CONFESSIONS OF A LATIN TEACHER, PART III

Source: Speak Up
Language level: Upper Intermediate
Standard: British accent
Speaker: Justin Ratcliffe

CONFESSION OF A LATIN TEACHER PART III BY WILLIAM SUTTON

The title of Peter Jone’s book, Vote for Caesar: How the Ancient Greeks and Romans Solved the Problems of Today, is self-explanatory. He believes that, if we study the Greeks and Romans, we can be great like them. Greek and Latin are often cited as the best languages: they are more complete and accurate than modern languages. The claims are nonsense. The Romans and Greeks had as many problems as we do. They were greedy, genocidal and cruel to animal. Perhaps that is why we like them: their errors, as well as their achievements, are familiar.

This month and next, we consider 10 unpleasant Latin legacies.

1.   EXPLOITATION

Empires come and go, but it was the Romans who developed the systematic exploitation of colonies. Their phenomenal military machine enslaves natives, extracted resources and generated taxes. The Romans gained luxuries, cheap food, wine, bathing and sanitation. Slaves provided labour, skills and entertainment (gladiatorial and sexual).

This model of empire led to European colonisation; the slave trade; exploitation of Americas; the US cotton industry and the industrial Revolution.

2.   ECO-WARRIORS

At the opening of the Colosseum, 5.000 animals were killed. In on hunting spectacle, they massacred hundred of lions, leopards and bears and thousands of ostriches, deer and wild boars. The pushed animals towards extinction. There are no elephants and lions in North Africa; there is no Syrian elephant, no Atlas bear and no hippopotamus in the Nile.

The Romans drained lakes and diverted rivers. They spread cities across Europe, causing sanitation problems that still exist today. They gave us the belief that man could dominate the environment – only now the environment is fighting back.

3.   GAMES AND GAMING

The Romans inverted sporting celebrities. We may not allow gladiatorial fights, but today’s boxing and Formula One echo that fatal thrill.

Danger was not enough. The Romans turned Greek sports into gambling extravaganzas. Fortune were won and lost at the Circus Maximus, as in horse racing today. We don’t yet kill people on TV, but Big Brother has something in common with the voyeurism of throwing Christians to the lions.

4.   DEMOCRACY (SORT OF)

The Greeks invented democracy, we are constantly told. We often forget that Athenian democracy was restricted to male citizens. This experiment led to war, plague and the collapse of Athens.

Political hypocrisy never changes. The Emperor Augustus exiled his own daughter Julia for partying and prostitution when he was passing morality laws. Tony Blair suggested fining young men who drink alcohol: a week later, his son Euan was arrested, drunk, in Leicester Square. Silvio Belusconi is mocked for appointing sexy women as ministers; but at least he hasn’t tried to make his horse a consul, like Caligula.

5.   PROGRESS

We want to believe that politics improve, moving towards justice. This is naive. The Romans threw away centuries of popular reform when they accepted emperors. Their dictatorship inspired Hitler and countless others. More Romans ruination next month!