Laying Waste Our Fields

Laying Waste Our Fields

“That day when Turnus raised the flag of war… The high commanders… From every quarter drew repeated levies And laid the wide fields waste of their field hands.” Virgil, The Aeneid I have always been alarmed by the ease with which a sand castle is stomped down by a...
The Glory of Being Poor

The Glory of Being Poor

“In fine, having established the dominion of his city over so many people, he himself remained indigent; and always delighted as much in the glory of being poor, as in that of his trophies.” Plutarch on Aristides This renowned Athenian statesman’s attitude toward...
When Scoundrels are Honored

When Scoundrels are Honored

“The man who keeps his oath, or is just and good, will not be favored, but the evildoers and scoundrels will be honored…” Hesiod, Works and Days Whom do we as a people honor? Aristotle once asserted that a nation will produce the kind of men that it honors. There is...
Working, For a Living

Working, For a Living

“The gods keep livelihood hidden from men. Otherwise a day’s labor could bring man enough to last a whole year with no more work.” Hesiod, Works and Days In both biblical and ancient Greek accounts, work is something of an enigma. Having an aspect of punishment, it is...

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