1. Philosophical Cycles:
* Pre-Socratic Philosophers: Some thinkers like Heraclitus (c. 535-475 BCE) believed in a cyclical view of the universe, with everything constantly in flux and returning to a primordial state. He famously stated "Everything flows and nothing abides," suggesting a constant change and repetition.
* Plato (c. 428-348 BCE): In his theory of Forms, Plato believed in an eternal and unchanging realm of ideal Forms, which are mirrored in the ever-changing world of appearances. This suggests a cyclical pattern of souls being reborn into the material world, experiencing the world of Forms, and then returning to the realm of Forms.
* Stoicism: Stoic philosophers like Seneca and Epictetus believed in a cyclical pattern of cosmic events, with everything returning to a state of "apotheosis" (divine perfection) and then repeating. This view emphasized a sense of acceptance and resilience in the face of life's ups and downs.
2. Mythological Cycles:
* Myth of the Great Year: This myth, which appears in the works of Plato and others, posits that the universe undergoes a cyclical process of creation, destruction, and rebirth over an immense period of time, known as the Great Year. This cycle is often linked to the celestial movements and the changing seasons.
* Myth of the Ages: Many Greek myths, like the myth of Cronus and the Titans, feature cycles of dominance and overthrow, suggesting a pattern of rise and fall within the divine realm.
* Myth of the Golden Age: The myth of the Golden Age, a time of peace and prosperity, followed by Silver, Bronze, and Iron Ages, suggests a cyclical decline in human morality and civilization.
Important Points to Consider:
* Not a Single Theory: These ideas about recurrent cycles are diverse and often contradict each other. There's no single, unified Greek theory of cycles.
* Influence on Later Thought: These ideas had a significant influence on later Western thought, particularly in the fields of history, philosophy, and literature.
* Modern Interpretations: Modern scholars often interpret these concepts in different ways, highlighting aspects of cyclical time, eternal recurrence, and the nature of reality.
It's important to understand that these are just some of the ways in which the Greeks conceived of recurrent cycles. Their ideas were complex and often intertwined with their religious beliefs, myths, and philosophical views.