Great Books Ep 58. Aeschylus - The Seven Against Thebes. Part 1. Numbers, Dreams, and Superstitions: What Makes Us Feel Special?
Our yearning to recognize special numbers in myriads of situations makes us feel special and unique. Numbers seem to have a mystical power over everything that humans seek to understand.
Know then, Seven Men — mettlesome Captains all - Spilling bulls' blood in shield with black hide bound — Their unctuous hands dipped in that gory chrism - Have taken a great oath — unutterable By Enyo and Phobos that drinketh blood, To raze these walls from battlement to base And sack the town of Cadmus, or else die,
~ ‘The Seven Against Thebes’ by Aeschylus (G. M. Cookson translation. p31. line 40)
Brief Summary (lines 1-700):
The play starts with a monologue from Eteocles, the king of Thebes. His enemies are outside the city walls, ready to attack the city of Cadmus (if Thebes is referred to as Cadmus's city, Cadmus was probably the founder). Eteocles addresses a group of people around him to tell them not to fear the crowd of foreigners outside. He is confident that the scouts he has despatched will bring him the news that will enable them to be prepared. A scout appears and tells Eteocles that seven warriors have taken a deadly oath to sack the city or die. The chorus of women cry and wail at the impending doom. Eteocles rebukes them and tells them to calm down, not discourage the army.
The scout gives details of these warriors one by one, describing their armor, especially the figures on the shields and their boastfulness. Eteocles says he would not fear someone because they have beautifully carved symbols on their shields. For each of the warriors on the enemy side, Eteocles sends one from his side to fight. When the scout gives details about the seventh man, we learn that it is Eteocles' own brother, Polynices and that Eteocles had dishonored him with exile. Polynices has a new shield with the following etched - a modest woman representing Justice walking a man in arms, indicating that he is fighting for justice. At this point, we see everyone in a different light. Eteocles might not be the hero after all.
My thoughts:
Imagining that Someone has more Power than they actually have
Eteocles starts with a curious sentence: "If we win the war, Gods will take the credit, but if we lose, all the blame will be on Eteocles." It rings so true even today. If you deliver a project well, the management takes credit, but you get the blame if you fail! However, blaming someone for a failure often results in giving them more power than they had. The other aspect of giving more power to someone than they have is when we review the enemy's strengths. The scout describes the enemy as having fierce warriors with brand-new armor and immediately invokes fear.
The Number Seven and Four
I thought the number seven was mentioned a few times in the play - seven warriors, seven gates, etc. Seven is mentioned many times in the Bible, as well. Seven seems to have a lot of historical, mythological and religious significance. Seven planets (in the past), seven days of the week, seven wonders of the world, seven colors of the rainbow, etc. From South Indian history, St. Thomas established seven churches in India (seven and a half, if you want to be precise). Does seven still have the same cultural significance as it had in the past?
I think the modern equivalent of seven is probably four (my opinion). Every management theory seems to talk in terms of four quadrants - Eisenhower matrix (urgent/non-urgent; non-important/important), SWOT analysis, etc. Four values of Agile, four principles of Lean, four agreements by Don Ruiz, etc., four letter acronyms in the business world like BHAG (big-hairy-audacious-goal), GAAP, etc., four letter tech acronyms like HTTP, HTML, VoIP, BIOS, RAID, JSON, etc. I’m also, strangely, reminded of Four in the Divergent series.
Do numbers make humans feel more special?
I think there are many things that make us feel like we're special and unique. I believe that each person has some beliefs, habits, and superstitions that they've formed based on their life experiences that they keep to themselves regardless of the religion they believe in. Most modern religions are narrow and dogmatic that they cannot really account for all the human experiences.
For example, when a person dreams of something and it happens, or when they think of someone randomly and that person just calls, they'll begin to feel that they have a special paranormal ability. When a man has a visceral, vivid, and totally realistic dream of giving birth and feels the pain in the abdomen and the whole body shaking even after he wakes up, he might believe in rebirth that he was a woman in some past life and that experience was playing out. When someone sees the apparition of someone dead, especially as a child, before he ever saw a horror movie, one begins to believe in ghosts even if no one around him believes. When someone has experienced his spirit on the ceiling looking at his body, he strongly believes in the existence of a soul or an aura even if there is no proof. So, I think each person is a prophet of their own religion that they formed based on their experiences which deeply believe in, and may or may not tell others.
In addition to all these, there are superstitions that we cling to like sitting on one side of the couch so that our team would win, always wearing left shoes before the right, seeing two crows together as a good omen, looking at the skies to see some pattern before embarking on a journey, etc.
