Tales of classical Greeks of their plumed helmets and woolen tunics might sound far faraway from in the present day’s period of prevaricators, character cults, and political panic. However what appears new and scary has previous roots. And within the case of an Athenian normal — and a contemporary American prototype — named Alcibiades, these roots return so far as the fifth century BC.
Alcibiades (pronounced al-suh-bai-uh-deez) was a good-looking, unscrupulous, rich, conceited, formidable, charismatic, clever, licentious, courageous, traitorous, hot-headed, cultural contradiction of a person born in 450 BC. An unapologetic champion of ego-mad individualism, Alcibiades lived for self-promotion and public consideration. And he reveled within the sorts of controversy and acclaim that, like his modern-day friends, introduced him each.
Alcibiades, an in depth pal of Socrates and a ward of Pericles, appeared to have understood early that his magnificence set him aside. Certainly because the Roman historian Plutarch wrote, Alcibiades’ “glorious pure elements” made him “beautiful and nice” from youth to maturity.
To additional promote his model, in addition to exhibit what we would name his influencer’s clout, Alcibiades emblazoned his warrior’s defend with a picture of Eros armed with a bow and thunderbolt — not a mere arrow. He was additionally reported to stroll “with utter…
