The story of Eleazar the scribe and martyr is an example of an uncompromising spirit. Eleazar refused to succumb to the demands of the Athenian senator (2 Maccabees 6) and chose death over dishonor. The final verse of the chapter is as follows, from the New Oxford Annotated version: "So in this way he died, leaving in his death an example of nobility and a memorial of courage, not only to the young but to the great body of his nation." I like this story because it demonstrates Eleazar's willingness to give himself to preserve himself. Rather than live a few moments longer as a man who forsook his traditions, he chose to accept death and remain true to his beliefs. I think it's important that he was concerned with this image for the younger generation, and he wanted to inspire them to keep fighting the good fight, as it was.
I think this spirit is reflected in the architecture of Athens. Rather than destroying the remains of the Byzantine empire, Athens builds itself around and above the ruins, working to preserve what can be saved while still progressing into modernity. I think this demonstrates the idea of keeping a memory of the past, of maintaining an open dialogue with one's roots. Eleazar wanted his character to influence the future, and Athens' architecture refuses to compromise its reflection that of the past in its modern state.
comments:
There are currently no comments.
Post a Comment