I thought it was really interesting that Martial writings open with directing attention away from wonders of the past. As if to say these things that were once considered great or wondrous are no longer important in light of the great Roman games. The whole section seems to be a contradiction, at moments praising the wonders of the games and condemning their meaning and Cesar. The third section states: “What race is so remote, so barbarous Cesar, that no spectator from it is in your city?” This seems to speak to the raw power of the games and the attraction they hold for so many people. Even the gods and goddess take note, “It is not enough that warrior Mars serves you in unconquered arms, Cesar. Even Venus herself serves you too.” I think the whole of the Martial Epigrams speak to the power of the games and that they are a spectacle for the Roman people. Yet, there also seem to be undertones of pity for the crowd and contenders and contempt for the ideologies behind the games.
It is the same type of sentiment that can be found in Seneca’s writings, both on the crowds and Ep. 30.8. Seneca (generally) warns against falling into the spectacle of the games because, when critiqued outside of their wonder, they are actually harmful to human understanding. In Ep. 30.8, Seneca warns against misunderstanding the moment of death as illustrated by the warriors in the games, stating “But an end that is near at hand, and is bound to come, calls for tenacious courage of the soul; this is a rarer thing, and none but the wire man can manifest it.”
Seneca warns spectators to understand that death is moment unto the person itself and though watching the games might teach one of a nobel death, it does not do enough to prepare a man to meet his own end. That is something we have seen in past writings, that men should focus on the self in order to have a nobel death. That leading a proper life will contribute to a noble death.
-Lyndsey Goforth-
It is the same type of sentiment that can be found in Seneca’s writings, both on the crowds and Ep. 30.8. Seneca (generally) warns against falling into the spectacle of the games because, when critiqued outside of their wonder, they are actually harmful to human understanding. In Ep. 30.8, Seneca warns against misunderstanding the moment of death as illustrated by the warriors in the games, stating “But an end that is near at hand, and is bound to come, calls for tenacious courage of the soul; this is a rarer thing, and none but the wire man can manifest it.”
Seneca warns spectators to understand that death is moment unto the person itself and though watching the games might teach one of a nobel death, it does not do enough to prepare a man to meet his own end. That is something we have seen in past writings, that men should focus on the self in order to have a nobel death. That leading a proper life will contribute to a noble death.
-Lyndsey Goforth-