February 1, 2011 at 5:15 pm
Whoever examines in detail the actions of Severus, will find him to have been a very ferocious lion and an extremely astute fox, and will find him to have been feared and respected by all and not hated by the army; and will not be surprised that he, a new man, should have been able […]
January 28, 2011 at 3:59 pm
Between friends there is no need for justice, but people who are just still need the quality of friendship; and indeed friendliness is considered to be justice in the fullest sense. It is not only a necessary thing but a splendid one. — Aristotle, Nichomachean Ethics
January 27, 2011 at 3:52 pm
Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without. — often attributed to Confucius, whose Analects are studied in the second-semester freshman humanities, CC102: Antiquity and the Medieval World. [Tertiary research suggests this is derived from 寧可玉碎，不能瓦全, a Chinese proverb meaning roughly “Better be a piece of broken jade than unbroken tile.” Why this […]
January 26, 2011 at 3:49 pm
When he had flown to the sky like a bird, That foremost of men was thrilled and amazed; then, perceiving that emblem of dharma, he set his mind on how he might leave home. -The Life of Buddha by Asvaghosa, translated by Patrick Olivelle, being studied this spring semester for the first time in the […]
January 25, 2011 at 4:24 pm
But errs not Nature from this gracious end, From burning suns when livid deaths descend, When earthquakes swallow, or when tempests sweep Towns to one grave, whole nations to the deep? “No,” ’tis replied, “the first Almighty Cause Acts not by partial but by gen’ral laws; Th’exceptions few; some change since all began And what […]
January 24, 2011 at 4:24 pm
Try not to fret in this frozen city, Aristotle can help you find happiness without (much) reference to the weather: For some people think that happiness is a virtue, others that it is practical wisdom, others that it is some kind of theoretical wisdom; others again believe it to be all or some of these […]
December 10, 2010 at 4:37 pm
‘Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.’ She read, and indeed could read, no farther, but closed the book and stood up quickly. ‘That is all about the raising of Lazarus,’ she whispered abruptly and sternly, and stood without moving, turned away […]
December 9, 2010 at 2:12 pm
This having learnt, thou hast attained the sum Of Wisdom; hope no higher, though all the Stars Thou knew’st by name, and all th’ ethereal Powers, All secrets of the deep, all Nature’s works, Or works of God in Heav’n, Air, Earth, or Sea, And all riches of this World enjoy’dst, And all the rule, […]
December 7, 2010 at 1:59 pm
Democracy…is a charming form of government, full of variety and disorder, and dispensing a sort of equality to equals and unequals alike. – Plato. Today’s analect, suggested by Sarah Cole (Core ’10, CAS ’12), addresses democracy, as does today’s panel discussion in CC101
December 6, 2010 at 12:09 pm
It’s easy to play any musical instrument: all you have to do is touch the right key at the right time and the instrument will play itself. – J. S. Bach (whose St. Matthew Passion is studied in CC201)
