We will change.

"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek."

~ Barack Obama

Live your Life

“Open your eyes, look within. Are you satisfied with the life you're living?”

~ Bob Marley

Good vs. Bad

"Are people good because they want to be? Or are they good because they are afraid to be bad? ... I think the good person will be no different from the bad person."

~ Plato

I agree with this statement as long as the situation is within reasonable bounds according to personal morals and the law. Essentially morals can only be broken if an individual holds them (and of course abides by the law). So, if that is determined then what about temptation? Does it get in the way of morals? Can it be said that selfishness does too? Why do we as humans give in to the temptation to be bad? I personally don't think that this is such a terrible thing. Being able to give in to some temptation can be a good thing depending on the situation and the context it holds. Opposed to this, I can also say that it is also a good thing to resist temptation; to not give in to what we want when we want it. Most importantly, this references back to the Greek theory of "balance" in life. Does this balance enable us to make these choices? Do we get too carried away with giving in to temptation or resisting it? These questions have to be asked by the individual at question. Only they themselves can judge this for only them.

For Freedom

A while back our class had a group discussion about freedom and the sense of independent freedom in society. What does freedom mean to you? What does it represent? These are just a few of the questions we were faced with in our discussion. Given the task of writing down a personal answer, I'm sure that each student in the class had a different one. Is freedom the right to an opinion? Is it the opportunity to speak your mind truthfully? I say it is the ability to choose for yourself. To be able to decided (for you) what is right and what is wrong. What is helpful and what is a hindrance. To make choices enables an individual to have power over their own life at will. However, making a "bad" choice versus a "right" choice all depends on the values and morals he or she has based on the people around them in life and their upbringing.
Freedom can be many things to many different people and it can be said that the true definition of freedom nothing but undecidable.

"It is by the fortune of God that, in this country, we have three benefits: freedom of speech, freedom of thought, and the wisdom never to use either."

~ Mark Twain

Those Who Fall the Hardest

"Why, know that over-stubborn wills are the most apt to fall, and the toughest iron, baked in the fire till it is hard, is most often, you will see, cracked and shattered!"

-Creon, Antigone

One of the most unfair aspects of life is the fact that those who stand up for their beliefs face more threat of punishment than those who do not. This injustice has existed since the time of the Ancient Greek playwrights, and has been evident through history ever since. 16th century martyrs such as Thomas More faced execution for their religious convictions, French citizens were promptly guillotined during the French Revolution if they opposed the provisional government, men who fought for their countries were the first to die on the battlefield. Through the course of taking Classical Civilizations, I have not only learned the makings of a civilization, but have begun to recognize the pitfalls of civilization. This idea that "over-stubborn wills are the most apt to fall" affirms that in certain aspects of society, weakness is, in fact, the key to survival.

Butcher of Macedon

"Yet human experience has moral constants across time and space that are common to all cultures and cannot be explained away; by any fair measure, Alexander's inaugural Theban holocaust puts his murder in league with ethnic obliterations of our own era - Adolf Hitler's wartime retaliatory annihilation of occupied communities, Hafez Assad's erasure of wayward Syrian villages or Saddam Hussein's gassing and butchery of Iraqi Kurds - all government-sponsored murder, passed off through propoganda and disinformation as the regrettable but inevitable wages of conflict."
- Butcher of Macedon by Victor Davis Hanson

I sometimes lose sight of that saying that history repeats itself, instead believing that we re-invent history as time goes on. To a point we do, finding new ways to achieve the old results, but the fundamental emotion or idea behind it remains the same. Hatred, sadism, anger - these emotions don't change, they follow us throughout time and never let go and these emotions are the ones that fuel the terror that is inflicted on society. Alexander is portrayed as this incredible man, a brilliant tactition with the ability to conquer the world in the common story but this article counter acts the brilliant mind with the guilty act. He was a cold-blooded killer with no respect for human life or any form of mercy and yet this idea of him as this great leader continues unmarked by his indiscretions. He was the predecessor of Hitler and Hussein and he was probably the pupil of someone else - the vicious cycle continues.

The Female Alexander

"Let no one think me weak, contemptible, untroublesome. No, quite the opposite, hurtful to foes, to friends unkindly. Such persons live a life of greatest glory."
-Medea

While reading the excerpt from Medea again, I stumbled across this quote that Medea speaks in justification of her actions. I thought it related nicely to my last post about Alexander the Great's method of achieving "greatness", following the principle outlined by Medea above. Obviously the two share the idea that the greatest glory can only be achieved through actions that will frighten and deter others.
It is interesting to compare how this mindset affected both Alexander and Medea. Alexander, through bloody conquests, achieved the title of "Great" and lives on in history books as a legend. Medea, on the otherhand, is deemed a "wretched woman", living on in literature as a villainess. The reason for the discrepancy is simple: Alexander was a man, and Medea was a woman. For Medea, there was no glory to be won in war, no way to avenge Jason's betrayal. Therefore, she had to make do with manipulating her own situation to carry out her vengeance. This transition from woman's world to man's world was ineffective, proving that Medea was still pinned to society's views of the duties of women, duties that came with much more restrictions and judgement than those of men.

