormaystandquitebewilderedbeforethisfantasticexcessoflife,askinghimselfbyvirtu