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Why Classics matter and what we can all learn from ancient literature.
As a student of classics I have often been asked “W hat is the point of classics? ”. Many question how relevant poems, plays and speeches written over 2000 years ago are to modern life. My answer is always “M ore than you can imagine” . I will illustrate how Classics are important through Cicero's political rise and his pursuit of justice, Homer’s compositions showing the futility of war and Ovid’s compositions which demonstrate how to behave towards others.
Marcus Tullius Cicero’s early life and his progression through the Roman senate bears a striking resemblance to the ‘rags to riches’ story shared in many novels. In ancient Rome it was incredibly difficult to enter into the senate unless one was a member of a wealthy family or one’s own family were members of the senate. Cicero was neither, however he still rose through the ranks of the senate; he became quaestor in 75 BCE, praetor in 66 BCE and consul in 63 BCE, the youngest ever to attain that rank without coming from a political family. Studying Cicero’s early life and his accomplishments in politics shows that if you wish to attain something, then with focus and determination you will achieve your goals. In addition, there is much to be learned from Cicero’s legal career. His first case propelled him to the same standing as Caesar, Marc Antony and Octavian. Cicero was defending a man named Roscius who had been accused of patricide. The case was considered a lost cause and dangerous for anyone who took it as it implicated Lucius Cornelius Chrysogonus, a man who was under the employment of Sulla, the dictator of Rome. Cicero won the case claiming justice for the underdog.
Another famous case of Cicero’s was his trial against Gaius Verres, the governor of Sicily. The accusations were those of bribery, thievery and desecrating temples. Cicero took the case in 69 BCE and wrote seven speeches with which he would convince the jury that Verres was guilty. Of these seven orations, now known as ‘In Verrem’. Only two were given as their effectiveness forced Verres to flee to what is now Marseilles. Cicero teaches us to pursue justice where an injustice is present in a selfless manner, regardless of consequence. This learning is evidenced in the “Black Lives Matter” movement who seek to end the violence towards Black people everywhere. We should follow the example of Cicero and stand up to these crimes despite the daunting odds; to quote Cicero “the safety of the people [should] be the highest law”.
The Odyssey was composed by Homer in the 8th or 7th BCE. Since then it has become one of history’s most notorious pieces of literature. It has been translated into multiple languages and even if you have not read it, it is highly likely you have heard it’s name and one of the trials of its hero, Odysseus. Odysseus was a strong, cunning and courageous man who epitomises the stoic hero. After fighting in the Trojan war for 10 years he finally gets to go home, only to be cursed by a God so that it takes 10 additional years for him to return. One of the main themes which permeates throughout the poem is the futility of war; this is something which is as important today as it was in Homer’s time. The most poignant moment where this theme appears is in book 11 of the Odyssey. Odysseus has ventured Niall D
into the land of the dead in order to speak with the spirit of the prophet Teiresias to learn from him how he should get home. In this book, Odysseus meets his old comrade Achilles, the greatest of all Greek heroes, who he fought aside at Troy. Achilles speaks with Odysseus and tells him that he “would rather work the soil as a serf [...] than be king of all these lifeless dead”. Furthermore, in the Iliad Achilles says that his mother told him his “journey home is gone, but [his] glory never dies. If [he does] voyage back to the fatherland [he loves], [his] pride, [his] glory dies”. Homer uses Achilles’ regret to demonstrate the foolishness of the Greek value of kleos; glory received from war and battle. Achilles, the most famous of all Greek heroes, would rather have died poor and old than die in glory on the battlefield. The Iliad and the Odyssey do not glorify war but rather were composed by Homer to show all in the ancient world and future generations the sheer futility of war. In an era when we have weapons capable of obliterating all life on Earth, we would be wise to learn from these lessons of ancient literature.
Finally, ancient literature demonstrates to us how we should treat strangers through the rules of ‘xenia’ or guest friendship. The best-known story which shows the importance of xenia to the Greeks, is from Ovid’s Metamorphoses; the story of Baucis and Philemon. In this, Zeus and Hermes travel the world looking for the good in all people, for them to abide by xenia, but without success. Eventually they reach Baucis and Philemon, an old couple who invite them in and abide by xenia, feeding them, giving them rest and wine. However, the couple finds that the wine never runs out as Zeus keeps refilling it. Upon revealing themselves to the couple, Zeus and Hermes tell them to travel to the top of a certain hill. Once they have done this, Zeus floods the Earth destroying the human race, other than Baucis and Philemon. With this story, Ovid conveyed to the ancient world that they should abide by the rules of xenia; the rules of the Gods. However, this message also applies to our lives today although not in its traditional sense. Rather than inviting anyone into our home, we should instead treat all strangers with kindness and respect. In a world divided by class, gender, race and more, the most important lesson we can learn from ancient literature is to be kind to each other, no matter what. A recent example where this lesson could be learned took place in Winchester, Ohio when a neighbour called the police to complain that a 9 year old girl had written “Black Lives Matter” on the street in crayon. The child cared about the cause and wanted to help, however the neighbour did not have the same viewpoint and felt compelled to complain. Had the neighbour read Ovid’s works perhaps they would have been kinder and more understanding.
These classical works, written over 2000 years ago are intriguing, beguiling and brilliantly written, containing a plethora of poignant lessons. Our ancestors knew these lessons well and tried to follow them closely. In this day and age when someone could destroy our world at the push of a button, maybe we should selflessly seek out justice and equality, maybe we should finally put an end to wasting lives in meaningless wars, maybe we should be kinder and more respectful towards each other. After all, if it worked for the Greeks and the Romans 2000 years ago, it should work for us today.