Arete Essays

  • The Idea Of Friendship In Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics

    1148 Words  | 5 Pages

    The origins of the ideas of human friendship is based off of human natural actions. Humanity comes from the ideas of Ancient philosophers, which thus has contributed to the contemporary ideas of the human. Through the notion of human nature, one must understand that no person can conduct themselves as perfect, since nothing can reach perfection. Philosophy connects humans to push for the understanding to use truth and ideas. Through reality the aspects self knowledge and development in human nature

  • Comparing Aristotle's Theories Of Naturalism And Self-Realization

    1134 Words  | 5 Pages

    Aristotle’s ethical theory is a philosophical theory that seeks to explain human beings habits and general conduct. The theory majorly focuses on the ethics of common sense and is based on two main philosophical aspects. The two are naturalism and self-realization. Naturalism is a philosophical aspect that mainly focuses on how things come into being. It discusses the natural components of everything and the philosophical view of how everything started existing. Self-realization is on the other hand

  • Examples Of Arête In The Iliad

    1326 Words  | 6 Pages

    most defining characteristic trait of a hero was arête. To have arête meant to have a personal balance between one’s valor and one’s virtue (Dictionary.com). Valor was interpreted as aggressive without virtue, just as virtue was viewed as cowardly in the absence of valor. The culture portrayed in The Iliad was primarily driven by the characters’ pursuit of arête, a concept that remains prominent even today. It is important to understand the idea of arête in The Iliad for two reasons: to understand the

  • Areté In The Iliad And The Odyssey

    298 Words  | 2 Pages

    Areté was important to the Greek culture because it allowed them to be all they can be from fighting in battle, to making statues, and to architecture. Areté was shown through the arts by sculptures, pottery, and temples. Many pieces of art were even made for public display so the artists would put a marvelous amount of pride in it for the citizens. The ancient Greeks put lots of areté into architecture like the Parthenon, which is considered the finest example of Greek architecture. The author

  • Arête And Homeric Ideals

    1784 Words  | 8 Pages

    the arête and Homeric ideal will be explained along with the individual honors and collective honors of the Greek society. Also, the Republic of Rome and how citizens attributed to the Roman Government and developed during the Struggle of orders. Next, in the book “The Roman Government” it explains how the Roman Government began its downfall and how people used glory to help them. Where do the words arête and Homeric Ideals come from and what are the meanings behind these ancient terms? Arête was

  • Greek Word Arete

    2026 Words  | 9 Pages

    The Greek word arete represents what the ideal person in Greek society was. Sometimes arete is loosely translated to mean virtue, however this can be misconstrued in the English language. “Virtue, at least in modern english, is almost entirely a moral word; arete on the other hand is used indifferently in all the categories and means simply ‘excellence’” (H.D.F Kitto, The Greeks, 1952). Because arete is explained by different languages as different things, it makes sense that arete would then be viewed

  • Examples Of Arete In Antigone

    410 Words  | 2 Pages

    Essay Final: Prompt 1 The Greek concept Arete describes a heroic-like excellence, virtue and goodness. When observing a tragic hero, this element is what gives relevance to the character while highlighting their flaws. Creon?s Arete was his power over Thebes and its citizens in addition to his will to do what was best for them. In Creon?s introduction speech his goodness is shown, ?I would not stay silent if I saw disaster moving here against the citizens.? He shows his intentions to

  • The Importance Of Arete In Ancient Greece

    1134 Words  | 5 Pages

    were the questions asked by the ancient Greeks. Arete, or excellence, was what the Greeks strove for in everything. In a quest for excellence, the Greeks experimented with new types of politics. Greece was divided into individual city-states that each had their own form of government. Most notable, however, was the democracy of Athens and the oligarchy of Sparta. The driving force behind all of Greek life and politics was this concept of arete. While arete differed between Athens and Sparta, this lust

  • Characteristics Of George Washington Arete

    446 Words  | 2 Pages

    president demonstrates arete. George Washington whom is the first president of the US fought for our country for almost half a century. Lost many battles but he still got us the independence we deserved. He was the main guy that got the revolution against the british started. So he definitely meets the requirements for arete which is really just being a hero but you have to have a high human potential, excellence, and good virtue. George Washington meets his requirements for having arete. First, his human

  • The Virtue Of Sparta's Arete In Sparta

    1016 Words  | 5 Pages

    order was to close this power gap through thorough and rigorous military training. This kind of drive and motivation for military power embedded itself deep into Sparta’s culture and way of life. Arete is a concept in ancient Greece that refers to excellence of any kind or moral virtue. To be Arete in Sparta was very simple, you had to be a courageous Spartan fighter. Sparta was not the only city state

