Great Books Ep 57. Aeschylus - The Persians. Part 2. Epic Ventures, Ambitious Dreams and Spectacular Failures
Though giant leaps of progress depend on people with ambitious dreams who set out on epic ventures, there are cautionary tales of spectacular failures that caused widespread destruction.
Yea, made a high way, where his army passed. A mortal man on all the Gods that be He ventured war; the lordship of the sea, Poseidon's realm (he judged so much amiss), Challenged and thought to quell.
~ The Persians by Aeschylus (G. M. Cookson translation. p23. line 745)
Brief Summary (lines 400 - 1076/end)
Following the messenger's devastating news of the Persian defeat, the chorus and Queen Atossa are plunged into deep mourning. They are unable to believe that the mighty Persian army lost and blame the gods for not favoring the Persians. The messenger recounts the details of the battle, including the Persian strategy of splitting the army into two and attacking from different directions. He describes Xerxes's extreme confidence in his army and the bridge construction that challenged Poseidon and Zeus.Â
In her despair, Atossa invokes the spirit of her late husband, King Darius, asking what must be done to save the rest of the Empire from further ruin. The ghost of Darius appears, and he also laments the downfall of Persia, attributing it to the divine punishment for Xerxes' hubris. Though he criticizes Xerxes harshly, he tells Atossa that she has to take care of him when he returns. Xerxes returns, and he is fully grief-stricken. The play ends with the audience feeling sad for Xerxes.Â
"To-day and every morrow Let fall the rain of sorrow."
My thoughts
It was interesting to see that Darius criticized Xerxes's most significant engineering accomplishment. Building a bridge across the Hellespont to allow his massive army to cross from Asia into Europe was a massive engineering feat that showed how advanced the Persians were. A violent storm destroyed the bridge, though. Darius says Xerxes was arrogant and thought he was better than the gods.Â
I feel that critics are much harder on people who try extraordinary things and fail. When one tries something dramatically new, there is a risk of spectacular failure and being dismissed as a mad person. Humanity's progress has been gradual and accelerating. But a closer look would show there were leaps when someone invented a new technology that altered the course of history.Â
To these leaps, we have to credit famous people who fought hard against the norm and who attempted to overreach. A Steve Jobs quote goes like, "The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do."
For most of history, religious beliefs limited people from thinking and doing things beyond what they were used to. For a long time, some groups in India had a taboo against crossing the sea. But once people started going, the impact of the taboo reduced a lot.Â
Many things like cloning, gene-editing, chip implants on the brain, colonizing Mars, etc., could be viewed as humans overreaching and playing God. But if not for humans, who can really play God? And when we cross all the impossible things of today, we might discover new challenges. Though humans have achieved a lot on Earth, all this might just be the start of something much bigger - becoming a multi-planetary species, living much longer and healthier, and maybe getting a better understanding of the human mind.
What are other historical examples of people trying something vastly ambitious and failing miserably, publicly?Â
Bard
You raise fascinating points about "The Persians" and the complex relationship between ambition, hubris, and historical progress. Let's delve deeper:
The Price of Hubris:
Darius's critique of Xerxes highlights the ever-present danger of hubris in ambitious endeavors. While the bridge construction showcased Persian advancement, Xerxes' perceived defiance of the gods by attempting to control the sea triggered their wrath, leading to its destruction. This serves as a cautionary tale against excessive pride and neglecting respect for natural forces and potentially higher powers.
Celebrating Bold Ventures:
Your perspective on celebrating ambitious attempts, even if they fail, resonates deeply. Throughout history, numerous figures took bold leaps, pushing boundaries despite potential ridicule or failure. The Wright brothers' pursuit of flight, Columbus's voyage across the Atlantic, and Marie Curie's groundbreaking work in radioactivity stand as testaments to the crucial role of audacious individuals who dared to challenge the status quo.
