[ExI] Programme Riz Khan: Guantanamo: The detainees

[Stefano Vaj]

On Thu, Jun 19, 2008 at 6:44 PM, Amara Graps <amara at amara.com> wrote:
> As in most of the Greek classics, the following important ideas are
> presented: learning comes through effort, men are social creatures,
> human life is tragically short and therefore comes with obligations,
> character is a matter of matching words with deeds, religion is separate
> from and subordinate to politics, private property should be immune from
> government coercion, the truth only emerges through dissent and open
> criticism, the most dangerous animal is the beast within us, leaders
> ignore the will of the assembly at their peril. In the Iliad, these
> ideas are again presented, but more honestly than the other epic, and
> without apology and elaboration.

This is a truly wonderful summary. I am persuaded that there is much
that can speak to H+ in the most ancient western literature, that
there again came out of a period of dramatic changes starting with the
neolithic revolution and ending up in the epic age.

I think that if you were interested in elaborating on the subject this
would make for a very interesting essay in the next issue of Divenire.

Stefano Vaj