I will read to you in class a few passages from Plutarch's On the Fortune of Alexander. Glance through the online translation of this work (you don't need to read the whole thing), and pick out any information that would help you in writing an essay on whether or not Alexander deserves to be called "great." Note that there are two different "Orations" on this site, both from Plutarch's "Moralia."
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Plutrach's "On the Fortune of Alexander" (extra credit)
I will read to you in class a few passages from Plutarch's On the Fortune of Alexander. Glance through the online translation of this work (you don't need to read the whole thing), and pick out any information that would help you in writing an essay on whether or not Alexander deserves to be called "great." Note that there are two different "Orations" on this site, both from Plutarch's "Moralia."
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"Was, then, Alexander ill-advised and precipitate in setting forth with such humble resources to acquire so vast an empire? By no means. For who has ever put forth with greater or fairer equipment than he: greatness of soul, keen intelligence, self-restraint, and manly courage, with which Philosophyherself provided him for his campaign?"
ReplyDeleteI really liked this line. I think it shows the greatness of Alexander and what others think of his greatness. This would help with an essay on Alexander becuase is shows qualities that people admire in good characters and heroes of stories.
-Alicyn Even
The lines that talk about the wounds that had been done to which did not make him stop but continued to fight even with all in wounds, which shows hid leaderdship in pursuing greatness and when he encouraged his father Philip of embrassing you battle wound because "it shows your valor through battles" which is another form of greatness by of postive encouragement give confidence and have pride in yourself.
ReplyDelete"Therefore, in the first place, the very plan and design of Alexander's expedition commends the man as a philosopher in his purpose not to win for himself luxury and extravagant living, but to win for all men concord and peace and community of interests."
ReplyDeleteAlexander deserves the title "great" because he sought the victory not for himself but for the whole people he was fighting for.
- Robbi Kannas
There are a couple of quotations that make Alexander a great leader. First is in the second paragraph when it says that "Adorn yourself, proud Fortune, and vaunt your dominion over kings that never felt a wound nor shed a drop of blood." Alexander is just not a normal king, he is one that can fight with his troops and is able to spill blood with them while other kings will watch from afar. The other quotation was based on multiple attributes that Alexander had that could be considered great. "For who has ever put forth with greater or fairer equipment than he: greatness of soul, keen intelligence, self-restraint, and manly courage, with which Philosophy herself provided him for his campaign? Yes, the equipment that he had from Aristotle his teacher when he crossed over into Asia was more than what he had from his father Philip." Alexander was of course smart and intelligent which are all great attitudes, but he could even be something better than great, which is greater when it comes in reference with his father Phillip.
ReplyDeleteJoseph Adam
"But if you examine the results of Alexander's instruction, you will see that he educated the Hyrcanians30 to respect the marriage bond, and taught the Arachosians to till the soil, and persuaded the Sogdians to support their parents, not to kill them, and the Persians30 to revere their mothers and not to take them in wedlock."
ReplyDeleteThese were just a few of Alexander's accomplishments that many do not know about. Add this to his great leadership in battle and the vast empire he created and yea, I think its safe to say Alexander was in fact great
R. Casey Oberle
"For who has ever put forth with greater or fairer equipment than he: greatness of soul, keen intelligence, self-restraint, and manly courage, with which Philosophy herself provided him for his campaign?"
ReplyDeleteI think this lists many of the attributes of Alexander that prove he really was great. He wasn't just a conqueror or some tough guy. I think he truly was great and noble.
-Brianna Hamil
"But if you examine the results of Alexander's instruction, you will see that he educated the Hyrcanians30 to respect the marriage bond, and taught the Arachosians to till the soil, and persuaded the Sogdians to support their parents, not to kill them, and the Persians30 to revere their mothers and not to take them in wedlock."
ReplyDeletei believe that this shows the greatness of Alexander becuase it shows alot of the principles that he lived his life by.
Alexander exclaimed the following passage in response to Philip (father) speared thigh injury:
ReplyDelete“Be of good cheer, father, and go on your way rejoicing, that at each step you may recall your valour.”
These encouraging words prove that Alexander has a philosophic spirit and exemplifies his maturity, being took the presented situation with ease and courage. Alexander definitely displayed characteristics of fortitude, which are essential qualities to be a superb diplomat. The text also notes that as a visible reminder of this virtue, Alexander never made attempts to hide his battle scars. Promoting these symbolic representations supports the fact that Alexander was very serious diplomat and never lost sight of this position.
