tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8857552686265172563.post5905999149997004599..comments2022-12-07T04:14:41.549-08:00Comments on Omega Profblog: Myth and Memory at MarathonTeam Omegahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16827656206387403554noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8857552686265172563.post-46925143442476899612011-10-13T14:36:46.262-07:002011-10-13T14:36:46.262-07:00Hey, thanks for the remarks! I'd forgotten abo...Hey, thanks for the remarks! I'd forgotten about old Themistocles' obession, and didn't realize Kierkegaard was onto it too! RichardTeam Omegahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16827656206387403554noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8857552686265172563.post-20524995148265719952011-10-13T14:34:42.562-07:002011-10-13T14:34:42.562-07:00Thanks, Prof. Armstrong, for this really interesti...Thanks, Prof. Armstrong, for this really interesting post! I think, when I read of it, of the sometimes surprising ways in which Marathon echoes through western thought. Specifically, I am reminded of Plutarch's "life of Themistocles" in which he makes a great deal of Themistocles' envy of Miltiades. He would remark to his fellow Athenians that "Miltiades' trophy does not let me sleep." Plutarch is saying that Themistocles was spurred to his fine actions at Salamis by envy of Miltiades' accomplishment at Marathon. <br /><br />This story is raised a couple millenia later by Kierkegaard in his book "Fear and Trembling." He says that the person who speaks on Abraham (and, specifically, Genesis 22) must have as his aim to make the audience "sleepless." He remarks that all Athenians heard of Miltiades' achievements, but only one "was made sleepless by them." So also, he argues, must those who read the story of Abraham be. <br /><br />It is interesting how Marathon worked its way not only through the Greek consciousness, but into curious places like Danish Christian philosophers' encomia on biblical figures!Jonathan L. Zecherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16052873810662971436noreply@blogger.com