I reviewed the first half of The Greek Way by, Edith Hamilton in May. Because this book is dense with information, this post will cover the second half of the material. Last time I left off with the historian Herodotus and now I’ll pick up with Thucydides. As a historian, Thucydides felt it was important for history to be used for people to understand the past and not to repeat it. He believed that human nature does not change and is subject to make previous mistakes.
“It will perhaps be found,” he writes, “that the absence of storytelling in my work makes it less attractive to listen to, but I shall be satisfied if it is considered useful by all who wish to know the plain truth of the events which happened and will according to human nature happen again in the same way. It was written not for the moment, but for all time.”
Thucydides also discusses how power corrupts, which I found particularly interesting. He considered power to be the ultimate evil, corruptor of men and details how detrimental it is to society as a whole. We have Thucydides to thanks for being one of the individuals who laid the groundwork for modern democracy.
Hamilton then ventures to Xenophon, another individual who’s thoughts were critical to the formation of democracies. The Ancient Greeks valued their freedom; the ability to act and think for oneself. For Xenophon, personal autonomy was crucial and Hamilton highlights how Athenian society promoted free thought.
“There as no agency or institution to oppose his thinking in any way he chose on anything whatsoever.”
Take that fact checkers...
Xenophon also discusses what makes a good leader and expresses his view that a valued Athenian was invested in public affairs. Hamilton eloquently paints the picture of an ancient society that placed importance on both personal freedoms, as well as one’s duty to improve society for mankind as a whole.
Hamilton then spends the next few chapters exploring the phenomenon of Ancient Greek tragedies and why they are so unique. She argues that, “Tragedy was a Greek creation because in Greece thought was free. Men were thinking more and more deeply about human life, and beginning to perceive more and more clearly that it was bound up with evil and that injustice was of the nature of things.”I won’t go into depth about everything she covers, because it’s just too much material, but in a nutshell, Hamilton discusses Aeschlyus, Sophocles, and Euripides - the great tragedians who have written some of the most iconic Greek tragic plays, such as Antigone, the Agamemnon, and Medea.
While discussing the tragedies, there is one point in which I disagree with Hamilton. She compares Aeschylus to the book of Ezekiel in the Bible, which was written at around the same time. She states, “…the Jew was content with a “Thus saith the Lord,” an attitude that leaves no place for tragedy in the world. He could accept the irrational and rest in it serenely; the actual fact before him did not confront him inescapably as it did the Greek.”
The Bible is apart of a complete work, so isolating one book that seems to prove her point is pretty much confirmation bias, but let's briefly discuss the Old Testament, since that’s where the book of Ezekiel is found. I feel that Hamilton misinterpreted here - there are many instances in the Old Testament in which people were not passive and actively contended with God in tragic scenarios. David contended with God to spare his son that he had with a woman, who was married to another man, after he had her husband killed (His son was not spared. Can we say #soapopera). Hannah contended and pleaded with God to give her a child. She was bullied for being childless and she contended with God so passionately that someone thought she was drunk and God honored her request. Jacob literally wrestled with God and dislocated his hip. Moses initially told God that he did not want to go back to Egypt and face Pharaoh and lead the Hebrews because he was self-conscious about his stutter. So, God allowed his brother Aaron to help him speak. It’s not just, “Ok God, whatever you say as I blindly follow you.” No, that is actually contrary to the faith - “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh.” This is a faith based on relationship, not a dictator ignoring the concerns of people who blindly follow and leave their own desires, concerns and heartaches at the door. These people had issues and in a lot of cases did their own thing anyway, even though they knew they shouldn’t. You want some saucy drama and a tragedy? Go read about David and Bathsheba.
Ok, I’m off my soap box now. I think it’s a bit odd for her to try and compare Hebrew texts to Greek texts in this way, as these societies had completely different cultural and religious beliefs that shaped how they functioned and articulated themselves. It’s just a different type of tragedy and doesn’t mean one is superior to the other.
Regardless, The Greek Way is a fantastic read and if you are seeking to dive into the Ancient Greeks and their literature but don’t know where to start, I would recommend starting here. Hamilton covers so many Ancient Greek writers and philosophers, that it will point you in the right direction. Pick the one that intrigues you the most and go from there. Also, if you’re like me and haven’t visited the Ancient Greeks in a long time and need a refresher, this is a great source to help you dust off your knowledge. It’s clear that Hamilton is passionate about Ancient Greece - her enthusiasm is infectious. Lastly, if you are interested in thoughts on free speech, democracy, and civil liberties, this is an insightful read, as it explores the foundations of these concepts.
I thoroughly enjoyed this text and I made so many annotations. I know this will be a book that I will pick up a again and again to thumb through for little snippets of information. Highly, Highly recommend.
Rating: 5/5.
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