  • What Is Homer's Idea Of Arete

    353 Words  | 2 Pages

    the Dark Ages, inspiring other epic poems, and many others. In his epic poem, The Iliad, Homer writes of a noble, strong, and courageous man named Achilles. He had one good friend, loyal and trustworthy, named Patroclus. Homer displays his idea of arete through these two friends. Friendship love, or apapi filia in greek, is the love that cannot be given by parents or siblings, but mutual love as friends. Agapi filia, friendship love, is an important virtue to the Greeks because of its motivation that

  • Arête And Metis In Odysseus, The King Of Ithaca

    1304 Words  | 6 Pages

    Arête and Metis Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, has been blessed with magnificent abilities, cunning wits and combat superiority. Throughout his journey, he showed many examples of excellence and wits, or what Greeks called Arête and Metis. He battled giant Cyclops and he even fought a whole army of suitors with only the help of his son and two loyal herds. Not only did he display amazing skills, or Arête, he also showed great Metis. He tricked a Cyclops into thinking that his name is “Nobody,” and

  • Odysseus Arête And Metis In Homer's Odyssey

    1149 Words  | 5 Pages

    Arête and Metis “Sing to me of the man, Muse, the man of twist and turns”, the first line of the epic, The Odyssey. A story about a man named Odysseus, who was indeed a man of twist and turns, and his adventures back home to Ithaca. Throughout his journey he showed many examples of excellence and wits, or what Greeks called, Arête and Metis. He battled giants Cyclops and raging sea monsters. He even fought a whole army of suitors, only with the help of his son and two loyal herds. Not only he displayed

  • Importance Of Telemachus Arête In Homer's Odyssey

    628 Words  | 3 Pages

    Fulfilling one’s arête does not necessarily mean being the best there is at something, but merely being the best you can be at something specific. This could mean a warrior, a wife, a son, a dancer, really just about anything. Throughout Homer’s Odyssey, various characters fulfill certain arêtes of theirs, yet other fail miserably at it, the most important example perhaps being Odysseus himself. Some characters even fulfill one of their arête but fall considerably shorter of fulfilling others, like

  • The Responsibility Of The Gods In Odysseus In Homer's Odyssey

    1029 Words  | 5 Pages

    gods, Odysseus applies the same respect he has for the gods to Nausiccaa. With mirroring his devotion to the gods/goddesses and Nausicaa, Odysseus displays his cunning arête. Using every situation to his advantage, the mention of the gods is seen as a way of establishing a common basis with a stranger, in this case, Nausicaa. This arête is evident in every encounter; furthermore, by his keen awareness of the gods also allows the reader to place him on the highest level a mortal can be to a god. His

  • Pathos And Ethos Of Culture In Homer's Odyssey

    1177 Words  | 5 Pages

    characters within the narrative that portray what is known as “arete.” Arete is viewed as a desirable character trait which some define as the display of perseverance, quick-wittedness, prowess, valor, etc. The term arete was very prominent and influential in

  • Examples Of Quete In The Odyssey

    1066 Words  | 5 Pages

    Arête from the Eyes of Homer and St. Paul Arête is a word that was used to describe honor towards the citizens of Greece. This excellence determined a person's status among the city-states and how they are seen to be respected. In "The Greeks" Kitto summarizes on how the ideal man should be if they want to get arête. (Class handout) He also mentions Homer's The Odyssey the poem depicts a man named Odysseus who escaped the Trojan War and mysteriously landed on an Island of Cyclops. During his stay

  • Plato's Apology: Traditional Moral Beliefs Of A Political Society

    995 Words  | 4 Pages

    second, to establish Socrates' pursuit; and third, to elucidate those principles that support a meriting life. It appears that the Greek term aretê, most commonly and

  • Essay On Ancient Greece Vs Modern Day Olympics

    775 Words  | 4 Pages

    olympics are examples of areté. However in Ancient greek olympics you had to be the best of the best to participate in the games. And also in the modern day olympics you have to be an excellent athlete. As a result you have to be well trained and fit to be in both olympics. It is clear to see that the Ancient Greece and Modern day Olympics both are examples of Areté. Areté is found both in Ancient greece and modern day because both demonstrates excellence. In Ancient greece Areté was seen as being excellent

  • The Virtue In The Iliad And The Bible

    510 Words  | 3 Pages

    Through “The Iliad”, Homer builds his ideal society as Arete, meaning excellence of all kind. He emphasizes that in order to have a good life, one needs to own as many virtues as one could and avoid all the vices. Shalom is the Biblical ideal society that simply means “what it is supposed to be”. According to the bible, it should be sinless and peaceful just like times before the Fall. In both texts, wise characters can be found. I argue that wisdom is described as a virtue in both “The Iliad” and