French Revolution SAQ

1. Identify and explain ONE event that occurred in France in 1789 that would support the argument concerning the causes of the French Revolution in the first passage.

One event that occurred in France in 1789 that would support the passage was that the Bourgeoisie overthrew the aristocracy. This supports the passage because the argument that the author makes is that the Bourgeoisie and common people were in close contact, and this was because the Bourgeoisie overthrew the aristocracy thus making the three estates.

1. Identify and explain ONE aspect of the French Revolution that would support the argument concerning revolutionary ideas made in the second passage.

One aspect of the French Revolution that would support the second passage was that it happened in 3 stages. These stages changed because of different political events, which supports his idea that these events had to be ordered in a narrative to assume the meaning of the French Revolution.

1. Identify and explain ONE assumption that the author of the first passage would make about the causes and importance of the French Revolution that would not be shared by the author of the second passage.

One assumption that the author of the first passage would make that the second author would not agree with would be that the ambitions of the bourgeoisie were the main causes of the French Revolution. The second author would not agree with this because he believed that there were many different causes for the French Revolution that had to be ordered into the narrative, so it did not stem from one cause

Consider Questions

Consider The ways in which Descarte's approach constitutes a break with traditional ways of ascertaining truth; the weaknesses of this approach and how a modern scientist might criticize this method; how this approach reflects Descarte's background as a mathematician

       Descarte's approach constitutes a break with traditional ways of ascertaining truth because he believes in examining and finding truth through observation. This is different because tradtitional truth was based on many religious biases and assumptions, and he wants to re-define truth through objective observation. The weakness of this is that there are things in nature that cannot be explained, which leads one to an ultimate creator, that observation cannot find. A modern scientist would probably applaud this because modern science does try to explain our natural universe through things observable, and does not leave room for mysticism. Descarte's background as a mathematician because he is trying to explain the universe by proof and observation like mathematics.

Consider: According to Galileo's view, the kinds of topics or questions that are appropriately scientific and those that are appropriately theological; how Galileo's views compare with those of Descartes; and why Galileo's views are so crucial to the scientific revolution.

       The topics or questions that are appropriately scientific are those of sense- experiences, and that of nature. The topics that are appropriately theological are those of the scriptures, and the authority of God and the Bible. Galileo's views do not match up with Descarte's because they leave room for philosophical explanation, unlike Descarte who believes that all knowledge should be based on the physical. Galileo's views are crucial to the scientific revolution because he explained much of the natural universe which set the stage for the scientific revolution.

Consider why Galileo's views were so threatening to the Church; some of the long- range consequences of such a stance by the Church toward these views.

       Galileo's views were threatening to the Church because he believed that the earth revolved around the sun, which seems to contradict the holiness of earth because the Church believed everything revolved around the earth.

Consider Why Newton's  rules might be particularly useful for the experimental sciences; way these rules differ from those of Descartes.

       Newton's rules be useful for experiments because they aim to show the reason behind why something happens which can be done through experimentation.

Primary Source Packet

1. What conditions facilitated the development of monarchical absolutism in the seventeenth century? What policies were used by kings to this end?
       The conditions that facilitated the development of monarchical absolutism in the seventeenth century were that kings were constantly trying to free themselves from being controlled, This made them to try and restrict anything or anyone that could match or check their power. They did this by having Councillors whom they chose rule so they would do what they asked. They would set up an inner circle of council usually done in secret, and then their larger judicial branch which still allowed the monarch to have his say. These led to the absolute monarchs being the only ones with the say in their government.

2. Why might mercantilist doctrines be particularly appealing to seventeenth century monarchs
       Mercantilist doctrines of the time were the positive balance of trade, and economic self sufficiency. This would have been appealing to the monarchs of the seventeenth century because there was an increase of importance on trade in the states because the Atlantic World was becoming more prominent, so balancing trade would keep them in trade power, and self sufficiency would allow these countries and their colonies to survive without being in debt to others. Also a new value of this time was to be able to think for yourself (usually in the context of science) so an embodiment of that in government would be self- sustaining government so that they were not reliant on others.

3. How does family life reflect broader social, economic, and political aspects of the seventeenth century?
       The family life in the seventeenth century is urban focused, and has an emphasis on wealth. This reflects the trade focus of the time. As the world became more connected and the wealth of countries increased, families began to show their wealth. It also showed the industrialization of the time in that cities were becoming more prominent as production centers, and the family depiction shows that in its value of city life.

Leviathan

1. What is Hobbes' view of human nature?
       Hobbes' view of human nature is that humans love liberty and asserting dominance over others. They thus have a natural tendency to war. This is because of our tendency to lean towards partiality, pride, and revenge.

3. What, according to Hobbes, is the purpose of the state
       According to Hobbes, the purpose of the state is to eliminate the constant competition and conflict that humans have, and get them to work together and be united
      

4. Why do human beings come together to form a political society
         According to Hobbes, human beings come together to form a political society to have common power that can defend from invaders and internal conflicts. States also help humans use the land to nourish themselves and produce.
      

6.  What is the sovereign's highest obligation
       The sovereign's highest obligation is securing the safety of the people. This does not only entail basic survival, but also different luxuries in life. They should put out public instruction and follows these instructions themselves


7.  Does Hobbes hold out any hope that the state can improve human nature
       Hobbes holds out hope that the state can improve the state of human nature because it creates mutual agreement that allows humans to live together and work cohesively. This improves our nature because we are naturally territorial beings, so now we can work together to survive.
      

