Editing Divinity (section)

== In classical antiquity ==
In classical antiquity, the divine was not conceived as wholly separate from the world but was instead embedded within it. [[Deity|Gods]], [[hero|heroes]], natural forces, [[abstract concepts]], and even [[imperial cult|exemplary humans]] could all be considered partakers in or bearers of divinity. The term {{lang|la|divinitas}} in Latin and its Greek equivalents were applied not only to deities like [[Jupiter (mythology)|Jupiter]] or [[Athena]], but also to phenomena such as [[Moirai|fate]] ({{transliteration|grc|moira}}) or [[Dike (mythology)|justice]] ({{transliteration|grc|dike}}).{{sfnmp|1a1=Beard|1a2=North|1a3=Price|1y=1998|2a1=Versnel|2y=2011}}

[[Religion in ancient Rome|Public religion]] in both [[Ancient Greece]] and [[Ancient Rome]] involved a complex interplay between civic life and sacred presence. Gods were not remote; they were part of the [[polis]], honored in [[temples]], festivals, and [[rituals]] that affirmed their power and proximity. [[Roman emperor|Emperors]] in Rome, for instance, could be described as having [[numen]] or even {{lang|la|divinitas}}, indicating a recognized form of divine power or sanction rather than full [[apotheosis|deification]].{{sfnmp|1a1=Lane Fox|1y=1987|2a1=Ando|2y=2008}}

Divinity also permeated the [[Nature|natural world]]. Rivers, mountains, stars, and weather were thought to express divine will or presence. This fluid understanding allowed for multiple overlapping expressions of the divine across the physical and social world.{{sfnp|Burkert|1985}} In this context, [[sacrifice]], [[divination]], and [[augury]] were not merely symbolic acts but means of communication with divine forces that shaped the rhythms of life.{{sfnmp|1a1=Beard|1a2=North|1a3=Price|1y=1998|2a1=Versnel|2y=2011}}

[[Mystery religion|Mystery cults]] and regional traditions added further dimensions to ancient understandings of divinity. Figures such as [[Dionysus]] or [[Isis]] embodied divine realities experienced through [[ritual initiation]], [[religious ecstasy|ecstasy]], and [[spiritual transformation]]. These cults often emphasized personal encounters with the divine, in contrast to the more public and civic nature of traditional [[Religion in ancient Rome|state religion]].{{sfnmp|1a1=Dodds|1y=1951|2a1=Burkert|2y=1985}}

In addition to gods and natural forces, the Greeks also recognized a class of intermediate beings known as {{transliteration|grc|daimones}} ({{lang|grc|δαίμονες}}), whose roles ranged from protective spirits to agents of fate. Originally understood as morally neutral or even benevolent, a {{transliteration|grc|[[daimōn]]}} could denote a divine presence or inspiration not fully personified as a god. Philosophers such as [[Socrates]] described their personal {{transliteration|grc|daimōnion}} as a kind of guiding voice or spiritual influence.<ref>Plato, ''[[Apology (Plato)|Apology]]'' 31d–32a; cf. {{harvp|Dodds|1951}}.</ref> As [[E. R. Dodds]] noted, the {{transliteration|grc|daimōn}} represented an "impersonal agency" often closer to fate or inward inspiration than to anthropomorphic deity. Only later, under Christian influence, did {{transliteration|grc|daimōn}} become associated with malevolent demons—a reinterpretation that obscured its original connection to divinity.{{sfnmp|1a1=Dodds|1y=1951|2a1=Versnel|2y=2011}}