Anthropology Of Phoenician Genius

Had we not been afraid of being too ambitious, we would have given our third book on the Phoenician trilogy a second subtitle: Introduction to a Philosophy of History. For such is the ultimate purpose of this essay. When we examined the myths of the Phoenix, El, Baal, Adonai and Moloch, fundamental conceptions of historical Lebanon, we were particularly struck by their antagonism and complementarity, followed by an obvious anti-historical dynamic. A very feminine attitude, as well as a desire to reject the history of a "race slaughtered" by the greatest misfortunes ever borne by a nation. Our sociocriticism fits into this framework of analysis, while going beyond structural or other models of analysis. It would never be possible to ignore such a fact: here, more than anywhere else, men suffer the unfortunate consequences of the gods' battles. Between the terror of Moloch, the devourer of humans, and the redemptive forces of the Phoenix, Lebanon's destiny seems to be forever being replayed.