Art Presentation

       One artist from the Northern Renaissance was Albrecht Durer. Albrecht Durer was known as the "Leonardo of the North". His work had an emphasis on his study of nature, and he had religious influence in his paintings. One of his works is a self- portrait in which he depicts himself as Jesus Christ. This shows the influence of the religious movements around him.

Peace of Westphalia

4. what becomes of the constitution of the Holy Roman Empire as a result of the peace?
        As a result of the peace, the constitution of the Holy Roman Empire was changed in that Spain was forced to recognize the independence of the Dutch Republic, and made peace between the Holy Roman Empire, France, and Sweden.


5. How does the treaty define sovereignty?
        The treaty defines sovereignty as "national self- determination and a new system of political order..." This means that states and monarchs had a national identity in their country, and they had power over the politics of their nation.


6. What internal affairs of states does the peace officially address
       The peace addresses the internal affairs of the discord between the H.R.E, France, and the Dutch Republic, and the papal power distribution

Confessions Book IX

3. How does Augustine use the death of his mother to illustrate his own spiritual life at this point in his life?

       Augustine uses the death of Monica to illustrate his own spiritual life because his reaction can be compared to his reaction with his friend died at Thagaste. When his friend died at Thagaste, he marinated in his grief, and did not want to come out of it. He wanted to brew over the death of his friend and not get over it. However, now with the death of his mother (which should impact him more deeply, as she is his mother), he seems more at peace, and he could even look at it in a positive light, and see all the good that would come from it. He writes, "But my thoughts were upon the gifts you implant in the hearts of your faithful, O invisible God." This shows the level of spiritual maturity Augustine has in that he does not stew in grief over his mother, but can see the good side to it, and see how God works through it.

Core Learning Objective

How were the people and ecosystems of the Americas, Africa, and Europe intertwined in this period?


       The people and ecosystems of these lands were intertwined in this period because of the increase of exploration, and the increase of trade. Countries at this point began to look for other lands to harvest natural resources for their gain. They took to the seas, and discovered many new lands. this intertwined these lands because people began to populate different lands than where they were before, so cultures mixed. This was an example of different nations interact with each other- which is something that didn't happen often. Also, trade increased the bonds between these continents. There was an increase in slave trade, which started the slave trade triangle, which connected the continents to each other. One consequence of this is that there was an increase in plague because diseases from areas could be transported to other areas where they had never been exposed. This caused many deaths and epidemics. Also there was the transportation of animals. Some animals made their way onto ships and got transported across the sea, and could start their population in new areas.

Confessions Conversion

2. Why is it important that Augustine's friend Alypius is converted at the same time that Augustine is?

       It is significant that Augustine's friend Alypius is converted at the same time because throughout the narrative, one of the main themes has been friendship. Augustine has had instances of many bad friendships where his friends pressure him to sin, but he knows that true friendship is encouraging each other, and building each other up in Christ. The fact that Alypius is converted at the same time is our first look into Augustine's first true friendship. Augustine also writes, "I did not know what followed, but the next verse was, Make  room for the person who is weak in faith." This shows that his revelation and Alypius' go hand in hand in the same scripture, which also shows how significant their simultaneous conversions were.

Confessions Book 8

       How does a new way of reading of Scripture (Ambrose's influence) and a new confidence in Scripture (aided by his reading of the Platonists) lead Augustine to find some answers to questions about the nature of God and evil? Does this mark the end of the need to ask these questions?

       Augustine finds some answers to his questions in the Platonist philosophies, which led him to the truth of God. He retells how he told Simplicanius about how he came to find truth in these writings, and he agreed, saying that he was lucky not to have found other philosophers' works first, because might have led him astray. Augustine writes, "... how fortunate I was to not have stumbled on the writings of other philosophers, works full of fallacies and dishonesty that smacked of the principles of this world, whereas those Platonist writings conveyed in every possible way, albeit indirectly, the truth of God and his word." This shows that Augustine found many answers to his questions in this philosophy, but did not find answers to all his questions, because the nature of God and evil can never be fully understood, which is why this book is still relevant to this day.

Augustine Book 6

3. Why does Augustine "interrupt his narrative to tell us about how Alypius became addicted to the violence of the gladiatorial contests?

       Augustine takes time to explain how Alypius became addicted to the gladiator fights because he is showing how Alypius was shaped by this event and his salvation form it. He shows how easy it is for humans to fall into sin by comparing Alypius' will to not look at the fight to the actualy fight. As soon as he looked up, it was like the gladiator falling dead because his heart had fallen. He then shows that God saved him from this death inside himself, and he was ultimately restored. Augustine writes, "The foregoing episode was stored up in his memory and contributed to his future healing, as also did another." This episode was to show Alypius' healing and shaping, as well as showing how easily humans fall into sin.

On Dumpster Diving

1. How does Eighner organize his essay? What does such an organization imply?

       Eighner Organizes his essay in a narrative/ story telling style. He gives a look into his life, and show what he dives for, and how he does it. he then moves on to his social commentary, where he talks about entertainment and wastefulness in our society. He ends off by giving his thesis in a sense, in that he says, "I think this is an attitude I share with the very wealthy- we both know there is plenty more where what have came from." The essay he writes has a tone of going against what people think (he shows that dumpster divers are not their stereotype) and this organization goes along with this, because usually the thesis comes at the beginning, and shows what the paper is about, but Eighner turns you on your head in the end.

2. Eighner's simple, understated tone suggests that anyone can adapt to dumpster diving with a little practice. Why do you think he uses such a tone?

