Category: Pericles

Announcing Aspasia of Miletus: Socrates’ Didaskalos, a research pamphlet

6/15/2016

Aspasia

Plato says that Aspasia (a woman) taught Socrates the Socratic method.

Announcing Ew Publishing’s research pamphlet, Aspasia of Miletus: Socrates’ Didaskalos (Bryan W. Brickner, 2016).

From the conclusion: the primary sources utilized throughout this pamphlet have demonstrated both parts of the original thesis. In the first case, we have seen that Aspasia’s purported political influence only provided the Samians with a scapegoat, Pericles’ enemies with a target, and Aristophanes with material for his comedies. Regarding Aspasia’s rhetorical skills, we found that she not only had a keen intellect, but also that she utilized the maieutic method and was respected enough by Socrates that he had no difficulty in seeking her advice or in referring to her as his didaskalos.

*Next Up: Sunday 19 June and The Union series begins again with Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb Nowhere Juneteenth Square.

Posted by Bryan W. Brickner

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Ascending Athenian American Heritage ~ Usurpation Day 2014

4/8/2014

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Slavery is the shadow of usurpation (rights taken without right) the way mythology frames America’s beginning: it’s foundational.

Slavery has been edited out of Usurpation Day 2014; it will be duly accorded its role in both Athens and America in June (on the 19th).

Usurpation Day is not a time to be sad; it’s a celebratory day. The usurpation of the representation ratio on 9 April 1792 is our history … it’s not our heritage.

Heritage is ahistorical (timeless) and it is our focus today: specifically, ascending Athenian American heritage. Six greats ~ three from each polis: Plato and Madison, Pericles and Washington, and Athena and Freedom:

Plato
Plato’s contribution to our heritage is The Republic. In the book he outlines the just society and details three groups (factions/divisions) in his republican form of government: rulers, guardians and craftspeople (producers).

Madison
Madison’s contribution to our heritage is the addition of the representation ratio to Plato’s republican ideas. Whereas Plato’s republic has three factions, Madison’s republic has a fourth ~ We the People ~ and utilizes the decennial Census to augment representation in accordance with population growth (something Plato’s republican ideas lack).

Pericles
His era built the Parthenon. He was an Athenian leader during the Peloponnesian War and his Funeral Oration (speech) is noted in Thucydides’ work.

Washington
His era built the District of Columbia. Washington was hailed as the first in war and the first in peace. His most famous speech is his Farewell Address. Washington’s library included the Greeks: Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey and Ovid’s Metamorphoses ~ which makes mention of 30,000 spirits who watch over the deeds of humans and bring agricultural bounty.

Athena
The Athenian’s had a statue of Athena inside the Parthenon. She is noted for many things to the Greeks; in particular, the victory at Troy and the homecoming of Odysseus. She was referred to as Promachus: first (foremost) fighter and one who leads in battle. Also, parthenongenesis is asexual reproduction without fertilization ~ noting Athena’s birth from the head of Zeus.

Freedom
We the People have our own Athena: her name is Freedom and she watches over America from atop our acropolis, the US Capitol. There were three versions of Freedom’s statue. The first looked too much like Athena; the second, too much like Minerva (Rome’s Athena); the third they thought looked just about right I guess … you know, for being born in 1863 in the middle of the US Civil War.

Heritage (not history) is the key to Usurpation Day ~ and keep this in mind: America’s best days are ahead of US.

Let us pick-up there on 19 June … Juneteenth.

Bryan W. Brickner

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Announcing Aspasia of Miletus: Socrates’ Didaskalos, a research pamphlet

Ascending Athenian American Heritage ~ Usurpation Day 2014

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