Re: Arma virumque cano [was Re: Hurtgen forest]

What we need a little bit more of in this conversation is Sassoon, Brooke,
Owens...

not to invalidate what's already been said, but to balance.

If I have to fight, I will do my best and take pride in fighting well. Beyond
that....

Jim

Tim Strzechowski wrote:

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "L. Manning Vines" <lmanningvines@hotmail.com>
>
> > Why is war beautiful? Or what is beautiful about it, or to what extent is
> > it beautiful?
>
> [ ... ]
>
> > But the fact remains, it seems to me. Something of war, whatever
> adjectives
> > you wish to use, is tied to us -- perhaps especially the men. The
> > popularity and pervasiveness of war movies need not be pointed out, and
> all
> > of us in that seminar were acutely aware that even Socrates had fought in
> > war, that it was once a rare man who was not ever a soldier, whether he
> was
> > a philosopher, physicist, doctor or farmer. The Romans actually allowed
> > only property-owning men to fight, since they, it was thought, had the
> most
> > to lose. The young and poor were kept from service. And, of course, the
> > greatest epic poets have thought, at least, that war is worthy of epic
> > poems -- and perhaps that little else makes an appropriate setting. Homer
> > begins with the invocation: "Sing rage, goddess" and Virgil, as in the
> > subject line, begins: "I sing of arms and a man."
> >
>
> Homer, of course, had very strong opinions about the good aspects of war. He
> contended that war brings out the best in men, for it forces them to excell
> (albeit in the name of survival) and urges them toward being persons of
> stature and value (ideal hero). War also reminds us of the important things
> in life: citizenship, family, our own mortality. Although there are obvious
> evils that develop from war, Homer was quite optimistic that is was a
> necessary -- and welcome -- part of existence.
>
> Tim
>
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