Classical Wisdom Litterae - July 2020

I’m always wary of politicians. The very word conjures the cheesy smiles, the lying promises, the false entreaties; they will say anything to get elected, or re-elected. After all, it’s usually the people who want power the most who are the least deserving of it. The opposite of a politician, however, is a statesman. Rather than focusing on their own self interests, the statesman (or stateswoman) is a respected, skilled and experienced leader who actually aims to work for the common good of the people they represent. A shocking concept in our modern world, I know. Back in ancient Rome, however, the philosopher, consul, and the very epitome of a statesman, Cicero, outlined exactly what makes a true statesman in his work De re publica. First, they can not be a monarch or king because their goals are not the same, inherently. Instead, a statesman is a private individual who must have virtus (virtue), iustitia (a sense of justice) and wisdom. They must also have dignitas (roughly translated as dignity), temperance and must show generosity and be magnanimous. Perhaps most importantly, a statesman has certain core values and will not change beliefs simply to advance their political career. Moreover, if a modification in policy is necessary (say due to new information), the change will be made... whether it is popular or not. They didn’t care about their approval ratings or winning twitter. While it may be hard to conceive such a political landscape in this day and age, perhaps the first step of returning to this higher standard is by remembering what it looked like in the first place. As such, this month’s Classical Wisdom Litterae Magazine is dedicated to Statesmen. There is quite a selection and some may live up to Cicero’s standards much more than others... nonetheless all the examples within this edition should be inspiring, educational or at least, thoroughly entertaining. It is a collection of great minds... and sometimes greater personalities. Enjoy! Anya Leonard Co-Founder and Project Director Classical Wisdom II