Learning from Ancient Greece

On my interminable drive to Ohio, I listened to the first parts of a college course called Great Authors of the Western Literary Tradition. So far I'm still on the Classical World. But I`ve learned a lot already. Here are two examples.

South Park - the TV show on the Comedy Channel - is the 21st century Aristophanes. The comedies of Aristophanes of ancient Athens contained scatological humor, wild parodies of public figures, and sexual humor and innuendo. And the plays dealt with serious issues in the undercurrent or explicitly. Just like South Park. Hehehehe.

Post Cold War US Attitudes. A learned reader commented privately that US treatment of other nations since winning the cold war was engendering resentment and might lead to a bad end. Ancient Athens won the second Persian War with the help of allies. After the war, it lead a coalition that evolved into an empire dominated by Athens. Resentment from other Greek states built up and the Peloponesian war resulted. I need to read more about the causes of that war so Thucydides is now on my book list.

The course I`m listening to is from "The Teaching Company" and the lectures are given by excellent teachers and are on CDs. I've listened to several course and I highly recommend them.