"Virtuous, Lovely or of Good Report or Praiseworthy"

This semester in my Classical Civilizations Class I have had the opportunity to study many different literary works from classical Greek, Roman, and Italian history. Studying these works has helped me to understand a lot about human nature, about writing, and about how mankind has developed to be what it is today. One work, in particular, though, stands out to me as a work that is "virtuous, lovely or of good report or praiseworthy." That work is the "Odyssey" by Homer.
I enjoyed this work above all others because of the lessons contained therein and the way Homer teaches those lessons. Throughout this book, he uses a very kind, wholesome language free from sarcasm, satire, pessimism, and untruths. The characters portrayed in the book each have a person and teach a specific lesson. The main character, Odysseus, though not portrayed as a perfect man, is a noble, honorable man who does much good for his people and his family. He respects his family, he has integrity, he cares for his men, and he is courageous. These things are the mark of a true hero, with no major character flaws. The way Homer tells the story is also noteworthy, because it does not end badly like a tragedy and it doesn't leave one feeling confused or betrayed. It ends happily, with Homer reuniting with his family and then going off to live his life and continually fulfill his duty. The entire work teaches good principles of morality, integrity, courage, and virtue. This I appreciate. For this reason have I chosen this book: like none other, it left me feeling good inside and well-fed spiritually after reading and studying it.

Machiavelli's outrageous statements in the Prince

In the first 50 pages of this book, Machiavelli spends most of his time talking about how Princes rise to power and difficulties they encounter along the way. He then spends a lot of time talking about the Prince in his high position and what happens to him there. I was reading specifically about why men, or princes are praised and blamed when I came across this quote: "Any man who tries to be good all the time is bound to come to ruin among the great number who are not good. Hence a prince who wants to keep his authority must learn how not to be good, and use that knowledge, or refrain from using it, as necessity requires." This seemed to me a ridiculous notion, after spending the last half hour reading about virtue, strength and good acts so that a Prince acts like he should within society. Now Machiavelli is telling us that they need not only to learn how to play dirty, but to actually play dirty when necessity requires. After thinking about this for a while, I have decided that Machiavelli is right, but one needs to be very careful when reading about this and taking this advice into consideration. It is necessary to become acquainted with the not-so-good side of society, to know what people do when they get down in the dirt to play dirty, but a Prince should spend his time rising above this, leaving those with less integrity down in the dirt. In this way, he would be using this advice the way Machiavelli meant it.

I support President Bateman's Decision

On Nov. 14, 1997, Merrill J. Bateman, President of BYU Provo, issued a statement explaining why BYU had excluded 4 statues from the Rhodin art exhibit in the Museum of Art and apologizing for the delayed response, which should have come a few months earlier. I wholeheartedly support that decision and here are my reasons why:
-First and foremost: The nude statues were not appropriate for this or any other art exhibit. One statue showed a male "in the act of self-gratification" and the others brought similar distracting thoughts and obscenities to mind. Many in the world may have lowered their moral standards to almost nothing, but just because they have does not mean that God has or ever will. I stand by that
-#2: BYU and the art museum carry the name of the Savior's church and they would do well to try and represent him in every way possible.
-#3: The majority of individuals who frequent the art museum include families and often young children in the community. Although it may be appropriate for students to study such material under certain guidelines and contexts, it is not appropriate to parade such a thing around for the public eye to see.
-#4: The sculptures had nothing to do with the main theme of the exhibit (Rhodon's handiwork) and their absence did not detract at all from it.

Quotes from Juvenal's "Satire III", corresponding to Social Problems

#1 Breaches in Morality

"Let those remain who turn black into white, to whom it comes easy to take contracts for temples, rivers or harbours, for draining floods, or carrying corpses to the pyre, or to put up slaves for sale under the authority of the spear.[4] These men once were horn-blowers, who went the round of every provincial show, and whose puffed-out cheeks were known in every village; to-day they hold shows of their own, and win applause by slaying whomsoever the mob with a turn of the thumb[5] bids them slay; from that they go back to contract for cesspools, and why not for any kind of thing, seeing that they are of the kind that Fortune raises from the gutter to the mighty places of earth whenever she wishes to enjoy a laugh?" (21)

