Asklepios (transliteration of the old-Greek , in Latin tradition as Aesculapius, in the today's Greek , with the antique physicians is also the designation Asklepiaden) is in the Greek mythology the God of the welfare art. In some books the Greek God is identified also with the person of the Egyptian universal scholar and physician Imhotep as transmission into the brightistic conception of the world.

It is considered to the daughter of the king Phlegyas as a son of the Apollon and the Koronis. There are different versions over parents and the birth of the God. One of the fact reads that Apollon killed the Koronis, because those had let itself in, already from Apollon with Asklepios more schwanger, with a mortal one. Hermes saved the child from the body of the dead ones during the corpse burn. It brought it to the welfare-well-informed Kentaur Cheiron, which accepted and in the welfare art instructed the child, which he once from Apollon had learned.

A second history knows to report that Koronis pulled on the Peloponnes, where she down-came secretly around the birth from that nothing-suspecting Apollon to hide. On the mountain Myrtion with Epidaurus suspended it finally the newborn child. Two animals, the goat of the Hirten of acre Thana, those found this the child and its dog, which repelled other animals. When acre Thana was added and waived the child, distance clock the a ray of light. The frightened Hirte withdrew itself erfurchtsvoll. Soon the customer over a God the patient spread heals, and dead ones to the life to arouse could.

As possible fathers still Zeus and Hermes indicated, also with the nut/mother and the place of birth is not safe one itself.

Whether now from intuition or as a masterly physician, he controlled the welfare art like no different one. Thus Athene brought it the blood of the only mortal Gorgonen Medusa. With magically welfare seed forces of this blood it succeeded to arouse that Asklepios now even a dead one again to the life.

The God father Zeus was afraid now whether success Asklepios that soon no more humans would die. It hurled on it now lightning on Asklepios, and killed this.

Its father Apollon on it much, and kills all Kyklopen which lightnings for Zeus forged. The punishment the Zeus Apollon for this imposed upon, meant that these now one year long the cattle of the Admetos guard must.

The moreover Asklepios is called also in Homers Ilias (IV, 165-207 f.). There one speaks its son only of Asklepios in the shape of the "“incomparable physician"”, as well as of Machaon. Thus Asklepios seems to be mortal in the Ilias only, although masterly physician, its service before the gates contested Trojas performed.

Appearance and abilities

Asklepios controlled the medicine, surgery and herb customer to arouse even dead ones are able it. The healing in the Asklepius cult consisted often of the fact that the patient in usually the temple of the Asklepios lain outside of the city slept. In the dream then the physician appeared to it and gave up to the patient parliamentary allowance or other working methods. Asklepios is represented usually as a bear tiger, serious man, supporting itself with laurel, by a staff, that will umschlungen from a queue. This Asklepiosstab became the symbol of the medicine. It holy animals were cocks, night owls, queues. Also the Zypresse is symbol of the Asklepios.

Name and admiration places

As usual Asklepios possessed several names, some loud: Aglaopes, Apaleriacus, Archgetas, Aulonius, Causius, Coronides, Demenaetus, Epidaurius, Gortynius, Hagnitas, Pergameuns and The God was admired particularly in Epidauros, Athens, kneeling DOS, Kos, Naupaktos, Pergamon and Sikyon. On the island Kos is the world-famous Asklepieion, the oldest hospital of the world, which was created by Hippokrates. The ruins of the enormous complex with temple, treatment rooms and altar can be visited until today.

''' Literature

• Gabriele Quinque: Temple sleep, Praram publishing house 2003, the Asklepiosproblem page 137-162
• http://www.gabriele-quinque.de/pageID_3141866.html

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