Comparisson of Olympian and Chthonic Aspects in the Myth and Cult of God Asclepius

In my work, I focus on a comparison of Olympian and chthonic aspects of the myth and cult of the god Asclepius in Classical Greece period. The starting point is a discussion concerning the distinction between Olympian and chthonic. I will try to clarify what these particular terms represent in works of selected authors and how those authors consequently apply them. Furthermore, I will try to show whether and how the dichotomy between Olympian and chthonic can be applied to a specific figure, namely the healing god Asclepius. I will focus on Asclepius myths and forms of his cultic worship too. Emphasis will be put on Asclepius divine, Olympian aspects, as well as on his heroic features, which belong to the realm of chthonic. On the basis of theoretical analysis of dichotomy between Olympian and chthonic and examination of a particular case figure of Asclepius, in the final synthetic part of my work I will try to demonstrate that the adherence to the dichotomy between Olympian and chthonic is significantly beneficial to the interpretation of the divine figure of Asclepius. Key words: Olympian, chthonic, Asclepius myths, cultic worship of Asclepius, interpretation of Asclepiu