       I think that Eighner uses this understated tone to show his higher thinking that those around him. In his essay, he demonstrates the folly in the thinking of the middle class, and how they search for false truths. His tone adds to the idea that even though he is a dumpster diver, Eighner is more enlightened- and on top of that, not angry or bitter. Eighner does not give an angry tone to the stereotypes of the dumpster diver, but instead shows in a composed fashion the falseness in their thinking. This shows all the more how his thinking is more enlightened, because he does not let the negative connotations bring him down, but stands firm in his beliefs.

Augustine

How good a speaker is Ambrose, and what does Augustine learn about rhetoric from listening to Ambrose's sermons?

          Ambrose is an extremely talented speaker that Augustine found truth in, and greatly enlightened him spiritually. Ambrose "straightforwardly expounded the truth" to Augustine, which shows his skill as an orator, because he was clearing up the spiritual fog that Augustine had battled with for years, and he did it in a very skilled manner. Ambrose did not speak often outside of sermons however. Augustine says, "... his habit of reading silently was his need to conserve his voice, which was very prone to hoarseness. But whatever his reason, the man undoubtedly had a good one." Ambrose was obviously a very talented and convincing orator, and this showed Augustine that rhetoric did not have to be for show, but could contain great amounts of truth even in a small amount of words. This revolutionized his thinking about truth, and showed him all of the flaws and traps that he had fallen into because of those who were leading him.

"The Book of the Courtier" and the Oration on the Dignity of Man"

1. "Admiration for Greek and Roman political institutions supported a revival of civic humanist culture in Italian city-states and produced secular models for individual and political behavior." Based on your reading of "The Book of the Courtier" explain how Castiglione's writing might exemplify this statement. Give evidence from the text to support your claim.

       Castiglione's writing might reflect this statement because his writing is speculation on what the ideal Courtier would be like, and his speculation includes that the Courtier should be beneficial to the society of his city. He says, "... and in his outward aspect give promise of whatever is worthy the society and favor of every great lord." (pg. 405) This goes along with the ideal of civic humanist culture because it is putting value on how the social aspect of the Courtier's position. Castiglione also shows an ideal of a secular model for political behavior in that he says the Courtier should be nobly born. He writes, "I wish, then, that this Courtier of ours should be nobly born and of gentle race; because it is far less unseemly for one of ignoble birth to fail in worthy deeds." (pg. 404) This shows his value not on the divine power in the Courtier, as might've been valued in previous times, but now in the secular value of status at birth and social position.
      

2. "Italian Renaissance Humanist promoted a revival in classical literature and created new approaches to ancient texts. Some Renaissance humanists furthered the values of secularism and individualism." Based on your reading of "Oration on the Dignity of Man", explain how Della Mirandola's treatise might exemplify this statement. Give evidence from the text in support of your claim.

       Della Mirandola's treatise exemplifies this statement because a common theme that can be found in his writing is the great chain of being. The great chain of being is a Renaissance worldview that gives a universal order to all creature and creators, so it is very individualistic and secular. Mirandola exemplifies this in many places in his writing. He says, "All was now complete; all things had been assigned to the highest, the middle, and the lowest orders." This shows his belief in the great chain of being as his worldview. He also says, "He therefore took man as a creature of intermediate nature, and assigning him a place in the middle of the world." This shows his view of where man fits into the great chain of being, which again supports the view of secularism and individualism.

    

Augustine and the Pears

2. Is the writer Augustine being too harsh in the way he looks back on his relationships with his friends with whom he stole the pears?

       I don't think that Augustine was being too harsh in the way he looks back on his relationships with his friends. Augustine says explicitly that friendship is a tender bond between humans that God created, so he is not saying that friendship is bad. He says however that the relationship in friendship can be abused, and people can motivate their friends to do sinful things. This is what Augustine's analysis of his friendship with these boys was; that the bond between him and his friends was a sinful one, and it caused him to do sinful things. This lines up with his view of sin in general- that everything made by God is good, but we as sinful beings can abuse the relationship of those things, and that is where sin happens.

Confessions Blog

3. How does Augustine's behavior as a young boy, especially his first prayer ("By calling upon you I untied the knots of my tongue and begged you, in my little- boy way but with no little earnestness, not to let me be beaten at school.) illustrate his need for a true education?

      Augustine's behavior as a young boy illustrated his need for a true education because he had the misconception that his relationship with God was that he was there to grant him his wishes. He did not see that a relationship with God is mutual, and that God is not a genie sent to answer your prayers when you ask for something. He needed an education of God to show him the mercy of God, and to show him that he was on the wrong path. He was on the path of following his passions and desires, and he needed to be shown that there was a better path to take.

History Channel Documentary Continued

1. Having viewed more of the History Channel documentary, how would you use this source if you were researching a specific event within the middle ages?

       If I were using the History Channel documentary as a source for a specific event in the middle ages, I would use it to gain background information about the middle ages on a whole. This documentary gives a very large picture of what the middle ages was, how it happened, and it does give specific events that might go along with the one I have. It also gives an overview of the timeline of the middle ages which would help consolidate events and dates and it also shows many map animations of the middle ages and its battles and empires.

2. What would you say are the limitations of this source of information about the historical past

       I think the limitations of this source is in terms of detail. This source is (in my opinion) stellar for big picture purposes and overview of the whole time period of the middle ages, but it does not go into much specific detail about any specific events. This would make it difficult to use as a resource material for a specific event. Its dramatic appeal could also be considered a weakness. The documentary re-enacts many scenes of the middle ages to keep the audience's attention, but this makes it seem more like a movie at points which could bring down its credibility of detail in these scenes.

