David, Oath of the Horatti and the Death of Socrates. How do David’s paintings reflect the Neoclassical interest in Greek aesthetics, culture, and values? Neoclassical painting typically involved an emphasis on austere linear design in the depiction of classical events, characters and themes, using historically correct settings and costumes. Its emergence was greatly stimulated by the new scientific interest in classical antiquity that arose during the course of the 18th century. In David compositions, it is evident that the costumes, the events, the characters, the themes and the settings fit uncontestably in an historical contest, with all it beauty.
The Aeneid, written by Virgil, is a prime representation of epic poetry and it encompasses all epic themes. In his attempt to continue the Aeneid, Maffeo Vegio looks to use Virgilian style and tone to tell story Aeneas' story after Aeneas kills Turnus. Although he touches upon some Virgilian techniques, he would be viewed through Virgil's eyes as a sub-par epic poet. Vegio does not capture the Aeneid accurately, partly because he does not stay faithful to the epic dactylic hexameter, and he arouses a different attitude toward the story as perceived by the reader than Virgil does. Some of the Virgilian techniques that Vegio attempts to imitate include the use of epithets, similes and metaphors, role of the gods, symbolism, and various others.
Roman art was now being created in the Greek style and the Romans were now started to adopt Greek mythology. They wanted a heroic past that linked with the heroic Greek past. An example of this is the 'Foundation of Rome' myth, having Romulus and Remus be the descendants of Aeneas, who was a survivor from Troy. Roman colonies
Of all the historians over time, Herodotus is considered to be the ‘Father or History’[1] who began recording the events surrounding the Persian wars between 499 BC and 449 BC in what is known as The Histories[2]. Herodotus’ Histories read very much like the epic poems of Homer’s The Illiad[3], in the way that they were oral accounts of events that involved the interactions between the Gods and mortals, which focused on the achievements of individuals. Herodotus states that “My business is to record what people say, but I am by no means bound to believe it”[4] enforcing the idea that these historical accounts have been recorded from what he has heard from other sources and has taken an objective view on the events. Thucydides makes similar statements saying that his writings of the Peloponnesian War between 431 BC and 404 BC will aim to provide an exact knowledge of the past, omitting any romance to his tales[5]. It is clear that these two historians differ in the way they approach their accounts of the history of war.
Rather, the point is that the authority of kingship now belongs to the poetic voice, the voice that is declaiming the Theogony. Although it is often used as a sourcebook for Greek mythology the Theogony is both more and less than that. In formal terms it is a hymn invoking Zeus and the Muses (who he farthered): parallel passages between it and the much shorter Homeric Hymn to the Muses make it clear that Hesiod's account the Theogony is developed out of a tradition of hymnic preludes with which an ancient Greek rhapsode would begin his performance at poetic competitions. It is necessary to see the Theogony not as the definitive source of Greek mythology, but rather as a photographic account of a dynamic tradition sort to say that happened to become
The play “Oedipus Rex” by Sophocles is a wonderfully written Greek tradgedy based on folklore and mythology. There are almost as many interpretations of the meaning of this play as there are versions of it that have been rewritten by other authors. Francis Fergusson and David Wiles both comment on the political aspects of Oedipus Rex and spend some time commenting on the chorus in particular (183). I feel that although Fergusson and Wiles choose different words to describe was the chorus is trying to say, that if you get down to basics, they are both trying to say something extremely similar. Fergusson describes a Sophoclean chorus as an important character or group personality, like an old Parliament or a Prime Minister (237-238).
DAVID BLAIR ONE OR THE OTHER In the Odyssey, we see a man being broken and rebuilt. Throughout his journey, Odysseus goes through difficult situations, deceiving people on the way. I would agree with Gorgias that “The man who deceives shows more justice than he who does not.” It is only through his hard work, wise spirit, and deception that Odysseus finally makes it home. The main theme of the Odyssey is deception and revelation, as the characters use their cunning abilities of disguise. Athena disguises herself, though Telemachus knows it’s her.
Hugo Valdez 12/09/11 Final Exam Essay HIS 3060-002 Prof. O’Bryan Aeneas Influence on Rome and Augustus Virgil’s the Aeneid serves as a great poem that is highly influential in Roman society, especially during Augustus rule over Rome. The Aeneid and Aeneas were an influence over Rome for many reasons, one of the most important is that it offered Romans a story/tale in which the people could believe in and look up to. Virgil mentions many gods who often commanded the Roman’s ancestors, the Trojans, and serves as a great story as to how Rome came to be and what Rome would be like. Aeneas’ struggles and long voyage towards the founding Rome is an inspirational story that shows us how the Roman gods had a plan for Aeneas and Rome. As
The Aeneid would be an opportunity for Virgil to create a history and heritage the people of Rome could be proud of and relate to almost in the same way that Homer’s The Illiad and The Odyssey are landmarks of Greek history. In light of this, this essay aims to explore the notion that The Aeneid is merely a piece of political propaganda that was used as a tool by Augustus during his tenure as leader of Rome. Furthermore, it aims to illustrate the extent to which The Aeneid fits this description as a piece of political propaganda. Virgil attempts to create a story that that illustrates the greatness of Rome and there is no better opportunity for doing so than writing about its origins. We can see evidence of this throughout Aeneas’ account of the fall of Troy that begins in book II.
The primary objective of Greek art was to explore the order of nature and to convey philosophical thought, while Roman art was used primarily as a medium to project the authority and importance of the current ruler and the greatness of his empire. This change in the meaning of art from Greek to Roman times shows the gradual decline in the importance of intellectualism in ancient western culture. The fact that Greek civilization reached a point at which its art reflected some of the most refined thought ever recorded in the ancient world shows the importance of intellectualism in this culture. The Doryphoros, a sculpture done by Polycleatus himself, serves as an excellent example of how art reflects philosophical thought. This sculpture was constructed using a strict mathematical formula that was believed to represent the perfect male body.