Yet, The beach did not only have negative aspects for the Greeks. As it served as a bridge between the sea and the earth, they thought that it also connected the world of the living, that of the dead and that of the gods. The beach therefore had the power to offer omens, revelations and visions of the gods.
This is why many oracles of the dead, where the living could obtain information from the dead, were located on beaches and cliffs by the sea.
The gods also frequented the beach. This is even where they sometimes appeared to their worshipers, whose prayers they heard. In the iliadthe god Apollo hears his priest Chrysès complaining on the beach of the ill -treatment inflicted on his daughter by the Greeks. The angry god retaliated by immediately unleashing the plague on the Greek army, a disaster which can only be arrested by returning the girl to his father.
In addition to these religious beliefs, the beach was also A point of physical connection between Greece and distant land.
The enemy fleets, merchants and pirates were all likely to land on the beaches or frequent the coasts, because old ships did not have the capacity to stay at sea for long periods. As a result, the beach could be a fairly dangerous placeas the military historian pointed out Jorite wintjes.
On the other hand, the wrecks could bring pleasant surprises, as unexpected treasureswho have often marked a turning point in many stories from ancient Greece. In the ancient novel Daphnis and Chloé For example, the poor Berger Daphni Find a scholarship on the beach, which allows it to marry Chloé And to lead their love story.
There may be something left today of this conception of the beach. THE ” beachcombing “(collection of objects on beaches) is always a popular hobby, and some people even use metal detectors. Besides their demonstrated positive psychological effects, “beachcoming” testifies to the Eternal fascination of man for the sea and all the hidden treasures that it can conceal, shells and sea glass at Spanish gold coins.
Just like for the Greeks, the beach gives us the impression of being at the dawn of a different world.