Was, then, Alexander ill-advised and precipitate in setting forth with such humble resources to acquire so vast an empire? By no means. For who has ever put forth with greater or fairer equipment than he: greatness of soul, keen intelligence, self-restraint, and manly courage, with which Philosophy herself provided him for his campaign? Yes, the equipment that he had from Aristotle his teacher fwhen he crossed over into Asia was more than what he had from his father Philip. But although we believe those who record that Alexander once said that the Iliad and the Odyssey accompanied him as equipment for his campaigns, since we hold Homer in reverence, yet are we to contemn anyone who asserts that the works of Homer accompanied him as a consolation after toil and as a pastime for sweet leisure, 328but that his true equipment was philosophic teaching, and treatises on Fearlessness and Courage, and Self-restraint also, and Greatness of Soul?
ReplyDeleteI like this passage because it shows that he was a well rounded person who did not just take over empires, he enjoyed learning as well.
John Kath
According to Plutarch, Alexander was a great man. Much criticism in the passages are supported by the fact that Alexander did in fact contain a gift which helped him succeed but that gift was his alone and shouldn't be credited to anyone or anything else. Plutarch stated that Pythagorean and Socrates never wrote any works themselves, just like Alexander, but they were still very great men and very insightful."...win for all men accord and peace and community of interest" was what Alexander did, which is what great men do. Plutarch states that a man can be figured out simply by the utterances which, from time to time, he murmurs, even if they are our of context. When what Alexander mutters, according to Plutarch, is boiled down, it is much the same as what Plato or Socrates would have murmured in the same situation so how could he NOT be a great man?
ReplyDelete- Jefferson Gunderson
"And in the same spirit if ever there chanced to be in hours of ease or at a banquet a comparison of the verses of Homer, each man choosing his favourite line, Alexander always judged this verse to be the greatest of all:
ReplyDeleteBoth things is he: both a goodly king and a warrior mighty."
I believe Alexander the Great deserves that title because he was a greater man than his father was and took his people to heights never before seen. In the age where Macedon was thought of as low born and unworthy, Alexander rose from the image and created a greater and vast empire that the likes of which no other leader has ever topped. Many have tried but all have failed. Alexander is the standard by which all leaders since have tried to reach but can never, for there is only one Alexander the Great.
Jen Mellette
Plutarch's first oration discusses how Alexander was a great philosopher. In section four, Plutarch points out that Alexander's training under Aristotle equipped him far better for his conquests than did inheriting his father's empire. Plutarch also points out in section five that "Plato and Socrates did not win over many," but that Alexander "changed...countless tribes." Alexander is credited with joining the nations of Asia and Europe in a wise way, "by the ties of lawful love and chaste nuptials and mutual joy in children" (Section 7). "He brought together into one body all men everywhere, uniting and mixing in one great loving-cup, as it were, men's lives, their characters, their marriages, their very habits of life" (Section 6). He demonstrated his wisdom by adapting his clothing to be more appealing to the conquered Persians so that they would be less likely to revolt (Section 8). In Section 11, Plutarch summarizes his point by listing the accomplishments of Alexander and declaring each of them to be "Like a Philosopher!" Plutarch argues that the "proof is in the pudding" by directing us to compare the pupils of these men. The few followers of Plato and Socrates tended to eventually spurn their teaching and "were prone to spew the good word forth, as a horse the curbing bit, and turned them to other ways" (Section 5). On the other hand, Alexander, the great practical philosopher, raised up uncountable, virtuous, and practicing followers.
ReplyDeleteIn the readings I found a paragraph that I believes gives credit to the great in Alexander the Great. In the paragraph several events are described. One involves a captive named Porus. Alexander asks how he should be treated to which porus replies "like a king" Alexander asks if there is anything else. The next involves the Darius killed in battle, instead of claiming victory he took his cape and covered his body out of respect. Once he was reading a letter from his mother and his friend Hephaestion was looking at it, instead of having the friend killed or threatened, Alexander made him kiss his signet-ring as a vow of silence and sign of their friendship. It's these qualities that make him great and deserving of the the title Alexander the Great.
ReplyDeleteAlexanders' actions portrayed in section 11 seemed quite interesting because of how he dealt with warfare. He did an awesome job winning battles and fighting for what he wanted, but with a lot of conquering going on, he also lost others' lives. With being the person who he was because of what he wanted, made him a great leader.
ReplyDelete