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The Glory That Was The Glory That Was GreeceGreece

Focus Question Focus Question How did Greek thinkers, artists, and How did Greek thinkers, artists, and

writers explore the nature of the writers explore the nature of the universe and people’s place in it?universe and people’s place in it?

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Greek thinkers, artists, and writers explored the nature Greek thinkers, artists, and writers explored the nature of the universe and the place of people in it. To later of the universe and the place of people in it. To later admirers, Greek achievements in the arts represented admirers, Greek achievements in the arts represented the height of human development in the Western the height of human development in the Western world. They looked back with deep respect on what world. They looked back with deep respect on what one poet called “the glory that was Greece.” one poet called “the glory that was Greece.”

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Philosophers: Lovers of Wisdom Philosophers: Lovers of Wisdom

Greek thinkers Greek thinkers challenged the belief that challenged the belief that events were caused by events were caused by the whims of gods. the whims of gods. Instead, they used Instead, they used observation and reason observation and reason to find causes for events. to find causes for events. The Greeks called these The Greeks called these thinkers thinkers philosophersphilosophers, , meaning “lovers of meaning “lovers of wisdom.” wisdom.”

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Greek Greek philosophers philosophers explored many explored many subjects, from subjects, from mathematics and mathematics and music to music to logiclogic, or , or rational thinking. rational thinking. Through reason Through reason and observation, and observation, they believed, they believed, they could they could discover laws that discover laws that governed the governed the universe. Much universe. Much modern science modern science traces its roots to traces its roots to the Greek search the Greek search for such for such principles principles

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Socrates Questions Tradition Socrates Questions Tradition One outspoken critic of the One outspoken critic of the

Sophists was Sophists was SocratesSocrates, an , an Athenian stonemason and Athenian stonemason and philosopher. Most of what we philosopher. Most of what we know about Socrates comes know about Socrates comes from his student from his student PlatoPlato. . Socrates himself wrote no Socrates himself wrote no books. Instead, he passed his books. Instead, he passed his days in the town square asking days in the town square asking people about their beliefs. people about their beliefs. Using a process we now call Using a process we now call the Socratic method, he would the Socratic method, he would pose a series of questions to a pose a series of questions to a student or passing citizen, and student or passing citizen, and challenge them to examine the challenge them to examine the implications of their answers implications of their answers

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When he was about 70 years old, Socrates was put on trial. His When he was about 70 years old, Socrates was put on trial. His enemies accused him of corrupting the city’s youth and failing enemies accused him of corrupting the city’s youth and failing to respect the gods. Standing before a jury of 501 citizens, to respect the gods. Standing before a jury of 501 citizens, Socrates offered a calm and reasoned defense. But the jurors Socrates offered a calm and reasoned defense. But the jurors condemned him to death. Loyal to the laws of Athens, Socrates condemned him to death. Loyal to the laws of Athens, Socrates accepted the death penalty. He drank a cup of hemlock, a accepted the death penalty. He drank a cup of hemlock, a deadly poison.deadly poison.

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Plato Envisions A Perfect Society Plato Envisions A Perfect Society

The execution of The execution of Socrates left Plato Socrates left Plato with a lifelong distrust with a lifelong distrust of democracy. He fled of democracy. He fled Athens for 10 years. Athens for 10 years. When he returned, he When he returned, he set up a school called set up a school called the Academy. There, the Academy. There, he taught and wrote he taught and wrote about his own ideas about his own ideas

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In his book In his book The RepublicThe Republic, , Plato described his vision Plato described his vision of an ideal state. He of an ideal state. He rejected Athenian rejected Athenian democracy because it democracy because it had condemned Socrates had condemned Socrates just as it tended to other just as it tended to other excesses. Instead, Plato excesses. Instead, Plato argued that the state argued that the state should regulate every should regulate every aspect of its citizens’ lives aspect of its citizens’ lives in order to provide for in order to provide for their best interests their best interests

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He divided his ideal He divided his ideal society into three society into three classes: workers to classes: workers to produce the necessities produce the necessities of life, soldiers to of life, soldiers to defend the state, and defend the state, and philosophers to rule. philosophers to rule. This elite class of This elite class of leaders would be leaders would be specially trained to specially trained to ensure order and ensure order and justice. The wisest of justice. The wisest of them, a philosopher-them, a philosopher-king, would have the king, would have the ultimate authority. ultimate authority.

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Aristotle Pursues the Golden Mean Aristotle Pursues the Golden Mean Plato’s most famous Plato’s most famous

student, student, AristotleAristotle, , developed his own ideas developed his own ideas about government. He about government. He analyzed all forms of analyzed all forms of government, from government, from monarchy to democracy, monarchy to democracy, and found good and bad and found good and bad examples of each. Like examples of each. Like Plato, he was suspicious of Plato, he was suspicious of democracy, which he democracy, which he thought could lead to mob thought could lead to mob rule. In the end, he favored rule. In the end, he favored rule by a single strong and rule by a single strong and virtuous leader virtuous leader

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He left writings on politics, ethics, logic, He left writings on politics, ethics, logic, biology, literature, and many other biology, literature, and many other subjects. When the first European subjects. When the first European universities evolved some 1,500 years universities evolved some 1,500 years later, their courses were based largely later, their courses were based largely on the works and ideas of Aristotle. on the works and ideas of Aristotle.

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Monumental Architecture Monumental Architecture Greek architects sought to convey a sense of perfect balance to Greek architects sought to convey a sense of perfect balance to

reflect the harmony and order of the universe. The most famous reflect the harmony and order of the universe. The most famous example of Greek architecture is the example of Greek architecture is the ParthenonParthenon, a temple , a temple dedicated to the goddess Athena. dedicated to the goddess Athena.

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Greek architecture has been widely admired for centuries. Greek architecture has been widely admired for centuries. Today, many public buildings throughout the world have Today, many public buildings throughout the world have incorporated Greek architectural elements, such as columns, in incorporated Greek architectural elements, such as columns, in their designs.their designs.

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Artists Craft Lifelike Human Forms Artists Craft Lifelike Human Forms

Early Greek sculptors carved Early Greek sculptors carved figures in figures in rigidrigid poses, perhaps poses, perhaps imitating Egyptian styles. By imitating Egyptian styles. By 450 B.C., Greek sculptors had 450 B.C., Greek sculptors had developed a new style that developed a new style that emphasized more natural emphasized more natural forms. While their work was forms. While their work was lifelike, it was also idealistic. lifelike, it was also idealistic. That is, sculptors carved gods, That is, sculptors carved gods, goddesses, athletes, and goddesses, athletes, and famous men in a way that famous men in a way that showed human beings in their showed human beings in their most perfect, graceful form. most perfect, graceful form.

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The only Greek paintings The only Greek paintings to survive are on pottery. to survive are on pottery. They offer intriguing They offer intriguing views of every day Greek views of every day Greek life. Women carry water life. Women carry water from wells, warriors race from wells, warriors race into battle, and athletes into battle, and athletes compete in javelin compete in javelin contests. Each scene is contests. Each scene is designed to fit the shape designed to fit the shape of the pottery. of the pottery.