Antigone: Moral Law vs. Political Law In the Theban play Antigone one of the central themes is the fight between what the state finds to be immoral or wrong and what an individual believes is the right thing to do. In the play, Antigone buries her dead brother and gives him funeral rights which the king, Creon, has decreed a crime. This conflict makes us question what power the state should have over people’s lives, what should be done when one believes a law is unjust and how far personal beliefs should be taken in making or changing laws. We find the author hinting at democratic ideals over the monarchs that were common in his time.
Validity in the Charges of Impiety against Socrates Impiety is commonly defined as a lack of proper concern for the obligations owed to public religious observation. Plato’s Apology consists of a speech made by Socrates, a well-known philosopher, in defense of his life and conduct at his trail. Socrates was accused of being impious through accusations such as corrupting the youth of Athens, not recognizing the gods that are recognized by the state, as well as inventing new deities. The question then becomes, with these accusations in mind, are the charges of impiety against Socrates valid? This question is not easy to answer, and is in fact, quite complex.
Assess the impact of the Emperor Tiberius on the Principate The impact that the Emperor Tiberius had on the principate was contested by both the ancient and modern historians through time. Ancient historians mostly comprised detested Tiberius as it was their obligation to expose the evils of the principate under the Julio-Claudians and portray its degeneration into tyranny. His flaws are highlighted by the end of his reign particularly caused by his enigmatic personality, deteriorating relationship with the senate, influence of Sejanus and the repercussions of the treason trials. Whilst modern sources illustrate him from a more positive perspective pointing out his good intentions, effectively administrating the state, vastly improving
549430 Ms.Owens – 1st English II November 19, 2014 The Assassination of Julius Caesar One of the basic needs of being human is to control something in life whether it be money, or a group. One of the ways to gain power is by killing someone or assassination. Caesar, the leader of Rome, is assassinated by the conspirators who believe that he is becoming too powerful. The conspirators were wrong, Caesar shouldn’t be dead. The assassination is proved wrong by Antony when he reads Caesar's will to the people.
After spending the primary season trying to prove they are most in tune with their party, they run for election on the basis of being most in tune with the nation. However, large swaths of the nation are at odds with the social contracts that politician holds with their party (or, otherwise, they would all be members of that party). This sets up the confusing political structure in American culture where politicians must first promise their parties they care strongly about certain issues, then assure the rest of the country that they do not actually care that strongly (Strom 1990). This confusing political structure emerges directly out of the conflicts in the
The Greeks were also receiving propaganda from the Macedonians which they believed over the Persians. The Greeks belief that the Persians were really looking out for their own interests and not what was best for Greece. The Greeks also had a great fear of severe punishment by Alexander if they revolted against him and were defeated. During this time Alexander’s army was still at war in Asia and achieving victories rather easily. Darius’s last attempt was his appeals to Alexander’s Greek allied soldiers to revolt against him or assassinate him.
With the Balance of Power destabilising, which, according to Thucydides, is the only means to achieve peace, the growth of power in Athens caused the Spartans to feel more and more insecure and thus they started to prepare to defend themselves. This very much reflects the realist point of view, as it argues that without a Balance of Power there can be no peace and it also shows how easily the balance can be dis-rupted so that it causes a war. Thucydides that war may be justified on grounds of pursuit of the national interest and in order to achieve peace at last. However, there are differences as to what is a ‘legitimate’ national interest. Where for political realism everything that is in the interest of the state and can be achieved by
A last example of the Greek cultural value of being devoted to the gods is made visible by the reason that Oedipus is accursed. Creon finally tells Oedipus to “not seek to be master in everything” (Sophocles 470). Because Oedipus relied so heavily on himself, instead of being loyal the gods, he greatly suffered. Because Sophocles wrote the play so that Oedipus would suffer for not being loyal,
In Ode 1 of the play, another strophe of the chorus proceeds after the scene between Creon and the sentry, lamenting on Creon’s growing ignorance and pride. Prior to the strophe, Creon rebuked a sentry, claiming him responsible to the crime of Polyneices’ burial. Despite the pleads from the sentry, Creon refused to give him mercy or believe him. “How dreadful it is when the right judge judges wrong!”(1355) Creon is beginning to appear as a wrongful, unjust king and the Chorus overshadows that more conflicts will arise because of the new, proud king. The chorus warned the audience of the dreadful pride of Creon by using mostly metaphors.
The first is from the old longstanding charges that he is frivolously curious and questions the truths of the earth and sky, and the second is current legal charges that state that he recognizes a different God than the God recognized by the state, as well as creating his own false deities (demigods) as well. The Courts also accused him of corrupting the youth of Athens with his teachings.