Work

"For the gods keep the means of life concealed from humans. Otherwise you would easily be able to work in just one day as to have enough for a whole year without even working."

-Hesiod (Loeb Classical Library Leader; Works and Days)

Work is overrated. This is an obvious statement; you might think "True, I'm lazy, I hate work". I very much agree. Our society, however, does not agree with this. Work, not family, not happiness, not love, nor any other unquantifiable, yet fundamentally more rewarding quality, has become the foundation of western society. Students spend hours working on assignments and studying for exams not to learn or to expand their minds, but to prepare themselves for university and eventually a career, in hopes of earning as much money as they can dream of. This is not to say that the Greeks envisioned this type of society, but they did value work over and above everything else. This quote, to me, says that if the gods are concealing the means of life and work is something that isn't concealed, then work is not to means of life. What the means are though, I am not sure.

Such a terrible situation.

It can be said that under the influence of the wine god, Agaue would not have attacked Pentheus. Since it is she who betrays her own son and kills him, we see that she is sick. So much like an animal with rabies, she cannot hear he son’s pleas for his life. Under the control of Dionysus, her sense are gone and no longer is she Pentheus’ mother than a wild animal on a killing spree. “not by strength but by ease of hand that was the gift of the god.” This quote also tells us that she does not have the power over her own actions at this point. It is Dionysus himself that is doing this deed with his own power.
Relating this to Greek culture, we see uncivilized behavior from Agave who is under the spell of Dionysus. This goes to show us that Dionysus is not acting godlike at all but rather using his powers to take advantage and seek revenge on the people.

Determining Greatness

GREAT- [greyt] Show IPA adjective,-er, -est, adverb, noun,pluralgreats, (especially collectively) great, interjection
-unusual or considerable in degree, power, intensity
-important; highly significant or consequential
-distinguished; famous

I was intrigued by the two contrasting views of Alexander the Great depicted in the History
Channel documentary and the "Butcher of Macedon" essay. The documentary seemed to better fit the image of the man whose legend has lived on for millenia, but the essay (despite its negative tone) is probably valid too. I think the mistake is to assume that only one depiction of this "great" man is accurate.
The documentary told the story of a brilliant military strategian and intellectual who expanded Greece's empire; the essay focused on the horrific means by which Alexander executed his conquests, suggesting that in truth he was no more than a weak alcoholic with a penchant for bloodshed. We cannot regard these events as mutually exclusive. In fact, in all likelihood, Alexander was considered great because he was ruthless. Disregarding 21st century views of "greatness" and considering instead those of the ancient world, we find that greatness is inspired by fear. In nations of warriors, a weak and compromisable man would never have achieved such feats. To vanquish, he would have had to be strong, determined, and probably terrifying. Without being able to inspire fear, he would not have been regarded as a threat.
Combining the two views, we arrive at what is probably the most accurate depiction of Alexander; war tactician who used his intellect and skill to inspire fear in those around him, often through violence and bloodshed, to achieve the ultimate goal: building an empire. Does this qualify him as great?
Just look at the definition.

Rhetoric

"When a clever man has an honest case to make, it is no great task for him to speak well. You posess a fluent tongue, as if you were a man of sense, but your words lack all judgement. The good speaker whose influence rests on self-assurance proves to be a bad citizen; for he lacks intelligence."

-Teiresias (The Bacchae; page 134, line 267)

In this quote, Teiresias is commenting on Pentheus' rhetoric. Teiresias admits that Pentheus speaks with confidence, his message, however, is transparent, his words are meaningless. As a wise man, Teiresias can tell when a man has substance to support his superior rhetoric and when he is just blowing smoke.

Rhetoric is an extremely powerful persuasive tool. President Obama, for example, was a popular candidate during the election less because of any extraordinary political ideas, but more because of his excellent speaking ability. Even if Obama didn't have any plans to back up his speeches, he wowed the American public into electing him president.

Alexander The Lion

I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion. (Alexander the Great)

Alexander is undoubtedly speaking of himself as the lion leader. He calls his men sheep because none of them can even compare to his stature of courage, leadership, tactical genius, and his prophetic god status. In reference to his enemies, I believe that he never faced one who was a lion leading sheep like him besides perhaps Darius who mutilated Alexander's men with scythed chariots. However, Alexander was able to overcome that with decisive tactics and was able to turn Darius the lion into Darius the sheep when he relentlessly pursued him after the battle had been won.

