Relationship Between Gods And Humanity :: essays research papers

The relationship between the gods and humanity in The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Odyssey are the same. In each saga, the gods seem to live nearby and are always present. Both epic poems portray humans as simply at the mercy of the gods. The gods feel that it is their duty to intervene if they feel that man is traveling off course from his destiny. However, the gods are not all powerful. Each god has a certain domain and cannot control another gods’ domain. All the gods including Zeus, the father of the gods, want Odysseus to be able to return home in The Odyssey. However, Poseiden, just one god, prevents Odysseus from returning. It is only when Poseiden is absent from Mt. Olympus that the other gods are able to take control and assist Odysseus in returning home. Gilgamesh also has the same misconception that the gods are all powerful. After he and Enkidu kill the Bull of Heaven, the gods Anu, Enlil, Ea and Shamash convene and decide that one of the brothers must die for their evil deed. Shamash, Gilgamesh’s protector, pleads with the other gods to spare his life. The other gods disregard Shamash’s appeal and Enkidu dies. In each instance, one god is not able to impose his agenda against the wishes of the other gods. Enkidu’s death evokes a disturbing thought in Gilgamesh. He finally realizes that he is mortal. He then goes about trying to find the key to immortality. Gilgamesh first seeks out Utnapishtim, the only human to gain immortality. When Gilgamesh cannot pass the test of staying awake for seven days, Utnapishtim then gives him the plant "Old Men Are Young Again." Despite this second opportunity, Gilgamesh is not triumphant in his search for immortality because a serpent eats the plant and Gilgamesh’s opportunity is lost forever. He does not realize that Enlil, the father of the gods, had already determined his destiny. It is clear from the events of the story that Gilgamesh was not to obtain everlasting life and it is no coincidence that all of his efforts fail in one way or another. This is another example of man’s lack of control where the gods are concerned The Odyssey demonstrates how the gods favored certain men over others. When man had the gods "on his side," he was sure to complete whatever task was at hand.

An Academic Narrative

Behind every work there is a story. Often, the story can better explain why a work looks the way it does than can any formal academic argument. The present work started as a Doctoral thesis. So here is its much abbreviated story. Choosing the topic I have been fascinated by what monuments mean to people ever since my Hamburg M. A. thesis of 1993, in which I investigated empirically the contemporaneous meanings of three selected megaliths and menhirs in Germany. Having come to Lampeter later the same year, I wrote a second M. A. thesis also about the various meanings of megaliths, but this time focussing on the theoretical background of Radical Constructivism and Reception Theory as well as on prehistoric and historic case-studies. As I had to make a decision about my Ph. D. research topic early in 1994, this topic seemed to be interesting and promising to pursue further. I chose later prehistory as a time period, since I was mainly interested in working with evidence of material cult ure. In excluding earlier periods as well as the Medieval age, I hoped to avoid dealing with possible continuities of burial traditions and ancestor cults during the Neolithic up until the early Bronze Age on the one hand, and with the quite complex problem of using written sources in arguments about historic periods on the other. Since I started my work in 1994, the basic theme proved feasible and has stayed virtually the same; however, I modified my exact line of argument on several occasions. These changes are reflected in various outlines and abstracts which I wrote at different points in time. Although empirical detail has a certain irresistible attraction to me (as well as a considerable rhetorical power), the theoretical aspects of my work, such as thoughts about past and present, have always (and perhaps over the years increasingly) been more important to me than the details of the archaeology of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern provided an almost ideal study area, not only because of the excellent state of research on megaliths there (largely due to the work of Ewald Schuldt), but also because I felt very attracted to the beautiful coastal landscape. My research in the area was greatly helped by virtually all the local archaeologists, who patiently answered my questions and gave further suggestions. On several occasions, however, one senior archaeologist tried effectively to stop my research (I don't know why). This seemed at first to threaten the entire project, but as time went on, this person's activities proved to be less critical for my work than I had feared. Finding material to work with One