Loving the classics

I was an odd child. I think my brother and I were the only school children who took out a translation of Homer's Iliad as our reading material from the Old Manse Library in Newcastle. In fact, if I remember correctly, the librarian was skeptical of our ability to read it. But reading that, and much more, fired our interest in this era. From Socrates to Seneca, from Herodotus to Tacitus, from the Trojan War to the fall of the Roman Republic, these authors and figures became part of the background to our knowledge of the western world.

And that love of Ancient Greek and Latin literature and history has stayed with both of us. I always have some work from the classical era on my reading table or my tablet. I have been blessed by the Perseus Classics Collection which I have in my Logos Bible Software.

These days I am reading the work of Demosthenes, the greatest of the Attic orators. When people wonder why I continue to read works that are 2300 years old, I can tell them that as much as the world changes, the basic elements of human nature do not. As an example, when reading Demosthenes' Philippics and Olynthiacs against Philip, king of Macedon, a very vivid picture is drawn about Demosthenes, Athens, justice and the nature of fate. Demosthenes condemns Philip for his ambition, and makes it clear that such ambition can never come to fruition. He sees Philip as small, provincial and uncivilized, at least compared with the greatness of Athens. For Demosthenes, justice and fate must lead the wise over the foolish, so his charge to the Athenians is, "Live up to who you are!"

The issues the ancient Greek and Latin authors grappled with over those centuries are much the same as those we battle today. Consider these words of Demosthenes from his Third Olynthiac:

I consider it right as a citizen to set the welfare of the state above the popularity of an orator. Indeed I am given to understand—and so perhaps are you—that the orators of past generations, always praised but not always imitated by those who address you, adopted this very standard and principle of statesmanship. … But ever since this breed of orators appeared who ply you with such questions as “What would you like? What shall I propose? How can I oblige you?” the interests of the state have been frittered away for a momentary popularity.

 
Telling words for politicians, for church leaders. It is writing like this that continually drives me back to the Classics, and tells me for all our cultural, social and scientific advancement, we are still not far removed from the popularity seekers of ancient Greece.

That's why I love the Classics.