Beyond Religious Barriers:
You rightly point out how religious beliefs often acted as hurdles to exploration and progress. Overcoming the taboo against crossing the sea in India opened up new possibilities and trade routes. Similarly, challenging accepted limitations can pave the way for advancements in areas like gene editing and space exploration.
Balancing Ambition and Responsibility:
However, acknowledging the need for bold ventures doesn't negate the importance of responsible judgment. While pushing boundaries is crucial, responsible consideration of potential consequences and respect for existing ethical frameworks are equally vital.
Historical Examples:
Here are some historical examples of ambitious endeavors with mixed outcomes:
The Tower of Babel: Symbolizes the dangers of unchecked ambition and defying divine will.
Napoleon's Invasion of Russia: A military campaign driven by ambition that resulted in disastrous consequences.
The Manhattan Project: Development of the atomic bomb, showcasing the power of scientific ambition with immense ethical complexities.
Elon Musk's Hyperloop: An ambitious transportation project facing technical and economic challenges.
Ultimately, "The Persians" reminds us that ambition is a double-edged sword. While it fuels progress, it demands responsible use and awareness of potential pitfalls. As we strive for advancements, appreciating the courage of those who dare to dream big while critically assessing the potential consequences remains crucial.
ChatGPT’s Response
Your reflections on ambition, innovation, and the consequences of challenging established norms or the divine resonate deeply with the human story of progress and its accompanying pitfalls. Throughout history, there have been numerous instances where individuals or groups have embarked on highly ambitious projects that ended in failure, often with significant public and personal consequences. Here are a few notable examples:
The Tower of Babel (Biblical story): According to the Bible, humanity once sought to build a tower that would reach the heavens, a symbol of their ambition and unity. God, seeing this as an act of hubris, confused their languages, causing the project to fail and dispersing the people across the earth. This story embodies the idea of failure resulting from overreaching ambition.
The South Sea Bubble (1720): The South Sea Company was established in the early 18th century in Britain, promising to take over the national debt in exchange for exclusive trading rights in the South Seas. Speculation drove the company's stock to dizzying heights before it collapsed, ruining many investors. This was a case of economic ambition and speculation leading to a spectacular public failure.
The Titanic (1912): The RMS Titanic, proclaimed to be "unsinkable," was a marvel of modern engineering. Its sinking on its maiden voyage after hitting an iceberg resulted in the loss of over 1,500 lives. This disaster is often cited as a cautionary tale of technological hubris.
The Hindenburg Disaster (1937): The LZ 129 Hindenburg airship was a symbol of Nazi Germany's ambitions in air travel. Its catastrophic explosion upon attempting to land in New Jersey was a public and tragic end to the era of passenger airships.
The Great Leap Forward (1958-1962): Initiated by Mao Zedong in China, this campaign aimed to rapidly transform the country from an agrarian economy into a socialist society through rapid industrialization and collectivization. It led to one of the worst famines in human history, with millions of deaths, marking it as a devastating failure of political and economic ambition.
The Challenger Space Shuttle (1986): NASA's Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, leading to the deaths of all seven crew members. The disaster was a significant setback for the space agency and highlighted the risks of space exploration.
These examples reflect the complex nature of human ambition. While striving for the extraordinary can lead to significant advancements, it also comes with the risk of monumental failure. The line between visionary success and catastrophic failure is often thin, influenced by a myriad of factors including timing, societal readiness, technological limitations, and sometimes, sheer luck. The legacy of those who dared greatly, even in failure, is a testament to the indomitable spirit of curiosity and ambition that drives humanity forward.
Afterthought
ChatGPT generated a fascinating image that I kept looking at. If a human were to create this, it would take so long.
Prompt: Can you create an evocative artwork that captures the essence of human ambition and its consequences, blending elements of historical and mythical significance? The image should weave together various moments that symbolize the reach and overreach of human endeavors, from the Tower of Babel and the Titanic to the Hindenburg, the Great Leap Forward, and the Challenger Space Shuttle. Create the image in the aspect ratio 16:9.
Image