Ancient Greek Wisdom on Family
By John
Kyriazoglou
Man (meaning
both genders, male and female) is a social animal. He has learnt from very old
times to live in communities and groups with other people. His family, however,
is the group that provides a safe life full of love and security. Family is very important part of our everyday life. It
helps us improve our personality. It also helps us shape our life. It teaches
us the value of love, affection, care, truthfulness and self-confidence and
provides us tools and suggestions which are necessary to get success in life.
Family is a place where you can be yourself. It is a
place where you are accepted for what you are. This is where you are completely
tension free and everyone is there to help you. Family encourages you when you
are surrounded by problems. It helps you survive through tough times and brings
joy and happiness into your life.
Decency and dignity are very important in the activities
of daily life. They help us make strong relationships and bonds with others and
make us come across as a very gentle, intelligent and likable person. We all love
to be in a company of such a person. Family helps bring decency and dignity into
our life which is absolutely necessary to lead a happy and balanced life.
One of the most important aims of our life is to build a
successful and highly rewarding career. Our families help us in creating a
strong future. It gives us valuable suggestion about different career
prospective. It not only guides us in choosing the best but also financially
helps us to cover the expenses of education. Thus it helps us in making a good
future.
Today, most people don't realize the importance of
family. They prefer to spend most of their time with their friends. But when
they are surrounded by problems, it was their family that helped them get rid
of problems. At the time, when even our best friends refuse to help us, it was
our family that came to help us. So it is very important for each and every
individual to give importance to their families above anything else and enjoy
spending time with family members.
Here is an example of what noted ancient Greek poets and philosophers have said about Family and its expressions: Marriage, Wife, Children, and Parents.
Aeschylus: ‘Every person
must honor his (or her) parents’.
Aristotle: ‘Family is the
cell of life’.
Dimosthenis: ‘The person who does not take care of his (or her) parents is an enemy of
both people and Gods’.
Euripides: ‘There are three rules to be followed by anyone who wants to be right: To
love his (or her) parents, to love other human beings and to love what is just’.
Isocrates: ‘We should behave towards our parents the same way we would want our
children to behave towards us’.
Plato: ‘You can teach children better by using the method of playing games
rather than by force’. ‘Correct education is one therapeutic way for our soul’.
Plutarch: ‘There are three bases that contribute to a child’s good upbringing:
Nature, education and exercise’.
Socrates: ‘Education comprises the festive activities of the soul, as it includes
many games, events and activities that support and improve our souls’.
Sophocles: ‘A bad woman is the worst thing that can happen to a man, and the best
gift will be a sensible woman that will come his way’.
In
conclusion: It is very difficult, if not impossible, for anyone, to live
happily, survive and prosper without the support and long-term bonds of a
family. Also parents are considered to be the most valuable thing for all human
beings. For this exact reason we have an obligation to always respect, honor,
support and love them. Finally it is also our divine duty and moral (and legal)
responsibility to also support, love, care, educate, train and provide for our
children, to the best of our abilities, for the very simple reason that we
brought them to this world.
