Posted by greenman on May 8, 2026, 11:41 am Valued Poster
Macaulay, a poem from the old days (excerpt)…
Then none was for a party; Then all were for the state; Then the great man helped the poor, And the poor man loved the great: Then lands were fairly portioned; Then spoils were fairly sold: The Romans were like brothers In the brave days of old.
In the brave days of old..
SAY ‘NO’ TO WAR! RESIST!
It doesn't seem like a very positive take on
Posted by Trudy on May 8, 2026, 5:13 pm, in reply to "Horatius at the Gate" Valued Poster
brotherhood to me. I must be missing something, anyway according to Sia's reaction and your agreement.
Am I?No more letting the DNC choose our candidates for public office. They're not good at it.
From my POV, yeah you are missing the brotherhood within it
It is certainly not socialism nor commune life where everything is apportioned evenly.
However, it works within reality in this world that some have more than others, but generously share to elevate the poor.
That people didnt care only about their own group (party), but for the whole group (state).
IOW, people caring about other people, even those not at all in their group.
It isn't necessary or realistict for humans to always share evenly with the rest of the world, regardless of effort or natural skill amongst all. That's not how humans are hard-wired. Humans are naturally competitive. Without extra rewards people will seldom make any long term, extra effort to do better than average and then share it with those who don't.
However, humans will share with those in need and do care for the whole when no one is attempting to separate some from others.
I suspect that part of the equation is why you don't see the same brotherhood that we do.
I oppose socialism for that very reason. However, I am okay with Democratic socialism that rewards hard work but also cares for the "least" amongst us.
What I think you're missing is that this brotherhood
..but at least partly a military brotherhood, yes. And in most ancient cultures,rape and enslavement could be the result of sacking a city (as we know from the oldTestament!).
In this case Horatius calls for two volunteers to join him in holding a narrow gate and protect the city, sacrificing their lives in the process. Had to do with a renegade who sold them out to the Etruscans named Sextus, son of a former King. He had also, in fact committed a crime by raping a Roman woman named Lucretia. Thus the whole ‘nobody has any honor these days’ tone of the poem. SAY ‘NO’ TO WAR! RESIST!
on May 8, 2026, 11:41 am
