Dreams of Antiquity: Aristotle and Artemidorous

Welcome to Unit II, where we consider the ways in which cultural values and religious beliefs shape a group's understanding and experience of sleep and dream. First stop: classical antiquity. Although there is no single coherent conception of dream in antiquity, we can identify several trends, starting with two major writers on dream: Aristotle, who wrote in the 4th century B.C., and Artemidorus, who wrote in the 2nd century A.D.

Podcast Lecture: The Somniloquy

Readings:

Artemidorus, The Interpretation of Dream: Oneirocritica: Selections

Bulkeley, An Introduction to the Psychology of Dreaming: Ch. 1

Questions:

1. What is the origin of dreams, according to Aristotle?

2. Does Aristotle believe that dreams can foretell the future?

3. What distinctions does Artemidorus make between dreams?

4. Where do dreams come from, according to Artemidorus?

5. What does Artemidorus's interpreter need to do when faced with a dream?

Activities:

Look it Up: As Bulkeley mentions, modern dream theorists dismiss Artemidorus's dictionary, as it seems to offer "one size fits all" definitions and interpretations of common dream symbols, without taking into account the life of the individual dreamer. Using a dream from your dream journal, see if Artemidorus has catalogued any of the symbols in your dream. Do his interpretations give you any insight into your dream? If you cannot locate any common symbols, take note of what the people Artemidorus interviewed were dreaming about. What does the dream dictionary tell you about common concerns and desires of this period of antiquity?