Lysistrata

"All right. We're going to have to give up - the prick. Why are you turning away from me? Where are you going? Why are you all pursing your lips and shaking your heads? What means your altered color and tearful droppings? Will you do it or not? What are you waiting for?"

- Loeb Classical Library Reader, Lysistrata, Page 63

They seem so outraged that they would have to give up sex to make their husbands and lovers halt their wars but they also seem to be aware of the power they hold over their men. Women in history are portrayed as quiet and demure and yet classical women seem to be far more brash and confident in themselves and their power over society and their men. Makes you wonder if we've come full circle with women, going from powerful and somewhat close to equal to not at all to somewhat close to equal again. Taboo topics have changed over the centuries as well but again, sex is no longer taboo. These women seem very open about their sexuality. Also...it's kind of hilarious...

The Bacchae

"No blood was drawn by their pointed spears, whether they used bronze or iron, but the Bacchants, hurling their wands from their hands, inflicted wounds and made those villagers turn and run - women routing men - surely the work of some god."

- The Bacchae, Page 147

Is it really so outrageous to believe a woman would fight a man? Apparently so. The Bacchants are insane, wild and 'free', and they fight and chase the villagers in their madness. They injure without piercing the skin and turn the tide of the heirarchy. No longer are men above women, they now cower. Is this what Dionysus planned? For a complete role reversal? It would appear that way as he also dresses Pentheus as a women. He is changing the entire system around.

The Lovely Ladies of Greece

pp 27-65 in the LOEB Classical Library Reader (Antigone, Medea, and Lysistrata)
~Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes

Women in classical drama are often shown breaking the traditional conventions of women. A classical woman is seen as being sexually passionate. This can be most clearly seen in Lysistrata, when the women are willing to do anything other than give up “the prick” to end Athens’s war with Sparta. They are also seen as being irrational, which one can see in Medea, where Medea wants to kill her husband’s new bride and their children. They are seen as being religiously fervent, which is excellently portrayed in the Bacchae when all of the women of the city leave to pray to Dionysus (even though they were under a spell). Women were meant to be subservient to men which is very clearly not seen in all of the plays. Antigone goes against the will of her king, Medea goes against the will of her husband, the women of Greece go against their husbands in Lysistrata, and the women of Thebes go against the will of their husbands and their king in the Bacchae. They were meant to be kept inside and away from all excitement and all men other than her husband. This rule is broken in all of the aforementioned plays. The characters of these plays are rarely appreciated for their good qualities, and are only cursed for the sole reason that what they think is right is not what the men think is right.

I do not feel that the playwrights are sympathetic toward or respectful of their female characters at all. They make them very stereotypical basic females with no complexity of emotion or action. Their worlds revolve around the men and children in their lives no matter what else the plot may contain. I think that the playwrights would have maintained the stereotypes so as not to upset the audiences, who would have been angered by such a drastic change of the role of women. The only play that even comes close to breaking the stereotype of women is Antigone, because it makes Antigone appear to be wise and logical, and it makes the king appear ignorant and dependant on his crown.

Dignity

"I will not steal my victory"
- Alexander the Great

That is a great indication of character of Alexander the Great, that he does not consider an unfair fight victory, and he is not in it just for the land.
They had the chance to ambush the Persians the night before the Battle of Gaugamela, but his dignity would not let it happen. It shows he has respect for his opponents, and wants to be a worthy one himself. He prides himself on being able to win without having any sort of advantage.
Really makes you feel he is a great man.

We Lose Either Way

"Stronger than lover's love is lover's hate. Incurable, in each, the wounds they make." - Euripides

The Vitruvian Man

"I am indebted to my father for living, but to my teacher for living well."
"I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion."
"I had rather excel others in the knowledge of what is excellent, than in the extent of my power and dominion."
~Alexander The Great

These quotes, to me, prove the incredible genius of Alexander The Great. They also prove that he was given an impeccable education by Aristotle in every possible subject matter. He is smart, ambitous, modest, clever, cunning, eloquent, charismatic, and logical. In other words, Aristotle created the perfect leader, instilled with the values and morals of Greece and taught to uphold them at all costs.

Medea: The Classic Greek Woman

"I shall kill my children...When i have confounded the whole house of Jason, I shall flee the land..."
~Medea

I find the entire idea of Medea's plan to be incredibly stereotypical to the point of sexism.This woman's entire life revolved around her husband Jason. She is willing to kill her own children, and ruin her life just to ruin the house of Jason, or in other words to get back at her husband. Revenge is one thing, but ruining your life merely because your husband has left you is a ridiculous idea. Even though, in a way, the story of Medea does break stereotypes (having her go off by herself, and plot to ruin her husband), it cements the idea that a woman has no life without a man to love and take care of.

