Edith Hamilton: Difference Between Greeks And Modern Man
When compared to the lifestyles of Greece’s ancient heroes, modern life appears uneventful and repetitive. This is why Edith Hamilton’s belief that “Greece’s great men let all their acts turn on immortality of the soul. We don’t really act as if we believed in the soul’s immortality and that is why we are where we are today” perfectly describes the difference between Greeks and modern man. When Hamilton says that the great men of Greece let their acts turn on immortality, she describes the desire of the Greeks to be remembered. Unlike the Greeks, modern men do not have the desire or aspiration to remain remembered; aside from the famous, an average man will be remembered only by few outside his family. The story of Theseus describes the Greeks’
desire for remembrance: at the beginning of the myth, Theseus is unknown by most outside his family. To fix this, Theseus decides to travel by land instead of safely travelling by sea. He makes a name for himself by killing many bandits along the way. Through these actions, he embodies the Greek ideals of strength and justice for the defenseless. He is also known as the man who bravely volunteered to slay the dangerous minotaur that threatened Athens. It is clear the Theseus’ goal throughout these adventures was to be remembered; however, he is not the only man guilty of this: Phaëthon rode Helios’ chariot across the sky in the Sun’s place. He did this because he wanted to be acknowledged as one of the greats. Lastly, Jason went on a perilous journey fighting bulls and serpents for glory, not to help Pelias. Jason wanted to be remembered for centuries which is why he went to Colchis in the first place. In mythology, Greeks seek glory in the form of honor and nobility, not in wealth. Compared to the amazing adventures of these Greek men, present day life appears bland. Today, if a man were to die, he would leave little impact on the world. The Greeks aspire to be remembered; however, modern day men are not held to the same standards.
desire for remembrance: at the beginning of the myth, Theseus is unknown by most outside his family. To fix this, Theseus decides to travel by land instead of safely travelling by sea. He makes a name for himself by killing many bandits along the way. Through these actions, he embodies the Greek ideals of strength and justice for the defenseless. He is also known as the man who bravely volunteered to slay the dangerous minotaur that threatened Athens. It is clear the Theseus’ goal throughout these adventures was to be remembered; however, he is not the only man guilty of this: Phaëthon rode Helios’ chariot across the sky in the Sun’s place. He did this because he wanted to be acknowledged as one of the greats. Lastly, Jason went on a perilous journey fighting bulls and serpents for glory, not to help Pelias. Jason wanted to be remembered for centuries which is why he went to Colchis in the first place. In mythology, Greeks seek glory in the form of honor and nobility, not in wealth. Compared to the amazing adventures of these Greek men, present day life appears bland. Today, if a man were to die, he would leave little impact on the world. The Greeks aspire to be remembered; however, modern day men are not held to the same standards.