11-08-2009, 06:58 PM
Quite so.
I was simply posting the review without comment, but I find your points well and fairly taken.
Indeed, it is most unlikely I will ever read this book, even in translation -- I'm not much for fiction when history is almost always far more fascinating.
While I do believe that there are some interesting similarities between Ancient Rome and current events, it is a comparison that can not be pushed too far or too slavishly.
Perhaps the best book to compare Ancient Rome to the current USA was Cullen Murphy's 2007 book Are We Rome - The Fall Of An Empire And The Fate Of America. Mr. Murphy finds many interesting parallels but also many significant differences.
He concludes his book:
Are we Rome? In important ways we just might be. In important ways we're clearly making some of the same mistakes. But the antidote is everywhere. The Antidote is being American.
One might amend that to "The antidote is being modern."
I also hold with Machiavelli who said:
"Prudent men are wont to say--and this not rashly or without good ground--that he who would foresee what has to be should reflect on what has been, for everything that happens in the world at any time has genuine resemblance to what happened in ancient times."
The past is important to know, it can offer us many insights on our present and our possible future, but it is not a road map or a blueprint. The differences are just as important as the similarities.
Once again I am impressed by the depth of learning consistently displayed by the members of this Forum. Thanks Robert.
:wink:
Narukami
I was simply posting the review without comment, but I find your points well and fairly taken.
Indeed, it is most unlikely I will ever read this book, even in translation -- I'm not much for fiction when history is almost always far more fascinating.
While I do believe that there are some interesting similarities between Ancient Rome and current events, it is a comparison that can not be pushed too far or too slavishly.
Perhaps the best book to compare Ancient Rome to the current USA was Cullen Murphy's 2007 book Are We Rome - The Fall Of An Empire And The Fate Of America. Mr. Murphy finds many interesting parallels but also many significant differences.
He concludes his book:
Are we Rome? In important ways we just might be. In important ways we're clearly making some of the same mistakes. But the antidote is everywhere. The Antidote is being American.
One might amend that to "The antidote is being modern."
I also hold with Machiavelli who said:
"Prudent men are wont to say--and this not rashly or without good ground--that he who would foresee what has to be should reflect on what has been, for everything that happens in the world at any time has genuine resemblance to what happened in ancient times."
The past is important to know, it can offer us many insights on our present and our possible future, but it is not a road map or a blueprint. The differences are just as important as the similarities.
Once again I am impressed by the depth of learning consistently displayed by the members of this Forum. Thanks Robert.
:wink:
Narukami
David Reinke
Burbank CA
Burbank CA
