Beacon Lights of History, Volume 01: The Old Pagan Civilizations

Chapter 23: AUTHORITIES.

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About This Book

This collection of lectures surveys ancient civilizations' religions, philosophies, and arts, beginning with Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, and Persian faiths and proceeding to Indian Brahmanism and Buddhism, Greek and Roman mythology, and the ethical teachings of Confucius. It traces the development of Greek thought through the pre-Socratics, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, outlines Hellenistic schools, and examines Roman intellectual life. It also treats artistic achievements in sculpture and architecture, the moral and social roles of priests and philosophers, and the interplay between religious ritual and political institutions. Emphasis falls on accepted historical interpretations, biographical sketches of influential figures, and the cultural forces shaping ancient civilizations.

AUTHORITIES.

There are no better authorities than the classical authors themselves, and their works must be studied in order to comprehend the spirit of ancient literature. Modern historians of Roman literature are merely critics, like Dalhmann, Schlegel, Niebuhr, Muller, Mommsen, Mure, Arnold, Dunlap, and Thompson. Nor do I know of an exhaustive history of Roman literature in the English language; yet nearly every great writer has occasional criticisms upon the subject which are entitled to respect. The Germans, in this department, have no equals.