Thursday, March 29, 2007

Greek of the Week

Just because I can...
...ὁ δὲ μὴ δυνάμενος κοινωνεῖν ἢ μηδὲν δεόμενος δι᾽
αὐτάρκειαν οὐθεν μέρος πὸλεως, ὥστε ἢ θερίον ἢ θεός


One who is unable to live in a community, or does not need to because he is self-sufficient, is no part of the polis, and is therefore either a beast or a god.

--Aristotle, Politics 1253a27-29

More in the days ahead...

9 comments:

  1. Glenn,
    It seems that way to me.

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  2. You can read Greek? Or just type it..? Either way I'm impressed.

    I read the Poetics in school and all I remember is that Aristotle says a story should have a beginning, a middle, and an end. How's that for philosophy??! Sadly, it doesn't really get the impressed reaction at parties that one would hope.

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  3. I regard myself as a God.
    I wish I could live as a hermit, far away from people...

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  4. Emarie, yes I can read classical Greek, although I'm very rusty (Classics MA). I suppose the Poetics is not likely to impress much these days (basically for the reasons you've mentioned). But although it was written over 2000 years ago it still describes pretty accurately what we call "drama" today, and its more prescriptive aspects are still being debated today (plot vs. character, etc.).

    Usual Stuff, beware of hubris! ;-)

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  5. I came across your blog three days ago while looking for some information about Japan. I've read most of your posts, they're very interesting.

    Greetings from Greece!

    Γεωργία

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  6. Hello Georgia, and welcome! Thanks for your kind words and please feel free to drop by and comment anytime you like.
    Do you have a blog of your own? What's it like in Greece? I hope to go there some day (it's a dream of mine, in fact...).

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