Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Charles David Isbell" <cisbell AT home.com>]

Professor Cyrus Gordon first made these and many other connections in 1955,
in an HUCA article, "Homer and Bible," and then more fully in 1962, in
COMMON BACKGROUND OF GREEK AND HEBREW CIVILIZATIONS.  Note in particular
Samson and Achilles (p. 298).
Not only does Gordon note literary links between Samson and Enkidu, but he
also comments on the motif of long hair going hand in hand with
extra-ordinary strength.  Not only biblical Samson, but also Esau and
Avshalom exhibit these dual characteristics.  The heroic Achaeans are also
described as "long-haired" and Gordon mentions "the Minoan insistence on
long hair for men" (p. 62).
Gordon's student, Harry Hoffner, has also worked extensively in this field.
Charles
----- Original Message -----
From: "Banyai Michael" <banyai AT t-online.de>
To: "Biblical Hebrew" <b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2000 4:54 PM
Subject: Samson


> George Athas wrote:
>
> > Yes, I was in fact referring to this claim. My memory fails me on this
one
> >  too, though. I
> > haven't, however, heard of a connection between Samson and Achilles.
Both
> >  have the love of
> > a woman (Delilah in Samson's case, Briseis in Achilles' case) as a real
thorn
> >  in the side,
> > and both meet tragic ends which happen to facilitate a great defeat of
the
> >  enemy.
>
> Have you ever thought about the parallel between Samson and Enkidu?...
> The later seems to be, what Samson was, a Nasirean. His hair wear (in
> Babylonian representations frequently wrongy attributed to Gilgamesh) is
> similar, he looses his magic "Nasirean" strength by a woman. So on...
>
>
> Best regards,
>
> Banyai Michael
>
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