Augustine "Infancy"

1. What did being a bishop mean, and why that an important question when reading the Confessions?

      Being a bishop at the time of Augustine was not only a religious position, but also a political position. Since Christianity had recently become Rome's main religion, there had to be a hierarchy of church positions, and bishops were one of those positions. Bishops would typically be responsible for a small city-state and their church. this is important to keep in mind while reading the Confessions because Augustine himself was a bishop, so he had a great deal of power and people looking up to him. This makes it more amazing that he pours himself like this in his book because he had so much authority, and he was making himself very vulnerable.

Documentary Response

1.        Based on my viewing of this documentary, I would classify it as a secondary source. This is a secondary source because it is a dramatic retelling and showing of the middle ages, so it is not showing exactly what happened, or having eyewitnesses talk about what happened. This documentary, however, does take primary sources (such as pottery, architecture, and writings from the time) and analyzes them, and they tell us what we can glean from these sources about the past.

2.       I consider this documentary to be very reliable. Firstly, the people that are giving insight into the topics are scholars of this area specifically for this area, so their words are credible. Also, these scholars analyze many primary sources of the time (such as architecture and manuscripts) so that their conclusions they draw are more accurate. The documentary also cites many specific dates, shows locations on maps and quote the people that live in this time which shows that the research that went into this projects was very in- depth and can be trusted.

"The Consolidation of Europe" Reviewing Objectives

       The conquests of the Mongols had a significant impact on Europe. What was it?

       The significant impact the Mongols had on Europe was they unified 1/5 of the world under their rule. The Mongol chief named Temujin unified many tribes under his rule, and then began to infiltrate China, moving to Russia, and so on. By the time Mongol expansion was halted, Temujin (also called Genghis Khan) had conquered from the Black Sea to the Pacific Ocean (pg. 328). However, the Mongolian conquest had crippled Muslim cities that "had preserved the heritage of even older civilizations (pg.328)", so much of their culture was lost.

"The expansion of Europe" Connections

       Given the many negative aspects of the crusading movement-and its eventual failure- how might you explain the continuing appeal of crusading rhetoric down to the present day?

       The continuing appeal of crusading rhetoric down to the present day can be attributed to its attitude and purpose. Although the crusades eventually led to failure, their attitude was one of complete destruction and dislike based on religious differences. This connotation carries over in this word to the present day. So, when this word is used, it is usually referring to something that would be considered an extreme.
       An example of this is on page 267, the author quotes George W. Bush as saying "this crusade, this war on terrorism" This was in response to 9/11, so we can see that he uses this rhetoric in response to a very extreme circumstance. So, we can see that crusading rhetoric still has appeal to this day, not because of its outcome, but what it stands for- something so extreme that it deserves this kind of connotation.
      

"The Expansion of Rome" Reviewing the Objectives

       The agricultural revolution of the Middle Ages had far reaching economic, social, and political consequences. What were they?

       The agricultural revolution of the Middle Ages had 3 main effects. It increased population, It gave more power to peasants, and it increased productivity. As monasteries got access to tools along with Lords, productivity increased which in turn also boosted the population. Productivity also increased as the need for human labor began to decrease with more effective technology. This revolution also gave power to the peasants because they could start to set up parishes, blacksmith's shops and even taverns.

Rome's Three Heirs Connections Question

Arguably, each of these three civilizations could claim the mantle of the Roman Empire. In your view, which one has the strongest claim to carrying forward the legacies of the classical past?

       The three civilizations that came after Rome, the Byzantines, Islam, and Northwestern Rome, were uniquely related to Rome in their own ways. The author of Western Civilizations tells that Byzantium had a stronger focus on legal and political institutions, Islam continued the trade and cultural exchange that Rome had started, and Northwestern Europe associated itself with Rome in that it carried the Latin language, the city of Rome, and its Christian patriarchy. So the question in order is which of these criteria more embodied the nation of Rome and its values as a whole.
       In my view, Rome is better defined, out of these characteristics, by the values of Northwest Europe. The city of Rome was the headquarters and origin of Rome itself so the fact that Northwest Europe identified with the city of Rome shows their connection to the true base of Rome. However, what distinguishes Northwest Rome as more Roman than the others is its connection to the Christian Patriarchal system. This was a system that came about with the emergence of Christianity in Rome during the time of Constantinople. Rome instituted many political reforms because of Christianity, so it became an integrated part of their government. So, since Northwest Europe had this Christian Patriarchal system, it gives their government a distinguishing characteristic that Rome had and other civilizations did not.

      

Rome's Three Heirs

Byzantine culture was distinctive in many ways. what are some of its important features?

       One of the most distinctive characteristics of Byzantine culture was its stability in structure. The capital city, Constantinople, was lead in its social life by well educated people who ensured the prospering of the schools, the church, and sports (like chariot racing). It was also stable in its economy. Byzantium became a huge center for trading from the east and west, and it also had its own industries like silk weaving. This allowed the nation to prosper and flourish and ultimately stay alive for nearly a thousand years (pg. 215). Another aspect of Byzantine culture that distinguished it from others was its religious orthodoxy. They had spent much time studying religious doctrine, and they also took very seriously their religious images and their meanings. This is where the "Iconoclast" controversy came from (pg. 216-217). And finally, a defining characteristic of Byzantine culture was their architecture. One of the greatest architectural achievements in Byzantium was the "Hagia Sophia". This was an enormous monument that reflected the "artistry, engineering skill, and spirituality of Byzantium." This building defined what Byzantine architecture would look like, and it remains a marvel to look at to this day.

To what extent did Christianity alter the traditional values and infrastructure of the Roman state? Were these alterations inevitable?

