classics digests, reflections and reviews
[Volume X of Loeb Classical Library’s 28-volume series] What times! What crisis! What drama! A masterpiece of oratory! A fine specimen of human being! These orations by Cicero, especially “In Catilinam” and “Pro Murena”, showcase his exceptional skills as a lawyer and supreme orator, political foresight and vision as an eminent statesmen, erudition in law, politics, history and philosophy, and, above all, his “masterful urbanity” as a fine specimen of […]
Read more[Original Latin Title: De Officiis] The Roman Book of Proverbs Cicero, in this letter to his son Marcus, discourses on the four cardinal virtues, wisdom (prudence), justice (beneficence), courage (greatness of the soul), and temperance (concept of the fitting). He reflects on Roman politics and history, draws on the writings of philosophers and poets, as well as personal experience, and stipulates how an individual should conduct himself in his private […]
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[Original Latin Titles: De Republica; De Legibus] A lawyer by trade, statesman by calling and philosopher by hobby, Cicero was the ideal candidate to draw from the political philosophy of Plato and Aristotle, combine it with an examination of the constitution and civic laws of his own country Rome, the most powerful state of his time, and propose a political theory both philosophically grounded and legitimately sound. Like the ancient […]
Read moreThe Constitution of Solon “Some persons in fact believe that Solon deliberately made the laws indefinite, in order that the final decision might be in the hands of the people [jurycourts]. This, however, is not probable, and the reason no doubt was that it is impossible to attain ideal perfection when framing a law in general terms; for we must judge of his intentions, not from the actual results in […]
Read moreAs is his custom, Aristotle first surveys the existing political theories, discusses their strong and weak points, and then provides his own theory, describing the different forms of government, the reason of their existence and the means of their maintenance. The Licence of the Lacedaemonian Women The old mythologer would seem to have been right in uniting Ares and Aphrodite, for all warlike races are prone to the love either […]
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Aristotle vs. Plato Having just finished and enjoyed Plato’s complete works, I find this book a bit annoying and uninspiring in comparison. Aristotle seems to take every opportunity to “correct” Plato, when in fact he is only attacking a strawman. His arguments, sometimes self-contradictory, often support and clarify Plato’s ideas, albeit using his own terminology. Aristotle seems to have great difficulty appreciating or understanding Plato’s abstractions (from species to genus, […]
Read more“My greatness consists in making myself follow my own instructions.” (Letter II) Wisdom and Power “It is natural for wisdom and great power to come together, and they are for ever pursuing and seeking each other and consorting together. … When men talk about Hiero or about Pausanias the Lacedaemonian they delight to bring in their meeting with Simonides and what he did and said to them; and they are […]
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