Raíces griegas de la compasión cristiana.

La compasión en Homero y Aristóteles en relación con unas parábolas de la tradición lucana

Abstract

We are intellectually inheritors of the Greeks; therefore we could track the concept of Christian compassion in the Greek culture and philoso­phy; in this first part we are centered in Homer. Tue compassion within the Greek tradition is a passion or emotion, on the contrary, within the Christian tradition is a virtue. Tue compassion was not a uniform concept through all the Antiquity, but it went through many changes. We could see this evolution in Homer, because he talked of two aspects of ελεος, one more emotional and other transitive or of nearness to all peoples. Later this sentiment of univer­sal sympathy or philanthropy is converted into a virtue.