Ancient Greek Dichotomy

     The ancient Greek and Roman civilizations of Europe began to progress toward a more civilized order of society. As there were no previous establishment to base their ideals on, it was understandable that there were some difficulties in their progression as a society. Although the ancient Greek and Roman governments fell, both had similar paths of creation, conquest, and destruction.

One has the capability to determine from right and wrong and having the determination to stand up for what one believes in, no matter what the price is. In Sophocles’ Antigone, a written dramatic play, Sophocles portrays the theme that at times of one’s life, it is necessary to follow moral law and ignore political law. In the play, a determined and courageous woman named Antigone is loyal to her beloved brother by granting him a proper burial and having to suffer the consequences for revolting. Throughout Antigone, several incidents occurred where the political law was of no importance to the individual. Conflicts between Antigone and Ismene and then with Creon and Antigone are examples of the theme. The theme also ties with the

Greek legacy is constituted or comprised of democratical implication in the development of an idealistic dichotomy, mainly dependent upon the relegation of the denominative aristocratical or dictatorial sovereignty, hegemony which often lead to plebeian subservience, they contributed the implication and integration of social class as well as monetary egalitarianism, within the constituency of a democracy, which was paralleled by citizenship and the requisites of the purification of the governmental system, which exploited the authoritarian aspect of aspect of government. The initial incontrovertible to radical dichotomy, was an empirical interpretation of sovereign control of a functional government that exacerbated the insurgents of a social

One exceptionally significant custom of the Greeks still observed today is the Olympics. These ancient games incorporated a concept of free athletic competition without bloodshed. If the Greeks

Antigone believes that the laws of the gods should supersede the laws of men. Personally, she feels that the consequences of disobeying Creon’s law are inferior to the consequences of disobeying these higher laws. Morality is of greater importance to Antigone than her life, and ironically enough, in the conclusion of Antigone she is sentenced to her death for her transgressions against the law. Consistently throughout the play, Antigone struggles to understand how one could value the laws of men more than the laws of the gods. “How savagely impious men use me, for keeping a law that is holy” (942-943, Sophocles). Rather than succumbing to a law that she knows is not just, Antigone demonstrates kleos by being steadfast in her morality.

Sophocles believed that it was significant that the law of a persons conscience supersedes the law of the state. Antigone overlooks the law of the state and follows her heart to do what she knows is morally right, opposed to a law created by a human with high authority. She understands that the consequences are heavy for the act, however, she courageously concluded that the importance of the act was greater than the consequences.

Miller’s purpose for writing the book Ancient Greek Athletics is to teach the audience about ancient Greek Games and how this important subject can teach us more about our own world. He accomplishes this goal by using the artifacts he has studied along with the history itself to guide the audience in their journey toward appreciating Greek heritage. In this book, Miller addresses the Olympic Games that began more than twenty-five hundred years ago. I learned many different things throughout this book including: the participants, all the different athletic

In lines 449-525, when Creon examines Antigone after the burial of her brother, Antigone plainly admits that she follows Zeus’ moral laws before Creon’s law, citing Zeus’ to be “unwritten and unshakable” and “forever”, which contrasts with Creon’s, which are ephemerally “for now or yesterday”. Antigone’s extremism typified in her willingness to die just to correct a single lapse in morality that exists within the law makes the importance placed upon founding law in morality as clear as it can possibly be.

In Antigone, Sophocles demonstrates that when moral law and the law of the state oppose each other, defiance against authority is justified. Moral law is what one should or shouldn’t do, which is represented by the will of the Greek gods. The law of the state, or civil law, is represented by the decrees of the king, Creon. Civil law should promote, and not infringe upon, human rights. Creon decrees that Polynices may not receive a proper burial because he was a traitor. Polynices’ god- approved burial right is being infringed upon. Creon made a quick decision concerning the fate of Polynices based on his anger, not reason. Antigone believes that Creon’s decree is unjust and chooses to follow the will of the gods by burying Polynices (her brother).

Antigone ignores the idea of civic responsibility and puts her family first. Her family is more important to her than the law because she finds religion more powerful than Creon. “The ancient Greeks were polytheistic, they believed in many different gods and goddesses. The Greeks believed that these gods and goddesses controlled everything, from the waves in the ocean to the winner of a race.” (Richmond)

The play “Antigone” by Sophocles present different aspects of conflicts such as … Social vs. moral laws in the ancient cultures. The ability to follow the desired moral law brings various results and different reactions from the society. Going against the law of Creon in the play brings consequences such as being branded the name the “traitor” and facing punishment by the state. Similarly, in today’s world going against the law leads to serious effects and punishment by the state law. A good example is the imprisonment of a couple in Florida for helping the homeless. Despite the state law however, I believe that moral law should not be neglected especially if it serves humanity and only brings economic and social benefits to a country.

Humanity is often faced with ambivalence towards law; at once, we find it a necessity in attempting to deal with a world which is constantly in some type of chaotic turmoil, and also as a glaring flaw in our society, which can at times result in more chaos than was originally had. This conflict is no more obvious than in Sophocles’ Antigone. Antigone, the character, represents half of the struggle between what the law says is just and what we inherently deem to be morally upstanding – Creon represents the opposing side which views law and power as the ultimate dictator of life’s unraveling. Though Antigone is ultimately thwarted, she is on the side of justice rather than blindly following the law. Antigone’s empathy while breaking the law

Throughout the play of Antigone as seen in Sophocles by Robert Fables, there are various instances displaying the importance of the laws of the gods versus the laws of the people for the character, Antigone. She often chose to obey the godly laws more so than those made by man, Creon in particular. Antigone prioritized godly laws over manly laws in regards to her own living and decision making, thus setting an example for us all if for the common good.

Sophocles’ Antigone continues on a downward slope from Oedipus Rex as Oedipus’ misfortune is reflected onto his children, Antigone specifically. Through the play, Sophocles explores the concepts of power and loyalty in pitting Antigone against the law declared by her tyrannical uncle, Kreon. Law in the context of this essay and the play will be defined as the rules and regulations placed upon one by a power above that individual. This paper will argue that Antigone dissents because she believes the laws are held first by the gods, which are superior to any human ruler’s laws. Sophocles reveals this through Antigone’s claim that one’s afterlife is much longer than mortal life, her trivialization of Kreon, and her fiancé, Haimon’s, arguments with Kreon.

In Sophocles’ tragedy, Antigone, it expresses the fact that law and order is of higher importance to human beings compared to freedom. The human condition of setting law and order as top priority is indicated through the characters Ismene and Creon. Ismene refutes Antigone’s thoughts of rebelling against the law for her brother by exclaiming, “I’m not disrespecting them. But I can't act / against the state. That's not in my nature” (Antigone, 97-98). Throughout the quarrel Ismene defends her position by questioning how Antigone could ever act against the state. It boggles Ismene’s mind why anyone, including her sister, would go against the rule of the king especially when severe consequences are at stake. Even though her own brother’s afterlife