Food for Thought

Week 2: Tuesday, January 21

1) According to Wright, what mistakes did Louis XVI make in the years between 1774 and 1789? List them.

2) How does Sieyès define a nation in What is the Third Estate? Why does the aristocracy not belong to the nation?

3) Is the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen more concerned with liberty or equality?

Dessert for Thought

Jacques-Louis David, Oath of the Horatii (1784)

David's painting refers to a famous incident from classical antiquity that occupies a prominent place in the history of Rome. Around 670BC, according to the famous Roman historian Livy, the city-states of Rome and Alba prepared for war. They were a kindred people, so they made their preparations somewhat reluctantly. They were especially loath to fight because they were afraid their mutual enemy, the Etruscans, would wait for them to weaken one another before destroying them. So they hit upon a solution.

Both the Roman and Alban armies had triplets serving in their ranks. The Roman triplets were the Horatii, the Alban, the Curiatii. Instead of fighting an all-out war, a battle between the two sets of triplets would determine which city-state would have to submit to the other.

The battle was an eventful one. Immediately, the three Albans were wounded. In quick succession, however, two of the Horatii fell. The last of the Horatii took to his heels hoping that as the Curiatii pursued him, they would become separated, and he could kill them one by one. After running a short distance, he killed the leading pursuer before the other Curiatii could help him. In swift succession, he killed the other two.

The story, however, was not over. The Romans, of course, burst out into cheers and escorted him back to Rome in a jubiliant procession. It so turned out that one of Horatius' sisters had been betrothed to one of the Curiatii. Indeed, she had woven a cloak for her lover. As Horatius returned to Rome, he bore the three cloaks of the dead Curiatii on his shoulder as a symbol of his victory. His sister saw the cloak she had made for her lover, loosened her hair, gave a terrible cry, and called out her betrothed's name. Horatius flew into a rage and drove his sword right through her.

The painting represents the Horatii preparing for the battle, pledging death or victory in front of their father. Their mother and sisters sit to the right. Livy's history had a strong moral bent. What do you think was the moral of the story? What is the moral of the painting? What do ideas associated with liberty, equality, and the nation have to do with the painting?