Greece

The Italian Renaissance and the Revolution of Knowledge

Petrarch's "On Ignorance" Synopsis and Comments - Recommended to learn what Renaissance Humanism is all about!

This work was born out of Petrarch's own experiences. Petrarch published this work as a rebuttal to the unjustified slander he had received, and since it is also a manifesto of Renaissance literature, one can only marvel at Petrarch's literary talent.

What is Ignorance?" is a work that gives us a very important insight into what the Renaissance was all about. I highly recommend this work not only to Petrarch himself, but also to anyone interested in the Renaissance.
Marx Engels Writings and Related Works

Reading Augustine's "The Kingdom of God: Its Conception and Theology" - What is the Christian Father's philosophy that is also connected to Marx's view of history?

I was very surprised to learn that Augustine's "The Kingdom of God" was related to the barbarian invasion that triggered the fall of the Roman Empire.

And it is very important to note that Augustine refers to history as "the course by which God's eternal plan is realized. This is precisely the connection with Hegel's view of history. Marx is not God, but he is very much influenced by this view of history.

This book shows how Hegel and Marx were influenced by Plato and Augustine. This has been a very interesting read!
Marx Engels Writings and Related Works

Plato's "Socrates' Dialectic Kriton" Synopsis and Impressions - Surprised at the similarities between Master and Disciple Socrates Plato and Master and Disciple Honen and Shinran...

Plato wrote "The State" in reaction to the unjust execution of his respected teacher Socrates.

The work "Socrates' Defense" is about why Socrates had to be executed.

Shinran himself, like Plato, experienced firsthand how his respected teacher had to be unreasonably punished.

In part, Shinran wrote his main work "Kyogyoshinsho" in order to refute such irrationality.

The similarity of the "regret" experienced by Plato and Shinran was a thrill for me.
Marx Engels Writings and Related Works

Plato's "The State" Synopsis and Comments - The prototype of state management by the elite. Managed society had already begun here.

The main reason I wanted to read this book is that his view of the nation was a precursor to utopian thought.

It was very interesting to see how Plato's "The State" had a profound impact on the European psyche, leading to Thomas More's later "Utopia," and from there to the world of the visionary socialists, Marx, Lenin and Stalin.

This book used to frustrate me, but it is totally different when I have a sense of purpose that I have to read it now.

This reading made me realize that "having a purpose" is a good spice in reading.
Tolstoy, the Russian Giant

Homer's "The Odyssey" Synopsis and Impressions - A tale of the homecoming adventures of Odysseus, a hero of the Trojan War and a man of great wisdom and length and breadth.

『イリアス』が圧倒的なスケールで無数の英雄や神々の姿を語っていったのに対し、『オデュッセイア』はオデュッセウスを中心に主要人物の動きをじっくりと追っていきます。ですので誰が誰だかわからないという混乱も起きにくく、非常に読みやすい物語展開となっています。

そして故郷の家にたむろする悪漢たちを策略と剛力で成敗するという筋書きは非常に爽快です。物語の王道中の王道と言ってもいいでしょう。

とても面白い作品でした！
Tolstoy, the Russian Giant

Homer's "The Iliad" Synopsis and Commentary - A masterpiece of Greek mythology. Huge influence on Tolstoy's War and Peace!

トルストイの『戦争と平和』をきっかけに読んだホメロスの『イリアス』でしたが、これは非常に興味深い体験でした。

トルストイがどのような点に感動し、自身の作品にそのエッセンスを組み込んでいったのかを考えながら読むのはとても楽しかったです。

そしてそもそも作品として『イリアス』がものすごく面白く、すいすい読めてしまったというのも驚きでした。戦闘シーンの独特の言葉遣いも新鮮で、思わず唸ってしまうような表現がどんどん出てきます。

これは読む価値ありです。ぜひおすすめしたい作品です。
Tolstoy, the Russian Giant

Atouda Takashi, "To Enjoy Homer" - A recommended introduction to the Greek myths "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey"!

この本は非常におすすめです。とにかく面白く、わかりやすい！しかも深い所まで連れて行ってくれます。内容はかなり本格的です。巻末の里中満智子氏による解説でもそのことは絶賛されていました。

これを読めば『イリアス』『オデュッセイア』の流れをかなりがっちりつかむことができます。逆に言えばもしこの本を読んでいなければ『ジュリアス・シーザー』の時と同じように挫折していたかもしれません。この本のありがたさが身に沁みます。

I would highly recommend this work.
Europe through Classical and Western Art

El Greco: Life and Works: The Unexpected Connection between the Great Toledo Painter and Greek Orthodox Icon Painting

El Greco was a painter active in Toledo, Spain, with a distinctive touch.

He was a painter who was strongly influenced by Greek Orthodox icon painting.

It was very interesting to learn that El Greco was able to create these unique paintings because he was trained in soil different from the Italian tradition, the home of Western art.
The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire, the Vatican, and Roman Catholicism

Vergilius, "Pastoral Song" Synopsis and Comments - What is Arcadia, the Ideal Land of the Past?

イタリアの詩人ウェルギリウスが『牧歌』で語ったアルカディアは後の理想風景画家クロード・ロラン、ニコラ・プッサンが題材にし、ヨーロッパ中に強い影響を与えました。

この記事ではあのダンテやゲーテも大いに称賛していた詩人ウェルギリウスの代表作『牧歌』からアルカディアとは何かということを見ていきます。