But, I think, all these pale in comparison to the effect numbers have on us. It may be cultural, but I've talked with people from different cultures who give a lot of importance to numbers. A lot of people believe that some numbers have mystical significance to them. Some people have a lucky number that they associate with their birth date or month, and when they encounter that number, they think something good is going to happen. There are people who add up digits of the number plates of vehicles they see on their way to an important event, and if the majority add up to their lucky number, they know it will work. There are students who, before an exam, open random pages in their textbook and, depending on what numbers turn up, interpret the results in their favor. There are people who connect the dots when they see some numbers scattered across a book like the Bible. There are people who encounter some number patterns in old literature and look for clues to treasure maps. The more I think of it, the more I believe that counting and understanding numbers is what really set humanity on the course of being the most intelligent species in the known universe.
ChatGPT’s Response
Your reflection on the significance of numbers in human life, both in terms of personal belief systems and cultural practices, touches on a deep and multifaceted relationship between humans and numbers. This relationship spans the psychological, spiritual, and pragmatic aspects of human existence. Let's delve into some of the points you raised:
The Psychological and Symbolic Significance of Numbers
The psychological impact of numbers on human behavior and belief systems is profound. Numbers carry symbolic meanings that transcend their mathematical value. For instance, the number seven has been revered across various cultures and historical periods for its perceived mystical and divine properties. Your observation about the modern preference for the number four in various management theories and technological acronyms highlights how different cultures and eras attribute significance to different numbers, often based on their utility, symmetry, and philosophical or religious connotations.
Numbers and Personal Belief Systems
Your examples of personal experiences and superstitions related to numbers illustrate how individuals create their own unique belief systems around numbers. These systems are influenced by a combination of cultural backgrounds, personal experiences, and human tendencies to seek patterns and meanings in the world around us. The belief in lucky numbers, the interpretation of numerical signs in everyday life, and the use of numbers in rituals and decision-making processes are manifestations of the human desire to find order, meaning, and control in an unpredictable world.
Numbers in Cultural Practices
Culturally, numbers play a crucial role in rituals, traditions, and the structuring of societies. From the significance of numbers in religious texts to their use in determining auspicious dates for events, numbers are imbued with meanings that shape cultural practices and beliefs. The universality of numerical superstitions and the reverence for certain numbers across different cultures underscore the shared human propensity to invest numbers with emotional and spiritual power.
The Role of Numbers in Human Progress
Your insight into the role of numbers in setting humanity on a path of intelligence and discovery highlights the instrumental role of numerical systems in the development of science, technology, and civilization. The ability to count, measure, and abstractly represent the world through numbers has been a cornerstone of human progress, from the construction of ancient architectural wonders to the development of computer algorithms.
Conclusion
The interplay between numbers and human belief systems is a rich field of inquiry that touches on psychology, sociology, anthropology, and philosophy. Your reflections capture the essence of this interplay, illustrating how numbers are much more than mere symbols used for counting and measurement; they are integral to the way humans understand the world, relate to one another, and construct personal and collective identities. This multifaceted relationship with numbers underscores the complexity of human cognition and the profound ways in which our minds seek to impose order and meaning on the universe.
Gemini (Formerly Bard)’s Response
You provide an excellent summary of the first 700 lines of Aeschylus' "Seven Against Thebes" and weave in fascinating thoughts about the power of numbers and individual experiences shaping beliefs! Here's a breakdown of your analysis:
Summary:
You've succinctly captured the opening:
Eteocles' contradictory speech (blaming gods for losses but taking sole credit for wins)
The Scout's detailed descriptions of the enemy warriors, building tension
Eteocles' strategic countermoves
The shock reveal of Polynices as the seventh attacker, hinting at Eteocles' potential villainy
Your Interpretations:
Power Dynamics: You astutely recognize the complexities of power, especially how failure amplifies a person's perceived influence. This applies both to Eteocles underestimating the enemy and to our modern tendency to give "credit" for failures rather than successes.
Symbolism of Seven: Your observations about the significance of seven across history are excellent! You bring a unique perspective connecting this to the potential modern-day equivalent of four, found in numerous management strategies.
Human Uniqueness: This is the truly thought-provoking part of your reflections. You rightly state that religions often fail to fully address the spectrum of human experience, potentially leading to highly personal beliefs shaped by moments of intuition, dreams, and the seemingly supernatural. Numbers add another layer to this sense of the special, with people assigning profound meaning to their "lucky" digits or seemingly significant numerical patterns.
Expanding the Conversation:
Your thoughts provide a great starting point for further discussion:
Power in "Seven Against Thebes": Delve deeper into Eteocles' character. Is his initial speech simply arrogance, or does it betray inner fear and insecurity? How does the revelation of Polynices change our perception of him?
The Modern Four: While management theories like your examples have prominence, could there be more universal "fours" with broader cross-cultural relevance? Think natural or social patterns – would that bring the concept closer to the power of the historical seven?
Individual Beliefs vs. Dogma: What is the line between "personal spirituality" and forming harmful prejudices or superstitions? Does this tension contribute to people seeking certainty in numbers as a seemingly unassailable "truth"?