of my biggest challenges from the start was to find enough relevant material evidence on which to build a larger argument. I was already confident after having looked at the regional literature in the library of the Institute of Archaeology in London, and undertaking an explorative visit to the sites and monuments record (Ortsaktenarchiv) of the Landesamt fur Bodendenkmalpflege in Lubstorf, both early in 1995. I became entirely convinced of the feasibility of my project during an extended visit of the study area during the summer of 1995. After just over two weeks of concentrated work with the records, I provided the basis for my later analysis by documenting on specially designed forms, the evidence for later prehistoric receptions at almost 1200 megaliths. That summer, I also visited several libraries and photocopied many relevant texts, which were not otherwise available to me at Lampeter. During a second visit to Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in the late summer of 1996 I visited even more sites, consulted libraries again and discussed various issues with local archaeologists. I closed gaps in my reading by using the very efficient interlibrary loan service at Lampeter, spending two weeks in the libraries of Cambridge and in the British Library in March 1996, and consulting the British Library for another few days in September 1997. Interpreting the evidence in wider terms On the basis of the promising evidence I had collected, and the associated archaeological literature I had read, it was always clear that for interesting interpretations I would need exciting ideas, rather than additional evidence or access to even more archaeological literature. My interest was, after all, first and foremost in the meanings of ancient monuments, and not in any particular archaeological period or area. I decided early on to combine my archaeological work with references to various other related themes and topics. Later prehistory would be supplemented by evidence from later historic periods as well from the present. The actual receptions of megaliths, which I could see in the record, would be put in the context of wider meanings of monuments. Ancient monuments and conceptions of the past in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern would be associated with completely different archaeological and anthropological contexts. All this was to be put into practice by using hypermedia technology. My original application document and further discussions about my plan to submit my work on the Internet, and then on CD-Rom, led me to think more about the characteristics and significance of hypermedia links in the text. As a consequence, the idea of making sense by making connections became more and more important to me, and developed perhaps into one of the most important arguments of my work. Originally, I constructed the thesis on many small cards each representing one ‘page'; they were ordered by a systematic number code but this was more a way of structuring my writing process than a hidden linear structure in my argument! Coming up with results What I now present is colourful, diverse, empirically rich and (hopefully) intellectually stimulating. I have produced a work that takes a decisively interpretive approach and rejects the metaphor of the law court, according to which the task of the archaeologist is to establish the truth about the past, or to construct a story plausible beyond reasonable doubt, in order for the judge or jury to reach a verdict about what actually happened (Shanks 1992: 54–56). What really happened in the past does not matter much to me. This work is not about the past, but rather about certain parts of the present, although it deals with the past and refers to archaeological evidence. I hope to show that there are a great number of possible meanings of ancient monuments, and that we can reach interpretations and make sense of something by making connections. Perhaps more importantly, I hope to demonstrate in my work that past and present are united and cannot be separated from each other. In saying this I do not argue that different archaeological and historical contexts could not be distinguished from one another. My point is much broader: the past is only meaningful within the particular history culture and as a contribution to the cultural memory of each present. I do not know if there could be a present without a past (except perhaps for small babies and some animals as well as in certain medical conditions? ), but there can certainly be no past without a present. Ancient monuments in our landscapes intrigue me. Perhaps this is the beauty of my approach, and of my work: people in later prehistory and today, including myself, find themselves in very much the same situation. They make sense in one way or another of the ancient monuments they come across in the landscape. The object of study in this work is, therefore, also the studying subject, and the results of my study describe its approach too.

