Exam 1 Flashcards
The Code of Hammurabi
Author: Hammurabi
Themes:
-trying to establish divine authority
-politics and religion are strongly connected
-level of punishment reflected your status in the community
-wanted his laws to last
-the protection of your reputation was a huge deterrent to crime
Genesis
Author: Moses
Themes:
-Man is made in God’s image, not as slaves
-men are made as sort of priests to God and stewards of his kingdom
-fall from the Garden; now must toil and sweat
Hebrew Covenant and Laws
Author: Moses
Themes:
-covenant with Abram (Gen.)
-God is the fundamental being; Ten Commandments (Exodus)
-Moses talks to the Hebrews about the consequences of failing to observe God’s covenant
1 Samuel
Background: The people ask for a king
Themes:
-Samuel makes Saul king; Saul breaks God’s trust by not killing Amalek (king of Ammonites); God rejects Saul as king
-David is anointed as king
-David refuses to kill the Lord’s anointed
-Saul is killed in battle
2 Samuel
Background: King David (Post Saul)
Themes:
-The Lord said he will build his house from David
-Bathsheba; God is not happy
-David—>Solomon
-Absalom fights over his sister and rebels
-David weeps for Absolum
The History
Author: Herodotus
Background: A group of Persians arguing over forms of government
Themes:
-democracy; rule of the many; free from outrages a king may commit
-oligarchy; needs rulers to avoid mob rule (out of the worthiest)
-monarchy; both democracy and oligarchy lead to monarchy. What’s better than the rule of the very best man
-if the good is to which all things aim, and the other two governments both end up as monarchies, then monarchy must be the best form of gov’t
Pericles’ Funeral Oration
Author: Thucydides
Themes:
-Every citizen has a duty to participate in government
-Athens was a great city (worth dying for); had leisure time (well rounded)
-City was built by forefathers; out duty to protect it
-Justice=hurt your enemies,, help your friends
-Egalitarian - all people equal before the law
Crito
Author: Plato
Themes:
-Does not like mob rule; leans more towards an aristocracy (rule by the wise)
-Justice = Do good in all situations; do not wrong the state, even in retaliation to an injustice
- mustn’t just live, but must live well
The Republic
Author: Plato
Themes:
-Democracy vs Oligarchy (a struggle between the rich and poor)
-In democracy, liberty is the noblest possession; excess of freedom leads to excessive subjugation (despot)
-For a despot to stay in power he must increase his guard and the subjugation of the people and provoke wars as a distraction
-wisdom is the highest virtue
The Politics
Author: Aristotle
Themes:
-All things aim at some good
-Family –> Village –> Polis
-Kinds of rule: master, family, office
-Forms of government (Tyranny<Kingship - Oligarchy<Aristocracy - Democracy<Polity)
-The purpose of the polis is the good life
The Nicomachean Ethics
Author: Aristotle
Themes:
-Every action aims at some good, and the good is that which all things aim
-Happiness=life in accordance with proper virtue
-Man must have reason
-“If reason is divine, then, in comparison with man, the life according to it is divine in comparison with human life
1 Maccabees
Author: Unknown
Background: King Antiochus III gained control of Palestine from the Ptolemies. He began to force Hellenization upon them. The Jewish people revolted
Themes:
-The Jewish people rebel against Hellenization and look to Rome for help
-The Jewish feast of Hanukkah celebrates Judas Maccabeus’ victory and the cleansing of the temple
Letter to Manoeceus
Author: Epicurus
Main Themes:
-No use worrying about death, it’s just the cessation of life
-wisdom springs from all other virtues
-“The wise man does not deprecate life nor does he fear the cessation of life”
-Wisdom is the greatest good
The Discourses
Author: Epictetus via Arrian
Background: Epictetus was a noted Stoic
Themes:
-All things serve and obey the laws of the universe
-Men are distinct portions of the essence of God and contain a certain part of him in each of us
-Men are alone qualified to partake of communication with God
The Histories
Author: Polybius
Background: Polybius was a Greek who, as a hostage in Rome, wrote commentaries on the Roman constitution and Rome’s rise to power
Themes:
-Greek perspective of the Romans
-The constitutional form of government was not clear (not clear whether Rome was an aristocracy, democracy, or despotism)
-Balance or powers (senate, consuls, and the people)
-In Rome, the senate was in power. In Carthage, the people were in control
Marcus Cato
Author: Plutarch
Background: Plutarch’s description of the qualities prized by the Romans during the Republican period
Themes:
-virtue of moderation (he makes a luxury tax)
-“the good ol’ days” point of view. Plutarch uses Cato as an example from the past to demonstrate the moral decline of civilization
-Cato has virtus (manliness) and pietas (good father)
-Asceticism (self-discipline of the body)
-Slavery; shows that even in ancient times, they thought it was wrong to abuse your slaves
On Duties
Author: Marcus Tullius Cicero
Background: Stoic understanding of virtue and of the cosmos. This is a letter written to his son to present an anamnesis (calling to mind) of the republican spirit
Themes:
- Public vs. private duty; most important philosophic idea = responsibility. Good actions in life come from maintaining responsibilities
-The family unit is the foundation of the polis (similar to Aristotle)
-Believed in a hierarchy of obligations/justice
-expedience (what is useful) vs. Justice (better?)
The Conspiracy of Catiline
Author: Sullust
Themes:
-overview of what went wrong in the Republic
-As Rome gained power over the whole Mediterranean, there was nothing left to test them and virtue began to decline
-lack of pietas in citizens
-Hard times make people tougher; life was too good and the moral character of the people fell apart
Res Gestae Divi Augusti
Author: Augustus
Background: a resume of Augustus’s accomplishments
Themes:
-Tried to present himself as a restorer of the Republic while he slowly accumulated power for himself
-pontifex Maximus (bridge between the gods and man)
-He tried to preserve his public image by playing humble (better politician than Caesar - didn’t get too kingly too fast)
-The public liked him; he gave them things with his own money (panem et circusex)
The Annals
Author: Publius Cornelius Tacitus
Theme:
-A parallel text to “Res Gestae”
-nobody had the moral fiber to oppose Augustus
-few were left who had seen the republic
Nero
Author: Suetonius
Themes:
-Nero was a pretty awful guy
-Nero’s candles were recorded because they were so terrible even at the time
-Nero did not really go to war; the problems he caused only really affected Rome itself (the Senate did not like him –> death)
-Gaul Revolt (Julius Vindex)
-The alienation of various groups let to Nero’s downfall
Enuma Elish
Author: passed down orally
Background: The Babylonian version of a Sumerian creation story
Themes:
-various gods get in a fight and the earth is created as a byproduct (man is created through the blood of the evil gods and made to serve the gods)
-Contrasts to Genesis (intentions behind creation; In both, waters were separated; In both, the snake (or snake-like things) were the evil)
History
Author: Herodotus
Background: post Salamis (Athens), the Persians sent Alexander I to make a deal
Themes
-Persians know Athens cannot take them over but try to make a deal with them (Persians will help Athens rebuild)
-Sparta didn’t want this and try to convince Athens it would be unjust to give up
- The Athenians don’t accept help from either side
The Republic Book X
Author: Plato
Themes:
- The first man was virtuous only by habit and made a bad choice
-Odysseus had virtue and philosophy and made a wise choice for his next life
-must have virtue and wisdom and to do this, you must have philosophy, not just habit
Euhumerus
Author: Euhumerus
Themes:
-Euhemerus claimed he found evidence that the Greek gods were once only great kings on earth
-He “debunked” the Greek myths
-Showed a breakdown in the integrity of the Greek religion (philosophy was taking over)