       Christianity began to alter the traditional values and infrastructure of the Roman state when Constantine announced his "Edict of Milan." This is an edict that granted freedom of religion in all of Rome. One of the main differences Christianity made in Roman infrastructure was it created a hierarchy of positions in the government. We see on page 195 of Western Civilizations that the major cities were now required to have a bishop that governed the churches in that area. We also see that there had to be a religious capital of the nation, and this ended up being the city of Rome. Not only did Christianity affect the infrastructure of Rome, but it affected its values as well. One of these value changes was the value of women in society. On page 196 of Western Civilizations, we see that women used to have power in the religious hierarchy, however, with the emergence of Christianity, women did not have power like before. Women were priestesses, and leaders of churches, but now since Christianity became like imperial Rome, it had to "replicate the structures of governance that had been the province of men..." Christianity changed how Rome worked and thought, but the issue still remains if this change was inevitable.
       I think that these changes that Christianity made were not inevitable. As said before, most of the expansion of Christianity (the emergence of political hierarchy, and shifted values) was due to Constantine's allowing freedom of religion. However, Constantine's edict was not expected at all. On page 193 of Western Civilizations we see that Constantine originally associated himself with the cult of Sol for political reasons, but right before he marched on Rome, he supposedly had a vision that converted him to conquer Rome in the name of Christ. This is why Christianity become developed and started to change the structure of Rome, and this was an unforeseen event, so I think that these alterations were not inevitable.

Ancient Civilizations Chapter 6 Reviewing Objectives

- Christianity's acceptance as a legal religion changed it in profound ways. Why was this?

       Christianity's acceptance as a legal religion came when Constantine announced the Edict of Milan. This allowed freedom of religion to all citizens of Rome, however Constantine preferred the Christian religion, so Christians got special treatment and benefits. Now that Christianity could be practiced publicly, the different communities of Christians realized that there were differences in what they were practicing. They needed to unite, compile their beliefs and scriptures into one religion, and set up a chain of command. The church set up bishops who governed the churches of the city, and they had to set up a capital city of the Church. All of this led to the Council of Nicea where church leaders met and discussed the discrepancies of the different beliefs in Christianity. In short, Christianity was changed in profound ways because, now that it was public, people could gather and unify their beliefs of Christianity to set up one official religion and hierarchy for the Christian religion. The author of Western Civilizations describes Christianity as going "From Illegal Sect to Imperial Institution" (pg. 193)

Aeneid Book 10 and 11 Questions

Compare and contrast the appeals of Venus and Juno.

       The appeals of Venus are mainly different in that Venus is level-headed in her speech, while Juno flies off the handle and is overcome with anger. Venus shows Zeus how the Rutulians are inside Trojan walls already, and of all the bloodshed. She appeals to give Ascanius safe passage, and the power to shield Aeneas. This is a very compelling argument because she shows the tragedy that has befallen the Trojans, and she also shows her compassion towards her son and grandson. Juno on the other hand starts with an outburst of anger, and her argument consists mainly of many questions. She gives many statements saying that she did not do something, but she offers up no support to her argument. We can see an example of this on page 296, Virgil writes, "IS it I who try to overwhelm from the roots up your sinking Phrygian state? Not I!" She also claims that she was not the one who drove Aeneas to ruin, when in fact she has been the one plotting to try and stop him from the beginning, sending in various traps and hindrances to interfere with his voyage. Venus' argument was well supported and convincing, while Juno's was in a frenzy, with no support, and was not convincing.

Aeneid Book 9 Question

How do we see Ascanius acting as a leader in this episode? What are the characteristics of desirable leadership?  This is important given the context of the writing of the Aeneid.

       We see Ascanius acting as a leader in this episode when the leaders need to find a messenger to meet Aeneas. He takes charge in a sense of the situation, insisting on his father's safe return. He then promises gifts for Nisus if he goes.We can infer from this encounter that Desirable leadership entails generosity, and love. Aeneas offers Nisus a fortune for his work, and this is a great role of leadership because he treats his men well, and rewards them for their work. This will result in happiness and high morale for all the men. Also, Ascanius portrays love for his father. He gives his speech because he is touched by his love for his father, which shows he is not afraid to let his emotions show for his father. This shows his affection, and perhaps even bravery to expose himself like this in front of all the men.

Barry Strauss Lecture

       The thesis of Barry Strauss' Lecture was that Julius Caesar cared more for the Empire of Rome than the City of Rome. He gave three reasons why it was a good time to be studying this topic because The study of politics in ancient Rome has been greatly advanced over the last few years. There has also been a flurry of work in military history, and a renaissance of Julius Caesar's studies. Much of the evidence he gives in his lecture is a compilation of historical stories about Julius Caesar that have been written down from that time period. He showed many stories such as Julius not standing to greet the Senators, Him making a joke out of the people calling him Rex, and when he was offered the diadem, but didn't accept. I find this method very persuasive because these are true stories that happened and have been recorded, so it is not an author's interpretation or bias (at least there is less room for that), and it something that can barely be disputed. This gives us a pretty objective argument about Julius Caesar that can be seen through things that he did himself.

Polybius Question

        2. Polybius' arguments for starting his history in the 140th olympics is that until this time, the world's history was a series of disconnected accounts of various events, and now it will become a "connected whole." Also, this was a key time in history because this was when the Romans had their first victory over the Carthaginians which made them take their first step towards an empire as they began to expand their borders. And finally, he starts his history here because most people of his time had no knowledge of the power and achievements of Rome and Carthage, so he will start here to demonstrate this to the people.