Madoff - 2303 Words

Bernie Madoff amp; the Worst Pyramid Scheme in U.S. History It is said that we are the product of our upbringing, so it probably would not surprise you to learn that the biggest and worst financial fraud committed through a pyramid scheme in US History, was achieved by a man who was raised by parents that also commit financial frauds. Bernie Madoff was raised watching his parents Ralph and Sylvia Madoff run a business that was not successful in the financial trading world. That company was named Gibraltar Securities. Due to the fact that Sylvia failed to accurately report their company’s financial condition, the SEC closed the business in 1963 and started its investigative proceedings to determine if charges were needed to be†¦show more content†¦(Cook, 2014) The question becomes, how did Bernie pull this off for so many years? Actually having a legitimate legal running successful company to further your reputation as a highly successful investor really helps, but how do you have billions of dollars invested in your company, that is ultimately already lost before you even cash the check given to you? That in itself must have taken a lot of time and energy, and when the scheme was discovered, Bernie stated that he alone ran his scheme. For someone that has no problem stealing money from his investors, it seems odd that his reason to take all the credit for the running of this scheme would be to protect the others that were involved. Is he really protecting them or is his ego so big that he wants all the credit? That is a question that we will never have the answer to unless Bernie himself answers it. But there is one person who has come forward. Frank DiPascali, the former financial chief, became the star witness against Bernie Madoff. Mr. Depascali was very forthcoming in giving information and he detailed how the scheme was able to be hidden for so long, and how it all comes down to technology. What? How does technology have anything to do with hiding a pyramid scheme? Well, Bernie had an emergency operations building that housed different versions of computers, software programs, printers, copiers, paper, company logos, and companyShow MoreRelatedMadoff4022 Words   |  17 Pageswithdrawals. Though these types of schemes have happened before, the first of this caliber was documented in the 1920’s by its namesake, Charles Ponzi. In 2008, Bernard â€Å"Bernie† Madoff was exposed for running the largest Ponzi scheme to date, conning investors out of over $65 billion over thirty years. INTRODUCTION Bernard Madoff was responsible for the largest reported Ponzi scheme in history. How did this happen? Who else knew about it? Why did it take so long for him to be exposed? This paper willRead MoreMadoff1255 Words   |  6 Pagesreview of the Madoff Securities case. The Madoff Securities case involved the cunning Bernard L. Madoff swindling his clients to believe that he could guarantee them high profits. Madoff is the largest Ponzi scheme in history. Madoff Securities Case Bernard L. Madoff started the investment firm Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities (BLMIS). Bernard Madoff began trading securities from the 1960s. From as early as 1962, it is believed Madoff started hidingRead MoreMadoff1370 Words   |  6 PagesBernie Madoff? Bernard L. Madoff, who is currently serving a 150-year sentence in federal prison, orchestrated a multi-billion dollar Ponzi scheme that swindled money from thousands of investors. Unlike the promoters of many Ponzi schemes, Madoff did not promise spectacular short-term investment returns. Instead, his investors’ phony account statements showed moderate, but consistently positive returns — even during turbulent market conditions. In December 2008, the SEC charged Bernard Madoff andRead MoreBernie Madoff644 Words   |  3 PagesDiyonka Massey Magan Calhoun AIS 3710 22 February 2013 Bernie Madoff Case Study Throughout history, people have done unethical things dealing with money. In 2008, the man known for running a massive Ponzi scheme, known as Bernie Madoff, was arrested and charged with criminal securities fraud, and sentenced for a hundred and fifty years in prison. Bernie Madoff continued his scheme for thirty years because his company was the largest market maker on NASDAQ. He had an impressive rate of returnsRead MoreBernie Madoff1600 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"If It Quacks Like a Duck† Assignment 2 – Bernard Lawrence â€Å"Bernie† Madoff Business Law I March 4, 2011 Bernard Madoff Abstract Unethical behavior†¦sounds bad doesn’t it? But what employee can truly say that he is completely innocent of any unethical behavior in the workplace? Some of the most common unethical business behaviors are fudging work hours, making phone calls on business lines and photo copying of personal paperwork. Simple acts such as these are highly unlikely to have anRead MoreBernie Madoff1967 Words   |  8 PagesBernie Madoff Andrea L. Nolt Strayer University Intro to Business Professor Karina Arzumanova August 21, 2011 Bernie Madoff Bernard Lawrence â€Å"Bernie Madoff† is an American former stock broker, investment adviser, non-executive chairman of the NASDAQ stock market, and the admitted operator of what has been described as the largest Ponzi scheme in history. (Bernard Madoff, 2011) This paper discusses the massive Ponzi scheme that Mr. Madoff created and those that were affected by it. Read MoreBernie Madoff2651 Words   |  11 PagesBernie Madoff Research Project Abronia S. Young D03202587 On March 12, 2009, Madoff pleaded guilty to 11 federal offenses, including securities fraud, wire fraud , mail fraud , money laundering, making false statements, perjury, theft from an employee benefit plan, and making false filings with the SEC. The Fraud In March 2009, Madoff admitted that since the mid-1990s he stopped trading and his returns had been fabricated. Madoffs sales pitch, an investment strategy consistedRead MoreMadoff Scandal1822 Words   |  8 PagesThe Madoff Scandal: 50 billion questions and few answers Table of Contents Abstract †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦3 Description of Events †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..4 Analysis of Scenario †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦4 Questions about Madoff †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..5 Solutions and Alternatives †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..7 Conclusion †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...8 References †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦10 Abstract Bernie Madoff ran the biggest in the history of the world. The detailsRead MoreBernard Madoff1446 Words   |  6 PagesRunning head: BERNARD LA WRENCE BERNIE MADOFF 1 BERNARD LA WERENCE BERNIE MADOFF Naamah Pagan Augustine Weekley Business Law 1 August 21,2011 BERNARD LA WRENCE BERNIE MADOFF 2 Introduction Bernard Lawrence Bernie Madoff ran one of the largest Ponzi Schemes. A Ponzi scheme is a scam investment designed to separate investors from their money. It is named after Charles Ponzi, who constructed one such scheme at the beginning of the 20th century. The scheme is designed to convinceRead MoreBernard Madoff2362 Words   |  10 PagesMVE220   Financial   Risk       The   Madoff   Fraud       Shahin   Zarrabi   Ã¢â‚¬â€œ   9111194354    Lennart   Lundberg   Ã¢â‚¬â€œ   9106102115                      Abstract:    A   short   explanation   of   the   Ponzi   scheme   carried   out   by    Bernard   Madoff,   the   explanation   to   how   it   could   go   on   for    such   a   long   period   of   time   and   an   investigation   on   how   it    could   be   prevented