#2 Religious Intolerance

"At Rome you may produce a witness as unimpeachable as the host of the Idaean Goddess.--Numa himself might present himself, or he who rescued the trembling Minerva from the blazing shrine--the first question asked will be as to his wealth, the last about his character: 'how many slaves does he keep?' 'how many acres does he own?' 'how big and how many are his dessert dishes?' A man's word is believed in exact proportion to the amount of cash which he keeps in his strong-box. Though he swear by all the altars of Samothrace or of Rome, the poor man is believed to care naught for Gods and thunderbolts, the Gods themselves forgiving him." (126)

#3 Discrimination

"Here in Rome the son of free-born parents has to give the wall to some rich man's slave; for that other will give as much as the whole pay of a legionary tribune to enjoy the chance favours of a Calvina or a Catiena, while you, when the face of some gay-decked harlot takes your fancy, scarce venture to hand Chione down from her lofty chair." (126)

#4 Illegal Immigration

"The Syrian Orontes has long since poured into the Tiber, bringing with it its lingo and its manners, its flutes and its slanting harp-strings; bringing too the timbrels of the breed, and the trulls who are bidden ply their trade at the Circus. Out upon you, all ye that delight in foreign strumpets with painted headdresses! Your country clown, Quirinus, now trips to dinner in Greek-fangled slippers, and wears niceterian ornaments upon a ceromatic neck! One comes from lofty Sicyon, another from Amydon or Andros, others from Samos, Tralles or Alabanda; all making for the Esquiline, or for the hill that takes its name from osier-beds[8]; all ready to worm their way into the houses of the great and become their masters." (58)

#5 Education

After much searching, I could not find any reference to education in Juvenal's "Satire III."

Top 5 Social Problems in America Today

#1 Breaches in morality becoming normal and accepted (such as gay marriage, abortion, immodesty, foul language, etc.)

#2 Religious intolerance and persecution

#3 Discrimination

*whitecivilrights.com

#4 Illegal immigration

#5  Too little funding for education (slashing music and arts programs)

Wise King Latinus

As I was reading selected chapters in the "Aeneid" by Virgil, I was struck by the choice that a certain King, Latinus made, with regards to his own history and the future of his people. When Aeneid and his men landed up the shores of Italy near the mouth of the Tiber river and the kingdom of Latium, he receives a sign from the gods that this is the place where he and his men are to settle. Latinus, the King of Latinum, also receives an indication from the gods, when he is told that his daughter is to marry a foreigner. Thus, when Aeneas comes before him, he makes, in my opinion, one of the best choices as King of the people. He chooses to greet Aeneas as if he were a welcome friend, give him his daughter to marry and allow him and his people to settle. These are the words he greets Aeneas with: "May the gods give their blessing to what we begin today and to their own prophecies! You will receive what you ask, Trojan, and I do not refuse your gifts. While Latinus is king, you will have rich land to farm and you will never feel the lack of the wealth of Troy." He then offers his daughter in marriage and shows this by sending a gift to Aeneas: one of his best chariots and horses. I was impressed with this passage because of the faith that this man had in the fates, or in other words, the gods. He accepted these foreigners, not only into his kingdom, but into his family, without even knowing them or taking the time to build a trust with them, simply because he had been told to do so. If only we could all have the faith and conviction of this man when we are told to do something!

Parallels between ancient Roman society and modern U.S. society

Just like the Greeks, the Romans still influence greatly our way of life today. Here are some examples and their parallels in our society:
1) Res Publica (the Roman free government) - The United States government
2) Roman senate - U.S. senate
3) Roman paved roads - modern roads and highways

4) Roman cities were planned, some with a grid-system - Our modern cities are planned and many have grid-systems

5) Running water - Our running water systems are much more advanced, but they had the idea first!