Punic Wars

       The Punic Wars were definitely the most important era of the Republic. First of all Rome gained a new island, Sicily, that expanded their borders to make their first province outside of Italy. This is also speculated to be the beginning of the Roman Empire. It was also important because the plebeian leaders who had been against Fabius and wanted to battle Hannibal (when they got slaughtered) were taken off of leadership, and the senate became the dominating power which lasted for along time afterwards. Another impact the Punic Wars had on Rome was the scorching of the southern plains to starve Hannibal. The Romans burned the earth in southern Italy because that's where Hannibal was staying, and they wanted to starve him of resources. This resulted in the agriculture being completely destroyed in those parts of Italy, and this has had an affect on the land until modern times. And finally, in the Second Punic War, Rome's enemy Carthage was destroyed, and Rome gained many resources and prestige for their success which made them into a higher power.

Aeneid Book 6 Summary

       Book 6 of the Aeneid begins on the shores of Cumae where Aeneas and his followers have landed their ships. It is here where they meet the Sibyl. Aeneas makes his plea that they could settle there in Italy in peace, but the Sybil says that still more tragedies remain for them in this land. Aeneas then asks to be led to the underworld to see his father, and she grants it, but she says they must bury the dead body of one of their comrades before they descend into the underworld. When they make it down, they encounter the Charon, a ferryman who escorts the dead across the river Styx, and they convince him to bring them across the river safely. After crossing, Aeneas sees the ghost of Dido and laments to her, hoping that she would recognize him. She however, was unmoved by his presence, and turned away. They then reach the outermost fields where the great fallen war heroes live, and Aeneas sees many of his fellow soldiers. They then travel to Tartarus, a massive abyss where the ancient Titans are left. Finally, Aeneas sees his father and embraces him. His father answers many questions about the underworld. Then he sees what is to come of his lineage in Rome, and allofthe great descendants that will come. This makes Aeneas finally realize the significance of his traveling to Italy. Aeneas then makes it back to the his comrades, and they set off again along the coast.

Aeneid Book 4 Summary

       Book 4 of the Aeneid starts with Dido telling her sister Anna about her love for Aeneas. She then sacrifice to the gods, and she calls for the banquet to come again so that Aeneas can tell more of his story. Juno and Venus then make a plan to send a storm while Aeneas and Dido are out hunting, so that they are forced to seek shelter together. Dido and Aeneas go hunting, and the storm hits, then they are forced into a cave where they get married by the gods. When they get back to the city, Aeneas sees Mercury who tells him that his destiny is not with Dido, and that he needs to leave and found Rom, so Aeneas begins to prepare. Dido then confronts him about this, and he says that he wants to stay but he has to leave. Dido then spirals into madness, and asks her sister to build a pyre so that she can burn all the memories of Aeneas. She spirals deeper into madness, and kills herself, much to the dismay of Anna.

Why Was Rome So Successful?

       Rome was so successful in creating her empire for many reasons. The first reason is their creation of the Latin League. This was an alliance that strategically placed allies in the position to defend the east where most of the invaders came in, so that Italy only had to worry about the north. Another reason for Rome's success was their perseverance.  Rome had been brought to its knees by the Gaul invasion, and the Romans were debating whether to move to a different location. however, their strong will remained true, and they rebuilt their city to the point where they could get back to conquering other lands. and finally, Rome's success came because Rome allowed status to be earned. Families that were wealthy and intelligent were able to receive citizenship which made Rome's citizen body become stronger, and filled with more apt people to serve which set Rome up for more success.

Aeneid Book 3 Summary

       Book 3 of the Aeneid is the continuation of Aeneas' retelling of the fall of Troy. Aeneas and his comrades escape Troy and sail to Antander. Upon landing, Aeneas tries to gather wood for a sacrifice, but the tree he cuts turns out to be the spirit of Polydorus who was Priam's son. They have a burial for him, and sail to Delos. While on Delos, Apollo talks to Aeneas and tells him to sail to Crete. They begin to sail to Crete, but a disease grabs the crew, and they go back to Delos. They realize that they misinterpreted the vision from Apollo, and that they were supposed to go to Italy. They set sail again, but a 3-day storm hits, and they land at the Strophades which is a cluster of islands that harbors savage beasts called harpies. The crew departs from here to go to Leucata where Aeneas meets Andromache who tells him about her and Helenus' time in captivity, and then she tells how to get to Italy and avoid troublesome waters. They make it to the southern coast of Italy where they see a man who tells them about a cyclops. The cyclops then appears, and they make a hasty escape off the coast.

Livi

       According to the preface of Livi, his purpose for writing this is to bring history to life in his poetic style of writing. Also, he says that he is writing this because he will receive much satisfaction to contribute to the writing of the annals of Rome. And finally, he is writing this because there there is a lot of good that comes from studying the past, because in light of its truth, you can see see examples of what happens in different situations.

Aeneid Book 2 Summary

       Book 2 of the Aeneid is Aeneas' retelling of the Trojan war to all of the banquet members. He tells first of how the Greeks had made a massive horse as a "gift" to the Trojans. They were persuaded to accept it by Sinon. however, the horse was really holding many Greek troops, so when the horse was in the city, they jumped out and massacred the town, including king Priam and his family. Then, Aeneas sees helen in a vision, and realizes how this is all her fault, and decides to kill her. However, before he sets out to do so, his mother, Venus, appears to him, and tells him to leave the city immediately.
       Aeneid goes to his father's house to bring him along with him as he escapes. His father will not come until there appears a sign, which is a tongue of fire on Aeneas' head, at which point they both agree to set out. Aeneas takes his wife and child with them on their escape, however his wife gets left behind in all the commotion. Aeneas runs back into the city to find her, only to find that she is dead, and he encounters her ghost. The ghost of his wife tells him to keep running from the city, and that his destiny belongs elsewhere.

