Enraged: why violent times need ancient Greek myths

Description

Millennia ago, Greek myths exposed the dangers of violent rage and the need for empathy and self-restraint. Homer's 'Iliad', Euripides' 'Hecuba', and Sophocles' 'Ajax' show that anger and vengeance destroy perpetrators and victims alike. Composed before and during the ancient Greeks' groundbreaking movement away from autocracy toward more inclusive political participation, these stories offer guidelines for modern efforts to create and maintain civil societies. This text reveals how these three masterworks of classical Greek literature can teach us, as they taught the ancient Greeks, to recognize violent revenge as a marker of illogical thinking and poor leadership. Frontmatter -- Contents -- Acknowledgments -- A Note on the Texts, Translations, and Notes -- Introduction: The Power of Stories -- one. Passions and Priorities (Iliad 1) -- two. Them and Us (Iliad 6) -- three. Cultivating Rational Thought (Iliad 9) -- four. Violence, Vengeance, and a Glimpse of Victory (Iliad 10-24) -- five. The Dangers of Democratic Decision Making (Sophocles' Ajax) -- six. The Abuse of Power and Its Consequences (Euripides' Hecuba) -- Conclusion: The Ends of Self- Government -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index