Journey Through the Western Classics
Recently, a friend and I decided to embark on the long trek through some of the great classic texts of Western civilization. We start with Homer, of course, and along the way shall consider the thoughts of such men as Aristotle, Virgil, Augustine, Aquinas, Dante, Calvin, and many more. I will be tracking this journey here. Some I have read before; many I have not. The current iteration is by no means final, and more will be added as progress is made.
I suppose it is somewhat difficult to define what exactly qualifies as a "classic." I admit that I will be taking some liberty with the definition—there are some works I am interested in reading regardless of their possession of the "classic" status or not (particularly Protestant and American works). But they will be reasonable additions I can assure.
With regards to the question of why I have decided to embark on this long journey (for it will take a while, no doubt), I could of course expound on the objective greatness of these works, specifically highlighting the undeniable influence that Christianity has had on the West. And certainly, those are good reasons by themselves.
But I want to touch upon a different reason, and I write this to the fellow Westerner—these works are a heritage to us. They have been preserved down the ages, received by numerous generations; we are simply the current recipients of the great conversation. Much in the same way as we receive the traditions and customs of our families, we likewise receive these works and hope to pass them along to our children and to the next generation.
These works are some of our greatest and timeless connections to the dead—to those who were here before us. Who walked the very streets we walk today. Who built the buildings and churches we live and worship in. Who sang some of the exact same songs we do. Who carried on the very same customs and traditions that we do. A people who lose that connection to their past ceases to be a people. When all common bonds that men have—bonds of heritage, tradition, history, religion, custom, etc.—are gone other than their mere bond to the same state, they have ceased to be a people and have instead morphed into a disordered conglomerate of individuals whose only commonality with each other is that they happen to live within the same border.
I joked with my friend that reading through the great classics has two major effects:
- Great knowledge.
- Great anguish as one is continually reminded how modernity has ruined everything.
The latter is just something we shall have to deal with.