Ancient Quote by Max Nordau
![“We find collected in this book [The Bible] the superstitious beliefs of the ancient inhabitants of Palestine, with indistinct echoes of Indian and Persian fables, mistaken imitation of Egyptian theories and customs, historical chronicles as dry as they are unreliable and miscellaneous poems…” quote by Max Nordau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9da/max-nordau-36482_ancient_we-find-collected-in-this-book-the-bible_877804.jpg)
“We find collected in this book [The Bible] the superstitious beliefs of the ancient inhabitants of Palestine, with indistinct echoes of Indian and Persian fables, mistaken imitation of Egyptian theories and customs, historical chronicles as dry as they are unreliable and miscellaneous poems, amatory, human and Jewish-national, which is rarely distinguished by beauties of the highest order but frequently by superfluity of expression, coarseness, bad taste, and genuine Oriental sensuality.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Jewish Question by Max Nordau, 1902
A critique of the Bible’s literary quality, noting its mixture of myth, history, and poetry, and its occasional lack of refinement.
In simple terms: The Bible is seen as a flawed literary work with both value and flaws.
Key Takeaway
Appreciate cultural texts while recognizing their imperfections.
Themes
literature critique
religious texts
historical analysis
culture
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
scholarly
evaluative
When to use this quote
- academic study
- religious education
- literary criticism
Key Concepts
mythology
historical reliability
literary style
cultural bias
Questions to Reflect On
- What standards should we use to judge ancient works?
- Can a text be valuable despite literary flaws?
A Different Perspective
The assessment may reflect bias against religious texts.
![“I had gradually come, by this time [1839-01], to see that the Old Testament from its manifestly false history of the world, with the Tower of Babel, the rainbow as a sign, etc., etc. and from its attributing to God the feelings of a revengeful tyrant, was no more to be trusted than the sacred…” quote by Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/00a/charles-darwin-507_babel_i-had-gradually-come-by-this-time-1839-0_1785401.jpg)
![“[H]istory is a melodrama on the theme of parasitism, characterized by scenes that are exciting or dull, as the case may be, and many a sudden stagetrick.” quote by Max Nordau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/346/max-nordau-36482_cases_h-istory-is-a-melodrama-on-the-theme-of_2121240.jpg)