The role of law in a free society according to the Greeks

The Grecian school of thought included many aspects of politics, philosophy, mathematics, religion and science. One common topic which many Greeks wrote about is the role of law in their communities and societies. Here as some of the things that they said:
Thucydides speaking about their constitution: "Its administration favours the many instead of the few; this is why it is called a democracy." He went on to explain that every man in the Greek society is involved in politics and not just in voting. Each one was a politician. Each one took part in discussions and meetings to determine laws and city ordinances. Each one took a turn serving in the government. Ideally this is how it worked, although it wasn't quite this perfect. The main effect of this type of law is the empowering of each man, be he poor or rich. Each man had an equal opportunity to go somewhere in his life.
Plato in the Crito: Here Socrates speaks about the Laws in Athens. He states that they should not be disobeyed or nullified or they will lost importance and the state will fall into chaos. His most important assertion is that the state is only held together by the laws and that the laws are only binding if they hold no matter the circumstances.
Sophocles: In "Oedipus Rex" Sophocles shows how important the law is to the King Oedipus because he was willing to kill himself rather than have his name shamed because he broke the law.

The way the Greeks view law is quite different from our view, but some things do remain the same. When Thucydides describes how each man in the city participates in government I am reminded of how we each have the opportunity to participate in government by voting, although, the Greek way of participating was much more involved than ours. I can also relate to Plato's statement about how laws hold the state together and keep them from falling to chaos. I feel like laws still do that today.

The use of masks in Greek Theater and how that relates to us

My wife and I collect masks. We try to buy at least one mask each time we visit a foreign country or get to know a new kind of people. We recently bought a mask in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The mask is colorful with peacock feathers, symbolizing the party, Carnaval, a festival that occurs in late February. I served my mission among the Brazilian people and I know that the mask we bought does not remind me of the Brazilian people I have come to love. It does, though, represent a people who drastically change their lifestyle to party for a week during Carnaval.

As I was reading about Greek theater a few things stood out. The first was their use of only male actors, playing all parts, male, female or otherwise. The second part that stood out to me was the way they use masks. In the assigned reading for tomorrow's class it said that "actors would simply change masks and could appear" as many different roles in the same play. Each mask is designed to give off a different impression. The mask served to transform the person wearing the mask into another character altogether. The face is by far the most recognizable part of the body and so when we change the face, the person changes altogether. Change to another part of the body, such as the foot would hardly go unnoticed. In fact, many tragedies outfitted their actors all with the same pair of boots, regardless of their roles. "Tragic actors also wore special boots called cothurni or "buskins" in English. These low boots were generic foot coverings and anciently had neither a right foot or a left foot." It is remarkable to think about how much we depend on the face to tell us about a person, what he or she is saying and how he or she is feeling. Through our faces we have the opportunity to communicate who we really are. We have the ability to accurately portray our thoughts and feelings. We also can use our face to disguise our true identity and create a new character altogether, the same as what happened over and over again in Greek tragedy.

Epithets - How would Homer describe me?

An Epithet is a descriptive term that often accompanies a name. Many examples can be found in Greek literature such as Homer's Iliad. My task is to consider how I can be described using epithets.

John The Piano Man
-This one is really simple: I am a piano performance major and I play a lot of piano. I perform, I accompany, I play for the BYU Men's Chorus, I have even accompanied BYU ballet classes.

The Shumway Family Man
-I come from a family of 10 and my parents and 7 siblings mean everything to me. I am now married to my wife, Allison, the love of my life and we are starting a family of our own. She means everything to me and everything I do is so that we and our family can be happy.

Joao, Rapaz Brasileiro
-"Rapaz", in Portuguese, means young man and that is what my friends in Brazil often call me. Joao is John in Portuguese. I served my mission in Sao Paulo and have been back since then with my wife to visit friends there and see some other parts of Brazil, including Rio de Janeiro. We love it there and it has become a second home. I suggest this name for myself, though, because many Brazilians have told me that they often forget that I am American because of how naturally I seem to speak the language and fit into the Brazilian lifestyle.

John, Latter-Day Saint
-A saint is described as a "holy person", someone who serves God. Above all else in my life, this is the most important to me: my service to God. Of equal importance is the way my family serves God and comes closer to Him as a family unit. This is the plan that God has for each of us: that we serve Him in this life and make a habit of it. This is how we can be happy in the eternities.