The Aeneid Book 1

       Book one of the Aeneid starts out after Troy has been defeated, and tells of the rage of Juno, going into the backstory of how Juno was upset about Paris' unjust decision on the beauty of the goddesses, and how she led a campaign against Troy. We see also that Aeneas and his men are heading to Italy and fleeing Troy so as to start a new city. Juno is angry, and asks the god of the wind (Aeolus) to send a tempest on the sea to destroy them. however, when Aeolus sends this, Neptune god of the sea is outraged because the sea is his jurisdiction. Neptune calms the storm, and Aeneas and his mean reach the closest shore. Aeneas' goddess mother comes to earth in human form to talk to him, and tells him how to reach the queen's palace. Aeneas and his men arrive at the palace and bow before the queen, to which she extends hospitality. Meanwhile, Venus asks her son Cupid to shoot an arrow of love into queen Dido so as to stall her while Aeneas is at her palace.

       The author uses a lot of narrative to show the plot. it is interesting because the story is told by a narrator (probably omniscient) but we do not see much more than what the narration tells us. We learn about the plot as the characters learn about it as well.

Early Rome Questions

1. To what extent should the Etruscans be credited for the success of Rome?

2. What do you think is the cause of the Romans' high regard for one's city, family, and gods?

Book Ends of the Iliad

       Book 24 of the Iliad is a resolution of conflict in the Iliad. What is the first word of the Iliad? Rage. Throughout the whole book, one of the biggest themes is the rage of Achilles, and the repercussions of it. The rage of Achilles is finally resolved in book 24 in a subtle but drastic turnaround in Achilles' character. The author write, "He feared that, overwhelmed by the sight of Hector, wild with grief, Priam might let his anger flare and Achilles might fly into fresh rage himself." For the whole narrative, Achilles had been using his rage to deal with his problems- in and out of battle. Now, we see a new side of him that wants to control his rage, and end the conflict that was an overarching theme of the whole book.

Iliad Book 22 and The Poetics

Iliad Book 22:
       7. Hector was tricked by Athena because Athena disguised herself from Hector by taking the form of his brother. then she tricked him by persuading him to fight Achilles because she (in the form of his brother) would have his back. then, when Achilles threw his spear, and Hector dodged it, Athena betrayed him and took the spear back to Achilles so that he could kill him.

The Poetics:
       Epic poetry follows with tragedy because they are both of long length, and they are about people that should be taken seriously. They differ because epic poetry is a subset of tragedy, and elements that epic poetry has are found in tragedy.

Socratic Method

       The Socratic Method is a way of interrogating by means of sequential questioning that makes the recipient start to rethink everything that they were previously believing. The Socratic Method is turning someone's viewpoint upside down, while walking rhetorical circles around them. The Socratic Method is also looking at an argument from both angles, addressing all issues, and working through them one at a time. Socrates was a master at turning the tables on someone, and an example of this is when Meletus accused Socrates of corrupting the youth, but all other citizens are a good influence. Socrates takes this, and brings in an analogy of a horse: asking if all mankind improves them, but one human corrupts them. He then shows how Meletus is showing off his ignorance, and folly logic, all while done in seamless speech. he got to this point by probing questions into the mind of Meletus, asking him to define what he is accusing Socrates of, until the point when Meletus would start to doubt himself. Socrates also addresses issues in a very organized fashion. He starts by addressing the accusation that has been underlying for years, all the slander brought against him, and moves on to answer issues in a chronological order, shooting them down one at a time. This leaves the "interrogatee" having their predetermined judgments shattered,  and finding themselves beeing shown a fool in front of everyone.

The Libation Bearers

       There are a few propositions that guide the moral reasoning of Agamemnon's avengers. The first is that the chorus urges Orestes and Electra to avenge their father. They say, "Justice thunders, hungry for retribution, 'stroke for bloody stroke be paid. The one who acts must suffer." This makes them want to avenge their father. Also, the chorus clouds their judgement by saying, "It is the law: when the blood of slaughter wets the ground it wants more blood." Clytemnestra defends her actions however, by saying that fate had its part in the murder she committed. She was trying to shift blame from herself

Allegory of the Cave

       We can see Plato's view of the structure reality through his Allegory of the Cave. In his allegory, the main characters are looking at shadows of replicas of true beings. We can infer from this that Plato believes that what we as common people perceive about reality is really just many layers of falsity. He believes that we have grown accustomed to seeing ghosts of reality, and that we can see the truth by ascending into the realm of the mind. After becoming accustomed to this level, we can see the truth in its true form. This allows him to reconcile the arguments of Parmenides and Heraclitus. The premise for the argument of Parmenides is that reality is ultimately permanent and characterized by unity. Heraclitus' argument is that reality is defined by change and multiplicity. He reconciles these two seemingly opposing views because his view has both changing reality and constant reality. Plato's view says that there are many levels of reality that we can reach- the original being looking at shadows on the wall, then escalating to looking at the fire that makes the shadows, and so forth. All of these levels are a reality to us, and we must be accustomed to each as we go up or down in the levels because they all change how we see. However, there is one ultimate reality that branches off into all the other perceived realities. This reconciles the views Parmenides and Heraclitus.

Choral leader and Aegisthus

       The dialogue between the Leader and Aegisthus starts out with Aegithsus talking to himself; saying how justice has finally come, and he has killed the king. The Leader then confronts him about this, to which he does not pay attention, saying, "I'll make you dance, I'll bring you all to heel." The men of Aegisthus and the Leader draw swords and are ready to duel. Aegisthus says he is not afraid of death, and the Leader says, "It's death you want and death you'll have- we'll make that word your last." Clytemnestra intervenes however, then Aeigisthus says he will stalk the Leader the rest of his days. Aegisthus seems to be a corrupt and not an honorable leader. He says, "But I will use his riches, stop at nothing to civilize his people."  The Leader says that his wish is, "Orestes- If he still sees the light of day, bring him home, good Fates, home to kill this pair at last." This will be fulfilled by the spirit bringing him home.

