...Nevermind

[montagnarde1793]

I remember I had a lot of interesting things to comment on, but I can't remember any of them.

Except that it occurred to me how to make sense of the Revolutionaries' relation to the Roman Republicans. It all makes a lot more sense if you consider that what the former are really admiring in the latter is Republican Virtue Incarnate, rather than the actual flesh-and-blood historical figures. I suppose as long as I can remember that I can safely separate the fictitious 18th century version from the real thing. Which still leaves me with much the same problem, admittedly: I know it's safe to like the former, but I still haven't made up my mind about the latter. Oh, woe. I could always just go with the Progress of Ideas, I suppose. You know, like Victor Hugo's assertion that monasteries are wonderfully useful in the Middle Ages but are horriblly ridiculous in the 19th century? Surely we could come up with something similar for Romans... Oh, now I'm just making excuses.

In any case, enjoy the next bit with our fictional 18th century-style Romans from Brutus et Cassius:

SCENE II.

 

BRUTUS, A SLAVE.

 

BRUTUS.

Slave, what do you want?

 

SLAVE.

This important document

Comes from Rome, and was just given me for you.

                                                                                    (He exits.)

 

BRUTUS.

Let’s read. “You showed a man’s courage;

“To new reverses oppose your virtues.”

Must we weep still more on the destiny of Rome?

Let’s continue. “Beneath the Gods, yield, my dear Brutus:

            “Give tears to Porcia;

            “She who consoled your life,

            “Cato’s daughter is no more.”

O asperity! O affection! O irreparable loss!

But at least her demise renders me alone miserable.

I will know how to contain my sorrow in my breast.

Gods, are you happy? Is this enough misfortune?

I lose everything I love; a criminal shade

Comes from the eternal night to pursue me yet;

Or, if such vain objects have frightened my eyes,

When you take everything from me, if it is you, o great Gods,

Who spread these devastating terrors in me,

Do you detest Brutus and our bloody Ides?

                                    (He falls into a profound reverie.)

Also, I'm almost done with Losurdo's book on revisionism. It is so wonderfully awesome. It's so frustrating that it was written in Italian, because I can't translate a book from French to English which has already been translated from Italian; I'm sure the result would be terrible. And I'm equally sure they'll never translate it into English. D: