The Spartans form one of the enduring coordinates of Western culture—an enduring and inspiring “farthest north.” No one was more devoted to courage and to duty; no one trained with greater commitment and enthusiasm to achieve his ends.
And no one was committed more thoroughly and relentlessly to the annihilation of self and of self-regard in service of the greater communal good. The Spartans were oppressive to the local “helots” in particular. The Spartans were narrow-minded, and narrow-minded by design. But what they did no one ever did better, and they did it with signal success for centuries on end; at once inspiring and appalling the hundred generations or so that have followed. On the basis of such achievements, the ancient Spartans surely deserve our attention, and, I say, deserve our duly qualified respect as well.
Название: A History of Ancient Sparta Автор: Timothy Shutt Издательство: Recorded Books Эту книгу озвучил: Prof. Timothy B. Shutt Год выпуска: 2009 Жанр: History Аудио кодек: mp3 Битрейт аудио: 96 kbps Продолжительность: 07:42:00 Качество: Отличное