A Recipe for Happiness

"The end of tongues uncurbed and lawless foolishness is unhappiness; but the life of quiet contentment and good sense survives the buffeting of the sea and keeps homes together; for though they dwell far off in the sky, yet the heavenly ones observe the deeds of men."

-Antistrophe, The Bacchae

Throughout The Bacchae, we see Pentheus acting in a rash and irrational manner. Speaking vehemently about things he didn't understand, refusing to believe the words of those wiser than him, and quickly jumping to conclusions without solid evidence, Pentheus is an example of a man whose "uncurbed tongue" and "lawless foolishness" resulted in his unhappiness and demise. Had Pentheus and his family exercised good sense, not only could he have been spared from his unfortunate fate, but the royal house could have avoided being disbanded, its members thrown into exile.

In my AP English class, we are reading King Lear by Shakespeare. I have noticed many parallels to The Bacchae on the theme of rashness vs reason. Lear, elderly and quick-tempered, exiles his most loyal and beloved daughter, Cordelia, when her description of the love she has for him fails to please him. Refusing to accept her explanation or listen to the common sense of his advisors, Lear banishes Cordelia and splits his kingdom between his two remaining daughters, the conniving Regan and Goneril. The decision to ignore reason and act rashly results in Lear's great suffering and abandonment at the hands of his daughters.

These two works of literature, written almost a thousand years apart, both reflect the same wisdom. Refuse reason and deny wisdom, they say, and suffer the consequences.

Ambition = madness

The Bacchae - Euripides
"To be clever is not to be wise, and thoughts that go beyond mortal limits spell a short life. In view of this who would pursue great ambitions rather than accept his present lot? These are the ways of madmen, in my verdict, whose wits have left them." - Antistrophe

This is saying that people who push themselves are mad; in other words, Pentheus, who is pushing himself to total ignorant stubbornness just to exert his power, is mad, because he is committing blasphemy. If he just accepted the trend of people worshipping Dionysus, he would have learned the beauty of his rites, and it would have been a merry time for all. To be easygoing is to be stress-free is to be wise, perhaps, in the Bacchic view.

The monster is chilling

"If I cannot satisfy one, I will indulge the other."

Not sure whether or not it was in the book AND the movie, but when seeing it in the movie, it sent chills down my spine. It was the ultimatum given to Frankenstein by the monster, about his two desires: companionship or revenge.
Somehow I think Frankenstein should have just sucked it up and made the female monster. I mean really? Did he not see the pattern of death in his loved ones already?
The monster made it pretty clear what was going to happen - at least in the movie. Frankenstein is fully responsible for all the pain that happened to him, and yet he remained silent and did not reach out for much help at all. DESPICABLE HUBRIS IF I EVER DID SEE IT.

Order and Reason = Fear and Folly?

"Take to heart what I say, Pentheus: don't be too sure that force is what controls human affairs; and if you have a thought and your thought is unhealthy, do not think your folly is wisdom. Receive the god into your land, pour libations, worship Bacchus and garland your head! It is not for Dionysus to force women to show chastity in the affairs of love; this lies in their own nature."

-Teiresias, 309-317, The Bacchae


Pentheus's traditions of order and reason have begun to lead to the destruction of his own wisdom. Preachings of Dionysus's religion make its worshippers disobey the usual, established practices of mankind and thus cause a disturbance in Pentheus's so-called "order" which he has established as the King of Thebes. Pentheus wants to use force to reinstate the city he controls, but Teiresias is wiser when he says that Pentheus should join Bacchus and worship Dionysus, furthermore that Dionysus is not responsible for how women act and they do so as they please. Therefore, Pentheus should not be responsible for forcibly controlling how his people act as well. It is now up to Pentheus to respect the wiser elder and take his advice.

What Would We Do Without A Chorus?

"Many are the forms taken by the plans of the gods and many are the things they accomplish beyond men's hopes. What men expect does not happen; for the unexpected heaven finds a way. And so it has turned out here today."
~ The Chorus in The Bacchae


The chorus in greek theatre serves merely to drill the painfully obvious morals of the stories deeper into the audiences brains. I personally find the chorus of the Bacchae to be incredibly pointless. In many stories they serve a useful purpose, such as showing how an ideal audience might react to the play, but in the Bacchae i find that they merely echo the abundantly clear morals.

Plato's View of our Society

Plato's myth of the cave explains exactly what our society does in the world today. We all struggle to see reality because we are trapped. What we know and see isn't always reality. Everyone's view of something real can be different depending on what they've seen or done their entire life. Our souls are prisoners inside our bodies...