Theology by the Slice: "Thucydides: Paene Noster?"

On Wednesday night, we were honored to hear a talk by the illustrious Prof. Blaise Nagy. Prof. Nagy is a Professor of Classics at Holy Cross and  is a nationally recognized expert in Classical history. He has been teaching here for over thirty years, and during that time he has taught nearly every course that the Classics Department offers (except archaeology). He also now has the distinction of drawing the largest crowd ever to come to Theology by the Slice (nearly 40 people!). Combining his profession and his Catholic faith, Prof. Nagy's talk was called "Thucydides: Paene Noster?" and focused on the elements of Christianity present in the ancient historian's work.

Before coming to Thucydides, however, Prof. Nagy began by affirming that he was, in fact, Catholic. For him, professing his catholic faith has become second nature. It has been influencing him for his entire life, beginning when his parents fled the godless, communist state of Hungary for Canada and then the US.

As a Catholic, Prof. Nagy finds that there is some tension between his faith and his profession. There are many aspects of the Classical world which are not worthy of emulation, such as Lucretius's disregard for life, institutionalized pederasty, slavery, and the casual treatment of genocidal acts. It is sometimes hard to present the Classics as a wonderful subject of study amid these issues.

Nevertheless, there are eminent traces of Christianity embedded within Classical society. Justin Martyr, for example, writes of a "spermatic logos" a seed of Christ present in the writings of Plato and other ancient philosophers (Apology 1.46). He also thought Socrates's trial, where he was condemned for not believing in the gods of the city, was analogous to being martyred for the Christian faith (Apology 2.10). Tertullian of Carthage referred to Seneca the Younger and Socrates as paene noster or "almost one of us" (hence his talk's title). Vergil was considered a proto-Christian from the Middle Ages and beyond, because of his Fourth Eclogue, which foretold the birth of a boy who would usher in an era of peace. 

After this introduction, Prof. Nagy set out to do what has probably never been done before (nor will ever be tried again): to demonstrate the Thucydides was paene noster, almost a Christian. 

Thucydides (Θουκυδίδης) was an ancient Greek historiographer, who lived from c. 465-c. 400 BC. His only literary work is The Histories, which details the war between the Peloponnesians and the Athenians (431-404 BC). He was afflicted with the great plague in 430, but survived it (this will be important later). Thucydides was also a general in the Athenian army, and thus provides first-hand accounts of events ("autopsies"). He was expelled from Athens in 424/3 for a botched assignment in Amphipolis. 

Thucydides is of paramount importance as an historian. David Hume sums up his reputation well: "The first page of Thucydides is, in my opinion, the commencement of real history. All preceding narrations are so intermixed with fable, that philosophers ought to abandon them to the embellishments of poets and orators. (Of the Populousness of Ancient Nations, 1742). Nietzsche thought of him as a positivist and a rationalist, and thought him "rich in unuttered thoughts" (Gotzen-Dammerung, 1888). Thucydides conceived of man as a political creature , and thought that it was his role as an historian to find the real causes of human events.

He avoided the popular approach of his predecessor Herodotus by avoiding trying to "entertain" his readers (although he does attempt to draw them in). He saw human nature as constant, and was thus convinced that history repeated itself. Every Classical historian who succeeded Thucydides was deeply influenced by his work.

Finally, he was an atheist - at least, according to historian K.J. Dover. Prof. Nagy, however, called on us to question Dover's assertion. He first pointed out several passages which dealt with Thucydides's "atheism." He quotes a speech by Pericles saying that the Athenians have plenty of resources for a war, and they could even use a gold statue of Athena for funds if necessary (Histories 2.13). While this would seem to show irreverence, it should be known that this account is written in indirect discourse - that is, it is reported speech and Thucydides is distanced from the comments. Further, Straussians  suggest that Thucydides is trying to blacken Pericles's reputation with this speech, and the irreverence is a way to defame him.

So many students!

Thucydides also shows distaste for oracles. He sneers at a word discrepancy in a prophecy of the oracle of Delphi, and says that the prophecy will be read with whatever word suits the reader's purpose - in effect, the prophecy is inane 2.54). The oracle, however, was widely disliked because a false prediction about the Persian War earlier in the century (the oracle predicted a Persian victory. The Greeks won). Thus, a distaste for oracles was not unique to Thucydides.

Further, Thucydides takes issue with superstitious scruples. When Nicias, a general whom Thucydides greatly admires, delays departing from Syracuse because of a superstition about the full moon (. He was executed and his troops suffer heavy casualties as a result of this delay. Still, hatred of superstition was not unique to Thucydides. Plutarch, who was a priest of Apollo and a devout man, had little patience for superstition. Does rejecting superstition make one an atheist?

This prompts the question, was there anything Christian about Thucydides? 

In the plague narrative, we see Thucydides praise the Athenians who tend to the sick and shows compassion for the afflicted (2.51). This is not at all unlike Visiting the Sick, one of the corporal works of mercy. Likewise, when describing the retreat from Syracuse, Thucydides shows remarkable compassion for the sufferings of the wounded:  

On the third day after the sea-fight, when Nicias and Demosthenes thought that their preparations were complete, the army began to move. They were in a dreadful condition; not only was there the great fact that they had lost their whole fleet, and instead of their expected triumph had brought the utmost peril upon Athens as well as upon themselves, but also the sights which presented themselves as they quitted the camp were painful to every eye and mind. The dead were unburied, and when any one saw the body of a friend lying on the ground he was smitten with sorrow and dread, while the sick or wounded who still survived but had to be left were even a greater trial to the living, and more to be pitied than those who were gone. Their prayers and lamentations drove their companions to distraction; they would beg that they might be taken with them, and call by name any friend or relation whom they saw passing; they would hang upon their departing comrades and follow as far as they could, and, when their limbs and strength failed them, and they dropped behind, many were the imprecations and cries which they uttered. So that the whole army was in tears, and such was their despair that they could hardly make up their minds to stir, although they were leaving an enemy's country, having suffered calamities too great for tears already, and dreading miseries yet greater, in the unknown future (7.75).

Thucydides is thought of as being totally dispassionate and distanced from his subject, yet we see him here showing great empathy. In fact, his compassion is Christian-like.

Further, at the end of the Melian Dialogue, between the Melian and Athenian generals, we see the Athenians casually dismiss objections to their slaughter of the Melian city (5.116). This dialogue was entirely fabricated by Thucydides, and he makes no comment on it, yet over the next two books we see the Athenians get decimated on their Sicilian campaign. Does he show the Athenians being justly punished for the sin of genocide?

Finally, during the Funeral Oration of Pericles, we see a mention of greater glory to come. Compare the end of the oration to a line from St. Paul:

And when the moment came they were minded to resist and suffer, rather than to fly and save their lives; they ran away from the word of dishonour, but on the battle-field their feet stood fast, and in an instant, at the height of their fortune, they passed away from the scene, not of their fear, but of their glory (2.42).

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed (1 Corinthians 15:52).

Rejection of oracles and superstition, by itself, does not make Thucydides an atheist. Plutarch, the ancient biographer, also rejects superstition in religion and yet was a priest of Apollo. Thucydides saw the shortcomings in Greek religion, and was, perhaps, ready for something greater. Imagine, what a five-hour conversation with St. Paul might have done for Thucydides!

We sincerely thank Prof. Nagy for all the hard work he put into this presentation. It was an entertaining and illuminating hour for everyone who came.