The Greco-Roman Tradition
Professor Ambrosio, from Georgetown University, traces the development of the heroic ideal. In the Greek mythopoetic tradition, the key concepts of “necessity” (ananke) and “heroic virtue” (arete) are displayed amidst the challenges of the Greek games (agon). Ambrosio then follows the ideal through the emergence of Greek tragic drama, which serves as an entirely new form of agon. This Greek dramatic festival is a form of religious liturgical celebration that honors the gods.
The ideal of heroic citizenship is illustrated in Plato’s account of the trial of Socrates, which serves as the basis for Plato’s development of the figure of the philosopher-king in the Republic. In this work Plato elevates the role of contemplation and questioning as a way of life. This module concludes with the transformation of the ideal of heroic citizenship within late Stoicism, moving from the microcosm of the Greek polis into the macrocosm of the Roman imperial dominion. Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius provide the basis for a civic religion of reason within a context of secular humanism.
In an essay of 400 to 800 words (with a typical font and spacing, this will be approximately 1-1/2 to 3 pages), respond to the following question:
How does the ideal of heroic citizenship change from the Greek mythopoetic tradition through the emergence of Greek tragic drama to the late Stoicism of Roman imperialism What elements remain the same in this development of the ideal, and what elements undergo alteration or adaptation What, in the end, is the essence of the heroic ideal
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