Iliad Chapter 16 questions

8. In book 16 there is a massive fight over Sarpedon's body. This is because it became a focal point for both sides. The Achaeans were fighting over it because Sarpedon was their general, and when he died, they all were overcome with grief, so it gave them motive to fight for him. The Trojans on the other hand wanted to defame Sarpedon's body so as to tear down the morale of the other side. Zeus however intervened by first making Hector a coward which made him call for retreat, then the Achaeans take his armor back to the ships, and Sarpedon is brought to a river by Phoebus who washes him, and anoints him in deathless oils.

9. The responsibility Patroclus has for his own death is not much. He had the choice to go into battle and fight with Achilles armor, but that was a choice that had to be made because the armies were being beaten back, and they needed a hero. I think that Apollo was very responsible for his death because he fought Patroclus himself, then he changed forms, and persuaded Hector to kill him. I think that Hector did not have as much to do with his death in that regard, since he was debating whether or not to fight him, and it was a god who told him to. It seems that Zeus also has much to do with Patroclus' death, because he was the one who ultimately decided that he wanted Patroclus to die. He was turning over ideas on how to kill him, and he made Patroclus disobey Achilles, in that he struck fury in his heart and made him attack the wall. That is why I think that Zeus was the most responsible for the death of Patroclus. It seems that Zeus controls fate, so I think that fate cannot be held as responsible. Finally, I think Achilles is very responsible because he was the one that made it so that Patroclus had to go to fight in the first place. he was the cause of his death.

Reflections On Debate

       The Sparta vs. Athens debate was a great first experience in the realm of formal debate. I think that having a debate is an excellent way to learn about something, because it forces you to research both sides of an issue, which merits deeper understanding, and it gives you more motivation to learn. I always thought of debating as being something that would come naturally when you argue a point, but being in a formal debate, I learned that there is so much more to it, and it does not come naturally.  It was a great experience having to think on your feet in order to produce arguments and counter arguments on the fly- while in front of many important people. This being our first time, I think we had a lot of room for improvement, but that will come naturally with practice, and I think this was a great first experience overall.

Solon, Themistocles, Pericles

       I think that Plutarch, while he is very skilled at giving information about people without inputting his bias, holds Pericles in highest esteem compared to Solon and Themistocles. I think that this is the case because of how much praise he gives to Pericles, and how little he stresses he negative traits. Plutarch treats Solon in a similar way, but he seems to give more praise and affection to Pericles. Themistocles however, he seems to stress his negative sides more than the others, and still describes him as respectable, but does not praise him as much as he does Solon and Pericles.

       An example we see of Plutarch praising Pericles is when he talks about how he spoke. He says that Pericles spoke very carefully, and had a guarded tongue. He even prayed to the gods that he nothing would slip from his mouth that was not appropriate, or irrelevant (pg 71). This is a very respectable attribute, as Pericles points out, and one that I think should still be sought after today. Another attribute we see Plutarch commending was Pericles' care for the people. He describes him as "caressing the people", and "Having secured his power in the interest of the populace" (pg 72). Finally, at the end of his telling, Plutarch says, "He was indeed a character deserving our high admiration, not only for equitable and mild temper, which all along in many affairs of his life, and great animosities which he incurred, he constantly maintained." This shows that Plutarch help Pericles in very high esteem; higher ( I think) than Solon and Themistocles.

Lycurgus

       I think that Plutarch has written this biography of Lycurgus because he wanted to illustrate how Sparta's government was set up, and he is getting at the backstory of where it came from. He tells the stories of Lycurgus' travels to different countries (e.g. Crete, Asia, Egypt) and he extracts from these travels the principles, customs, and ideas that these cultures had. the next part of the biography that Plutarch shares is Lycurgus' strategy to achieve his goal of creating a political system. He starts by bringing an oracle to Sparta which he claimed had the new political system. He then secretly gathers supporters until he is ready to make his entrance into the city. After winning the favor of the kings he makes his reforms to the government and political system, and made a mixed constitution. Plutarch then goes into the story briefly of Lycurgus' later life. I think that Plutarch did all of this because Lycurgus was the single person who reformed Sparta's structure and life, and he wanted to explain how these reforms happened, so he traces it through the whole life of Lycurgus.
       I think that Plutarch was in favor of the Spartan constitution. He describes how Sparta started to plummet into chaos when the constitution was not followed, and his own words are, "-thus proving what a truly divine piece of good fortune it was for the Spartiates to have had someone to construct a mixed constitution.(pg 17)" This clearly indicates that Plutarch is in favor of the constitution that Lycurgus constructed. Also, at the end of his biography he shows his view of the reforms of Lycurgus when he says, "Lycurgus however created left no mere words and ideas, but created an acutal and unrivaled system of government. (pg 40)" Though Plutarch was very good at telling the story without his own bias, he shows us glimpses of his feelings which are that the constitution was very good.

Achilles and the Embassy

       I think that Achilles should have gone back to battle following the Embassy for Achilles. The Achaeans had broken morale, and needed a figure to look up to. this might have turned the battle in their favor, since the men were losing their vigor in battle. By letting his anger overcome him, he was letting down his nation, because he could do something to help them, but he refused. Also, Agamemnon offered him a lot of gifts to drop his anger and fight so I think that it was foolish not to take those and fight.